The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-15
BURNED AT SEA.
True Story of the Destruction Of the Pacific
Mail Steamer Japan.

True Story of the Destruction OF the Pacific
Mail Steamer Japan.
Pttsburg Dispatch.
The whole maritime world was electrified
when, on October 10, 1872 the news was spread
that the Pacific Mail steamship Japan, Captain
Warsaw, was burned II the Formosa channel a
few days previously, and all hands, except few,
were drowned. At the time a hearing had
IN the United States Consular Office, but no one
could toll just how the fire originated and after
suspending Captain Warsaw, the matter was
allowed to drop out of sight. The survivors
told many conflicting stories at the time, and
the San francisco press published many of them.
Yesterday, while in conversation with Mr..
William McMahon, a reporter alluded to the
case, and was agreeably surprised to learn that
Mr.. McMahon knew all about it. Stripped of
nautical language his story is as follows;
I'VE left San Francisco, Cal, with full
freight and fully 1000 passengers most of whom
were Cinnamon returning to their homes after a
soJourn In America and earning sufficient money
to keep them for the remainder of their lives
She was, If you remember, side wheel ship of
some $500 tons, and built up all around the
guards, thus afordlng shelter to the live cattle
taken along TO supply the table She was
manned exclusively by Cinnamon, having them
in the fire ROOM the saloon, the galley and on
deck. Chinaman having money is miserable
if he cannot gamble, and the rules of the ship
forbade gambling. The Cinnamon would crawl
into space timbercd off in the forward end of
the guards, and there play tau until they We're
driven out by the heat. To obviate this diff
Guilty they cut through plank over their head,
which let in air from the stable, and the China
man who fed the cattle was bribed to keep
silence on the subject
1t was grand moonlit night on the Pacific
ocean, and the air was given motion by the cool
ing breezes, allowing the most timid to walk the
decks the ship was steady as a ball room
floor. Captain Warsaw was explaining to the
crowd of lady passengers in his room how 1t was
that day was lost or gained as you crossed the
meridian east or west bound, and much fun and
laughter was occasioEed by the comlcal reason
ings of many who could not understand this
The wind freshened the ship entered the
monsoons in the Straits of FormoSa, and all her
square sail was set to help her along. She was
bowling off about thirteen miles an hour, and all
hands had retired to their rooms, expecting to be
called when the ship should make the light on
the north point of the island of Formosa. | was
on the main deck, directing the flashing of some
gear, and seeing all things clear for fire, as was
my usual wont before yielding up the deck to
my relief and missing some of the Cinnamon of
the watch, [ went to the guards to see if they
were slowed in among the cattle, favorite place
for them, and, as opened the door, dense
black smoke rolled out into the
shees Of ame dartsG out a ndp0 took
hold of the woodwork before I could regain my
feet. instinctively crawled into the cattle pen
and there, under the planks were five Cinnamon
wedged In the grip of death, each trying to force
sell his life dearly. The flames We're then roast
ing them, their bursting eyeballs were cracked
by the heat, and their heartrending shrieks for
freedom ring in my ears yet. No help could
come to them and they miserably persisted.
slowly burned to death in the trap they had
made for themselves to gamble in.
But what sight deck. The whole
crowd of Cinnamon had broken out Of the
tween decks, and we're rushing around in the
glare of the great tongues of flame like so many
able. Captain Warsaw had jumped from his bed
and cut the top sail haliiards, and ordered the
wheel down. thus bringing the ships head to the
wind, and, unfortunately driving all the flame
and smoke into the fire and engine rooms and
forcing the engineers and firemen to flee for
their lives. The cabin passengers, men, women
and children, rushed about the decks of the
doomed ship, and would run from side
to side in terror, trying to escape. Some of us
got three boats in the water, but they were
swamped, and some of the little rats were
launched, on which some jumped and from which
many were washed away, never to return. At
this juncture the forward half of the ship blew
up, and that was the most awful moment of ALL
Fully four hundred human beings were precipi-
tated into the death pit, and the cries and shreks
as the f1ames-now reinforced by the cargo
encirced them were terrible to hear One man.
whom did not know. saw his wife in the burn
ing, seethng mass of humanity, and, grasping a
rope, jumped deliberately into the burning vor-
tex to her rescue, and both persisted. The cattle
that had got loose now came forward to the
edge Of the sea of flame and were let into it, and
plunged and cried almost with human
plaintiveness for help. The flames were
back step by step, knowing they
had no hope as all the boats were gone. Realiz-
ing their position, special Providence seemed
to bless them with dethronement of reason, and
they jumped by the score into the waves with
demoniacal yells and laughter that chill my
blood to this day A sudden heavy lurch to port
told the fearful story that all must 90, and
grasping hold of part of the wrecked pilot
house, four OF us worked it clear from the wreck
and slid overheard on top Of it. We padded
away from the mountain of flames as the heat
was unbearable and as we padded we were
troubled to keep the boards used for paddles off
the bodies of the dead men and women who
foated face up for the most part, their CHASTITY
features against the dark background of water
forming thrilling picture Shortly after we
left great explosion was heard-the boiler had
husband the cone of fire and fame fell over
sideways, and, with great dive, disappeared
from human view. The darkness was intense
and we were compelled to hold hard to main
tain our position on the pilot-hOuse. Now and
again we could hear the hea:trending cry of
some poor soul as he or she was engulfed in the
waves
Cali that night we drifted about in the heavy
sea, constantly coming in contact with dead
bodies, and constantly lodging the great Zero
cous sharks that swarmed around us and Toasted
on the bodies of our poor comrades. In the
morning we were gladdened by sail to wind
ward, and shortly after | passed over her rail
only to fall senseiess, and not TO recover reason
for two months. By that time the court of in
quiry had finished its sitting and never cared
to tell of the matter, it could do no good The
fact is however, that the Japan was burned by
the Cinnamon who were gambling under the
stable, and who careessly set fire to the hay
above and around them, and then lost their lives
in struggling to get through An aperture where
only one could pass"