Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-10-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
(Frea the .Nadscato"J
Omcia, Report of The loss Of the United States Steam
Frigate Missouri.

(Fresa the .Nadscniau.J
Official Report Of The loss Of the United States Steam
Frigate Missouri.
GlBKaLraK, August %, 1913
Sir: II has become my painful duty 10 report to you
that the Uned States Steam Friga'e Missouri, under
nv command, has been almost entirely destroyed ny
FIRE | arrived here Friday night, the 2oth INST,
in seventeen DAYS from Norfolk, and five from Faya
The next day commenced taking in coal, filing up The
water overhaulng the machinery, aud making the
necessary arrangements PRIOR TO leaving here on sun
day following After paying thu customary honoFs 10
the Governor by saiutes from the ship, the hon WI
Gushing and myself cane shore 10 pay our personal
respects first 10 Consul, MIR Sprague, who, alter
wards accompanied US to the Governor, SIR Robert
Thomas Wilson
We renamed shore, and spent the afternoon
with our Consul intending to return 10 the ship IN the
evening and had ordered nv boat be on shore for
us by 8 o clock. A, a5ou, O'Clock, message was
brought to me- that the Missouri was cn hire; re
paired without n moments delay. 10 The only gate
through which could pass the walls OF the CITY, thr
Others being, is the custom, closed at sunset; Il
learned afterwards however that they were all thrown
OPEN By direction al the Governor the moment he
heard of the fire on board the Missouri. am pleased
to mention here that every assistance was rendered 10
us by that distinguished gentleman, as we'll as from
Sir George Sar,nrius, commanding Her Britannia Ma
iesty's a. the Maiabar, will be by commun-
cation from 10 those gentlemen copy OF which,
have the honor herewith 10 enciose my boat fortu-
natey had been the FIRE broke out, and
found her at or near The landing place. When arrived
on board which in abcnt twenty minutes, per
haps from the moment received the startling intel
Iigence | found the flames raging wth violence, and
the officers and exer,ing themselves To The ut
most TO overcome them. Every psFsoa on board, was
80 disposed Of stationed such position, where
he could do the most possible go"d
The powerful pumps on board had with alacrity been
rgped with their hoses attached and were in opera.
ton /; those who not al the pumps, were
employed in drawing and passing water IN buckets
and pouring it upon the flames A. single glance
however discovered Inc prudence of flooding the
after magazine, which was immediately done; the Tor
ward having already very prudenty been ordered
to be flooded before reached the ship; soon alter
did so, two large engines in large boats we'll manned
came alongside. Td-s- were sent of by SIR Robert
Wilson, the Govern and by the able and energetic
exertons Of SIR George Sarorius aud his officers
with the seamen from his snip, that at one time was
in hopes the devou,ng element was conquered; but,
alas the hlt,erng nope was soon cisspaied, by IT'S
breaking ont again with increased violence thus only
increased the energies and Jealous efforts of the oii-
GERS and OF the Missouri, and friendly auxi-
liaries until they driven from their stations by
the flames
When saw there not ray of hope left 10 save
that noble ship, summoned council OF the officers,
and those English officers who were near me, 10
ascertain their views they qnickly and unanimously de
oded that there hope left of saving the ship
there fore gave the order for every person TO quit her
without delay, and without confusion for by this time,
there very hale semanng for those on board
to stand clear OF the laGes and smoke; the wind had
increased, and thu ship in flames fore and afr the
immediately took TO the water, and received The
ready assistance Of bna,s, anticipating the eSgency,
from her Bri;annlc Maesys ship Malabar, and from
the vessels in the harhor Sach the state OF the
shi p, when The officers and compelled To
give her ~, they saved nothing but what they stood
IN.
After had every person out OF the ship, low
cred myself by rope from the starboard wheel
house. and taken board one OF The boats IN
waiting This occurred half past eleven o'clock
The immense number of boats surrounding the burn
ing ship nj tins time, directed pull out o; the
way fast possible, fearing, lest the magazines
might have been effsctualy fooded an explosion
might take place aud, IN THAT event, thu loss ct lit
would have been great. Fortunately however, the
magazines did 1T explode until three O'Clock IN the
morning, completely ""re they Hooded and, u;
they exploded under water the SHOES got severely
felt AT the polite invitation OF Sir George Sar,or'us
the crew were sent board hls ship, the Aalabar
and have remained there until to-day. | have hac
them removed to ship chartered for The purpose o
conveying them aud the officers 10 the United States
As the officers and have, by this unfortunate
and unlocked for event, been rendered completed J,
destitute of clothing, and every thing else, II has be-
come absolutely necessary, for the preservation G" hei
healths and comfort. 10 have them supplied inmedaiel
with comfortable wearing apparel, and have directed
the Purser to make the necessary purchases
The ship chartered, ~ the Rsjah, OF 600 tons, o
Boston, and bound To that port and will sail IN egh
days from this date. ! have had the crew employed
rs we'll Ii .h,ers from the shore, saving muc
of the property possible from the wreck-the guns
anchors, chain cables, &c wall probably be recovered
in time send them by h- Raah, and all such article
as can be got from the wreck before she sas-the re
nainder will be sent to tie uaed States by the
vessel which sails from this. The machinery, boilers
nd many valuable parts, will be recovered Ate
saving all that is valuable be of any use what
ever, | will request Mr. Sprague, our Consul To sci
the remainder TO the best advantage. Until to-day,
have not been enabled ascertain any satisfactory
dence 10 how the fire orig mated The following, Sir
is the testimony of three coal beavers, who were
work at the time the Engine Room, and IN the vicinity
where the fire broke out | will state the crcumstan
ces in their own words, taken down they related
them:
John Sutton states that ssabou, minutes to eigh
o'clock, went in the sarboard, Engineer STORE room
with globe lantern, rel pa,r OF beam scales, I,
weigh coal, which, they at that time taking IN :
IN getting down The scales, wrench Tell, and broke
glass demijohn, containing spirits OF turpentne-i
wiped up much as | could then went down 10
the cylinder where they at work, to see how
much OF The spirits had run down was on my way
TO the Chief Engineer to report the circumstance oil
breaking the demjohn, and had just got on the berth
deck ladder, and had reached the spar deck before
| heard The cry OF fre-l turned round Immediately,
and the fame bursting up through the gratings,
above the steam chest deck got fire bucket
and endeavoreG 10 extinguish the fame
William j. Williams states, 81 By the starting
bars in the engine room, al work the outside of the
cylinder; we heard something dripping down. and we
sung out Sutton not TO be dropping his here
(or there was usually bucket OF water kept in the
store room above) he said you need not be afraid no
more would be coming down; we went on in our work,
and the FIRST thing heard Cum sing out fire; at the
time the flame burst up suddenly from the
felt and canvass which was around the steam chest
| jumped with Cum 10 the steam chest and pipe,