. . .
It then became necessary to cut away spars, rigging, stays etc. which was done promptly, and after some time it was deemed advisable to scuttle the ship, as the exertions from the dock to extinguish the fire seemed to be unavailing. There was plenty of water in the dock at the time but on the receding tide the vessel grounded; and the fire seemed to have run through the entire length of the ship for the smoke burst out in all parts and baffled every exertion. In the forenoon, the masts were an anxiety, their fall being anticipated; and in the afternoon this happened, the mainmast and the mizzen mast falling with fearful crashes upon the quay and in their descent destroying the roofs of two sheds. At nine o'clock at night the inner shell of the hull for nearly the whole length of the vessel was burning; the flames rising with fury between ribs which had connected the outer and inner hull, the intervening spaces being to the spectator like so many flames; and the iron bolts released by the flames dropping one after another into the hold, where in the forepart of the ship particularly, the upper portion of the cargo was fast being consumed. At first, great alarm was felt for the safety of neighbouring ships, several steamers of the Cunard Fleet being in the same dock, but no material damage was sustained by them and they, with the others, were as soon as possible removed out of harm's way. The value of the James Baines and her cargo is estimated at £ 170,000.
Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius.
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Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.