Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-02-01 00:00:00

SHIP ON FIRE IN THE MERSEY.

One of the most destructive conflagrations which has
been witnessed amongst the shipping in the Mersey for
some time took place yesterday. The American ship
Endymion, laden with a general cargo for New York,
was lying off New Brighton, just ready to proceed to
sea. The captain went on board yesterday morning
about four o'clock, and while sitting in his cabin waiting
for the tug to take him to the mouth of the river, some
of the men observed smoke issuing from the forward
hatchway. There was an immediate rash aft, and a
cry of fire. Captain Hallet was on deck in an in-
stant, and having 'called to the crew to keep
cool, .ordered water to be poured down the hatch-
way in as large quantities• as possible. Finding
that the fire was continuing to gain in strength,
rockets were fired and blue lights hung out. The steam-
tugs Liver and Brother Jonathan, which fortunately hap-
pened to be in the neighbourhood, immediately steamed to
heraisistance: The Coast Guard, New Brighton sta-
tion, Mr. Lloyd and his boat's crew of the Customs,
to...ether with the gun-boat Seamew and the steam-tug
anstitution, were all in attendance as promptly, as
circumstances would permit. The fire was now
beginning to rage with great fury. below ; in con-
sequence, the passengers, twenty-eight in number,
were transferred on board the liver, and landed on
the North Landing-stage. If soon became evident that
it would be necessary to scuttle her, and for this purpose
the Brother Jonathan towed her towards the shore, on
the Cheshire side, beaching her midway between the
Magazines and New Brighton, Meantime the Consti-
tution had been despatched to king' fire-engines from
Liverpool. On receipt of the inteh:gence two were de-
spatched from Hatton-nrden, and arrived at the scene
,of the coliflagration about half-past eia ht a.m. In the
interim both ports had been knocked out, but owing to
. the ebbing of the tide she did not fill fast, The engines

placed on the. deck of the Constitution were instantly
set to work, while reinforcements arrived in the shape
of a number of tug-boats. By noon, besides the Con-
stitution, there were the United States, the Rattler, the
Pilot, the Sampson, and the Brother Jonathan. All
with hose, attached to their "donkey engines," pouring
water into her. Notwithstanding the immense quantity
of water thus brought to bear on the burning miss, no
progress was made towards arresting its advance. The
Sewmew sent twenty men on board to assist in removing
the stores, which were finally transferred to the Brother
Jonathan. 4bout three o'clock, the foremast being entirely
consumed below, fell over by the deck, and the main
and mizen masts were both cut away, and the sails
also put on board the Brother Jonathan. The tide was
now flowing again, and about two hours before high
water the carpenters cut a hole in the side of the burn-
ing vessel, nearly amidship, and about three feet lowg
by one and a-half broad. This hole was just at the
water's edge, which continued to rush in for the space
of two hours, and had the effect of bringing her stern to
the ground. The tide, however, only rises about
fourteen feet, and when at its highest was never
up to her deck, and as it fell the water
ran out at the various openings. About seven
o'clock the whole of the forward deck and bow-
sprit became enveloped in flames, and, being composed
of pitch pine, burned with tremendous fury and rapidity.
The flames, however, were arrested "along the deck from
a little abaft the foremast ; and at a late hour last night,
though the flames, as seen from a distance, appeared
smaller, they were in reality more intense, and making
progress aft among the cargo. Indeed the whole fore-
part was one mass of burning material, of which very
little hope was entertained of 'being able to extin-
guish, but simply to confine it to the locality in which
it was most intense.—lt is most 00Tatifying to record
that all parties who were engaged about it put forth the
most energetic efforts, and displayed throughout the
day the greatest coolness and endurance. To mention
any one or two would be invidious, as all deserve the
highest meed of praise.
It cannot but be regarded as a most providential cir-
cumstance that the fire was discovered at the time it
was, for if the vessel had proceeded to sea, from the
extreme rapidity with which the conflagration gained
head, all on board must have met death in one of the
most fearful forms it is possible to picture it.