A FIRE AT SEA.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 398, 21 September 1875, Page 3

A FIRE AT SEA.

[From the New York World, July 2.] The crew of the British barque La Bonne Intention, who were brought to this port on Wednesday evening by the German steamer Cimbria, give the following story of their hare 1 ships:—The barque left Demerara bound for Liverpool May 20th, laden with rum and sugar. All went well until the 33rd day out, and then, about 1 o'clock in the morning of June 22nd, the look-out man, Charles Lillybridge, discovered-, smoke issuing from the fore-scuttle. He at once gave the alarm, and all hands were called on deck. In the fore-peak there were about three tons of coal stowed away, separated from the rum, which formed a part of thecargo, by a simple board partition only. As the men endeavored to go down the dense smoke drove them back ; consequently holes were cut in the deck and water was liberally poured down, although, excepting the dense smoke, no signs of fire could be observed. It was som« hours before any flame showed the exact locality of the fire, and then it was observed in the bulkhead near which the coal was stored. Streams of water were immediately poured upon it, but without any perceptible effect, and Captain Sawtell ordered the boats to be got ready and sail to be taken in. While he and two men took in.all sail to the lower topsail, second mate Gale, with two men, got the boats ready for launching, and the mate, Anderson, with the rest of the crew, worked hard in endeavouring to stay the fire. After workiug about five hours, in the course of which seaman Miller had his hands and face badly burned, it was found impossible to quench the fire, and as the open scuttle and Jhe holes in the deck were only fanning the fire, the maintopmast staysail was cut down and lashed over the forescuttle, and the holes made in the deck were covered over with the men's beds and with old sails, all of which were kept constantly wet. The longboat and the pinnace had been got all ready to launch at any moment, but it was still thought advisable to stick to the ship as long as possible, although there was no possibility of saving her eventually. The fire was still raging below, but. had not yet broken through the decks. Pt 7 in the morning a vessel was seen standing to the northward. The barque bore up for her, but probably owing to a heavy fog that prevailed her signals of distress were not sepn, and after following her for nearly an hour the La Bonne Intention was put back into her own course. All day the men btuck to the ship, constantly pouring water oh the sail over the fore-scuttle, and the mattresses that had been placed over the deck holes. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon it was thought impossible to remain longer on the ship, and the boatß were put over the rail and lowered with two men in each, and were made fast by hawser to the burning ship. Meanwhile the master, mate, and second mate went forward to see if anything could be done, but the dense smoke that came up from the fore-scuttle and the deck holes, with the intense heat of the deck, forced them back. At seven o'clock all hands got into the boats, which still remained fast to the ship. The ship's rudder was lashed, and she towed the boats astern. About five minutes after taking to the boats the flames burst through the decks of the vessel. The boats were then cut loose, and the longboat, in which were Captain Sawtell, Mate Anderson, and a passenger named McLaren, and five men, hoisted sail, taking in tow the pinnace, which carried Second Mate Gale and five men, but still they kept in the wake of the burning ship, hoping that the flames would attract the notice of passing vessels. At half-past nine the foremast went over, and about midnight the mizenmast went, followed soon after by the mainmast. The ship was how one mass of flame from stem to stern. About half-past three, when in lat. 49deg, long. 26deg 30min, the lights of a steamer were sighted, and the boats bore down for her. She proved to be the Cimbria, Captain Brandt, and the shipwrecked men were taken on board. The boats at first were overweighted and in dauger of being swamped. The men were all drenched through, two of them being so overcome by the exposure and numbness that they had to be hauled on to the deck of the Cimbria. All the men feel very grateful to Captain Brandt, his officers and crew, for the kindness and attention shown to them. The last seen of La Bonne Intention was at half-past 4, when she was burned nearly to the water's edge. She was owned by a Mr McLaren, of Greenock, and valued at 25,000 dollars, fully insured. Her cargo was valued at 50,000 dollars ; insurance not known.