Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-10-09
From the National In,.llis.n..,

/ LOSS OF THE STEAM FRIGATE MISSOURI.
amongst the news brought by the arrival from
England the incident which will painfully arrest the
attention OF the reader the destruction of the noble
irgate Missouri, Capt JoHS T. NEWTON, while at anchor
In Gibraltar bay the night of the Goth August Tbi.
Inflated ship let this port the 3ls July for the Meder
ranean, with Mr.. CUSHING, Minister to China on board
She arrived off Gibraltar the 25th August and on the
evening OF the following day. by means not
took he and notwithstanding the exerons or her
own officers and crew. and the jealous assistance of the
British ships IN port, and OF the civil military auhor
ties on shore in the of three hours totally dc
soyed so intent appears her officers and crew
in their efforts the ship that they saved nothing bu,
their lives and the clothes they had on The Minister No
arc glad TO hnd saved his papers, although learn by
private note from him to the Secretary of the National In
sttute, he lost valuable property.
In addition TO the particulars under the foreign head
copied from Of the Gibraltar Chronicle we have
been favored with the annexed extract Of letter from -
officer on board to his friend Washington dated the ais,
August We cannot, however dismiss the subject VI hout
expressing our qualification the high tribute which the
Gibraltar paper pays the admirable conduct Of ,bo
esteemed commander Of the ship his officers and CO.
under the trying circumstances in which they were so sud
denly placed.
Extract Of Letter from Officer Of The Steam, Fse,,
Missouri, dated Gibraltar, august 81
Little did suppose that my first eer from, this pl,c.
would announce TO you the entire loss Of our noble sbn
nourS after
inc missouri lay snouderng wreck. The officers and
crew, III their endeayoTs the vessel lost evcrv ar,
Gle OF clothing they possessed. Indeed many were with
out coat TO their back We had muster Yesterday and
not one soul was missing send YOU copv Of an c,,r,
from the Gibraltar Chronicle containing an account of The
whole affair The ship Raja, Of Boston, has been cbar
tered to take us home that you may cxpec TO SOC me
eY soon AFTER you receive this letter. Mr. Wnslow leaves
this afternoon IN the British steamer bearer Of
es inc United states The Ruah will leave On Saturday,
or Sunday next Tor Boston"
After the above IN TYNE ,bc "A; .;.t .-.--
day came to hand containing Capt Newtons repor Il, The
Navy Department, detailing the particulars of the disaster
which suboin:
GIBRALTAR, August %, ls43
or; ~ mas become my painful duty 10 report to you that
the United States seam-frgate Missouri under INV com
mand mas been almost entirely destroyed by fire arriy
ed here on Friday night the 25h instant in d,v
from Norfolk and five from Fayal The next d,y .r,y
co taxing ~ coal Milling up the water, overhauing the ma
chinery and making the necessary arrangement r 90
leaving mere on the Sundsy following After paying the
Jsiy nOn0r' 20 inc Governor, by salues from the ship
the Hon MI Gushing and myself on shore 10 paw our
personal respects, first Consul Mr. Sprarue who AZ
forwards accompanied Us u the Governor Sir Robert Tho
mas Wilson.
we remained on shore and spent the afternoon with our
consul intending 10 return the ship in the evening and
had ordered my boat to be shore for us by o'clock
AtaOoate o'clock message brought 10 me that the
MISSOURI was on hre repaired, without moments DELAY
70 the only gate through which could pass the walls he
CITY, the others being the custom closed t sprso, n
afterwards however that they all thrown open
10y direction OF the Governor the momeut he bca,d a ,t
hro on board the Missouri am pleased TO mention be,c
mat every assistance was rendered by that Distinguish
co gynuoan' rs wei as from Sir George Sarionus com
mandIng Her Britannia Macstys a. Inc Ma,b,, "a Iii
De seen by communication from to those eencucn-a
copy OF which have the honor herewith to encloseI Nv
O'a o,unaey' huu been sent as the FIRE broke
out aud found her or near the landing pl,ce WE
arrived on board, which about 90 minutes perb,s
rom the moment lreeeived the startling igence found
INC names raging with violence and the officers aud crew
exering themselves % tho utmost TO overcome ,b. -
person ON board was disposed Of or stationed in sncb
Posluon where he could do the most possible good
nc powerful pumps ON board had with slscrty been
rgged, with their hose attached, and were In ops,,
'hose men who were not the pumps were emploved IN
aud passing water in buckets and pouring upon
o names ~ single glance, however, discovered the
P.uoSnoe ui hoodng the after magazine which was imme
a1ey done the forward having already yeryprudent
been ordered to DO flooded before reached the ship; soon
s'er dd So two engines IN large boats, well manned,