Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820, 1817-09-06
FOREIGN.
From London Papers,
London, July 6.
Destruction Of the Regent
.Wargate Steam Packet.
Received at the Office of the Commercial
Advertiser.

The Regent steam packet sailed
from London at eight O'Clock IN thu
morning of "Wednesday last, with al
crew OF ten men, about forty passen-
gers, men, women, and children, for
Margate. The voyage was extremely
quick and favorable, ill about four in
the afternoon, when, having clearedI
the poiDt Of the Isle oil Sheppy, and
with view Of the destined port in
the distance, smoke was observed TO
issue from the wooden casing on the
deck surrounding the lower part of
the chimney of the steam engine, to
which the application of water was
thought necessary; but there being
only two buckets on board, the at.
tempt to stitle the fire was iruitless,
and the smoke and heat increasing in
the engine house, the captain shortly
after ordered all hands upon deck, and
directed all the apertures yeomnuni-
eating with the interior of the vessel
to he closed, in order to prevent as
much rs much as possible the ,ircu
lation OF air. The danger now b.
came dreaifuliy apparent, and il was
determined, as the ui0st probable
chance OF preserving the lives oi tif
passengers and crew, 10 hoist a sisua
OF distress. and 10 uire,.t the course Of
the vessel towards Whtstsble, froh
which place, AT the time the aceiden
was first discovered, the vessel wa
about eight miles distant, and tla'
steam-enginc still acting irons the *
terHal heat surrounding Inc boiler
WAS a cir,nmst inee s,hit Il iorlunates,
favored The onje {. At this moment
however. (sass our informant, one .
those on hoar,i) IL WAS impossible Il
descrihe HE terror aud agitation d
the passengers, among whom were ia
tliers, mothers, children. and Friends
ooe family in particular, consisting o
the parents, seven children. and tW
secvant, yet tor line space of up
Nariis OF an hour did they remain il
this .iOrribie state, the fire raging i
enc interior oil the Vessel beneath, an
being only kept from peaetrat.n
through the deck by she constant al
plication Of water. tili ciae ress,
grounded on tile sand at Vi litstahi,
when three boats from that place
which had ovtrsnot them. arrived
their assistance, and safely took Il
board all tile passengers and crew
and here, as il the hand or provlienc
was further manifested in their pr'
geFvati0n, IN less than tnrce minute
afterwards the deck over the engir
IL ,ore-eahin fell IN. Every accomod
ton was attar.ie,i by the inIsabifan
of Nhitstabie TO the lIapless passei
gers, many o. whom have lost Il
whole Of their cloths, others par
and few have escaped without son
loss, although much luggage has i'c'
saved, The vessel continued 10 i,u
till lac 1T night. anil presented a sly
awiuliy grand. Every part b,iag oil
inatrly consumed, excerpt the keel a
engine, Wiiicil, on the hing Of q
Tide. were found buried in the san
1'he Regent WAS fine vessel of
hiud, and IS said 20 have cost II ,00'
in lis construction anh it il prop
so add, that the a cilent "pose n
FROM any uetret III The engine. h
from The timber Of The 1c..k not l
ins sufficiently protected from /
heat Of the chimney.