BURNING OF THE MONTMORENCY.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 13, 1 April 1867, Page 75

BURNING OF THE MONTMORENCY.

(Hawke’s Bay. Times, 28th March.) While busily engaged.during the past night preparing for the issue of this 'morning’s paper we were suddenly interacted by an alarm of fire, arid on proceeding to the beach we discovered that the good ship Montmorency, but so recently arrived from England as to have been chronicled in our last issue; was on fire between her inain and fore-raasts. The flames were rushing up through her forward hatchway to the height of 30 or 40 feet, without at that time a breath of air to divert them to the right or left. This occurred about 1 a.m., and was, as it afterwards appeared, but shortly after the fife itself was discovered on board —so rapid was the progress of the devouring element when once it made its appearance. No person seems to have been abroad on the Spit, at the time of the discovery of the fire, for rockets were sent aloft, and blue light signals burnt, with the view of calling attention on shore, but to no purpose, or not until the vessel was in actua. flames was it seen or known to be on fire; even then it was first seen from the Barrack-hill, and the news was then brought down by a horsemari—who rode briskly to the Spit to arouse the folk, and send help that might be needed to the sailors known to be still on board. ‘ It was known that at least one 1 of the ship’s boats was ori shore, and the captain .also (we. believe this being the first night he had been away from; the vessel since her arrival) : -and it was not known how much help might be needed by the first officer arid those left in’ charge. The cry of fire speedily aroused the captairi of the ill-fated vessel; 1 arid : we may say the whole of the inhabitants on the Spit Several boats’ put off as. quickly as possible, and great numbers of people assembled ori the to watch the progress of the flames, and anxiously await the return of the first boat with news. By the aid/of-a powerful glass we were Enabled from time to time to observe the work of destruction. The flames, as. we have said,; were at first confined to mid-ships,, between the mains and fore-masts. As might be expected, the rigging rind masts soon caught fire, first the main-mast and afterwards the mizen, the fairies being driven aft by a breeze that then sprang. up—“producing a striking spectacle, especially when the sails (being burnt through) sudderily unfurled, and scattered showers of burning , fragments; ; which* blowing aft, fell- into the sfea like a golden’raiiL 'Athalff ei yj.yuM, kuW #-«u throughoat the.foot, 1 and the main-mast at the main-top, both gave way at the

sameinstant, the former falling clean oyer the stern into, the sea, arid the maintop head downwards to the deck—forpiirig with theyard rind the standing, main-mast a representation; of the Roman letter A~being retamed ■in this position by the, standing rigging, which Was of, wire;;’ arid therefore ~ not easily destroyed, even by flames such as those which were by this time raging fo°rii stem ( tq stern. < Soon after Cafrabom 2-45 a.m.);.a boat was; seen in the offing,. making for shore, -arid speedily the Welcome news was 'told; and received amidst loud cheers,—that all hands Were saved. ~ nr } * ' From enquries made at this time apd since, we have been able to gather, that at about midnight the Watch discovered smoke; criming rip the fore hatchway,: and immediately alarmed the first officer and the remainder of the crew; that every practicable measure was. taken to extinguish, or stay the-progress of the fire, but in vain, for being overborne by the effect Of the suffocating vapors, they were at length compelled to desist, and fasten down the hatches. THeffire, however, had grown too, strong to be so kept under, and the burstmg forth of the flames with uncontrollable fury, warned the seamen of the necessity for getting out the boats as the only means of saving their lives. They* took to the boats at about 1.30 a.m., but remained in proximity to the burning ship until she had become an entire wreck- At 4 a.m. the foremast, being burnt off at the foot, fell backward on the deck, and in its fall bringing down the remainder of the stump of the mainmast. Nothing now remains of the ship that but yesterday looked so fair, and that had done her duty so far and so well, but a flaming hull, with some remnant of the bowsprit. At daylight she had burnt nearly to the water’s edge. In addition to a very valuable cargo for this port, none of which had been landed, and all of which is destroyed, a large, amount of valuable property is lost by the passengers, who, of course, are totally deprived of their properties we have one particular instance where title deeds, plate, and. heirlooms of generations past are’,'by this sad mishap, totally and irrecoverably lost, and we have been informed that Captain M‘Kenzie, who by his affability' and gentlemanly conduct during the voyage endeared’himself to all, has lost all his earthly goods, which were in his cabin, and uninsured.

\ THE ‘MONTMORENCY.’ .} The account we gave of, the bunnrijg of the above ill-fated vessel in opr .impression of Thursday last-extended to the ; hour of jgpipg.to press, time she was still burning furiously, although but'Httle of her. waslefo abqye the sea level except the stem and. stern posts. ’ At that time,’the s.s. Star 1 of the South, Captain Bendall, was in the act of proceeding to her in order to get her clear of her moorings, and tow her up- to the Eastern Spit. This, however, proved a, task of some difficulty, owing to the entanglement of the vessel with her fallen iriasts, her wire rigging? and the chains by which she was moored; as well as- the danger attending the too near approach to the burning mass. A second attempt; however, made on Friday iriqrning, proved more successful,; as she was got clear rind fairly oyer to the Spit# where she was left aground. During the whole; of Thursday, the night, following, arid; the greater part of ; next day, the vessel continued to burn more ’or less into by the steamer,- i the sea effected an a r.- fUK-ioi-s . •., ■;> entrance,.- and, ~ corqing ml ~ contact with.theincandescentiron,produced an explosion so load asto cause a

general rush to the - Spit, when; she was to be seen euvloped in an immense body Of Steam, which continued to issue 'from'the heated material for ri considerable time; and. she gradually filled andsettled down. . On this takin place a quantity of .empty ironltanks floated off her and were safely landed on the Spit to the number of twentyfour. ; -r

•, Qa Saturday *an auction ’jsaie., yras held; by Mr. fJohn Stpart, of the remains. of the; vessel, and the residue of her valuable cargo as' then lying on the. 4 beach, in jthput $:2 ■' feet of water, and we! consider the prices realised as most satisfactory. We. .quote folloWSilrrr'lO .. I ■:

Lot t.iiiTHe h-ull; 'and all-belonging to the ship at,thattiM6 ia Jjer,£llp,, Lot 2.—-The residue of the cargo as It then lay in her hold, £lO5. Xot S.-i—Anchors and cable, as it lay at the Government moorings, £I(K -Lot 4.—-Life boat, £lB. .Lot 8.-r-r Captain’s gig, £l2 10s. , . Lot Lot 11.—Life boat,.£l9. ~ 24 iron tanks, from £1 14 to £4 each. We estimate the total proceeds of the sale at about £350, little more or less. •

In our report of the arrival here of the ‘ Montmorency,’ speaking of her quick passage,, we remarked that the passage from pilot to pilot occupied 96 days, but we inadvertently omitted-to add that from port, to port (Plymouth to Nelson) was but 88,—being one of the most rapid we have known, and in which the ill-fated vessel bore out her welUeamed fame as a first-class Black Ball liner. We also understand that Capt. M'Kenzie’s absence from the ship on the night of the fire was, in a great, measure, owing to indisposition, —he being physically unable, on that evening, to undergo the passage to the ship, against a strong flood tide and head wind. He has gained the cordial sympathy of all parties who have made his acquaintance since his arrival,in Napier, as well as the esteem of the passengers who came under his care from England to our port. We understand that an inquiry into the cause of the fire will be held in the Council Chamber this day (Monday) at eleven o’clock a.m.

Military.—On Wednesday next, tha detachment of troops stationed in this province proceed to Auckland by the ‘ Lord Ashleyprovided ‘ the cutters * Tay ’ and ‘ Dolphin,’ now overdue, have arrived with the Walroa detachment previous to that date. „ •