New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-17
A THRILLING NARRATIVE.

DEsrRUcTIOS OF THE BRITISH SUP E.sTFRS CITY
FIRE.
M. John Fowler II cabin passenger on board the
Eastern City, furnishes graphic account of the
burning Of that vessel the assage from Liverpool
ship of 1853 tuns burdcn, and the property Of
Messrs. Baines a Go. Of Liverpool. She was COM
manded by Capt. Johnstone, and had u crcx OF Il
men including officers. She lel Liverpool the l0h
Of Juy, with lsO passengers and 900 tuns ofgeneral
cargo.
According to Mr. Fowlers narrative, the Eastern
City reached the equator the llth of August, after
long continuance of contrary and battling winds and
the passengers were IN expectation OF reaching AUS
tralia in 20 OF - days. On the 2lst Of August the
wind blew strong from the northwest and on the fol-
lowing doy il increased % half gale, with q heavy
sea- the ship rolling great DEAL and frequently going
from - 10 II knots an hour. On the I'D the wiui
red round 10 the south west but the continued
high, and at ?. m. alarm Of fire raised and
smoke issuing from the fore hatch. The
passengers and crew were all ordered deck and il
believed that all had obeyed the order but it was
aer9ard discovered that one f the scerage pas,en.
gers, naued Mclean, was missing and be j. sup
pose1 10 have been sufooated in hs berth. Hopes
entertained at first of eStnguishing the fire. as il
did rot seem 10 Increase but after half hour il was
found that progress made, Notwithstanding the
vast quantities Of water that had been pumped into
the hold IL was now apparent that the only chance
TO endeavor to smother the fire. Accordingly
blankets, shawl plads and old sails were used tor
that purpose but ell lin vain. The women and chill.
dreD, about 10 in number removed to the poop
The captain hauled up the courses and put the snip
before the wind, had tn boats proysoned, aud every
thing IN readiness 10 lower away AZ m0ments notice
Botn passengers and crew worked al night In their
endeavors to subdue the flames, the captain cheering
them all the while, ard never leaving the deck for
moment. His courage is described sdmirable and
he never ceased TO comfort the and children by
assurances that they woon be al safe in the boats
To add TO their danger they than 600 miles
from the nearest land the boats could carry
than one.haf # the persins in the ship and the
rsr SO high that no boat could be launched in safy
Tor live long, crowded they must necessarily have
been. Their Only chance was OF being picked up
but this a forlon hope as they were ont Of the
track Of vessels, and those who realized the full
extent ot their danger felt that their destruction
was simply a question Of hours. Still they worked
with will. adopting every means to smother the fire.
The morning Of the 9TH broke at length. but the sea
st ran high, and the ship scuddei before the wind
about noon the foreyard came down by the ran but
without iIJurng any ore. There wes evidently very
little hope, and many Of those board became quite
resigned 10 their terrible fate. TIE decks became
very hot, and the flames expected every moment
20 be seen issuing from the bows and they were in
dread OF the foremsst q ring way, which must have
precipitated their fate It's fall must have torn up
part Of the deck, through which the flames would
bust. ~ this stage, the Captain. Purser and Mr..
Fowler. threw bottle. overheard containing details of
the sad catastrophe. Their rescue from impeding
death is thus described by Mr.. Fowler:
" The captain, cLief officer, purser, do,tor, Mr..
Warner, the otler chief cabin passenger, aad my SELL
weIt into the saloon at O'Clock p. m. 10 eat some
thing ior were al becoming faint. We were eating
what We believed 70 be Onr last meal bat were al
calm aud even cheerful Capt. Johnston asking be
excused for the Inarner IN which be- breaking up
the preserved salmon which, with few blscuts, vas
to form our dinner; and for pearine al dinner 10
such suse being literally covered, hards aud face
Nth Tor. A. about !:3O clock ?. NJ anil wnen about
ssy goodbye IN case OF not meeting again before
the tns catastr, phe startled sith the cry II
. \ saL" 10 ~. know howse al tnInb.ed on deck,