The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-01-19

TUESDAY MORNING........... JANUARY 10, Is:
BURNING OF THE STEAMER SARAH SANDS.
A THRILLING NARRATIVE

lbksDAf JANUARY ~, 1888.
BURNING OF THE STE AMER SARAH SANDS.
A THRILLING NARRATIVE.
The Liverpool Mercury, of December aoth, gives
thrilling description of the fearful catastrophe to
the iron steamer, Sarah Sands, on her passage to
India with the headquarters and large portion of
the men Of the 54th regiment on board, brief &C.
count of which published yesterday:
The voyage appears to have teen favorable until
the llth of November, when the ship had reachsd
lat. II g. Ion So Il. upwards of 400 miles from the
Maritins) About O'Clock in the afternoon of that
day the troops berthed the after or top deck no
iced a smell cfturning, which apparently proceed
cd from beneath them in the hold. The alarm was
given TO Captain Castle, who at once ordered the
afterhold TO he examined, and to the astonishment
aud indeed horror of all, the cargo slowed there
proved to be on fire. 1t was stated that the bulk
of the cargo consisted of government stores. Bale
after bale was hauled up In the hope of getting at
the seat ofthe fire, but in short time the smoke
became 50 dense to defy any of the crew getting
further into the hold and filli.g the whole of the
cabins with the suffocatng tiuvia, forced the la
dies to seek relief on the quarter deck.
BY this time the outbreak became general
throughout the ship, and as natural result much
alarm was excited. There WAS no confusion, how
ever, and every order was obeyed by the men with
eoolness and courage. The course of the ship was
stopped. Colonel Mofiat WIS seen in early consul
suppressing the flames, while the we're active
ly employed in taking all sail in and bringing the
ship before the wind Others ran out lengths or
hose from the fire engines, which passed
down to hands below while hose Was also nut on
to the donkey engine
1t soon became apparent that all these exer-
tons failed in checking the progress of the ire
Colonel Moffat, at the suggestion Of the COM
mander. directed his men toat once cast overheard
all their ammunition, and in short time they
sncrPpHAd m yiu
The remainder of the powder in the port magazine,
however, excited great aPprehensions. Already
had the afterpart of the ship become almost ini-
penetrable, from the dense smoke and heat which
filled every portion of it. The colonel appealed TO
his men for volunteers to attempt to rescue the
contents of the magazine, now so threatened. Se-
veral brave fellows instantly came forward, and
heroicaIly succeeded in reaching the magazine and
clearing it, with the exception, il is supposed, of
one or two barrels. 1t was a truly hazardous
work: several nearly lost their lives, having be-
come overp0wered with the smoke and heat, they
fell, and when hauled up by ropes to the deck
they were senseess.
The flames soon afterwards burst Up through the
deck, and. running along the various cabins speed
lily set the whole on fire. There was heavy gala
blowing at the time, and the ship was rolling and
pitching. Captain Castle, perceving the critical
position of the ship, at took measures for the
safe lowering of the boats. They were launched
without the least accident, and the troops were
mustered on deck. There was no rush TO the boats
msnSs with much order on parade. The 10
dies. women, and children we're lowered into the
port life boat, and she was directed to stand off
until further orders. All hands then turned to
constructing RATS of spare spars In a short time
three were put together, and which woGld have
been capable of saving large portion of those on
board. Captain Castle succeeded In launching two
overheard and the third was left across the deck
TO he lowered at a moments notice.
In the meanwhile the flames had made terrible
progress. The whole of the cabins, saloon, &c.
were one body of fire; and about nine o'clock the
flames burst through the upper deck and ignited
the miZzen rigging Through the forothought OF
CAPTAIN Castle. in bringing the ship before the
wind. the ire and smoke were swept stsrnways
hut serious anxiety was felt lest the ship should
paw off, and 80 render her destruction inevitable
Amidst this fearful suspense. dreadful explosion
took place, doubt arising from one two bar
res left in the port magazine, which blew out the
port-Guarter. All was Consternation-the ship,
from the main rigging to her stern. WAS in
general body OF fire. Captain Castle still had hope,
although he expressed his fears to the command
ing officer of the troops that the ship would be
lost. Proyidentally the bGlhhead of the after
part of the ship wihstood the action of the flames.
Here all ettarts were concentrated to keep it coGl
Party after party Of the troops volunteered for the
work ami so endeayored to prevent the lire MA.
king its way forward. AS it was several fell sense
less from the suffocating influence Of the smoke.
and were dragged up apparently dead. With the
greatest honor to the troops, they obeyed the di-
ergy which was almost astounding, and but for
which the ship must have persisted, and doubtless
many OF the lives on board with her.
For hours did this state of affairs continue. Al.
though the men kept the fire at bay beow.it gained
the main rigging Mr.. WeIch, the chief officer.
with several of the soldiers, at went aloft
with wet blankets and, after considerable peril
and risk, succeeded In extiDguishing the flames
As it was, however, some of the yards were de-
stroyed. Towards two o'clock the following morn
ing the men had the satisfaction of seeing the fire
diminishing but it only had the effect of inducing
them to continue their exertions with, if possible,
almost double energy. The flames were gradually
beaten back, and by daylight was accomplished
their entire annihilation. 1t not till then that
the fearful havoc made by the IRE clearly as
certained The aftsrpart OF the ship Was burnt
out merely its shell remaining; and now an other
fate threatened her The gale still prevailed. and
the ship was rolling and pitching in heavy sea,
constantly shipping considerable water at the port
quarter, which had been blown out by the explo-
sion. She had 15 feet Of water IN her hold. and
active steps had to be taken to prevent her found
ering
All the men were set to the pumps and bailiBg
water out of the hole, Captain Castle, fearing the
stern would fall out, got two hawsers under her
bottom and made them taut; the next difficulty
was to stop the water which was pouring in through
the quarter. Spare sails and blankets were placed
over the opening aud the leak was partially stop
ped. There was no abatement In the gale during
the morning, and in every heaye Of the ship the
water tanks in the hole, which had got loose we're
dashed from one side to the other The state OF the
ship, and the continued severity Of the Weath6r
rendered the constant working OF the pumps and
the bailiBg imperative.
It was not till two o'clock in the afternoon that
the boat containing the women and children could
be got alongside. They were got on board and ths
other boats, which bad been ordered offduring ths
raging of the fire, returned, with exception of tht
gig, which had been swamped during the night
The officers in charge Of her. however, Mr.. Wood
and the hands, were picked up by another boat. Du
ing he remainder of the day. the following night
| sni the succeeding day, the whole OF the hand'
| anu troops were engaged in working the pump,
and clearing the ship water By evening 0ftht
18th the crew succeeded in securing the stern ant
getting steerage way on the ship. She had theI
drifted as for lon l3 II s. Captain Castle theI
set all sail and bore up in the hope of making the
Maurtius, and, TO the joy Of all on board, made
that port in eight days, where her arrival auc
| marvellous escape excited considerable ssnsa
tion.