The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-17 00:00:00

BURNING OF TIIEDROGIIEDA STEAMER

AT SEA.
We yesterday published a short account of this
afflicting disaster, which occasioned an awful loss of life.
We have since derived, from various sources, further parti-
culars. Our Dublin correspondent writes
The Grange Uaile steamer, for Drogheda, left Liverpool
on Tuesday night, at eight o'clock, in command of Captain
Rawdon, and betides her passengers, was laden with flax
and corn. The fire was discovered when the vessel was off
Holyhead; it originated in the coal depositrries and by
spontaneous combustion. The captain ti•ems to have though
that he would be able to extinguish the flames and make his
port, and, therefore, continued his course. Unhappily be
did not succeed, and the whole of the passengers and crew
would have certainly perished had not a Ringsend
( Dublin) hooker fortunately discovered them, and saved sixty-
nine souls—twenty tour ef thecrew, aud forty-five pasacogers.
The crew ef the hooker acted with the greatest humanity—
saving everybody who appeared on deck—the captain ex-
cepted. He remained on bard until the last moment, and
then flung himself with a life-buoy into the sea. lie was
picked up by the hooker's boat soon after, but life was
extinct.

An inquest was held to-day upon the captain's body, when
probably some further circumstances as to this deplorable
transaction will be brought to light. The steamer has en-
tirely disappeared, and none of the parties on board saved
anything save their clothes and the money on their petsons.
It is supposed that at least 30 persons have perished.
The Freeman's Journal states that most of the passengers
—of whom the number has been variously stated as being
from 100 to 250—had gone to Liverpool with the view of
emigrating to America; but, being unable to find vessel.,
were returning. These parties, being provided with free
ticket., there names did nbt appear on the ship's books.
Many of the passengers were cattle dealers, and from a
conversation with one of them, it appears that about six
a.m., and after the steamer had passed Holyhead,
all on board were aroused by the cry of "fire, fire." An
awful rush took place towards the deck, and the confusion
became so great, and the people so alarmed, that none of
them we met appear to have any knowledge of the state of
facts, or the condition of the ship. The only thing they
remembered was that the vessel was on fire ; the bunkers or
coal-holds baying ignited in the first instance. Every exer-
tion was made to subdue the destructive element, but the
vessel wan so crowded, arid the consternation so terrific,
that the efforts made to save her were retarded, and proved
unsuccessful. The scene, as might be expected, is said to
have been one of the must harrowing nature. For a long
time the captain was most sanguine in his hopes of subduing
the fire. In this state the fire raging below, but not ap-
pearing above, the vessel kept on her course till about seven
o'clock, when she was observed by the Bossy fishing smack
of ltingsend, when those of the passengers and crew who
were on deck were rescued from their awful condition. On
nearing her they found the people on board screaming, and
many of them clinging to her sides. At the time the Remy
came up, the flame had not burst out, bat was still confined
to the interior. Sixty-nine persons were taken on board ly
the aid of Imam—the smack standing off, lest tho fire might
be communicated.

In addition to the above the following general information
was obtained : When the first alarm of fire was given, one
of the steamer's beats was lowered, but the rush of people
into her was so great that she swamped and almost all
perished. The crew of the steamer, with the exception of
the captain, were all saved ; and the skipper of the Bevy
states that the mate told him the unfortunate gentleman
could have saved himself, but that he refused to abandon his
vessel while there was the most remote chance of saving her,
and that he vowed ho would not stir until passengers and
crew were all safe, a determination which cost him his life, for
it appears in the last extremity he took the life-buoy and
jumped overboard. A poor woman, one of three saved,
could tell no more of the occurrence than that abe was awoke
out of bed, and in the general consternation which prevailed
she leaped overboard, and was picked up in a boat by a
lad named Upham. When she recovered she found, to her
inexpressible joy, her husband safe on board the Beasy.
The passengers saved, with the exception of the persona sent
to hospital and a few others who sought and obtained refuge
about the quays, took their departure yesterday evening by
the train for Drogheda, aa did also the mate of the ill.starred
steamer and all the crew. The body of the unfortunate
Capt. Bowden lies at present on hoard the Belay, and the
coroner's inquest will, it is expected, throw some light on
this very melancholy aff,ar.
WRECK OP THE ROCHE6TER.—WEXFORD, APRIL
14.—The Rochester, Truman, packet.ship, from Liverpool
to New York, struck on the north end of Blackwattr Bank
yesterday morning, and it is feared will be • total wreck.
The greater part of the passengers have been brought
here by the Arklow, and the remainder were being saved by
other boats. It is reported there was 150,0001. of specie on
hosed.