The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-06 00:00:00

WILFUL BURNING OF THE KUR.
MANY EAST INDIAMAN.

THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE LIVES LOST,..
Last month we briefly announced the destruction bi
fire of the Kurramany East,lndiaman, Captain J. Hogg,
commander, on the night of the 7th of April
last, a few hcurs after she had taken her T,
departure for the Mauritius, from Calcutta.
Subsequent delails received yesterday not only con-
firm the truth of that announcement, but communicate,
we regret to say, a most frightful loss of human life, up.
wards of three hundred and sixty-five persons having
perished by the burning of the ill-fated ship. The event -
has caused the deepest sensation amongst those con-
nected with the East India trade, more particularly as ed
there appears to be every reason for supposing that the
ship was wilfully set on fire by some of the crew. el
The unfortunate ship was a large vessel, nearly 1,000
tons measurement. She had on board, on leaving Cal-
cutta, besides a crew of cno hundred and eleven sea- •
min, three hundred and fifty-four emigrants, natives
of the Ganjam district. The only cargo on board
was riee and provisions, articles which could
not ignite spontaneously.— On the night above,—
mentioned the ship was brought up for the night
some distance off Kedgeree. At ten o'clock the pilot,
Mr. Porter, who had charge of the ship, was alarmed
by the cry of fire, by one of the female emigrants, and
01,1 gaining the deck was astounded by finding the ship
was on fire fore and aft. She was then riding flood
tide. With the captain he attempted to unshackle
the chain, and get her before the wind ; but
on account of the fierceness of the flames they
were obliged to abandon the attempt, and take refuge
on the bowsprit. Four hundred people were crowded
on the poop. Some made a rush to the quarter
boats, hanging on the davits. A number of emigrants
got into one of these—the tackle falls of which were
carried away by their weight, and many of the poor
creatures were thrown out and drowned. The cap.
talc, with the chief mate and second mate, with Mr.
Porter, got down on the jib-boom, which had fallen
under the bows, and were there buffeted by the waves,
with a heavy sea running, till the second mate could not
hold any longer, and sunk. The scene in the mean-
while was most awful; the poor creatures flung them-
selves off the burning ship, in all directions, into the sea,
preferring death by drowning. None of them were seen
afterwards. Within three -hours after the outbreak of
the fire the ship was almost burned down to the water's
edge. A steamer picked np the survivors, 99 in num-
ber, the next morning. They were hanging on the
burning wreck up to their neck in water.
The annexed statement is from Captain Hogg, the
master of the ill-fated vessel, written on the morning
after the fire:—
" To describe the scene of last night in the total de-
struction of my ship, below Kedgeree, quite surpasses the
power of language. But it being incumbent on me to
make a statement of such facts as I am able to relate con-
nected with the catastrophe, I lose no time in forwarding
them to you. Having retired at an early hour, I was
awoke by Mr. Porter (the pilot in charge of the ship), with
the alarm of fire. This was about ten minutes past ten
o'clock at night, the fire having been discovered by some
of the emigrants, who alone gave the alarm. I instantly
hastened on deck, but my way forward was so obstructed
by the unfortunate people, that I found it very difficult
to force a passage to the fore part of the ship. How-
ever, before I got to the fore-hatch the deck was so in-
volved with dense smoke, that emerged from the fore-
scuttle, that I could not see anything before me, and had
to grope to the forecastle. In vain I sang out for all hands
—my own men, of course—but very few paid any atten-
tion. All my efforts to get the buckets and assistance
were in vain. The chief officer was at this time in be-
tween decks, but was at last driven up, and with Mr.
Porter and the second officer of the ship, one Tindal, and
six Lascars, got forward on the topgallant forecastle,
and at this instant the flames burst forth
out of the fore-scuttle and fore-hatch with
immense force, and the ship riding head to
wind, with a fresh breeze from the southward—almost
as quick as thought the deck cuddy, and cabins, and
all were enveloped in flames. The emigrants were all
assembled on the poop. I cannot describe the scene
that ensued amongst them—it was perfectly horrible.
They attempted to launch the quarter boats, but they
broke down from the immense weight that filled
them. I believe that all who were not precipitated
into the sea by the falling of the boats jumped
overboard to escape from the flames. We forward
could do nothing towards the safety of ourselves or
others but stand and watch the devouring element, work-
ing its way towards masts, rigging, and all were on fire.
As it approached us we retreated on to the bowsprit and
jibboom, but having cut away all the headstays and rig-
ging, to prevent the foremast falling forward and effect-
ing an immediate destruction. Suddenly the jibboom,
with several persons on it, broke off by the bowsprit cap,
but being connected with the ship by all the rigging
belonging to it, it still hung under the bows. We
who were on the bowsprit remained there till driven off by
the intense heat. We then descended into the sea, and
supported ourselves on the broken jibboom. Oar only
hopes of being saved were through the mercy of God, and
the assistance any vessel might afford us. Hanging on un-
der the bows, we saw the :starboard chain, by which the
ship was riding at the time, run out in a way which con-
vinced me that it must have been unshackled preparatory
to the event. The ship then drifted several miles, we
still hanging on, witnessing the consumption of the
hull, spars, &e., until the larboard anchor dropped from
the bows. The cable was red hot. This brought the
ship up. By this time two steamers, the Rattler
and Union, the crews of which had seen the flames
at a distance, had bore to our assistance, and anchoring
close to the wreck, dispatched their boats, by which means
we—Mr. Porter, Mr. Turner, the chief officer, myself,
and six Lascars—were rescued from our awful situa-
tion. Mr. Andrews, the second officer, baying let go
his hold from utter exhaustion before the boats reached
us, sank, and was seen no more. Mr. Clarke (the leads-
man), the third officer, and Mr. Butler, were not seen
after the alarm of fire was given. Those who were saved
were all but naked. About five o'clock we heard cries
for help from some of the unfortunates, a boat was imme-
diately lowered in search of them, and the steamer was
got under weigh; in a short time we succeeded in
picking up five individuals. After daylight, several
others were picked up, some on spars and bits of wood,
others were supporting themselves above water by
swimming. The ship, Royal Albert, and the ship,
' Tutta Monbarack, came up to our aid, and in the
course of the morning the masters manned three
boats and sallied out in all directions, if possible to
save any of the poor creatures who might be floating.
The masters rendered every assistance in their power.
The steamer Rattler, in her passage up the Channel
picked up several emigrants alive. Among them I
noticed was the serang of the ship. About noon,
in coming up the river, with one of the ships in
tow, a cluster of poor creatures were descried float-
ing on portions of the wreck in the Mud Point Chan-
nel. The ship was instantly cast off, and boats sent to
rescue the sufferers, who were twenty-three in number.
Fortunately they were all saved. We saw ne others, nor
have I heard whether the boats met with any. I am
afraid no more will be found. Up to the present time,
out of 465 persons who were ou board, viz., 354 emi-
grants and 111 seamen, all who have been saved are
Mr. Porter, Mr. Turner, myself, 07 emigrants and 29 of
the crew, making in all 99. What has become of the other
366, and Mr. Clark and his servant, God only knows. It is
but justice for me to add, that every praise is due to the
commanders
of theofnders
other ships the steamers Rmaetntitznaend, udwnhioon,affaosradlesdo
to those
Turner,
n shoulde
r,chief,
fbe ef, doingnnd
ma,
injustice
s s i
ts
et a nmc ey in theirofficers, omw err..
Andrews, second, if I were to.
assistance in-
.o un.ortunate
people who were jumping overboard all directions.
These officers, apparently disregarding their own safety
till all service to others was impossible, remained aft,
throwing overboard hen coops and all other moveable
articles they could get hold of, till all had disappeared ;
they then worked their way forward on the outside of
the ship.
" A general impression prevails that the ship was
wilfully fired by the Lascars, who had but two or three
days previously received three months' pay in advance, •
in order to escape the performance of the services for
which they had been paid. This is strength-
ened by the statements of several of the
survivors. The pilot servant states, on the alarm
being given, he attempted to get forward, but finding
it was impossible, he made his way to the poop, where he
found a number of Lascars engaged lowering a boat.
He jumped in with them, it capsized, but they all
managed to get ashore at Kedgeree, where he
was surprised to find that these men were in new
clothes, the rest of their clothes with them, tied up
in bundles, and their money. Among them :was a
man who had charge of the stores of the vessel,
ropes, blocks, paint, &c. Some of the Lascars were
supposed to have formed part of the crew of the Buoke
inghamshire, which met with a similar fate to the Nur-
ramany only a few weeks previously. No clue had been
obtained of the perpetrators of the diabolical act. The
, I ship was not insured.

THE SUFFERANCE WHARFINGERS OF SOUTHWARK.
—On Wednesday, a dinner took place at the Bridge House
Hotel, at which Sir William bfolesworth, M.P.., was pre-
sented with a very handsome piece of plate by the sufferanes
wharfingers of Southwark, as a testimonial of his services in
assisting to obtain an extension of the privilege of landing
foreign merchandize at the wharfs on the Surrey side of the
river. The chair was taken by Mr. George Scovell, and
about 80 gentlemen assembled to do honour to their repre-
sentative upon the occasion.
SouTs Dsvore ItanwA.Y.—This company have
now got rid of all their opponents, their Bill for making an
arrangement with the two classes of shareholders having
now received the sanction of the two Houses of Parliament,
and awaiting only the Royal assent. The directors will
now forthwith declare a dividend, for the first time—a very
welcome incident to the shareholders. It is fully expected
that the traffic in the ensuing half-year will be such as to
justify a dividend of 21- per cent. at the close of the year.
PLANTS FOR HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY TMI
QUEEN.—At the first exhibition of the South Devon Bota-
nical and Horticultural Society, Mr. William E. Rendle nur-
seryman, Plymouth, exhibited four magnificent specimens
of rhododendrons, intended by Royal permission for her
most Gracious Majesty the Queen. The plants were literally
loaded with large and handsome trusses of flowers; they
were in fine condition, and well worthy of the admiration of
Royalty. On Friday, the 23d ult., these specimens were for-
warded to Buckingham Palace, throw in a few days Mr. Rendle
received a most gracious reply, gh Col. the Hon. C. B.
Phipps, conveying the pleasing intelligence that the plants
had arrived safely, and had been much admired by the Queen.
West of England Conservative.
It is stated that the remedy for the delays in the
edpersons being
drafted into the Lord Chancellor's Court to hear appeals,
with or without the presence of the Chief Judge in Equity.—/
Chronicle.