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when she started on her trial trip to the Bay she proceeded at a snail's pace, and many thought she would have been a failure; but she did better after a while, and ran to Launceston until she was wrecked on King's Island. She was afterwards usefully employed as a lighter. T h e swiftest paddlesteamer of the olden times was the ' Thames,' brought from Hobart Town, and ran successfully in the Geelong trade until she was lost off Point Cook. T h efirstscrew steamer from the old country that arrived here was the ' Keera,' which came by way of Sydney. T h e steamer 'Shamrock' for some years was the only regular trader between Sydney, Melbourne, and Launceston, under the skilful supervision of Captain Gilmore. T h e 'Christina,' brig, Captain Saunders, was very well known between Melbourne and Sydney. H e r genial and m u c h respected commander, w h o was afterwards in the ' City of Melbourne' and ' Clarence' steamers, was, until lately, a resident of this city. T h e ' Scout,' a clipper brig, Captain Gwatkin, and ' T h e Raven,' a fine brig, Captain Bell (both of w h o m are gone) traded to Launceston; and the schooners ' Flying Fish' and ' Circassian ' (Captain Smith) traded to Hobart Town. There were other vessels in the Sydney and Tasmanian trades, but those mentioned were the most regular traders. It was quite an event to see two brigs, such as the ' Christina' and ' Raven' at the wharf at the same time, and many would look forward to the time when an increased trade would necessitate a ship canal, and perhaps full-rigged ships might be moored at the wharf. O n e of the former city surveyors of Melbourne, M r . Blackburn, m a d e a comprehensive. plan of a ship canal which has not been beaten by later schemes." Mr. Charles Chessell has furnished m e with the following:—• " I feel myself particularly well qualified to speak on the subject of the shipping of the early days of Tasmania and Melbourne. I had the ship-building yard at Paddock Point, Hobart T o w n , where I built the ' Maria Orr,' to the order of William Morgan Orr. This was thefirstsquare-rigged vessel built in Tasmania. T h e frame of the steamer, the ' Governor Arthur,' was forwarded from England to Tasmania. She was built for the purpose of trading between Kangaroo Point and Hobart T o w n , but as her owner thought that the Melbourne trade would be more profitable, I was engaged tofither with false sponsons to enable her to carry sail across Bass's Straits. After trading between Melbourne and Williamstown for some time, she took fire, her deck and top sides being burnt. I had settled in Victoria in the meantime, and was again called in to repair her. H e r trade, however, never paid, and she was eventually purchased by Captain G. W . Cole, w h o purposed placing her engine in a new steamboat, the 'Diamond,' which was built by m e to his order, and was the first steamer built on the Yarra. Before the ' Diamond' was constructed, Mr. John Manton determined to convert the ' Fairy Queen,' lighter, into a steamboat. With this end in view he placed in her an engine from his brother's flour mill; a brick chimney was built to act as a flue. T o celebrate the transformation, a pleasure party assembled on board for the purpose of taking a trip to Williamstown. Starting from near the 'Falls,'the current took her smoothly down the river as far as the junction, the engineer and passengers fondly imagining she was a model boat. But, alas for h u m a n hopes! a brisk breeze and the incoming tide n o w met us, and she immediately came to a standstill. After m u c h excitement and discussion it was decided to put about and return to Melbourne, but the current that helped us down now hindered our homeward journey. Those w h o formed the party, and if n o w alive with memories green, will well remember the episode of the m a n who, to increase the steam pressure of this most peculiar marine engine, stood on the weights of the safety valve. They will also see in the mind's eye an excited fireman and passengers pulling the individual off, w h o was about to give them a gratuitous passage to ethereal regions. T h e outcome of the trip was that the crew had to track and warp her back to town. It is needless for m e to say that the chimney and engine were soon taken out, and she became once more a lighter. T h e 'Griper,' thefirststeam dredge built in Victoria, and n o w used deepening the Yarra, was built by m e at Chessell's dock. She was launched in the presence of His Excellency Governor Latrobe. T h e 'Elizabeth' was thefirstschooner built on the Yarra. She was constructed by m e to the order of Charles Dean. T h e timbers of this vessel were obtained from theflatnear the Sandridge Lagoon."