FIRE ON THE MARIPOSA.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4990, 25 April 1889, Page 3

FIRE ON THE MARIPOSA.

(By Telegraph, ) AUCKLAND, April 24. Tho fire was discovered at 6.30 on Tuesday morning, when tho vessel was 220 miles out from the New Zealand coast. Denso volumes of smoke were issuing from the mail room and forehoid, and when the hatches of tho latter were lifted thick smoke burst out, and it was seen that the scat of tho fire was in the largo cargo of flax stowed in tho lower hold. The engines were slowed down, and streams of water directed down the hatch. About thirty bales of flax were got out. All hands be* longing to the ship, and the captain and crew of the wrecked vessel Bed Ensign, who were on board, worked splendidly. The smoke and heat became so severe that one man, a German sailor, was carried on deck insensible, and it took two hours to bring him round. Three other men were almost suffocated, whilst many of the officers suffered from the effects of the smoke. As the fire could not be extinguished by the means already adopted, tho hatches were again battened down, and steam turned into the hold, holes having been cut in the deck. By 3 o’clock the fire was under control, and by midnight yesterday all danger had ceased. Between 7 and 8 o’clock yesterday morning the vessel’s head was turned, Captain Dayhaving decided to return to Auckland. During the whole of the time the passengers behaved with admirable coolness. The fire must have begun within a very few hours of the ship leaving the wharf, and if it had gained much more headway before it was discovered, the great majority of the people 'on board must have perished. The women and children alone would have filled the boats, and they would have had little hope of reaching land against the southerly wind and heavy sea that was running. The flax on board the steamer comprised 580 bales. Of these 118 were shipped by Messrs Arnold Cheney and Company, on behalf of Messrs Sclanders and Company, of Nelson, consigned to Messrs Peabody, Boston, and insured for £450 in the South British office. The remainder was sent by Messrs Johnson and Company, of Wellington. When the Mariposa was berthed at the Queen Street wharf the mails were discharged and spread out on the wharf. It was found that the New Zealand mail was quite uninjured and as dry as when shipped. That from Sydney included two bags saturated with water, but which were fortunately empty. Experts set to work at once to find out tho condition of the ship’s cargo. Captains Worsp and Clayton, the former of whom is marine surveyor for the Underwriters’ Association, examined tho vessel and found that there was no injury beyond a slight charring of the deck where the holes had been cut. The hold where the fire broke out is of iron. They found that the outside of the bales had been charred, whilst the inside was uninjured, this going to show that the fire had not originated from spontaneous combustion. Some of the flax •• was stowed in the after-hold, where it was not touched by either fire or water, and it was remarked by many persons that some bales were not so dry as they should have been before being shipped. It is possible that a match dropped into tho bales when being put on board. The flax had been stored in the sheds on Auckland wharf for over a week. The whole of tho flax having been, discharged the Mariposa left again to-night for San Erancieco. As the vessel moved off, a band on the wharf played several airs, and the captain and crew were loudly cheered, WELL BEHAVED PASSENGERS. Lieutenant Marix of tho United States Navy, who was on board tho Mariposa, says “ When I went to breakfast I witnessed a sight such as I never expected to have seen. There was the ship on fire, the passengers on board knowing that such was the case, and yet not the slightest sign of fear, not even on the face of the ladies. It was a surprise to me, and I consider such a result was entirely duo to the tact of Captain Hayward and the splendid discipline maintained on board the ship. Tho passengers showed no sign of fear but were sitting about amusing themselves as much as ever. Some were playing cards, others smoking. It was a great surprise to me. I have been going to sea twenty-live years, and I have no hestitation in saying that on board a man-of-war, with trained men and no women, you could not have made a scene like that. There were two hundred passengers on the vessel, and tho danger of panic may therefore be seen. Mr Wakefield in a telegram to tho 'Evening Press says : it six o’clock on Tuesday morning the Mariposa slackened speed and almost immediately slowed down till she was making scarcely any way. In answer to enquiries as to the cause of this by the passengers who were early on deck, the officers were very reticent, merely saying, with indifference, tbat speed had been slackened for a bit for some purpose, but she would soon go ahead again. It was at once noticed that smoke and steam were issuing from the fore-hatch, and though no passengers were allowed to go forward it soon became known that the cargo was on fire. The few who were on deck were easily made to understand the necessity for making as light of the’matler ns possible, so as to avoid a panic, especially among the women and children, who numbered between fifty and sixty. Not the slightest panic or disorder of any sort 6cpnrred, but everything went on throughout Ijie crowded ship just as if she were steaming safely on her course. Though the smoke pervaded the ship tho most complete confidence was felt in Captain Hayward, whose coolness and firm good sense almost did away with tho idea of danger. Tho boats were got ready without attracting more notice than was necessary, and so well was the impression of safety maintained that bi’eakfast was served just as usual, and very fairly patronised even by tho ladies and children. By ten o’clock the work of getting out the flax was in full progress, men going down in shifts to fix the tackle on tho ba'ca in tho great heat and stilling atmosphere of the hold, and others rolling them along the deck. 'lbis went on all (he morning, until about fifty bales had been brought up and piled on deck, filling up nearly all the space forward. The flooding of the hold where the flax was stored wont on simultaneously, tho watertight compartments being Jxhe flax and water

and smoke together made it impossible for the passengers to remain on deck, and a good deal of discomfort was felt, but everybody seemed determined to make the best of it.

, e (By Telegraph.) 8 AUCKLAND, April 25. ,r a Competent authorities ridicule the idea ” that spontaneous combustion could have oco curred amongst the flax in the Mariposa, in r such a short time after being shipped.