The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-08-10
IGNIIS or THE DEEP,
Torrible Battle With Fire on the
Ship Cedarbank.

There arrived at San Francisco,
on the evening of July ~, the Bri-
tish four masted steel ship Cedar
bank, which had for month and
week been veritable floating
volcano on the wild ocean. The
ship left Newcastle, n. S. W., March
}, for San Francisco with nearly
1000 tons of coal
On the 10th the Cedarbank en-
countered u storm and, before the
sun went down, the splendid ship
was rolling in the trough of fear
ful sea, dismantied wreck. The
mizzenmast and jiggermast were
hanging over the side, and every
stitch of canvas on the fore and
main-masts had been blown away.
The big seas were making a clean
breach over her, and for nearly
twenty-four hours the crew could do
nothing to relieve the ship. Then
the wind and sea went down a little
and the wreck was cut adrift.
After hard work by officers and
men the vessel was headed for Sgd
ney, then about 700 miles away, aud
that port was reached March 81.
There the ship was repaired and by
April % the Cedarbank was ready
to resume her voyage. All went
well and fair progress was made
until June 70, when the fearful dis
covery was made that the cargo was
on fire. Captain Moody was noti-
fed, who ordered the matches taken
+, off and an investigation made.
Dense clouds of black smoke drove
the men back from the opened
hatchwavs. The matches were bat
tened down in hope of smothering
the fire, but when again opened
June "A, dense clouds of smoke and
gas poured out OF the hold.
The boats were got ready for
leaving the ship, and the officers,
who were to command them, were
given the course and distance to
Honolulu, the nearest port. The
ship was headed for Honolulu and
the steam pumps Were started. a
heavy stream OF water was poured
into the hold all night. In the
morning the crew were overjoyed at
appearances of the fire having been
checked. Again the hatches were
removed aud the work OF jettisoning
the cargo began. The temperature
was lbs degrees but the sailors work
ed like demons until night, when
about 300 tons of Goa! had been
taken out and thrown overheard
AS soon as the matches could be
closed the pumps were started again,
and the dense volumes of steam
and smoke which poured out OF
the ventilators showed that the fire
vas rapidly gaining heIdway. There
were i inches Of water in the hold
The pitch was boiling in the decks
and thermometer held against the
mizzenmast registered 135 degrees
A ship was sighted on July IA, and
another the next day, but neither
noticed the Cedarbank's signal OF
distress. The terrible struggle and
suspense went on until Sunday, July
l6, when, at 1:3O in the morning, a
terrific explosion. occurred which
seemed to fairly lift the big ship out
of water. No. hatch was blown of
J and the next instant "a volume OF
flame shot into the air as high as
the maintopsail yard. The fright
ened crew made rush for the boats
and began to lower them into the
water, thinking the ship was about
to founder. The first boat had hard.
ly struck the water when a second
explosion occurred, and once more
the flames shot high into the air
setting fire to the lower rigging ano
some of the sails.
, Captain Moody and Chief Officer
Laurie, however, would not give uE
, the fight. The explosions seemed
to deaden the fire, as the ship grew
cooler after them. Finding that the
fire was still in check, the crew hoist
| ed the boats and the Cedarbanl
headed for San Francisco under
every stitch of sail she could carry
For fourteen days and nights The
men obeyed every order given with
t out murmur, and not one of then
, took off his clothes or lay down dur
, ing the whole Of that time. As tn,
ship neared San Francisco the hopes
of the crew rose higher and highe
3 until Wednesday night, July 2G
. when several more explosions occur
red. The first took place at o'clocl
= and blew the matches off No. 2. Th,
crew covered their faces with we
V cloths and after sharp struggle tn
n matches were again put on and bat
Tened down.
Half an hour later another explo
sion blew the same hatches off and
lew minutes later the hal ches on No
: 3 were lifted high into the air, while
o tlalncs and smoke poured out Of th'
hold. Two more explosions follow
y ed, both in No. 2 hatch, and thel
: the crew thought he ship was goin.
: TO the bottom.
r At > o'clock Thursday mornin,
+ the tug Vigilant was sighted, and i
= did not take Captain Mccoy long t.
: make his hawser fast to the burnin;
! ship. Then for the first time sine
+ the fire was discovered the faces o
a the entire crew were wreathed j.
a smiles, for they realized that the
a were safe. The Vigilant rushed tn
!, burning ship into port as fast a
steam could carry her, and at
O'Clock i'm the eVeulnp la Cpdarban