Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-03-10
A Terrible Spectacle,
BURNING OF THE GOLIATH BOYS
ABOARD.

of December, gives the following ac-
count of the burning of the British
training ship Goliath A terrible dis
aster occurred on the River Thames yes
terday morning, the Goliath, school
ship lying off Grays, and having 400
boys on board, being destroyed by fire
The full extent of the calamity cannot
be measured, but mang of the boys and
one of the officers are missing, and are
thought either to have been drowned or
persisted in the flames The Goliath
was an old wooden line-of battle-ship,
which carried eighty guns, with engines
of 400 horse power. Some years ago
after laying by in ordinary, she was lent
by the Admiralty to the poor law au-
thorities of the metropolis in order to try
the experiment of training the poor boys
of London for the sea, and was placed
for administrative purposes under the
care of the managers of the Forest-gate
school. She was large ship Of nearly
5000 tons burden, and lying solitary in
the blight of the river off Grays, was an
object of interest to excursionists on the
river. At few minutes to s some were
preparing breakfast and Others cleaning
the ship, while the bulk Of the lads were
below, many of them undressed. The
lamp-room, in the fore-castle of the ship
was the scene of the outbreak. The
lamps used to light the vessels after dark
are fed with petroleum oil, and it APP
pears to have been the rule to collect
them every morning in the lamp-room
for the purpose Of having them cleaned
and trimmed. 1t is said that one of the
lamps were accidentally dropped by a
lad, and the petroleum ignited and
spread its liquid fire all over the deck.
The alarm was instantly given, but so
rapid was the spread of the fire that
when Captain Boucher, Royal Navy,
the officer in command, was called from
his cabin the wrecked deck was in flames.
A terrible scene ensued The Mortified
children rushed up from below through
the various hatchways, which were with
difficulty kept from being choked up by
the crush and struggle, and at last as
they got on deck they hurried to the
side Of the ship nearest land as the point
of escape. Unfortunately it was the
most dangerous side of the ship, for a
strong southwesterly wind was blowing
full upon her broadside and rolled the
smoke and fame over in the direction
of the shore. The poor lads, however
climbed over the bulwarks and hung in
the chains and wherever they could get
hold for hand or foot, and the boats OF
the ship being instantly at hand, pro
ceeded to take them off as fast as posi-
BILE. One or more were swamped, and
as many Of the lads clinging to the ship
were compelled to drop, one after anoth-
er into the water, there was ample oceu-
patton for the other boats which came
to the rescue to pick up those who were
swimming or drowning. The ship lay
only about hundred yards from shore
and good many leaped overheard anC
swan to land, amongst whom were tw,
young ladies, the daughters of Capt
Boucher. The boats of the training
ships, Arthusa and Chichester, lying a
Greenhithe, came down in a fotilla t.
help, in command of Capt. Walters an(
several officers, aud were instrumental
in saving many lives. Capt. Bouchie
was the last to leave the burning ship
and it was his belief that all the lad
: were saved, but there is too much reaso
to know that he is mistaken. for tw
, bodies have already been washed ashore
and the school-master, Mr.. Wheeler,
, said to have sunk. As the survivor
were taken ON shore the people of Grays
small town of some three thousand in
! habitants, turned out en- D,dsse to receiv
: them. An attempt was made to fin
> out who were missing, but they were S
!. scattered about the town that the pre-
D cess was unsatisfactory, besides whic
some we're picked up by ships passing u
. and down the river, and carried to III
j known destinations, while others, it
believed, have taken advantage of the
g liberty to abscond, so that it may
e some days before the actual results wi
II be known.
" No HARM.-Rev. DIR. W., of p, VIII
he can find leisure, is fond of huntin
and fishing. He is keen shot a
: a ready wit Coming home one day frc
80 a shooting excursion, with duck in ]
> hand, he met Quaker friend whose s.
d utation was :
Good morning. friend w Whe