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Story
March 25, 1837
Republican Herald
Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island
What is this article about?
The packet ship Erie from Havre carried a bottle of sulphuric acid that ignited a fire in the hold, unnoticed until cargo discharge in New York. The fire was contained due to the hold's confinement, averting potential loss at sea during a gale.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
A Bull.—It seems that the packet ship Erie, from Havre, had, unknown to the Commander, a bottle of sulphuric acid stowed near the bottom of the hold. The N. York Evening Post, says:
"On discharging the cargo at this port, it was found to have been on fire, and owing to the confined nature of the ship's hold, it was prevented from making any essential progress, and finally smothered. This vessel might have been lost at sea, and never heard of, if the fire had burned through the bottom. Her loss would, in such case, have been attributed to the great gale which she so narrowly escaped."
Humph—if the ocean had also taken fire, it is presumable that the fishes would have been pretty considerably scorched; and we apprehend that it would be about as easy to set the ocean in flames, as to burn a hole through a vessel's bottom, at sea.
"On discharging the cargo at this port, it was found to have been on fire, and owing to the confined nature of the ship's hold, it was prevented from making any essential progress, and finally smothered. This vessel might have been lost at sea, and never heard of, if the fire had burned through the bottom. Her loss would, in such case, have been attributed to the great gale which she so narrowly escaped."
Humph—if the ocean had also taken fire, it is presumable that the fishes would have been pretty considerably scorched; and we apprehend that it would be about as easy to set the ocean in flames, as to burn a hole through a vessel's bottom, at sea.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
Disaster
What themes does it cover?
Misfortune
Survival
What keywords are associated?
Ship Fire
Sulphuric Acid
Packet Ship Erie
Near Disaster
Where did it happen?
Ship's Hold, From Havre To New York
Story Details
Location
Ship's Hold, From Havre To New York
Story Details
Packet ship Erie unknowingly carried sulphuric acid that caused a fire in the hold; discovered and contained upon arrival in New York, potentially averting loss at sea mistaken for gale damage.