Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-10-03

From the New-York Journal of Commerce.
Destruction OF the Packet Ship Ocean Mon
arch by Fire.
Loss of One Hundred and FSffy Lipe.
The Ocean Monarch, Capt. Murdoch
left Liverpool August oath. with 36(
Storage passengers, 6 cabin, % second
cabin, and, with her crew, had on board
500 persons.
She had not proceeded far, however
before the utmost CONSERVATION was pro.
duced, by an announcement that the shin
was on fire; and scarcely had the alarm
been given, when she was ia complete
blaze. The passengers became frantic
with despair, and numbers at once plung.
ed into the ocean, to escape the more aw
tul death which apparently awaited them
Husbands were thus severed from their
wives, and wives from their husbands,
and children from parents. The Captain
tinding that all control over the poor crea.
lures was gone, and that the fire was
making rapid progress, ordered both an
chors to be lowered.in TIE hopes ofbring
ing the vessels head to the wind. In
the act of lowering the anchors, many of
the unfortunate passengers were dragged
into the ocean, they having seated them.
selves on the cabin cables, and were thus
launched into eternity. AT the time the
fire was discovered, the vessel was about
eight miles to the eastward of the Great
Ormes Head, and several vessels were
in sight. A signal Of distress was at once
hoisted, which was about six miles dis
tans Mr.. Littledale, was himself on
board, and at once bore down to render
what assistance was in his power. There
was stiff breeze blowing, and had the
yacht ventured alongside, il would have
been total destruction to all on board. A
boat was. however, Immediately lowered,
and proceeded to the ship, for the purpose
OF rescuing some of the unfortunate pas.
sengers. The scene which presented
itself to MIR, Littledale on nearing the
vessel, was appalling and narrowing.
The flames were burning with intense
fury from the stern and centre of the YES
sci. So great was the heat in those parts,
that the passengers, men, women and
children, crowded to the fore part of the
vessel. Their piercing. heart rending
shrieks for aid were carried by the breeze
across the water. In their madened des.
pair women jumped overheard, With their
offspring in their arms, aud saak to rise
nc more. Men followed their wives in
frenzy, and were lost. Groups of men,
women and childen also precipitated
themselves into the water, in the vain
hope of selfpreservation, but the water
closed over many of them forever. No
pen can describe this awful scene. The
fire continued to rage with increased fury.
In few minutes the mizen mast went
overheard; soon the main mast shared
the same fate. There yet remained the
fore mast. AS the fire was making its
way to the fore part of the vessel, the
passengers and crew of course crowded
still farther forwafd. To the jib- boom they
chung in clusters as thick as they could
pack, one lying over the other. At
length the foremost went overheard,
swapping the fastenibgs of the jib. boom,
which with its load of human beings drop.
ped into the water amidst the most terri
fic screams, both of those on board and
those who were falling into the water
Some ofthe poor creatures were enabled
again to reach the vessel; othe:s foated
away on spars; but many met with
watery grave.
In about an hour and half after the
yacht reached the vessel, the Brazilian
steam frigate Alphonzo came up. She
anchored Immediately to windward, and
close to the burning vessel. She got
rope made fat to the Ocean Monarch
and by the use Of the rope her boats were
enabled to so backwards and forwards to
the burning vessel with great facility;and
by this means large number of persons
were saved.
The Prince of Wales steamer, which
was on her passage to Bangor, came up
shortly afterwards, and with the New
World packet ship, bound for New York,
sent boats to the rescue of the passen-
gers, and they were the means Of saving
a large lumber.
The Brazilian frigate Alphonzo was
out on a pleasure excursion. She was
commanded by the Marquis de Lisbon
There was also on board, the Prince de
Jonville, his lady and suite,the Duke and
Duchess D'Aumale, the Brazilian Min
lister, the Chevalicr de Lisbon, Admiral
Grenfell and daughters, and other distin-
guished individuals. When the Alphonzo
the Ocean Monarch, no tipe
was lostin bearing down to her, and It
was intended toanchor right under herbow
but the wind changed little, land prevent
ed this from being accomplished. Four
boats were, however, at once lowered,
and were soon followed by the large pad
de- box boat. The Marquis de Lisbon
jumped into one. and Admiral Grenfell
into the other, and were untiring in their