FEARFUL DISASTER AT SEA.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2519, 18 April 1881, Page 2

FEARFUL DISASTER AT SEA.

(From a London paper.)

Yokohama papers have been received at Plymouth containing reports of a sad disaster at sea, through which 61 persons lost their lives. The passenger steamer Toyokuni-Maru, a new vessel recently launched, was on a trip from Osaka to Shimonoseki. The owner and a large number of passengers were on board, and everything presaged a pleasant run until an alarm of fire was raised while the steamer was crossing the Idzumi-Nada. Terrible confusion at once ensued ; and as the conflagration was in the coal bunks, nothing could be done to extinguish it, the vessel being without pumps or any other appliance useful for such a purpose. The “Hiogo News,’ says the steamer was so ill-provided that only three of the ordinary buckets used for washing decks could be found. The solitary boat was made fast over the position of the fire, and could not be cleared away, so that the wretched passengers were without any means of escape, not even lifebuoys being part of the vessel’s equipment. Owing to the heat below it was impossible to get at the engines to stop them, and the flames soon reached the boilers, and caused the steamer to be propelled through the wAter at a terrific speed. Some of the crew managed to get forward and let go an anchor, in the hope that it would impede progress through the water; but the effect was almost imperceptible. By this time the burning ship was only some 20 miles from land, and the Tekiomaru could be seen coming up to the assistance of those on board. It is certain that if at this time the Toyokuni could have been stopped all or nearly all the people on board would have been saved. But as the vessel sped on the flames drove the unfortunate passengers aft, and the people on board the Tokiomaru could see men women and children throwing themselves overboard to escape the more ’painful death inevitable by remaining in the burning ship. The excitement on the Tokiomaru was intense, and it must have been a fearful sight to witness these poor creatures perishing without any possible means to save them. At length, owing it is supposed to the intense heat injuring sonic portion of the machinery, the Toyokuni suddenly stopped, and the pursuing steamer was enabled to get close up. A boat was immediately lowered and rowed as near the burning ship as (he flames would allow. Eighteen men were found to bo hanging over the vessel’s side, clinging to ropes, and were taken on board the Tokiomaru, with the exception of one, the purser, who insisted upon going to his native place in a small fishing boat which came up ]ust at the time. Those 18 were the sole survivors of 82 souls who a few hours previously were anticipating a speedy return to their friends or relatives.