BURNING OF THE "MAHOMED SHAH."

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 130, 2 July 1853, Page 9

BURNING OF THE "MAHOMED SHAH."

The following particulars are extracted from the Melbourne Morning Herald, May 16 :— " The Brig * Ellen,' from the Mauritius, in lat. 40.10 S., and long. 118.10 E., took on board the creAv and passengers of the Barque " Mahomed Shah" bound from London to New Zealand, the said ship being abandoned on fire. The following are the names of the parties thus providentially preserved: Passengers —Mr. and Mrs. Jeffries, Mr. and Mrs. Hall and three children, Messrs. Herbert and Os- • wald, Curtis, Smith, Holland, Mrs. Wheeldon, sea., Mr. and Mrs. Wheeldon, Jun., Mrs. Roddy, Mr. and Mrs. Powell and seven children, Mr. and Mrs. Challis and child, Mary Knowler, Ann Williams, W. Duand, W. Winter, master, Dr. H. Schank, surgeon. Crew—T. Burghes, first mate, /T. Robertson, second do., D. Robb, Myers, W. Fernie, R. Clark, W. Evans, T. Ryan, S. Murphy, D. Virtue, W. Downes, W. Millings, G. Goldtrap, C. Blackburn, H. M'Dougall, F. Lastings, P.Jackson, W.Heane, P. Clark. But few particulars have yet been ascertained respecting the fate of this unfortunate vessel. Before so providentially falling

in with the "Ellen," the " Mahomed Shah" had been on fire for two days, but the conflagration had been kept under in a smouldering state by battening down the hatclnvays, &c. The escape of the passengers and crew was attended with no other casualty than the loss of every article of property, excepting that upon their persons, belonging to them. The fire is supposed to have originated in spontaneous combustion, as, from its breaking out in the lower hold, no other probable cause can be attributed. A sum of £56 has been collected in Hobarton to enable seven of the steerage passengers of this unfortunate vessel to proceed to New Zealand, to join their relatives there. The remainder of the passengers preferred remaining in the colony, and we understand that they have already obtained suitable engagements."