New-York tribune., 1896-07-29
THE PORTSMOUTH ON FIRE.

The PORTSMOUTH On F1RE.
NEW JERSEY NAVAL RESERVES HAVE
AN EXCITING DAY ABOARD SHIP
DANGER FROM AN IMPERFECT BOILER
AMATEUR TARs EXPERIENCE
STORM AT SEA.
Fishers Island. y. V. July 2s (SpecIaD.-The Bat
talon OF the East Naval Reserve OF New-Jersey.
had experience while their cruise up the
Sound yesterday that they will not soon forget o.
all the dangers at fire is the most feared by
seamen II that emergency with which the
amateur sailors had 10 contend and It only
through the cooness and ability OF the officers and
the prompt obedience Of che that the historic
old Portsmouth was saved from ahlpwreck by fire.
Anchor was weighed az Glen Cove at 10 O'Clock
IN the morning. and. with all sails SET the old ship
proceeded up the Sound. bound Tor Fishers Island
Everything along in good shape until $3.50
o'clock In the afternoon. The young tars handled
the sails IN fine style and the vessel scudding
along under fve-knot breeze, when the fire was
discovered On the berth-deck Is a fve-horse-power
engine that runs the electric light dynamo. Assist
ant Engineer Heckstan in charge and SLOW
fire was burning in the hrebox Equipment Yeoman
Daniel Dugan, acting as master-at-arms. was pass
ing by the englne-room when he noticed d small
column OF smoke coming up between the seams OF
the deck. He promptly informed Lieutenan; Blount,
the officer Of che deck. and Commander Washington
Irving. Both officers received the report with grea.
cooness and Immediately repaired the OF
the fire. Word was Sent TO Executive Officer Craven,
and the two comma ndlng officers down into
the storerooms below the engine and made an in
specton. They promptly took measures to
tingush the fire Acting Ships Carpenter Doll was
hastily summoned. and with gang OF men from
the engineers division, under Lieutenant B. +. Hart.
ces ended into the storerooms. With axes and
chisels the tin and copper work away ex-
posing the two-inch oak panking When these were
ripped away 1t found that the fire confined
TO the oakum packing between decks Pieces o;
charred timber three inches long were pulled out.
showing that the fire deep-seated.
Meanwhile the pumps were manned and the noz-
zes Of the irchcse were directed the decks. The
men at work in the storerooms were drenched 70 the
skin with the spray, bu; they kept their task until
the fire under control This part OF the work
occupied hour when. make that every
thing was safe. more pianklng was torn away and
the hose turned at intervals until o'clock when
everything was reported safe Meanwhile Leuten-
ant Blount had the crew stationed upon the spar
deck and all the boats in readiness should the fire.
fighters fall TO gei control OF the flames. Through
out the exciting episode the men were perfectly cool
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE
Commander Irving and Lieutenant Commander
Craven personally directed the work and Sc; an ex-
ample for the men by their composure. When all
it discovered that a hot coal had
dropped between the bricks forming the foundation
10 the engine and had fallen between the seams OF
the upper covering Of the berth deck setting fire to
the oakum packing. IL also found that the
bricks had been improperly SET and that instead of
been used /, tired and grimy but thankful
set OF men that cTept from the rooms beneath the
time during the exciting period me commanding OH
GERS gave evidence Of their anxiety by giving ven;
10 a Sigh OF relief
Only few hours before the fire discovered
the nerves Of the officers mad been edge by
startling discovery made by Lieutenant Hart while
inspecting the engine. In the dome Of the boiler ne
ia Inspection revealed the presence Of small hole
that had been up nsea6 w5 on Tng
and the hole was at once, properly boted .
sub.ednentiy said TO- The TRIBUNE reporter 4 can
not understand Why a firm should deliver an article
II svn Was suSa eID suppose he hole originally
intended for a whistle or valve. and not ocns used
for that purpose mad been putied up by some care
less workman.
AT THE MERCY OF A STORM.
Scarcely had these dangers been overcome than
the amateur tars were given their first experience
in handling sail in a storm The young sailors
climbed into the upper rigging and soon all the
upper topsaiis were taken down. To lend 10 the
dlsagreeable features Of the situation, brilliant anu
terrific crashes Of lightning helped tension the
nerves Of those aof The men we're and a ab9ugh N
many OF them had been on cuty during me ,le,
deck and worSed like beavers to house all SAN.
When these experiences had passed CommandeE
hours retired 70 his cabin cat well pea5edd nd rSa Tsn
bllity OF his men Before retiring ne ordered & INA,
the hose be turned at intervals through me night
to guard against the least posslQy OF lrc' re "as
also pleased the conduct Of the historic od craft
which showed that she sun possessed her ou-Vhe
good qualities ard seawortnlness ,., =. ,,oo
The damage done by the fire IL estimated a. SlW
1t was almost midnight when ne storm nad bioWn aoN
clouds. The moon loomea up aha ,"s 80, IT, s,ann ~
turned into the. hammocks fGr ies isand est
house off the port bow, ana the nahds Ters
called on deck to ur sal a ot bfore the
anchor was grounded. When everything was secure
all hands with the exception , 9i ine baf the cruise
is destined 10 be thorough success
THE MEMS WORK SATISFACTORY.
rh. frat dav O, practical searnanship passed off
utthou, a hitch The officers. all competent and ex-
nerenced men, watched the movements OF the green
crew closely The work OF heaving or weighing
anchor which Il dor by the old-fashoned capstan
and catfish appliances, was all explained before tne
order to Perform m Me on which was market the
shin's course stood the bridge directing the WORK
Of the Every four P hours and the
regular routine practsed on shipboard was oo-
served. >,.-. .....o1 -, har .,a,.
n S@w-York and a searchiight was turned upon
the Portsmouth exposing the outlines Vi the sdia1
cid TO ne passengers.
o'a asantliy Of stores was received a, New-London
This morning Anchor Will be again weighed to-
Warfbss vineyard the turning point Of the cruise
SEARCHING FOR HIS MISSING WIFE.
Orange. July Is (speciaD-Joseph W. Greaves' OF
Timer Montcair called at the Orange police sta
,ion This morning and asked that search be maze
for his wife Ida who has been missing since July