The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-03-31
BURNED At SEA

SAN FRANCISCO March 23-Captain
G. G. Grant, who was in command of
the American ship Clarence S. Bement
when the vessel burned at sea on De-
cember 23d last when nearing Cape
Horn on the passage from Newport
News to this port, arrived here yester-
day on the steamer City of Sydney.
With him were First Mate r. r. Grind
ley and Carpenter J. b. TRULY of the
Inflated ship The other twenty-one
men of the crew We're, at last accounts,
on their way from Port Stanley, Falk-
land islands, to Montevideo, where the
American Consul was expected to look
after them.
Meager details of the loss of the Clar-
ence S. Bement were received here on
January 9th in a telegram from London,
which reported that the ship had burn
ed at sea and that the crew had arriv-
ed at Port Stanley. Captain Grant said
/ yesterday that the Bement had made a
good run to a far, southern latitude,
when, at noon on December pod, Second
Mate Porter discovered smoke coming
from the ventilator in the amidships
house. There was no sign of fire in the
! matches at that time. All hands were
called and Immediately preparations
made for fighting the fire; but it was
soon learned that it could not be eX-
! tinguished. Captain Grant then had
provisions and water placed in the
boats and the ship was steered for the
Falkland islands, 200 miles distant. The
7 a. Of
north of Cape st. John, Staten land.
When the ship was fairly on her
course in the west-northwest gale and
! high sea that was running, the fire be-
! low decks was famed into greater en-
ergy and the wooden decks became hot
despite the large quantities of water
/ that were poured over them. Particular
attention was, however, paid to reach
! ing land and the ship, with topsails
set, ran at a great rate toward the
| Falklands. All night the ship was
crowded along, all hands were kept up
| to the keenest edge of excitement and
the fire was roaring beneath the decks.
The pitch boiled and ran from the
cracks, and there was momentary eX-
pectatiOn of the flames bursting
through the deck. But the Bement liv-
ed through the night and morning dis
covered Cape Meredith above the hori-
zon. Running into a blight near Fox
bay, Captain Grant dropped the ships
two anchors in twenty-five fathoms of
water, and, with his crew, took to the
boats. By that time fire was creeping
up the iron masts and had enveloped
the houses.
For twelve hours after taking to the
boats Captain Grant and his men were
at sea before making land. They suf-
fered no hardships and were fortunate,
on landing near Fox bay, to meet a
Scotch sheepman, who Hospitality took
them in and gave them a temporary
home. A schooner that put in a few
days later took all hands to Port Stan
ley, and four days later Captain Grant
and the mate and carpenter took pass
age on the British steamer Victoria for
Valparaiso, the others, except the Jap
anese steward, proceeding to Montevi-
dec on a coasting steamer. The stew
ard decided to remain with the Scotch
man at Fox bay Before leaving Port
Stanley Captain Grant saw that moth
ing wasleft of the Bement but the hull
the steel masts having entirely melted
Captain Grant and his two compan-
ions were at Valparaiso for four days
and took the steamer Colombia tc
Panama, transferring there TO the
city OF sydney for this city Grant
was formerly I'm command of the shiI
NJ J.. Grace, and had been master OF
the Clarence $, Rement for two and d