in the hold, but generally ashore; they are levelled off with treenails, a sufficient depth to keep the wool apart: hides form an excellent dead-weight, are sometimes stowed in blocks, and are very useful for trimming the ship. When casks of tallow are used they are always well coopered before shipment, and common bones or hoofs are stowed in the cantlines. On this surface is placed treenails, spokes, rattans, ox horns, shank bones, or any other cargo that will not damage, and the whole is covered to prevent contact with the outsides of the wool bales; horns must be kept clear of tallow, which may injure them. Wool should never be stowed on oil, as the casks are then likely to become very dry and leakage will ensue; the unevenness of stow-wood does not prevent it from being good dunnage for casks of oil. Common mats from the East Indies or Manilla are easily obtained at Sydney, and are used advantageously on the dunnage. It is usual to agree with the stevedores to stow the whole cargo at ton for oil, tallow, hides, bones, and measurement goods; and at bale, large or small for wool. Three average bales of Sydney wool, if properly pressed, will occupy about 40 cubic feet. Fellmongers' wool (the wool taken from dead skins) is shipped from Sydney and Melbourne all the year round, principally from April to October or November; the shipments, however, then only average about 500 bales P month; fellmongers' wool, greasy or clean, weighs and measures about the same as other wool.

1386. The ship Duncan Dunbar, Capt. SWANSON, took in at Sydney in February, 1064, 3,120 bales wool and 391 casks tallow, 300 cabin and 100 steerage passengers, which, with 400 tons of ballast, made her draught 17 feet 8 inches aft and 17 feet 6 inches forward. With a full dead-weight cargo she drew 20 feet fore and aft. The ballast consisted of 100 tons London kentledge, 250 tons Sydney blue stone, and 50 tons old gun carriages. The Duncan Dunbar registered 1,374 tons, was 229 feet 2 inches long, 36 feet broad, and 23 deep. Port charges at Sydney, in, with 2,000 tons general cargo, and out, nil; Pilotage in £22, out £22.

1387. The ship Transatlantic, 614 tons register, Capt. W. PHILIP, belonging to Messrs. G. THOMPSON, junr., and Co., of London, took in at Sydney, June, 1864—

She is 150 feet long, 29.3 feet broad, and 17.9 deep; there was no

ballast; dunnage wood, bottom 9 inches, bilges 12, one treenail between the wool and the sides. So laden, she drew 144 feet aft, 14 forward; and on arrival in London, 13th October, 14 feet aft, 13 feet 10 forward. With 780 tons guano, loaded at Callao in 1860, 16 feet; best trim at sea 6 inches by the stern. Port charges at Sydney, customs entry and shipping office, £4 4s. Pilotage in 4d. ton; out the same.

1388. The ship Queen of Nations, THOMAS MITCHELL, Master, belonging to Messrs. G. THOMPSON and Co., of Leadenhall Street, left Sydney, 21st September, 1865, and arrived in London, 20th December, with

Ballast, 30 tons of kentledge; dunnage, treenails and bones, 12 inches in the bottom, 18 in the bilges, and 6 in the sides. The hides were laid from two beams abaft the foremast to the mizen-mast; oil on the hides, with a tier of tallow between; the wool, cotton, gum, &c., in the 'tween decks. The ship registers 846 tons, is 190 feet long, 32.3 broad, and 20 deep; 'tween decks 7 feet. So laden she drew 18 feet aft and 18 forward; her best trim is 9 inches by the stern. Pilotage in £14 28., out £14 28.

1889. Sydney cargo. In the Court of Exchequer, 4th February, 1865, before Lord Justice ERLE. PUST v. DOWIE. By a charter-party for a voyage from Liverpool to Sydney, the charterer agreed to pay for the use of the ship £1,500 in full, on condition of her carrying a cargo of not less than 1,500 tons weight and measurement. It was held in the Court below, that this was to be taken, in the ordinary proportions, according to the port of lading-viz., onethird weight, two-thirds measurement, and had no reference to a cargo for the Sydney market in which the proportions were ordinarily one-third measurement and two-thirds weight. On this holding, which was for the plaintiff, there was this appeal. Chief Justice ERLE said that he and the other six judges assisting, were of opinion that the judgment of the Court below ought to be affirmed.

1390. The ship Omar Pasha, Capt. THOMAS HENRY, belonging to Messrs. G. THOMSON, SONS, and Co., Aberdeen, took in at Melbourne, in October, 1864

3,550 Bales of wool, 14,000 Hides,

80 Casks tallow,

20 Tons spelter, with 4,000 Ounces gold, and

12 Cabin passengers.

She registers 1,068 tons, is 207 feet long, 36 broad, and 22 deep; 'tween decks 6 feet; with the above she drew 19 feet aft and 18 feet 9 inches forward, her best trim at sea; with a dead-weight cargo she draws 21 feet. The ballast of stones, spelter, and hides, was estimated at 430 tons. The wool was screwed in; and the dunnage, stones and horns, was 12 inches thick in the bottom, and 15 in the bilges; in the sides horns only. Port charges 1s. ton; pilotage in £28 18s. 6d., out £28 18s. 6d.

1391. The ship Lincolnshire, 1,024 tons, Capt. H. SHINNER, belonging to Messrs. MONEY, WIGRAM, and SON, of Blackwall, left Melbourne, 10th November, 1864, with

She had also 141 tons kentledge and 150 tons stone ballast, which was levelled to receive tallow at the fore end, spirit aft, and wool dumped and screwed the whole length of the ship. So laden, she drew 17 feet 2 inches aft, 16 feet 9 forward; on arrival in London, 25th January, 1865, 16 feet 9 inches aft, 16 feet 10 forward; her best trim is 16 feet fore and aft. Pilotage at Melbourne, in and out, £42.

1392. Some ships from Adelaide refuse all cargo except wool, with copper ore as ballast; occasionally salted hides, tallow, or gums, can be had for ballast; also silver lead ore in small quantities. Ships stowing wool with copper ore for ballast, sometimes start the bags, and let the ore fall in the crevices between the bales; this is very reprehensible, because ore is generally damp, if not wet, when shipped, and it must, therefore, damage the wool. When a ship takes bark here in bags or bales, permission should be obtained, on the bill of lading, to cut the packages. If not obtained and the packages are cut, the ship will be liable to make good for loss of weight and other damage. In 1865, the charges for towing vessels

to and from the Lightship were considered excessive, being 7d. P ton for a distance of nine miles. Most of the vessels trading to and from London are built expressly for the trade; they are thus enabled to turn out large cargoes. Ships generally turn out considerably over their intake weight. In many instances wool is dumped on the station for convenience of land carriage; the ship allows the cost, say 1s. 8d. to 2s. bale. As a rule, ships will stow four bales per register ton if they take a full cargo of wool. Ships loading at Port Wakefield, which seldom exceed three or four each season, or at Port Augusta, can generally obtain one-eighth . freight more for wool than at Adelaide.

1393. An experienced master says-" When masters are under charter and bound to the charterer's agent at Adelaide, they are bound to have their outward business done through that agent. If masters prefer on discharge of inward cargo to procure a homeward freight through a different channel, the inward broker can by the custom of the colony, demand the usual commission on the amount of freight grossed by the ship homeward. This claim may not become known to inexperienced masters until their ships are ready for sea. It will be necessary to observe caution before signing such charter-parties." Upon this another master observes, "I have always understood that if the charterer's agent cannot find employment for the ship outward, and if the master has to look elsewhere for freight, then the inward and outward brokers divide commission."

1394. In December, 1863, one of the Orient line of ships, the Murray, Capt. J. LEGOE, belonging to Messrs. ANDERSON, THOMSON, and Co., of Billiter Court, London, left Adelaide with

The Murray registers 902-79 tons; length of keel 180 feet, fore rake 13 feet, breadth 334, depth of hold 20 feet 8 inches; 'tween decks 7 feet. So laden, she drew 16 feet 2 inches aft and 15 feet forward, but there was 250 tons of cargo space occupied by passengers, of whom she had a full complement. With 300 tons dead-weight cargo and 1,190 tons measurement goods, she drew 16 feet 4 inches aft and 15 feet 8 forward, but there was 350 tons of cargo space for passengers. Her best draught for sailing is 15 feet 8 inches aft, and 15 feet forward. She carries a very large cargo on a very small draught; and has a long floor with two sharp ends. She was built by Messrs. HALL, of Aberdeen, and has run 325 miles in 24 hours. Port charges, harbour dues, and light and tonnage dues £28 11s. 6d.; pilotage in and out £17.

1395. The barque Adamant, 815 tons, Capt. B. LODWICK, R.N.R., belonging to Mr. HARRISON, Gloucester terrace, Regent's Park, London, left Adelaide, 8th January, 1865, with 273 tons of copper ore (in bags) for ballast, and to dunnage 3,500 bales of wool screwed in as usual. She had also 24 passengers, and so laden drew 16 feet on an even keel; on arrival in London in May, 15 feet 11 inches aft and 16 feet 2 inches forward; her best trim at sea is 14 feet aft and 14 forward. The barque is 174.9 feet long, 30 broad, 19.2 deep, 'tween decks 6 feet 9 inches; she has loaded 1,132 tons of Calcutta cargo. The Adamant loaded partly at Port Wakefield, at the head of the Gulf of St. Vincent, six miles from land, and returned to Port Adelaide, where she completed her loading, which involved the cost of two pilotages and towages. Towing in and out of Port Adelaide twice, and one trip to bring off the passengers, £84; pilotage in and out £14 15s.; pilotage in and out £15 10s.; tonnage dues, 885 tons at 3d. p ton, £10 3s. 9d.; Marine Board £23 1s.; wharfage 9d. ton; entering and clearing £5 5s. The heaviest charges were those for dumping and stowing the wool-3s. 6d. p bale at Port Adelaide, and 4s. at Port Wakefield, including lighterage; in all, about £700. At Port Adelaide, the water being soft, the bottoms of iron ships are very liable to get fouled.