The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-10 00:00:00

" LOSS OF THE AMAZON.

" Southampton, January 9, 1852.
" Sir,—We are requested by the Mayor to solicit your at-
tendance at a public meeting, to be held at the Guildhall, on
Monday next, at twelve o'clock, for the purpose of adopting
such measures as may be deemed expedient for the relief of
the widows and fatherless children of the unfortunate suf-
ferers by that awful calamity.
"Subscriptions will be most thankfully received by the
Mayor and Hon. Secretaries, and various banks in the town.
" We are, Sir, your most obedient servants,
"JOHN HENRY COOKSEY,}
"JOHN LEVY, Hon. Secretaries."

Among the crew of the Amazon who were saved is an able
seaman, named James Maylin. He arrive
intelligent arrived at Southampton
on Wednesday. night. H e belongs to Wisbeach, in Cam-
bridgeshire. He is an and apparently a trust-
worthy man. He states that soon after the ship left the
Needles they stopped two hours off Portland to throwwater
on the engines; the captain at this time was walking the
bridge. Maylin was on watch on Saturday night in the
look-out at the port bow. Mowatt, another man who was
saved, was looking out on the starboard bow. The second
officer had charge of the watch. At a quarter to one on
Sunday morning he heard the fire-bell, which was rung by
Passmore, another of those saved. On turning round
and seeing whereabouts the ship was on fire, he imme-
diately rushed to get at the wet swabs, which had been
Made ready the night before to clean the decks for Sunday
prayers, and threw them on the foregrating close to the
fore funnel. He then, with another man, hove two trusses
Of hay overboard, which had taken fire. At that moment
the captain came on deck in his shirt and trousers, andwithout shoes or stockings, and Marlin assisted him in
throwing water down the torecabin. The captain was per-
fectly calm and collected, and though working laboriously,
Was giving orders to the various persons who were near him.
A scene of indescribable terror and confusion ensued ;
and Maylin states, that the despairing and agonised screams
of' the people, together with the cries of the tortured ani-
mals on board, seem yet to ring in his ears. He saw num-
bers of persona rush on deck, stricken with terror, many of
them terribly burnt. Some dropped down dead immediately,
or swooned with fright and suffering. He remembers
seeing a boy rush on deck in a Guernsey frock, with his
face fearfully burnt. Whilegetting the boat ready in which
.!ie escaped, a female pasnge rushed on dec. She
?ad only her nightgown ors,e ther bottom of which and her
legs were much burnt. Three times she was placed in the
boat that was saved—once by Quartermaster Danford -
but she refused to remain. He 'heard several hurriedly say
to her, that they would soon give her plenty of clothing
when she got away from the ship, but modestly prevailed
over the love of life, and she remained behind to perish.
The last words Maylin heard Captain Symous say were,
It's all up with us—there is no hope, my men—get your
boats ready." He then saw him for the last time as he
Went aft towards the wheel. Maylin then almost inamed;-
his
fell through the deck, and received a flesh wound in
413 knee. What a Ided much to the disastrous consequences
of the fire, was the not being able to stop the engines, on
account of the terrible heat in the engine-room. The speed
which she was going through the sea, rendered it a:most
TnPossible to launch the boats without their being swamped.
e boat in which the 21 were saved,. most fortunately and
singularly escaped swamping. After leaving the ship :he
law no living thing on board—he thinks that all but himself
and companions must have perished in the waves in attempt-
, .
attempt-
ing to escape, or must have been disabled or killed by the
...,natnes It was break of day before the Amazon went down.
Ite saw her distinctly when her magazine blew up. A large
somber of rockets mounted up in the air at the time.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,--Nothing could be more auspicious than the departure
of the Amazon Irons Southampton waters on ber first voyage,
On the afternoon of Friday, the 2d of January, 1852. She
Was accompanied by the mail tender, crowded with the
friends of the ship, the passengers, and the captain, by whom
they had just been hospitably entertained on board, and who
evinced by their hearty cheers at parting how sincerely they
wished us a safe and prosperous voyage.
The Amazon was a beautitully built ship of 2,250 tons
burden, with a flush deck of nearly 300 feet in length, pro-
Pelted by two splendid engines of 400-horse power each,
Stored with a supply of 1,000 sacks of coal, and 1,000 tons in
bulk. She had on board 165 in all, including seven women
and two children—viz., 50 passengers and 106 crew and at-
tendants.
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 so hot that she was stopped
until by pumping water upon them for 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, long. 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. Best, of Barbadoes, speaking
of the state of the engines, on which they were then
pumping. " You appear very anxious about those en-
igmes,' Said he, "is there any danger?" " None," said I,
as long as there is plenty of sea-room; but with our en-
gines stopped, on a lee shore, I would not give much for
oar chance of escape in such a night as we are likely
to have from the appearance of the weather." " I
as is
hope," said he, " there is no chanceof
with." " fire
hOpeaswe
should have two elements to contend not,"
I replied, " for we should have three,evidentlyorth i
ogre i
ourng
to blow a gale,, and we must then look to the
fou
refuge." "God forbid 1" said he, " three to one are fearful
Odds. Good night," and he went below. I theltiot proceeded
to the engine-room and found the bearings very
mn-
tioned to ode of the engineers my apprehensions f,r the night,
and recommended to slacken speed ; while we were yet
speaking the bearings became so hot that the contents of the
grease-cup burst off like so much steam. Mr. Angus, the
chief engineer, who had been most constant in his atten-
tions, was immediately on the spot, stopped the engines,
Slacked the caps, and applied the pumps for two hours before
we could proceed. I had several times during the day con-
versed with Mr. Angus on the state of the engines, which he
told me he did not expect would get settled to their bearings
for at least a week.
From 'the necessity of keeping the bearings constantly lu-
bricated, a very large vessel of grease stood at the door of
the store-room, which was under the galley. At about
half-past 11 the engines were again put about and I went
on deck and joined Captain Symons. who stated his appre-
hension of a heavy gale before morning, when he expected
rain and a change of wind to the northward. We conversed
till midnight, when be went below.
. Being partially,. conversant with machinery, I felt anxious
!bout the state ot the engines, and walked the deck until
half-past 12 when I again went to the engine-room, leaving
kr. Vincent, midshipman of the watch, on deck.
tjhe engines were then going at three-quarters speed, and
,',,engineer in attendance, putting his hand on the bearings
';`_"_ me all was going quite comfortable, and I accordingly etired to rest.
~.About 10 Minutes after I had left the deck Mr. Vincent
qrn
eded below to set the time by the Captain's directions,
he perceived smoke and fire coming up the fore-hatch-
to YthPeaat the ship's galley. fie immediately gave the alarm
who m°Meer of the watch, and ran aft to inform the Captain,
to the Scantly came on deck and directed his whole energies
il'atpPpression of the fire.
the ale 'L
not been in bed for five minutes when I first heard
'ated b:nthell, and the cries of " Fire," which were accompa-
kid r'e!e shrieks of several of the female cabin passengers,
rfetreutnuglittghe from. my berth I saw the sparks and flames
pessen main hatchway above the engines, and many
the ”Aired `Lgera hurrying ou deck in their night-clothes.
reaehliitaereaCOY cabin and put on part of my clothes,
when
The lathe Zeocconfusion warned me to lose no time in
rn round IT
ir!.
ba Pena° •
id,oll I saw on reaching the deck was Mr. Bur-
belt in ' whiehanding in his night-shirt with a life-buoy
time. T Cabin urought to my mind that I had left ea
life-
look whi
the main eu tow eh I might perhaps recover if I had yet
olrielYsttohree-irm" is°re
Ards
the
flames,
which
were *ising from
Preseieu thehways in so bright a mass as to con-
eon]
cabin, and th the fire had originated in or ne.ar the
su a' there m ilt be time to regain my
anjaPePuird right anedeeiVted in doing though the windows were
just as "t at first la with the heat of the flames.
of the badcr: found it aY my hand on the belt,
Pros Ivolion at tremendous crash of the glass panels
it being dark ;
ne the fire `ue end of the cabins announced the ap-
mu lea aft.
e.h.a
Ca..
:::"1 passen'' —.>" bin to regain the deck several of the
ematftorwardgerB'
th einPt the aPPalled at the approach of the fire, dared
upper d drawing,YlavPaPiril7cahndofthe
No a eelc• unhurt e
aPalunnigon-stairs ; I urged
breath I gained
n _could convey any adequate impression of
the fice'rwribri,tio,
which there presented itself. With the exception