The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-08 00:00:00

SHIP BURNED ON THE CLYDE.

We have to record (saps the North British Daily
!fail) the total destruction by Ere of the American barque
Victoria (688 tons burden), Captain J. Waltiugton, which
took place on the river, within three miles of Glasgow, on
Friday aftetnoon, about an hour after leaving the Grannie-
law, on her outward voyage to New York. About two
o'clock the vessel quitted the harbour and proceeded down
the river, being towed by a tug steamer. In lees than an
hoar thereafter, she reached Whiteinch. In passing an-
other vessel, some ladies on board were observed to direct
the attention of those on board of the Victoria to something
aft. The captain was not yet in command, as he intended
overtaking the ship by rail at Greenock. Mr. Collins, the
ssiond mate, was at dinner when his attention was called to
the part of the ship pointed at by the ladies, and lo..king aft
he saw a dense volume of smoke tiring up over the vessel's
quarter. He ran aft and looked over the taffrail, when he
was compelled to retire, from the effects of a body of flame
that issued from the stern ports. The cabin was a poop ou
_ .

deck, and the flames appearing to issue from the after part
of the 'tween decks, he instantly made his way below by
the after hatch, bat from the density of the smoke he had
only time to distinguish that a pile of old wood and other
materials which was lying at the after extremity of the
'tween decks, immediately below the cabin, appeared to
have been moved from the position in which be had seen
Clem all safe a short time before. He hurried back to the
deck, narrowly escaping suffocation, and there found the
cook, a negro named Samuel Graham, running about in a
.fate of apparent excitement, and declaring that
he knew the ship would be burned, and would
never reach her destination. This excited sus-
picion, and Graham was instantly put in irons,
and in an hour afterward+ was handed over to the authori-
ties. On being handcuffed be gave expression to some
insinuations against another negro, who, up to within the
last few days, was steward of the ship, and who left on
account of a dispute with some of the officers. Graham
also alleged that he had seen the late steward on board
shortly before the vessel soiled. When the fire was dis-
catered it was found that it had got too serious a hold to be
easily overcome, and as any wind that was blowing at the
time was from an easterly direction, and from the position
of the ship favouring the progress of the flames, the vessel
was hove round, and grounded on the southern bank. So
rapidly did the flames spread that the tug had to make off
Isla alongside. A number of carpenters from a skip
building yard on the opposite bank hurried to the scene of
devastation, in the hope of scuttling the Teasel, but she
being already on the ground, this was impossible.
By four o'oloak the flames began to burst through the
deck, when it was deemed proper to make an attempt to
save some of the rigging. The foremast was cut by the
board, and then the mainmast ; and while this was being
done, the misenmast had been burned through. All three
masts were laid alongside between the vessel and the bank,
and it was with some difficulty that the fire from the mizen-
mast was prevented from communicating with the other
two. An informant, who left the scene about eight o'clock
in the evening, states that at that period the vessel was
going on gradually consuming to the water's edge. The
cargo of the Victoria consisted of pig iron and box and bale
goods. Between the hall and cargo the loss may be
estimated at about 50,0001. We learn that a number of
stevedores were working on board up till the vessel left
the harbour, and that they had been using a light below.
Iu eidition to the cook, it has been deemed proper to take
I others of the crew into custody, and a thorough
investigation will of course be made into the whole affair.
The few passengers en board reached the bank of the river
unscathed.

MASSACRE OF A BRITISH CAPTAIN AND
CREW ON THE AFRICAN COAST.

The Castletownsend correspondent of the Shirpitly
Casette writes on the 3rd :
" The schooner Heroine, Stafford, of London, arrived in
Castli townsend Harbour about noon this day. This vessel
has Leen the geese of a tragical event on the coast of Africa.
She sailed from London about 18 months ago, on a trading
voyage to Africa; her owner, Captain Cormack, being
master. He traded with the Rang of Tabou, and his
people, on credit to be paid by palm oil, &c , and, after
every exertion, failed In getting what he was promised. Ile
then took the King and some of his people and kept them
on board his vessel, until their part of the contract should
be fulfilled. The King's subjects felt indignant at this,
and were determined to have revenge, and came off in
their canoes with a number of casks filled with water, and
only two of palm oil, and got on board the vessel. Poor
Captain Cormack was completely thrown off his
guard, although well armed, and when in the act of
stooping over the side of the vessel looking into the canoes, 1
la len with oil as he thought, he was stabbed from behind
by the King's son and pitched overboard; they then st•
tacked and murdered the remainder of the crew except one
boy from Ireland, who has remained at the Amerlmi
settlement on the coast, in expectation of getting a passage
to America, where his father and mother reside.
" The King and his men took the vessel close in shore,
determined to burn her for her copper and Ina ; but in two
days after the brig Tweed, Bqaden, of Bristol, chanced to
anchor at night at the same place, and hearing of what had
happened, went on board and induced the natives to give
her up to him on paying something for her, and ran her to
h place of safety by part of his crew, and sub•equently gave
her in charge to Captain Stafford, first officer of the Chalco,
of it.d-t 1 to bring her home with a crew of three white
mu and Kruomcn, and on the 22nd of October she was dig-
muted in a heavy gale near the Western Islands.
" Capt. Stafford deserves great praise for his exertions in
getting the vessel to a haruour of safety, contending wi.h
hoary gales in his disabled state, and having nothing to
subsitt on but salt meat and bread for a great put of the
voyage, and the men being kept at the pumps almost con-
stantly. It is supposed that Captain Ccrmack's widow re-
sides in London.