Australian Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 773, 28 March 1870, Page 3

Australian Items.

BURNING OF THE SHIP ELIZA IN HOBSON'S BAY. [Prom the Argus, March 2.J The large clipper ship Eliza, Capt. Patching, which arrived here on the 12th Jan., from Quebec, with a cargo of timber, was yesterday burned to the water's edge, and her destruction adds yefc another to the already lengthy record of casualties of this description which have been witnessed in Port Phillip. The catastrophe also furnishes another forcible illustration of the urgent necessity of a large port like Melbourne being adequately provided with proper appliances for the extinguishing of such conflagrations. Had the services of a marine fire engine been available yesterday when the fire on board the Eliza broke out, the damage to the ship would not have been so disastrous or complete. When the formation of a river and harbor trust for this port has been accomplished and a competent chief harbor-master appointed, possibly such matters niay be found important enough to bo entitled to some consideration. The Eliza was consigned to

Messrs Moore and Co., of tin's city, and after discharging cargo at the town pier, on Friday lasf she cleared at the Customs for Guam, Lor.destination, however, being Baker's Island, to which she had been chartered in England to proceed for a c;>rgo of guano. She had on board 700, t-ons of sand ballast, and also 30 sheep and a quantity of hay for fodder. Her complement of men (25 in all) had also been shipped, and she was to have proceeded to sea yesterday, or this morning. It is not known how the fire originated, and Capt. Patching is unable to conjecture any reason for its-being the work of an incendiary, there being no disagreement between himself and the crew, and the ship being also in good sea-going order. Captain Patching, who had been sitting up writing letters for the outgoing mail until 2 a.m., perceived no indications whatever of anything being wrontf when he turned in j and the water police boat, which passed close to the ship at or about a quarter past 3 a.m., reports that at that hour everything was quiet on board. James Kelly, the watchman on deck, was the first to discover the presence of fire, at about a quarter to 4 a.m., andj heat once raised the alarm, waking the captain and chief officer, and rousing all hands. The ship's bell was also rung, but the sound was not very powerful and there being.a dense fog, her dangerous situation was not generally known until after the fire had gained considerable mastery. The crew of the water police boat, hearing a confused noise in the direction of the ship, put off to her, and found a large body of smoke and flames issuing from the fore hatch; and as the attempts made by Captain Patching and his sailors to arrest the of the fire were altogether unsuccessful, efforts were directed towards saving personal effects, stores, cabin fixtures, &c. Captain Slater of the barque Coorong, lying at the Railway pier, Sandridge, went off in his boat to render what assistance he could, and the Customs boat on duty, in charge of Acting Tide Surveyor Ccrutty, was also quickly on the sj.iot. With .a view of procuring more assistance, Mr Cerutty returned to Williamstown, and reported the occurrence at the marine-yard Mr Elder, Government shipwright, and boat's crew, with scuttling tools, started for the ship, in tow of the steamer Hercucles, and on reaching the ship Mr Elder was joined by Captain Doran, assistant harbormaster. Previous to this, however, Captain Payne of H.M.V.S.S. Nelson/had put ofl'to the burning vessel with a torpedo, to effect a breach in the hull. Wh;n the torpedo was placed in position under the stern of the vessel the fuse failed, and scuttling by the ordinary method was than tried. The vessel's side was opened, but the operations of the men in the boat had to be discontinued in consequence of the dangerous position of the main and luizen masts. While another torpedo was being procured, the work of scuttling was continued, and the opening* in the ship's side greatly enlarged. The second torpedo was placed under the stem, and eight minutes after the fuse was fired an explosion took place. The effect of it was to press the vessel up on the port side under the fore chains, and from the way in which it affected the metal sheathing the form of the vessel appeared to alter for about a distance of 20ft. .After this opening in the bottom, the vessel gradually settled down, and grounded about 9 a.m. in between three and four fathoms of water. Erom the time of placing the first torpedo until the successful explosion of the second about two hours elapsed, and had the first proved successful it is evident that the ship could have been sunk in a very short time. During the carrying out of these operations the ship inside was a sweltering mass of fire, aiid the men at work were exposed to imminent danger. Shortly after half past seven o'clock the foremast went by the board, and the fire spread with amazing rapidity up the main rigging. The main top-gallantmast was the next to go, and shortly alter the main and mizen masts fell hissing and crackling into the water. The flames had now full possession of the vessel, and merciles-Jy the fire did its work, and from stem to stern she looked a floating volcano. Throughout the day the burning still continued, and at dusk all that remained of the good ship Eliza was a grim and ghastly charred hulk, burning as close to the water's edge as to be almost wash. While she was burning, Captain Kemball, of the Thermopylae, thinking his ship was too uncomfortably near the Eliza, had her towed further out into the bay. The ship Sumatra was also shifted for the same reason. During the

earlier staves of the disaster' effective assi? tance, in rescuing the moveable proper? on board, was rendered by the snip's boat:and crew, and also by boats from tie Thermopylae, Ne;>;una, and by the Custom and Water Police boats. The captain's effects and cabin furniture, together with the chests belonging to the crew and a quantity of stores, were taken on board the Neptuna, and the spirits, tobacco, &c were taken possession of by the Customs and water police. The whole of the mizen sails were also unbent and secured, but the sails bent on the fore and main masts were entirely consumed, as were also the 30-unfortunate sheep in the'tween decks. The ship Eliza hailed from Liverpool, and was owned there by Mesers "W. H. Ross and Co., and up to tbe tirne of her destruction she waa estimated to be worth as she stood some £7,000 or £B,OOO. ll is not known whether she is insured oi not.