GENERAL MEMORANDA.

Southland Times, Issue 735, 11 October 1867, Page 2

GENERAL MEMORANDA.

Atjstrauak Packets. — Yesterday a little trip was .made down the river in one' of the most recent as well as the largest and finest additions which has been made to what may almost bo called the . mercantile navy,- Messrs Money • Wigfam'and Sons have" engaged in this trade. The new ship, the Sumersetshire, is one of the most frigate-looking steam clippei'3 that have ' ever leit the '.Thames. She is full-rigged, with the lofty massive spars which evidently mean sailing when the wind serves, and nothing but it ; but at the same time she is provided with powerful screw engines, which, though of only a nominal 300 horse-power, are capable of steaming up ±o nearly six times that amount, and can always be relied on in the heaviest weather for a - force of at least 1200 horse-power. Her length over all is 271 feet, her breadth extreme from outside to outside, 41 feet, and her depth 2S. Her gross tonnage is nearly 2400, which, deducting for engine-room, leaves her nearly 1500 tons for cargo stowage. Possibly the vessel looks too • long for her width, but this fault, if fault it is, while it may be against her in sailing on some winds, materially assists her veloc'ty hi steaming with light breezes and calm seas.. No attempt was made to try the speed of the ship yesterday. Bhe simply went. down: easily ;from Tilbury as fur as^the_Mucking li^ht, .and then, returned -up the I—river1 — river "to Blackwill and went into dock to be finally fitted for her -Australian voyage. The - -engines, by Humphry s, Tennant and C 0.," worked "■ beantifully through fhe little; voyage,- and .this is "the more noteworthy, as it was the first time: the Somersetshire had ever been under steam. The Btrokeof the "engine is, perhaps, rather short, being only 34 inches ; but at as high a rate as ' 69 and' 7j6 revolutions a minute, ihey worked ; "easily and without friction of any kind. No attempt was made to drive the ship or try her . rate of speed, but with 15lb of steam she did • lier nine and a half and ten knots with an ease ■ of- motion >and absence of vibration which bodes well for her comfort -as a passenger ship on long voyages. — London " Times," July 30th. - - We understand that Mr Barnes, the shipbuilder of Gloucester, has just contracted, through Messrs Muirhead, Parkes and Co., of London, to build for James Duncan. Esq., of Otago, New Zealand, a new clipper ship of 600 tons, to be named the William Cargill, and the; name is chosen from association with the Colony — William Cargill being the first Superintendent of the Province of Otago ; it. also being the name of the father of Mrs Duncan, the lady of the owner. , The vessel ' is to be fitted up with all modern improvements : in •hull and spars, and her cabin will be unsur- ' passed for comfort and general finish. The saloon jtvill be constructed oflpolished oak and bird's-eye •j maple, relieved with gold and : velvet ' upholstery. She is intended for the Colonial trade, and will be commanded by her owner;/ who has made the n cst^fiburishing and most important Province of Otago his home ; and should sufficient inducement offer in the way of passengers she will sail, when complete, direct from Gloucester to :-New Zealand. It may he added that .the same owner " has a vessel now in London, called the Prospector, of Otago, chartered by Muirhead, Parkes and Co., now loading, and will sail about the 10th of July for Invercargill. She will be commanded by Captain Thomson, late chief officer of the same vessel, and who is identified with the Colony, thus offering a first-rate opportunity for all classes of passengers. We understand that Mr Barnes has also contracted with a firm of the name of Wilson and Co., of Pernambueo, for the building of three three-masted schooners, thus showing an increase in the ship building trade at Gloucester. — " Bristol paily Post." The AusTEAMAif.— The following extract from the "Sydney Herald," relative to one of tho several handsome clippers now lying in Hobson's Bay, may prove interesting to our home readers, • as it will be sure to prove gratifying to the owners of the Australian, the vessel referred to: — -"By telegrams from Melbourne we learn that the clipper ship Australian, Captain Duthie, arrived there on the 26th ult., in seventy-one days from London. Even in these days of clipper passages, the performance of the Australian. is ! perhaps the most extraordinary on record, and will compare with anything accomplished by the tea clippers. Launched at Aberdeen in August, she left England in October, arrived in Sydney in seventy-five days, discharged and loaded full cargoes here, made the Toyage home in seventy-nine days ; loaded for Melbourne, where she has now arrived, thus completing the round voyage in 198 days, and having : Bailed 48,00U miles, und carried three full cargoes, in ten months and seventeen days." Captain Sochioet Maguiee, R.N. — We regret to record the death of Captain^ Rochfort Maguire; R:N., late Commander on the Australian station, which took place on the 29th of June, at Haslar, shortly after his return from the colonies, in which he ti was greatly respected as a zealous and efficient officer, much beloved by those who served under" him. Captain Maguire entered the navy from the'royal naval college in U ovember,- '1830, passed his : examination in 1835, artdseryed a ? mate\on boar?] .the Wjisp, 16,

was severely wounded at the capture of Sidon, where, by. his gallant behaviour he gained his lieutenancy. Captain Maguire's commands as post-captain were the Galatea, screw- frigate, on the West India atation, and the Challenger, screw corvette, as commodore of the second class on the Australian station, from' which, he was compelled to invalid "owing to the state of his health' • • ' '■-;. -•:'>'