BURNING OF THE HERA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 66, 19 March 1870, Page 2

BURNING OF THE HERA.

PRELIMINARY INQUIRY. An inquiry into the burning of this vessel has been held at Blenheim, before the Collector of Customs for that port. The following is that portion of Captain Terkelson's evidence which refers to the burning of the ship : — At half-past four on the morning of the 11th March, the second mate opened the cabin door and said come out, the ship must ba on fire ; I jumped up and felt the smoke and rushed on deck, when the watch told me the fire came up the after hatch, and I saw the smoke coming up. I then gave orders for the boats to be lowered in readiness should they be required, and next gave orders to open the h fitch for all Hands to pump or throw water dowo. "When opened thick smoke came up, but no flames could be seen, but from the heat I felt sure there was fire, and ordered holes to be cut iu tho deck and water poured down ; I could then see the flames inside the holes ; six holes were cut and water poured down. At eight o'clock the fire was increasing so fast I found it necessary to scuttle the ship. Before daylight I burnt a blue light for assistance, and afterwards hoisted a fia? of distress. The vessel was lying in seven fathom of water about a quarter of a mile from the shore at the time the accident occured. I gave orders to slip anchors and chains, and lether drift ashore on the beach, still scuttling her ; had four holes in her then. About half-past eleven she was aground in 16^ feet of water at hio-h water. The pumps were going all the lims to keep the fire down, and water was pouring in. The fire underneath the deck was then advanced to the main hatch, the flames came out of the after hatch, and set the mizen and main masts on fire. They still continued pumping and throwing water t© cheek the progress of the fire, but without effect. At "half-past one tho mizen and main masts fell overboard, and the flames were then advancing near the fore rigging, and the ship was in flames from the stern post, and all hope of saving the ship was given up, when I gave orders for the men to cut away and throw overboard everything they could get hold of, but the flames made such fast progress that very little of the ship's stores could be saved and none of the cargo. Tho ship was' then on fire from stem to stern, and about two o'clock I (old the men to go into the boats, the heat being so great all bauds had to abandon the ship. At four o'clock the upper deck was all gone ; she burnt until eight o'clock next morning. Between that time we made all attempts to save her, but were unsuccessful. At four o'clock on Saturday, at ebb tide, the hull heeled over ; she was burnt down to the copper. Her cargo consisted of wool, flax, wheat, and" tallow. There were three casks of tallow, which were put in holes dug in <he ballast ; the flax was stowed in the after part of the ship between decks, between the-after hatch and provisiou room ; the lower hold was also stowed with flax, from tho after-hatch to the stern ; there was one tier of wool stowed at the bottom before the flax, to the main hatch ; tallow was buried amidships alongside the pump box. The vessel was insured for £3,500. The other evidence was merely corroborative of that given by the Captain, and did uot in any way chow how the fire originated. The Marlhorougli Neios of 16th inst., from which we take our report, says: We have little to add to the evidence given at the enquiry except that men were working in the hold stowing away flax in the i after-part of the vessel until about half-past seven on the evening preceding the fire, and neither saw; felt, nor smelt anything that could arouse suspicion, and that the Captain placed the hatches on at about 11 o'clock the same night when all appeared to be right.