The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-11 00:00:00

THE BURNING OF THE PASSENGER
STEAMSHIP AUSTRIA.

By the Persia, which arrived at Liverpool yes-
terday morning, we receive full details of the burn-
ing of the steamship Austria, of the Hamburg line
of packets. As already stated, 67 persons were
rescued by the French bitique Maurice. Twelve of
these were transferred to the barque Lotus, which
arrived at Halifax on the 26th ult. Among: these
twelve were Mr. Chartres Brew, the recently ap-
pointed inspector of Police in British Columbia.
The following narrative furnished by Mr. Brew,
was telegraphed to the New York Press:—
" I took passage at Southampton on the 4th inst.
in the steamship Austria, Capt. Heydtmann, which
left Hamburg on the 2d. We sailed at five p.m.
the evening being a little misty ; we in conse-
quence anchored between the Isle of Wight and the
main land ; sailed again at four o'clock on the fol-
lowing morning. In weighing anchor an unfortu-
nate accident occurred, by which one of the crew
lost his life. Owing to some mismanagement the
anchor ran out, whirling the capstan round and
hurling the men in all directions. Two were
severely injured, and one thrown overboard. He
is supposed to have been instantly killed, as he
never rose to the surface.

" From the time the ship was laid on her course
we experienced strong westerly winds. On the 12th
the weather was more favourable, and on the 13th
a speed of eleven knots had been attained, and all
were in high hopes of reaching New York by the
18th. At a little after 2 o'clock p.m., I was on the
quarter-deck. I saw a dense volume of smoke
burst from the after entrance of the steerage. Some
women ran aft, exclaiming, The ship is on fire !
What will become of us ?' The ship was instantly
put at half speed, at which she continued until the
magazine exploded, from which I infer the en-
gineers were instantly suffocated. I only walked
from where I was on the quarter-deck to the waist
of the ship, when I saw the flames breaking through
the lights amidships. As the ship was head to the
wind the fire travelled with fearful rapidity.
" I then went to the man at the wheel, and told him
to put the vessel with her side to the wind. He
hesitated—probably did not understand me, as he
was a native of Hambur. I then got a German gen-
tleman to speak to him. At this time I saw some ,
persons letting down the boat on the port side of the
quarter-deck. What became of the boat I don't
know, but think she was crushed under the screw.
I then went to let a boat over from the starboard
side of the deck, but the moment we laid our hands
on the ropes there were so many people who
crowded into it that we could not lift it off the
blocks. We therefore left it for a few minutes until
the people got out, when we returned and launched '
it over the side of the ship, when, the people all
rushing into it again, it descended with great vio-
lence into the water, and was instantly swamped,
all the people being washed out excepting three,
who held on to the sides. We then let down a
rope and pulled up one person, who proved to be
the steward. Another, in the act of being hauled
up, was strangled by the rope.
" The fire now came on too fiercely to attempt
to get up any more from the swamped boat. All
the first cabin passengers were on the poop,
with the exception of a few !gentlemen, who
must have been smothered in the smoking-room.
Many of the second cabin passengers were also
on the poop, but a number of them got shut
into their cabin by the fire. Some of them were
pulled up through the ventilator, but the greater
number could not be extricated. The last woman
who was drawn up said there were six already suf-
focated. We now perceived that the ship had got
her head to the wind again; so that the flames came
over the quarter-deck.
" In consequence of the crowd, I could not get to
the wheelhouse to ascertain the reason, but I was
informed that the helmsman had deserted his post,
and that the vessel, being left to herself, headed to
the wind of her own accord. At this time the scene
on the quarter-deck was indescribable and truly
heartrending. Passengers were rushing frantically
to and fro—husbands seeking their wives, wives in
search of their husbands, relatives looking after
relatives, mothers lamenting the loss of their chil-
dren, some wholly paralysed by fear, others madly
crying to be saved ; but a few perfectly calm and
collected. The flames pressed so closely upon them
that many jumped into the sea; relatives, clasped
jumpedomissionary and
in each other's arms, leaped over and met a watery
gravel,ei and
; twmongki
,
wife leaped into the sea together, and the stew-
ardess and assistant steward, arm in arm, followed.
kissingsupposedeitcl i other.th be
A sisters,
One Hungarian gentleman, with seven fine chil-
dren, four of them girls, made his wife jump in,
then blessed his six eldest children, made them jump
in one after the other, and followed them with an
infant in his own arms.

"I, at this time, was standing outside the bul-
warks, holding on by the davits, leaning out to
avoid the flames. which were leaping towards me.