The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-22 00:00:00

Saracen took fire I wag some dietanc,

The Saracen caught fire on the

ti aging. She had swung with the fl.od at the same time as
the Martha. I can give no opinion as to the origin of the
fire. Ido not know of any one being up aloft on any duty
that day. There waq no dispute or quarrel on board. The
witness was recalled at another stage of the inquiry, and
added that about ten or twelve of the crow were also on the
forecastle at the time; some were smoking. The boatswain
and myself had been smoking before that, but not then. I
have seen pipes put in the matting of ship's houses, but not on
board of the Martha.

Robert Smith, the carpenter belonging to the ship Saracen,
was next examined. He said I first saw the fire on board
the Martha, about half past one or a quarter to two in the
afternoon of the 11th. Our Krooboys were sent immediately
to her assistance, and we slipped our anchors in order to d►ift
out of the reach of danger; but there was no wind or tide, and
the result was that our ship payed round, and backed under'
the Mactha's stern. We were on fire within half au hour after
the outbreak on board the Martha. The sparks were wafted
into our rigging, and on deck, from the Martha. Captain
Christie, of the Martha, came on board, but I don't know
whether it was before or after we were found on fire. Every
exertion was made by all hands to arrest the progress of the fire.
The hose was laid out, and the force pumps were set to work,
but to no purpose, for she caught in several places. We took to
tl►e boats in the cow se of half au hem or so ; the ship conti-
nued to burn till six p.m., when the 35 tons of gunpowder
exploded. None of the crew saved any property. I have
saved nothing except what I had on. I am confident tint the
Saracen was set on fire by the sparks and flashes of fire from
the burning of the ship Martha.

The evidence of the above witness was confirmed by Fergus
Irving, a cooper belonging to the Saracen.
The inquiry occupied two entire days ; nearly all hands of
both ships were examined ; but no additional facts were
elicited. At the close of the proceedings his Excellency the
Governor expressed an opinion that no satisfactory account had
been adduced to show the exact cause of the fire on board of
the ship Martha, but a suspicion existed that it arose through
the men smoking on board.

People who don't like the headache should never under..
take to come between a man and his wife while they are
exchanging " smoothing irons." We tried it once, and
got a black eye that cost us six shillings a week fur raw
oysters for the next two months.
" Amanda, does George kiss you because he loves you ?"
inquired little Jack of his mother. "To be sure sonny—
why ?" " Well, I guess he loves the kitchen girl too, for
I. seen him kiss her mor'n forty times last Sunday when
you was gone to meeting."
ILLNESS OF MR. BARON PLATT.—We regret to learn
that Mr. Baron Platt has been prevented by illness from
attending to his duties on the Western Circuit, but his
health is now improving, and at ;Jo distant time it is
expected ho will be in a condition to resume his duties ;
in the meantime Mr. Sergeant Channell has the honour to
fill h's place.

BURNING OF A FRENCH THEATRE. —A fire broke out a
few nights ago in the theatre of Bourges (Cher), by which
part of it was destroyed. As no performance had taken
place since the Sunday previous, the origin of the fire is
attended with some mystery. The fire broke out at mid-
night.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE —The ship Wellesley, Captain
Parry, from the Cape, which she left on the 18th of Jan.,
landed her mails and most of her passengers at Plymouth on
Monday last, and then proceeded up the Channel. Trade
at the Cape is reported as very dept.( ssed ; most of the
copper mines having turned out badly; and no returns had
been received for very large quaL titles of goods shipped to
Australia.

TEE 110 VISION CONTRACT.—According to the Cork
Reporter, several of the government contractors for the
i
supply of beef and pork are n treaty for the disposal of
their stocks to advantage on French account :—" The
season has now closed. The frivolous and vexatious
rejecting, unparalleled and unprecedented, by the autho-
rities at liaulbuwline, through the instrumentality of the
controllers of victualling, leave them no other alternative.
We recommend them to do as intimated, knowing how
they have been treated, and leave the government their
merited.,succese with,their German and American pro.
visions.

eager

hereby
Governr
be in evl

)CUNARD 88.

eAmeric

NOTICE.
freight by the Mail Steamers to Halifax and Boston, .e 4 per ton
and 5 per cent primage ; and to New York d're,t, .4.6 per ton and
5 per cent primage.
Freight on Parcelsss. each and upwards, according to size.
PARCELS for different Consignees, collected and made up in single
packages, addressed to one party for delivery in America., for the
purpose of evading the payment of fre.ght, will, upon exam nation
in America by the Customs, be charged with the proper freight.

BRITISH AND NORTH AMERICAN ROYAL MAIL
STEAM-SHIPS.
zi APPOINTED BY THE ADMIRALTY
V,l TO SAIL BETWEEN
IV N LIVERPOOL & NEW YORK, DIRECT,
'r3: .-r".4. r AND BETWEEN

LIVERPOOL AND BOSTON.
The BOSTON Ships only CALLING at HALIFAX, to land and
receive Passengers and her Majesty's Mails.
Captains. Captains.
. C. H. E. Judkins. AFRICA .. Neil Shannon.
. James Stone. AMERICA.. J. G. Wickman
.. Edwd. G. Lott. 1 NIAGARA.. Alex. Ryrie.
W. J. C. Lang • l EUROPA .. John Leitch.
CAMBRIA .. •• .• Captain Douglas.
The under-noted or other Vessels areannointed to Sal'
From LIVERPOOL:
ASIA .. ...... For New York •.- ..... Saturday, the 22d M CAMBRIA .. For Poston . Saturday, the 29th ar.
Mar
AFRICA .... For New York Saturday, the
sth April
ARABIA .... For 805t0n.... • ... Saturday, the 12th April. PERSIA .... For New York •• . Saturday, the 19th April
CANADA.... For Boston ... .... Saturday, the 24.;tb April
FROM AMERICA :
AMERICA ..• From Boston...
AFRICA .... From New York.
ARABIA .... From 805t0n....
PERSIA .... From New York
CANADA.... From Boston

PERSIA
ARABIA
ASIA

CANADA

....Wednesday, 12th Mar.
.... Wednesday, 19th Mar.
... Wednesday, 26th Mar.
Wednesday, 2d April,
... Wednesday, 7th April

The Passengers and Goods for New York are Intended to be
landed at Jersey City, within the jurisdiction of the Custom-house
of New York.

Passage Money from Liverpool to Halifax and Boston:—Chief
Cabin, Twenty-five Guineas; Second Cabin, Fifteen Guineas. To
New York, direct :—Chief Cabin, Thirty Guineas; Second Cabin,
Twenty Guineas. Theserates include Steward's Fee and Provisions,
but without Wines or Liquors,which can be obtained on board.
Dogs charged Five Pounds each.
These Steam-ships have accommodation for alimited number of
Second Cabin passengers .

Passengers are alloived twenty cubic feet of personal luggagearet
of freight, but the agents do not guarantee to reserve room for more
than that quantity, and they will be charged freight on tholrpersonal
luggage when it exceeds half a ton measurement.

gar To prevent disappoin'lnent or difficulty, Passengers are re-
spectfully informed at packag, aof m rehanduce will not be allowed
to be shipped as luggage, or with their luggage.
Passengers are not permitted to go on Board by the Steamer that
take, the Mail.

Parcels will bereceived at the Office of the Agents here until Si:
o'clock on the Friday Evenings previous to Sailing.
Apply, in Halifax, to Samuel Cunard ; in Boston,to S. S . Lewis;
in New York, to Edward Cunard ; in Havre, to Donald Currie, 21,
Quaff d'Orleans; in Paris, to Donald Currie, 17, Boul. des It
in Londcon, to J. B. Foord, 52, Old broad-street; in Glasgow, to G.
and J. Burns ; and in Liverpool to

_
D. & C. MAC IVER, 14, Water-street.
The ASIA, for NEW YORK DIRECT, will sail on Saturday
next, the 15th instant. The steam-tender SATELLITE will leave
the Landing-stage, opposite the Baths, George's Pier, at Nine
o'clock, morning, Of that day, with the Passengers for the ASIA.

STEAM TO NEW YORK and (via JAMAICA) to
CHAGRES.
Theundernoted, orother First-class screw-steam-
A'ft'
m 1
ships, will sail from
2
• ,t, ‘ •), . N LIVERPOOL FOR BOSTON AND NEW
.„
7.__
YORK,
Once a month, ntilfurthrnotice,
(the extended servicebeingTwice a Mooth,when the shipsnow
building are completed),
... Copt Moodie lAN DE5..... ... Cap t Miller 1 EMEU —.— ..
FOR BOSTON AND NEW YORI
- - Rostr.,. tk---L_ . . .

JURA,
ETNA

)ort passengerseannot
rd's fee; but Without
.u^,-Cabin rig, or
rd Cabin 4'12.

CaptAPArthur
. Stnall -

be booked),incluaing provisions and __
wines orjiquora, which c
can hobesined-Onboal
4'15, according totheaccommodat