Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-03

~, ~ -. ~ .~-.s :. $3.50. -
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txsw York 1snseal
Th< ship Alert. Of Boston, which len
1his pert fbr Shanghai in October hast,
Wax struck BY liEhSning and burned on
November 18th. shout 500 milcsnorth Of
ths equator. The crew Of twcnty-onc
persons, Including the captains wife and
HI little boy, were rescued by French
se<amship and landed It Pcrnambucc.
Nine Of the AIcrt's people, including
the captains family, took passage on
the Marenheuse, which landed them at
this port yesterday.
Tho loss Of the Alert is one Of the
most curious disasters Of the kind on
record. Captain Jsrrie G. Park, Of the
burned vessel, states that he had cargo
Of 10000 cases Of oil when he left this
pert. The weather and winds were gem
orally favorable until November l4th,
when the ship was in latitude 3 degrees
~ minutes north, and ~ degrees 10
minutes west. Early that morning the
trade Winds which had carried the yes
sci along for some days, were lost. 1t
then became black in all directions
rain-squslls were seen hurrying along
the horizon. Flashes OF lightning darted
out Of the distant clouds, and squalls
swept across the course OF the ship, but
the see around her seemed influenced
by that peculiar depressing quiet which
pfecedes storm.
At about 10 o'clock a husa clond
psssed over the vessel and IA, fell IN
torrents. Lightning flashed IN all quar-
ttrs and peals Of thunder seemed to
shake the heavens. Suddenly the SKY
and sea were illuminated by binding
chain Of lightning. Seamen fell TO the
deck. which shook under them as II the
vessel had struck rock. while the
thunder still reycrbcrated above them,
the sailors saw a shower Of splinters
strike the deck forward. The fore
royelmast had been struck ana the
royal yard shattered and the canvas oil
the royal torn but otherwise the light
ming appeared to have caused no dam
age. The rain then became lighter, and
the liehtnings played only about the
horizon TO leeward.
Captain Park was congratulating
himself hall an hour later on MS nav
ing escaped with so little damage, when
sailor hurried breathlessly aft and IN
formed him that smoke was coming up
nom the fore-hatch, which had been
covered by tarpaulin to keep ont the
rain. Captain Park rushed to the place,
The tarpauiin had oecn removed ana
the hatch, from AROUND the e"ses VI
which smoke was creeping up was
iii'ec. a volume Vi sunooa.n's s"'oN,
poured ou'; ine lightning "a ~, p 'a,,sa
m,o ,hc noiu anu set i'c ~ IN 'ne NJ ~.
All hanos were Low IN W III III ,ras s
pump aSou ~ ""e''s w." -
nai'hed' ana 'he sea'neh io'i".u q nv, my
ana poured puche's u "a''' '"'o '''
hatch.
IL was Impossible 20 gee iur'her ''li'h
the mouth OF the hatch, OWING 70 inc
density OF the smoke. Inc Wa'er' III
s'ead oil checshig '',s' seeiiou " ~
II to pour up more denseiy anu rapiuiy'
,he men "e'o 'ov" $3.50 :, 10, =
their posts, ana were fceu'o oea' :"
hasty retreat.
"fatten down 'he matches Srieu
the captain. TOOLS were Drough. rom
the carpenter s-shop, ana the hatch was
placed on by seVera haii-sanoca'eu
Wsr; Seamsn were sent " we mann
Aid LOBBY matches to battcn those down
ntyo. IL was the captains intention TO
focd the decks with water after the
hafchcs had been battencd down, in the
hope that the fire would die out in the
alright hold. The men went to work
with a will, but before the battening
down had been half completed the ship
shock from stem TO stern under the
1hoek of an explosion. The matches
~ up in the air amid loud reports,
"a thc men were flung to either side
a ihe vessel. When they picked them
&1Ifrs up they found that each ha'ci
Wes belching forth dense volumes OF
hot smoke, st the base oil wmen niue
tongues Of flame were licking 'he'r way
upward.
Captain Park rushed 10 inc caoih'
where he found his wife holding her
child in her arms and trying to look
calmly at the dangers which beset her.
After telling her 10 remain where she
was until he called her, the captain went
on the deck, where the smoke was now
so thick that he had to grope ms way
along. The seamen stood at the oul-
warks. Some were regarding WIN 'ei-
rified looks the flames winch were Dart
ing up from the hatches' while others
were gazing anxiously AT inc hori]on'
as though they hoped to see some pass
irs vessel. The Alert was then i'ooV
miles from the nearest land.
I'VE must abandon the ship sand
Csptain Park to his officers. Under
the supervision of the latter, three
boats were lowered aud quantity Of
pro,isions and water and some coarse
clothing were placed in them. 1t was
still stormy and rain was falling, but IL
the excitement of the struggle TO sub.