The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-24 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 24, 1852.

a falsehood asserted by Mr. Fox, as men as I saw it in the
paper I Dent for Mr. Fox, who ems boffin me Mreply to
my interrogatory me to the lest of hie ewe having lees me.
He positively denied, in dm
that
Camden Se-
ymour, and my secretary,
flea. that he had over seen
me. I said, This denial is nod t. I mien hove it is
writing;' which he promised to Nod to me, god which be
did, but it was eta late boor, as the peat was leaehig, doubt-
less
with the expectation et my wadies it away in haste,
having told him I eismill thewurd it to you. When I read
it I eassideead it tots is erodes, and rather lending to
maim the raressest nada than to contradict it. I intim-
diately wrote to him • MOH in which I expressed nay sur-
prise that be had departed from the pledge be had given in
the presence of the commodore, and insisted an his giving
me in writing a denial of his having ever seen me, but
this did not reach me until it was too late to send
it by Sunday's post, in time to adopt measures
to obtain • contradiction of the false seindon.
Although I have not the pleasure of your sequaintance
personally, yet your reputation, as an honourable man of
sound_judgment and discretion. is well Known to the Pub-
lic. Therefore, when you receive the aeconspanying deeds-
ration,',l hope you will do me the justice to adopt such
measures to contradict a statement so thoroughly incorrect.
If Mr. Fox had given a ries voce statement on his oath, I
would have prosecuted him for perjury; but he sends a
statement from the representation of another person, which
is inadmissible in any court of law, as it'is only hearsayevidence and ought not to have been' received. As the
secretary to the Steam-packet Company, I take this op-
portunity of informing you that there never was a subect
of importance so connected with the situation I held so
shamefully conducted. Mr. Vincent acknowledges to have
landed at 1, cm., from the Menden, and probably left by
the express train at 10. During the nisi hewn, seithet
himself, nor did any other person, agent et otherwise,
i.e seer me to furnish me with any informatkm. Timm-
Illepe, I was in total ignorance of what had omianed_,
hue what I heard from the general rumour. Theelej;
leellilleSee I received was from Commander Ken-
nedy. of the coast-guard, who brought some vague
retreat, but recollected that it was directly sod
gaddrily stated that "no boat left the ship but the
ere that was picked up by the Marsden ; that shortly alter
she left the Amason she blew up, and there was not a ves-
tige of her to be seen afterwards." As the Admiral serving
here, and the only person capable of affording amistanee,
I eggeal to you whether some person should not have come
nes and afforded me information, and to have solicited
eadelaace had it been required? I should then have had an
ospraunity of putting these questions which naturally
mew to a sailor, as to the plate where the auident leek
glue, the state of the wind and weather et the tiers
as* law the wind blew after the people were la it beak
lad after the explosion of the vessel. An answer to anek
goodiams might have been the groundwork for taking Ms
elailieration the necessity for sending out a vessel; in ee
ell pumas the admiral is the one from whom all begin-
mime is withheld. I cannot unieltuk without expesselog
my hope that you will cause the reported statement el Yr.
Fox to be contradicted.—Your very obedient servant,
" Capt. Chappel." " J. A. 0111eAlINIT.
To him (Captain Chappell) it appeared that all the con-
/mien had arisen from the fact that Mr. Fox had looked
Ran the secretary's communication as one from the Ad-
miral himself, and had se stated it to him (Captain Chap-
ati). lie thought it sou due to Admiral Ommanncy to
make these explanation..
Lieutenant Guth was then called in, and made the fol.
lowing statement—On the Light of the calamity I was ea
deck, and to the best of my belief the vessel was not stopped
previous to the fire. She was stopped on the previous
sight.
Chairman observed that this was contrary to the
statement* of all the preceding witnesses
Witness—To the best of my belief she was not stopped
on the night of the accident. On that night I was startW
iss • great noise and confusion. I got up, and saw two
Wks, one with a child in her arms. On looking fees
ward I saw the ship was on fire. I went on deck he
see if I could be of any assistance. When there I saw
that the flames bad risen to such a head, that it would he
impossible to du anything. I saw the captain, who wee
calling out " For God's sake don't lower the boat,." At
this time the boats were full of people. They called out to
me " For God's sake lower ;" and I said o If I do you'll
all be drowned ;" and they said, " Never mind, sir, give
as • chance." I then attempted to lower, when the csp
tain again begged of me not to lower, while the people
called on me to lower. I did lower ; but, the fall getting
tangled, the boat went down perneadicular, and the
all fell into the sea, and passed astern, with fri=
✓eemning. I turned away in horror, and promded
Molt the captain to clear away the port life-boat The
Omen however, came to us, and singed the captain's heft.
We were then separated. Before this I timid =Mks
that the captain called out " starboard," whet mete eao
aa the other side called out " port;" and I, fearing mum
▪ raa to the wheel and put her a starboard. There
teen then three people at the helm. Lieut. Orylls pre-
ceded to detail the melancholy fate of the stewardess, and
the adventures of himself and party in the boat ; but all the
Ma have already been more than once reported. As to
the adsia if the Are, he had heard the storekeeper say in
the teat that he saw the fire burst out in the
storeroom. He said—l am certain that I heard
hint say that ho saw flames coining out of the
store room. I think I saw the third officer lowering the
falls of one of the boats, and I am also almost sure I saw
Mr. Roberts going into one of the bouts. About six in the
morning we saw the vessel blow up with a terrible explo-
sion, and she went down half an hour after.
Captain Nelson—Did you see the crew mustered before
you left Southampton ?—No; but they appeared to be •
tolerably efficient crew.
Capt. Chappell—Whoa you leaded at Plymouth did it
occur to you to make any application to the authorities ?
The next morning of course I reported myself to the
admiral, and we had a good deal of discussion ; he asked
me a good many questions, but I made no suggestions.
Col. Short—Did it appear to you that the captain made
every exertion to save the ship ?—Why, yes ,• but he ap-
peared to have lost all presence of mind. Ile was crying
out at ono time, " Don't lower the boats;" at another time,
" Where's the idice I" I saw seven or eight people about
the wheel when I left. It did not strike me that there was
any insubordinatiou among the men, but I heard no dis-
tiuct orders given to any one.
Capt. Chappell—As the crew all slept forward, could the
crew, even if in the most finished state of discipline, have
got aft to their officers ?—At first tome of them sun aft to
the boats, but in two minutes the passage was rut off by
the flames.
In answer to some questions from Mr. Strad, brother to
the purser of the Amason,
Lieut. Grylls said: I heard, after we had got into the
beat, that the crew wu a picked crew, and my own opinion
af the men in the boat was, that they were very good men.
Tbare.waa a general impression previous to the accident
that something was going to happen.
The Chairman observed that he never knew an accident
at sea in which the survivors did net to similar
statement,.
Capt. Chappell said, that In SOlNefilelllllll it the /Watt
slatemects made in • letter with hid qprooll leteally in
the Times, he would state what had beta sally Or env
if the Amazon, and • more efficient one hal sew roe to
eat :—Captain, 4 officers, 3 midshipmen, Slistmora.• heft
•inikeen, 1 boiler maker, 21 firemen, 1 lamp trilateral
sea mmars, 16 stewards, surgeon, purser, and smilluge
Amer, Ike. Of these 67 had been lost, or were Wades.
The number of passengers was 50, and 37 were lost
mfg. He could say for himself, that ho bad seen the
env mustered previous to the vessel's depilate, sad that a
better never went to sea.
Kr. 0. Ellesmere was then ealled,in emmequirams assort
deleetents that had appeared in the en to the int.
psepudsty of having the vessel decked with pine, and he
Mated that pine was always used for decking large vessels.
The Rev. Mr. Warburton then proceeded to give some
details relative to his recent search for his brother. In the
drat instance, he felt bound to acknowledge the liberality of
the steam-packet company in piecing a special train at his
service. Ile said that, having seen it stated is the Chresi.
eie that the Admiralty had sent out a steenier, he had ap-
plied to the office for information, and footed that they had
set, Afterwards he saw Mr. Glennie' sad his stalemate
selied the probability of a raft or a boat levies amp&
111111116 the French coast. lie thes west to the
Peet Admiral at Plymouth, but was isteeveld that
he did not Om sufficient to juti him in sending out a
sharer.Warburton) then said he claimed It r
kik *WO. .ad&- h subject, but the admiral told him that
be artier admit any such right. Ho must say that be
had seritest no kindness from Capt. Ommanney. Having
ADJOURNED INQUIRY. retuomoll to the Admiralty he got an order for a steamer, and
Yesterday theinquiry into the circumstances attend- the Bowe was sent out with orders to proceed to Brest,
analafterwards to cruise for 48 hours in the neighbourhood
ing the destractiou of the Amason was resumed at the
of roe wreck. The A dmiralty had, at his request, made a
Royal Mail Steam-packet Company's of in Moorgato-
second search, in which the Hecate, Sprightly, and Avon,
street. The Rev. Mr. Warburton attended to make some
ezplanations. were employed, but after meeting the most tempestuous
weather They were obliged to return. Since then he bad
Captain Chappell said that previous to the examination of
communicated with the Admiralty, and had received the
any witnesses he begged to make a short statemeut respect-
ing some matters that had transpired between Admiral allowing reply:
Ommanney and himself, and which had arisen in consequence "Admiralty, Jan. 22, 1852.
of some mistakes on the part of Mr. Fox of Plymouth. Mr. " reference to your letter of this date stating
Fox had in the first instance written to him (Captain Chap- your return to Devonport in the Avon steamer, and the
"It is reported that government has sent out a Sprightly in company, and requesting that the Hecate
steamer to seek for fragments or boats from the Amazon, might be ordered to complete the search those vessels had
but we do not know whether it is correct." This was on begun, and which they had been
_prevented prosecuting
the 6th. On the Bth Mr. Fox wrote, " There has been no from their being unable to make Brest to replenish fuel,
steamerDient out ; the admiral considers it to be marks. and further stating that after the prompt and liberal manner
We have called upon the admiral." Now the admiral de- in which the Royal Mail Steam-packet Company had for-
elated that he had never seen Mr. Fox, and Mr. warded you to Plymouth, with their lordship,' orders, you
Fox having admitted that by letter to the ad. were under the impression that you held • power which had
mire', it placed him (Captain Chappell) in the po- been confided to you on the faith of a certain search being
made, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the
sition of having made a statement before the committee
at Southampton which was not borne out by the facts. Admiralty to acquint you that my lords will apply to the
The truth was, that he had merely read nut passages from Foreign-office without delay for the purpose of communi-
Mr. Fox's letters, and stated his understanding that the eating by telegraph with the minister at Paris, and re-
admiral had been called on to send out a steamer, and that questing that an inquiry may be made at the different ports
be considered it would be of no use. lie thought now, on the French coast for any intelligence respecting the sue-
that according to the information then in his poesession, he trivets from the wreck of the Amazon.
was fully borne out in that statement. However, it ap- "I am directed to add that the Fury, which is now des-
peered that it was all founded on misapprehension, as tined for the Mediterranean, and will sail without delay,
would be seen by the following correspondence which hsd shall be directed to call at Bilboa and at Cantons for the
been forwarded to him by Admiral Ommanney, and which purse ascertaining whether any information has been
received, and their lordships will also saggeet to the be would read. Capt. Chappell then proceeded to read
Foreign-
letters from Mr. Fox tn Admiral Ommauney, written at the office that a communication should be made to the Spanish
admiral's requisition, from which the fact appeared to be government to obtain, and communicate, any information
that they bad never seen, or communicated with the admi- which can he procured on the subject.—l am, sir, your
eel, but merely his secretary, Mr. Kent, and had from him most obedient servant, " W. 11. IlAniteos."
received the answer that no steamer was being went out, as He (Mr. Warburton) could confirm Admiral Ommaoney's
the admiral considered it would be useless. The letters etatemeut that he had had no communication made to him,
which the admiral did not consider contained all the facts but he sent Captain Kennedy, of the coot-guard, to make
he hal forwarded to the company, accompanied by the feel- inquiries from those who had escaped, and that officer found
lowing from himself: that of the eighteen men end one officer who had fit d from
" Admiralty House, Devonport, Jan. 21. the ship not one had thought it necessary to stop a moment
"Sir,—Seeing my name brought before the public in the to give information-
Times and other papers on the 17th on • reply ramie by you The Chairman said that might have been an error of
belts, the committee at Southampton, which is founded on judgment, and it should be recollected that Mr. Vincent

TILE STRIKE.

LONDON.

Last night a meeting, composed exclusively of
labourers tooneeted with the shops which gee closed in the
East larks district, took place at the Phenix Tavern,
Stegall, es remiss the report of a deputation appointed es
the wee*" emits to confer with the sascetiss council
of the Amidgemeted Society, upon the position which the
labeasniss wan sleepy with regard to moonset support
siat the isestimmaes of the strike. Mr. ALDRIDOIII ec-
the ask.
—27ll,llAris, ens of the deputation above referred to,
stated that, in company with his coadjutors, he had waited
apes the essestive council that morning, to complain of
tslai they thenght a grievance, viz., the difference between ,!
the ems allowed for last week to the labourers and the
ma. A good deal had been said upon the p oc-
c:sronglkilut he was sorry to say the deputation had met
with bet little success. The only arrangement which could
be made was this: the council said that they claimed
for the society men exelusively, the whole amount
which might be raised by the contributions of a day's wages
per week by their own members, and with regard to sub-
scriptions which might come from other organised
bodies, such as the masons, compositors, &c., the council
intended to apply that amount to the relief of nun-society
men (skilled woramen). The labourers must depend upon
the subscriptions to be derived from the general public, in-
cluding those from unorganised bodies of workmen, which
the executive council guaranteed should be theirs exclu-
sively. At the same time, the executive wished them to
appoint a committee to distribute the money according to
their own ideas of justice.
The Chairman said that it seemed to him that it was the
intention of the council to throw the labourers overboard.
They were in a helpless condition, and he was sorry they
had not thought of such a result before.
Mr. Evans (one of the deputation) said he thought they
were hardly treated fairly by the Amalgamated Society. lie
thought they had a claim for some more secure means of
support than the public subscriptions. The council
bad even told them that it was necessary to support the
non-society men, men who were skilled labourers, because
they might otherwise go in to the prejudice to the society ;
while they (the labourers), if they went in to morrow,
could not effect the result of the struggle. One member
of the council had even gone so far as to tell than they
had better go in. But it was useless to talk so ; it was well
known that the masters regarded them as acting in con-
junction with the Amalgamated Society, and if they went
with a petition to-morruw would pay no attention to them.
(Hear, hear.) What was to be done ? The masters would
have nothing to do with them; end to separate themselves
from the executive council would be a suicidal course.
(Hear, hear.) They were in a difficulty, the timed' had
treated the deputation courteously, and were, perhaps,
right in their arguments, and he recommended ration*
upon the council as the best course to be taken.
A resolution of reliance upon the council was, after some
discussion, unanimously adopted, and a committee appointed
to act in conjunction with that body.
The proceedings then terminated.
A general feeling of depression pervaded the meeting.