RETURN OF H.M.S. ORLANDO. SCARLATINA ON BOARD.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 396, 24 August 1889, Page 3

RETURN OF H.M.S. ORLANDO. SCARLATINA ON BOARD.

li'.M.s. QKLAtfixV the flagship on the Australian station which left here on Juno 29 on a foot- months' cruise among tho Islands, returned, to Pqrb Jackson lately rather unexpectedly owing to an outbieak of scarlatina on board. _ The disease made its appearance on board while the ship was at Tonga, and tho Admiral, fearing it might spread, determined to forego his cruiso and return to Sydney without delay. Thanks to the precautions taken by the ship's surgeon, only two cases occurred, the patients being able seamen, named respectively Sifsey and Davß Both cases were of a raild character, and on the arrival of the ship yesterday the men were reported to' be convalescent, As a precaution, however, ' they were landed at tlje quarantine station, and the- ship, after being detained several hours at Watson's Bay by the Health authorities, was admitted to pratique, and came up to her moorings, reaching Farm Cove at halt- past three o'clock. The Orlando, after leaving Sydney, went to Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands, and the Admiral, finding " all well " at both places, headed his ship tor Aucklaud, where several days were pleasantly spent by the ship's company, while the Orlando was docked and thoroughly over - hauled. Sailing from Auckland on July 17, the Orlando steamed direct to Tonga, and arrived there after a pleasant passage of five days. The arrival of tho big ship of course caused quite a commotion on the islands, and the natives came o£F in large numbers to inspect her. Rear-Admhal Fairfax paid a visit to King George on landing, and was received by a guatd of honour drawn up at a picturesque spot at „ the r ( ear of the palace. A royal $alute was also fired when the Admiral landed. King George received the Admiral with all due ceremony, and through an interpreter conversed with him on matters relating to the Tongan group. Before leaving the Admiral invited the king on board, and it was arranged for him to visit the ship next day. In the meantime the scarlatina broke out on board, and being reported to the king his visit was postponed, and the ship got under weigh without delay and came on to Sydney. The Orlando left Tonga on the 25th ultimo, and made a quick passage, steaming 18 knots per hour for a time. She reached the Heads at 10.30 a.m. yesterday. It is probable that ' the vessel will leave port again in a week, 'hence proceeding to Brisbane and thence, to New Guinea. — " Sydney Tolegraph."

1T.M.8. Egeria returned on the 17th ultimo to Samoa for coal, after a surveying cruise to the Suwarrow Islands, lately annexed by Great Britain, and o,f which we gave a detailed account some time ago. It is reported that the bSche-de-mer — the sea snail so largely in demand in China, which constitutes an importantarticleof commerce in the Pacific, is found in the islands 'of goodquality andin quantities, it is asserted, sufficient to furnish a full annual cargo for a vessel calling there. It is suggested that this is a direction in which a profitable commercial enterprise might be engaged in. The prosecution of this industry is not an enterprise involving any extraordinary outlay on the part of the speculative trader who may be tempted to engage in it, for beche-de-mcr fishing, as practised by the •natives of the South Sea Islands, is a busivness "of, bho 3j,inj}le3t character, imaginable. , O,nly' a small capital. would be required for the prepa'fiation, .on" even a large scale, of WftMMljii^K'Hrißahg,' 1 for which, if of . fine qu : alityV l £Bo.-'aW>4vte.n- dCdOO sterling is {.at times, paid in GJhioar'and 1 ether parts of, where the dainty is sappre- • biatecl.' 1 " > ' i>i . i , ! ' , j.jJT^jvQueenslandi. Government appears to %e talunj^greafc' interest in the subject of Hher' Valuable pearf - fisheries in Torres Straits. The Commissioner of Fisheries, Mr Saville-Remt, has left Brisbane for Thursday Island to report an the pearlshelling and b6che-de-mer industries. It is suggested that Government reserves in connection with the pearl-shell fisheries be appointed. On the coast of Western Australia, the pearl-shell fishing business is in a very flourishing state. Mr E. W. Streeter, of Sydney, has just bought the well-known old schooner Undine, now named the Ruby, of 207 tons, for -his West Australian pearl-shelling fleet. The Undine was formerly an Imperial war schooner, employed in surveying the coasts of Queensland, New Guinea, and the South Sea Islands. She was built as a yacht for Baron L. Rothschild, and afterwards purchased by the Home Government for the purpose of suppressing: the slave trade in the Red Sea, in which capacity he showed her speed as a sailing clipper. " One swallow don't make Summer," No doubt of that at all : But one minute banana skin Makes a tremendous fall.

" Sambo, my bhoy," exclaimed Pat, a rollicking Irishman, to a jolly darkey, •« tell us what makes your nose so fab." " Dun'no, Mars' Pat," answered Sam, " but I 'spec it's to keep me from pokin' into udder people's business."