Shipping Memoranda.

During 1821 two war vessels visited the coast, both of which took away a cargo of spars. They were H.M.S. Dromedary, which left Sydney for New Zealand, December 29,1820, returning thither, February 15, 1821, on which date she again sailed for Eng]and. The commissioners appointed to inquire into the transportation system returned in her. The other was the H.M.S. Coromandel, a store ship, commanded by Captain Downie, which arrived in Sydney from New Zealand, June 14, and sailed for England July 25. New Zealand spars for the Government dockyards about this time appear to have been in much demand. Two English convict ships, after discharging at Sydney, sailed for England, by New Zealand, where they are reported to have loaded New Zealand timber, principally ships' spars, for the Home market. They were the Providence, Herd, master, which sailed in March 26, and the Westmoreland, Potter, master, which reached Sydney, May 31, and sailed for New Zealand, July 3. Captain Herd again makes his appearance in New Zealand as commander of the Rosanna, which, together with the cutter Lambton, Barnett, master, sailed from Sydney, February 11, 1827, with stores for the New Zealand Settlement Company. The other New Zealand shipping records for the year are:—Active (brig), Thomson, master, reported to have left New Zealand, December 31, 1820, for the whaling grounds—arriving at Sydney, August 31, 1821; the Minerva, Bell, master, from New Zealand (February 15), to Valparaiso; thence she sailed for Sydney, arriving August 10; sailing again for Calcutta, August 31.

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1823 records show considerably more activity than those of 1821. A well-known skipper on the New Zealand coast, Captain Edwardson, makes his appearance for the first time, in charge of a colonial cutter, named Snapper. He entered in from New Zealand, March 28. Edwardson, who engaged largely in the seal trade during the succeeding seven years, rendezvoused a good deal in Chalky, then named Dark Cloud and Cloudy Bay. It was afterwards known among sealers as Edwardson's quarters, and to this day an upper reach of the sound is named Edwardsons. Under date April 19, Sydney Gazette reports:— The cutter Mermaid, to be commanded by Mr Kent, is fitting out by Government for another expedition to New Zealand. She arrived from Taheita, January 24, and, after getting fitted up as reported, sailed for New Zealand, May 7, from whence she returned, August 15. On June 24, 1824, she sailed, for New Zealand, taking Mr James Busby, who succeeded in recovering H.M.S. Elizabeth Henrietta, wrecked in Golburn (Ruapuke) Island, referred to elsewhere. Another New Zealand catastrophe vessel, the Brampton, Captain. Moore, makes its appearance at this time. She reached Sydney with male prisoners from Ireland, and sailed for New Zealand, July 22. She was subsequently lost at the Bay of Islands. Particulars of the wreck are given under "Missionary." Two cruisers make their appearance this year in New Zealand waters. M.H.B. Satellite, Captain Currie, R.N., arrived from Hobart, March 12, and sailed on cruise to New Zealand, March 23, returning from thence, April 18, when she finally left for Trincomalee, to rejoin the naval forces in the Indian Ocean. Her voyage to and from New Zealand proved singularly uniform. She occupied seven days on the outward passage, she spent seven days on the New Zealand coast, and occupied exactly seven days return trip to Sydney. The unfortunate H.M.C.B. Elizabeth Henrietta, referred to above, arrived from Hobart, sailed for New Zealand, November 5, under command of Captain Kent. Her subsequent adventures are detailed under "Shipping Disasters,"

The shipping record for 1824 is exceedingly uninteresting. A schooner named Endeavour, Dibbs, master, and afterwards commanded by Dacre, makes sundry voyages in the pork trade. Captain Dibbs again makes his appearance on the New Zealand coast as skipper of as colonial brig named Haweis; and as late as January, 1826, we hear of him prosecuting the seal trade amongst the southern islands, still in charge of the Haweis. The Glory, Brown, master, is mentioned as a seal and hair skin vessel, employed in the trade of these islands. The cutter Snapper is also mentioned, in charge of one Abrill, as prosecuting the southern New Zealand seal trade. A schooner named Newcastle, Fairley, master, appears for the first time in the trade. Evidently the bulk of the New Zealand trade this year was transacted with the south. H.M.S. Tees visits the coast for the purpose of inspecting the wreck of the Elizabeth Henrietta, which she reports to be irreclaimable. She left Sydney, April 15, returning June 5. For detailed particulars of the wreck see "Shipping Disasters."

In 1826 a decided improvement appears in the shipping record. The year opens with a visit from H.M.S. Lame, Captain Kingcomb, who sailed for Hobart, New Zealand, and Norfolk Island, completing the round trip, April 3, on which date she entered in at Sydney. A number of new trading craft make their appearance, and, as they stick to the trade, we may fairly assume it was lucrative. The schooner Herald arrived from New Zealand, March 7. Down to August 14, 1827, she appears to have made regular trips to and from New Zealand. The schooner Alligator entered in from New Zealand, with sealskins, May 24. The Elizabeth and Mary, another colonial schooner, of 74 tons, Captain Worth, commenced rather an eventful career, June 3, on which date she arrived from New Zealand, with fur and oil. March 12, 1827, she again entered in, with 3000 skins and 10 tons oil. May 5, 1830, she was still in the New Zealand trade, now in charge of one Morris. We last hear of her, page 64August 2 of that year, on which date she was in the hands of one Owen as master. The schooner Prince of Denmark, likewise well known on the New Zealand coast, makes its first appearance, about this date; also the Samuel, another New Zealand craft, which achieved an eventful record.

1827 must have been a busy year in the colonial shipping trade. H.M.S. Rainbow, in command of (Captain Rous, made a month's cruise to New Zealand, leaving Sydney, March 14, returning April 18. The Elizabeth, Kent, master, entered in, with 38 tons pork and 39 pine logs; also the Samuel, with 4500 fur sealskins. The Faith, Sisters, Industry, Madeira Packet, Enterprise, and Harmony are all traders, made first mention of, this year. The more noteworthy of these are the Sisters and the Industry. The Customs entry recording the former reads:—February 9, 1827.—Arrived, the Sisters, whaler, Robert Duke, master, from New Zealand, which she left, January 23. Captain Duke brings an account of the piratical capture of the brig Wellington, which was recaptured by the Sisters. (See details of the capture and recapture under "Shipping Disasters."

In 1830 twenty-eight vessels, each an average of 110 tons burden, made an aggregate of fifty-six voyages from Sydney to New Zealand; the total tonnage thus cleared being 5888. In the same year twenty-six vessels, of the average tonnage of 115, made forty-six passages inwards; their aggregate tonnage being 4959. Of seventy-eight vessels cleared out from Sydney for foreign States, South Sea Islands, and the whale fisheries, fifty-six were under orders to touch at New Zealand, and forty-six arrivals under the same head had touched at New Zealand.

In 1831 forty-nine vessels, representing a burden of 6698 tons, entered at Sydney from New Zealand. The vessels entered out at Sydney were thirty, representing the burden of 3851 tons. Sydney Gazette, January 11, reports:— The fine New Zealand-built ship Sir George Murray, was put up to the hammer, and knocked down by Mr Simmons for £1300. Captain Donald became the purchaser, risking the want of a register, though we fear that sailing, even with a protection, out of the port, would not secure her against seizure by the first man-of-war. She would make an admirable whaler. Captain Pryce, of the Nancy, reports (March 10) encountering tremendous weather almost from the moment of his leaving Sydney Heads. He was therefore compelled to put in at the Bay of Islands. He was to resume his voyage south on the 13th, and mentions that they were all very comfortable on board, and everything seemed to indicate a pleasant voyage.—Sydney Gazette, March 29, 1831, gives the following example of ships' cargoes of the period:—Arrived from New Zealand, brig Argo, 169 tons, Billing, master, with 10 tons potatoes, 30 pigs, 30 jars pickled oysters, 2 sacks wheat.—Dawson, Grove, and Co., agents.

List of vessels in the New Zealand trade, hailing from Sydney, as on April 21, 1835:—Blackbird, 67 tons, Duff, master; Waterloo, 414 tons, Coe, master; "Sydney Packet," 83 tons, Bruce, master; New Zealander, 143 tons, master not named; Joseph Weller (schooner), 49 tons, Hathaway, master; Active, 105 tons, Drysdale, master; Lucy Ann, 214 tons, Rapsay, master; Jane and Henry, 147 tons, Cobern, master; Fortitude (schooner), 132 tons, Mackay, master; Draco, 257 tons, Kenworthy, master; Susannah, 233 tons, master not named; Surrey, 365 tons, master not named.—Sydney Customs Record for the year 1835.

I think there are more Americans visit New Zealand waters than British ships. Two years ago there were about 300 sail of American whalers in the Pacific Ocean.—R. Fitzroy, R.N., in Committee of the Imperial Parliament, May 11, 1838.