SHIPPING,

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 373, 15 July 1874, Page 6

SHIPPING,

TOWING A DISMASTED SHIP IN A GALE.

The following report of the passage of the steamer Western and the ship Southern Belle, from Rockhampton, appears in the 'Brisbane Courier' of the 29th ult. :— "The steamer Western having been engaged to tow the dismasted ship Southern Beile, 1,290 tons, to Sydney, arrangements were made on the steamer to perform the work in a very efficießt manner. The chain cable was passed from each side forward through a beam extending over each quarter, the bight being round the stern, thus forming a bridle. To this a new 11-inch manilla hawser was shackled, the other end being shackled to the bower end of the ship. A travelling messenger was fitted on the warp as a meant of communication between the vessels, and a simple code of signals arranged in event of the messenger breaking. On Thursday, the 21st insfc., at 1 a.m., the vessels started from Mud Island, Fitzroy River, and at 5 a.m. rounded Cape Capricorn. Throughout the day it blew hard from the southwest, but the litttle steamer did her work well, going at the rate of five to seven knots, according as the wjnd came ahead, or the fore-and-aft sails drew. Bustard Head light was sighted in the evening, and Lady Elliot's Island light at midnight. On Friday, the 22nd, at 4ttf.m. i the light on the Sandy Cape was visible, and at 9 a.m., when some distance off the land, it came on to blow hard from the south, wifa heavy S.E. sea. Stood to the westward for an hour, when Retting loss sea, again stood south', blowing hard from the S.S.W. At 8 a.m. on Saturday, the 23rd, -Double Iron Point bore west, and at 8 p.m. of ■ the same day passed Captain Morefcon. At noon on. Sunday, the 24th, Point Danger was passed, the wind still continuing from the south and west, with fresh gales and heavy sea from S.E. At 10 p.m., sighted the lights at Richmond River, the steamer towing the. ship very quickly southward, but during the night the wind-veered more to the south and sea increased. At daylight of Monday, the 25th, it was blowing a very heavy gale from south, with very high S.E. sea, rendering it necessary to cast the ship off, Clarenco Peak, bear ng west, distant twenty miles. The Western, by keeping her screw slowly revolving and some canvas set, kept her position well, but the unfortunate Southern Belle drifted very rapidly out of sight, appearing to labor very heavily, and making bad weather of it. Her drift was carefully noted by tkose in charge of the Western. At noon the sea was heavy and dangerous, but the steamer was kept - away on a N.N.E. course, running from ten to twelve knots, and at four o'clock sighted the ship, when both vessels were wore round on the port tack, and were again soon out* of sight. During the night the gale continued, and the sea was very heavy and dangerous. On Tuesday at daylight, the steamer was again kept way, this/Hme on a N."W. by N. course, and after running from forty to fifty miles again got the ship in sight, but in a very deplorable condition. Her sails had blown away, and the vessel sprung a leak, keeping the men at the pumps throughout the night. Though the wind was still blowing a gale, the sea had gone down a little, and while the steamer was engaged picking up the towline Captain Symons and Captain Banks went on board the ship. A consultation was held, the conclusion arrived at being that for the safety of the vessel it would | be advisable to bear up for the nearest port — viz., Moreton Bay. The towline was again shackled to the little steamer, and not slipped until the vessel was safely anchored last night in Moreton Bay. The gale still continues, and it is well for the Southern Belle, in her present crippled state, she is not outside."

The Return* of Immigration and Emigration at .the port of, Dunedin. during the quarter ended 30th June, 1874, are as follows : — From United Kingdom : Adults, 760 males, 508 females ; children, 284 males, 264 females ; being a total of 1,044 males and 772 females. From Australian Colonies : ' Adults, 350 males, 115 females ; children, 31 males, 22 females ; total, 381 males and 137 females. From Hongkong : 521 males. Emigration to United Kingdom*: Adults, 42 males, 13 females ; children,- 11 males, 6' females ; total, 53 males, 19 females. To Australian Colonies: Adults, 315 males,' 44 females ; children,. 24 males, 26 females ; total, 339 males, 70 females. To Hong Kong : 33 males. '^Total increase of the population of the Province for the quarter,' 2,343.

On July 9 the fine iron barque Roslyn Castle, owned By Messrs Thomas Skinner and- Co,, of Glasgow, but chartered by the New Zealand Co., was signalled at the Heads. There being a fine N.E. breeze, she immediately came through the Hads, and as by the time she reached the quarantine ground it was very dark, Pilot Kelly deemed it prudent to anchor there. She brings no passengers or powder, but a full cargo. She has made a rather long passage of 122 days from London, which was occasioned from the commencement of her passage, having • head -winds in the Channel and calms and bad trade winds afterwards. Captain- Miller reports leaving London on the 9th of March, passed the Downs on the 14th, and took her final departure from Start Point on the 20th. Had to beat all the way to Cape Finisterre against S. W. winds, and was becalmed four days off , the Cape, hardly making any headway during the time. Sighted Madeira on the' 4th of April, and on the 6th got the N.E. trades, which were lost in 5 N. ; doldrums' were then experieaced, and the "Eduator was crossed in 29 50 on the 20th ; the' S-.E. trades were got in 3 S., on the 24th, and were very light' • sighted Tristian D'Acunha on the 17th of May; the meridian of Greenwich was crossed on the- 20th, and that of the Cape oa the 24th ; her chronometers being out, she was run down till the island uf St. Paul's was sighted, to correct her time; from the -Cape to St,-Paul's she had light N. and U.E., winds for fourteen days, and passed the meridian of Cape Leuwin on the 19th, Ler eastuaj being run dbif» in 49 ; thenc* had steady winds and fine weather till passing the n-eridian of Cape Otway on the 26th ; then light easterly winds until making the Snares at 9 a.m. on the 3rd, when sW had a heavy N.E. gale for thirty hours; variable 'winds were then experienced along the coast "until she arrived off the Heads at 4 p.m. yesterday, and sailed up as above. The only vessel sighted during the voyage was the Ship Markwell, from Liverpool for Akyab, forty-nime days out. "■< ;. . >