We have received full particulars of the accident to the Canadian mail steamer Empress of Japan after leaving this port on Monday week, which necessitated Captain Lee's putting about and shaping " course for Hakodate in order to remove the cargo stowed in the after-hold which was found to be on fire. It became generally known that a fire had broken out on Wednesday evening after a somewhat erratic performance by the electric lights. Asa fret, fire was discovered by the officers of the ship some time before it was suspected by the passengers, and when the combustion was Gefinitely located in the after-hold the first means taken to extinguish it was by the introduction of steam from the. boilers into the hold by an arrangement specially designed for that purpose, The steam process, is satly repressive in ordinary cases, pi this instance to be ineffectual, and this demonstrated the fact that the fre had obtained a great hold than was at first surmised. nptai Lee then resolved that to run for Hakodate was the best course to pursue, and ip was consequently headed for that he introduction of afoam pro iticient to subdue the fire, it was foun necessary to pump in water, "How far this measure was needed may be gathered from the fact. that the divisional steel bulkhead between the after-hold and the engine: room lind become red-hot. Holes were wu drilled, ud water poured in sufficient quai to drown the fire, and the immedinte- danger of an extending conflagration was averted. In the meantime, the ship rapidly approached the const of Japan, and the astonishment of those in Hakodate on Friday afternoon who first made out the vessel was great when it was observed that an Empress mail boat was in the offing under fall steam with the signal flying at the fore 'I am on fire." Such preparations were at once made on shore as suggested themselves under the circumstances, and the steamer Was sood harbour at anchor. Before this, however, the cause of the outbreak had' been fully. ascertained, and this was found to be the wires from the dynamo that passed up through the after-hold. In the screw alley of an ordinary sing! steamer the shaft passes down th hip. In @ two-sere shafts are port by oil tanks, ice-houses, and spare gear, and in the case of. the Hmpress it was here that the dynamo was also placed. The dynamo being at the bottom of the ship, the wires hud to be carried up tu the lamps, and, on board the Empress, were led through the after-hold in a wooden casing. It was thia casing that caught fire, and from top tw bottom it was nothing but a mass of charred embers when the fire was extinguished nid it sas com: pletely in view. The red hot condition of the bulkhead between, the rifter-huid and the engine-room will be sufficient to. indicate the strength of the fire in the by. steam and water, This was all discharged into lighters placed alongside,.and a thorough examination of the hold made, when it was found that " portion. of the deck had also been burned.. Captain Lee ordered a survey to be held and this was accordingly done;: after: which the: discharged cargo was reshipped,.this: being comploted on Sunday morning. The vessel, however, -had_ iven) considerable expenditure feo vi in of which was proceeding with "ll'speed when on formant left, and, as we tedrued® from the a yess sailed on Monday mori ing. As regards the'silkj about which'some anxiety has been expressed, it is not supposed to: be damaged in the smallest degree, as being in a special room tiititely shut off stated that not even' the fumes' if the fire can have reached it.' Oxptuin'Lee was rmly eulogised by the passengers, rho state thatthe most perfect order and, discipline were-maintained by the officers and crew without exception, atid a-letter, drawn up in handsome terms, was presented to Captain Lee by 'Sir Edwin Arnold after being signed by himself' and every passenger on board. 'Thus: ends happily what might have proved' to'be'a terrible disaster in mid-ocean with aid no wearer than "thousands of miles" away.—Jepan all.
A correspondent: writes We are just entering the harbour of Hakodate, after an occurrence which might have ended very disastrously. All went well with the Empress of Japan after leaving Yokohama on Monday the 8th, the evening of the 10th, when, 600 land, something' went wrong. electric light wires. Whiether'a wire had broken below, or latent fire' had melted one, signs ofa conflagration were soon perceived in the After hold, filled with tea, sugar, and silk, The latches were opened, and ti targo broken gut, steam having previously been 'Iét into the compartment, but when " few score of ten-chests' had been lifted out, smoke issued i volumes from the hold, along with the injected steam), and flames were discerned at the bottom of the cargo w crackling" was heard of being consumed. "It was de close up'the hatches, and if possible smother the fire with steam, water, and. patent annihilators. The hatches were therefore again battened down, the ait' excluded, and five large hose set pouring water. ito the hold, but all that night, the reeks aid fumes increased and at 5 a.m, of the morning of the 1th is was' plain (hit the ship was most dangerously on fire, 'The engine-room bulk-head were bl ing with heat, the decks were bur and the Captain came to the wise! tion, gladly accepted by the' turn back and run at full speed and nid, Mean been prepared and provisioned; life-belts in readiness \d- every "proper step lavclioly necessity should arise for resorting to tle sbbate. Tt would have been " forlorn' the-passengers and ship's' company' with the nearest" land five or' six hundred miles away, and a strung-current setting from Japan. - There was, however, no'panie of foolish fuss visibly on.-bourd: 'Kyetybody behaved with commendable calm, due Jargely to the admirable -discipline "and manliness with which'the Captain and hie officers und crew faced the' peril.' "A day of quiet sea-enabled the ship'to'steam back at her best epeed; and' we'aresnow' safely entering Hakodate, with'.tho: hold "til probably full of tthe ire under dur fett, but the vessel, her people bu: board; ahd: the bulk of the cargo-saved. ° Poo mitch praise cannot, I: think; be awitded ti Captain Lee and hieship's eonipany. for discretion, cout a judgment, and this feeling. has: expressed, by- the passengérs:,'in' a. letter! to. Captain 'Lee, of which I am able to: afford: iyau.a: copy, terrible, catastrophe. hus sin all bility been escaped, snd there eon" board who understands the dangerous condition of the vessel who'is not-glad' tobe within reach of help in these: quiet waters."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.