Fares:—cabin, 3s. 6d.; forecastle, 2s.; and freight, 10s. per ton. In May, a Mr. F. Pitman, one of the mercantile fraternity evinced sufficient public spirit, to have a small stage or platform formed at the wharf or m u d bank, to enable vessels to discharge—a privilege conceded only upon payment of ;£i 10s. each. T h e same month great fears were entertained for the safety of the "Augustus" (before mentioned), which had sailed from Sydney. She turned up all right, after being thirty-four days out. Provisions and water had run to so low a level with her that on her arrival the last bag of biscuits was nearly eaten, and for three days the only beverage procurable was bottled ale. A second steamer arrived from London, which shared a better fate than the " Clonmel." This was the " Corsair," 450 tons, via Adelaide, on 28th May, in charge of Captain Fox, an ex-East India Company Officer, She was placed on the Melbourne and Launceston route, with very beneficial results to all parties interested. T h e " Sea Horse," 500 tons, Captain Ewing, soon followed, as a regular trader between Melbourne and Sydney. T h efirststeamer between Melbourne and Geelong was the "Aphrasia," leaving one day and returning on the morrow. T h e fares were £1 cabin and 12s. steerage, with a scale of freights, sliding from £1 10s. for a horse to 5s. for a dozen of poultry. She left on herfirsttrip amidst the plaudits of hundreds of spectators, and made the passage in five hours, allowing for some delay in taking in firewood in lieu of coal. The inhabitants of Geelong svere so beside themselves on her appearance in the (then) beautiful bay of Corio, that they honoured the event with a feu de joie of musketry. Attempts were gradually made to erect small premises for boat repairing, and by degrees, three of these not considerable establishments acquired the nominal distinction of being known as docks. O n e was owned by a Mr. Charles Chessel, another by a Mr. Kell, and a third by a Mr. Kruse. The scanty requirements of the port were efficiently ministered to, and so early as 1842 w e hear of a spruce little steamer, the "Vesta," being fitted up at the south bank of the river, and launched there in the presence of seyeral hundred spectators. She was imported by Mr. Frederick Manton, an early merchant and mill proprietor in Flinders Street. THE PORT PHILLIP STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.
Directors for Melbourne—J. D. Lyon Campbell, P. W. Welsh, Arthur Kemmis, Hugh Jamieson, G. W . Cole, W . Langhorne, C. Howard, J. Graham, and J. Cropper, Esqs. Directors for Geelong—G. D. Mercer, A. Thomson, D. Fisher, and N. A. Fenwick, Esqs. Directors for S y d n e y — W . S. Deloisse, and E. Manning, Esqs. Secretary and Treasurer—Arthur Kemmis, Esq. Agents—Messrs. Arthur K e m m i s and Co. This Company was established in January, 1840, with a capital of ,£20,000. T h efirststeamer, the "Aphrasia," was built at Williams River, N e w South Wales, and arrived in Melbourne in the early part of 1841. Other vessels were chartered, and during the few years the Company existed, it contributed much towards accommodating and increasing the business of the port. At end of 1841, the following steamers were in the Melbourne trade:— The "Sea Horse" (Captain Tallan), twice each month between Melbourne and Sydney. The " Corsair" (Captain Bell), chartered by the Port Phillip Steam Navigation Company, twice month between Melbourne and Launceston, suiting as far as practicable her days of departure to the arrival of the " Sea Horse." The "Aphrasia" (Captain Lawler), the property of the Port Phillip Steam Navigation Company, twice a week between Melbourne and Geelong, leaving the former at 10 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday, and starting on return same hour on Thursdays and Mondays. o' the intermediate days, the "Aphrasia" plied between Melbourne and Hobson's Bay, chiefly in bringing the cargoes of vessels to Melbourne. T h "Governor Arthur," twice a day on week days only, between Melbourne and Williamstown. n th st M a y 1842, the "Vesta," belonging to F. Manton and Co. was put on between Melbourne and Williamstown—on week-days three trips per diem, and a trip to Geelong every Sunday.
