THE JOHN WILLIAMS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 428, 14 December 1889, Page 5

THE JOHN WILLIAMS.

The barque John Williams returned to Apia on the 19th ult. from her annual cruise to the Union, Ellice, and Gilbert Groups. Capb Turpie report* fine weather throughout the three monthss 1 cruise, with an unusually strong current setting to the W.S.W. after getting north of lat 9deg. S. This current, together with light winds accounts for the rather long trip of the barque, as she wag 16 days doing the 28 miles between Peril and Nukunau, and probably sailed some 500 miles to accomplish the short distance. There is no truth in the rumour of British annexation in the Ellice or Gilbert Group, unless it has been done since the 9th of the present month, at which date the John Williams left the Ellico Group. With reference to signals of distress being seen by the Florence Treat at Duke of York Island, or Atafu of the Union Group, and reported at Sydney, Captain Turpie gives the probable explanation of the matter, although dates do not quite agree between the logs of the Florence Treat and the John Williams. The Florence Treat gives her date Sept. 3, probably San Francisco date ; the John Williams' log carries on Sydney dates throughout the annual cruise. At noon on the 6t>h September, Captain Turpie left his ship, then some 8 or 9 miles west of the Duke of York Island, , and still drifting westward, with surf boat and five hands, to convey stores, etc., for the missionary and hi« family on shore. As they wore in need, and little prospect of better weather, Captain Turpie left instructions with the mate for night signals between the ship and the shore, and both rockets and blue lights were used. A vessel was in sight on the opposite side of the island when Captain Turpie reached the shore in the evening, and, notwithstanding the discrepancy in dates, he feels quite sure that the matter is thus explained, as had anything of the sort accurred on the 3rd it would surely have been mentioned to Captain Turpie, who is well known by the natives and the residents of the islands in question. At Fakaofo and Abafu, of the Union Group, a notice appears prominently of the British protectorate proclaimed there. The wholo matter is as clear as daylight, if you trace a line from Vancouvers Island to Fiji and the Australian colonies. Christmas Island and Fakaofo seem placed on purpose to facilitate a submarine cable, and no doubt John Bull, who is not by any meant so nearly defunct as croakers think, has slowly become aware of the fact. There is at present a good opportunity for copra traders in all the islands which the John Williams hag visited, and both the European traders and natives requested Captain Turpie to make it known that there were large supplies of copra on hand. The John Williams will proceed from Samoa to Manihiki with shipwrecked or strayed crews, and from thence to Sydney for refit.