The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-03-27
The Fire ON ,hc ship King Philip"

t. tee EIfor ~ o.. Prc.ie Commercial ifrtrH>sF;
SrE-Iu your last issue the account given Of the
FIRE ON boarI the ship King Philip i incorrect IN
several particulars. and does much injustice 10 the
officers AMI men of the L. ; :. Ossipec, and the
part taken by them in the efforts made 10 subiue the
flames
For ;he purpose therefore Of giving Jack his due,
Tut without intending TO begin 4 controversy, or
wishing 20 detrac; in the least from the credit
properly belonging 10 the active and efficient Fire
Department or it. able Chief. of whose e~xertons the
officers o.; the Ossipce speak in the highest terms,
beg leave to state the real facts III the case 80 far As
the Ossiges's men are concerned.
In the first place, 40 boat was sent to the Ossipse
from the Aug Pt.ip giving information OF the hre,
but the attention OF the officer of the deck on board
the slip-ot-war was attracted iy an unusual noise,
ami soon after he heard the bell and the alarm Of
ire, which lie Instantly reported 10 the Captain who
ordered boats to be lowered AMI q FIRE party sent Oft
II once. In less than ten minutes three boats had
left the OSsiPsc, one containing a donkey-engne with
hose. hatchets, buckets, Nc. The Executive officer,
Lieut.. Commander ;. d. Greene, went in charge Of
the party, with orders to DO his best TO put out the
FIRE and save all the property he could, and to be
prepared 10 scuttIe the ship il necessary, and ne
should receive the proper order. He accordingly
loon WIN MN Tools luT llAAl purpose. anu an II 4ei
and tools to unshackle the cable if necessary to get
the ship alongside the wharf. Two other boats were
soon sent with officers and an extra supply Of men.
Secondly, the OSsipees engine was playing down
the hatch at least half IN hour before the arrival Of
any assistance.
Thirdly. almos, the first order given by the ESecu-
tive officer O; the Ossigce was to unshackle the chain
with the view Of placing the vessel nearer the wharf,
50 a. TO put her under the direct influence Of the
Fire Department; or in the event of having to scuttle
her, TO get her into n good position for that purpose;
and this before MIR. Williams arrived at the scene.
Great efforts were made by the armorer of the Ossi-
pee and others of her crew to get the chain un-
shackled. They worked upwards of three hours
upon it unailed and under every disadvantage, the
cable being piled up and the pin SO rusted in its
place Is TO be almost a part Of the cable; but it was
at last accomplished with the assistance of fresh
hands from shore.
During an tMs time the O,sLps.,s boats were employed in
getting cut proper lines and saving property, and the whole Of
the cabin furniture, even L. IA, piano, and many other articles,
were safely landed on bUrl the OSsipse through the efforts Of
the sailors alone. Oncoi the OSSpscS officers cut the first hole
i'm the siIco the hing P~hiFPaud thu greater part f the second
although unused 10 an axe, AMI all worked untiEingly and
without a muunur t. arrest the flames and although much
wine and liquor was accessible, but two Of the sailors were in
the least intoxicated. For many hours they We're at the
hatch by the Fire Department, without any relief whatever
from household troops or others. In fact they worked un-
cel>nsiy from about q quarter past IL z. Nj. 10 ; the ueNt
morning, and all who witnessed their eNeruons award them
great praise.
In regard To the confusion spoken OF, it was not among the
well-lrled man-of-wars-men. There was much noise and
loud talking, such as always attends similar scenes, hut the
work went steadily forward all the time, as the result goes TO
prove.
As to the propriety of scuttling the vessel. many old and ex-
Ieriencei seamen yet think it should have been done in view
Of the certainty Of thereby saving her and in reference TO the
q repairs AMI there was no danger Of obstructing the
harbor more Than il had been INSTRUCTED by the ship Wing at
anchor A. she did for a number Of days previously. Finally il
not owing to any orders given by the Chief Euigncer that
she was not scuttIci, as the Executive officer of the Ossipee
had no intention Of scuttling her at all where she first lay. nor
alongside the wharf without, proper authority. Each
only gave his opinion, and that OF the Chief Engineer prevailed
that was all.
The Fire department did all that men could do. and it is no
iiS~Iaragement TO them to show that the sailors were first on
board the burning ship, had the first stream Of water on the
fire, cut the first hole, and worked as long and As faithfully as
they : and where an worked 50 maufuIy and well. to give 10
his just need Of praise i the only object Of this commu-
IN from --stax TfGT-