All Ocean Steamer Burned.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 221, 24 September 1887, Page 4

All Ocean Steamer Burned.

The Inman Hue steamer, City of Montreal, Inch left New York August 6th for Liverpool, was burned to the water's edge on the 11th, five days after she had left port. The news of her destruction was brought to Queenstown on August 19 by the British steamer York City, Captain Perm, which left Baltimore on August 4th for London. The York City had on board the survivors of the burned vessel. A boat containing six passengers and seven members of the City of Montrea]'s # ciew is missing, and they are believed to be lost. The City of Montreal had 420 passengers on board, all of whom are accounted for except the 13 mentioned above, and whose names are : — George Arnold, Samuel Kauflmann, S. Kroheinga, Sam. McKee, Simon Rowtellcy, Stephen Tupper, Kenard Woolton, passengers. Henry Frnser, William Frawney, Charles Reade, crew ; Patrick Hughes, fireman ; Charles Smith, interpreter ; Thomas Webberforce, steward. The survivois are unanimous in declaring that the officers and crew of the City of Montreal did their be&t nobly and skilfully.

THE CAPTAIN'S REPORT. Queen stowx, August 19. — Captain Laud, commander of the City of Montreal, makes the following report : On the 10th inst. tho wind was north-no; thwesterly. About 9 o'clock on the evening of that day a fire was discovered in the alter hatch among the cotton. The fire hose was at once connected, and streams of water were poured down upon tho flames. Annihilators, hand grenades and tire extinguishers were freely used. The fire, however, overcame all efforts to suppress it and spread over the upper and lower decks. The ship was doomed from the beginning of the lire, and the boats had been actively prepared and provisioned. At 6 o'clock on the morning of the 11th inst. the flames burst through the upper hatches, and the boats were low creel. Theie was a high sea at the time, and this caused much difficulty. The women and children were the first put on boaid the boats, and the male passengers and crew were embarked, afterwards. Lack of time prevented the manning of the boats with their respective crews, the men being compelled to continue until the last moment the work of keeping the flames down. All the boat* left the ship safely, but by an unfortunate oversight twenty people wore left aboard the burning vessel. Boat 3 re turned and took off six of the number. Boat 5, with the fourth officer, took off six more. A barque was then reported approaching, and when all the boats had put their people aboard of her they returned and took off the rest on the burning steamer. It was found that boat 8 was missing. She was seen to put herself before the wind when she left the slip, using her oars in support of sails. She ran away from tho vessel in direct di=obedienco to the captain's orders. Everybody spent the night aboard the German barque Frabant, Captain Sheel, from Charleston, July 24th, for London, and all were then transferred to the York City, which stayed by through the night and vainly searched for the missing boat. Captain Laud says he is sanguine that boat 8 is saved, as the accident occurred in the track of steamers bound east and west. The passengers' heads were cool and they were obedient during the crisis, and the crew were steady. The passengers and crew lost everything they had aboard the City of Montreal except what they stood in when they went into the boats. The origin of the fire, Captain Laud says, is unknown. He is certain it broke out in more than one place among the cotton. The ship was in latitude 43 38 north, longitude 43' 54 X west. The rescued passengers and crew, when landed at Queenstone by the York City, were in a pitiful condition. The Inman Company agents at once forwarded all the passengers who were prepared to continue their travels, and did everything possible to be done for the comfort of the rest. A London despatch (August 24th) says the missing boat had been picked up, and all in it were safe and well — 6 passengers and 7of the crew. The rescue was made by a German vessel named Mathilde, which arrived at Falmouth on the date of the despatch.