New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-25
Burning of the Europa.

Captain FULTON, of the burned ship tr'
rops. arrived in this ci.y from the South
west Pass on the ship Freeman Clarke. Sa:
urday afternoon. and we give below an
account of the burning of his vessel OF the
evening of the sixteenth utt;mo:
Smoke was first discovered issuing from
the torehold Of the ship at i:3o 2. n. AZ
the time it was blowing stiff breeze from
the north and east. the ship being then near
the latitude OF TOrtugas. The wind being
fair to run for the Southwest Pass. the snip
was headed tha: way. with the hope that
the fire would not break out until assist
ance could be obtained at the mouth OF the
Mississippi. The ship Sparkenhoe. also
bound to New Orleans. was about halt a
mile astern of the Europa. She was at
once signalized. and il was understood that
the two ships should not part company.
Every ventilator and every possible outlet
from the hold of the burning ship was Sc
curely stopped, but all was Of no avail, as
the fire was gaining so fast that at nine
o'clock it broke through the deck in the
vicinity of the tOremast. l. was then that
Captain Fulton saw there was no chance of
saving his vessel and by the time the boats
were lowered and a few necessary articles
placed therein the toremast was tOttering z
and about TO fall, and the flames licking the
mainmast and dancing abou: among the
rigging and sails.
The suddenness with which Captain Full
ton and his officers and crew were obliged
to leave the burning ship is proven in his
being obliged to leave a valuable ChrOno-
meter watch and chain and many other ar
ticles of value that would have taken up
very little space had he only the time to
get into his cabin. The closeness of the
flames to this worthy seaman is quite no.
ticeable to those who knew him when he
was in possession of a full set Of eyebrows,
a fine mustache and an unsinged nose.
These defects. though slight. show that
was there any one to leave the ship after
Captain Fulton. he would have been re
ceived in the boat in damaged condition.
Nature will soon return to this veteran
commander that which the fire fend has
robbed him of. and if the sincere congratu-
lations of few friends that met him as ne
disambarked on Saturday are kept up by
the legion ne has here and elsewhere. ne
will soon forget and cease to mourn the loss
of his ship. the Europa.
70 one Interested in those that % down
to the sea in ships" the power OF the great
Creator to watch over and save is made
manifest as often upon the sea as upon the
land. A gale Of wind in the case OF the
Europa, and months hence she would have
been recorded among that already too full
and solemn registry Of missing.
Captain Fulton wishes through the COZ.
umns OF the REPUBLICAS. to tender his sin.
cers thanks TO Captain Butler. OF the Brit.
ish Ship Sparkenhoe. for hi. indulgence IN
laying by his ship while size was on fire. and
for his unwearied attention 20 himself. Off
GERS and crew during thejS three days 60
journ on board ais ship.
The Europa belonged 20 the Nessrs.
Houghton Brothers Of Bath. Maine. who own
some fifteen more ships. ali % which are IN
the New Orleans and European trade. As
they insure but very little tiis ship will be
quite heavy loss 20 chem. Only four
years ago they laid ou. over $3O.00o in new
topping, refastening aad generally over
hauling her