The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-28 00:00:00

DBS2R UCTION- OF THE SHIP
DALRIADA By FIRE.

.
The total loss by fire of the Dairiada, while on
her voyage from Bombay for Liverpool, is thus
reported by the captain :
The Valraida sailed from Bombay, Feb. 3 (seed,
cotton, and oil), for Liverpool, having a crew of 36
men all told ; and Capt. Ewing having also his wife
and child on board. They had a pleasant voyage
with light winds up to March 1, being in lat. 9.50
S., and long. 69 E., when at 5 p.m. an alarm of fire
(was raised, and smoke was found to be forcing its
way from under the covers of the chain pipes for-
ward ; these being taken off, the ship was found to
be all in flames on the port side, as far as could be
seen. All hands set to work to pour water down
through holes cut in the deck, but in spite of the
most strenuous efforts, at midnight the fire was
spreading very rapidly over to the starboard side,
and working more slowly aft ; also the foremast
commenced to burn, although some hands had been
souring water upon it from the time of the dis-
covery of the fire. At this time there were two feet
of water in the well, which was attributed to the
quantity of water poured down, as the ship pre-
viously was making little or no water. The scuppers
were stopped up, and the decks flooded to keep them
cool, and water ran down through the holes that had
been cut forward. At 1 a.m., in sounding the pumps,
the ship was haling no more water than usual.
About this time a crackling noise was heard, close to
the water's edge, a little abaft the forerigging, and
on examination they found the pitch boiling out of
the seams, the smoke oozing through, and the planks
scorching hot. Finding the fire to be increasing, and
working aft very rapidly, the decks, fore and aft,
as far as the front of the poop, scorching hut, and
the pitch in several places melting in the seams,
although there were two or three inches water on
desk, and expecting every moment to see the flames
bursting up fore and aft, the longboat and lifeboats
were got out, in preparation for abandoning the
ship. At 3 a.m. there were 31 feet of water in the
well, and the flames were-bursting -up forward as
high as the topmast stays, setting fire to the sails,
the smoke and flames driving all hands aft. At 4
a.m, a heavy squall struck the ship, causing the
flames to burst up with redoubled fury, with vo-
lumes of smoke filling the poop and cabin. The
ship was put before the wind, which cleared the
cabin of smoke, and enabled them to get some pro-
visions on deck to take in the boats. At six o'clock
there were 9 feet water in the well, the fire having
burned through the ship's side close to the water's
edge, and the flames bursting up the port bilge
pump and poop ventilator. All hope of saving the
ship being lost, the boats were got alongside. At 7
a.m.,the ship gradually settling down forward, and
the foremast beginning to totter, all hands got into
the boats and pushed off from the ship. In about
15 minutes the flames burst up fore and aft. At 8
a.m. and at 9 o'clock the main and wizen masts fell
with a tremendous crash and the ship was enveloped
in one mass of flame. The crew being divided into
three boats, made sail, and stood to the north-east-
ward, hoping to meet with a ship, or to fetch some
of the isles in the Chagos Archipelago. Next day,
finding that the small boat could not sail so well as
the others, the people were taken out of her, and
she was set adrift and they proceeded on their way,
the captain, his wife and child, and 21 men in the
longboat, and chief mate with 13 men in the life-
boat. Providentially they encountered only fine
weather, and for five weary days and nights they
held anxiously on their course ; and in the after-
noon of the sixth day from leaving the burning
wreck, all being well, they reached the island of
Diego Garcia, where there are three cocoa
oil manufactories, by the managers of which
they were most kindly and hospitably received and
cared for. The captain describes their kindness, and
especially that of his entertainer, Mons. Gassiab, as
beyond all expression. Here, too, they were so for-
tunate as to find the Futteh Salaam, Capt. Croad,
who had put in for water for the coolies on board.
The captain received them on board his ship, and
treated them with the greatest kindness on their
passage to Calcutta, and Capt. Ewing desires to take
the opportunity publicly to express the gratitude
felt by him and his crew, both to Capt. Croad and
to their kind hosts at Diego Garcia."

THIS DAYS MARKETS.

COVENT GARDEN.

The supplies of fruit and vegetables have been season-
ably large, and the demand generally has ruled steady, u
follows :

FRUIT.

s. d. a. d. - a. d. a. d.
Pine apples, perlb 6 oto 8 0 Cherries, per lb.. 1 oto 2 •
Colonial do., each 0 oto 0 0 Filberts, per lb .. 1 oto 1 G
Grapes, per lb 50to 8 0 Cobnuts, per lb 0 oto 0 0
Foreign do 0 oto 0 0 Almonds, per bus 0 oto 0 0
Melons, each
Peaches, perdoz 0 oto 0 0 Figs, per doz 0 oto 0 0
Nectarines, per dz 0 oto 0 0 Strawberries pr lb 2 Otto 4 0
Apples, per bush. 6 oto 12 0 Gooseberries, qrt. 0 6to 0 9
Pears, per d0z.... 6 oto 12 0 Currants, per do. 0 oto 0 0
Oranges, per 100.. 50to 10 0 Plums, per do.
Lemons, per 100..5 6to 7 0 Greengages, pr do 0 oto 0 0
Apricots, per doz 0 oto 0 0, Raspberries, prptlo oto 0 0

VEGETABLES.

Greens, dz bunch 1 9to 2 6 Shallots, per lb .. 0 6to 0 0
Cabbages, pr doz 0 9to 1 3 Horseradish, pbn 1 oto 2 0
Savoy do., pr do. 2 oto 4 0 Parsley, per (lino 0 2to 0 8
Cauliflowers, pdz 1 6to 3 0 Celery, per ditto 0 Bto 1 3
Brocoli, per bh 0 Bto 1 0 Beet, per doz. .. 1 6to 2 0
Old potatoes,p ton 100 to 190 0 Parsnips, per do. 0 oto 0 0
New ditto, per cwt 18 oto 22 0 Small salad, p. pn, 0 2to 0 4
Peas, per sieve 0 oto 0 0 Mushrooms,p potl 0 9to 1 0
Turnips, dz bunch 4 oto 6 0 Artichokes, pr dz 0 oto 0 0
Carrots, pr do 4 oto 6 0 Cabbage letts, pd 0 Bto 0 10
Cucumbers 0 6to 0 9 Endive, per score 0 oto 0 0
Garlic, per lb
Sorrel, per sieve 0 oto 0 0 Tomatoes, pr doz 3 oto 4
Spinazh,hf.-sv 0 6to 0 9 Walnuts, per 100 0 oto 0 6
Brus. sprouts,h.s. 0 oto 0 0 Chillies, per ditto 0 oto 0 0
Old onions, dz bun 1 3to 1 6 Capsicums, per do 0 oto 0 •
New do., doz bun 1 oto 1 6 Rhubarb, per bun 0 2to 0 a
French beans, h.s. 1 oto 1 6 Asparagus, pr do. 1 6to 2 0
Leeks, per bunch 0 2to 0 3 Seakale, per pun. 2 6to 4 8