VOYAGE OF THE PIAKO.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5559, 22 January 1879, Page 2

VOYAGE OF THE PIAKO.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Christchurch, Tuesday.

The following has been kindly supplied to the Press by the manager ox the New Zealand Shipping Company :—The Piako is a clipperbuilt iron vessel ; launched from the yard of Messrs. A. Stephen and Sons in 1877, registering 1075 tons. She made two successful voyages (to the colony, and this was her third voyage. The ship left Plymouth, bound for Lyttelton, on the morning of October 11, under the command of Captain W. B. Boyd, being well officered and manned, and equipped besides, with a cargo of about 1050 tons. She had 288 immigrants. The earlier part of the voyage was uneventful. She made a splendid run, and on November 11 was in 7deg. lat. S., long. 32deg. W., or less than 200 miles from Pernambuco. At 10.45 a.m. of that day Captain Boyd left the deck, and was in his cabin making an entry in the official log when Mr. Halbecke, chief officer, came and reported that smoke was issuing through the lower fore hatch. Captain Boyd at once went forward, and removing one of the hatches went below. There was every sign of fire, but the smoke was not dense. He at once ordered the fire-bell to be rung, and the hoses were brought to play down the hatchway over the coal, while a full force was put on to break out cargo, and find out where the fire was. Within six minutes of the first report of fire Captain Boyd distinctly saw a flame about twenty feet abaft the foremast tier of cargo; at once the hose was brought to play on it under the direction of the second officer, Mr. Hazlewood. The captain then ran on deck to get the carpenter to cut a hole in the ’tween decks over the flame. He was not absent two minutes, but on his return huge volumes of black sulphurous smoke were coming up the hatchway, and the men were running up on deck to save their lives. Captain Boyd then at once closed down the hatches, and covered everything with wet blankets. He tried then to get through by the married people's compartment, but he and his volunteers were driven back almost stifled. All the hatches were then closed, and also the scuppers. The master had the main deck flooded, the two engines playing down the fore hatch, and holes cut in the upper deck, and the donkey engine playing down the air shaft. Captain Boyd at this time altered the ship’s course to make Pernambuco. In a comparatively short time the combings of the hatches became so hot that they could not be touched; meanwhile all the boats were got out alongide, and seme stores put in, but even from the after storeroom the hands were driven back by the fire, and that had to be battened down till about 2 p.m,, when most providentially a barque was sighted on the weather bow, and Captain Boyd made signals of distress, and bore up to her. She proved to be the Loch Boon, bound from San Francisco to Cork. At 3 p.m. (Captain Boyd commenced the transhipment of bis passengers, which was happily accomplished in two hours, without the slightest acident. Of course, now that all danger of sacrifice of human life was past, Captain Boyd’s chief anxiety was over; but haying done bis duty by the passengers

“■ he was loath to neglect the further heavy interests confided to him, and determined not to abandon his ship and cargo if his crew would stick by him. He told them he intended if possible to take the ship into port, aud every man on board said that he would, and did, stick to the ship, and right manfully they worked, never leaving the pumps till 4 p.tu. of the 13th, when the ship reached Pernambuco-roads, the Loch Doon following her, and reaching there a few hours afterwards. The origin of the fire had not then been ascertained. Every regulation had been carefully observed, and the captain is certain no one could have got down below. Immediately on his arrival at Pernambuco Captain Boyd waited on her Britannic Majesty's Consul, and conferred with him and the President of the State as to the arrangements for the care and comfort of the immigrants. Everything possible was done to ameliorate their unfortunate condition. They were all landed on Cocoanut I- ’and (Ilba de Moqueira), where a large house and outbuilding was available. The consul was unwilling to supply clothing, hut Captain Boyd at once ordered it for the immigrants at the company’s expense, and also arranged for their being provisioned suitably, and at the date of the advices all were in excellent health and spirits, and most comfortably housed. To revert to the ship. The fire was gaining rapidly, and it was deemed necessary to scuttle her. She was smoking and blazing up to the moment when she was submerged. Late telegraphic advices have apprised the company of the raising of the ship, and her sailing again with her living freight on December 29, and she may be expected here about February 10 or 15. A perusal of Captain Boyd's simple narrative of the accident leaves the impression that he acted with calmness, judgment, discretion, and energy, under the most trying circumstances, and doubtless to these circumstances, and to the excellent support he received from his officers and crew, is to be attributed the happy result. No lives have been lost, and though the cargo must be more or less damaged, the ship has been saved. w