A Ship on Fire.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 27 January 1891, Page 2

A Ship on Fire.

A VESSEL SCUTTLED. > Auckland 28rd January. At midnight a fire was discovered on the American ship Leading Wind lying alongside No. 2 Jetty, Quaystreet, where she had been for the past fortnight loading flax for New York, under charter to the New Zealand Shipping Co. Tbe outbreak was first discovered about half pa*-t 11. when some of the crew found smoke yising^frpjniLv^e foreboard. The|Se^^|mltimo to extinguish the flamesfptiit the clouds of dense smoke showed that the seat of the fire had not been reached and that apparently the outbreak had started in the lower hold. Owing to the suffocating smoke it was at first impossible to get a lead down to this lower level through the forehatch, and unfortunately .any access by way of the main hold was blocked by tier upon tier of closely packed flax on the 'tween decks, which it would take a long time to break through, The firemen had a trying task to keep the leads down the hatchway, and the heat and smoke were too great to enable any one to see if the hatchways on the 'tween deoka were opened or not. This went on till past 2 a m., the brigade meantime having cut holes in the vessel's deck, and got fresh leads on ; but at every aperture that was made dense grey smoke came curling out in thick masses, half choking and blinding the firemen. They, however, stuck manfully to their work, and tons of water were poured into the ships forehold. Though this seemed to make but little impression upon the burnin g ship, its effect was manifested by the great list which the ship took te port or away from the wharf the deck beiug banted to an angle of fully 25 degrees. The fire continuing the ship was towed intc midstream with a view to souttling her if such a step was found neces-

sary.

Captain Hinckley states that ha retired before eleven o'clock, but not feeling sleepy got up and was on his way into the cabin when the first alarm was given. He is unable to account for the outbreak $& the covering of the lower forehatoh had been closed for three days that portion of the hold having been stowed full and finished with. From the firm hold which the fire has it must, however, have beensmouldering for a long time wilEouTafly outward sign beiug/eligcerriable.* f The Leading Wind is a vgbs&l of 1280 tons.

The ship Leading Wind was scuttled at 10 a.m. in : 27fA .6f jwatrr. The vessel's hull and deok houses will be qntet under water at 5 o'clock this evening, when the,, tide is full. The flax is still on fire for ward under chc forcastle, find smoke is issneing from several holes cut in the sides to let in the water. She has 8500 bales of flax and 700 pases of kauri gum on b <ard — Pre s A%sn-

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