A SHIP ON FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11541, 28 November 1900, Page 5

A SHIP ON FIRE.

BURNING FOR A WEEK.

RUSSIAN VESSEL BEACHED AT FIJI.* - ■ » . The Union Company's steamer Rotokino, which arrived from Fiji yesterday afternoon, brought intelligence that the Russian ship Occident had caught fire at sea, and was beached at Macololo and abandoned. h' From the particulars to hand it appears that the ship sailed from Hamburg on July 21 last, bound to Kiao Chau, China, with a cargo of coal, cement, and stores for the Russian fleet on the China station, and all went well until the 10th inst., when it was found that fire had broken out amongst the cargo. Measures were at once taken to cope with the outbreak, which was found to be of a serious extent, and the pumps were got to work in an endeavour to suppress the fire. Fiji "being the nearest place to make for, Captain Fagerholm, the master of the vessel, decided to run for there in order to beach the vessel. All available canvas was set, in order to make port as quickly as possible, and favoured with fine winds, the ship made good progress. The fire, however, continued to gain command, and the boats belonging to the ship were provisioned in case the ship would have to be abandoned, and were got over the side, and towed alongside for six days. The cargo being of a most inflammable nature, and including a quantity of kerosene, it was decided to jettison the latter, and after some difficulty this was successfully managed, every case being thrown overboard. Approaching Fiji on the 16th inst., after some days of great anxiety, but having no knowledge of the coast, the master of the ship looked out for the best place to beach the vessel. Fortunately, the entrance to the Macololo Passage was picked up on the morning of the 17th, and the vessel, under skilful navigation, got safely through, and into the bay. Several of lie natives living in the vicinity went off to the ship, and pointed out a safe anchorage, and the Occident's two anchors were dropped in about 12 fathoms of water. The fire still raging it was decided to abandon the vessel, and the captain, his wife, and crew left the ship and went on shore, where they remained until taken away to Suva by the Fijian Government's steamer Clyde, on the 21st.

Captain R. M. Farmer, of the Union Company's steamer Rotokino, which was loading raw sugar through the group for Auckland, put into Lantoka Bay on the 19th to land the pilot, and hearing of the Occident being on fire, proceeded to the scene of the disaster. Approaching Macololo Passage during the night the scene of the burning vessel is described as being fearfully grand, flames shooting up skyward from the hull of the ship, and setting fire to the sails' and rigging. As soon as the Rotokino got within a safe distance of the burning ship, Captain Farmer sent a boat away to her, but as the Occident was then a seething mass of fire, nothing could be done to render assistance. The water all around the burning ship was at boiling point, and the fire on board was roaring like a furnace. An examination of the ship was afterwards made, when it was found that she was completely gutted, all the woodwork about the decks being burned out, and the vessel's topsides buckled from the great heat. Some of the beams were twisted from the forecastle to a little before the mizzen-mast. At the time the Rotokino's officers visited the ship she was a perfect furnace, the hull being red hot, although there were no flames from the fire. The fire on board appeared to be on a level with the water. The mainmast had carried away about the heel, and had toppled aft, and "with the yards, was laying against the mizzenmast. The mizzen-topgallant-mast had gone, and all the masts were badly burned. The foremast was standing apparently intact, but as all the rigging had sagged and was hanging in the bights it was evident that the mast was burnt, and had settled.

After a stay of 12 hours in the vicinity of the burning ship, and finding that nothing could be done to suppress the fire, the Rotokino returned to Suva. Captain Fagerholm and his crew reached Suva on the 21st, and the ship was sold by auction the same day for the benefit of all concerned, the Union Steamship Company being the purchasers for the sum of JtUou. A salvage crew had been despatched to the ship to prevent her being looted by the natives, and to save everything possible. The Occident is an iron ship of 1600 tons register, and was built on the Clyde about seven years ago. She is described by her late master as being a very handsome ship, and a fast sailer, as much as 14 knots being got out of her under favourable circumstances of wind and weather. Captain Farmer and the officers of the Rotokino also state that the vessel was splendidly fitted, all her gear and appointments being of the best. The Occident, it is understood, is fully insured, as is also the cargo and freight.