Fire on Board the Mariposa.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 32, 25 May 1889, Page 2

Fire on Board the Mariposa.

She Returns to Auckland

A Shipment of Fi.ax Takes Fiuk. Ax Axxiois Time." On Tuesday morning, at 6.40 o'clock, wh-n the Mariposa was about 220 miles from Auckland, the seamen on watch discovered su.oke to lie issuing from the hatch. It wax »t first thought that fife had broken out iu ihu mail room, and Captain J lay ward promptly gave directions for getting the hose to hear on that portion ot the shin.

Onn rtf the hatches were lifted, and great Cfduinus of thick smoke . tame up. The water was at once brought to Itear down on the opening, hut the heat was so great and the smoke so thick that it was impossible for the men to work. Some thirty iKiles of flax were I got out, hut in the endeavour to do !so the seaman suffered severely I from the smoke, several fainting from partial asphyxia. As soon as it was found where the seat of the fire was Captain I Hayward ordered the vessel to be reduced to half speed, and the wind ; being favourable the steamer's rate ; was about equal to the wind's I velocity, and the draught down the ; hatch thus reduced to a minimum After some little time working with the hose. Captain Hayward decided that as the burning bales could hardly be got at because of the increasing heat, that it would be more efficacious to smother the tire.

Accordingly the hatch was put on again, and battened down closely and the steam turned on strongly. As it was impossible to form any adequate idea of the extent of the outbreak, and the ship Was crowded with passengers, Captain Hay ward considered it prudent to return to Auckland rather than to push on into the tropical latitudes, where (he great heat might cause a recnrrence of the disaster. He therefore turned the vessel's head round, sod steered for Auckland, arriving*!? on Wednetday morning at &#• Than arc about 400 souls on board the steamer all fold. . , . Hii issi