The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-06-15
THE BURNING TRANSPORT.
An English Naval Omcer's Story.

An English Naval Officers Story,
The feet lay off North Fleet Hone"
awaiting the flag of Rear-Admiral Coffin,
| gallant COllingwOOd, and, a heavy gale
prevailing at the time. the ships were
riding to the wind, regardless of tide.
when night closed around us.
Some thirty sail of merchantmen. nm
| der convoy of one of our fastest fripates
We're anchored in the entrance Of the
| Downs, and between us and them Law
Two convict ships, while fleet of trans
| ports, with troops for the East Indies
were anchored just astern of us. the
largest-the Wellesley-being anchored
on our starbOard quarter, and scarce
three cables length distant.
Being senior passed midshipman of the
old Sovereign at the time, 1 was hOnOred
with supreme command of whole an
chOr watch, and having the first watch
that night, enjoyed the happiness ~ of
strutting the quarterback exposed to
the wind and rain, while my more hmm
bic and consequently more fortunate
Watch-mates sought shelter in the lee of
the bulwarks, or, slowed snugly he
meath the guns, whiled away the dreary
watch with yarns of dangers and battles
past.
1t had just struck three bells, and save
the measured tread of the sentinels on
duty, the pattering of the driving rain.
and the deep breathings of full six bnn,
dred sleepers, scarce a sound broke the
silence Teigning throughout the vast
hull of the old Sovereign. Even had
halted, half-deeming our dreary watch
at an end; and half supported by the
| cabin skylight, was indulging in visions
of calm repOse.
While standing thus, with face avert
lH fpnFf tnn lVfVr -,
gleam lllumined the darkness on our
starbOard quarter, incTeasings so rapidly,
that ere minute elapsed, the upper
| works, lower mast and yards of the Wei
| lesley, were plainly defined in the red
| glare. In an instant the truth flashed
upon me, she was on fire; and bounding
to the skylight shouted:
Forward gun of the starboard, for
ward division on the spar deck! Firep'
1t was our signal gun, and kept con-
| tlnually loaded, so that my order was
Obeyed in an instant, while | followed
up the report with the order, "BO'sen's
mate, pipe all hands to quarters"
The First Lieutenant was at my side
ere the sound of the mates shrill whistle
had ceased TeveTbeTating on our main,
gun and berth decks, when he instantly
OWNED the cause of the alarm, and as
suming command, shouted: Fire. fire!
/
guard, pass the engines up from belOwl
TOpmen, hook yard and stay tackles,
FOrecastleimen and sail trimmers, pass
the messenger and take to-"
In an instant all was hustle and pre-
paTatiOn, and ere lapse of two minutes
the report Of messenger passed. was
followed by that of "boats all ready;"
when Captain Wilmer, who had gained
the deck, shouted: "Officers in charge
Of hOafC In UOnr atafiOncf pOSoon nj
all boats away" l spTang from the
rail, gTasping the yard tackle, and in an
instant later landed in the launch, of
which | had command. We then fell off,
and in few moments were scudding
swiftly toward the burning ship. 1t is
almost needless to add that our example
was followed by the various command
ers in the fleet, and on dropping along
side the Wellesley, we mustered a fleet
of some sixty boats, capable of accom-
mOdating at least nine hundred hands,
a larger number, fortunately, than was
placed in peril.
The moment the first boat reached the
transport the work of debarkatiOn COM
menced, but, owing to the tremendous
gale and heavy sea, progressed but slow
ly, while the rapid advance of the fire
drove numbers from the deck to seek
safety i'll the sea, from which they were
1t was truly thrilling scene. The
hull of the transport was evidently con-
VeTted into perfect volcano, while from
each of her matches leaped a tongue of
flame, which, seizing on her fresh-tarred
rigging, transformed the whole mass
into a delicate tracery of fire, and
speedily consuming it, left her taut
spars to tumble one after another over
the stern, killing and dwOunding numbers
in their descent.
The catastrophe, although resulting
in death to many, proved a means Of
safety to many others who might other
wise have perished, as it established a
direct means of communication with
many of the boats which could not gain
position alongside. And thus the
work went on, boat after boat departing
with its load of scOrched, half naked
and shiVering troops, with slight
spr1nkllng of women and children,
until nearly all were saved, when the
task commenced of lowering the insensi.
bic forms of those who had been hurt
by the falling spars in the rush which
had taken place on the discovery of the
fire, or had tainted from excessive
fright.
Our boat being scarcely One-third full,
we hauled alongside to receive our
quota of the unfortunate creatures,
BILE, laying them in tier in the stern
sheets to the number of ten, when, haV-
ing as many as we could accommodate,
we dropped aSteTn, and shipping our
oars, we made futile attempt to regain
the Royal Sovereign. Finding that we
could not gain an inch, seized upon the
first lull in the gale to put the tilleT
hard up, when the launch swung off,
and catching the next sea broad on her
bow, careened so heavily that she haIf
filled, when the second caught fairly
astern, and fortunately righted her
bearing off some eight or ten fathOms
on its boiling, bubbIing crest, and Ieay-
ing us in proper position to scud with
safety.
The briny bath exercised a reanimat-
ing effect upon several of our insensi-
BILE cargo, one of whom-a femaIe-be-
trayed the fact of her restoration by Ioud.
ly demanding her child.
My child my child! Where is mylit-
tie Edward?" she demanded, in tones of
thrilling anguish. Tell me, for the
love Of heaven, if any of you have seen
"Merciful heavenl what do I hear
the voice ofmy benefactress? ?" exclaimed