PORT OP WELLINGTON.

Southland Times, Issue 1128, 22 March 1869, Page 2

PORT OP WELLINGTON.

AHBIVED. March 19— Lord Ashley, s.a., from Napier. March 20.— Omeo, s.e., from Lyttelton. SAILED. March 20.— Airedale, s.s., for Lyttelton. The s.s. Alhambra, 800 tons, Capt. M'Lean cleared Port Phillip Heads, at 6 p.m. on the 4th inet; experienced light W. and N.W. winds, with fine weather, and arrived off Hokitika at 7 p.m. on tho 9th ; left for Nelson at 8 p.m. on the 11th ; and arrived at 4 p.m. on the 12th ; sailed at 10 p m. on the 13th ; and arrived at Wellington at 10.30 a.m. on the 14th ; left for Lyttelton at 3.30 p.m. on the 15fch ; arrived at 7.30 a.m. on the 16th, sailed for Port Chalmcas mers at 7.30 p.m. same day, and arrived a; 3.30 p.m on the 17th; experienced light variable winds from Lytti-lton, sailed at 5.45 p m. on the 18th ; and arrived at Bluff Harbor at 9 a.m. on the 19th.

Blowing- up a Wrecked Shxp. — The sappers and miners ot the Royal Engineers in addition to removing the wreck "of the iron screw-steamer clilSc ul £ o peraffon of^owing up tlTe wreck of the ship Iredes, sunk about' twelve months since between two and three miles below the Nore, in the vicinity of the Cant Sands. The operation of removing the wreck of tlie Iredes, from the great depth at which the divers had to carry on their work, was in many respects the most difficult pince the blowing up of the Poyal George, by the Roynl Engineers at Spithead. Thu whole of the operations were carried out under the direction of Colonel W. O. Lennox, C.8., V.C., assisted by Lieutenant H. Jekyll, by means of the improved diving apparatus, the invention of Mr A. Siebe, which is now in general use by the Roynl Engineers at Chatham for carrying on their diving operations. The charges used in j destroying ihe wreck of the Iredes wer* prepared at the torpedo department of the Royal ?En_ineer establishment, each charge containing 601bs of the new description of compressed gun cotton, the explosive force of which is equal to 3Colbs of or.linary gunpowder. Owing to the high winds and heavy sea the divers worked under the greatest disadvantage during the whole time the undertaking wa-< being carried out. Sergeant Bnker, the principal diver after some difficulty succeeded in placing the necessary charges under the vesßel, and at the same time spliced the electric cable to a rope passing under the ship. The charge was ihen fired by means ofthe frictional machine, when a great quantity of wreck came up. After some further operations the divers succeeded in driving large iron staples in the vessel's port and starboard quaiters, to which were attached charges of gun cotton. It was on this occasion that an accident occurred wbich nearly proved fatal to one of the divers, Sergeant Baker, who fell into a deep hole caused by the former explosion ; but the well-arranged signals of Mr Siebe's apparatus enabled him to be almost instantly drawn to the surface, without the slightest injury having been sustained by the diving dress. The whole of the charges placed unler the vessel were fir. d simultaneously in continuous c rcuit with the most satisfactory results, a vast column of water oeing thrown into the air to the height of between 80 and 100 feet, foilowe I by a mass of black mud which cauie rolling up, briuging with it the ship's frames, timbers, plinking, cordage, kc, which covered the water for some distance. Durina the operation the great advantage possessed 'y Mr Sicb 's apparatus over all otlters was shown in a second diver tving sent down to ass st or r.-luve tbe first by nvnns ol the same pump — a most important consideration in th < case of a diver not o ini abln to clear himself I'rom anv obstruction. Arrangements are no v bein ima le for b offing up tlle wre k of the large emigrant ship Loichhiirdt, whieh was sunk some short time since near the Wasp Sands by the screw steamer North Star, and it is intended to employ the Koyal Engineers in removing wrecks oa various parts of the coa-<t. — Knglish P.iper.