The Portland daily press., 1875-11-15
Ship Burning.
Attempt to Burn n Maine Ship in China
Arrest of Four of the Crew.

An attempt was made to burn the ship Char
East Bridgewater Mass.), on the 18th of Sep
TENDER. She sailed from New York April %,
and arrived at Shapghae August 81. The fol-
lowing account of the affair is from the North
China Daily News, published at Shanghae,
September 16:
Yesterday morning, about 500, Thomas
Hope, one of the crew of the Charter Oak, an
American ship of 1858 tons burden, anchored
large quantity OF kerosene on board, raised an
alarm of fire. Captain Smith was the first to
get on deck, and not seeing smoke or any iDdi-
cation of fire, asked where it was, Hope said,
near the fore hatch Captain Smith, however,
saw no sign of fire in that direction, but almost
Immediately perceived smoke coming through
a ventilator near the main hatch. The crew
being by this time aroused from their sleep and
on deck, the main hatch was lifted, and flames
and smoke Immediately shot up some feet
above the deck. The alarm bell was Instantly
rung and blue lights burnt, bat these seem to
have been neither seen nor heard by any ship
in the harhor except the Th9atira, lying about
thousand yards away, and which at once dis
patched boats crew 10 inquire and render
help In the meantime the Charter OARS
crew, stimulated by the energy of their captain,
rugged the pumps and procured buckets, etc.;
but the fire was in a great degree extinguisned
by a large Tub of water which had been LETT
standing near the main hatch, being overset by
some of tIe men, the water falling plump on to
the seat of the fire in the lower hold. and uear-
y putting it out. There were still 100 cases Of
kerosene oil on the top of about 800 to - of an
thracite coal. slowed in the lower hold-Che
ship having discharged several thousand cases
of oil By good luck the flames were got under
before they obtained firm hold; but not until
the whole interior OF the vessel was made so
hot tina, the hand rould not bear to touch Ell her
wood or metal work. A very few minutes more
and she would have bust into mass of fame,
doubtless, from her position, involving loss Of
life.
An examination was made below as quickly
as possible, and it was found that deliberate
attempt had been made to burn the ship, the
completeness OF the preparation for which
showed that more than one person must have
assisted in it. At the point in the lower hold,
just beneath the hatchways. which being open,
would have acted as a tunnel to conduct the
flames, were found some 80 cases of oil, built
around with old mats, tarred parcelling, and a
quantity of pitch pine wood, surmounted by
another oil case, in the bottom of which a
small hole had been made, apparently with a
marling spike, and from which the oil was
slowly dripping over the mass of combustibles.
Another oil can had been preached in similar
manner, near the fore hatch, but the hole was
made too large (perhaps purposely) and the oil
had run about the deck in that neighborhood
The heat had already partially charred the
wood casing of the cans, and the solder OF seve-
| raj of them was melted from the outside rims
1t is thought that the alarm was given a little
too soon, or that the light was applied at place
fortunately not saturated with the oil, or the
flames would certainly have spread with de-
structive swftness.
A further investigation showed that the
chests and effects of the four men comprising
| the present starboard watch of the ship were
all nicely packed as if for removal, no such
preparation having been made by the men in
| the port watch. The man Hope belongs to the
stayboard watch, and an inference detrimental
| to them all is drawn from the facts stated.
Captain Smith laid an information yesterday,
at the United States Consulate-G General, before
O. B. Bradford, Esq, who at once issued a
warrant for the apprehension of the four men
thought to be implicated, and they will be
brought up for examination in the course of a
day or two.