The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

Wieshould not omit to mention that Mr. Silsey, 'one
of two passengers who were bayed, handsomely handed
over to each of the surviving portion of the crew the
sam of 1/. ss. as a reward for the noble conduct they
had displayed on the lamentable occasion. In the
course of the evening., the men were presented with
the amount by Mr. Vincent, the young midshipman;
and the poor tellaws seemed considerably affocted by
the gift.
FOWILY, JAN. 6.
A life.boat, nearly new, has been picked up rear this
port. The boat is about thirty fact long, and is marked
on the quarter "Amazon, of London."

The following letter has been recAved by the secre-
tary of the company from Lir. Neihon, one of the sur-
viving passengers of the Amazon, testifying to the gal-
luntry of Mr. W. Vincent during the trying scenes suc-
ceeding the loss of that vessel :
" Itiniewood, near Liverpool, Jan. 7.
" Sir,—As one of the survivors of the passengers of
the unfortunate Anvizon, I feel it my duty to bring.
through your official position, to the notice of the direc-
tors the gallant conduct of Mr. Wiiliem Vincent, jun.,
midshipman of that vessel.
" He will have given you a description of the event,
which I need not, therefore, dwell upon; but he will not
have told you of the admirable manner in which he be-
haved throughout the scene.
" I had got away in one of the life-boats, with fifteen
of the crew. We picked Mr. Vincent, Mr. Sisley, and
three men out of the dingy,which immediately swamped,
and not for one moment during the trying sceno that
followed did that young officer show the slightest symp-
tom of fear or hesitation, or utter a single murmur in
complaint. His whole care and attention seemed
devoted to the men, of whom he took the command, and
his entire conduct throughout was worthy of the pro-
fession to which he belongs, and of which, if he lives, he
must become a distinguished ornament.
"I have had an opportunity this morning of mention-
ing his conduct to the Pre3ident of the Board of Trade,
and shill feel deeply gratified by any mark of approba-
tion the directors may feel disposed to show him.
"I am, &c.,
" ROBERT NEILSON.
" Captain Chappell, R N., SQemtary, Royal
Mail Steam-Packet Company."

PLYMOUTH, THURSDAY.—Mr. Thomas Sisley, one of
the passengers taken out of the dingy, and saved in the
after life boat, formerly carried on business in Watling.-
street, London. He had on board the Amazon a quantity
of French fabrics, with which he was proceeding to the
West Indies, and occupied a double berth in the chief
cabin in conjunction with a friend, Mr. Cheque. Mr.
Sisley was in bed when the fire raged, and was awakened
by the berth being filled with smoke; he jumped out
immediately, and snatching up the nearest garment, a
coat belonging to his friend, hastily rushed through the
cabin to the deck. The horrible scene which now pre-
sented itself seemed, as in the case of most of the sur-
vivors, to have paralyzed his senses, and to have tempo-
rarily disturbed his recollection. Having got
from the burning ship into one of the beats
which fouled her tackle, he was precipitated
into the sea, and providentially for him succeeded
by swimming in getting on board the dingy. On
landing here, in a state of nudity, he sent for an old
friend, Mr. henry Seaman, a gentleman in the silk trade,
by whom ho was speedily provided with those neces-
series which were so much required in his distressed
condition. Mr. Sisley's surmise as to the cause of the
fire is that it commenced among the coal, which, being
stowed in tarred bags, would be readily ignited when
placed near the engines.
Some of those who escaped first attempted to get pos-
session of the beat life-boat, placed nearer amidships,
but loft so much time in their vain efforts to remove her
from the cranes or crutches that the approaching flames
drove them off, and they then took to the alter life-boat,
in which they left the ship.
The conduct of Mr. Vincent, the young midship-
man, is deservedly spoken of in terms of the highest
praise by all the passengers, seamen, and enginemen,
and to his courageous bearing and skilful manage-
ment they attribute, under Providence, the security
of their lives in an open boat, on a tempestuous
sea, under such difficult circumstances. Taking his
place iu the stern-sheets, he, although the youngest on
board, assumed the responsible charge of the boat, and
continuing in a standing posture nearly the whole of the
time from leaving the wreck to joining the brig, he gave
such directions to the men at the oars and to the cox-
swain as prevented the boat being engulfed by the heavy
seas which were running, and at the same time secured
her proper progress iu that course which they thought
would have soonest led them to a place of refuge.
A difference of opinion exists in relation to the
conduct of the crew of the barque which they saw near
;hem shortly after parting from the wreck. Those who
think their cries were heard by the barque, condemn her
officers, and with just cause, for not coming to assist
them. Those, on the other hand, who consider that the
barque did not bear them hail her, state that the course
which she pursued, in running directly towards the
burning wreck, was the most natural and humane which
could have been observed. _ _

The following statement by William Forster, an able
seamen, providentially escaped, will be read with interest
at the present momeet:—
" We left Southampton in the Amezon steam-ship at
3 P.M., with very fine weather, and proceeded down
channel until 9 P.M., when we had to stop to cool the
bearings of the engine, we then being off the Bill of
Portland. At 11 P.M. we proceeded on our voyage,
with au increasing breeze and clear weather. At noon
the following day all watch were employed in securing
the anchors and getting things secured for sea. At 1
P.M. we commenced sending down the lower and top
gallant yards, upon account of the wind still increasing,
and being dead on end of us. From then nothing par-
ticular occurred until 9 P.m., when again we had to stop
the engine to cool it. It was then my watch,
and I was on deck at a quarter to 12, when
we again proceeded, with the wind a little
increased. I knew not why it was that I should
have a dread something would happen to the vessel,
but I can safely say I did not enjoy one hour's com-
fort on board. This night of the fire in particular,
about 10 minutes before 12, I lay down by the after gun-
wale, when it appears I must have dozed off, for all Monet)
I fancying I heard two persons con-
versing " If we did not mind what we were
about, arousedhaenn3dv myself
seeyilti.nw bo): would blow up." After I gathered my
senses a little, I heard another man say it Ras the bell
which denoted on board it was half-past 12. I got up
then, as I knew it was my watch below, and walked
forward to the mess I belonged to, where I sat down
and considered whether I should go to bed or not. I
at once determined I should lay down on the mess
stool until my watch on deck again. I then took off
my oil-skin coat, and folding it, placed it as a pillow,
but had scarcely laid my head down, when I heard
the cry of fire. For a second or two I took no notice,
as I bad so often been disappointed' at different sounds,
but all at once I heard three or four strokes on the
fire bell. I immediately jumped up, and looking up,
saw the flames protruding up one of the hatchways of
the engine-room, which was by the foremast funnel.
I ran alt and up the foremost companion, followed by
Mr. Roberts, the chief officer, in his shirt. He imme-
diately flew to some wet mats that were lying on the
foremast sponsons, singing out for me at the same time
to assist him, which I did till he had used them all,
about ten in number. He then ran through the flames
to the other end of the ship. I may observe that the
swabs we threw on the fire made no more impression on
it than a cupful of water would. I then proceeded over
the paddieboy on the starboard side, the flames then
being as high as the highest point of them, and when I
came to descend I found that I had to throw myself on
my stomach to succeed. As soon as I was down I found
there were some men trying to clear the foremast life-
boat, when I staid and assisted them, but the flames
increased so rapidly on us that we were obliged to leave
her, and commenced on the next. I had no idea at the
time this second boat was a life-boat. 1 found we had a
deal of trouble to get this boat clear, as sho was placed
in iron crutches, and in the confusion we found it
very hard to get the boat clear of them, but during the
time, which was only a short space, I repeatedly cast
my eyes on the quarter-deck, which was then all on fire
to see what was going on, but I saw nothing but Captain
Symons and a number of the passengers surrounding
him, as if to crave his advice what was best to be done.
I heard him shout out—' Never mind the boats,'when by
this time the boat was partly down. I jumped off the
deck into her. The men that lowered the boat then
came down the tackles into the boat, and both were
saved. The vessel at this time bad such way on her,
and was going through th© water so rapidly, I should
think about the rate of 12 or 13 knots an hour, that we
found it impossible to hold by her any longer. We
therefore let go, and, dropping astern, we left
the next boat banging by one end on her
tackle, that was unhooked. As soon as we
were astern, we heard nothing but death screehes
all around us. We immediately set to to
clear away the oars, which were all looped to two or
three of the thwarts, and then it was some seconds be-
fore we could find the boat's crutches, which are used
for pulling the boat with; but after we were all ready
we lost all cries, with the exception of what happened,to
be in a little boat called the dingy, which was the
smallest boat in the ship. We made immediately away
for her, and succeeded in saving five lives, anti then
lashed her astern, in case we should pick up more than
our own boat could carry, and should also have her in
reserve, providing she could live, but we had scarcely
done so when a very heavy sea followed, sunk the dingy,
and half-filled our own boat with water. Wo had then
no other resource but to get our boat baled out, and this
we did by cutting the tops of our boots off, sided by our
southwesters; and, fortunately, we at the same time
picked up a seven gallon beaker, of which we knocked
the head in, and F weeded in getting our seats dry
ut
amagqauzairtt:roxopfloadned.houlvre
stoppedbefore there
?gut we did not save any more lives. Aboagain. We then laid by the fire until the ship sunk,
see if there were any boats besides Inoi kgr , h
at
ntthearty
hehseereo
ouerhnsitepillvdeassyt:
vessel that might pick us up, but we saw nothing. We
then pulled away
good idea of _to the eastward, which we had a very
nothing until byth e sea running that way, but we saw
Marsden, Rho twelve at noon, when we sighted the brig
o took us on board,and
treated us very
kindly, and bore up with us from Plymouth, where we
landed at seven A 111. on
Tuesday morning, and we were
most kindly treated by the Fishermen and Marine So-
ciety, and then proceeded y
to our respective homes.
In the course of cooversrtio
il Forster said he deemed
it fortunate for the safety ofthe survivors that they had
picked
up Lieutenant Vincent and the others in the
dingy. Before this took place there prevailed a con-
siderable dfference of opinion amongst those in the
life-boat as to what eves the proper course to steer, &Co
but the moment that officer was taken into the life-boat
the command was by general consent conceded to him.
His coolness and judgment inspired the utmost con-
fidence amongst all, and his judicious directions
were followed with the utmost elleerfuluess and ala-