ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES. [via brindisi.]

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 80, 13 December 1884, Page 6

ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES. [via brindisi.]

(BY THE AUCKLAND " STARS" CORRESPONDENT.)

London, October 27. The Events of the Week. The two Anglo-Colonial events of interest of the last few days have been the release of the Tichborne claimant and the trial trip of the steamer Arawa. Trial trips do not, as a rule,excite much attention now-a-days, but Shaw, Savill & Co. are rightly proud of their splendid new vessel, and took some pains ' to show her off to the j press, with the result that elaborate descriptive reports of the ship and her run round to London have appeared in the "Daily Chronicle," "Globe," "Pall Mall Gazette," and other metropolitan journals. I send you the " Pall Mall " account in addition to my own individual observations. The Arawa is unquestionably the most comfortable vessel for passengers now in the antipodean trade. The New Zealand Shipping Company's new s.s. Kaikoura has been built on the same plan as the Aorangi and Ruapehu. She is, however, 500 tons bigger, and has consequently more accommodation for frozen meat. The Kaikoura's trial trip was not signalised by any festivities — in fact, took place seiniprivately. Such particulars as I have been able to ascertain will be found under the head of Shipping. The Claimant to the Tichborne Estates lived so long in Australia, and has so many acquaintances in your part of the world, that his doings might fairly be chronicled amongst u Anglo-Colonial Topics." I have, however, thought best to tell the story of his release and prison life separately. Suffice it to say here that the tl fat man " has changed so in appearance as to be unrecognisable. On the day of his release he walked for half an hour amongst fully two hundred people at the Waterloo Terminus without attracting the smallest attention. He appears in public for the first timo next week. You will see from the variousinterviewslsend you thatMr Castro does not intend to resign himself to circumstances, but will work undoubtably to rouse the country to a sense of his great wrongs.

Spurgeon's Lectures. Mr Thomas Spurgeon's lecture on New Zealand, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, realised £50 towards the Auckland Tabernacle Fund. The previous week ab Croydon £100 was raised, and on Tuesday the young pastor preached at Brighton for the same object. Mr Thos. Spurgeon's description of life m the colonies leaves much to be desired. He is not a shrewd observer, and falls into numberless blunders. "Truth," commenting on the lecture, says :—": — " Mr Thomas Spurgeon, of New Zealand, who gave a lecture on that country at the Metropolitan Tabernacle last week, seems to have the same happy knack of combining worldliness with godliness as his father, and there was capital " business " done between them. Mr Spurgeon, junior, playfully remarked that the New Zealanders were ' by no means the outlandish people some imagined, for they had all the best products of civilisation, j including sewing machines, steam tram , ways, and Spurgeon's sermons.' " Mr Spurgeon, senior, returned the compliment by congratulating the good people of Auckland on having a pastor so like himself — a man, above all things, who .vas 'not over - burdened with refinement, which is a thing not cultivated ] here,' with which remark the hat was sent j round for subscriptions towards a new tabernacle at Auckland, of which, needless . to say, Mr Spurgeon, junr., is to be the j pastor." . Helping a Colonist.

The following paragragh from "Vanity Fair " will be read with interest :— The Duke of Manchester is enormously popular in the colonies, and is always ready to give an " eligible " colonial a helping hand in this country, never forgetting those who have shown him kindness during his travels. One instance selected from many will prove this. A wealthy Queensland squatter had entertained the Duke with much hospitality during one of His Grace's visits to that colony. A nephew of this gentleman having managed to dissipate a comfortable property, came over to England and enlisted in one of the household regiments. The Duke hearing of this young gentleman's escapade, not only invited him to lunch, but went to the trouble of interviewing his commanding officer, with the result that Private Blank has been selected for active service in both the last and the present Egyptian expeditions. Personal and General Notes.

Mr Larkworthy, of the Bank of New Zealand, has presented the Zoological Society with a white-backed piping crow from Australia, for exhibition in Regent's Park. W G. George, the pedestrian whose extraordinary feats this last summer have eclipsed numberless records, sails for a professional tour in Australia and New Zealand early next March. I see the New York papers refer mysteriously to the disappearance of a large sum of money supposed to have been in the possession of Mr Charles De Kempeneer, who died recently at Auckland. On re-assembling after the recess, the Council of the Colonial Institute passed a resolution expressing deep regret at the death of their late colleague, Sir Robert Torrens, K.C.M.G., and conveying their sympathy in her bereavement to his widow. Sir Robert served 12 years on the Council of the Institute,and had a vast circle of colonial acquaintances not only in Australia and New Zealand, but all over the world. Mr Walter Henry Pearson, of Christchurch, New Zealand, has been elected a Fellow of the Colonial Institute. Mr Harrison, the well-known Australian football player, termed throughout the colonies " the father of the Victorian game," is at present in London. He has interviewed most of the leading metropolitan players, and is leaving no stone unturned to get the laws of the Rugby Association and Victorian games assimilated co that in football, as in cricket ,one universal code would be used in all parts of the world. It is, of course, a hopeless task. Two old and time-honoured institutions like the Rugby Union and Association are not likely to abandon their rules to oblige an Antipodean Btranger. Major Te Wheoro and Mr Skidmore have been spending a few days this week at Brighton. They returned home on Wednes3ay night, much better for their short trip. Mr R. Laishley is still staying at Tavistock Place, Bedford Square,. He pays occasional visits to the Agent-General, but I cannot ascertain how his business is progressing, or when he is likely to return to Auckland. The deith is announced of Vice-Admiral R. J. Otway, of Castle Otway, County Tipperary. When senior lieutenant of the Castor he was second in command of the Naval Brigade during the operations in New Zealand, and at the capture of Kaivitti's Pah in 1846, for which service he was promoted,

The San Francisco mail which left Auckland on September 15 was delivered in London this morning.

Shipping and Passenger Notes. H.M. Lark, attached to the Australian station, is to be re-commissioned for a further term of service. The new crew go out in the Tamar. The N.Z. Shipping Co.'s lonic arrived at Gravesend on the 21st inst., with 40 passengers and 9,000 carcases of frozen mutton. She left Wellington on Sept. 6th, reached Rio on 29fch, left again on SObh, passed Madeira on the 14th Oct., and reached Plymouth on 19th. Total passage, 43 days. The charter between the N.Z. Shipping Company and the White Star Line has now expired, and as soon as she has discharged her cargo Shaw, Savill's will take up the lonic. Arrangements have been made between the N.Z. Shipping Company and the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company to run their steamers alternately, and thus secure a fortnightly steam service between London and New Zealand. The Kaikoura leaves on the 25th iust., the Arawa on the sth Nov., the Tongariro on the 20th Nov., while the lonic wiil make her first trip for Shaw, Savill's a fortnight later. A fine iron ship of 3,000 tons dead weight capacity was launched at Dumbarton on the 20th October, from Messrs Archibald McMillan and Son's yard. She has been built under the special survey of Lloyd's, expressly for Messrs Devitt and Moore, and is intended for the Australian trade. She was named the Derwent, and will be commanded by Captain J. R, Andrew. Her dimensions are as follow, viz : — Length, 275 feet ; breadth, 40 feet 3 inches ; and depth, 23 feet 10 inches, and she takes the highest class at Lloyd's. The Board of Trade have presented Captain Simmonsen, of the German barque Montezurna, with a binocular glass in recognition of his services to the shipwrecked crew of the Mignonette, which foundered last July on her way to Sydney. Captain John Bone, formerly in command of the Rakaia, and who has for the last twelve months been acting as chief officer of the Tongaririo, has been appointed commander of that fine vessel. Captain Hallett, R.N., who has been in command of the Tongariro since her first trip, will take charge of the new steamer Riniutaka as soon as she is ready. The following are the latest bookings for Shaw SaviU's Arawa : — Mr and Mrs Walker, Mr and Mrs Feid and family, Mrs Inglis, Mr G. Anderson, Dr. Dunne, Messrs Alex, and H. M. Matheson, Eustace, H. W. Howell, C. Garam, and John Lees. The P. and O. Company's Valetta, which left Uravesend on the 21st inst., takes the following through passengers for Auckland :— Rev. Mr Boucher and Mr and Mrs Melville and family. The Kaikoura will embark her passengers at Gravesend to-morrow. She was not tried over the measured mile at Glasgow.

Frozen Meat. At the end of last week the retail butchers were absolutely paying more tor New Zealand mutton than for English. This state of things, however, was too good to last, and with the arrival of the lonic from Lyttelton, and the Zenobia from the River Plate, both with large consignments, rates fell to 6d lb., subsequently hardening to 6£d lb. The lonic has brought 482 pieces of beef, as well as 9,601 carcases mutton, but none of either have been placed on the market yet. The Zenobia's consignees are holding presumably for better prices. Messrs Ward and Stimpson quote — New Zealand mutton, 4s to 4s 4d per st. 81b. ; Australia, none offering ; Kiver Plate, none offering ; Home fed, 3s 8d to 5s per st. of 81b. The lonic brought a large quantity of pi'eserved tinned meats, viz , 300 cases from Auckland for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, 6 cases from Auckland for Y. W. Wheatlev, 1,07 C cases

from Wellington to order. Trial Trip of the Steamer Arawa. Although the weather was wet, cold, and disagreeable — in fact, the reverse of tempting for a sea [excursion — almost all the notabilities who worked to assist at the trial trip |of Messrs Shaw, Savill's new steamship Arawa turned up on board at the time fixed for starting on Friday morning last. The majority of the guests were naturally either Glasgow or Dumbarton " bodies," but I also noticed Mr John Darling (of your Union Company), Mr Pettigrew and Mr Taylor (of the P. and 0. Company), Mr McConnell (of John Laird and Son's), Mr McNaughton (of the British India Company), Captain Munro, Colonel Currie, Mr Galloway and others. The Arawa (like her sister ship the Tainui, now on the stocks) is the work of Messrs Wm, Denny and Bros., who built nearly all the Union S.S. Company's boats. She has four masts and two funnels, and outwardly presents a very graceful appearance, the clipper stem, terminating with a carved figure-head and well-arranged headvails contributing not a little to this result. The accommodation for saloon 'passengers excels in honafide comfort anything I have ever seen. The grand saloon is a spacious apartment extending from side to side of the vessel, capable of dining 100 passengers, and having, besides the main centre table, a series of small tables ranged together, so that small "parties can dine together as in a restaurant or hotel. This brilliant idea will of itself make the vessel specially attractive, for friendly coteries of passengers would often like to enjoy a cosy little dinner together, away from the general throng. The state-rooms, though unusually large, contain only two berths, the latter being (as I mentioned last week) on the Pullman patent, thus enabling the passenger to convert his bedroom into a sittingroom during the day. To assist this illusion the washing-stands, &c, are in elegant wood casings, and can, in a moment, be changed 4 into looking-glass and what-not, whilßt the walls are artistically finished in Lircrusta- Walton. Altogether, I doubt if more comfortable staterooms can be found jin any passenger vessel afloat. At one end of the grand saloon stands a handsome American organ flanked by large bookcases containing a capital ship's library, and adjacent, but quite distinct of itself, is the children's cabin and dining-room. The poits in the grand saloon are big square ones similar to the America's, and ac in the Orient and the Servia, light descends through a large railed round well in the social hall. The latter, of course, has been built on the upper deck, and is a comfortable lounge, fitted with countless sofa's, &c, and one of Brinsmead's pianos. The ladies' cabin is a very much ornamented apartment with hand-painted panels (not precisely perfection) representing the four seasons. i The smoking-room calls for no remark. Accommodation for 52 second-class passengers is provided in the poop, one-half the cabins being provided with two berths only. These state-roomß have very large ports, which, consequent on their height from the water, can be kept open almost in any weather. Such a boon is this that, despite the contiguity of the screw and extra motion, I expect they will be much run after. Having now noted the features of the new steamer that specially struck me, I will append the official description:— The Arawa and Tainui are built throughout of mild steel, and measure 420 ft. in

length, 46ffc. in breadth, and 32ft. depth moulded, the gross tonnage being over 5,000 tons. The hull is constructed on the cellular bottom principle, each vessel being capable of carrying 840 tons water ballast, by means of which a proper trim and draught can be preserved throughout the voyage as the coal is being burned out. The vessels have three complete decks, the upper and the main decks being plated with steel throughout their entire length, and covered with teak and pitch pine respectively. Above th 9 upper deck a citadel, poop, and forecastle are erected, the decks of which are all laid with teak planks, the citadel deck being plated with steel and otherwise specially strengthened. The hull is divided into nine watortight compartments, extending to the height of upper deck, inter - communication in 'tween decks being effected by water-tight doors of special construction. The whole design and construction of the ves3elis such as fulfil all the Admiralty requirements for merchant vessels eligible for employment by the Sbate. For the loading and discharging of cargo double steam winches of Messrs Clarke, Chapman & Co.'s make are fitted on upper deck at each of the forward hatches, and a steam winch and two steam cranes are provided for the working of the after hatches. The vessel is steered by an engine of Bow &McLaughlan's special make, and screw gear by M. Paul & Co. is fitted at rudder-head for use in event of accident to the main steering gear. A powerful combined steam windlass and capstan of Paul & Co.'s patent make is fitted on the forecastle head for working the anchors. The accommodation for passengers on board is of the most luxurious description. The first-class accommodation is provided in the citadel house amidships, berths being provided for 95 passengers.

Dinner on Board tho Arawa. All the temporary passengers having embarked on board the Arawa, she left Craigenaovan and started for a trip on the Clyde. The performance of tho new steamer over the measured mile gave the utmost satisfaction. The first run up showed 3mins. 54seca., being at the rate of 15. 3S knots an hour, and the run down was effected in 3mins. sGsecs., or 15.25 knots an hour. The two miles were covered at an average speed of 15.31 knots, or 174 miles an hour. The question of speed having been tested, tho company sat down to a sumptuous lunch, in which a saddle of prime New Zealand mutton figured as a specially interesting dish. Mr Peter Denny, senior partner in tho builders' firm, occupied tho chair, and after pheasants and " fizz," partridges and porter, beef and "Bass," salmon and tipsy cake, and cutlets and curacoa had been done full justice to, proposed " Success to the Arawa." Responding to the toast, Mr Galloway first spoke in glowing terms of the builders' work, and then referred to the new triple expansion engines, which would, he averred, enable the Arawa to save 400 tons of fuel and carry 400 tons more cargo on her passage out than if the ordinary description were used. Afterwards Mr Win. Denny, in acknowledging the toast of success to his firm, said they had prepared a manual for shipowners, captains and marine superintendents, giving precise information on every quality of the vessels they built.

The Trip Round to London. Tho Arawa, the major portion of her company having landed, lay at anchor off Greenock on Friday night, leaving for London tho next morning. Here is an account of the run round : — Fine weather favoured the voyage of the Arawa from the Clyde to the Thames, and thus, although the company of guests on board had an opportunity of experiencing the comfortable accommodation of the ship, they had no chance of seeing how she would act under stress of wind and water. The morning was bright and warm for the season of the year as the Arawa, leaving her native Clyde behind her, steamed under the lee of the isle of Arran, whose heights of "brown heath and shaggy wood" were enveloped in clouds of national mist. At Ailsa Craig,' so well-known as a landmark in the North Channel, a steamer was seen stranded at the base of this precipitous rock, which rises like a mountain out of the sea. The course of the Arawa lay through the North Channel, with the Irish coast in sight on one side, and that of Scotland on the other. An almost straight line down the Irish Sea was taken till off the Triskar Light, and then, parting from the Irish coast, the Land's End was next sighted. Off the Lizard Head, on Sunday morning, the now steamer was signalled, the New Zealand flag being run up to the mainmast. Steaming through the English Channel and the Straits of Dover round to the Thames, the Arawa made acquaintance for the first time with a track she is destined many hundreds of times to traverse whon crowded with human freight full of hope for a distant land of promise, er when returning with men and women grown old in the colony, full of anxious longing for a glimpse once more of their native shore. The Arawa arrived at Gravesend shortly before three o'clock on Monday afternoon, and is now preparing for her departure in the first week of November.