BURNING OF THE STEAMSHIP AMERICA.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 88, 21 November 1872, Page 3

BURNING OF THE STEAMSHIP AMERICA.

'I'll u destruction of Iho Pacific Mail Company's steamer AnVrieu by fire, iit Yokohama, Japan, on the 21th August, is I recorded by the Bulletin's correspondent " The America, at the time of tho fire, lay at her buoy, about u half-mile from the llatoba (wharf). As soon as the alarm was given, all the Sanpans (native boats) left tho Hatoba, where they were anchored for tho night, and lloeked around tho burning ship. Every Sanpan was gone when I reached tho Ilutoba, and it was impossible lor me to get nearer tho ship. I was sufficiently cloho, however, to mark very distinctly, by tho light of tho fire, everything that pas sod on tho America's upper dock. The Chinese passengers wore thoroughly aroused by this time, and, G'liinamanliko, each one had his box or bundle of effects on his back or in his arms, determined to save that, or die in the attempt. Many of them, I am Horry to say, lost their lives, beyond doubt, in bis foolish attempt to save a trifling bundle of old clothes. Seeing that no hope' now remained of saving tho ship, an attempt was made to let the Chine.sc down to the boats below by u gangway on the port side. The terrorhtrieken Chinese ruslied pell-mell upon the gangway, each with his package of worldly goods, until the ladder, overburdened with tho great weight, fell with a hcaty crash, precipitating over GO Chinese into tho water. Many of them were rescued, but quite a number were drowned. The passage to the gangway on the other side of tho ship by this time was entirely cut ofl' by the flames ; nothing remained, therefore, for those remaining on board (over 150 in number) but to jump overboard from the forward dcck into the water, a distanco of fully 25 l'ccl, or to remain and be consumed by fire.

The scone on the forward deck of tho burning ship at this moment beggars description. The Americans, few in number, compared with the whole, were working witli all the energy of desperation to lower the life-boats; but before they could be swung on their davits, all hands were driven forward by the dairies. The poor Chinese were now rushing hither and t hit her across the hurricane deck, screaming and throwing their arms in (lie air most frantically. Now picking up their bundles, now dropping them again, then seizing them once more and throwing themselves headlong overboard, box in arms. By this time all the upper deck over the dining saloon was fairly consumed, and the fire had climbed the mainmast to tho yards. The great smoke-stack, thirty-two I'cct in circumference and forty feet above the deck, was red hot to its uppermost extreme, and, shooting from it, was a bright red tongue of fire, hissing and snapping, and fairly leaping to the sky. The heat by this time had become unbearable anywhere, except on tho extreme forward deck. "Very few persons were there now. All the Chinese had gone overboard, and were struggling in the water below. Around the buoy the drowning wretches were so thick that there wad nowhere close room for another head. The struggling of those poor creatures round the buoy was touching. The stronger man held liis place, the weaker was overborne and ] drowned. The fear of an explosion, or the falling of the ship's giant masts, has now driven every boat from near the wreck. Those who had jumped into the water, and the few who had still to jump, must,, therefore, now swim through the death circle, within tho boundary of which no boat could venture. It was at this fearful crisis that Captain Doane, having flooded the magazines, and finding that everyone elso had fled, plunged over tho ship's bows, and fell paralysed in the water. Brave man, almost overcome with super-human efforts to save his ship; his proud spirit, cowed and broken at the loss of the very apple of his eye! Unable to use his legs, he sunk, and rose, and sunk again ! Oh, is there no hand to reach out and save our gallant commander ? Yes, <hid! Just as he was sinking for the last time, tho friendly hand of Captain ,Williams seized him by the collar and rescued him from a watery gravo. "J. H. Barker, engineer's storekeeper, Thomas Bryan, cook, and a steerage watchman —name unknown—were the only white men who lost their lives.

"The personal adventures of those who escaped would malic a volume of thrilling interest. One of the cabin boys bud 2000 dollars in silver, which lie, of course, tried to save. 1t is needless to say what became of him. Another Chinaman fietuallv jumped overboard with his box of clothes, and clung to it until picked up. Out of the the thirty Chinese women and children 011 board, the most of whom had husbands and fathers with thorn, I venture to say that not live are saved. And as for the poor children, I am credibly informed that at least a part of them perished in the flames. Of the 177 Chinese passengers, I am also informed that fully one-third of their number were lost. "The loss directly and indirectly to the Pacific Mail Company will not lall short of 2,000,000 dollars. " The origin of the lire will probably remain for ever in doubt. It. is gene)ally believed to have been caused by one of the Japanese coolies dropping his pipe of lighted tobacco in the ship's hold while the freight was being taken out, and that if smouldered there lor many hours and finally burst forth into a conflagration. Another supposition is that it was caused by spontaneous combustion of the coal. lam very much inclined to the latter theory, though it is not generally accredited by the ship's officers. It is certainly a matter for serious investigat ion by the company. Hut whatever ntiiv have h"><»n the cause of 'bis fire, certainly it seems that it was punly accidental and be ou I che control of any one."