THE LEADING WIND FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 91, 21 April 1891, Page 2

THE LEADING WIND FIRE.

CONCLUSION OF THE INQUIRY.

AN OPEN VERDICT,

After we went to press yesterday the following evidence was taken at the coroner' inquest in the Wavorley Hotel into tho circumstances attending tho outbreak of fire on board the American ship Lead. ing Wind in this porb in January last :— George Smith deposed that he was second mate on board the ship Leading Wind in January last. They commenced to take cargo about tho 7th of January last at tn. Quay-street jetty. On tho day previous to the firo he smelt something burning on board. He was engaged mixing paint forward, and on coming past tho galley door he smelt whab ho took to be fire. Ho reported this at once to tho chief officer, who' was on the poop at the time. He and tho chief mate then went and examined the ship, and on this occasion thoy did not smell anything, though thoy examined tho 'tween decks and mado a thorough search. Later on, about 4.30 p.m., witness mado a further search by himself all about, but neither saw norsmelt anything. On the evening of tho lire he left the shin and went ashore, about 8 p.m., and returned when tho alarm of fire was raised. The night watchman on that date was a reliable, careful man. Hecould not account in any way for tho origin of the fire. William Field deposed that he was captain of the Auckland Salvage Corps. He heard the alarm of fire on board ship given at 11.30 on the night of the 22nd January, and he went down to tho Leading Wind with Captain Hughes and the Fire Brigade. On arriving on board he saw smoke issuing from the fore hold. He remained on board till the ship left the wharf, during which time the brigade were making efforts to extinguish tho fire. After tho cargo had been taken out of the ship he examined her, and came to tho conclusion that tho fire originated abaft the foremast, in the lower hold. His opinion was that the fire spread thence up the loremast to tho 'tween decks, and also spread , along from tho foremast both fore and P.ft. ; There had been a report current just alter the fire that a bale of flax had been on fare before being shipped on the Leading Wind. He could riot say what tho origin of tho fire was. Ho did not think thab damp flax would be liable to ignite spontaneously. There was sufficient depth of water alongside the Quay-street Wharf to scuttle the ship and put out tho fire without taking her out into the stream, and this would have been a cheaper method of extinguishing the fire than the plan adopted. Ho had known damp flax to heat to a certain degree and then cool clown and rot. He had heard of steam jets and acids being used with good efl'ect in extinguishing fire on ship-board. Captain Matthew T. Clayton deposed thab he was surveyor to Lloyds' Register in Auckland. He examined tho ship Leading Wind after her damaged cargo had been discharged, during the month of February, at different periods. During tho time the flax wa« being discharged he inspected tho forehold, and when some of tho flax was being removed from near the chain-locker, ho noticed the pointers and knees were very much charred, close to tho chain-locker, on both port and starboard sides. Tho fire appeared to have started aboub these places, and to have extended aft towards the sides of the ship and towards the beams and foremast. As there was a large vacant space near the main hatchway, the flames evidently had been borne along in that direction in order to find a vent. When the hatches were taken off oh board the flames were given still greater vent and spread accordingly. He considered the fire originated on the port and starboard sides of the ship, just abaft the chain-locker, in bhe lower hold. The fire might have boon burning a day or a few hours in bhe lower hold before being discovered, but he did nob think ib had been burning long. The fire could hardly have arisen through a person wilfully or accidentally throwing a lighted match down bhe chain-locker. He had examined flax bales ab various times in Auckland, and his opinion was that flax would ignite through spontaneous combustion, as in the case of jute, bub not if properly dressed. He could nob say whether properly-dressed flax wetted would then ignite. As a precaution, he thoughb bhab a few of bhe bales oub of a shipmenb of flax should be cub open before being shipped in order bo ascertain whether they were dry and safe, or bhe reverse. A man could descend to the lower hold by the forward ventilators from the main deck and ascend again without being noticed. To Major Gascoigne : He was aivare thab Lloyds had recommended a mixture of chemicals for extinguishing fire on board ship. This compound was a mixture of muriatic acid and plaster of Paris. He believed ib had been proved to be very efficacious, and he thoughb that if the appliances had been at hand on the wharf ab the time of the fire, the necessity for scuttling the ship might have been avoided. Captain Henry Worsp deposed thab ha was marine surveyor to the Auckland Marine Underwriters' Association. He had examined the Leading Wind after her cargo had been discharged and also while ehe was being discharged. He found thab the bales had been on fire in tho fore hold on both sides of the ship a fow feet from the chain-locker, and further, thab ib had extended as far as the main hatch. It appeared to have worked its way up from the lower hold to the 'tween docks. He was of opinion that the fire originated near the chain-locker, in the •forehold. He did not notico anything of an inflammable nature about the chainlocker. He had had no experience in flax, and could hardly give an opinion as to the likelihood of spontaneous combustion of dry flax. Web flax would heat. He thoughb thab the fire sbarbed low down in the lower hold, amongst bhe flax, and worked ibs way up. He could nob give an opinion as bo the origin of tha fire. The bales he examined were fairly dressed, and were burnt only on the oubaide. He thoughb that all flax should be inspected before being shipped away, and suggested that a suitable building should be erected tor this purpose. In his opinion the ship mighb have been safely scubtled ab the wharf, without being taken out into the stream, and thus have made a greab saving. All the mischief " as done during the Bix or seven hours during which tho ship was being removed and sunk oub in the harbour, lhere was sufficient depbh of water ab the wharf, and he thought it would have been advisable to keep the ship ab the tee, and sink her there. In this case the damage would have been comparatively trifling. John Hughes deposed that he was the superintendent ef the Auckland Fire Brigade. He attended the fire on board the ship Leading Wind ab the Quay-street Wharf shortly after 11 p.m. on the night of January 22nd, with a number of men and the usual fire apparatus. He saw volumes of smoke issuing from the fore hatch and from under the forecastle-head by the chain pipes and ventilators. He had the hose pub down the fore hatch, the ventilators and the chain-locker. He cut four holes in the deck forward in order to get at the fire better. About 2 a.m., the fire still burning strongly, he suggested to Captain Burgess, harbourmaster, thab holes should be cut in the vessel's side in order to allow the water to flood her lower hold and up to her 'tween decks. If this had been done, all the cargo in her'tween decks would have been saved. To his surprise some other men aft were at work at the ship's pump, Dumping the water oub of her again. He

continued to play on the ship until about 4.30 in the morning, when the Harbourmaster ordered the vessel to be removed from the wharf. Prior to this he went to Captain Burgess (Harbour-master), who supported the statement of Captain Fisher bhab bhere was 36 feet of water at bhe wharf ab high water. He then strongly objected to the ship being removed, and urged that she should be scuttled alongside the wharf. Tho Har-bour-master said he was afraid of the wharf catching fire. Jusb prior to the vessel being removed bho fire on board appeared to be decreasing. He could nob give any opinion as bo the origin of bho lire. In his opinion wob or badly-dressed balos of flax could bake fire spontaneously, as also would badly-packed bales. In his opinion bhe fire originated in two places, one abaft tho foremast and the other about 12tt on starboard side, forward of tho main hatch, in the lower hold. Most of tho bales were more or less burnt and he could brace the course of tho firo aft. Charles Vince Houghton deposed that he was local manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company. The ship Leading Wind was under charter to load cargo hero for New York. During tho time sho was loading at the Quay-sbr'eob Jetby he visited her daily. He did not observe any undressed or wob flax going on board ; as far as he could see it was all in good condition. He saw no smoking going on whilo tho vessel was loading. The firo originated forward uuder tho fore hatch. He could nob form any opinion as to how tho fire originated. John Fisher deposed thab ho was deputy harbourmaster, in bho employ of bhe Auckland Hai'bocr Board. He remembered tho occasion of the firo on board tho ship Leading Wind, on tho night of January 2_. When ho arrived on the scene of the firo, the Fire Brigade wore doing all they could to put out the fire. After consultation it was decided to take tho ship out into bho sbream and scuttle. He could not give any opinion as to the origin of bho tire. The jury returned tho following open verdict : " Thab in accordance with the evidence the ship Leading \\ md was found to be on firo on the 22nd January lasb, and there is no evidence bo show how tho fire originated." A rider was added, which stated, " There being such a diversity of opinion as to spontaneous combustion in flax, either well or badly dressed, thab ib devolves on tho Government to take tho matter in hand, and prove by practical tests whether such exists or nob."