THE BURNING OF THE JAPAN—LOSS OF NEARLY 400 LIVES.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 217, 18 February 1875, Page 3

THE BURNING OF THE JAPAN—LOSS OF NEARLY 400 LIVES.

The Overland Mail Report supplies the following full account of the loss of this ship : “ Early on the morning of the 19th December, the community was startled by the intelligence that the magnificent steamer Japan, belonging to the Pacific Mail Company, had been completely destroyed by fire on the high seas. The news spread with the greatest rapidity, and at first little less than perfect.consternation was felt, and the most anxious enquiries were made as to the passengers on board, and for full particulars of the sad disaster. The first news was brought by an open boat, which arrived at four a m., containing the chief engineer, Miss Stott, a passenger, and seven Chinese. Later in the morning, namely, about nine o’clock, a second boat arrived, containing the baker, stewardess, and six Chinese. Finally, yesterday, the Yesso arrived, containing Captain Warsaw and the remainder of those who were saved from the wreck. On receipt of the intelligence, prompt measures were taken by Mr Emory, the superintendent of the company here, to secure assistance if possible to any of the shipwrecked men. The U, S. corvettes Yantic and Saco promptly got up steam and went to the disaster, but it is to be feared they will be of little service, as it is said that, after burning for some time, the vessel was seen to sink. Captain Ashton also proceeded to the scene. It appears that the total number missing by the sad accident is 389 Chinese, one European steerage pasBenger, and the cook. The steamer had a general cargo on board, and treasure to the amount of 358,508 dollars. The history of the conflagration will, it is to be feared, remain involved in obscurity. None of the accounts which have been given explain fully the first cause of the accident, 1 ut they concur in showing that the conflagration spread with the most frightful rapidity. The means of extinguishing the fire, and the lifeboats and life-saving apparatus were ample, and would probably have been found quite sufficient to deal with any ordinary accident in the way of fire; but, from all accounts, the present catastrophe appears to have occurred with unheard of rapidity. The most probable explanation which is suggested by the facts so far as they are at present known, is that the fire had been gaining ground for a considerable time before it broke out, and that on its coming into contact with the atmosphere, what was merely smouldering before became on a sudden a mass of flames. So sudden was the affair, that Miss Stott and the stewardess had to escape from their berths without time to dress, and had to take what clothing could be spared by the men in the boat.” The captain’s statement is as follows: —“The Pacific Mail Steamship Company’s steamer Japan, 4351 tons, left San Francisco, Saturday, November 14th, at noon, with 24 cabin passengers, 5 European steerage, 8 Japanese, and 422 Chinese, 975 tons cargo, 168 boxes treasure, value 358,508 dollars, and 21 packages of mails. Had pleasant weather with variable winds during the passage to Yokohama. Arrived December 10th, at 10.40 a.m,, landed 22 cabin passengers, 4 European steerage, 8 Japanese, 400 tons cargo, and 16 packages mails. Received on board 1 European steerage passenger, 3 Chinese, 45 tons cargo, 600 tons coal, 1 bag mails, stores, &c. Sailed from Yokohama December 11th at 4 p.m. for Hongkong. Experienced pleasant weather up to noon on the 17th, when the wind freshened into a strong breeze from north-east with rough sea. At 9 p.m. passed Lammock light, distant five miles, ship under sail and steam ; 11.25 p.m, Breaker Point bearing west half south, distant twenty-six miles ; strong N.B. monsoon and rough sea ; fire first discovered, engines stopped, ship headed in shore, ventilators turned from wind ; all five engines working in perfect order ; every effort made to subdue the fire, at the same time officers detailed to secure all boats preparatory to saving life, but all our efforts to save the mails proved fruitless. Finding it impossible to subdue the fire abandoned the ship with last boat at 1 o’clock a.m. on the 18th, the ship then being enveloped in flames amidships, directly in the engine and fire room, all communication being cut off between forward and after part of the vessel; Remained until noon in the vicinity of the wreck, saving life ; engaged a fishing ■junk to assist. Cruised in the vicinity of the wreck, and succeeded in saving 117 souls from boat and water; seeing no more life to save, stood in for Cup Chi Point. At 6.30 p.m. intercepted English steamer Yottung, Captain Kock, who kindly took us on board and conveyed us to Swatow ; and thence transferred to steamer Yesso for Hongkong.” The following is a portion of the report and finding of the Court of Enquiry held at Hongkong on 24th December, and published in the Mongkong Times, December 29th “We, the undersigned, composing the Court or Enquiry assembled at the United States Consulate, on the 24th day of December, J 87 4? to inquire into the cause of, and cir-

cumstances attending, the loss of the P.M.S.S, Japan, Captain E. R. Warsaw, commander, after hearing and carefully considering all of the testimony adduced in the case, do find as follows : —That the fire, in our opinion, originated in the forward bunker immediately under the freight deck. That the fire was caused by the spontaneous combustion of coal placed there when coaling in the harbor of Yokohama, the coal having been taken on board during a violent rain storm, and consequently stowed in a wet and damp condition. That at the last inspection previous to the fire, the engineer on duty failed to inspect this bunker, although he did inspect all others containing coal, the reason assigned being that no coal had been used from this bunker since 5 p.m. that day. That at the last inspection of the vessel at 8 p.m, the inspecting officers failed to detect any evidence of the presence of fire. That such was the condition of affairs at 11.25 p.m, when the first alarm was given and smoke seen to issue from the vicinity of the coal bunker referred to. That at this moment no flames were seen, only a dense volume of smoke. That immediately the engine was stopped, a general alarm sounded, ventilators turned from the wind, and in fact the rules and regulations of the company, made and provided for such an emergency, strictly complied with, and that the officers and crew at once put forward every effort in their power to subdue the flames. That under the direction of Captain Warsaw all available streams, some seven or eight in number, were brought to bear in the immediate vicinity of the fire, located in the engine and fire room at that time. That all the available fire apparatus was brought to bear on the fire within about ten minutes, some twenty-one streams in number. That the fire apparatus was in excellent condition and was used to its utmost capacity, until the increasing heat prevented the pumps from working. That everything was done on the part of Captain Warsaw, and the officers and crew generally under his command, to save the vessel. That after all human efforts had proved futile, as shown by the evidence, to subdue the fire and save the ship, she was abandoned by all on board at 12.45 on the morning of the 18th, the commander being the last man to leave the ship. That a more rigid inspection of coal bunkers, a greater care in regard to burning surplus coal first, and a more careful supervision of the condition of the coal when coaling should be exercised, and the temperature of the coal bunkers should be taken at least once every four hours for the purpose of preventing and detecting any incipient signs of combustion going on in them. That from all the evidence we gather that the captain was cool, calm, and collected ; that he did his duty nobly and well, and exerted himself to the fullest extent to save the vessel under his command ; and, after her abandonment, remaining by the wreck until all hope of saving further life was gone. That we consider the conduct of the chief engineer reprehensible, both in passing an unauthorised order calculated to dispirit the persons engaged in subduing the flames, and in allowing the largest boat, in which he was the only male European, to leave the ship only partly filled, without endeavoring to save the lives of those remaining on board and in the water, although from the evidence he appears after reaching the boat to have been suffering from inhalation of smoke, and not to have been actually in command of the boat. That we consider the great loss of life among the Chinese passengers arose from the communication between the fore and aft ends of the ship (at which latter end most of the boats were placed) being cut off, their paralysation by fear preventing any efforts to save their lives ; the roughness of the sea and darkness of the night; and the weight of the money, in many cases slung upon their persons —although life preservers were abundant, and were extensively made use of.—H. S. Lorking, vice-consul in charge, and president of the Court; R. T. R. Lewis, commander U. S. N., and senior officer present ; W. W. Gillpatrick, lieutenant U. S. N., member ; Benjamin P. Clough, master American ship Malay.”