The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-05-08 00:00:00

SATURDAY, MAY 8,188 G.

3IIIP BURNT AT SEA.

The trawler Coquette, of Plymouth, landed at vt,
mouth on Saturday Captain Scott and 10 wen ir
crew of the barque Mary Spencer, of South Sba,ll,!
436 tons register, which was burnt in the Atlas";
through the cargo taking fire. The barque was boo°
from Aquinas, in Spain, to Tayport, Scotland, Witil f
cargo of 249 tons of esparto. She left Aquinas
April 2 with a crew of 11, all told. Fine wt
and favourable winds were experienced until the
of April, when the wind died away. At 8 o'clock
mate, Joshua Rogers, took charge of the deck
about two hours later went forward on duty. On
turning aft he perceived a strong smell of fire,
looking around found smoke issuing from the cl? 4,
trunks. On making a closer examination he saw tai
the cargo was on fire. An alarm was at once rai't;
and all hands called on deck. The pumps
quickly set to work, and in a short space of time /I
quantities of water were being poured down the nll5lOl
trunks, and for a time it appeared as if the effort,
the crew would be successful in extinguishing the
But half an hour later the smoke increased in densitys
flames frequently burst forth out of the chain trunk:
In the meantime the captain and mat 3 had not bee
inactive. Two large beef casks were filled with wstearl
and when a favourable opportunity offered itelfor
of the hatches was hastily removed and the
thrown into the hold, the hatch being put on
almost instantly. This was repeated at intervals vio
all to no purpose. The fire gained rapidly, the stn°lo
being almost stifling and the heat getting unbearan
Accordingly as daylight approached preparations °,
made to leave the ship; two of the officers with tbsi
mouths covered with wet handkerchiefs descenas"
into the cabin for the purpose of saving the log
other documents, but were unable to do so, the BO
and fire driving them back. They were able to 04
a few tins of meat and other provisions, which s'te
nearly cooked by the fire. The captain and crow
the ship about five a.m. on the 21st of April in '
46 30 N., long. 13 W. The fire had then got a Vvi
hold of the cargo, the ship being enveloped in silo,'
and the decks nearly burnt through. About 10 minu'i
after the crew left the ship flames were observentil
the bottom of the mast and rigging. The fire qui"
spread and in a few minutes the masts andprcle.sif
all ablaze, the mils quickly fell, and within an -
the mizenrnast went over the side, the melon
falling shortly afterwards. This apparently riPPe,
up the decks, for almost immediately a tremenal,
flame shot forth from the hold to a great beig„if
The cargo burnt very fiercely. and the ship was nen
burnt to the water's edge when the crew lost sight ;),
her. After leaving the Mary Spencer the crew 0.0
served a large barque some six miles off heading
.
the direction of the burning vessel, but becaleb
Captain Scott with his crew pulled to the ship, se"e,
proved to be the German barque Maria Antoine',
Scluedan, bound from Philadelphia for Amstordile
with paraffin oil. The crew were Wien on board !,,t
Maria Antoinette, and the captain explained
during the night he observed smoke from the Waist°,
vessel and put about, but was unable to come 1111,1
her owing to the lightness of the wind. It was 'lib
fortunate that Captain Scott and his crew fell in s'if
the German barque, as towards night a heavy es't,e,„re't
gale sprang up, accompanied by high seas. No '"tio
could have lived in such weather, and there is be
doubt if the Mary Spencer had not already suuk stte
foundered during the gale. The Maria Antnineite,
transferred the crew on Friday night to the Coqae` th
off the Wolf Rock, and on being landed at Plywc,v4
the men were placed in the Sailors' Home where o.;•ti
were kindly treated. The captain and first two
second officers will be forwarded to their honl,esh;e.
South Shields by the hon. secretary of the '`,s
wrecked Mariners' Society. The remainder of the n".O
are principally foreigners. No reason can be
.rgil`rf
for the outbreak of the fire on board the
Spencer.

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