Evening journal., 1897-07-06
SHIP ON FIRE At SEA
Thrilling Story Told by Sailors
of the Belle of Bath.
WAS BURNED TO WATERS EDGE.
The Men Escaped In Small Boats and
Sailed One Hundred and Fifty Miles TO
Eject a Landlng-seamen Were
Accused Of starting the Fire.

New York. July Con board the
Prince line steamer Sandman Prince,
which has Just arrived from South
American ports via Barbados, were
Chief officer T. Cox. Second officer
George Harris and 10 searnen belonging
to the ship Belle Of Bath of searsport.
Mo. which left this port on June 2
bound for Hongkong with cargo of
case oil, and which took fire and was
burned at sea on June is.
The vessel quickly became a mass OF
flames, and the ships crew were COM
PEELED to take TO the boats and sailed a
distance of 150 miles to Barbados, which
port was reached on Sunday morning.
the goth. Captain Curtis, the Belle Of
Baths master, remained at Barbados
and expected to sail for home within a
few days.
The following particulars Of the loss
of the vessel was learned from the crew
at quarantine: The Belle of Bath left
New York on June 2. All went well un-
I'll the 9th, when the vessel was found
to be leaking. The men were at once
set to work at the pumps. They work
ed in gangs for nine days. until the
18th. when fire was discovered in the
| forecastle
The captain, on being notified, ran
forward and ordered the matches bat
tened down and the ship hove TO. Dense
volumes of black smoke rolled out OF
the forecastle. and Il was evident that
the ship was doomed.
The boats were provisioned and or
dered to be lowered. Within half an
hour after the alarm was given the ship
( was one mass of flames.
Ns.N
lay to to leeward Of the vessel for
about 10 minutes, when the flames sud
denly burst out. and the vessel became
a mass of flames.
The captain then gave orders to sal
for Barbados. and the three boats
reached Carlisle bay within AS hours
The crew could give no reason as tC
the cause of the fire, although II was
reported at Barbados that Captain Cur
tbs accused the crew Of setting fire e
the ship in order to escape the work a.
the pumps.
Crew Denied Firing the Vessel.
This the crew Indignantly denied
They stated that the vessel had fai
weather until the afternoon OF June
and that the pumps had been kept go
ing to keep the vessel free. About
! I
ed and the vessel found to be maxim
water rapidly.
The entire crew were at once ordere
to the pumps and they finally succeed
ed in getting her free. Shortly after
ward, the leak still continuing. IN
men were put in gangs TO pump tn
vessel day and night The leak wa
kept under control. but after a week
constant labor the crew became eS
hausted.
They bore up bravely until the l7t
when a strong gale was encountered
and the leak increased faster than the
I could pump It out. They were encoui
aged in their labors by the captain. WI
70 had great hopes of reaching Barbado
on the 18th two OF the seaman in goin
into the forecastle discovered a clou
Of smoke coming up out Of the forehol'
. They shouted TO the second mate. WI
e rushed forward. quickly followed by II
r captain.
I A moments inspection showed the
b the vessels peril orders were at on'
q given to heave the ship to. The yarC
- were quickly backed and the thr'
t boats made ready to be lowered to Il
= water.
The chief officer and eight seamen e.
INTO the uThk Dohli the HcColl ihdAe 81
five men into the second, the last boz
q containing the captain and the remaii
= ing five men. The captain was the la
man to leave the vessel.
= The boats pulled to leeward and la
:, to until the masts We're burned out
4 their vessel and they then bore aws
. for Barbados. Under light canvas tbs
y made 120 miles in "a hours and final
= reached Carlisle bay on the 20th.
The Belle OF Bath registered 1,3
tons and was built at Bath. Me-,
1877. Captain Curtis was part own
- Of the vessel.