SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. - HOBSON'S BAY. - The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) - 9 May 1860 (original) (raw)

Wed 9 May 1860 - The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)
Page 4 - SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

HIGH WATER THIS DAY.—Morning, 5.34 ; after-

May 8.—6 a.m. : Wind N,. light breeze ; weather

clear and fine. 12 noon : Wind S., very light ; weather

clear and fine. 5.30 p.m. : Calm ; weather clear and

Rangatira, A.S.N. Co.'s s.s.s., 700 tons, David

Walker, from Sydney 5th inst., via Twofold Bay.

Passengers—saloon : Miss Turner, Mrs. Plummer, Mr.

and Mrs. Warner, Mr. and Mrs. Plunkett, Messrs S.

Walker, Slater, Diore, Simpson, Binnie, Dickson,

Matthews, Mackay ; and 61 in the steerage. W. P.

Admiral Lyons, ship, 1,133 tons, F. Acock, from

London via Portsmouth 1st February. No passengers.

De Pass Brothers and Co., agents.

Meteor, American barque, 320 tons, Gilman Colson,

from New York 15th January. No passengers. Fisher,

Ricards, and Co., agents.

Lady Milton, ship, 902 tons, Francis P. Reed, from

London 31st January. 11 passengers in the steerage.

Drover, brig, for Auckland.

Beverley, ship, for Calcutta.

Abbey, schooner, 94 tons, J. Crockett, for Circular

Adolphus, schooner, 121 tons, G. Walker, for New-

Ann and Jane, barque, 301 tons, T. Smith, for New-

Ann and Maria, barque, 263 tons, W. O'Hagan, for

General Wyndham, ship, 865 tons. T. B. Harrison,

Helen, schooner, 40 tons, J. Gibson, for Circular

Mimmie Dike, schooner, 87 tons, E. Weeks, for Cir-

Tigress, American ship, 932 tons, A. Ryan, for

Agincourt, ship, 959 tons, G. Tickell, for London,

Passengers—cabin : Mr. and Mrs. McTaggart, Mrs.

Krouge and children, Mrs. Majer, Mr. and Miss Atten-

borough, Miss Grant, Miss Agnew, Miss A. Weir, Mr.

Lihme, Mr. Cotterell, Mr. Livingstone, Mr. Miller,

Mr. Campbell, Mr. Thompson, Mr. May, Mr. Elliot,

Mr. White ; and 189 in the second and third cabins.

W. P. White and Co., agents.

Black Swan, s.s., 129 tons, A. T. Woods, for Laun-

ceston. William Bayles and Co., agents.

City of Sydney, s.s., 394 tons, R. T. Moodie, for Syd-

ney. W. P. White and Co., agents.

Havilah, s.s., 166 tons, D. Macfie, for Adelaide.

M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co., agents.

Lawrence, barque, 309 tons, R. Salmon, for Mauri-

tius. R. and. Turnbull and Co., agents.

Rebecca, barque, 251 tons, H. R. Marsh, for New-

castle, N.S.W., in ballast. Captain, agent.

Thane of Fife, schooner, 121 tons, W. Francis, for

Newcastle, N.S.W., in ballast. R. G. Gibbons, agent.

FOR LONDON.—Leaping Water, 15th May ; Yorkshire,

22nd May ; Maidstone, 5th June ; Dover Castle, 19th

FOR LIVERPOOL.—British Trident, 15th May.

FOR FIJI ISLANDS.—Friends, early.

FOR SYDNEY.—Rangatira, 10th May.

FOR LAUNCESTON.—Royal Shepherd, early.

FOR BOMBAY.—Prince of the Seas, early.

FOR CALCUTTA.—Seringapatam, Scotia, Thomas

FOR HONG KONG.—Oithona, early ; Beatrice, 28th

FOR JAVA.—General Wyndham, early.

FOR MAURITIUS.—Grecian Queen, 16th May.

FOR CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.—Brilliant, 21st May.

FOR CALLAO.—Athenais, Gertrude, Manners Sutton,

FOR VALPARAISO.—Miletus, early.

FOR SAN FRANCISCO.—Edouard and Elise, Statelie,

FOR PUGET SOUND.—Ravendale, early.

Rangatira, from Sydney.—200 chest tea, 95 pieces

machinery, 224 boxes candles, 40 cases cigars, 448 bags

maize, 100 firkins butter, 40 packages, Order.

Admiral Lyons, from London.—50 hhd. ale, M'Pher-

son, Francis and Co. ; 50 hhd. ale, Benjamin and Sons ;

50 hhd. ale, Westgarth, Ross and Spowers ; 10 casks

fuse, R. Hodgson ; 47 casks, G. Handasyde ; 80 casks,

G. Martin and Co. ; 1,000 felloes, Ashley and Heales ;

7 casks, Isaacs Brothers ; 13 bodies, 26 pair wheels,

13 packages, 34 casks grease, 43 casks keys, 40 casks

trenails, 2,870 chairs, 600 half-barrels gunpowder,

1,200 quarter-barrels gunpowder, 6 casks fuse, 1,000

casks bottled beer, 100 quarter-casks, 1,858 cases,

161 casks, 1 bin malt (299 quarters), De Pass

Brothers and Co.; 4 locomotive tank engines complete,

3 cases, 6 pairs wheels, 2 cylinders, duplicates tor cylin-

ders, 3 cases screwjacks, 253 tons coke, 180 pieces and

packages turntables, 3 cranes, 30 pieces machinery, 77

castings, 85 casks keys and trenails, 83 bundles steel,

7,700 chairs, 773 rails, 2 cases books, Victorian Rail-

ways ; 2 cases, C. H. Ebden ; 1 case, Lieutenant-Colonel

Carey ; 100 casks ale, 6 pipes wine, 14 hhd. wine, 28

quarter-casks wine, 150 cases wine, W. M. Bell and

Co. : 4 cases, H. G. Dunkley ; 10 cases confectionery,

W. S. Anderson ; 560 packages, 118 bales sacks, 570

bags oats, 82 cases, 20 cases sago, 40 cases mustard, 1

case nutmegs, 400 drums oil, Order.

Meteor, from New York.—2,198 barrels flour, 139

boxes tobacco, 369 cases tobacco, 683 three-quarter-

boxes tobacco, 100 boxes 200 cases candles, 100 bolts

duck, 100 quarter-barrels dried apples, 50 half-barrels

dried apples, 6 buggies, 100 boxes handled axes, 98

barrels resin, 15 cases shovels, 1 case spades, 300 kegs

nails, 150 boxes clothes-pins, 50 nests tubs, 50 dozen

pails, 3 cases enamelled cloth, Fisher, Ricards and

Co. ; 63 cases oysters, James Henty and Co. ; 7 cases

vegetable pain-killer, Newell and Co. ; 245 cases

tobacco, Flower, M'Donald, and Co.; 131 three-quarter

boxes tobacco, E. C. Wheelock and Co. ; 21 cases 20 three-

quarter boxes tobacco, 2,240 pieces shelving, 553 oars,

9,607 pieces tongued and grooved boards, Order.

Lady Milton, from London.—50 hhds., R. Golds-

brough and Co. ; 250 cases bottled beer, 260 hhds. ale,

100 cases ale, 598 cases brandy, 272 cases wine, 200

boxes candles, Joske Brothers ; 10 hhds., 40 quarter-

casks, Westgarth, Ross, and Spowers ; 180 blocks

asphalte, 1 barrel tar, Parkin and Wharton ; 5

cues, S. Levy ; 70 kegs, Thomas Craig ; 1 hhd.,

F. Harley ; 8 casks, 1 case, J. M'Ewan and Co. ;

119 bundles, 4 sheets, John Gripe ; 40 cases gal-

vanized iron, 5 bundles mouldings, W. Gripe ; 24 bales,

22 cases, Schuhkraft and Howell ; 8 cases, H. Zum-

stein ; 2 cases, T. W. Mason ; 2 casks, E. and H. Isaacs ;

64 hhds., Graham Brothers and Co. ; 350 rails, 4,000

chairs, De Pass Brothers and Co. ; 4 cases, Dalgety

and Co. ; 32 cases, Miles and Co. ; 121 cases, 20 hhds.,

290 barrels, Dickson, Williams, and Co. ; 2 cases, H.

Kyezor ; 40 kegs, 2 cases, 1 cask, Lanyon and Co. ; 3

casos, Gill and Thorp ; 134 cases, J. Taylor and Co. ;

2 bales, Henry Box ; 2 cases, Fenwick Brothers ; 250

boxes, N. Harris and Co. ; 7 hhds., 51 quarter-casks,

138 cases, H. Lange and Co. ; 35 cases, E. and H.

Isaacs ; 10 bales, 10 hhds., R. and P. Turnbull ;

7 cases acids, Heap Brothers ; 8 cases, George Robert-

son ; 6 bales, 1 case, 1 bell, Bright Brothers and Co. ;

207 packages, W. M. Bell and Co. ; 100 boxes, 1 case,

3 trunks, Isaacs Brothers ; 17 cases, M'Pherson, Fran-

cis and Co. ; 2 cases, W. T. Beal ; 1 case, 1 carriage,

James Mirkat ; 250 cases, Rae, Dickson and Co. ; 85

boiler tubes, Thomas Morton and Co. ; 1 case, A.

Priestley ; 6 bales, M'Pherson, Francis, and Co. ; 1 case,

G. Ulrich ; 50 cases, Joseph Taylor and Co. ; 9 cases,

6 casks, J. M'Ewan and Co. ; 3 cases, S. Levy ; 812 cases,

111 hhds., 120 quarter-casks, 42 octaves, J. Henty

and Co. ; 7 hhds., 37 crates, 12 casks, H. W. Stewart ;

2 cases, Cope Brothers and Nephew ; 20 bales, Joseph

Taylor and Co. ; 2 cases, E. and M. Keogh ; 9 cases, 4

bales, Wallach Brothers ; 3 packages, H. Ross ; 100

cases, Virgoe, Son, and Co. ; 8 quarter-casks, Camp-

bell Brothers and Co. ; 1 case, R. Flockhart ; 40 hhds.,

A. Wilson, Nephew, and Co. ; 75 cases, Walker,

Sloane, and Co. ; 25 cases, H. W. Farrar and Co. ; 2

cases, 1 tierce, Bishop and Keep ; 2 cases, J. and R.

Stewart ; 11 iron drums, 8 cases, 4 bales, 3 hhds.,

James M'Ewan and Co. ; 50 cases acids, Youngman,

M'Cann, and Co. ; 53 cases, 6 casks, 8 packages, 8 bales,

Levy Brothers ; 1 case, Brush and Macdonnell ; 7 casks,

380 cases, 13 quarter-casks, 12 hhds., Manifold and Co. ;

7 cases, J. G. Ganlin ; 9 bales, Gill, Fowler, and Co. ;

82 cases, M'Pherson, Francis, and Co. ; 1 case, H.

Glen ; 10 hhds., Chas. Pupprecht ; 1 case, — Ralph ;

1 quarter-cask, Rev. W. N. Guinness ; 1 box, Rev. W.

Carter ; 50 hhds., W. Highett ; 1 bin, 26 bales, 1

sample box, B. Robinson ; 249 casks, Anderson and

Marshall ; 11 cases, 3 trunks, Dalgety and Co. ; 16

oil casks, W. Crosby and Co. ; 3 cases, J. Browning ;

1 case, W. P. Smith ; 5 cases, 1 tub, Oppenheimer and

Co. ; 1 case, D. J. Draper ; 1 case, D. Watkins ;

6 cases, Joseph Wilkie ; 52 bales, 3 parcels, Callender,

Caldwell, and Co. ; 60 hhds, 80 quarter-casks, Bright

Brothers and Co. ; 1 package, 20 cases, 7 bales, F. Reed ;

2 cases, H. G. Powell ; 6 bottles quicksilver, 11 iron

tubes, 1 case, R. H. Bland ; 4 hhds., 32 quarter-casks,

Bright Brothers and Co. ; 8 hhds., 18 quarter-casks,

60 cases, Sprigg, Addison, and Co. ; 1 case, J. F. Rowe ;

6 kegs, 4 puncheons, 2 casks, Mitchell and Bonneau ;

5 cases, D. Goldspink ; 1 box, J. Folks ; 1 case, Far-

gill ; 1 box, R. H. Horne ; 4 cases, R. Flockhart ; 1

case, Bligh and Harbottle ; 1 case, W. S. Barber ; 40

hhds., A. Wilson, Nephew, and Co. ; 1 case, Univer-

sity Library ; 7 cases, J. Rumpff ; 1 case, W. Norris ;

1 box, Mrs. Swanston ; 1 package, Anderson and

Tetley ; 4 cases, Haege and Prell ; 1,632 packages

Agincourt, for London.—303 bales wool, 79 casks

hides, 16 bales sheepskins, 12 bales glue pieces, 14

casks black sand, 112 bags S. A. copper ore, 23 cases

apparel, 1 case buttons, 10 butts 10 hhds. 25 quarter-

casks sherry, 54 cases wine, 30 hhds. brandy, and 53

packages containing 43,608oz. of gold.

Black Swan, for Launceston.—148 cases genera, 1

case drapery, 5 cases books.

City of Sydney, for Sydney.—1,043 cases whiskey,

249 cases brandy, 17 casks coffee, 50 cases chicory, 1

case opium, 6 bags oats, 50 cases bacon, 150 bags

pepper, 1 barrel oatmeal, 1 case plated ware, 20 bun-

dles bags, 9 cases drapery, 7 packages instruments, 2

cases boots, 7 cases shovels.

Havilah, for Adelaide.—5 half-tierces tobacco, 100

cases brandy, 10 tons rice, 1 cask soda, 5 casks var-

Lawrence, for Mauritius.—4 cases, containing 9,500

sovereigns, 20 tons potatoes, 5 tons flour, 356 empty

May 8.—8.30 a.m. : Wind W., moderate ; weather fine.

Hermine, barque, from London.

Wilhelm, Hamburg barque, from Gottenburg.

Queen, steamer, for Portland,

Havilah, steamer, for Adelaide.

City of Sydney, steamer, for Sydney.

May 8.—8.30 a.m. : Wind N.W., fresh ; fine. A

barque passed at daylight steering towards Heads. 12

noon : Wind N.W., strong ; weather fine, 4 p.m. :

Inward bound, bearing E.S.E., a barque, name not

not signalled, steering towards Heads ; also a barque,

bearing S.W., distant about 20 miles. Outward

bound, bearing W.N.W., a topsail schooner, name not

signaled. Wind W. by N. fresh ; weather fine.

May 8.—William Miskin, for Melbourne.

May 8.—Omeo, from Melbourne.

The Australian Steam Navigation Company's new

steamship Rangatira arrived in Hobson's Bay on

her first trip last evening. She left Sydney on the

5th instant at 4 p.m., had fine weather and

light southerly breezes to Twofold Bay, where she

she landed and received several passengers. Thence

has encountered very strong gales, with heavy

cross sea. She passed through Port Philip

Heads at 3 p.m., and made the run up the Bay in 2h.

40min. The steamer has been built expressly for the

Australian Steam Navigation Company, at Glasgow,

and only arrived in Sydney a few weeks ago. She is a

beautiful model. She was originally intended for the

New Zealand trade, as her name portends. She is

some feet longer than the Wonga Wonga, about her

tonnage, and her engines are of 240-horse power.

She is intended to run for the present in place of

the Wonga Wonga, which steamer is receiving new

boilers at the company's works at Sydney.

The ship Admiral Lyons arrived at Port Philip

Heads on Sunday afternoon, but only reached Hob-

son's Bay early yesterday, in consequence of head

winds and calms. Captain Acock reports that from

the meridian of Cape of Good Hope he has expe-

rienced a succession of cyclones, with very heavy sea,

during which he carried away fore topgallant yard,

jibboom and sprang fore topgallantmast and sprang

foreyard. No vessels were seen during the passage.

The Admiral Lyons brings a large quantity of rail-

way plant, including four locomotive engines, with

turntables complete, for the Victorian Railways.

WARD'S OCEAN TELEGRAPH.—Several experiments

have recently been carried out at Woolwich, in the

presence of the Commodore Superintendent and other

officers connected with the establishment, for the pur-

pose of testing the efficiency of an entire new system

of ocean telegraphing, invented by Mr Ward, of

Auburn United States, and intended to supersede his

former plan, which consisted of five small lamps ar-

ranged in a diamond form. The new system consists

of three lanterns, each having four squares, and

lightcd with four candles , and the operation of work

ing the signals is performed by means of cords attached

to the glass shades. The experiments proved that the

signals could be distinctly read at a distance of two

miles, the light produced being remarkably brilliant.

MR. LINDSAY'S SYSTEM OF TELEGRAPHING THROUGH

WATER.—An interesting report has lately been sub-

mitted to the Mersey Dock Board by J. B. Gisborne,

telegraphic engineer, describing Mr. Lindsay's experi-

ments for the transmission of electric messages with

out wire or cable. Plates were immersed at two

points on the Liverpool and Cheshire sides, and though

the needle of the galvanometer moved, no readable

messages were obtained. Mr. Gisborne thought that

no practical use could be made of the plan, but Mr.

Lindsay, in a letter to the board, partially accounted

for the failure from the presonce of electricity deve-

loped by other and conflicting causes, and stated that

the storm which succeeded the experiments of Friday

and Saturday prevented their resumption by breaking

several of the plates.—Liverpool Albion.

THE ROTTEN FRIGATE.—The steam frigate Min-

nesota, which was found to be rotten, and is now

undergoing repairs at the Charlestown navy-yard, is

only five years old, and has made but one cruize. All

her outside planking, from the water-line to the plank-

sheer, is decayed. Many of her knees are also un-

sound, so that she will have to be almost rebuilt to fit

her for service. All the decayed timber is white oak ;

and some of the yellow pine, with which the oak

came in contact is also rotten. Yellow pine is con-

sidered rot proof, in consequence of the great amount

of resin which it contains, but the presence of the

decaying white oak produced eremacansis in the pine

in this case, in the same manner that a little leaven

promotes fermentation among a large quantity or

matter. The live oak in the Minnesota has not been

the least affected with the rot ; it is as fresh as when

put in. These are important facts for ship-builders.—

NEW CATOPTRIC LIGHT FOR CAPE ST. GEORGE.—In

the presence of Mr. H. H. Browne, Mr. A. Dawson,

and several other gentlemen interested in the lighting

of our coasts, a successful trial exhibition was made on

Thursday evening, at the Colonial Architect's De-

partment, of the new lantern proposed to be erected

at Cape St. George, Jervis Bay, where the column upon

which it is to be placed is now nearly ready for its re-

ception. This tri-coloured flush-light is designed to

warn the mariner from approaching too near the

deep and dangerous indentation which lies to

the southward of Cape St. George. It will

stand at an elevation of about 200 feet from the

level of the sea, and will be revolving, and on

the catoptric principle, showing alternately a white

red, and green light. It is anticipated that the bright,

or white, light, will be visible from a ship's deck at a

distance of 24 miles, the red light at 16, and the

green at 10 or 12. This lantern was originally im-

ported for Cape Moreton, but was not considered to

be of sufficient power for that locality, where a first

class light has been deemed absolutely necessary. The

machinery by which the standard frame of the lantern

is made to revolve is of a beautifully simple descrip-

tion, the workmanship of the whole being a credit

to the establishment of Wilkinson and Co., of Long

Acre, London, by whom the lantern was manu-

factured. It is composed of nine 24-inch parabo-

loidal reflectors,—three upon each face. The works

are set in motion by means of a large weight, attached

to a gutta percha rope, and are regulated by a " gover-

nor " The coloured lenses placed in front of each

reflector of this " light"—originally intended to be

only a " white" or bright one—have been fitted on,

under the superintendence of Mr Dawson, the colo-

nial architect, by Mr Robinson, of George-street.

Their arrangement is a proof of Mr Robinson's ability

as a manufacturer of such articles, and shows what

are the capabilities of the manufacturing interest in

this colony. We are given to understand that, in all

probability the lantern for Twofold Bay will be made

here, so as to obviate the delay of sending home for

one to England. The entire machinery has been set up

and repaired under the immediate care of Mr Dawson,

the colonial architect, who—after having visited Cape

St. George, to make arrangements for putting up this

light—is to proceed to Twofold Bay. At that place he

will examine into the state of the stone tower erected

there by the late Mr. Benjamin Boyd, for a lighthouse,

and will ascertain whether it is still applicable for its

original purpose. These steps will be taken in conse-

quence of the Pilot Board having recommended to the

Government that a red fixed harbour-light should be

set up at Twofold Bay, in order to afford facilities

to shipping making that bay a port of refuge in

stormy weather. The flush-light for Cape St. George

has temporarily been erected in a building on the

premises of the colonial architect's department, at a

spot which commands a point of view from the sum-

mit of Surry Hills. At the time that the light was

tested, its power and the efficiency of the revolving

apparatus were both satisfactorily shown. The tower

and buildings prepared for this lantern at Cape St.

George, will be complete in about a month's time, and

the lantern will be fixed up there at the end of July

next. The Cape St. George light will be the fourth

erected under the superintendence of Mr. Dawson—

the three already erected by him being that at Cape

Moreton, that at Nobby's (Newcastle), and that at the

South Reef (Hornby's Light), at the entrance to our

harbour. Besides the proposed light at Twofold Bay,

another is shortly to be erected at Port Stephens.—

Sydney Morning Herald, April 28.

DESTRUCTION BY FIRE OF THE CATTEAUX WATTEL-

About 1 o'clock this morning the alarm of fire was

announced by the ringing of the fire-bell. It was

soon made known that the scene of the conflagration

was in the vicinity of Darling Harbour. It appears

that at half-past 12 o'clock Mr. G. C. Reid, the

Custom-house officer on board the Belgian ship

Cateaux Wattel, lying alongside Bott's Wharf,

was awoke by being almost suffocated with smoke,

and heard the carpenter inquire of the chief

mate where the smoke was coming from. On

reaching the deck Mr. Reid perceived a quantity of

smoke issuing from the after-hatchway, and at once

came to the conclusion that the ship was on fire. The

alarm being given, application for assistance was

made to the ships lying near, and very soon after,

Captain Phillips, of the Bengal, and the chief officer

of the Switzerland, with the crew of that vessel, came

on board, and by their aid the chains were slipped,

and the vessel hauled from alongside the hulk. In

the meantime Captain Nicaise, the commander

of the vessel, was sent for, and subsequently Captain

Crook, the harbour-master, came on board. During

this time the fire was raging below, and on the after-

hatchway being taken off, a tremendous volume of

smoke issued out ; in order to prevent the draught

from fanning the flames, the hatch was immediately

closed. By the aid of boats the ship was towed

across to Milsom's Point, where she took the ground.

Orders had been given to scuttle the ship, and two

holes were with difficulty made in her port bows.

Soon after the flames commenced rushing out of the

main hatchway, and at length out of the stern of the

ship. At about half-past 3 the decks caught fire,

and at 4 the mizen and mainmast went over

the side, the ship lying over on her starboard

bilge. At half-past 4 a gunboat belonging to the

French war steamer Monge commenced firing into her.

The discharge of the inward cargo of the Cateaux

Wattel was only finished last night, and to-morrow

she was to proceed to the Circular Quay to load. A

large portion of her outward cargo consisted of 600

bags of Kauri gum, 700 hides, belonging to Dangar,

Gilchrist, and Co., 22 bales of wool, shipped by Messrs.

Willis, Merry, and Co., and 30,000 trenails. The

Cateaux Wattel is a fine ship of 889 tons register,

owned by Messrs. Cateaux Wattel and Co., of

Antwerp. She has made several quick passages

between this port and London, and was a favourite

ship for passengers. As mentioned above, she had

commenced taking in her outward cargo for London.

The only men on board at the time the fire broke out

were the chief officer, the steward, the boatswain, the

third mate, and an apprentice. The second mate had

recently been discharged, and the rest of the crew are

in gaol for desertion. The following engines were at

Botts's Wharf shortly after the alarm was given :— No.

2 Volunteers' two engines, Insurance Brigades' two

engines, and No. 1 Volunteers', These were all in

readiness for operating upon the fire, but the ship

having been removed from the wharf, their services

were rendered useless. At 6 a.m. the foremast went

over the side. The boats' crews of the Water Police,

in charge of Inspector Cowell, were in attendance,

and rendered every assistance.—Sydney Morning

THE INTERCOLONIAL ROYAL MAIL COMPANY.—The

report of this company, issued prior to their special

meeting on Friday, 9th March, proposes to raise addi-

tional capital to the amount of £62,500 in new shares,

to provide another vessel to complete the lines now

occupied. The past operations are stated to have

been attended with success, and the intercolonial

trade to be rapidly extending. Mr. Coleman, the re-

presentative of the board despatched to the colonies

for the purpose of organizing the service and placing

the company's affairs on a permanent basis, having re-

turned to this country, has presented to the directors

a full report of the position and prospects of the

company, which is now submitted to the directors.

On arriving at New Zealand he found that

the Governments of the several provinces, in

the absence of a complete postal system, had made

arrangements for carrying the mails and promoting

commercial intercourse by subsidizing vessels which

had been for some time trading between different

ports of the colony, and that the vessels so subsidised

were enablad unfairly to compete with the company's

steamers, which were bound to fixed dates of sailing,

whilst those already on the stations, were exempted

from such conditions. The colonial Government,

however, having made proposals to the company's re-

presentative for modifying and extending the services

to be performed, he succeeded in removing the causes

of complaint and securing an immediate increase

of £6,000 per annum to the subsidy, and, sub-

ject to ad interim arrangements, a further ad-

dition of £3,500. The directors, after alluding

to the difficulties which the company had in

the first instance to overcome, called attention to

the accounts, though they would not be laid in detail

before the proprietors until the annual meeting. The

following abstracts are, however, presented to prove

the healthy condition of the company's affairs :—The

working and profit and loss accounts are made up to

the 31st October, on which day the first year of the

actual working was completed. In this period the nett

profit, after writing off £3,320 13s. 11d. for deprecia-

tion, commission on contracts, and preliminary ex-

penses, amounted to £4,688 1s. 7d. The dividend, at

the rate of 7½ per cent. per annum, calculated from

the dates of payment of the call to the 31st July

last, absorbed £2,565 16s. 1d., leaving £2,122 5s. 3d.

standing to credit of profit and loss, upwards of 3 per

cent. on the paid-up capital. The capital account is

to the 31st December last, on which day the company

stood possessed, in steamers and store-ships, colonial

establishments, coals in store or on the way, bills

receivable, cash, &c., of property amounting to

£118,155 10s. 5d. The sum received from the proprie-

tors to that day was £61,818 15s. The balance of the

£25,000 advanced by the Imperial Government on

execution of the contract was £19,500, and the balance

of the loan of £12,000 was £10,725 ; total, £92,043

15s. The current liabilities on bills payable, &c., are

£26,111 15s. 5d., which, added to the last-mentioned

sum, balances with the company's assets. The direc-

tors then state that the past operations of the com-

pany having been attended with entire success, and

the requirements of a rapidly extending trade render-

ing it necessary to provide an additional vessel

to complete the lines now occupied by the company,

and take up the service which, as stated in Mr. Cole-

man's report, is to be vacated by the White Swan in

October next, they consider the time has arrived when

a further amount of capital can not only be employed

remuneratively, but is necessary to secure the advan-

tages which offer themselves, and which will at once

raise the yearly subsidy to £33,500. This they do not

propose to raise by calls upon the present sharas, as

by the articles of association they might do, but re-

commend the shareholders to authorize the issue of

12,500 new shares of £5 each, to be fully paid up in

eight months ; thus increasing the capital to £187,500,

of which £125,000 will be paid up, leaving £62,500, as

at present, uncalled. This they consider preferable to

calling up the whole of the original capital, which

would render any credit operation, either in this

country or the colonies, impossible.—New Zealand

The American ship Helias, commanded by Captain

Thomas M. Cartney, from Hong Kong March 2, with

Chinese passengers, experienced light and variable

westerly winds in the China Sea. The following re-

port has been furnished to us by Captain Cartney :—

" Arrived in Anjer Roads March 21st, where we took in

firewood, water, and rice (the brig Wild Wave passed

by on the 22nd, bound to Sydney). The American

ship Kitty Simpson put into Anjer Roads, to provision

and water. Captain Canfield reported that a few days

previous to his arrival in Anjer the Coolies rose on the

crew and attempted to take the vessel. After a long and

severe struggle, in which several of the Coolies were

wounded, one shot dead, and another jumped overboard,

they were finally mastered, and the ringleaders put in

irons. Left Anjer on the 24th ; experienced very light

trade winds from south to south-east as far as 34 south

latitude, from there to Bass's Straits winds light and

variable. Signalized the Dutch barque Cortgene, from

Batavia, bound to Rotterdam, 14 days out. March 22nd,

in Bass's Straits ; had the wind strong from the east :

four days beating through. The passengers are all in

excellent health, not having had one case of sickness

the whole of the passage. April 23rd, passed an Ameri-

can ship standing to the eastward of Cape Otway ; it

blowing heavily at the time could not signalize."—

Sydney Morning Herald, May 3.

PROTECTIVE ARMOUR.—The Times has the following,

under date of Portsmouth, February 22 :—" The Stork

gunboat, tender to the Excellent, gunnery ship, pro-

ceeded to day up Porchester Lake, and made practice

at short range with solid shot from her 8-inch pivot

gun, upon an iron plate affixed to the side of the old

Briton, frigate. At the conclusion of the firing, the

plate, which appeared to be upwards of 4in. thick,

and about 6ft. in length by 4ft. in breadth, was care-

fully covered up with canvas. The result of the

trial was precisely the same as on former occasions of

the kind, the third shot from the gunboat breaking

the plate, and driving large portions through the

frigate's side, strewing the deck with pieces of iron,

and again clearly demonstrating the destructive cha-

racter a ship's so-called ' protective armour' must as-

sume when broken up by powerful artillery, and scat-

tered in jagged fragments among the crew of the vessel

it was intended to defend. The Briton has since been

towed down the harbour and placed in No. 1 dock to

have her copper stripped off, when she will be again

moored up the harbour as a target for the Excellent."

These and other experiments have, it is stated, deter-

mined the Admiralty to discontinue the project of

encasing vessels with iron plates.