The Balclutha is owned by Mr G. F. Reid of Dunedin, and was built by Mr Robert Ma son, at Port Molyneux, which gentleman is al>o the designer of the vessel. Her destination is to trade on the river Ohitha, running between Port Molyneux, -Kaitangata, Balelntha, and Mr James Smith's Greenfield station, some ten miles above the Clutha bridge. She will also run in conjunction with Mr Reid's other steamer, the Lady of the Lake, trading to Dunedin, the Baleluthaacting as her tender in receiving what cargo she may bring for ui> nver traffic, as. well as collecting cargo for transit.to Dunedin. ; The supply of coal to JJalelntha. and Port Molyneux from the mines at -ifaitangatawill also foi-m a considerable portion of the freight of the Balclutha. She takes the place of the old Tuapeka, whose engines have been placed in her, after under going considerable additions and improvements I he Balclutha is all built of the best seasoned Oregon pme, with beech and broadleaf knees, bhe measures 138 feet over all, and has a breadth of beam of 25 feet, with a depth of hold of G feet. Her carrying capacity is 100 tons. Access to the hold is by means of two large hatchways amidships, and a third hatch way placed forward in the bows. She has a nush deck, unencumbered with anything ex cepting the boiler-house and engine room. The facilities for loading and discharging car^o are most ample, and cargo can be re ceived or delivered from any point of the vessel. In shallow places she can be driven bows on to the shore, and receive or discharge cargo with facility even in that position. Instead of bulwarks, her decks are protected by a. wire rope rove through moveable iron standards fixed in the covering- board leaving always a clear passage for goods as well as large capacity for storage on deck. When unloaded and ready to receive cargo, the Bal clutha draws eleven inches forward and eighteen inches aft, or fourteen and a half inches on an even keel; with a full cargo on board, her im mersion would not be increased more than between ten or twelve inches, her draught of water being under all circumstances two feet less than that of the old Tuapeka. 