DESTRUCTION OF THE GOLIATH TRAINING SHIP.

Press, Volume XXV, Issue 3274, 28 February 1876, Page 3

DESTRUCTION OF THE GOLIATH TRAINING SHIP.

This old wooden frigate, used for a train* ing ship for lads intended to serve in the Navy, was destroyed by fire on December 22nd. Four hundred and eighty of these were on board at the time. Most energetic measures were taken to prevent the spread of the fire, bnt without effect, and the boys who could swim were ordered to jump overboard and swim ashore, and boats speedily came to the assistance of the others. The captain's wife and two daughters were on board the ship. Mrs Bouchier saved herself by jumping from thirty-two feet high into the water ; one of the daughters went hand over hand down a rope, and the other let herself out of the vessel by means of a slip knot in a rope. An hour after the first alarm the ship was cleared, the captain being the last to leave her. He was severely burnt, as was also a teacher. The Times says:—" Now that the calamity is over—for of the old Qoliath only the smoking keel remains on the mud of Grays, jasb "enough, however, to do mischief if it should be carried adrift by the rising tide— those who were on board and the spectators are able to supply the facts of the accident which led to the destruction of the vessel, and the narratives given supply stirring incidents of no common order. The ship's crew, officers, men, and boys were at duty at a quarter to six in the morning, scrubbing the decks. The under decks were lighted by swing fpetroleum lamps—the petroleum, as is ueaal with workhouse stores, being supplied by contract. At a quarter or ten minutes to eight o'clock, just as daylight was breaking on the main deck of the old man-of-war all the port-holes being opened to dry the wetted decks, a boy named Lober was in the act of carrying one of the lighted lamps for the purpose of extinguishing it, when the metal part burnt his hand and he dropped it. The whole place was instantly in a blaze, for the burning fluid at once set fire to the pitched joints between the boarding, for pitch was plentifully used in the old ships, and at once she was in fireman's phrase ' well alight.' The fire bell rang, and so strong was the power of discipline over the minds of the boys that they all took their places at the pumps, every officer being at his place. A very short time showed that the attempts to save the vessel were useless, for the hose, by the rapidity with which the flames licked the ship, had been destroyed; in fact, the excellent ventilation of the ship led to this rapidity of destruction. Captain Bouchier gave orders then to the boys who could swim to get to land—then about 500 ft distant— and many swam ashore. All the ship's boats had not been left ashore, as was at first reported, but those which were on board were almost useless, for the lowering apparatus got burnt and the boats fell into the water. Fortunately there was a barge moored close to the ship, and the little fellows, most of them being between seven and ten years of age, aided by the assistant schoolmaster, Mr Tye, and other officers, got into this. Some twenty boya who first got into the barge, frightened by the flames and choked by the dense smoke, wanted to push off; but one of their number, a little fellow named Billy Bolton, manfully held the barge to its place, he exercising his authority ac a boy mate until all who came on that side of the chip had got over the ship's side, and then a push was made for land. The barge grounded on the mud, and it was not practicable to push her out again against the running tide. At this time Captain Walters, from the Arethnsa and the Chichester, with the Qaeen street Befage boys, came np with three boats. Mr Hall, the chief officer of the Goliath, had been with Captain Bouchier, in directing means for saving the boys, while Mr Fenn, the head schoolmaster, Mr Ganton, and Mr Norris, the instructors in seamanship, were assisting by endeavouring to get the boats down. There were five women on board—Mrs Bouchier, her two daughters, and two female servant*. The flamesin a few minutes had mounted to the upper deck, and Mr Fenn reached a boat, and persuaded Mrs Bouchier to jump from the deck of the ship, about 32ft, into the water. She jumped and was saved. The cook and honsemaid also jumped into the water and were picked up. The two daughters came down ropes, one hand-over-hand, and the boatload was taken on shore, landed on the mud, and left to the hospitality of the population of Grays—who were giving the utmost help to the people who were thus suddenly bereft of home. " While Mr Fenn was helping the women to escape from death by drowning or burning, cries came from Mr Hall, who was clinging with Mr Wheeler to a boat which had been struck and was fltove in. The boat was drifting out, and when attention could be paid to this store-in boat, Mr Hall was rescued but Mr Wheeler had disappeared. The last to leave the ship, as stated yesterday, wag Captain Bouchier. He had ordered the last batch of boyi to go, when they called out to him to go (first. The galley of Captain Walters, of the Arethusa was near, and they heard Captain Bouchier reply,' That's not the way at sea, my boys, , and when be again' told them to go, one little workhouee boy clasped him round the neck, weepingly saying, 'You'll be burnt, Captain. , The captain pushed the boys off and followed himself, nil being picked up by Captain Writers , galley. Just ac they were about to poll off for shore, Captain Boachier spied a, boy clinging to the ' fender * of the bhip, and he called to the crew to save the boy. Not a moment was to be lost, for the masts were well alight, the foreyard was dangling ready to fall, where the devoted boat's crew was, and there was the most imminent danger of the mainmast falling. Captain Walters gave the word of command, and the boat's crew struck oat for the dangerous spot under the bow of the vessel where the * fender* is placed, and the poor , boy was saved from what a moment or two' after must fcave been certain death to all in the boat, for the flames were so close to the boat's crew that the flannel on the captain's back was singed and the whiskers on another's face Wtt bwßt«""tat fibey rescued the boy

end pushed off jnst as the fo-e moorings broke, and the ship clewed with her head down the river, presenting the other side to the wind, and a heavy wind was blowing, and tUns the flames were turned upon that pajt of the ship which was less touched before. Mr Fenn had been in another boat picking up the boys, and the boat he was in getting over fall, he plunged into the water and swam to one of Captain Walter's boats, to assist in rescuing others. It was then found that poo? Wheeler, the teacher, seeing Mr Hall trying to , clear a boat in which were two boys, jumped into the boat oat of the window. The boat, as stated, was stove in and drifted out, Mr Hall holding up the boys, bnt Mr Wheeler, not te'ng used to the water, was, it ia feared, not able to hold oat.