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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 21, 19 July 1864, Page 2

A trial of speed took place at Lyttelton on tho 6th ' hist, between the Otago, Phoebe, aud Wellington. The Press saya :— " All three boats started on tolerably equal terms, the Otago having the advantage ef a length or so, but by the time they reached the Heads their position was materially altered, as the Otago had proved herself "decidedly the fastest boat of the three, by getting half-a-mile ahead, while the Phcebe was left fully as much in the rear. The Wellington, at the time she started, was under IS-lbs. steam, whereas she is capable of working up to 28-lbs." She made the return trip in five nhnutes less than the other. The fine American-built clipper ship, Andrew Jackson, chartered by -Messrs. Porter, Wilson and Co., of Glasgow, for the conveyance of passengers to Otago, was towed up to her anchorage this forenoon. The Andrew Jackson sailed from Glasgow,' with the reputation of a vessel of superior speed, and she has fully_ realised the expectations entertained of her, having, notwith- j standing a bad start, made the best passage of , the season, several vessels being now due which j had- sailed a month before her departure. She has, further, the fortune to arrive with all her original complement of passengers, in good health and 'spirits, quite satisfied with their treatment throughout the -passage. The passage commenced on the 14th April, when the steam-tug left the vessel, and fhfe run to New Zealand was completed on- the sth inst,, when Stewart's Island was sighted — a neriod of eighty-two days, .Under favorable chcumstances, the passage would have been made in much less time, but : the vessel was delayed by heavy weather, off the coast of Ireland, for ten days, a detention which prolonged the passage as far as the equator, to thirty- three days. Throughout the "weather was fine ; but from the equator a very speedy passage bf 47 days was made, the ship's log, on several occasions, showing 330 and 340 knots in' tie twenty-four hours. Arriving off Stewart's lslaad on the sth, the vessel might have made the run -hither in les3 than a day, but she was baffled by a N.E. gale, by bght winds off the coast, and by C3lms in the vicinity of the port. Of the-passengers by her,-a majority have assisted passages, only a small. proportion of the number being single females.— Ot ago Times, 13th inst. Ths Otego Mail of 13th inst, contains the following: — "The Lord Ashley, r b.b., arrived yesterday from the North, but with the exception "of . the : important despatch to the Governor from' the J Secretary of State for the Colonies referred to in our leader, there is no news of any consequence. "TETrom that despatch it wul be seen, in addition:- :to; the decisions of Her Majesty's. Government with respect, to the Con.; fiscation ; or Settlements of the Assembly; that 'the Loan Act, will probably : obtain the . Imperial guarantee the extent of £900,000, ; in addition td' the £500,000 already ' guaranteed. To the Loans authorised for settlement of the conquered- country it is impossible, however,, that the guarantee will given. -The Governor's attention is also directed- to. the importance of reducing as ; quietly a3 possible thelarge force at present quartered an the colony. With repect to the contribution of the colony to the ex-pends-of this war, werareiold that; ..'the Imperial' Government will, if it continue beyond the end of the present year, expect a much more adequate contribution to the 'Imperial Exchequer." The ■ whole ? despatch/ tvQI be- found interesting, ■ and Btrongly illustrative of the new position taken up by the' lmperial Government with 'respect-' to the colonies. The news from the other Provinces is unimportant.