Captain Lusher, late of Wellington, who Uβ tor several months been engaged in srade between various Australian ports tod the islands of the Pacific in the barque Zooference, narrowly escaped coming to Brief a short time ago with all on board, including his own family. The vessel bad &ad a particularly tempestuous passage trora Newcastle to New Caledonia, and ifter discharging a cargo of coal at Noumea, had proceeded In ballast to Long Island, in the Chesterfield Group, to take In a cargo of guano for Launceston. On the 18th of June, while she lay oft Long Island, with only 200 tons of guano under batches, a terrific storm broke over the group. The barque pitched and tossed to inch an extent that those on board ex pected some terrible calamity to occur. At diet it became evident that the anchors were not holding, and that the vessel was In danger oi being driven on the rocks. Captain Lusher, therefore, determined to Imitate the tactics of H.MU3. Calliope in the now historic Samoan hurricane. Putting to sea he was able to ride out the S&le, and made for Noumea, where he lemporarfly replaced the ground tackle that he had lost in the storm, and returned to Long Island. Serious havoc to houses and vegetation was found to have been wrought by the gale. The Conference aompleted her lading, and then sailed for Launeeston, but called e» voyage at Sydney (where she was reported two or three weeks ago) for the purpose of com pleting the equipment that had been damaged In the storm. Judging from the accounts of the adventure given by our Sydney contemporaries. Captain Luaher's (eat seems to have been quite as praise worthy as other deeds of nautical darine of which a great deal more ha* been made. The Conference barque was well known in Lyttelton, where she lay lor alone lime. H,s

NEW ZEALAND LIGHTHOUSES.
