BURNING OF A STEAMER.

Auckland Examiner, Volume 2, Issue 53, 17 December 1857, Page 2

BURNING OF A STEAMER.

The ‘Toronto Globe’ of August 6 says:—We regret to state that the steamer J. C. Morrison, the ornament of Lake Sincoe, was burned to the water’s edge whilst lying at her wharf at Barrie, at an early hour yesterday morning. Our readers are aware that this magnificent boat h s been plying on Lake Sincoe in connection with the Northern Bailway Company who were her proprietors. She afforded excursionists an opportunity of exploring the unrivalled scenery of this beautiful lake. Her accommodations were unsurpassed, her fittings and decorations georgeous, and altogether she was one of the finest and fastest boats on the waters of Upper Canada. On Tuesday evening, she returned from her usual trip from Bell Ewart, and was moored at her wharf at Barrie at about half-past seven o’clock. After Captain B 11 saw her all right and made secure, he went on shore to meet a committee to make airangements for a pleasure trip round the lake this week. Having completed this business, he returned on board about half-past seven o’clock. He walked round the decks, went below to see the fires were extinguished, and that the crew were in their berths. Having found all right, he went again on deck, and returned to his state room. Shortly be one o’clock one of the firemen had occasion to go on deck, when he was startled at perceiving flames issuing from the centre part of the vessel. He gave the alarm, and at the same time noticed that the watchman was asleep at his post. Captain Bell rushed out of his room and seeing what had occurred, returned for a moment to arrange part of his dress. At his time the fire was rising with incredible fury, and almost instantly the centre, part of the steamer became a mass of flames. The captain and crew, thus hastily alarmed, made strenuous efforts to quench the flames, but all was [entirely fruitless. The purser, Mr. T. Rolph, with great presence of mind, went to his office, forced the drawer of his desk, and took out the cash, some. 500 dollars, which was the only valuable saved. The names had now obtained complete possession of the ill-fated vessel, and from stem to stern she was one sheet of fire. The brilliancy of the flames illuminated tiie surrounding shores with extraordinary splendour, whilst the great heat prevented the slightest assistance being rendered in saving any of the property on b'oard. For the circumference of nearly a mile it was as bright as day, the showers of sparks thrown'about rendering it a grand but melancholy scene Danger was now appiehended that the wharf and adjoining buildings would take fire, and it was deemed judicious to cut the steamer adrift. This was done, and as she slowly receded into the bay she formed a picturesque sight. Sh.> drifted across until witinn about a quarter of a mile of the railway depot, when after becoming stationaiy, as it] were, for a few minutes, she sank with a loud hissing noise. The Joseph C. Morrison was built at Bell Ewart some three years since at a cost of

65,000 dollars, and apparently every precaution taken to guard against accident; yet she took fire—no one knows how—and was consumed. —[Lloyd’s Nespaper, October 30. J New Motive Power for Ships.—The Portsmouth correspondent of a London paper, writing on Saturday, the 15th, says of the “ hydrostatic propeller”—This novelti, in the shape of a common-sized wherry, came into Poitsmouth harbor yesterday, and attracted an immense amount of public interest. It is propelled by one of the common screws, but by power of water instead of steam. The inventor and patentee,' who is[Mr. Stephens of Southampton, has thus brought into use as a motive power that cheap element water. In addition to this Mr. Stephens has succeeded in bringing the controlling power of the engine directly under the management of the man at the helm, and then no engineer is required. In a second, at will, the man at thelm can go ahead, back her, or stop the engine. A boy only is required to work the engine, which may be termed a donkey engine, hitherto employed to pump out water, but now to pump in a supply to propel the vessel in lieu of steam.— [European Times, August 28.] Fatal Collision at Sea. —The ‘ Cork Examiner’ reports the following casualty at sea “ On Monday morning a large American ship, the Western Star, of Boston, put into Queenstown nearly a sinking condition. About 2 o’clock that morning she came into collision with a strange vessel off the Old Head of Kinsale, went right over her, sending her to the bottom, with every one on board. So sudden was the occurrence, the two vessels meeting in the dark, that the crew of the Western Star could only make out that the other was a barque, but could ascer ain nothing of where she was from, or to what nation her crew belonged, except that some of the latter, who were on deck when she was struck, appeared to be neither American nor British. A Genoese ship arrived also on Monday, the captain of which expressed his opiniou’that the lost vessel was from his country ; but in all probability it will never be clearly atcertained what ship she was or where she w as from. Some merchant will no doubt miss her, and many hearts will beat anxiously in vain for the return of those who formed her crew, but none will be able to say positively that she w,is flic one they looked for,” The Loss of the Screw Steamer Niger,—On Thursday, at the 'Greenwich Police Court, Mr. Traill, assisted by Captain Harris, of the East India Company’s service, held an official investigation into tfle loss of pie African Steam Shipping Company’s screw steamer Niger, of 482 tops register, which was wrecked off Terenjffe on the 12th of June last (while conveying her Majesty’s mail homeward), as alleged by mistaking the light on the Southern coast of Santa Cruz. After a great deal of evidence had been heard, Captain Rolt, the commander of the Niger, being the principal witness, Mr. Traill, advising Captain Bolt, said, by the wording of the Act the iniquity was as to whether the loss of the vessel was attributed to the wrongful act or fault on his (Captain Bolt’s) part, and he bad much pleasure in saying that himself and Captain Harris thought it right on their parts to state that their opinion was that the loss of the Niger was n?t occasioned by his neglect of duty, They desired to state such an opinion at the present stage of the proceedings in order to set at rest the feelings of Captain Bolt and liis friends without waiting for the issue of their report to the Board of Trade, but which jepprt would shortly be forwarded, with suggestions for the better security of the service for the future. Captain Harris then handed the certificate to Captain Rolt, who left' the Court amidst the congratulations of his friends. The Loss of the Transit.—Accounts were received at the Admiralty, on Saturday, from Commander Barnard, of her Majesty’s steamer Racehorse, at Singapore, and from Commander Ennis Chambers, of her Majesty’s steamer Transit, giving some particulars of the loss of the latter vessel, The Transit struck upon a sunken rock off Cape Clear in the Banker Straits, on the 11 th July, and received so much damage that it was necessary immediately to disembark the Whole of the troops (numbering 7.00) on the islartd. Lieutenant Dowhcs brought the intelligence to Singapore,, and' Captain Barnard at once despatched her Majesty’s steamer Acteon, the'Dove Tender, and the chartered American Ship Bravo, to the assistance of the Transit, with provisions for 1,000 men for 15 days? No later information had been received as to whether the ship was irrecoverably lost or otherwise. The Black Bael Clipper Ship Lightning.—On the 24th, a large number of the friends of Messrs. Baines and Co., the proprietors of this noble ship, belonging to the “Black Ball” line of clippers, and of the officers who are about to be pas> Hungers in her to India, were entertained at an elegant dcjuncr

onboard, at Gravesend, and had thus an opportunity of seeing the fastest clipper in the world decked out in her best colours preparatory to her long voyage. When the dcjuncr was concluded, and (the usual loyal toasts had been disposed of and drunk with [enthusiasm, Captains Enright and Lane, the pa®, and present commanders of the Lightning, were successively toasted, and returned thanks —the former receiving a handsome chronometer, voted to him by grateful passengers in voyages under his command. On the party leaving in the steam-tug Resolute, on their return to town by rail, the yards of the Lightning were manned, and the ere .v.gave three hearty cheers. The ap earance of the vessel at the moment, with her graceful and tapering spars, was exceedingly beautiful. The owners are under contract tl at the vessel shall not exceed seventy days on the outward voyage. Not the least interesting episode in the proceedings of the day was the embarking of a regiment of the Dragson Guards on board the screw steamer City of Manchester, which was moored alongside the Lightning. The troops cheered the visitors most heartily as they left the ship in the steam-tug for the railway station, which, it is needless to say, was as heartily responded to. As a sailing ship, the Lightning has made some of the smartest runs on record, on one occasion accomplishing the extraordinary distance of 430 nautical miles in 24 hours, being an average speed of about 18 knots an hour. In seven consecutive days she ran 2188 nautical miles, bci g about 327 miles a day—an average speed of a little more than 14 knots an hour for the whole time. At the beginning of the present month the Lightning completed her fifth voyage, though only built three years. Tr.e duration of ncr voyages hasvarhd from 63 to 83 days, the average being a little over 70. —[European Times, August 28.] Wreck of a Government Transport.--The transport ship Julia, Captain M‘Gl egor, having on board p irt of the 4th Troop ■ of Horse Artillery from the Persian Gulf for Bombay, was lost ■ while leaving Kurrachee harbor on the 2!)th ultimo. She was I being towed oerf by tb,e steamer Bombay, and sems to have struck while crossing the bar in a sea, losing her rudde', and parting the Hawser,-when she drifted onThe rocks neay cliftoil* All possible help appears to have been'rendered by the authorities on shore and the shipmasters in the harbor, and the few casualties that occurred seem to have been occasioned entirely by the swamping of the boats between 1 lie wreck ana the beach. It was thus that a sergeant, three Europeans, nine native troopers, and a ship’s lascar of the Hydeiee, unfortunately lust their lives.—(European Times, August 28 j Two Quakers applied to their Society, as they do not go to law', to decide in the following difficulty A, is uneasy about a ship that ought to have arrived, meets B, an insurer, and states his wish|o have the vessel insuicd. The matter is agreed upon. A returns home, and receives intelligence of the loss of his ship. What shall he do I He is afraid that the policy is not rilled up, and should B. heat of the matter soon, it is ad over with him—he therefore writes to B thus :—“ Friend B, if thee hasn’t filled up the policy thee needsn’t, for I’ve heard ov the ship.” “ Oh, oh!” thinks Bto to himself—“ cunning fellow—he wants to do me out of the premium.” So he writes thus to A: — “ Friend A,, thee be’st too late by half-*an hour, the policy is filled.” .A. rubs his hands with'delight — yet B. refuses to pay. Well,* what is the decision ; 'fke loss is divided between them.