The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-01-31

From the London Times, Of The It'll inst y,
have the following particulars Of
THE Loss or THE ANAxns.--lt 10 our mos
painful duty to record this day the total loss o
the Ansoson. 1t is scarcely necessary to =,
that this noble vessel was enc Of the West Indh
Stsam Packet Companys squadron. 6hs hal
sailed from Southampton on the afternoon O
Friday last the I'd Of January. By mid night Of
Saturday ate had got we'll clear Of the Hcill,
Islands, and had made about 10 miles in w
S.W. course from this point. At 20 minute
before one on Sunday morning, the alarm OF fise
was given. In few minutes the flames hat
burst up the fore and main hatchways, and hat
spread like wildfire along the decks. Their.
was heavy sea on at the time, and the wind il
described ~ blowing hslf = gale" from tn.
southwest. The alarm bell was instantly runQ
and the crew and passengsrs---as many Of then
as were not suffocated by the smoke in thei
berths--rushed upon deck. From the account,
we have received it would appear that Captain
Symons was at his post, and used his utmost
eDdeavors 10 direct the efforts of the crew
Alright. The attempt, Of course, was at first te
extinguish the flames. The progress of tbs
destructive element was, however, so rapid as &c
set all human struggles at defiance. The en-
gine-room was unteaable, and the hose could no,
be brought to act. Something, indeed, appears
to have been done in the way of heaving over.
board stock of hay, but the task was simply
hopeless from the commencement. The tragedy
then In progress was TO begin and end in the
space of twenty minutes.
As soon AZ the officers were convinced that
the fire had decisively gained the mastery, thei,
next effort was to get the boats cleared away
From the information we have received it would
seem that there was n snfliciency Of boats--oi
which, it is said. three were life bosts-on board
the Amazon when the coDhagration broke out
Co uld they have been lowered in safety, there
would have been ample accommodation for all
persons on board 30 happy result was moi
obtained. In the midst Of the confusion that
prevailed, and of the wild terror of the passen-
gers-with rigging sea and gale of wind
order and unity of action were no doubt lost
There appears to have been the greatest difficulty
in getting the boats clear of the ship; the time
allowed for the necessary arrangements was in
fnitely small. Whatever may have been the
cause, only one life boat was available. At one
o'clOck-just twenty minutes after the fire broke
out-three boats had got clear Of the burning
vessel One of these was almost instantly found
to be useless; but the persons in her we're
picked up by one Of the other b0ats--a Green q
ife-boat. 1t is from those who escaped in the
boat last mentioned that we have received the
tidings which we publish this day. Nothing is
known OF the fate of the remaining boat The
survivors and spectators of the scene consider II
most improbable that she could live long i'm so
stormy sea. Be this as it may, at one o'clock
on Sunday morning-just twenty minutes after
the fire had broken out-no man could remain
on the deck of the Amazon and live. Her mag
azine afterwards exploded, and by half.pa 5
O'Clock in the morning there was no vestige left
of this noble ship.
The survivors in the life. boat were picked up
the same day-Sunday-by homeward bound
brig, the Marsdsn, and brought into Plymouth.
Enormous as the loss of property must inevita-
bly, be, the most di NAL portion of the story yet
remains untold. We said there were 81 persons
saved in the life boat when the Amazon left
Southampton, che had on board 1856 men, wo
men, and children. The only hope of salvation,
and that only for few others, lies in the bare
probability that the gig has outlived the fury Of
the gale, and that the persons on board of her
may have been picked up by some passing ship
We would not harrow up the feelings of those
who may have lost friends and relative on board
this Inflated vessel by dwelling upon the sad
particulars Of the calamity. Nor is it justiiable
in the absence of positive evidence or strong
presumption to attach blame either to the ows
ers, the officers, or the crew. The full couple.
ment of boats appears to have been on board
II these were not lowered in safety, we are bound
to take into account the wild confusion of the
and the impossibility of command
or obedience. We regret to say that we
have it not in our power to give any intelli.
gence of the fate of Captain Symons. He was
we'll known in the service as an officer of
competent skill and a man of the most unbend .
ing resolution. He is the same Captain Symons
whose name was so recently before the public
in connection with the troubles at Chagres. By
his energetic conduct there, this unfortunate.
gentleman succeeded in preventing conflict
which must have been attended with much
bloodshed and slaughter We mention the fact
in justice to Captain Symons' character, he be
yet alive, or to his memory, if he has gone down
with the wreck of the Amazon.
l. may also be a satisfaction to the friends of
those unfortunate persons who persisted by SO
death, to know that imbecility or
neglect had no share in producing the sad ca.as-
trophe. AS to its origin, all that is known is, ,
that the fire broke out forward under the galley
The survivors state that the usual rounds had
been made for the purpose of ascertaining that
all lights had been duly extinguished. This,
however, is point which needs investigation
The loss of such a ship is a national calamity,
of the suffering it necessarily en.
tails upon so many families and individuals She
had been freshly built and this was her first voy
age. This circumstance ia said to have greatly
added to the facility with which the flames seized
upon the timber Of the vessel. She had, of course,
been constructed of wel-seasoned wood, which
had not, as yet imbibed any degree Of humidity
by exposure to the sea and to the weather. II
would be needless for us to point out to general
Indignation the conduct of the captain of an out
ward bound bark, which passed close to the blaz
ing wreck without making an effort to rescue
multitude Of his fellow. creatures from one OF
Two agonizing deaths.
The officers, crew, and engine people, on board
he Amazon numbered lib men; and there were
10 passengers. Of these, officer, 40 seamen
md passengers, were the only persons rescued
Total number lost, ll3.
One of the fremen saved, endeavors to &C
count for the origin of the fire from the over
leating of the cranks and other portions of the
machinery, which it was found necessary to play
ipon with water frequently; but at the time the |
ire WINS discoyered periOd of siy or sevan