Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-11-24

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A Thrilling Narrative-DestruciiOn OF the
British ship Eastern city.
Mr.. John Fowler, a cabin passenger on board the
Eastern City, furnishes a graphic account Of the
burning Of that vessel on the passage from Liver
] pool to Melbourne, South Australia. The Eastern
City was q ship Of 1868 tons burden and the pro.
Perty Of Messrs. Baiues 6 Co., Of Liverpool. She
vas commanded BY Capt. JOhnstone, aud had crew
Of AZ men, including officers. She left Liverpool on
the 10Th July, with $50 passengers and 900 tons of
/ general cargo.
According to Mr.. Fowler's narrative, the Eastern
City reached the equator on the 1lih Of August af
ter long continuance Of contrary battling winds,
and the passengers we're in expectation OF reaching
Australia IN 20 or IS days. On the 2lst August the
wind blew strong from ihe northwest, and on the
| following day it increased to half gale, with 3
heVvy sea, the ship rolling great deal, and fre-
/ quently goiag from y to "A knots an hour.
On the 23d the wind veered round to the South
west, but the sea continued high, and at p. m an
alarm Of FIRE was raised, and smoke was seen issu-
/ ing from the fore hatch The passengers aud crew
were all ordered on deck, and it was believed that
all had obeyed the order; but it sfterWard dis
covered that one Of the steerage passengers named
Mclean, was missing, and he is supposed to have
been sufooated in his BERTH Hopes we're entertain
ed at first Of extinguishing the fire, it did OF
seem to increase but after an hour it was found
that progress was made, notwithstanding the vast
quantities Of water that had beeR pumped into the
hold. Il was now apparent that the only chance
was to endeavOr TO smother the FIRE Accordingly,
blankets shWals psids and old sails were usei for
that purpose but all in vain. The women and
children, about go in number, were removed 10 the
poop. The captain hauled up Che courses, and put
the chip before the wind had the boats provisioned
and everything in readiness to lower away at a mo-
Roth =
all night in their endeavors to subdue the flames
the captain cheering them all the while, and never
leaving the deck for a moment. His courage is de-
scrbed ss admirable and be never ceased to comfort
the women and children by assurances that they
would be safe in the boats.
To add 70 their danger they were more than 600
miles fyom the nearest land, the boats could carry
more than one half the persons in the ship, and
the so high that no beat could be launched
in safety, nor live long. crowded they must ne
cesssrily have been. Their only ohanGs was Of be-
ing picked up; but this was forlorn hope as they
were out Of the track Of vessels and those who re-
allied the fullest extent Of their danger felt that
| their destruction was simply question Of hours
Still they worked with viii, adopting every means
to smother the fire. The morning Of the 24fh broke
at length but the still ran high. and the ship
seudded before the wind About noon the fOreyard
came down by the run, but without injuring any
one There was evidently very little hope, and many
Of those on board became quite resigned 10 their
terrible fate. The decks became very hot, and the
flames were expected every moment to be seen issu-
ing from the bows, and they we're in dread Of the
foremast giving away which must have preC 81 tated
their fate as its fall must have torn up part Of the
deck, through which thefsmes would burst Atthis
stage the captain, purser and Mr. Fowler threw bot
ties overheard containing details Of the sad ea.as
trophe- Their rescue from impending death is thus
described by Mr. Fowler:
''The captain, chief officer, puTser, doctor, Mr.
Warner, the other chief cabin passenger and myself
went into the saloon at o'clock, p. m te some
thing, for we we're all becoming faint We were
eating what we believed to be our last meal, but
were all calm, and even cheerful, Captain JOhnsone
asking to be excused abe manner in which be
breaking up the preserved salmon, which, with afeW
biscuits was to form dinner and for appear
ing at dinner in such guse being terlly covered,
hands and face, with tar. At about 2 80 o'clock, p.
m, sad VIXEN about to say 'gOOd-by in case Of not
meeting again before the f1al catastrophe we were
startled with the cry Of "A sail ~ 1 do not know
how We all tumbled deck, but we were there in
an instant How looked to windWard, and how
faint and i'll fell when at first failed to perceive
anything but the ocean and few black clouds just
at the edge Of the horizon; how We all at last
the SAIL just like distant gull-she was coming
down upon us-elose by the edge Of the suns rays
on the sea; how we all cheered, and wept and pray
ed, and laughed and elasPed EACH others hands
and eheered again. In less than half an hour from
the time we first GIFTED her. the vessel, which prev
ed to be the Merohantman, Of snd frcm London,
with troops for Calcutta, passed close under our
stern. How We cheered her, and she returned our
cheer. Our captain hailed through his trumpet
We are on fire, will you stand by usf To which
Captain Brown returned hearty AYE, aye, and
send my boats to assist you
Soon two Of the Merchantmsn's beats and three
Of our own we're launched: but the sea still Ess
high, and we expected moment to see some Of them
sWamped or dashed in pieces alongside; but thanks
to the 6rst and second officers Of the Merchantman,
aRd of own cfcers in charge Of the boats, they
we're conducted between the two vessels without a
single accident. We FIRST embarked he women and
children End by p. m, we were al safely on BOARD
the Merchantman our captain being the last to
leave.
con arriving on board The Merchantmen, every
thing had been provided by Captain Brown for the
reefand comfort of the rescued passengers in which
he was assisted by Captain Dawson, eommanding
the troops They had prepared bot tea and biscuits
for 400 The women aud children were secOmmo-
dated in the cuddy and oficeTs' and the crew
and passengers must cred and told of to mess with
the soldiers and sailors without the slightest cOniu-
sion The Merchantmen stood by The burning ship
during the night. ard abOut 2 q m, the flames
burst forth over the iopgallanmsst foreeastle
after the forenast over the side, and in half sn
hour the ma and mizzen-masts went, and soon
aft ter she was a mass Of flames We could see her
still burning until about o'clock, a m , when the
Merchantmen having stood for Table Bay, the dis
tancs became too great Tor US 70 distinguish other
than dark cloud resting against the dim horizon,
which was the last We Of our ship
''We in the first cabin saved portion Of our lug
gage but the whole Of the other passengers and the
majority of the crew lost everything. But we we're
al truly thankful for our preservation from a terri
bic and inevitable death, and We al feel that the
finger Of Providence was in it. for had the Merchant
man not been obliged put into Rio de Janeiro, in
consequences Of the illness Of her medical officer then
in charge Of the troops she could not have been 30
far out Of her course aud in position TO us
The origin Of the IRE has been attributed to spon-
taneOus combustion or the friction Of bady-stoEed
packages, during the previous day, when the ship
rolled so heavily in the high sea. The ship, cargo,
and property belonging to the passengers have been
estimated at 600, 900 or e100,0
HoRRIsLE TRAGEDY AT CHICOPEE, MAss.-MUR-
MN nr A Can n A nrinne has heen disonvnrad at