New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-24
THE EGYPT BURNED AT SEA.
HER CREW ARRIVE AT DOVER ON THE
TANK STEAMER MANHATTAN.
as FAR AS KNOWN NO LIVES Losr-THE Ma
u1oNAI LINE VESSEL ABANDONED WHILE
aupN1NG-A coMBUsTIBLE CARGO OF
CATTLE, COTTON AND LARD
NO FIRsTCLAsS PAssEN-
GERS ON BOARD.

landau Julv 23-The Dutch steamer Spaarn-
dam CAPTAIN Boujer, from New-lo lork, July IL
Cor Roulogne and Rotterdam, passed Isle OF
whit today She signaled that the National
line steamer Egypt, Captain Sumner, from New
Work July 10, for Liverpool had been ao"h-
Aoned on fire at sea. and that her crew WeIe on
hoard the British tank steamer Manhattan
Captain Robinson, from New-YoTk. July 9, Tor
Hull. and would be landed at Dover
The Egypt did not carry any hrst-ciass pass
engers. 1.s o,0u,
early in the morning.
The dispatcbes from London yesterday that the
steamer Erypt. of the National Line, had been
burned at sea, but that her crew OF slAty-seNeh
men had been rescued, created great interest III
this city. The tidings came from captain Boyer
of the steamer Spaarndam, of the Netherlands
American Navigation Company, who slSnalled as
the Spaarndam passed the Isle Of Wight at an
carly hour yesterday that the Egypt had been
burned and abandoned and that her crew were Oh
The British oil steamer Manhattan, Captain Koolh-
son. which was proceeding to Hull, and might
land the crew of the Egypt at Dover. No par
ticulars of the fire received at the steamship
offices here up to a late hour Yesterday afternoon
The news of the burning of the Egypt was re-
ceived here about noon and spread rapidly through
maritime circles. But there little information
10 be obtained beyond the bare facts announced
from London. The Egypt sailed from TINS port
on July 0, but her agents at NO. - olate-St'
professed 10 know nothing about the disaster that
had bcfallen the vessel, except that kilograms hah
come here saving that the Egypt had been burned
at sea and her crew saved. +. W. j. Hurst, man
acer of the line could say nothing definite about
the affair." but several of the employees IN the
office expressed the hope that it might be another
steamer, saying that to-day might bring contra
dictory news. This is the second steamer whlch
the National Line has lost since December, the first
being the Erin, which sailed from here on De-
oember % and went down with all hands on board.
The Egypt was stored with valuable cargo of
miscellaneous and infammable nature when she
sailed from this port. 1t included considerable
cotton lard tallow and woodenware. She also
had GAO head of cattle. The Egypt has not car
red passengers for several years, except on the
eastern trip, and fortunately she had none on TINS.
OF late she had been used as transport, ana on
this ill-fated trip had cargo which is estimated
roughly as worth S225,00O or S25O,OOO. IL was
partially insured. Some of the articles were 30
COO bushels of wheat, 1881 bales of cotton 246,-
500 pounds of bacon, SCI bales OF hay, 24,Io6
pounds of lard, 10 barrels of cOttonsecd oil, 11O
barrels of glucose, $1,000 pounds of tallow, 500
considerable wOodenwaTe.
No information could be obtained yesterday
which would explain the origin of the fire, but
saasls Rug the infiammable nature of the cargo
IL is easy TO see that when fire once started in
the cargo it would be extremely dlhcult 10
handle II Is possible that the fire was originated
by one Of the smokers among the crew, VINO SET
the cotton on FIRE. Ii was not known yesterday
when where the steamer was abandoned. BGt
the struggle TO put out the ire anu the panic
among the Gao head of cattle must have oeeh d
fearful scene. The cattle were stalled IN pens
on the main deck. They were shipped by Goid-
smith, the cattle broker, it IS said, who
shipped the lot that were lost on me
trin Ii is said that a number of people had de-
sired TO engage s;eerage passage on the Egypt,
and at the last moment had to give up thelr UP
because there was no room for them on on ,IaG 1ne
who were employed cattle tenders.
The Egypt was once famous passenger sie'ii1
er. She was built in ISL by the LlVerpool l
Shipbuilding Company, and was conSIdcreI once
as one of the finest steamers afoat The BTlush
Government engaged her even as recently as
Alaska. Umbria and other vessels as transports
when trouble Threatened with KuSsia. but
with the building of such steamers as tne Clty OI
Paris the CITY of New York, the Icutonlc, the
MAI NoImannia Columbia, the AnguS'a
Victoria and other crack liners, the Egypt sunk
down to cattle transp9rt Se EaS tons %T rpss Pes
ard 1857 net. She was 4lc3 feet long, 44.5
wide and 36.5 deep. ,
The Egypt had four masts. the two forward
ones being square rggcd which gave her large
spread of canvas Six years ago the Egypt was
repaired and thoroughly overhaulcd. She hn
eight watertight compartments, compound en-
gines and six boilers. The company IS scll-ln-
surng that is, sets aside certain sum OF money
for each steamer as a protection against loss
The Egypt was commanded by Captain James
Sumner the commodore of the National Line who
has the reputation Of being careful and eNceHcht
seaman The Manhattan, which saved the crew,
is employed by the Standard Oil Company