ay on the pleasant change in his position, yesterda'y'afternoon.and after embarking passengers the Bast ' Coast ports, arrived at Port Chalmers at 9.30 am. ySday, and after proceeding to Dunediu to d> chargepart cargo, returned to the Port »t 4 p.m. at 1 45 B m. of the 29th ult., ami reached Auckland at li.?B Pa! Si. of tne 3oth ult. She left that port at fe.ti%tm^ 6 ntd\Sd^to% Bam. of the 7th Inst. Left again at 4.30 p m.; nassed Akaroa Heads at 8 p.m., aud arrived asabove. She had light variable winds, with fiae weather, from Auckland to Lytrelton, and thence thick rainy Weather to arrival We thank h-r courteous and obliging purser (Mr Uacklllop) fur report and hies. Ou reaching Holyheid on Sunday night, Ootober 10, the steamer tireat Kasternhad a narrow escape irom destruction. When she reached the harbour it was blowing a h^avy ga!e from N.N.W. Tile order •was alven to let go the anchors, but there was a lamb s>mewhere, aud tlie vessel was rapidly dri.t- Ine on to the dangerous shore. Great coniternatiou prevailed on board, and signals were made for help. The sea waß very high, and the breakers dashed furiously on the rockbound coast. Just aa it seemed Impossible to save the vessel the anctmrs were let go, and fortuuately held. Tugs also arrived from the shore and stood by until the big ship was taken into harbour and aafoly moored. As it blew heavily all nlzht there was considerable uneasiness on board as to whether ihe anchors would h.ld, which they for tunately did. It Is stated that the vessel was only a fathom's length off the rocks when the anchors caught the ground. Tbe American Pilot says:—" It is not flattering to our national pride to have it recorded In a Parlia mentary paper on the merchant shipping of the world that the United Sta' es has subsided even below the level of the little poverty stricken kingdom of Norway as a maritime power. In 18S4, it would »DDear, that country had 1.583,434 registered ton nage while the United States had but 1,304,222. 