The Express. — London, England, 1852-01-10 00:00:00

erOreOfi. TU CUR MSS PONDEN N. t.r. F .•• .1" low Farm.," t011:111111111rp be sear et. r.rr tt " pub`l-I.cd tray Treed..) a.. 1 !-ri.ty :ice Oar MSC Adrettiortoretalabended for The Earner," Leader Errant' para. sts.t be at the tbllto, lu, betneetr-atreet. Tv. ra tie day el yabdaaima. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE . DAT—NOMiag. 4ti ki.—....Altersess. n. 2Ses. Tmiotacre—ilanuag. LONDON, SA TIMMY, JANUARY tO. THE destruction of the Amazon is probably unsur passed, in its terrible impressiveness, by any event in the records of maritime disaster. The appalling rapidity of the progress of the flames—the awful com bination of howling blast and boisterous surges with the devouring element—the agonies of the hopeless victims. tossed in terrified bewilderment from the slumber of sleep into that of a painful death—the contemplation prostrates the wind by the force of grief and horror. These feelings, we doubt not, affect the owners of the ill-fated vessel even more keenly than the general public. Such events awaken an un.sisy tendency to self-reproach even in the breasts of those who have nothing to accuse themselies of. Of all surviving parties, the active managers of the company to which the vessel belonged are perhaps the most entitled to sympathy. for. in addition to their heavy hiss, they have the reflection that the sufferers were, in a man ner, under the shelter of their roof. It is with unfeigned reluctance, therefore, that we address ourselves to the question whether any pre cautions had been omitted that might have contri buted to avert the calamity or facilitate escape from it. It is warmly possible to discuss such a question without inadvertently using incidental expressions that may wound feelings unwontedly susceptible under existing circumstances. By some the mere mooting of the question mar bo held to imply an injurious aceusation. But wlere the safety of tra vellers, and the welfare and feelings of friends tend relations are at stake, all such considerations must give way. The directors of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company have judged wise:y in instituting an in quire into the eause of the eouthignition without loss of time. They have evinced equally sound judgmast in allowing publicity to be given to the porreedingsl on the inquiry. *acting thus they have invited suggestions as to any point they may appear to any one to have overlooked in conduct rag the investigation ; and we frankly respond to this invitation, by indi cating one or two questions which do not appear to hat', been put. but which ought to have been put. . . JAMES • • . It :11111121 , 1 from the information given by lo have - ll weir, one of the seamen wh.. - escaped, . the Amazon was stopped off Portland two hours, to throw water on the engines. Anonymous statements in sonic of the papers represent that the vessel was twice stopped for this purpose between Southampton and the scene of her destruction. Now, it does not appear, from the very full and minute report of the examinations at Southampton, prepared by our reporters, and published yesterday, that any inquiry was made as to the truth of these allega tions. This omission could not be compensated by asking the constructor of the engines and the engt neenng superintendent to the company, whether in I their opinion the heating of the bearings could cause ignition. At the outset of the investigation it is not opinions, but facts, that are wanted. If the statements to which we have adverted are true, the tendmv to become lusted in the bearings of the Aniazotis engines must have been unusually great. and the danger from that tendency also unusually great. This is a fact that would go farther to lead to the conclusion that the fire originated in the heating of the bearings than the mere opinion of even highly qualified gentlemen to the contrary. The omission of this question is likely to produce an nnpleasing effect. Again, NlKLliontst, the water tender, stated on examination that he saw "about a dozen of tarred sacks on the top of the boiler." DUNSFORD, the quarter-master, stated that the flames were first seen a coming up the stoke hole near the larboard toiler{' that the burst was "like a flash of powder." It does not appear to have occurred to any of the gentlemen conducting the inquiry to ask whether the boiler on which NIELIika`KNE saw the tarred sacks lying was the starboard boiler. Yet that fact was assuredly of more consequence than NIELROViI-Net4 opinion that the boiler was not hot enough to set fire to the sacks, which was carefully elicited. It would be easy to add to these instances of gum. tions put which might with advantage have been omitted. and questions omitted which ought to have been put. And these mistakes are of a nature to warrant doubts as to the competence of the direc tors who are conducting the investigation to carry it on in such a manner as to arrive at the truth, or to satisfy the public mind. This is the more to be re gretted, that any inquiry, conducted by gentlemen who are in a manner interested parties. can scarcely be so satisfactory as one conducted by persons free from the remotest suspicion of bias. A tribunal composed of gentlemen experienced in judicial in quiries, appointed, say by the Admiralty, would bo more likely to lead to conclusive results. There is one consideration upon which no inquiry at all likely to be instituted can throw any light, and which ought, nevertheless, not to be overlooked. Is there anything in the constitution or business arrangements of the company that has a tendency to relax the watchfulness with which danger ought to be anticipated and guarded against? We are told that the company insures its own vessels. net is, a portion of its income is set apart to meet all losses incurred by shipwreck and other casualties. Now, if the company insured its vessels with any insurance company or private dealer in in surances, the sunk insured would in no case be paid without a strict preliminary inquiry into the circus,- stances of the accident. Payment would be resisted if there were any good grounds for believing that due precautions had not been taken to avert it. Herein the public would have a guarantee for the sleepless care and caution of the directors. Bat when the company is its own insurer, it will not be so exacting on this score as strangers would be. True, carelessness on the part of the by causing more frequent and larger an the insurance fund, has • tendency to di minish dividends, and irritate shareholders. But everybody knows how difficult it is to stir up shareholders to bring their directors and managers to book. It does, therefore, appear to ns that so long as the company continues the prac tice of insuring its own vessels, there is a less certain prospect of the causes of such terribie fatalities as the destruction of the Amazon being sternly and searchingly investigated, and conse quently less security for the public against the re currence of such events, than if it were obliged is insure with other parties. We shall be told, no doubt, that this practice d self-insurance is common to all wealthy and este*. sive firms ; we shall be told of the injustice Mad hardship of prescribing to parties engaged in is& news how they are to carry it on. Bat the somproy is not in a position to assert in this reaped the owe right to non-interference as private traits. The company enjoys special priviieges in *ere et its charter ; the government which confers that tauter has a right to exact that in return for those privileges it shall submit to certain restrictions for the public benefit. Again. the afar piny is a ealar.;ed, and very liberally Warm esesema of the government. It receives a large SOW III•• finally for carrying the mails- The i =lni which has thus nvidered it de facto • tif all but letter and immenger carriage, is entitled is prescribe to it arras gamete conducive to the public safety. On the mem ads now mentioned we are di reto suggest that the company should no longer allowed to continue the practice of insuring its own vessels. It i s a gad that this seUissaring com pany has sustained moos isms by nesibliss at sea, and that these losses have him ottreed b and more harrowing cleat:midge of humanil pesterhi o is the case with any other sn'ortHrhiP rowfwiders• What have been offered are more moilloothwe for consideration. lbw time has sot yet arriv ed ow pronouncing a final judgment .m the tem of the Amason, or proposing precautions for the future. But now is the time for every one who has—or thinks he bas--any useful suggeetton to der, to mew for ward with it. 't To-DAY—the 10th of of the Master Enginer4 for clusingtheir *nieces the leaders of Ai cum Mitad workings ails. their demands or. the eiliployent; . Naminant jas,siannta in/urea, is a maxim the truth of which will be found ineontestahle in other provinces than those of jurisprudence. Whenever " rights" are overstrained, the result will be injurious, even to thsalaimants themselves. From the memorable and siinirable consequences which an undue prosecution of the " rights of man" entailed upon the past genera tion in a neighbouring country, to the coil of disaster and contrudiction that is fast entangling the members of the " Amalgamated Society of Engineers, " the retributory event is invariably the same. l'unish ment never fails, and seldom delays its arrival ; and comes, too, most frequently in the form moat appro priate to the otlilice. lb sold pania par on its arnient peck'. They who have interpreted in too monopolising a spirit, or under a too exclusive sense, the abstract rights with which their legal or social position endowed them, have discovered, when it was too late, that the very privileges they asserted worked their evil in the cud, and that no worse harm could befal them than to be taken at their word, and receive in the great Court of Destiny an award in full of their ill-consi dered demands. The farmer, in the old fable, prayed that sunshine and rain might be apportioned to his fields at his own discretion. Heaven, in granting his wish, showed him by woful experience how unwise was his selfish prayer, and how much worse the crop he could secure by his own wisdom, than if he had conseltcs.l to remain a partaker in the law of universal and indiscriminating benevo knee appointed by Providence for the government of the world. The operative engineers, whose apparent wish has been to dissolve the ordinary ties that unite the employed to the employers in this country, are bringing down upon their own heads a retributive justice of the most apposite character. Founding their quarrel with the master manufacturers chiefly upon the question of "piecework," they are finding sinews of war for a prolongation of the contest, by adopting as a system the very arrangements which the employers enforced only occasionally as a matter ateonvenience. In offering. according to the tenor l er their late advertisements, to perform work " on die premises of customers," or to " undertake and accomplish large jobs on their own account," without the intervention of their present masters, the asso ciated workmen have but committed themselves to the very principle they pretend to condemn. Work done under the conditions thus set forth, is but piece work on the largest scale. And yet this is their sole re source against total idleness and destitution,- if they once throw themselves out of the regular orbit of em- plovment and pay. Passing the intrinsic absurdity involved in their position,—when after denouncing piecework in detail they adopt it as the very basis of their own system, — we cannot look upon the plan of campaign now out lined by the leaders of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers as deserving approval, either on account of the abstract justice of their cause, or the practical prudence of their conduct. Experience, indeed, shows that all contrivances such as that by which they now hope to dispense with the interven tion of the usual employers invariably result in dis astrous failure. Often as the attempt has been made le de without the customary class of middlemen ander the name of capitalists and employers—be tween the producing ageut and the purchaser of his productions, the consequences have, without ex emption, been injurious to the consumer first, but afterwards, and in greatest measure, to the producers themselves. Tried amidst all the ~ e hit of an indus trial revolution, and with all the support of a govern ment which rested solely upon the suffrages of the operative classes, the great experiment of the national workshops resulted only in an industrial chime , , as well as a commercial bankruptcy. All similar attempts have but led to catastrophes equally tragical in complexion, if less con spicuous in extent. Tempting as the wealth sometimes acquired by the employment of capital in industrial enterprises may appear, it is in truth a }sssssssnn which the workmen snatch at only is find it la elusive shadow in their grasp. Examined dusty, we find that the gains of the employer, large me they seem in the gross, are derived from elaborate combinations which only a single mind could success telly form and conduct; of an accumulation of minute profits that woold become absolutely evanes mot when distributed over the whole mass of work men ; or from the fortunate results of speculations is which an associated company of operatives either esiald not have embarked at all, or would have had to undergo the most frightful sufferings had the re melt,—after they had committed themselves to the risk.—turned out uufortunately. The executive council, at whew control the general body of members of the Amalgamated Society appear to have placed themselves are evidently encouraged in their persistence by the possession of some twenty or thirty thousand pounds of ready money. This fund was originally subscribed for very - different purposes than that of supporting . a "strike" among the operative engineers. It might even be ques tioned how far the council had a legal right to ap propriate the fund, or part of it, for any such pur pose. This difficulty, 'however, they get over by covering the transaction under the guise of a loan— to be appropriated by way of capital for manufactur jug purposes, on the " Independent principle," re paid out of the profits, and secured meantime by a mortgage of "all the plant and stock-in-trade " em ployed in their business by the workmen who may be favoured with advances from the fund in question. Ten thousand pounds of the society's money, with each other sums as might be attracted from other quarters by the temptation of five per cent. interest and the security before mentioned, were, by a resolu tion of the council, posited on Tuesday last, devoted to the formation of a "labour fund , by which the members of the associated body of workmen should be enabled to "carry on the business of engineers, machinists, tee." This capital is to be placed in the hands of certain trustees, not less than six in number, "selected by the executive committee;" the advances of cash out of it are to be made to the members at the discretion of managers " appointed by the executive committee;" and the work for which capital is thus supplied, is to bo performed under "such conditions as are approved of by tho executive committee." Considering that if matters are really pushed to extremity, more than thirty thousand workmen will be out of employment on Monday next, tho sum at disposal, with all the increase that can reasonably be expected, is ridi culously small, amounting to perhaps 10s. per head, by way of capital. But even could the amount be swollen to a nearer equality with the purpose it is meant to Nerve, the workmen themselves would be hardly benefited by its use. After obtaining an ad vance through the complicated machinery devised by the council; after successfully running the gauntlet of trustees and managers, and triumphing over the technical difficulties attending the mortgage of hie tools, by way of security for the loan, the "indepen dent" engineer will have further to submit to such conditions as the executive council may think proper to enact. lie will, in fact, have accomplished nothing but a change of masters. Ninety-nine times in the hundred, we will venture to say, that the change will not be for the better. When he finds his little plant" irretrievably " dipped," his precarious re ceipts absorbed by the demand for interest acenses lating, work or no work, over his heed, and his free agencies hampered on every side by the conditions imposed by the council to whom be hes 'Actually sold himself, the chances are that he will look back with bitter regret upon the position he hes so wan tonly thrown away. The worst terms offered by his old employers will then appear to him atriotrite In dependence contrasted with his present *odd= to the " executive council." There is nothing in the cause, and nothing in the conduct presented by the Amalgamated Society of Engineers to induce the hope that they will sensed in claiming exemption from the general rid% ea , that the attempt to organise a system of labor ell dif ferent terms from those of the habitual ma time heeensed regulations of employment, &Nil /stet ' OM datable in their hands than in those et eta For their own sakes we regret dna L i ra wim periment should he ever trial. And ifit cheap semi with a tensporary—it can hope for no perms ...a—mamma it will but stimulate a conflict, every barb oradniame of which will be damaging, as its ISlMlSloornoomi banbren deplorable, to all the parties mirippily engaged is it. AME. that PROPOSED DOCKS AT MILFORD HAVEN.—The ostionwl 000 t of exAtructiug sad omaglotiag the laktadid wog dogs awl floating basin at Mad Sava lo MAN. :PRY.,98,, FRANCE: THIS DAY'S = NEWS. EXPULSION OF EX-REPRESENTATIVES. (BY BUBMARIN [moat ora (ma TELEGRAPH.) routs, THIS DAY. Sixty-six ex-representatives, Montagnards, are banished from the French territory, to be trans ported in case of returning. Thiers. Creton, Chambolle,llemusat, Lasteyrie,fla verger, dirardin, Laidet, I)upret, Quinet, Thouret, Chauffuin, Versegny are temporarily removed ; Du , fraisse, Miot, Maltet, ltichardot, Glreppo, to be trans ported to Cayenne. RELEASE OF CHANGARNIER, LAMORI - AND THEIR COMPANIONS. PARIS, FRIDAY EVIININO. I learn from an authentic source that the six pri soners confined in the fortress of Ifam Generals Changaanier, Lamoricii , re, Bedenu , Lefio,Col. Charms, and M. Bare have been conducted, under a strong escort of gendarmes, to the frontier. It is added that they were set at liberty on the Belgian territory. When liberated, they received a formal warning from the officer commanding their escort that by re entering France they would expose themselves to the penalty of transportation for life to Cayenne. It is said that General Changarnicr took the direction of Malines. You are already aware that the immense rise in the shares of the Bank on Tuesday . has been suc ceeded by a considerable reaction, inasmuch that on Wednesday they fell lOtr., and yesterday lOOfr. The meaning of all this is that the measure of substituting the agency of the Bank for the receivers-general of the departments, has been accompanied by conditions, the ovcrousness of which has only gradually become known. In fact, the Irat profits which the Bank was expected to derive succeeding to the per motor) of the receipts enjoyed by the receivers-general, which caused the shares to rise at one jump 300 fr., will be considerably pared by the heavy demands which tho government makes on that establishment for immediate cash. The condition on which the collection of taxes is to be committed to the Bank arc briefly these: The Bank undertakes first of all to pay up without delay the caution-money of the receivers ; secondly, to repay to repay to the receivers the advances which the lat ter have made to the government ; thirdly, to ad vance the amount of the bonds of the Paris and Lyons Railway Company for the ninety-four millions still owing to the government. Thus you will see with what appalling greed the government devours all the funds which it can amass from all sources. The conviction of the continuance of this system of wasteful expenditure, together with the certainty that shortly a loan must be had recourse to, would liave produced a more considerable fall at the Bourse; but I understand that the score of licensed amens de change have been deterred from playing for the fall, by a menace from M. Fould, to the effect that, unless they sustain the ltentes at the present quotations at least, '25 fresh ayrns de change will be created. The terrified stockbrokers were even shown the decrees all in readiness for a measure which would thus cut down their business, by doubling their number. But the Routes must, it is thought, undergo, sooner or later, a serious reaction, in the face of the gulf opened by the system of pi-veto rianism. ----- Resides the prisoners of Ham, these of St. PelaE have likewise received their liberty on the same con. ditions. They have been conducted to the frontier, and have been menaced with transportation if they again set foot in France. Among the persons in the casemate!' of the forts of Ivry and Bickre, destined for transportation, aro mentioned MM. Maullanc, advocate ; ashenter, for merly editor of the People ; and Benoist, shoemaker. These three formed part of the last socialist electoral committee, which is said to have been considered by the military commissions as falling under the same category- in the secret societies. Besides these, M. Beaumont, formerly commander of the republican guard, and all the editorial staff of the journal 104 Revolution, are raid to be destined to transportation. The military commissioners have drawn up their reports chiefly from documents of the police, without interrogating the prisoners. Madame Greppo, wife of the representative, was arrested the day before yesterday, and rase an secret. Tho Patrie addresses the following menacing language to the salons of Paris : e race of lunatics and ungrateful persons, which will we, fail in France, return to their factious habits. The ground of the press and the tribune, which is wanting to their 'opposition, they supply by that of the salons, and turning against the hand which has saved them, and which they have blessed, they go so far as to deny the danger which has been averted, to have the right of contesting the benefit. The old parties are not only oblivious, and mein riglble, but they risk,in their rashness to weary the modera tion of the executive power, and to constrain it to secure the success of its work of organization of modern society and French democracy, by measures of vigour and exception, which are as yet far from its thoughts. I stated latterly that the publication of the Consti tution had been deferred till the 16th inst., and that the delay had been occasioned by the incompleteness of the organic decrees, with which it was to bo ac companied. The Constitutionnel of to-day confirms both these statements in a semi-official paragraph. It says the elbastilution will appear between the 13th and2oth. A decree appears re-organising the administration of the war department. The war depot will con stitute, as before February, 1848, a distinct service and a fourth board is created for directing the affairs et Algeria. 'the central committee of directors, re sided by the Minister of War, which existed in the time of Marshal Soult, is restored. The seven directors of the central administration of the war department, just appointed, are Generals Peyssard, de Bressolles, Mengiu, Daumas, Morin, and MM. Darrican and Petitet. lona Mandel is named the minister's chef du cabinet. A grand review of the whole garrison of Paris is to be held in the Champ de Mars on the 22nd init., weather permitting. The metallic reserve of the bank of France has declined half a million in Paris, and not altogether a quarter of a million in the branch banks. The discount accommodation has increased 31 millions in Paris, and 11 millions in the provinces, the amount et tie former being 58,964,087 fr., and of the latter 74976,813[r. Advances on public securities have issrsased from 14,061,676 fr. to 24,429,070 fr. On the side of the liabilities the amount of notes in circulation has increased half a million in Paris, and 21 millions in the departments. Tho account current of the Treasury has been augmented 31 mil lions, the present amount being 67,825,863 fr. Pnvats accounts current have increased 91 millions in Paris, and declined 4 millions in the provinces, the amount of the former being 126,916,920 ff%, and of the latter 26,202,738 fr. Thu whole amount of the metallic reserve is at present 6611 minims to 606} millions of notes in circulation. It was fondly hoped by sanguine people, when the seven and a half millions of votes were registered sod when the Te Ileum was sung, that Louis Napoleon would find himself strong enough speedily to relax, and gradually to abolish, those repressive measures which were the necessary accompaniments of his violent assumption of absolute power on Dec. 2. But so far from there being any symptoms of the realisa tion of this hope it becomes daily more evident that Os system of Louis Napoleon will fatally urge him on from ono act of tyranny to another so long as public patience shall submit to his dictatorship. It might "lave been thought difficult to carry re pression further than it has been done within the last month. Hundreds of men of wealth, station, and character have been tried by- courts-martial. Thousands are in prison. The judges of the Court of Cessation intimated that they were prepared to quash illegal sentences; and to get over this little difficulty thousands are about to be transported without trial. Not only are the poorer classes driven Ma their places of amusement and watched in their private dwellings, but their harmless associations for 'haring the produce of their own labour are dis solved. the press is annihilated. Trial by jury abolished when it is most needed. The independence of the bench and the bar is menaced, and the national guards are dissolved. All this will not suffice. Peo ple aro expected to kiss the rod that amain them. Spies report that in the private drawintrooms of the faubourg Bt. German, educated people express JANUARY 10, • 1852. t_ Wit dilate et the ultimate success of such a . govern. most. laiiiihble as it must appear, further repres- IDOSOUtos are threatened to prevent this eon-1 venation in the privacy of elegant retirement front going on ! This is a parady of the reign of terror. At the Bourse the live per Cents. fell :15e., closing at 105.50 ; the Three per Cents. fell 60 and closed at 71.60. Bank of France shares fell 20. All the principal railways again fell. Marseilles, 25f. ; Monterean and Troyes, 22.50; Northern and Stras bourg, 12.50 ; Rouen and Dieppe, 10 each. GERMANY. VIENNA, JAm. b. The Customs Congress for Germany has just been opened. No business beyond the necessary verifica tion of powers was entered upon in the first sitting ; but the 7th instant was named for that purpose. There is a cordial understanding between the governments upon the measures to be taken for re- ' establishing, in the interior of Germany, a state of things which it is fancied will offer pledges for durable tranquility. It is agreed that the powers of representative chambers must be restricted, the jury abolished in all political trials, and the spheres of the police must be extended. The federal act of 1815 attributes full and entire sovereignty to the chief of the state. Since 1818, however, a num ber of parliaments have been called into existence, to avert the substitution of republics for monarchies. These have now, it is hoped, answered the purpose ; and, as gratitude is a luxury in which a German sovereign cannot be expected to indulge, it is gene rally proposed to do away with them entirely; or where that cannot be done so easily, to reduce their attributions to a minimum number and weight. The Elector of Hesse was the first who spoke boldly out his determination not to share his power with any popular assembly. Now, it is the policy dell the governments. Austria has not only abolished the charter, but has cancelled the hinds mental rights upon which a great number of private rights were founded. Saxony has been the first to restore the old chambers of estates—facile instru ments of a patriarchal government. Many Thurin gian states have followed more or less closely. The Grand-duke of Mecklenhurg-Schwerin has done the same, and finds to his cost that the chevaliers whom he has restored are the greatest obstacles to the exe cution of his plans of government, and the firmest supporters of institutions of the middle ages. In the Duchies of Anhalt, in Wurtemberg, the Grand Duchy of Hesse, the Duchy of Nassau, and some other states, the old system has been re-established by simple decrees. A few governments have judged it expedient or necessary to recede by a legal path; L Oldenburg and Brunswick are of this number. I Prussia as yet remains the sole exception ; there the government is not so sure of its ground; it will hardly venture to abolish the chambers and restore the estates, but the revival of the council of state is daily • expect Cd. There were nearly 4,000,000 florins in state notes more in circulation in November than in August, 18•11. _ _ _ The Constitutional Gazette of Dresden appeared on the 4th without a leading article. In its stead was a paragraph stating that the editors had re ceived notice from the police authorities that the Austrian government had complained of its inimical articles, and that unless these were discontinued the paper would be excluded from the Post-office. TURKEY. Letters of the 25th from Constantinople, state that the Swedish Charge d'Affaires had obtained t-atisfac tion for the insults and bad treatment to which the Swedish Vice-Consul at the Dardanelles had been subjected. The l'aeha of the Dardanelles had been dismissed, and the Swedish flag saluted with 21 guns. The trial of Elmer Effendi for being concerned in the murder of Father Basil at Antioch, was ex pected to take place before the Grand Council of Justice. M. Edward do Leracps, French consul at Latakia, and the other parties, accusing and accused, had arrived at Constantinople for this purpose. THE " PRESERVED" MEATS At' PORTSMOUTIL EXCLUSION OF TILE PRESS. (From a Correspondent.) PORTSMOUTH, SATURDAY MORNING. At the eleventh hour the Admiralty have given rders to Sir E. Parry, at the Clarence-dock-pita, Gosport, not to give any mere information to the newspapers in refer ence to the examination of the tin cases of putrid matter sup plied to the Navy as " preserved meat, warranted to keep for five years." But the following short summary of facts, collected by a gentleman on the spot, may be relied upon no authentic. Goldner, who was and has been ever since 184.5 the contractor for the supply of these provisions, was lately resident at Greenwich: The last contract consisted of 8,660 canisters, or over 73,000 lbs. weight of food. The result of ten days' ex amination is, that out of 6,671 cases, only 189 have been found " good." For this contract Mr. Goldner was paid at the rate of bid. per lb. for the best beef and mutton. Mr. Goldner is or was also a cort tractor with the Russian government for a supply of tallow, and for the production of which he had is tallow factory at full work, in Galati, in Moldavia ; and there can be little doubt that the offal and refuse of this factory is the "preserved meat" which ho has supplied to the English navy. About four months ago an agent of Its was allowed to remove and take away 2,000 of these canisters from the Clarence Victualling-yard, in consequence of a report having got abroad that their contents wire emitting a very unpleasant odour; what became of these 2,000 remains a mystery, but they were included in the 8,660. Yesterday the examination came to an abrupt close before one o'clock; but it resulted in the condem nation of two hundred tin cases, out of which not a single one was found " good ; " but any person apply ing for information on behalf of a newspaper received a decided refusal until such time as some communication can be had from the Admiralty on the subject. However, it is now confidently asserted in Portsmouth that a large portion of this firtid stuff was put oa board the ships of Sir John Franklin. Up to a late hour last evening no communication of any sort had been received by the Board of Examiners either from tho contractor's representative in London, or from his sureties, and nothing whatever is known of the eon. tractor himself, beyond the fact that he is no longer to be found in Greenwich. MALTA, JAN. 2.—Spiteful is to leave port in a few days for Naples. Albion and Serpent are to go out on a trial of sailing about Wednesday. It is said they will go as far as Gibraltar. Terrible, it is reported, will accompany them, to bring back the admiral. Ceylon, the old receiving ship, hushed her ballast out. She is found to be in a much better state than was supposed, and probably will still be retained as the receiving ship ; whilst the Hercules may be ordered to England. Medina is in duck . Medusa will be docked. . . SEAMEN'S IiOSPITAL SOClETY.—Yesterdny the quarterly court of the governors of this institution took place at the offices in King William-street, City, Mr. John Wild, vice-president, in the chair. A report was adopted, which stated that the number of patients admitted into the hospital ship Dreadnought from the lit October to the 31st Dec., 1861, was 768, of which 165 were still sick, '2 were convalescent, 3 were tit for duty, and 608 had been dis charged. The number received since the first establishment of the hospital in 1821 was 64,373. The number of out patients from the Ist October to the 31st December amounted to 372. The statement of accounts between the 29th September and the 31st December, 1861, showed that the quarter's expenses amounted to 1,6221. 2s. 2d., and the receipts to 1,242/. 12s. Id., leaving a balance against the society of 3691. 10s. Id. STAFFORDSHIRE AND SHROPSHIRE RAILWAY. — The Master in Chancery Brougham, after a long argument by Mr. Roxburgh, for Mr. Hutton, the official manager, and Mr. Southgate and Mr. E. Smith, on the other side, has placed Mr. W. Bowen, of Stafford, the local solicitor to this company, on the list as liable for twenty shares, on which the deposit of 2/ 16s. remained unpaid. It appeared from the evidence that Mr. Bowen applied for shares, and signed the deed, butdid not ieeeive the strip, and on these grounds it was contended that there was no contract, and that the signature to the deed was what is called an escrow. Mr. Roxburgh said it appeared to be the custom of the time to I apply fur shares, and dispose of the scrip at a premium, and out of it to pay the deposit, and the Master held that as I Mr. Bowen had not, as lie might have done, placed himself in a position to receive the scrip, which in his evidence he admitted his desire to have bad, he must hold him liable for its payment now, so as to place him on an equal footing with thew who had originally fulfilled the contract. DESTRUCTION OF TILE AMAZON. NARRATIVE OF A SURVIVOR. Mr. Neilson, one of three paasengers picked up by the brig Marsden, on the morning alter the burning of the Amazon, has addressed tho following letter, giving the fullest connected account of the calamity yet published, to the editor of the Times: - - Sir, —Nothing could he more auspicious than the depar ture of the Amazon from Southampton waters on her first voyage, on the afternoon of Friday, the 2nd of January, 1852. She was accompanied by the mail tender, crowned with the friends of the ship, the passengers, and the cap Lin, by whom they had just been hospitably entertained on board, and who evinced by their hearty cheers at patt ing how sincerely they wished us a safe and prosperous voyage. The Amazon was a beautifully built ship of 2,250 tons burden, with a Rush deck of nearly 300 feet in length, pro pelled by two splendid engines of 400-horse power each, stored with a supply of 1,000 sacks of coal, awl 1,000 tons in bulk. Sin had on board 166 in all, including seven women and two children—viz., 60 passengers and 106 of crew and attendants. . . . The wind was right ahead, but she proceeded steadily on till about 9 o'clock, when the bearings of the cranks of the paddle-shaft became 110 hot that she was stopped, until by pumping water 1111011 them fur an hour, she was enabled to proceed. This operation was repeated during the night and following morning, and on Saturday, at 12 o'clock, our position was lat. 49.12 ' loeg. 4.57. Towards evening the wind increased, still ahead—our course west and by south half south. Between 8 and 9 o'clock I was walking the deck with Mr. nest, of Iluirliadoeus, speaking of the state of the engines, on which they were then pumping. " You appear very anxious shout those engines," said he; "is there any danger ? " None," said I, "as long as there is plenty of sea-room; but, with our engines stopped, on a lee shore, I would not give much for our chance of escape in such a night as we are likely to have from the appearance of the weather." I hope," said he, " there is no chance of tire, as we should have two elements to contend with." " I hope not," I replied, " for we should have three, as It is evidently going to blow a gale, and we must then look to the fourth for our refuge." " God forbid !" said he," three to one are tearful odds," Good night," and he went below. I then proceeded to the engine-room, and found the bear ings very hot. I mentioned to one of the engineers my ap preheusione for the eight, soul recommended to slacken speed ; while we were yet speaking, the bearings became su hot that the contents of the grease-cup burst off like so much steam. Mr. Angus, the chief engineer, who had been most constant iu his attentions, was imm ediately on the spot, stopped the engines, slacked the caps, and applied the pumps for two hours before we could proc,:ed. I had se veral times during the day conversed with Mr. Angus out the state of the engines, which lie told me he did not expect would get settled to their bearings tor at least a week. From the necessity of keeping the bearings constantly lubricated, a very lingo of grease stood at the door of the store-room, which was under the galley. At about half-pst 11 the engines were again put about, and I went on deck and joined Captain Symons, who stated his appre i hensiou of a heavy gale before morning, when he expected rain and a change of wind to the northward. We conversed till midnight, when he went bylaw. Being partially conversant with machinery, I felt anxious about the state of the engines, and walked the desk until half-post 12, when I again went to the engine-room, leaving Mr. Vincent, midshipman of the watch, on deck. The engines were then going at three-quarters speed, and the engineer in attendance, 'inning his hand on the bear ings, told me all was going quite comfortable, and I accord ingly retired to rest. About 10 minutes after I had left the dock Mr. Vincent proceeded below to set the time by the captain's directions, when he perceived smoke and fire coming up the fore hatchway past the ship's galley. He immediately gave the alarm to the officer of the watch, and ran aft to inform the captain, who instantly came on deck and directed his whole enuirgh, to the suppression of the fire. I had nut been in bed ter five minutes when I first heard the alarm bell, and the erit sof " Fire," which were accom panied by the shrieks of several of the female cabin pas sengers, and rushing from my birth I saw the sparks and dames ascending_the main hatchway above the engines, and many of the passengers hurrying on deck in their night-elothes. 1 retired to my . cabin and put on part of my clothes, when the increasing confusion warned me to lose no time in reaching the clerk. The first person I saw on reaching the deck was Mr. Burnet, of 1 rinidad, standing in his night-shirt, with a life-buoy round him, which brought to my mind that I had left a lifu.belt in my cabin, which I might perhaps recover if I had yet time. I looked towards the Homes, which were rising from the main and fore hatchways in so bright a mass as to convey the impression that the fire had originated in or near the oil store-room, and that there might be time to regain my cabin, which I succeeded in doing, though the windows were snapping right and left with the beat of the "--- I could not at first lay my hand on the belt, it being dark ; just u I had found it a tremendous crash of the glees panels of the division at the end of the cabins announced the ap proach of the fire aft. On leaving my cabin to regain the deck several of the cabin passengers, appalled at the approach of tho tire, dared not attempt the upproieli of the componion-stairs ; I urged them forward in vain, and drawing a long breath I gained the upper deck unhurt. No description could convey any adequate impression of the scene which there presented itself. With the exception of the officers ants men of the night-watch, I was the only l one even partially clothed. Whatever human exertion could effect was attempted by Captain 57111011% regunlless of himself, to induce the as sistance of other. to extinguish the flames ; but in vain, for so rapid was their progress that all communication, fore and aft, was already obstructed. The last order I heard him I give was, " Fur Ood's sake, Mr. Roberts, put her before the wind." 'Ph is Mr. Roberts immediately attempted, and young Vin cent, who was lowering down the dingy, jumped to the helm and put it hard up, until the ship paid off. In the meantime the aftermost boat on the port side (I think the mail hoot) was luwtred down, with probably 2.5 people in her; but the moment she touched the water she swamped,*and all hands that were in her drifted astern, all clinging together with dreadful shrieks. The next boat forward (the pinnace) was also lowered full, but by some accident tho alter tackle alone got un hooked, and she was dragged forward by the fore tackle with such rapidity that the sea swept round her sides, and washed every soul out of her. The next boat on the same site was a No. 2 life-boat, at which I observed several hands trying to get her into the water while the fire was rapidly coming aft, and on the platform of the paddle-box was a White's life-boat so Se cured as to render it almost impossible under such circum stances to get her loose. In the mean time Mr Vincent, with three of the crew and one passenger, had got into the dingy, which was hanging over the stern. A similar num ber of boats were on the starboard side. The aftermost boat (which I think was the gig) was lowered only half full, and got away A second cutter was lowering full of people. In the next boat (a Green's life-boat) were about 12 of the crew, most of them dressed, trying to get her launched, which, however, they could not effect, owing to her keel bsdng socketed in the keel-crane, which projected from the ship's side. My first intention on coming on deck in my life-belt, and seeing the confusion that prevailed, was to wait until a boat had got clear and then pump overboard and swim to it ; but, on observing the coolness with which the men in the life-boat were working, 1 determined to share their fate, and accon:ingly got into the boat to assist in launching her. Our united efforts proved ineffectual; the fire bad reached the companion, when one of the men, seizing my arm, said, "Jump on deck, and haul away that tackle fall." We both did so at the utter tackle, two other men being at the fore tackle. We raised the boat, with the men in her, oat of the gripe of the crane, and one of the men lousing the bolt, I got over the ship's side and shoved the crane in, and the boat began to lower. At this time the second cutter had reached the water, when a tea struck her bow, and as the ship nee from the swell of the waves she lißed the boat perpendicularly by the stern tackle and discharged all the unfortunate inmates but two, who hung, shrieking, across the thwarts. The' dames were now rushing up the companion with such fury that they caught the two men who were lowering the fore-tackle of our life-boat and burnt the hair off the face of one of them, who immediately jumped iato the boat, followed by the man at the after-tackle. I sprang from the side, and slid down the tackle into the boat as she reached the water, and as the other man at the fore tackle did the same, I gave the word to but away. "Bald hard !" said one of the sailors, who had far more presence of mind. " Fend her off! If we drift under the cutter she'll stave through us. Now cut away," said he, and we drifted char, the doomed ship rushing madly forward, the Pport of the combined fury of the three elements, so sadly alluded to in my remark to Mr. Best. But far above the rotting clash of wind and wave and tire rang the shrieks of the helpless sufferers on board the ill-fated Aviator'. From a moment of deep and heartfelt gratitude to Pro vidence we were roused by the cries of our drowning fel low creatures around us, to whom, alas! we could render no instant assistance, for the oars were lashed midships, and the rudder was stowed away. Of two loose oars that hed been thrown into the boat, we pushed one to a poor creature who was within five yards of us, but the shrill bubbling cry which accompanit d his effort to reach it told too sadly it was in vain. We were now hailed by the dingy, which had left the vessel about the same time as we, ourselves. She was fast tilling with water, which Vincent was hailing out with his boots, having cut the tope off. We called them to come alongside, and took them into the life-boat, laying Mr. Sisley, the passenger, who was more dead than alive, at the bottom of the boat. We took the dingy in tow, and got our rudder shipped, threw the masts overheard (for we had no Rails), got the oars out into their crutches, which we had not been able to find till then, and pulled away for the burning ship, to try to save some more lives. The fire gave us plenty of light, though the moon was obscured by clouds. The wind, how ever, had now increased to a severe gale, and before we had proceeded far on our mission, a heavy sea struck the dingy and capsized her, drove her ou our stern, broke sive) , our rudder, and n• arly half filled us with water. I was in the bow, and sang out to cut away the dingy, and get her head to wind, which Mr. Vincent, who was in the stern, had already commenced doing, and scarcely was this aocomplishrd ere the approach of a tremendous sea through the surf, and over the top of which our boats gal. hotly rode, gave us ground for hope that we snit might lire through that awful night. It was, hovre%er, redo t o attempt the rescue of those who were drowning round us, The slightest deviator, from tho wind's eye, in a au. would have swami, .1 our boat. Behind us th•- burning ship abed a light which illuraintil the sky end m a tor miles round. Before un the sky and sea seemed to meet an one dark undistinguishable mass, the immediate approach of the waves being indicated by a nobler; sound as their crests broke far above our heads in a long white line of foam, glaringly reflecting the light of the burning chip be hind us. In this position, without food or water (ter we staved our only small water-cask to bale the boat when nearly swamped), without compass or rudder, and several only half-clothed, we remained for about three hour , , Vin cent in the stern and 1 in the bow, watching the approa c h of the waves and giving the orders to the in. n to pull starboard or pull port, so as to keep her head dead to windward. During this time we were drifting towards the -hip, whisk was burning broadside un to the wind. Her mainmast went first, and then the foremast, and a considerable time elapsed before her misenmsat went ; directly after which I noticed a slight explosion of gunpowder .: Previous to this a berme hove in night, and passed between the stern of our b lint and the burning ship. We judged her to be outaiird-bound, from her being under cline-reefed topsails. A.. 41,• passed, between 300 and 404) yards distant, we several times hailed her with our united voice., strengthened by all the energy of despair. She answered us, and ',railed her spanker, and we thought woo preparing to bear up to out . _ I shall never forget the deep sob of hope with which I noticed these preparations, or the bittern.' of fed ing with which I saw him spread his canvass t., the wind and wear round Past the stern of the burning vessel u he left us to our fate. _ . _ For some short time past I had noticed a boat a shod distance from our starboard Imam, which I btheye was tho gig, with apparently about half a dozen hands in lo r. Sho now began to call for assistance, which also we could not 4- tempt to offer, the tea was running so high. This continued for some time, when the hailing suddi ely ceased, and as I never saw her afterward., though I oft. a looked most anxiously in that direction, I cante.t resist Ilia sad conviction that she thared the thte or the otl.er boat<. About 4 o'clock it began to rain hravily, %%Midi heat down the sea, and no the wind, which had rto Ilia a S.W., got round to the N., it blew more steadily :UK, With less violence. . . . . We accordingly put the boat's bead down the unlit and pulled away astern of the burning ship. ller chimneys were red hot, and as we crossed her stern at the distinct of about half a mile, her magazine exploded, discharging a considerable number of rockets, and in about half us hour after her funnels went over her side she sank le multi the waves, and the red lurid light which for the Let five hours had illumined the dreary expanse of oem an, and formed the strong ground or hope tin the attruction of succour, was eueccede.l by a gloomy darkness. Remembering Captain Symons's observation as to the change of wind in the event of rain, and having frequently noted our course by the compass during the visions day, / was enabled to form some notion, though a ensue one, of the position of the coast of France and the British Channel, sod we pulled away in that direction during the remainder of the night. The morning broke bright and clear, and never was a rising sun hailed by an eastern devotee with more fervent gratitude than that with which we blessed Almighty Pro vidence fur having preserved us front the complicated dan gers of suck a night. And, though our p.-Ilion and prospects were by no means those which wou:d have been selected from choice, the buoyancy of hope induced us to think only of the chance of being picked up by a passing vessel. joineel Vincent in the stern, and we proceeded to elm over our probable distance from land, and RA we knew that unless picked up we could not make it for five or six days, even with a favourable wind, we arranged for a dirisiun of the men into watches, taking one each. The wind considerably abated, and we pulled steadily on for about three hours longer, when the man ou the look-oat forward cried out that he saw a sail. At leant a quarter of an hour elapsed before it could be again sighted, and still longer ere at showed, by its increased siee, that it was out ward.bound. We immediately altered our course, and commcncedpulling dead to windward, so as to intercept her, which, with a couple of hours' hard pulling, we managed to accomplish, and hailed her before the was aware of our ap proach. She was an outward-bound brig, and from her white sails and green caboose we took her for a foreigner, and one of our men bailed her in the Dutch lungs e. As we bad been approaching her, thinking of the barque that had leR us during the night, we were speculating on our chance of obtaining assistance, but we little expected that our first hail would lw followed by every exertion to get away from us. The wind had, however, completely lulled ; I saw that we had the speed of her, and I donated to the men to give way, and we would board her by force. This was unnecessary, for the captain, whom the gala had kept on deck all the previous night, and had b. en asleep in his berth when we first hail, d, now came on deck, backed his mainsail and maintopsuil, and, calling us to come sp alongside, cast a rope to make fast to our boat. Thouatt the wind was down, there was so much tea on as to render it a difficult matter to board the brig. Several ropes were thrown over, one of which I seized, but from its only being partially secured 1 fell overboard, but wan immediately picked up, not • bit the worse, and we all succeeded in getting on board the brig Marsden from London, bound to Carolina. Nothing could exceed the kindness with which Capt. Evans treated us all, giving up his beds and pro viding the best resources his vessel could afford. Ile lint tried to land us on the coast of France, but the wind shift ing, he was obliged to stand out to sea in the hope of fall ing in with an inward hound ship. This not occurring, ho determined to land us on the coast of England, and tried for Falmouth. The weather became hazy, the wind be gan to blow, and as he had not been able to get a tight of the sun at noon on Tinsels", and the weather thickening in the direction of the English coast, towards evening lie stood up Channel, made the Eddystone Lighthouse about 11, and anchored in Plymouth Harbour between 12 and 1 o'clock. _ _ . It seemed as if every vestige of the unfortunate Amazon was destined to destruction, for the life.hoat in which ws had been saved—and a better boat never was built—after being towed to with 30 miles of the British co ist, wore through the rope and went adrift. We all her loos fur the moment, like that of a tried friend. We landed ut Plymouth, and found our way to the Globe Hotel, where we were received by Mr. Radmore, notwithstanding our very quoidionable amourunce, with the most hospitable attention. Supper, btrtx, suit money were at once offered to us, and the following morning be received our 18 fellow-travellers with the same kindness. The Mayor of Plymouth also called the following morn ing with offers of every assistance, and I take the oppor tuuity through your columns ut acknowledging the grateful ten-c I entertain of the kindness we have received. But a far deeper debt of gratitude than can be thus acknowledged is due to that Almighty l'owcr , she by Ilia mercy has mum preserved us from the perils which that awful night saw so fearfully combined against us. I cannot close my narrative of this event without advert ing in the strongest terms of praise and admiration to the conduct of young Vincent. Throughout the whole of the dreadful scenes through which we paned, he never showed the slightest symptom of fear or hesitation, or uttered a single murmur or complaint. Bits whole care seemed for the men, of whom he took the command with the calmness of an old officer, and, having on him, as one of the officers of the watch, when he escape the lull complement of cloth, 5, he g.,ve his pea-Picket to one of the men who had only a shirt on, a flannel shirt to another, and handkerchief to a third. I have been in scenes which have tried the nerves of har dened men, but never in any more calculated to try them than those through which this young otficer passed mantled. I must speak also in the highest terms of the steadiness, tirmni FS, and unwearied exertion. of our boat's crew, who, notwithstanding the heavy sea, and the crowded state of the boat, with 2l in her, were most eager to brave every danger for the chance of offering still further aid to their druwning comrades, while the possibility of a chance still remained. There are two or three points to which I wish to call &time thin, in connexion with all steam vessels. Them ought to be some means available on the tippet deck of opening the feed-cock of the boilers (the 1/3411 who did it on board the Amazon gave me a fearful account of his marrow escape), and also of working the tire-hose from the upper deck, but still more the means of being able to stop the engines. Had this last been done, and half the energy displayed by the gallant commander in lowering the boats that was ineffectually expended in .:ittemptmli to cheek the progress of the tire, there was ample host accommodation, and of first-rate quality, to have saved all bands. . There were two of White's life-boats on the platforms behind the paddle.boses capable of holding 3.5 men e uh, but they were so stowed away as to render it difficult tut any ship's company to have lowered them under 10 minutes each, even in broad daylight; two other ay-boats, in .'se of which we were saved, which would rainy sately 2.1 tut . ° each, a mail-boat, pinnace, and cutter 20 mean each. alnß 16 men, and the dit.gy. Seven of these at least, and per haps the gig if weilmanaged, would have lived through that night if proper crews hail been appropriated to each, so as to lower and take charge of them; yet of all ?Ace', ad far as I can judge, only one survived the wreck. Though I know little or nothing of natiti, al .dfaies,l can not help thinking that the two best life-bouts might haw been sufficiently secured and more available when .shl 4 Of the Origin t f the tire I can say but little. Tl, re was a number of new coal sucks very murl, tarred lying 1^. 14 '. the steam chest and the nil store, above the grated pathway lover the coals; but at half-past 12 c'elock I stood upposiu to this, and all was safe, and at that time the engines acre quite cool. No blame can attach to the engineers, who were Partin' lowly attentive, and Mr. Angus, the chief engineer. sss almost constantly on duty. All the lights abaft the etielse, room were out when 1 retired to rest, and I had bid goon night to the officers of the watch and several of the alien os deck when I went below, at half-past 12. The fire first appeared coming up the fore luttchw..e, sad within two minutes of the first cry, before the 1,11 ms sounded (for I was wide awake), I saw the tire ru-i.ing up the main engine hatchway. When on deck the second time I had intended to leg overboard and swim to the first hoot that got clear of the ship, and 1 stood there for a short time before wren); to the life-boat in which I camped, mid bad therefore an or portunity of watching the heroic conduct of ('apt. Sygoes and several of his officers and men in attempting to supplum the flames, in which, if human exertions could has.. avuhd anythinl, he would have succeeded. Fate, however, had decreed otherwise, and wil,ss eke other life-boat was got away, or the gig escaped, 1 h." much reason to fear that our party of 21, who were load ed at Plymouth on Tuesday morning, are all that are kilo