File:Burning of the 'Eastern Monarch' at Spithead - ILN-1859-0611-0012.jpg

English: Burning of the "Eastern Monarch" at Spithead. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 11 June 1859. Volume: 34 , Issue: 978.

Would have been sketched by Ubsdell from Haslar Hospital.
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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE "EASTERN MONARCH' BY FIRE. In our second edition last week we gave a few particulars of the terrible accident which happened on board this ship on Friday, the 3rd instant. We now give some further details of the catastrophe. The Eastern Monarch arrived at Spithead from Kurrachee at about half-past one on Friday morning, with three hundred and fifty-two invalid soldiers, thirty women, and fifty-three children, under the command of Colonel Allen. Captains Molesworth, Usher, Manning, and Stopford, and Lieutenants Clive and Gresham, with their families, were also on board the vessel. The chief mate, Mr. Narracott, an hour after the ship had brought up, was walking the poop, when an explosion took place, blowing out the cuddy skylights on the poop, and carrying away the poop-ladders. Officers and ladies rushed on deck in their night-dresses, the troops below leaping from their hammocks, and barely escaping the flames, with such rapidity did these spread along the deck. The whole of the ship's ports being open for ventilation, the current of air, of course, urged them along in; their fury. Capt. Morris despatched a boat to the men-of-war at Spithead for assistance, and ordered the fire-engine and pumps to be rigged to endeavour to subdue the fire, but by this time it was beyond control. The ship's boats (four in number) were lowered, and the ladies, women, and children were passed over the side. The troops were paraded by Colonel Allan's orders, and were under the most perfect command; everyman obeyed his orders most implicitly. By this time boats were alongside, and the men lowered themselves by ropes from the forepart of the ship and bowsprit, the afterpart being a mass of flame. Two sailing-barges bore down to the burning ship under canvas, and so close that numbers of men and women dropped on their decks from the ship's bowsprit and bows, the forepart of the ship being the clearest from fire. The conduct of the men in these barges (the Providence and the Petrel) is stated by the captain of the ship and the officers in command of the troops to have been beyond all praise. The boats of H.M. ships Falcon and Flying Fish, and sundry pilot-boats, also did good service. In half an hour's time from the explosion every one that could be found was got out of the ship, and as the last boats left her sides the flaming masts fell by the board. Although the fire burnt with such alarming rapidity, the loss of life was comparatively small. One woman and five children were killed by the explosion; and one man died, after being brought ashore, from the effects of the explosion. A large number have received contusions and burns. The whole of the officers, ladies, men, women, and children who were landed at Portsmouth from the unfortunate vessel were in their night clothes. Colonel Allan speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of the men under his command, and says of his own officers and Capt. Morris and the officers of the ship, " nothing could exceed their coolness, spirit, and gallantry." The appearance of the burning ship from Portsmouth ramparts and the beach from about three until six a.m. was magnificent in the extreme. The hull of the ship continued burning fiercely until about midday, when the greater body of the flames was subdued, but immense bodies of smoke continued to ascend from the ship. A letter, signed by Colonel Allan and all the officers and passengers on board, has been sent to Captain Morris, expressing the deep sympathy which the writers feel with him, and their conviction that the accident was in no way owing to any neglect on his part. The Eastern Monarch was a ship of upwards of 1500 tons register, belonging to Messrs. Somes Brothers, of Blackwall, and nearly new, this being only her second voyage to India. Her cargo consisted of saltpetre, linseed, ivory, and bones; and the fire is supposed to have been the result of spontaneous combustion of the saltpetre.