PORT CHALMERS, December 16.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 310, 17 December 1862, Page 4

PORT CHALMERS, December 16.

Wind r.t noon: N.E. %ht breeze; weather, dull Hip-, v/ater on the ]6th instant, at Port SSter a- m" Hnd "-: 51 P- m' >at Dnnedin ' ARRIVALS. PTNor' Wester, ship. 1,207 tons, Aluiy, from Melbourne, December (sth, general cargo;'horses, and sneep «sl passengers. A. L. Thomson and Co, City of Melbournn, ship, I,BiS tons, Jones, from Melbourne November 30th, 4,000 sheep, 8 pas-st-ngors. J)al<rety, Ilattray, and Co, agents/ P JJenvenfc Hunter, barque, 388 tons, Evans from DEPARTURES. fcnw' Sr Pl -n° l w" s ' «bambera,. for Calcutta, in ballast. Cargill and Co, agents 16 ftfl' A; ** to M'Lean, for Melbourne, and C^a"ent ° ' pasSeDSers- IIW Mudio, City of Hobart, s.s., 368 tons, Darby f or Mcl Titama, s.s Jarvey, for Invercargill, fgoods and passengers. Itobmeon and Lii/y, agents. PASSENGER LIST. , . Pef., Ai! in Safor Melbourne: Colonel Young, Captam Traliord, Mr Trolove, Mr Levin, Mrßatt.jfo John DunnMr D. Alston, Mr Able, Mr Wolfe, Mr Mr kisshng, Mr IleiUy, Captain Jas. Malcolm, Mr George Hwcett, Mr Hopkins, Mr Dixon, Mrs Mary Jones, Mrs Jas. Smith. Total, cabin, 24 ; steerage

Per City of Hobart, for Melbourne.—Messrs. Conroy, Long, Mich, Louttit, Roach, Carrick; 92 in the steerage. Per Nor' Wester, from Melbourne.—Miss Henry, Mrs Geddes, Messrs Mixner, W. Learraonth, G. Henry, Kratley, and Clarke; 25 in steerage. ler City of Melbourne, from Melbourne.—Messrs C. Pownall E. Bell, A. Robertson, J. Beattie, Mrs liarton, family and servant, Miss Blackmore

PROJECTED DEPARTURES

Gothenburg, s s., for Melbourne, 19tli inst. Omeo, s.s., for Melbourne, 22nd inst. { Aiding, s.s., Melbourne, 31st inst. .Benjamin Heape, for Melbourne, 17tli inst Nor'-Wester, for Melbourne, 20th insfc. Queen, s.s., for Auckland, &c, on arrival of Entrlisli mail. b Witch of tlie Tees, for London, 15th January, 1863 ' Chile, tor London, 20th January, 1863. t Aquila, for Lytteltou, Wellington, and Napier, 17th inst. [ Storm Bird, s.s., for Lyttelton and Wellington, 20th inst. Excelsior, for Canterbury, 18th inst. Pioneer, for the Molyneiix. 17th inst, Mary Jane, for the Molyneux, early. Mary Thompson, for Invercargill, early. Clarendon, for Waihola Lake, 17th inst. Midlothian, for Waihola Lake, early. Kestrel, for Sydney, 20th inst. VESSELS IN PORT. Aboukir, ship, from Glasgow. Cincinnati, barque, from Newcastle. Surprise, schooner, from Auckland. Fawn, schooner, from Lyttleton. Chile, ship, from London. Scoresby, ship, from London. MetariSj barque, from Newcastle. Albatross, schooner, from Auckland. Wontezuma, brig, from Port Albert. Mary Thomson, schooner, from Waikawa. Cosmopolite, brig, from Hobart Town. Northern Light, brigantine. from Hobart Town. [Benjamin Heape, barque, from Melbourne. Vibilia, schooner, from Melbourne. -Dunedin, schooner, from Stewart's Island. Kestrel, brig, from Sydney. Geelonjr, p.s., from Lyttelton. Queen, s.s., from Nor{h. San Ff aneiseb, barque, from Geelong. City of Melbourne, ship, from Melbourne Nor' Wester, ship, from Melbourne Derwent Hunter, barque, from Hobart Town

The ship Nor Wester arrived in Port at mid-day, after [another quick passage from Melbourne. She Ml Port Phillip Heads on the 7th: was for thirty-six hours detained in Bass's Straits by baffling winds; had fresh breezes to Stewart's Island; then had a heavy gale, the barometer standing at 28.50 ; and subsequently had light winds to the Heads, where she arrived on Monday night. She brings a general cargo, 400 sheep and 142 horses, with only a trifliig loss among the stock on board. From the stock-owners and the other passengers on board, Captain Almy on this occasion received a very flattering testimonial, accompanied by a purse of sovereigns, and to all his officers a similar recognition was given of the manner m winch they supported the exertions of their commander to prosecute the voyage, and preserve the live ireigut on bo;.rd, and to render comfortable the passengers travelling on board his fine ship. The JVcr v Wester has, in the meantime, been moored close ia shore, and will proceed immediately to discharge her valuable freight.

The Black Ball liner. City of Melbourne, Capt. R Jones, wa3 towed up by the Samson to day, bringing a -very valuable freight of sheep, with a very trifling, loss, notwithstanding her protracted and heavy passage. Capt. Jones reports having passed throughPort Philip Heads at noon on the 30th ult., in company with the snip Lightning belonging to the same

line... Until the 10th of December she etlcounteredwinds varying front N.N.E. to S-E,, after which it vreroV! round to the N. \V., gradually increasing, until Saturday,, v/hen it blew a terrific gale, and. at 4 p.m. it veered round to the S.W., carrying away the fore topsail, and washing the starboard quarter-boat completely out of the davits, laying the ship on her beam ends, a.nd shifting the ballast. At this time it blew a perfect hurricane, the barometer failing as low as 28.60. The- sea which accompanied this gale wa* exceedingly heavy. Subsequently it began gradually to abate, and, as the vessel got under the lee of the land, she got beyond the influence of the severe weather and heavy swell. During this weather the vessel was driven as far south as 54 degrees. At 10 o'clock on Sunday morning, they sighted the land, and continued to run up the coast with a fair wind until opposite Dunedin, when the wind suddenly shifted north, and kept the vessel out until Monday night, the pilot being taken °a board- early on Tuesday morning. The City of Melbourne, as stated, has brought upwards of 4,000 sheep, all of the merino breed, and belonging to Mr Henry Beattie. Among the number are some splendid ranis of the same breed, which, with the general freight, have weathered it exceedingly well, only two or t^ree having died out of the entire cargo, which will be landed altogether in excellent condition.

1 he'barque Derwent Hunter arrived early in the morning, in addition to timber, she brings sixty horses, which have been landed m good condition, bhe left on the 7th, and had fine weather till the following Friday; subsequently had heavy gales, the barometer falling to 28.60.

.. The steamships Aldiiiga and City of Hobart both sailed from the Port th.s evening; the City ot Hobart carrying the English mails, with gold and passengers; and the Aldinga taking with her also about double the quantity of sold and a number of passengers • the majority of whom leave to spend the Christinas-holi-days with their families and friends in Victoria. To the inhabitants of Port Chalmers, and to those on board shipping in the Port, the departure of the two vessels was a sight of some interest.' The City of Hobart was ready to sail first, but was understood to be aground on a small bank known to exist in the position in which she had. been moored preparatory to departure. The Aldinga lay near at hand, also, ready for sea, and, like the others, blowing off steam at a furious rate, but showing no disposition to move. It appeared as if it were a matter of debate which vessel should have.the name of starting first. At last the Aldiuga steamed ahead, but several times speed was diminished, and she only went slowly down the eliannel among the shipping, apparently awaiting the movement of the City of Hobart. She fired her gun, and ostensibly sailed at 6 p.m. At 7 o'clock the City ot Hobart, which had been swung round early in the day, was again set head on to the tideway, and steamed down; the Aldinga, which was some distance in advance of her, and had for a time brought up, again setting ofl".. To the numerous observers ot the departure of the vessels, it appeared as if there were constantly occurring some cause for delay; but it also looked as if the commanders of the two vessels had a willingness to have, on this occasion, a test of the qualities of their respective vessels, and were punctilious as to the moment and circumstances of staining on the passage. Between them, they convey to Melbourne 23.794 ounces of gold, and upwards oi 260 passengers.