The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-01 00:00:00

BURNING OF THE GEORGIA.

Within the last two or three days further accounts
have been received relating to the loss of the ship
Georgia, belonging to London, which, it will be re-
collected, was destroyed by fire while on her home-
ward voyage from Calcutta, and of the safety of• her
commander, Captain Mitchell, and five of the crew,
who were reported to have perished with the unfor-
tunate vessel. The following statement of Captain
Mitchell, which has just been received by the owners
of the ship, detailing the sufferings of himself and
crew, will be found to be somewhat interesting:—
" Algoa Bay, April 1, 1842. Gentlemen,—On the
Ist of last month, when about 1,000 miles from the I
Cape of Good Hope, and 300 from the nearest land,
we discovered the cargo of the Georgia to be on fire.
We immediately tried to the utmost in our power to
extinguish it by throwing water down amongst
that portion of the cargo where the flames ap-
peared to have a hold, but to no use. I then
caused all the hatchways to he closely battened
down, which continued so for seven or eight hours,
and the fire apparently was being smothered,
when the ship Thomas Sparks, on the pas-
sage to London, came up to us. I hailed the com-
mander, Captain Sparks, requesting him to stop by
us all night, as the ship was on fire, but he refused to
answer without I came on board of his ship, which I
did, taking with me in the long-boat five of the
crew. Upon Captain Sparks ascertaining the circum-
stances which I related to him, he agreed to stop by
the ship and render all the assistance he possibly
could. I then left him for the purpose of returning to
my own ship. When within a short distance of her
she appeared to make sail and follow Captain Sparks's
vessel, who had hoisted a light and gone ahead. I,
together with those in the boat, shouted with all our
might, but was unable to make them hear, and they
pursued their course. I think my mate, whom I had
left on board, must have mistaken the light which
was hoisted by Captain Sparks as a signal that I was
koing to remain some time on board of her, and that
he was to follow ; at least I cannot form any other
idea for his so unaccountably leaving us. By great
exertions at the oars we kept sight of both vessels'
lights for two hours, when we lost sight of them in
the distance. I kept in the same direction, or
as near as I possibly could, as the ships
were steering till noon the following day, when,
Flying up all hopes of falling in with them and hav-
ing no water or provisions except a few pumpkins
which providentially happened to be in the boat, I
made for the land, making a sail of our shirts, and
steering by the sun and stars. On the fifth day we
made the land, and on reaching it searched for water,
which we happily succeeded in obtaining, but not
being able to get a supply of provisions from the wird
natives we were compelled to put to sea again, in-
tending on starting to coast it to this place. How-
ever, on the seventh day we were overtaken by a
storm and were necessitated to make for shore ; when
within half a mile, and the sea running high, the boat
filled and turned over. After a long struggle I was
was washed on shore on one of the oars. Three of the
crew clung to the sunken boat, which kept turning
over every wave, and one saved himself by swimming.
Providentially all of them reached the beach in safety,
though greatly exhausted. Alter travelling fifty
miles barefooted, we got conducted to a Wesleyan
missionary station, where we met with very kind
attention. I arrived here to-day, having tra-
velled twenty days in a Government waggon,
which was returning from Natal. I expect to get a
vessel in two days bound to the Cape, where I shall
get a vessel for England. The fate of the Georgia I
am at a loss to conjecture. When I left her the fire
had all the appearance of being under. Had she put
into the Cape there would be accounts of it. You
will know before the receipt of this. Yours respect-
fully, WALTER MITCHELL." - The ship Thomas
Sparks arrived at St. Katharine's Docks about three
weeks since, having on board the remainder of the
crew of the Georgia. The fire was confined beneath
her decks till the second day after the Thomas Sparks
coming up, when it broke forth and speedily consumed
the vessel. Mrs. Mitchell, the wife of Captain Mit-
chell, ttgether with two of the seamen's wives, sup-
posing their husbands had been lost with the ship, as
was reported, went into deep mourning, which they
continued till Wednesday last, when the gratifying in-
telligence was brought to them of their safe preserva-
tion. They are at present residing at Shields. The
vessel's loss is estimated at 8,0001.

The BUDGET, No. VIII.
On Monday next will be published, price 3d.,
T II E BUD GE T, No. VIII.,
Containing a
A LETTER to the FRIENDS of EXTENDED COLONI-
Z ATION, on the Causes of the Failure of the Financial Branch
of the South Australian Experiment. By A MEMBER of
the POLITICAL ECONOMY CLUB.
Published by Smith, Elder, and Co., Cornhill ; and to be
had of all Booksellers and Newsvenders.