A Fiery Cruise.
THE BURNING SHIP IDA IREDALE DRIFTS FOR NINE MONTHS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
The British ship Ida Iredale, while in the South Pacific, on a voyage from Ardrossan, on the Clyde, to this port, took fire, and was abandoned on the 15th of October, 1876, while in latitude 12.20 south, longitude 107.45 west. News has come to hand that her hull drifted about for nine months, and was discovered at a point 2,350 miles distant from where the disaster occurred. She was towed into Tahiti, and an inspection of her hull was made by the English Consul and Captain Turpie, master of the London missionary vessel, John Williams. Captain Turpie made the following interesting report as to her condition and her long voyage without captain or crew ; The whole of the woodwork, indeed, every thing combustible, has been consumed, leaving only the ironwork of what was once a remarkably strong and substantial vessel. The foremast has fallen off the port side, and has entirely disappeared from the deck upwards. The bowsprit, with a portion of the jibboom, still remains, though displaced from its position. The main and mizzen lower masts, with all ironwork attached, remain within the structure, having fallen in. The bread and water tanks have evidently exploded after generating steam. The whole frame from ’tween-deck beams is sadly distorted and twisted by the action of the fire. Many of the beams arc broken by the weight of deck fittings, etc. The collision bulkhead still appears intact. There still remains, I should suppose/Sabout one hundred tons of ashes and ddbris, which are still burning. No water is visible in the hold, and the iron plates of the ship outwardly appear little damaged. The bottom is clean—kept so, I imagine, by the intense heat. The figure-head is uninjured. From the position where she was abandoned to this place is about 2,350 miles. The ship has therefore driven that distance between Oct. 15, 1876 and June 9, 1877. The course made by the burning wreck I suppose to be about W. S. W., south of the Paumota group ; then meeting with the southeast winds which prevailed during April, May and June, she has driven to the northwest until taken in tow by the French man-of-war. It is a most remarkable thing that a burning ship should have driven over eight months in the Pacific without being reported, and that she should at last be brought into the port which her captain and crew had reached seven months previously.
