New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-02-09
TIE BURNING or TIE STEAMER
JAPAN.
IIIL OAI INN . HVOOONh VI III Il I71'7.''7 ''''
EXTRACTS FROM HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE TIE
COURT or INQUIRY-THE FIRE BROKE OUT
SUDDENLY, AND WAS HARD 10 FIND-EVERY
,-rropT NJ ,Dr To SAVE TIE VESSEL.

EXTRACTS FROM HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE TIE
COURT or NQUIRY-THE FIRE BROKE OUT
SUDDENLY, AND WAS HARD 10 FlND-ENERf
EFFORT MADE TO SAVE TIE VEsSEI-
From IT, C,i.n O,:rlsld Mai (Hon2 Kong. pec "a.
An investigation was held this morning at
the once of the American Consulate INTO the eiregU-
Japan The court composed OF II. 5, LorinR. eqp
Vce-Consui, President; Go nmlnder Lewis, u. = ~
Yant.c: Lieut. GpatTicE, u. S. NJ, Yantc; aud Capt
Courn mercantile marie, American ship Malay. MI
j. w. Torrey acted as clerk Of the court
Edward Il. Warsaw, late COMMANDER OF the Japan,
sworn sad-I have been master mariner FOR Is years,
out OF which L have commanded steamers for seven
Mail steamers The Japan was my last command. l
was in command when that vessel was destroyed by
fire Oh the night OF the II d INST The IRE broke out al
i1:25 d n. | frs, heard mufIl Il sound among my
pissef gers on the main deck, winch intimaiet
house. IuInute inter / heard cry Of fire. Upon
hearing the confused no.se spIa3g toward the pilot
step the second officer who was officer OF the deck,
cried ont "Frc." rang the inghng gong To- stop the
engine and al the same tima sounded the fire alarm,
and ordered all vcntat0rs to be turIed rom the VINO
ported my heim and ordered the toplI ballard. TO be
let 90 IN order bring the slip 10 the wind AT tt'
time had been running before INC Wild NY
0.gTGed T foTo and sff tho shin Immetiiaeiy on
the alarm of IRE being given three streams OF water
were brought bear upon the hrerooin' and three
Streams we're directed upon the eDglne-r0Om, from
which also dense volumes OF smoke were fOnhd 10 be
rrn1,yt fulo ~, Eve throw u streams
eugLc) We could, however, only bring % 10 play on
dL9 ITI . , 'iS an rSn 70 bear within 10 minutes
IRON me time the first alarm We cut boies III the
and ire rooms. We directed three streams mere and
covered the hocs with blankets Then instructed the
officers WHO we've with Inc to cut holes IN tho AFTER
serqge hatch communicating with the freight deck.
saw arse volumes Of snioke pat no IRE. Abonl t1.t
time fourth oihrer took on ne Tore hach 10 see ne
could make cat the IRE. Ho al not Inc hTsL pIdz'
that 1 saw was issuing from no ycAuia,or' over
the forward FIRE room. Daring tils time
ali available hose aud connections were
Iaid TO bring oil the lydranis to bear fore
and aft, mahag III an tWcAty streams, no" gave
order, 10 ny messenger to tel the cAei officer To detail
swing OUT aud clear all boats relay iof lo|ernG
tuen went below again TO me ttteF"Ee' cut IL hoe
abreast q the foremost tITougi the Gees ana So" ne
aup.ird u hose to II, and then went at on the port
side, pulled tue butt out OF hole winch we bad cut
b. ioIe and saw fire. IAl5 was GHectR uHd-r
and the buk-he"d between inc ehsmerooin'
Iir.-room. and wing bankers on the port elue,
on ice nsercd ne l.G '.e none, coy
cred IL up went W on me bIr!i'aG ueeA i.d saw we
thirl officer and gang OF men s"lnelng the forward
boats aud tho second officer ana another gang SWING
mo me after boats Dung the whole OF III, time every
effort Wa, being made by the wble men on board to *
tnouisb the ire / advised d. Tyndal then 10 make
READY 10 leave the sup ana placed Inc wOhen ~ MS
charge telling Inn that l thought we would De com
PEELED 10 leave tnen went back 10 the sitg OF me hre
where my officers ana men were Co- lhclI ulnoa' 10
extnguish We 1Ougst the IRE ior about 10 minutes
Tjnanc that all Efforts proved unavaag. and that
the fire rantly gaining upon u.s. and tai the water
was evidently fdInE III supply from the IRE engines,
caused by the ge aud sInoAo issuing rom me IRE room
ana engine r0o and that II would nave been lmpossi-
biz for any man that part OF the snip tbon
aIicd with view OF SAVING me- went ait as Ear as
le eng 10 door on tue pOrt sac, MAch the names
cut III on (OJk 10 GtutIdt survey OF the
weather side Of ue ship, saw That al boats were low
ere and away from The ship, GA THAT side, the people
forward, apparently having hirreserIcrs on them.
passed along port o. lee eide, aDdtt tAe social h'H,
and saw two boats hanging ~ their davis. gave
ofIrrs 10 the second officer 10 Wall alongside tt EMP
Tor me- ana l returned 10 the weather sIde Of the
ouarter deck took general survey of the ship that
inc metallic life raft forward was overheard, saw that
lie captains zig gone that the nOnpaTe rait was
gone aud that all the settoeS on the Quarter deck ha
Zone, | opcucd tho engineers room door, and call
hun Receiving response, went AFT and lifted the
skyllghl. called out 10 see If There was any
more lie ON board aft, and, not hearing
any response, concluded TO leave tho snip
| went over the ships side AT a quarter to
a. m on the 18Th. showed cur boat clear Of the ship,
came round under the and used every cndcayOr
TO save me- picked III number OF Chinese, al OF
whom had life preservcTs OF, or were On pieces OF
wreck, or batcacS cnaIs, a.. Remained 10 wiudwdrd
OF lie wreck UnuI tie day Cut when went IN search
Of the other boats fen in with aud engaged Cape
chi fishing smack, In wLich ! crUsed auJlt ne Vi
entity ol tue wreck mlleral, ana succeeded 10 picking
ND i've boats ana III sOds from boats and water.
Al about .. the Stn, seeing no more me- Stood
IN for the lni. At ESQ p. about me from land,
communicated with TIE steamer IOttdnS lac captain
took Us ON board aud conveyed u, 10 swallow, whence
took passage in the steamer AtssO IO4 LIS VO and
arrived al y. III. On tue IOin.