SHIPPING.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 235, 11 March 1875, Page 2

SHIPPING.

PORT OF LYTTELTON, ARRIVED. March 11—Bruce, s.s., 205 tons, Jones, from Dunedin via intermediate ports. Passengers -Mr and Miss Harding, Messrs Ballantyne, Southerane, Morrison, Merkle, Pearson, Campbell, Rough, P. Kerr, Felton Wade, Mr and Mrs Scarborough, Messrs Allen and McLean, Mrs Kiver, and Mrs Fussell, and 10 in steerage. March 11—Transport, brig, 307 tons, Fox, from Newcastle. March 11—Fawn, brig, 216 tons, Brent, from Newcastle. March 11—Columbia, schooner, 46 tons, Conway, from Napier, March 11—Wild Wave, schooner, 39 tons, Karalus, from Akaroa. March 11—E. U. Cameron, schooner, 41 tons, Aschman, from Akaroa. March 11—Margaret, ketch, 24 tons, Bennett, from the Bays. March 11 —Quiver, ketch, 20 tons, Smith, from the Bays. CLEARED. March 11—Blackwall, ketch, 26 tons, Outridge, for Rangitiki. March 11 —Emerald, ketch, 40 tons, Whitby, for Wanganui, The Bruce arrived in harbor to-day about noon. She sails to-morrow. The brig Fawn arrived yesterday, and the brig Transport this morning. Dismasting of Ikon Sailing Ships—Under date of the 2nd inst, the chiel surveyor of Lloyd’s and two assistants have drawn up a report with reference to the dismasting of iron sailing ships, having particular regard to what the Melbourne surveyors had alleged was the cause of these disasters. It appears that out of eleven large iron ships dismasted during the last twelve months, seven were bound for Australia, and the surveyors investigated the matter, and reported on what they considered had occasioned these disasters. Lloyd’s surveyors, whilst not coinciding altogether with the views of the Melbourne men, have come to the conclusion that the inducement to make quick passages is at the bottom of the occurrences, and that “ a spirit of emulation often induces captains to carry on with a full spread of sail long after it is safe and prudent to do so.” It is recommended that the present tables for masts and yards should be made a part of the rules, and the minimum sizes and numbers of shrouds fixed, and that a “form” should be prepared for the details of masts, yards, &c. The hope is expressed that the late disasters, having awakened so much interest in the shipping community, will lead to greater precautions being taken both in the fitting out and navigation of these large ships, and thereby tend toprevent a repetition in the future of such deplorable casualties. A Burning Ship at Sea.—Captain Wagstaff, of the clipper ship Loch Lomond, has had another tale of fire at sea to tell. On the 4th of January, when in latitude 28deg, 25min south, and longitude 29deg 60min west, a burning ship was sighted, or at least all that was left of what had been a vessel of about 1200 tons. The Loch Lomond sailed close to the burning wreck, tiie masts of which were completely gone, and whatever cargo had been on board was also consumed, there being nothing to bo seen but the burnt out hull. This was intact, and apparently red hot forward. The vessel had probably been abandoned for some time, as there was nothing to be seen on board or near her of the crew. Captain ■Wagstaff was able however, to ascertain the name of the vessel, the words “ Foundling, Liverpool,” being plainly readable on the stern in gilt letters. From Mitchell’s Maritime Register Captain Wagstaff’found that the vessel had sailed from Liverpool on the 19th of last September for Bombay, and she was spoken on the 9th of October. From that date until the burning hull was sighted from the Loch Lomond nearly three months elapsed, and it is extraordinary where the vessel could have been in the interim. Captain Wagstaff regretted that he could do nothing to avert the danger to which vessels would be exposed in the night, as the wreck was directly in the course of outward and homeward bound vessels—Melbourne “Daily Telegraph,” Feb. 16th. Water Power on Board Ship.—Of late years, steam-power has been employed to load and unload large ships ; the steam is conveyed in pipes to different parts of the vessel, and does its work in a wasteful and noisy way. It has been shewn in a paper, read before the insitution of Civil Engineers, that water-power is much better suited for the purpose lhan steam-power; that loading and unloading, hoisting the anchor or sails, warping the ship into dock, steering, stoking, discharging ashes, and so forth, can all be done quickly aud quietly with a proper hydraulic apparatus. The power is supplied from an accumulator, into which water is forced from the engine-room, aud is thence led in small pipes to the working apparatus. With this help the engines of a ship may be reversed with great celerity, the rudder can be put over from midships to hard a port or starboard in sixteen seconds; in unloading, four ropes running one hundred and eighty-scven feet per minute, can be worked from one hatchway, and without noise. With such capabilities as these, the hydraulic machinery can hardly fail to be brought into use at all our principal trading ports.—Melbourne “ Age.”