FIRE ON A SHIP.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13574, 4 December 1907, Page 2

FIRE ON A SHIP.

♦ PANIC-STRICKEN EMIGRANTS. The Austrian emigrant steamer Giulia, from Trieste, arrived at New York on October 10th, after a terrible experience in mid-ocean. The vessel carried nearly 900 people all told, nearly 800 of whom were emigrants. On October 3rd, early in the morning, a fire in the forward hold was reported to the officer on the bridge. It must have been smouldering for some days, because when the hatches were removed to make examination, dense smoke poured out, followed by flames, which spread rapidly, despite every effort of the entire crew to subdue them. The news of the fire spread instantly through the ship, and a panic among the women passengers took place. Most of the men passengers were called for assistance, but they were of little help, because at the time a violent storm was raging, with the wind blowing almost at hurricane force. All the passengers, men included, were finally driven below and" locked down. • After fighting the flames for some time and making no progress, the crew themselves became terrified, and some of the men mutinied and sought to escape in the boats. This was prevented by the 'officers, who, with revolvers in hand, drove the men back to their work of jettisoning the cargo. Fortunately the donkey engines could be used, and a considerable amount of the burning cargo was got up and put overboard. Streams of water were poured into the hold, where 24,000 barrels of dried grapes and figs were blazing. It seemed, however, to have no effect. Man after man, choked by the fumes, fell exhausted. The situation seemed hopeless. Suddenly an immense wave rose up over the port bow, broke, and «r&shed down through the* open hatch," falling with 'a* thunderous noise into the hold. As though Niagara had descended on them, the flames sizzled and Yoared, and then, emitting dense clouds of steam and smoke, subsided .'