The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-11-05
A FLoArIss srsNING HULK.
AnIron ship Loaded with Coal Driiis
for Eight Months With Her CARGO
burning, and f. Finally Towed fnto


turning, and f. Finally Toweni nto
Port.
From the San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. 10
About oae year ago the Chronicle pub,
hsned one thrilling narrative vi the loss oil
the British snip Ada lredsie, bound Tor
this port from Ardrossan, with q cargo oil
coal, aud which took fre from spontsh-
eous combustion in the South Faclnc.
Tie particulars we're obtained from the
csptsln, who reached this city by u vessei
from Tahiti. The crew were % days AT
ses in open boats alter abandoning tue
burning snip, and the suffeilngs they eA'
ner,epeed were terrible. All were finally
saved, with ne exception OF thecarpentef,
who was lost by the capizing OF oGe OF
the boats day or two before sig
land. They reached one OF the oou1n
Pacific groups in nearly exhausted
condition, aud were kindly cared Tor oJ
An American missionary until the op
portunity for a passage 10 IahlH pre-
sented. The remarkable sequai 20 this
history is now received IN the GnnouLce-
meDt that the hull of the Ada Ire
dale has been picked up BY q French
msn-oi-wsr and towed TO Tahiti, alter
rolling for eight months upon the waste
OF waters and drifting over 2,OOO miles
from the locality whore she was ADAM
doned. After reaching Tahiti an In
spection OF the hull was made BY the
English Consul and Capt. Turpie, OF the
English missionary vessel John Wllllams'
and Cspt. TurPie makes the following
interesting report:
Tbs whole of the woodwork, indeed
everything combustible, has been con-
sumed, leaving only the iron work OF
what was once remarkably strong and
substantial vessel. The ioremast has
fallen over the port side and has entirely
disappeared from the deck upward. Tue
bowsprit, with portion OF the JIbooom
still remsirs, though displaced from III
position. The main and mizzln lower
inasl.. with 81 iron work attached, remain
within the structure, having fallen IN
The bread AID water tanks have evident
ly exploded after generating steam. The
whole frame from between deck beams
is sadly distorted and twisted by the
hCLlCn Oh luG uIcs M ~ VIZ
are broken by the weight of deck fittings
&c. The collision bulkhesd still appear:
intact. There stili remain, should
suppose. about 100 tones of ashes and
debris. which are still burnt g. No water
Is Wis Die in the hold, and the iron plates
OF the ship outwsEdly appear little dam
aged. The bottom is clean, kept 80, l
imagine, by the intense heat. The figure
head Is unirjured From the position
where she ws5 abandoned 10 this place Is
about $50 miles. The snip mas there
fore driven that distance between Octo
Der Is, 1876, and June 9, 1877. TIE
course made Dy the burning wreck
suppose to be about west southwest, south
81 the Psumc.& group; then meeting
with the southeast Trace winds, when
prevail during April, May and June, she
ms driven TO the northwest until tAker
IN TOW by the French msn-ot.war. Ii
was most remarkable thing that {
burning ship should hsye driven over
eight months in the Pacific without being
reported. and that she should st last b.
brought iuto the port which her Captain
and crew aad reached seven month
p5evIOUsiy.'