Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-10-02
Burning of the Austria.

scEsK OF PANIC.
NV YoRk, Sept. 2s.-The agent of the Associ-
s.ed Press, ut Halifax, has obtained from Mr..
Charities Brew, tho only Englishman among the
rescued. the following narrative OF the burning Of
the Steamer Austria, and of the terrible scenes
which came under his notice
STATEMENTOF MR.. BREW.
| took passage ut Southampton on the 4th, in
the steamship Austria, Capt. Heydtman, which
left Hamburg second. We sailed at S r.. NJ, the
evening being u little misty, We in consequence
anchored between the Isle of Wight and the main
land, sailed again at 4 O'Clock On the following
morning. In weighing anchor an unfortunate ac-
cidcnt. by which one of the crew lost his life, ow-
ing to some Encouragement, the anchor ran out
whirling the captain round with terrific force,
hurting the men in all directions; two were NJ.
vcrely injured. and one thrown overheard; he was
supposed to have been instantly killed rs he never
rose to the surface.
From the time the ship was laid on her course.
we experienced strong westerly winds. On the
18th the weather WAS most favorable. and on the
18th IA speed Of eleven knots had been attained,
and all were in high hopes of reaching New York
by the 18th. At u little after 9 o'clock. =. NJ, |
was on the quarter deck, / saw II dense volume of
smoke burst from the after entrance of the steer
age, Some women ran aft, exclaiming 'the ship
is on fire, what will become Of US" The ship
was instantly put at half speed. mt which she con.
tinucd until the magazine exploded, from which l
infer that the engineers were INSTANTLY suffocatei.
| only walked from where | was on tho quarter
deck to the waist Of tho ship, when ] saw the
flames breaking through the lights amidships.-
Az the ship was head to the wind, the fire travel
led with fearful r~apidity.
1 then went to the man at the wheel, and told
him to put the vessel with her side to the wind.
lie esitatcd-probably did not understand Inc,
as he was n native Of Hamburger. ! then got n
German gentleman to speak To him. At this time
| saw some persons letting down the boat on the
port side of tho quarter deck. What became of
the boat | don't know. but think she was crushed
under the screw. then went to get II boat over
from the starboard side Of tho quarter deck. but
the moment we laid our hands On the ropes. there
were NJ many people who crowded into it. that
we could not lift it of the blocks. We therefore
left it. for n few minutes, until the people got out,
when We returned and launched it over the sideo
the ship, when. the people al rushing into it
again, i'll loscended with great violence into the
water. aud was instantly %swnmped; all the people
being washed ont except three, who held on To the
sides. We then let down II rope and pulled up
ono person who proved to be the steward. Anotl-
err, in the act Of being hauled up. was strangled
by the rope.
The fire now came on too ferccly to attempt TO
get up any more from the swamped boat. Allthe
First Cabin passengers were on the poop, with the
exception Of II few gentlemen who must have been
smothcrcl in tho smoking room. Many Of the
Second Cabin passengers were also on the poop,
b"a - th''" - N'N'' ~ 'NA N"''' -
tho fire some Of them were pulled up through
the ventilntor, but the greater number could not
be cx,rica,cd The last woman who was drawn
up said there were six already sutlocatcd. We
now perceived that tho ship had got her head to
the wind again, 50 that tho flames came over the
quarterback. In consequence OF the crowd |
could not get TO tho wheel-housc to ascertain the
reason, but 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 quarterback WAS in
observation-disclosures truly hcart-rcnding. Passengers
were rushing irantlcally to and fro-husbands
were seeking their wiycs-wiyes in search OF their
husbands-rclatiyes looking after relatives -mo
Tiers lnmcnting tho loss Of their children, some
wholly p~aralyzcd by fear. others madly crying to
be saved, but n few perfectly calm and collected.
The flames pressed so closely upon them, that
manv jumped into the sea, relatives clasped in
each others arms leaped over and met a watcry
grave two girls, supposed to be sisters. jumped
over and sunk kissing each other. n missionary
aud wife leaped into the sea together, and the
stcwardess and assistant steward arm III arm fol
lowed. One Hungarian gentleman with seven
fine children 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 arms. about this time
was standing outside the bulwarks holding on by
the davits. leaning out 10 avoid the flames, which
were lcapIng towards me. saw II swamped boat
uliucr me. spinning ny u rope stih Uttuciieu ~ w
ship; rs the oars were tied III her l thought 1t |
could get t, her, would be enabled to save myself
and SOME others,
| let myself down by II rope, passing over u man
who was cllnging to it, but who refused to come
with me. | took out n ~penknite to cut the tackle:
the large blade broke, and | then severed it with
the small blade. The ship passed ahead as the
screw approached | found the boat drawn to-
wards it. tiled to keep the boat off, but the
screw causht aud capsized her over me. | dived
away from the ship, and came to the surface near
II boat which was keel upwards. | got on her,
and by pressing on one side. with the assistance of
a wave. she rightcd, but was still swamped. The
oars had been knocked out by the screw. The on
ly thing | could find in her to paddle with was
some la,hcs nailed together as n sheathing for the
sides. When | looked around the ship was a
quarter of u mile away from me. | could see the
ladies and gentlemen jumping off the poop into
the water in twos and thiees, some of the ladies'
in flames. Several hesitated TO leap from the
burning ship until the last moment, as the height
was twenty-five feet, ahd were only ut length COM
PEELED To throw themselves of to avoid u more
painful death.
In half an hour not n soul was to be seen on the
poop. l pulled after the ship and picked up n
German who was swimming strongly. | got HIM
beside me ON the boat and we padded after the
ship with the laths. | now saw u vessel under
sail approaching. She reached the steamer ut
about 5 p. NJ. We continued pulling towards
them. and about half past : O'Clock. after being
five hours in the water. got within hail of the sail
ing vessel. which put off II boat and took us on
board. She proved to be the French bark Maur-
ice, Captain Earnest Remand Of Nantes, bound
Newfoundland for the Isle Of Bourbon, with fish.
She had, up to that time, rescued forty passen-
gers Of the burning steamer, chiefly taken OFT the
b%owsprit, though II few were picked up floating
around. AT about eight o'clock one of the metal
L.. l.N. aa., -. ...l. .l-,a -o.t .l... ..ns-,,