THE PRETTY JANE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 289, 14 July 1875, Page 2

THE PRETTY JANE.

It gives us unqualified pleasure to welcome the arrival of this favorite little steamer — under the command of Captain Hilender, late of the Star of the South —once more in the port of Poverty Bay. Since her stranding at the Big River some months ago, the Pretty Jane has undergone a complete overhaul in Auckland at a considerable cost to the A. S. P. Co., to which she belongs; indeed some portions of her are unrecognizable, so completely has the change resulted in improvement Amongst the more prominent we may notice her passenger accommodation. The saloon has been lengthened seven fret, thus rendering it a spacious and comfortable apartment in the day time, and affording ample sleeping accommodation at night. Several new berths have been added, capable of holding 16 passengers, while the horse hair seats, and even the table can be improvised as shakes down, not totally devoid of comfort. The steward’s pantry is handily situated for convenience ; the lavatory is as commodious as space will allow, and the furnishing and appurtenances of the saloon have received due attention in every respect. Ladies who in future travel by this boat will have cause to congratulate themselves on the increased accommodation afforded them. Their quarters have, also received an additional length of ■even feet, with some half dozen berths extra, while, flysh with the side of the lower bunks are movable flaps which can be raised at pleasure and used as seats or tables. At least 14 lady passengers can now be supplied with accommodation on board the Prcliy Jane, such as few vessels of her size posses*. In both the ladies’ cabin and the saloon great attention has been paid to ventilation, port holes, fore and aft, can be opened at pleasure, thus affording a pure current of air in any weather. The Whole capacity of the cabins is equal to the requirement of about 50 passengers on a pinch, and perfectly divested of the irritating causes of complaint, so conspicuous in the boat as she was befor' the accident. The cuisine is presided overby Mr. Page an obliging caterer for the wants of his customers ; and it is easy to see that under the new auspices in which the Pretty Jane now visits us, she will soon beget a general forgetfulness of all previous causes of complaint. Great improvements have also been made in the steamer’s machinery, the most important being the substitution of a new surface condenser? We are informed that the Jane used to steam slow with a consumption of 8 tons of coal during the 24 hours, while the indicator diagram developed only 76 horse power. On her trial trip before leaving Auckland, the speed indicated 106 horse power, with 112 revolutions per minute, thus giving a good knot more speed with a saving in fuel of, at least, 35 per cent., besides other savings in the shape of scale in the boiler, which is prevented through the condensation of her own water. We understand that the design is Mr. Lodder’s, the indefatigable manager of the Company, under whose personal superintendence the Pretty Jane has been placed in a position worthy of the trade in which she is engaged. We regret to hear that she swung on to the rocks, on entering the river on Sunday, by which she lost two blades of her propeller, but these have been replaced, and she was to proceed on her voyage to Napier last mid-night.

Thk Schiller’s Mail Bags.—There have been seven bags of letters recovered, twenty hae* of newspapers, and 145 registered letters* There are lost four bags of-letters thirty-two bags of newspapers, and 352 registered letters. The bag for the Agent General, containing all the Government correspondence, has fortunately been recovered. There are 14,000 letters lost in all. London, June 25. The mail contract is signed. The contract with the American Pacific Company, Mr. Elder, of Glasgow, and Mr. Macgregor, of Leith, jointly and severally. The term is for eight years, each colony paying half. The speed eleven knots, and the price £89,850. The service begins in November next from Sydney and Port Chalmers, and continues once every four weeks. The boats for San Franscico sail from Port Chalmers, and the boats from San Franscico sail through to Sydney, connecting at Fiji. The boat from Sydney to Fiji meets the boats from San Francisco and carries the mails to New Zealand ports, this boat being the next through boat from Port Chalmers to San Francisco, returning thence to Sydney, and so on. Mr. Elder supplies two new ships, and the American company three new ships; all upwards of 2,800 tons, built of iron, with screw propellers of great power. There is no doubt of the ability of the contractors. The contract is forwarded by the out going mails and requires confirmation during the present session of Parliament. The cable agreement is signed by Sir Julius Vogel and Mr. Cowper, and awaits the seal of the colony to complete it.

The following is an extract from a telegram from the Agent-General, London, June 16, giving ths names of vessels and number of immigrants which left for this colony in May:—Alumbagh and Dover 772, Auckland ; Halcione 298, Taraniki; Freideburgh 289, Napier ; Rodney 487, Wellington ; Blairgowrie 441, Lyttelton ; Macausland 339 Bluff; Stewart’s specials sail on the 7th.