3rd December, 1842 (the Saturday after the first Town Council elections), is noteworthy in consequence of its being thefirstoccasion of a steamer pleasure trip down the Bay. The "Corsair" was put on for that purpose, and, as a Municipal commemoration it was well patronised. The fares were Saloon, 15s., and 12s. 6d. for families; second cabin, 10s. 6d. and 7s. 6d. A dejeuner a la fourchette was included. O n the 23rd June, 1843, H.M.S. "North Star," 26 guns, Captain Sir Everard H o m e , arrived from China, and the Commander and Officers were welcomed by a grand ball, got up specially in their honour by a private assembly then in being. The festivities came off at the Royal Exchange Hotel, Collins Street, and passed off in an exceedingly gratifying manner. Towards the end of 1846, the machinery of the old "Governor Arthur" steamer superannuated, was taken out and worked in a new steamer belonging to Captain G. W . Cole; it was called the " Diamond," and plied for years between Melbourne and Williamstown. O n 27th January, 1848, the "Jane Cain" (the property of Captain James Cain, a well-known merchant) was launched from the South bank of the Yarra basin in the presence of some 5,000 persons. For the occasion a sumptuous lunch was provided on board for over a hundred visitors. In January, 1849, a jetty was commenced at Sandridge; and in a year was completed. It was 400 feet long by T5 feet wide. Its cost was about ,£1,000, and at high water the small steamers lay at the end in about 8 feet of water. O n the 7th November the "John Thomas Foord," 790 tons, from Plymouth with immigrants, anchored in the Bay. During the voyage there were several deaths from cholera, and she was ordered into quarantine. In December the keel of a steam dredge, to cost ,£1,150, was laid down at Chessel's, intended to be employed in deepening the Yarra. At the commencement of 1850 there was being manipulated behind the gaol the granite stones for a lighthouse tower, under a contractor named Morgan. It was to be of circular form, 13 feet in diameter, and about 10 feet in height. Several years previously, a jetty had been commenced at Williamstown and the piling was only now finished. It was 220 feet in length, and there was a 6 feet of water depth at low tide for 50 feet. In 1850, the "Victory," from Glasgow, was stranded off Point Lonsdale. The parties could not agree as to the amount of salvage to be paid, and, under an English Statute then in force, a Board composed of Messrs. R. W . Pohlman, B. Heape, and E. Westby, was appointed to adjudicate, when the following award was made : ,£115 to the master and crew of the Government schooner "Apollo," ,£145 to the master and crew, and ,£250 to the owners of the " Aphrasia " steamer. Captain G. W . Cole had built at Kruse's yards, a smart little screw propeller named the "City of Melbourne." It was launched on the 20th February, 1851. Towards the close of the year a well-merited compliment was offered to Captain George Gilmore, of the steamer "Shamrock," a favorite trader between Melbourne and Sydney. H e was entertained at a public dinner, and presented with a handsome sovereign testimonial, commemorative of his having accomplished one hundred trips between the two capitals. N o record can be found of the inward and outward shipping before 1837. In that year, the inward tonnage numbered 12,754, as against 13,424 t o n s outward. In 1851 there were 712 arrivals of 129,426 tons, against 658 departures of 111,005 tons.
HARBOR DUES. The following were the first enforced in Port Phillip For every vessel under 100 tons of 100 tons, and under 200 200 tons, and under 300 300 tons, and under 400 400 tons, and under 500 500 tons, and upwards
.— tons tons tons tons
,£0 5 o 10 o 15 1 o 1 5 1 10
o o o o o o
