The daily gazette., 1874-12-21
PRICE GENT.
LOSS OF THE Japan,
A Pacific Mail Steamship Burned
at Sen.

A Pacific Mail Steamship Burned
at Sen.
PROBABLE Loss OF MANY LIVES
MAILS AND TREASURE LosT-THE
coMPANY's LOSS COVERED BY IN
sURANcE-THE CAUSE OF THE DIS
AsTER UNKNowN--TaE VESSEL AND
HER HISTORY.
Hone KoNa, December 19.-The
Pacific Mail Company's steamship
Japan, from San Francisco and Yoko-
hama for this port, was destroyed by
fire On Thursday last when sixty miles
out from Yokohama. A few of her
crew and passengers have arrived here,
1t is feared that many lives have been
lost,
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DISASTER.
At the time of the accident the
steamship Japan was ON its regular
voyage from San Francisco to Hong
Kc-g, via Yokohama. The vessel
sailed from San Francisco November
IA With the following officers on
board.
Captain-E. r. Warsaw.
First Officer-F. w. Hart
Second Officer-H. II. Andrews.
Third Office cer-J. p. Gallagher
Chief Engineer--John Cosgrove.
( Purser-John Rooney.
: SurGeon-V. B. Gales, N. d.
Freight Clerk-C. L. German.
Storek coper-W. B. Horn.
st swart-O. N. Clark.
Second <swart.-William Ray.
Est Assistant Engineer w. Ben
nett.
Second Assistant Engineer-David
Third Assistant Engineer-James
Henry.
A mixed crew, composed partly of
American and partly of Chinese,
with the firemcn and others, made up
the working ++orce of the steamer.
Eight cabin passengers took passage
at San Francisco. Five OF these
were for Yokohama and three for
Horg Kong, the last all who were on
board at t e t. ne of the wreck. The
three pas sengers for Hong Kong were
as follows f. w. Crocker, P. M. Tin
dell, Mary Slot. The steerage was
occupied with 442 passengers, of
whom 424 were Chinese, and at the
time of the disaster the latter number
probably included all on board. TT
Japan cleared from San Francisco
with 973 tons of freight, the greater
part of this cargo may have been dis
charged in Yokohc aa All the pes
sengers it is known had taken passage
for Hong Kong. In addition TO pas
| ted States mails Tor Japan and Eastern
Asia,
| Yokohama was reached by the Japan
in salty December 10, after run OF
twenty-five days across the Pacific
Dispatches received by the officers of
the company in this city announced
all on board as we'll and the vessel in
good order. After the usual delay in
IYokohalia the Japan set out for Hong
| Kong, six days sail to the southwest
A part of the route is by the finland
sea" of Japan, but the last four days OF
the voyage are through the more dan
gerous waters off the Chinese Coast. -
In the trip the Chinese Coast Is gener-
ally made some distance TO the north
of Hong Kong, the rest of the coast. =
l AI Tnc tltllc VI tilC QlodSlCi tuC NCooSi
had lessed Swatow, town some one
Ihandred and eighty miles to the north
of Hong Kong, and was not far from
one h. ndred and forty miles fromHong
Kong Had the voyage proved sue
c.ss ul the lat er port would have been
reached last Friday afternoon. From
tie meagre accounts which have been
telegraphed it appears that the fire
broke out at or near midnight, proba-
bly, like the similar accident to the
: America in y Yokohama in 1872, just at
| ter the passengers had retired. 1t is
/ altogether improbable that any live!
we're lost. Had this occurred it woulo
have been certain to find a place in the
, despatch to the company, and all Tho
r ind cations point to a smooth sea ano
pleasant weather, which would hav'
. given emple time for the removal OF al
r the passengers in the boats with which
e the vessel was fully proved.
? THE SHIP.
5 The Japan is one of five wooden side
t wheel st eamships, each of 4,30O tons
= .1,a Doa;6o Moi1 StaomshiD COmDan'