Eventful Voyage of the Piako.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3098, 22 January 1879, Page 2

Eventful Voyage of the Piako.

(Pee AucKilND Hebald Speciai Wibi)

The following particulars of the Pialco'i voyage haveibeeh obtained from the NewZealand Shipping Company:—The ship Piako is a clipper-built iron vessel, launched from the yard of Messrs Alexander Stephen arid Sons in 1877, registfrin 1075 tons. She has made two successful voyages to arid from the «olony. On this occasion she was on her third rojage. The ship left Plymouth, bound for Lyttelton, on the morning of October the 11th, under the command of Captain W. B. Boyd, being well officered ana manned and equipped, besides cargo of about 1060 tons; She had 288 immigrants'on board. The earlier part of the Toyage was uneventful. The ship made a splendid run, and on November 11 was about 70- south, long. 32' west, or less than 200 miles from Pernambuco. At 10.45 a.m. that day, Captain Boyd had just left the deck, and was in the, cabin making an entry in his official log; when Mr Hdllckke," the chief officer, came to him, .and reported that smoke was issuing thrown the lower fore* hatch. Captain Boyd at onoe went forward, removed one of the hatches, and went below. There was every sign of fire, but the smoke was not dense. He at once ordered the fire-bell to be rang, and hose was brought to play down the hatchway over the ooal, while the full force of hands were put on to break out cargo and find out where the fire f was; Within i ■ iir minutes of the first report of fire, Captain Boyd distinctly saw flame, about twenty feet abaft the foremost tier of cargo. At once the hose (.was brought to play oh it, under the direction of the second officer, Mr Haggle wood* The captain then ran on deck to get the carpenters to cut a hole in the 'tween decks over the flame. He was not 'absent two minutes, but oJflijbis return large volumes of black, SulphuHbus 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 to the married people's compartments, but he and his .volunteers,i were driven back almost stifled. All the hatches were then closed, and also the scuppers, and the master bad the main deck flooded, two engines play* ing down the fore-hatch, and holes cut in the upper deck. The donkey-engine* were playing down thfe air-shaft. Captain,, Boyd at this time altered the ship's course to make Pernambuco. ,In a comparatively short time the combings of the hatcu became so hot that they could not be touched. Meanwhile, all the boats were .got out alongside, and some stores put in, but even ■ from the after 'store-room the hands were ' driT^ii üback by the fire, and that had. to be battened down too. About 2 p.m., most providen. tially, a 'barque war sighted on the weather bow, and Captain Boyd mile signals of distress, and bore up to her. The vessel proved :to be the I(0cht)oon, bound from San Francisco to Cork. At three p.m. Captain Boyd commenced to tranahip.the passengers, which; was 'happily accomplished in two hoars, without the slightest accident. Of course, when all danger of sacrifice of human life was passed, Captain Boyd's chief anxiety was over; but having doW his duty, io ; the passengers he was loath to neglect the further heavy interest confided: to him, and determined not to abandon'the ship and cargo if his crew would stick by him. He told them he intended,

if possible, to take the ship into port, and every man on board said be would (and he did) stick to the ship, and right manfully they worked, never leaving the the pumps till 4 p.m. of the 13th, when the ship reached Pernambuco roadstead, the Loch Boon following her, and reaching there a few hours afterward. The origin of the fire had not then been ascertained. Every regulation had been carefully observed. The captain is certain no one could have got down belowi Immediately on arrival at Pernambuco, Captain Bpyd waited on the H.B.M. Consul (Mr Coff), and conferred with him and the President of the State as to arrangements for the care and comfort of the emigrants. Everything possible was done to ameliorate their unfortunate position. They were all landed on Coboanut Island (II ba De Mokueria), where a large house and out-buildings were available. The Consul was unwilling to supply clothing, but Captain Boyd at once ordered it for the emigrants at th*>* company's expense, and arranged for theTf 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 V ship, the fire was gaining rapidly, and it was deemed necessary to scuttle her ; she wag smoking and blasSing 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, arid she may be expected here about February .10 or 15. - # A perusal of Captain Bbyd's simple narrative of the occurrence leave* the impression that he acted with calmneit, 1 • judgment; '■' discretion, and energy, tinder most trying circumstances, and, doubtless, to these circumstances, and to excellent support he received from his officers and crew,, is to be attributed the happy result that no lives have been lost; and, although the cargo must be more or less damaged, the ship has been saved.

The German newspaper mike comments upon the Earl of Beacotisfield's speech at the' Guildhall civic banquet; The prevailing opinion is that the speaker's intention was to make it perfectly clear to Europe that the English Government is detersained to insist.upon the execution of the Treaty of Berlin, and that that intimation was mtended as the main point of,his address.

(Tor remainder of News see Ist S( teh Pages.)