DESTRUCTION OF THE “OCEAN CHIEF” BY FIRE AT THE BLUFF HARBOUR.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 34, 20 February 1862, Page 3

DESTRUCTION OF THE “OCEAN CHIEF” BY FIRE AT THE BLUFF HARBOUR.

TOTAL LOSS. CFiom the Soi’Htern Neivs, Jan. 25. J On Thursday morning a dense smoke was seen to arise from the Bluff Harbour. It confnucd throughout the day, and a resident observed to a friend, more in joke than in earnest, “ There’s a ship on fire at the Bluff”—little suspecting he spoke but too truly. About ten p. ra., M. Thompson (of the firm of Thompson and Crispc, for whom the Ocean Chief had brought so large a cargo of sheep), accompanied by Capt. Howell of Jacob’s River, arrived in luvercaigill with the astounding intehigence that that noble vessel had been maliciously set on fire the previous night —that all efforts to extinguish the flames bed boon unavai’ing and that site was burnt down to her copper. That this was the act of an incendiary, ov incendiaries—a deep laid conspiracy—was proved by the manner in which the force and other pumps and hose had been bored and cut so ns to render them useless. This conviction is confirmed bv the following letter from Capt. Brown, tho coinmander of the Ocean Chief, to Captain Elies. “Bluff Harbour, January 23, 1862. “ A. J. Elies, Esq., Collector of “ Her Majesty’s Customs, Invercargill. “ Dear Sir,—l have to inform you that ray ship the Ocean Chief, was set fire to by some of the crew (proof still existing) about midnight last night. Her masts are over tho side. She is rapidly burning to the water’s edge. She has been scuttled, and her cables slipped, and thereby the harbour saved. None of the crow have yet left the Bluff, and it is possible, in my opinion that by using most strenuous exertions, the perpetrator ot this wicked act may bo caught and punished. I be" to leave it to your better judgement to assist me in any way you may devise ; bettor thou I could possibly recommend. “ I beg to remain, &c., “ T. Buowx.” Mr. Thompson, accompanied by Capt. Morris and Mr. W. 11. Pearson, waited upon the Superintendent at once, to inform him of the disaster, and yesterday morning some additional policemen were despatched to the Bluff—making' in all a body of eight useful men : so that, with the proof to which Captain Brown alludes, there is reason to hope that some, if not all, the criminals may be arrested. Mr. Price, Resident Magistrate, proceeded to the Bluff yesterday, to make an enquiry into tho case on the spot but bad not returned at the time of our going to press. Only some stores were saved from the ship. It is supposed that the cause of this wicked act was a desire on tho part of some of the crew to desert: and it ais strange circumstance that the Ocean Chief should have been thus destroyed so soon after the occurence of similar disasters to three other large liners in the harbour of Port Jackson and Hobson’s Bay. We have not yet heard whether or to what amount the ship was insured, and what was her estimated value. These and all other particulars we shall be able to publish in our next issue.