THE SEA ON FIRE.

Southland Times, Issue 970, 17 June 1868, Page 3

THE SEA ON FIRE.

(From the " Express.") An explosion, followed by a fire, from which the whole of the ahipping in the docks at Havre waa for a time in danger of destruction, occurred three days back. At about 11 in the morning a loud detonation was heard in the Barre basin, and at the same moment, columns of flame and smoke burst from a large vessel named the Fanchette, moored along the quay, and on which 400 barrels of essence of petroleum were embarked. Only one man was on board at the moment, and having just entered the cabin, he was thus protected from the effects o£ the explosion. He was, however, slightly burnt on the head, but succeeded in getting ashore. It being Sunday morning, few persons were near the spot, but assistance promptly arrived, and steps were taken to remove the other craft in the basin out of danger. M. Hagenow, ot the Transatlantic Company's service, had in the meantime, at great peril, crossed the burning vessel to unchain some others which were moored outside her, and which were at once towed away. No attempts were made to extinguish the fire, as they manifestly would have been useless. The flames had, however, communicated to some construction on the quay, and to a pile of campeachy wood, but were, in these cases, got under. The dockgates had in the meantime, been

opened, and all the vessels were being hauled into the adjoining basins, and just as the last had been got away, the hawser which held the Fanchette was burnt through, and she began to drift towards ths floating dock, which could not be removed, and was left alone in the basin. M. Hagenow, already mentioned, and a Captain Grow, immediately put off in boats, and, notwithstanding the immense heat thrown out by the fire, succeeded in getting sufficiently near to throw grappling irons on board the vessel, which was then towed away and allowed to burn out. The liquid had floated on the water, which was covered with flames, and made so hot that large numbers of dead fish were afterwards found, having been killed by the unusual temperature. More than 30,000 persons lined the quays during the latter part of the disaster : there was no wind at the time, and the flames rose to an immense height, forming a magnificent spectacle. The cause of the explosion is not, known.