Jeddah, May 23.
The French steamer Asia (6,890 tons) was lying at anchorage in the outer harbour when, at eight o'clock on Wednesday evening, fire started on board and spread very rapidly.
Other ships in the harbour Inunehed life-boats and rescued 950 of the 1,500 half-demented Mecca pilgrims and a further three to four hundred safely got ashore.
The whole vessel this morning was still a raging furnace.
'A hundred and twelve of the pilgrims are missing and it is fear-that they have perished.
Fine bravery was displayed by the officers and crow of the ill-fater vessel, while native boatmen, who were rescuing pilgrims struggling in the water, even climbed aboard tne inferno and took off pilgrims, many. of whom were kneeling in prayer amid the flames-—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.