The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-17
Inflated SHIP
ON HAMILTON FLAT
Flames Burst Out Afresh After
( Balmes Reaches Bermudan
Port.
Stuck to Their Posts While
. Grim Flames Reared Around
: Them---Nessel a Wreck
Crews Heroic Work.

HAMILTON, BERMUDA, Nov. Ia
The Spanish steamer Balmcs, az the
Pinillos tine. which caught fire last
Wednesday, night, SEQ miles from TINS
port and hose I0S passengers were
rescued from their perilous situation
Oh Friday by the Cunard liner Pam
sonia which rushed to the assistance
81 the vessel after receiving her Wire
lass call for assistance, arrived here
mis- morning, conveyed by the fan-
Ronia The rescuin~ steamer accom-
oanied the Baimes Ia bermuda as the
are in the hold was stil blazing and
the crew continued their long fight on
the flames
The rsnuonia. with the 1ns rescued
passengers, proceeded on her way tu
New York WHORE she is expected 20
8xrIve TUESDAY, The crew Of tho
Blaine cheeretl as the Cunardcr steam
vi away ard those aboard The TaHn0nfa
responded heartily,
High tributes were paid by the pas
senEers 10 the work Of the captain
nd crew Of the Balmes in transferring
them 10 the Panuonla The spanish
sailors refused to abandon the ship at
ter the passengers had been taken OF
and stuck TO their posts manfully
fEhtinS the FIRE. although half suno-
Gated by the smoke.
The fire was discovered by Third Of
ncer Eutinq Curaiu at O'clock Wed
nesday evening in Nc . hatch, abaft
the foremast
Fire In Insser Held.
~~ffe reported To Second OHcer Guer-
rero and Captain Ruiz. The latter
ordered holes To be drilled in the deck
ard water poured into the cotton NIL
ID hold. As the FIRE continued to spread
and tr4r,nGGgbta hose N
fighting the flames steam was turned
Into the hold
The efforts Of the FIRE fighters were
vain and Captain RUIZ ordered the
wireless operator to send out the S ..
Z. call The Ralmes was then in iatl-
t1de 3ois N longitude 1896 w. \
response came from the Pannonia
waich said she was in latitude $500
longitude 540B w An indistinet
rom the British cruiser suffolk, but
nothing more was heard from the war
ship
Less than twelve hours after the
Pannonia heard the call for help she
had covered the $50 miles Intervening
and at Gao o'clock Thursday evening
she was alongside ready to give aid.
The pannonia. which is not a very fast
ship. made - knots In her race to
the stricken vessel
Captain Ruiz replied to re mega
phone inquiries Of Captain Cnpper, OF
--irr -1ri-rc1rta. -rl7lt rr1cre Was To nm
rlfdtate danger and the Canardcr
taeereupon stood by until next morn
ing with her ufeboats ready to be
lowered in case OF emergency. The
transfer 81 the passengers. mostly
Spaniards returning TO their native
land from Cuba. was made at $50
-.
taken TO the Pannonia In the llfeboats
Of the Baitnes In spite Of rough
sea the travellers including many We
men were cool and collected and the
transfer Was made without the slight
est fnishap.
Crew stuck to Post.
After the passengers were aboard
the Pannonia Captain Capper asked the
SpAnlsh captain whether he and his
crew desired to come aboard Captain
Ruiz said they were going To stick to
the ship and take her TO Bermuda II
possible, The PannonIa therefore
headed for Bermuda at "A speed Of Is
knots go as not to lose sight of the
Balmea whose crew bent their efforts
to keep the flames in check The flames
from the burning cotton soon reached
the huDkers and invaded the engine
room and stoke hold. Despite this and
the TACT tila1 mere was imminent
danger Of the fire spreading 10 the
cargo OF rum and causing a disastrous
explosion. the stokers and sailors re
fused 10 abandon their posts. They al
suffered from the smoke and s~rerzl
men vert overcome. when the Haifnes
arrived In this port the steamer was
taken to ST Georges and the matches
opened, Smoke and flames burst forth
from every point and the Ere boats
OF this port began TO pour heav~
streams Of water on the FIR. Fhe
steamer is aground on a mud bank