The Republican journal., 1870-08-25
FIRE AT SEA.

Capt Howcs, late of the ship Levantcr,
makes the following report of the burning of
his vessel
| Sailed from Grlvcsend June 49, 1870. Jul
ly II and Is, had heavy westerly gales and 4
fearful sea- split upper foretopsall and mann
tupsail staysail. July 10, we had tremendous
rales from WNW and u fearful sea, all sail
inrlcd except lower topsails and toretopmast
staysail Sunday, July "a, II. 45 PM, a light
breeze from the westward and thick fog, the
ID officer reported the ship to be on fire j;
called all hands Immediately and took off the
matches and endeavored to ascertain the loca-
ton, cause and extent of the fire, and found
a cloud of smoke issuing up all the hatch
ways, which rendered it impossible for any
one to remain in or over the hatchways for
the space OF over 10 seconds of time Set all
hands at work pumping and drawing water
and pouring it down I'LL the hatchWays as
fast as possible, and continued to do SO up to
8 O'Clock AM the % of July, when we found
| the fire increasing SO fast that we deemed it
compulsory to put on and batten down all
| the matches TO stop the ventilation, and keep
| the fire from bursting out into flames, there
| being upwards of 400 barrels of oil slowed
between decks, which we found to be leak
| ing badly down upon the fire, there being
nothing but clear oil in the pumps We then
| commenced to bore holes in the deck about
feet apart and turned wafer down said holes,
keeping the holes plugged up rs fast as we
stopped pouring water into them, to prevent
ventilation. We kept the ships head towards
the Southwark, where on the preceding
day we had seen several fishing vessels living
at anchor: but there being a thick fog we
saw no vessels until 4 PM, when the toe
4. Al ~ Il
we made all sail and steerel towards her
but the fog soon shut down thick, and we
lost sight of her. At 5 PM the fire had in
creased SO that il was impossible for any one
to enter the cabin, torccastle or statcrooms.
At PM we wore ship head towards the
NV. Keeping the snip as near as possible to
where we had seen the vessels at anchor,
furled all light sails and kept all hands at
work turning water down the holes in the
deck all through the night of Tuesday, Goth
At daylight the fire seemed to be still in
creasing, the smoke bursting ont through the
seams in the bow and side ports and the
pitch melting in the seams in the decks. All
hands greatly fatigued, and some very sick
from the effects of the smoke while endeav-
oring TO put out the fire. 1t now appeared
obvious to all that it was impossible to save
the ship, and that she would soon burst ont
in flames. Cleared away the boats and rot
them overheard, and got a little provisions
and water and a small portion Of or cloth
ing into them. AT . o'clock AM the foe
cleared a little, and we saw two barques "
ing at anchor on the ESE quarter; made
sail and 5leered toward them, and proceeded
to get the port chain on deck and bent it and
got the anchor OFF the bow. The chief Off
Ger was nearly sutfocaed while going down
into the chain locker to bend on the end of
the chain and most of the officers and crew
were greatly affected with heat and smoke
while hauling up the chain AT 10 O'Clock
We anchored about two miles NV from one
OF the barques the ships decks being then so
hot, and the smoke bursting out through ev-
cry seam, that it seemed as if she was on the
point OF breaking out into flames. The cap
tain, I'd officer and four men then got into
one of the boats and proceeded on board of
the barque, which proved to be the French
fishing barque Maria Clementine, of Fee
campt, Capt Duval We continued to pour
water down the holes in the decks until 2
O'Clock PM, 9th, sea time, when the Capt
returned to the ship, also a boat from the
barque. At = - PM, the fire suddenly burst
out OF all the hatchWays, and we all barely
succeeded in getting into the boats, and in a
few moments the ship was one sheet OF flame.
We remained by hen until the lnasts were
burnt and fell over the side. and the hull was
nearly burnt to the lower decl, plank sheer
and at PM we got on board Of the barque.
AT g O'Clock next morning we saw the hull
OF the ship still burning about miles 10 lee
ward At 10 o'clock Capt, Duval got his
vessel underway and steered NE in search
Of homeward bound American fishermen
and at noon we boarded the schooner S. j.
Hamlin Capt. Ilamlin who though not ready
TO sail for some days, kindly consented to
take all the officers ON board, seven in num-
Der, and proceed homeward, which he
promptly did AS soon as we transferred a
small portion of our clothing on board his
vessel. The Levanter was 1872 tons, built
at Newcastle Me, in 1862 and was owned
by Mr.. T. H. Smith, OF Boston, and had on
board valuable cargo of liquors and other
merchandise.