A BARQUE ON FIRE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2303, 16 December 1889, Page 2

A BARQUE ON FIRE

(PflK fRHtJS AHB00IATION.; TiTfTTBITOK, DoO 15 The barque Beltana, Oaptato Henry Bright, came into Lytteltou at 10 o'olook this morning flying the cHatrrß* fhg. Tbe tag went out with fcho harbormttster who aioert >ined thut tbe veiiel wa« on fire. The Beltan» was bound from Port Aagaita, South Australia, to London |Jo»dea vrlth wool. On Deoombor 9tb tho 'oarg.j was dteoovered to boon fi,te. The hstohoß wore battei^ed doirn and tho docks oarefully o»olked to exolade all air. The ship was then near the Antipodes. Tho wind drovo her northward, and the oapUln deoided to make for Ly Mel ton as tho wind turned (ivortble lot Ihit pott m<J he

know thjtt the tag had » powerful hydrant for uae In case of fire. He m»do Ljrtteltoo this morning after the oargo had been iix days ou fice. The tap; brooght the Belt»na t' ha. inner harbor. Bho was moored 0 'so to the dock and everything was at one* done to get the nro under. The hculii.y of the fire oould not ba auoejtainedr Tho choraloil firo engine wai for and aent dona fromOhrlitoharoti by npeobl truln. The railway steam fire englue also oame down, bat wai not o»ed, The ohemioal engine wai taken alongside tb.9 Boltana by the tug end won sat to work. Holea were bored la the deck ond tho ohemiatl flafrls Injected into the hold. About 4 o'olock all the ohemlo»l fluids were exhausted, but the fire wai not extinguished. It la invaded to have recourse to water, Tho oirgo is oonafgned to A, L. Elder and 00, of London, and mnstatß of 4037 bales of wool. Oaptatn H Bright had a very anxious time of it, and ojnsiden It moet providential that ha was able to re»oh Lyttelton so soon.