The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-01-12
BURNING OUT THE BOYS.

AN EXCITING SCENE ON SHIPBOARD.
BURNING OF THE GoLIATH-A TRAINING SHIP
ON FIRE, WITH FOUR HUNDRED BOYS
ABOARD.
The London News OF recent date gives the
following full particulars of the burning of
tho training ship Goliath: A terrible d. as
Ter occurred on the river Thames yesterday
morning, the Goliath, a school ship, lying
off Grsys, and having 400 boys on board,
being destroyed by fire. The full extent OF
many Of the boys and one OF the offlc rs are
missing, and are thought elthsr TO
nave been drowned or perisned 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 admit
rally to the poor law authorities OF the
metropolis in order 10 try the experiment IF
training the poor boys of London for the
sea, and was placed for administrative pur
poses under the care OF managers OF the
FOrest-gste school She was large ship
of nearly 600 tons burden, and, lying soil
tary in the plight of the river of era s. WIS
AN object of interest to excursions 3 on he
river. At few minutes to s some " ere
preparing breakfast and others cleaning the
ship, while the bulk of the lads were below,
many OF tD6m OuuTeeS6us lie ldLnD
in the forecastls of the snip was;
THE SCENE OF THE OUTBREAK.
the lamps used to light the vessel after
dark are fed with petroleum oil, and it ap~
pears to have been the rule to collect item
every morning in the lamp-room for the
purpose of having them cleaned and re-
trimmed. 1t is said that one OF the lamps
was accidentally dropped by lad, and the
pc roleum ignited aud spread in liquid fire
all over the deck. The alarm was Instantly
gwen, but so rapid was the spread OF the
ire that wnen Capt. Bourchier, royal navy,
che officer in command, was called from his
cabin, the whole deck was In flames. A
terrible scene ensued. The horrifsd chill
| dren rushed up from below through the
| various hatchways, which were with diff
crush and struggle, ana as fast a.
they got on deck they hurried to
the side of the ship nearest land
as the point of escape. Unfortunately it ives
| the most dangerous side Of the ship, for q
strong southwesterlv wind was blowing
| full upon her broadside, and rolled the
F, smoke aud flame over in the direc ion of
the shore. The poor lads, however, climbed
over the bulwsrks and hung in the chains
and wherever they could get hold for Land
or loot, and the boats of the ship being in
stantly at hand. proceeded to take them off
swamped, and, as many of the lads cIinsiDg
10 the ship were compelled to drop one
after another into the water, there WIS
ample occupation for the other boats which
came to the rescue to pick up those who
were swimming or drowning. The snip lay
only about a 100 yards from shore, and
AGooD MANY LEAPEO OVERHEARD
and swan to land, amongst whom were
two ladies, the daughters of Capt. Boucher.
The boats of the training ships Arethusa
and Chichester, lying at Greenhithe, came
down in fl ,tills to help, in comman of
Capt. Walters and several officers, and were
instrumental in saving many lives. Capt.
B0nrchler was the last to leave the burning
| ship, and it wss his belief tnat all the lads
we're saved, but there Is too much reason TO
know that he was mistaken, tor two bodies
have already been washed ashore, and the
schoolmsster, Mr. Wheeler, is said to have
sunk As the survivors were taken on
shore the people of Grsys,a small town OF
some 5000 inhabitants, turned out en-
masse to receive them. The school,
rooms, place of worship, hotels, and private
houses were placed at their disposal,
while all the c0pEeJs aud kettles that could
be obtained were pressed into service 10
get break fast for the 400, less those who
we're missing. Kind hearted people brought
clothing Tor the half naked little ones, many
of whom were to De seen throughout the day
clad In garments OF all sizes and OF both
sexes. An attempt was made TO make q
buster OF the lads in order to find out who
| were missing, but they were so scattered
! about the town that the process was unsat-
| Isfactory besides which some were picked
up by ships passing up and down the river
| and carried to unknown destinations, while
others, 1t is believed, have taken ADVANTAGE
of their liberty to abscond, so that IL may
| oe some days before the actual results Will
| be known.