We have been favoured by a passenger with the following interesting items relative to the passage of the Eastern and Australian Company's steamer Tannadice on her trip from Port Darwin, Australia, direct to the above port. He describes the steamer as having magnificent passenger accommodation and the unanimous goodwill that he and the other passengers express of her gallant commander Captain'S. G. Groan must be gratifying to the feel if that gentleman, The vessel has a carrying onp city of over 2,000 tons register and the distance at the rate of 104 knots per hour. The steamer left Port Darwin on the evening of the 10th August and arrived at Sandakan Harbour about noon on the 16th inst. The route lay first through the Arafura Sea, passing Sermatan Island, thoneo through the Manipa Straits passing, the North East end of the Celebes Islan and across the Celebes Sea to the Sibuta Straits, and thence to Sandakan Bay.
The trip, which occupied nearly six day: is described as being remarkable through: out for calm seas resembling lakes, and by the absence of any swells, while gentle cool breezes accompanied the vessel from start to finish. The constant vicinity of tropical lands in view lent another charm to the passage by this route, which will soon be appreciated and made use of by pleas seekers as well as business men. The which mack the entrance of Sandakan harbour are grandly bold in outline. and are clothed from base to summit with profuse and varied tropical growth. Without any hesitation, except that the usual seamanlike precautions were used, the commander, without the tance of any lot, steamed his vessel into this magni-icon harbour, and right her to anchor within a cable length of the town, The ts, when they awoke up from ta, were agreeably surprised to seo the Tannadice snugly surveying their Town and Harbour.
One informant gives his first impressions of Sandakan Harbour to the effect that it surpasses Sydney Harbour in extent, and for beauty of scenery is unsurpassed. bj anything he has seen in the wide world. The coast-fringe presents grandly wooded country, whil ous neat villages that on the slopes of the hills, or built on piles over the calm blue waters of the Bay, form a coup devil that may occasionally cross the mind whilst in the realms of dream-land but seldom occur to the denizens of less truly tropical China, It happening to bos fete day amonget the Moha-medan population, hundreds of boats were akimming the waters filled with happy crowds dressed handsomely and gaudily in holiday costume, all of which tended to enhance the beauty of the scene.
The town itself occupies a splendid site and is rapidly assuming large proportions. The Tannadice was an unexpected arrival, but it speaks well for the trade of the port that she immediately received a large quantity of valuable log-timber for Hong-Kong. During the vessel's stay a visit was
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.