The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-10-10
Foreign Intelligence
ARRIVAL OF THE ACADIA.


The British Mail Steamer Acadia, Capt. Alex. Ryrie
arrived at Boston, Oct. g.
Iiy the Acadia, have files OF London and Liver
pco papers to the morning of the 10Th ultimo-beng
II days later than our late nd,ccs.
The most interesting news brough by this arrival,
is the total destruction of the United States Steam
Frigate Missouri, in the port ofGibraar, Saturday
night, the Goth August, the day after her arrival at
that port. 1t will be recolectcd that the Missouri
on her outward bound passage, conveying the
! Hon. CALEB CUSHING, the Minister Of the United
States China the Of his destined embassy.
! We give a full account of the conHagraon, from
Lieut.. Winslow, OF the Missouri, who came in the
Acadia benrer Of dispatches TO the U. 5. Govern
ment lie was on board at the time, and jumped
ver-board to save his life. II will be that MIR
Gushing proceeded on his journey, in the British
Steamer which smiled from Gibraltar for Alexandria,
on the 9TH September
LOSS OF THE U. S. STEAM FRIGATE MIS-
souri,.
This Splendid vessel totally consumed BY fire
The night of tho &c Of August, while taking in
C val, at Gibraltar Notwithstanding the crew were
finally driven overheard by the fury of the flames Ct,
loss of life was sustained
FORE and making all despatch for tho continuance
of her voyage up the Mediterranean when the fire
broke out.-The alarm wns given n few minutes be-
fore eight O'Clock in the evening, and follow ed
by such burst of flame led to the belief that oil
or spirits was the cause. Immediately the alarm
the drum sounded, the repaired TO their quarters
and every exerion was made TO extinguish the
flames About half past eight, the fire seemed to
have been checked by the great volume of water
which had been thrown upon il; but its breaking on,
with renewed violence shortly afterwards, dispelled
the momentary hope that the element was conquered
This being apparent, the cocks throughout the ship
opened the after magazine was drowned, and
the shells which were Likely to explode were thrown
overboard but al! attempts to get at the forward mag
aZine proved fruess, from the dense body Of smoke
and flame which enveloped it, The only hope that
remained now was that the valves in the tight
divisions might be open, ard that the ship would
tic far enough before grounding to food the powder
Signals for assistance were made, and about half
hour afterwards, boats begun TO arrive from the En-
! glish seventy -four Maabnr, and from the town.
! Three engines were Thus added tn the forces on
board, and renewed efforts made to subdue tho
| flames, though without any sensible effect At n
few minutes before eleven, The whole body of coal
being on fire. the flames burst up through the after
hatches and filed the quarter deck with the masses
of smoke, that the men forced retreat on the
outside of the ship FOR protection. Sir George sar-
torus, commanding the English seamen, seeing tho
state or,hings this PERIOD drew off his men to
their boats. This seemed to be the signal for gen.
eral departure of assistance; the word having spread
among the boats from shore that the magazines were
| nho lin tho sb; ~, H.
ed by her friends. All hopes now rested on the for
ward pumps, which rwere kept going necessarily,
though with scarcely hope of success
At about half past eleven the flames having spread
rolling up the gangway, and dividing the crews into
squads about ,heriggng and bowsprit-the captain
! consulted with the few officers he could collect
around him, consisting of one two leutenants and
! an English army officer, who had been left by the
shore boats and concluded upon giving tho order to
the crew to themselves. The men who had
been huddled together on the bowsprt and sides Of
the ship, now plunged into the water hanging on by
the buoys and ropes until they relieved by assis
:ance.
The ship continued 10 burn throughout the night
presenting one Of the graudest specaces, occasional
y relieved by the explosion Of heavy Shells and the
scattering Of fragments About 2 o'clock, some OF
the tanks in the forward magazine blew up, with u
terrible conclusion. breaking in many windows in tho
town, and creating other damage around.
We nre happy to learn, however, that Mr. Cushing
saved all his valuable effects in the early part of the
fire. His departure was, only delayed for the En-.
glish steamer of the 7th, in which vessel he left fo
Alexandria. The officers and crew lost every thing
! except the clothes they had on
subsequent investigation proved TINT the Giro or
ignated in the engine from spirits of turpentine
which had run down from one ofthe store room:
!! above,