New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-09-09
Destruction ofthe Packet ship Ocean vi onarch
by Fire.

The Ocean Monarch. Capt. Murdoch, left Liver
pool on the cath, with 800 Storage passengers E
cabin. % second cabin and, with her crew, had on
hoard 39s passengers She had not proceeded far
however. before the utmost CONSERVATION was pro-
duced by an announcement that the ship was on
fire; and scarcely had the alarm been gwen, when
she was in a complete blaze.
The scene which followed may be more easily
conceived than described The passengers became
frantic with despair, and numbers at once plunged
into the ocean, to escape the more awful death
which apparently awaited them. Husbands were
severed from their wives and wives IRON then
husbands. and children from their parents.
The CAPTAIN fearing that all control over the
poor creatures was lost, and that the fire was
making rapid progress, ordered both anchors to
be lowered, in the hope OF bringing the vessels
head to the wind. In the act OF lowering the an
chors many of the unfortunate passengers were
dragged into the ocean. they having seated them
selves ON the chain cables, aud were thus launched
int, eternity. At the time the hire was discovered
the vessel was about eight miles to the eastwar ard
of the Great Orms Head, and several vessels were
in sight.
A signal of distress was at once hoisted, which
was Immediately answered by the Yacht belong
ing to Thos. Littedale, and which was about SIX
miles distant. Mr. Littledale was himself on board,
and at once bore down TO render what assistance
was in his power. There was strit breeze
blowing, and had the yacht ventured alongside 1t
would have been total destruction to all on board.
A boat was however, Immediately provided and
4 a.. IL; e.. Of
some Of the unfortunate passengers. The scene
which presented itself to Mr. L. on nearing the
vessel was most APPALLING.
That gentleman truly describes it as awful and
such as he hopes never to witness again. The
flames were burning with intense fury from the
stern and center OF the vessel. So great was the
heat in these parts that the passengers, male and
female-men, women and children-crowded to
the fore part OF the vessel. Their piercing, heart
rendng shrieks for aid were carried across the
blue waters In their maddened despair women
Jumped overheard with their offspring in their
arms and sunk to rise no more men followed
their wives in frenzy and were lost. Groups OF
men women and children also precipitated them
selves into the water in the vain hope OF set-pres
ervation, but the aters closed over many OF them
forever.
No pen can describe this awful scene. The
flames continued to rage with increased fury. In
a lew minutes the mizen mast went overheard
IN a lew minutes more, the mainmast shared the
same fate. There yet remained the foremast.-
As the fire was making its way to the fore part OF
the vessel, the passengers and crew of course
crowded still farther forward. To the jib-boom
they chung in clusters thick as they could pack,
even one lying over the other At length the fore
mast went overheard, swapping the fastenings OF
the lib boom, which with its load of human beings
dropped into the water. amidst the most heart.
rending screams, both of those on board and those
who were falling into the water
Some of the poor creatures were enabled again
TO reach the vessel, others fioated away on spars
but many met with a watery grave.
In about an hour and halt alter the yacht
reached the vessel the Brazilian Steam Frgate
Alphonso came up. She anchored Immediately to
windw ard and close to the burning vessel. She
got rope made fast to the Ocean Monarch and
BY the use OF the said rope her boats were enabled
to 90 backwards and forwards TO the burning YES