The packet sloop Empress, Capt. Mason, of Providence, on her passage to New-York, about 70 miles this side of that port, on Tuesday night last, about 12 o’clk, took fire and was totally lost.
The wind was blowing fresh, and all hands had been on deck about an hour, and when first discovered the flames were bursting out of the cabin, It is supposed, as the water was rough, the stove in the cabin must have overset and caused the fire. Every effort to extinguish the flames proving ineffectual, the crew abandoned her and went on board a schooner lying near, whence they were taken on board of the steamboat Water Witch. When the Water Witch left the wreck, she was completely in flames abaft the main hatch, and nothing saved. The sloop was laden with about 900 cubic feet of domestic goods, 107 casks lime, 10 hhds. new rum, and 10 hhds. molasses, belonging to different persons. The vessel was owned by Capt. Mason, Manton and Hallet, and the heirs of Whipple Brown — the interest of the latter was insured.
The wreck was afterwards fallen in with by the steamboat Boston, Captain Comstock, at half past 2 o’clock in the morning, nearly consumed, her deck having fallen in.
Herald of the Times, Newport, RI, April 30, 1835