The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-15 00:00:00

7

'l7l‘D AUSTRA-
OF GOLD ON

Yesterday a very serious loss was announced at
Lloyd's, which, for a time, created Much anxiety, in con-
sequence of the number of passengers, and the valuable
freight of gold which was known to have been shipped
on board the unfortunate' ship. She was -the Condor,
Mr. Leighton commander, a fine, vessel of nearly one
thousand tons burden,- the property of Messrs. Gibbs .-
and Bright, the Great Britain owners, of Liverpool, and
while on a voyage from Australia to London, with some
fifty or more passengers, 89,0001. worth of gold, and a
cargo of wool and other .merchandise, she took fire on
appioaching the Line, and was totally destroyed.'
Proridentially all on board, with the specie, were pre-
,served.. The Condor left Melbourne for England about • •
the first week of last April, and according to the
piapers • which had been • received announcing IZer
departure, her passengers comprised Mr. and Mr,. •
Wickham and family, Mr. and MrB. Pellett and
r4iikl, Mr. and Mrs. Bidgood, Messrs. Smith, Faulk-
zr, Mann, Marshall, and Mrs. Malcolinson, and 35 in
the second cabin. The voyage was prosperous enough,
and there was every likelihood of its being a more than
ordinarily favourable one. On the ship hearing the Line,
however, about the 10th of June, her position being lat. • '
5 S., long 25 W., the startling discovery was made that
she was on fire in 'the hold. A brief examination sufficed
to tell that it.-was raging amongst. the baled of Wool.
Every means were adoptedi in the bope of suppressing
it, but all efforts failed, the destructive element having -
evidently obtained a general hold of the cargo, defying
all the exertions that could then be brought to bear
by the crew in extinguishing it. The preservation of
the passengers, crew, and the gold on board, had pre-
viously occupied the attention of the master, and the
order had bees given to prepare the boats and have
them in readiness to meet any sudden case of emer-
gency.
At this critical juncture, the burning ship
attracted the notice of a French barque, the Charles
and Pauline, M. Mains plaster, which was bound from
Granville to some poi:t on the, adjacent coast of South
America. She immediately bore down to the Condor,
and laid top. Mire appearing no probability of saving
the ill-fated vessel, as thefire kept increasing and extend-
mg •over .her, .the passengers were sent on board the,
barque, and the boats were then employed in the tran-
shipment of the boxes of gold. This being successfully
accompliAed, the whole of the.specip ,being saved, the
crew were eventually compelled to 'abandon their ship,
the heated state of the decks having prevented them re-
maining by her any longer. In a short time she burst
into a general body of flames and was destroyed.
. _ _

The Charles and Pauline, with he increased and valu-
able freight, then made all sail for the nearest port, and
on the 15th of June succeeded in reaching Pernambuco,
where all were safely landed. The authorities then
investigated the services rendered by the barque, and
awarded her the munificent sum of 12,900/. as salvage.
There is little doubt that the fire arose from spontaneouS
ignition among the cargo of the Condor, as was the case
with the ship Adelaide, from Australia, whose extraor-
dinary escape from destruction was reported a short
time since. The Condor is understood to be heavily
insured.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Sale Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke.
This popular Theatre is nightly crowded to witness its combined and
unequalled attractions. The Grand Military Spectacle of The
Battle of Waterloo, with all its original effects—introducing Exer-
cises as at the Camp at Chobham. The inzomparable Scenes in
the circle, in which that charming Artiste, Miss Emily Cooke, the
wonder of the world, is received with whirlwinds of applause, and
the Sporting Hippo Drama of The Chase, form an Entertainment
unprecedented in the annals of this Theatre.