Fighting Fire at Sea.

Southland Times, Issue 19482, 9 December 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

Fighting Fire at Sea.

A sensational and serious fire occur re on board the steamer Elbing, of the Ger man-Australian lino, during her passag for Melbourne from Cap© Town. The out brook occurred on. 31st October, whilst i furious nor'-west gale was blowing. Shortly .after midnight the look-out ma: observed smoke issuing from the fon hatch, and gave the alarm. Captaii Schmidt summoned all hauds, and inad( preparations to extinguish the fire, whicl was apparently confined to tha fore hold Two hoses, one projecting steam and the other water, were brought into requisition, and after they had steadily played upon' the fire for several hours it was evidently brought under control. The fore hatch was then opened, but it •nias found impossible to make an examination of tho lower hold on account of tho suffocating x'olumes of smoke which were issuing from it. The hatch was therefore closed and securely covered, together with 'the ventilators, whilst a copious stream of water was again poured into the hold. Upon the hatch being ngain uncovered some hours later flames were observed bursting from* the starboard side of tho hold, in tho centre, und from tho lower deck, but in a few minutes they wero subdued. The -difficulties with wliicK Captain Schmidt nnd his crew contended woi*e incroasod by the fearfully tempestuous state of iho weather. A gale was raging with hurricane strength, and heavy seas were continually sweeping the decks. A large quantity of case cargo carried on deck was washed overboard, and several of tho crew were injured by being thrown off heir feet in the heavy seas. When the fire was conquered it was seen that considerable damage had been done, not only to the cargo, but also ;to the 'tween decks. Large quantities of burnt planks and cases wero subsequently thrown overboard, but tho origin of the fire could not be even remotely conjectured. As far as known, (hero wero no combustibles in the hold. This was the second sensational firo nt sea experienced by Captain ftshmidt. Some time ago, when his vessel, the Flensburg. was on a voyage to Fremantle, fire broke out in ono of tho holds, where a number of cases of dynamite wore stored. Fearing that the Gro might roach tho dynamite whilst they were in Die hold, the crowi declined to go below to attempt to quell the outbreak. "When Captain Schmidt calmly pointed out to them, however, that they might US TTCII tie blown up as heroes " below '' r,s cowards on. dock tho men -went into the hold nnd succeeded in extinguishing the fire.