A SHIP BURNED AT SEA.

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 79, 30 September 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

A SHIP BURNED AT SEA.

(From the Daily Telegraph, lOfch July.) On Saturday morning the barque Annie, Captain Evans, arrived in Cork Harbor, having on boaid Captain Steadiford, the crew, and passengers of the British ship Zemindar, which had been abandoned on fire. Captain Stediford reports that his vessel was 1,097 tons ; she left Demerara on the 4th of June with a cargo of rum, sugar, and cotton, bound for Liverpool. On the 23th of that month, at half-past 10 p.m., the second officer, Mr. Rockwell, reported that the ship was on fire, aud that smoke was coming from the fore-hatch. The hatch was immediately taken off and a copious supply of water poured pown, but it took no effect. AVhile efforts were still being made to overcome the fire the captain had the boats launched, and into one of them placed the following persons, who were passengers :—: — Mrs. Adair, Miss A. Mahony, Master Eethell, John Jones, and the captain's wife and child. This boat was made fast to the stern, and they remained in her all night, blue lights and rockets being constantly used. In the meantime every exertion was made to get the fire under, but without avail. The signalling fortunately proved effectual, for in the morning at 4 o'clock the Annie hove in sight. Captain Stediford at once sent the boat containing the passengers to her. Captain Evans returned in the boat and went on board the burning ship, which the captain, officers, and crew were still using every endeavor to save. It now transpired that one of the seamen, named Robert Faulkiuer, confessed to the second mate that he had set fire to the ship while broaching a cask of rum. Faulkiner was at once called on deck, and repeated the confession in the presence of Captain Evans and others. He said that the fire originated in the mainhold ; that he had a match with him, which he lighted after broaching a cask, and in endeavoring to put a spill into the gimlet hole in the cask, the spirit which was flowing out was ignited. It went beyond his power to extinguish it, and his arms and neck were very much burnt. Acting on that information, Captain Stediford had a hole, cut in the deck. It was then found that the hold between the decks was in a blaze, and a great volume of water was iujected, but the flames so thoroughly caught the cotton and sugar, as well as the rum, that they became perfectly uncontrollable. At 11 a.m. the fire was still gaining rapidly, whereupon Captaiu Stediford had the boats stocked with provisions, preparatory to abandoning the ship, he remaining on her till the following day at noon, and just after he left she was ablaze from poop to forecastle. All hands then proceeded on board the Annie, which was lying a quarter of a mile off. Before they parted from the Zemindar the masts had fallen over the side, and she was one gigantic flame, and could not have floated many hours. She belonged to Messrs. Saudhatch, Tinne, and Co., Liverpool. At the time of the discovery of the fire the man Faulkiner was at the wheel, but he never gave any information of what he knew until it was too late to save the ship. On arrival here he was handed over to the police. Capt. Stediford, the passengers, and crew of the Zemindar speak in the highest terms of the kindness they received on board the Annie.