PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

Southland Times, Issue 1576, 10 May 1872, Page 2

PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

ABBIVKD. 4f ay 7 — "Rangitoto, so., 449 tons, Mickie, from Dunedin. H. J. Gibbs & Co., agents. SAIIiED. ajay 7_Ran :itotoi s.s., 449 tons, Mackie, fo r Melbourne. H. J. Gibb3 & Co., agents. IMPOSTS. Per Rangitoto— 3. pkgs, O'Toole ; 2 do, G-el-latly ; '1 do, Craig & GWmour ; 10 do, J. Stock & Co; 1 do, Waddel; 2 do, Porter; 4 do, Whittinghatn Bros & Instone ; 1 do, Hayes ; 1 do, H. J. Gibba & Co ; 2 do, Boyd ; 76 do, and 50 bags coal, Brodrick. -*-_ .TASSENOTm LIST. Per Rangitoto, from Dunedin — Mr Morton Tavares, Miss Surtees, Mr Hyams, Mr I. N. Watt, Mr Austin, Mr Beattie, and one in the steerage.

A new iron steam vessel of peculiar design and novel arrangement, constructed by Messrs W. Simons & Co., of the London Works, Renfrew, Scotland, was launched last January. It is named the Canada, and is the property of the -Canadian G-overnment. It is the first veß3el of this description ever- launched, combining in ■itself the respective properties of a powerful dredger, a steam hopper barge, and a screw tog steamer. It is intended to keep the harbors and: rivers of North America free of silting and obstructions at a moderate expense, as it has in one bottom all the properties of the more expensive dredge fleet usual in extensive operationß, and by its use ordinary rivers and harbors can be deepened and improved at much less expense than is cast away with dredges, - barges, and tug steamers, ' with their crews and necessary detention. The ; mode of working is as follows : — The vessel propels itself to the .place requiring dredging, it is . then moored by the steam winches to the guide buoys at both bows and quarter ; the dredging girder is then lowered r to the bottom bj steam ; the machinery connected therewith is then set in motion and draws a range of steel mounted buckets, which cut, lift, and •deposit into the vessel one hopper, containing about two hundred tons of soil. The vessel feeing now loaded, the girder is raised flush with -the deck, the noorings are disconnected from the i>uoys, and the vessel assumes the properties of a -Screw steamer. Another connection of the ma■chinery is then pat into gear, driving the ■propel er. The pilot takes his station at the sudder, the captain on the bridge, and the dredging crew convert themselves into sailors, and 4he vessel steams away to deep sea water, «ay from ten to twenty miles, at a speed of eight iuots an hour, when by another arrangement of | -the steam machinery, the bottom hopper door •opens, and the two hundred tons of cargo is in a anbnient dropped in thirty or forty fathoms <deep of water. ..The doors are then closed, and ime steamer "' returns for another cargo, and 'becomes again a dredger, the process being repeated. This vessel is consequently well suited for exposed localities, and is capable of lifting, conveying, and depositing five hundred to one thousand tonß of soil per day, and by its use — in' limited operations— the cost of dredging is greatly reduced. There are many commercial seaports and rivers which can be deepened by this system, but their trade and prospects would . not warrant the heavy expenditure of an entire -dredge . fleet. We understand . Messrs Simons have patented the arrangements of this vessel, -and after a trial on the Clyde, it will shortly r steam ' itself across the Atlantic to its destination.—Glasgow Mail.