The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1858-10-13
BURNING Oh THE AuSTRIA.

HALIFAX, sept 2f-ihe Darque Lotus
from Liverpool, arrived in Halifax harbor
on Sunday afternoon, with twelve of The
sixty y-nine surviving passengers ofthe steam
ship Austria, burnt at sea. Sept, 18th, in
lat. is OIL. long. Al 30, taken from the barque
Maurice on the ll,h.
The agent of the Associated Press imme-
diately boarded ihe Lotus and obtained the
following particulars.
The following is the statement of Charles
Brew, one OF the survivors:
Itook passage at Southampton on the 4lh
In the steamship Austria, Capt Heydtman,
which left Hamburg on the I'd. We sailed
at 5p. m; the evening being lii lie misty
we, in consequence, anchored between the
Isle of Wight and the main sailed again
at 4 o'clock on the following morning. In
weighing anchor an unfortunate accident
occurred, by which one of the crew lost
his life. Owing TO some mismanagement,
the anchor run out, whirling the caps,an
agound with terrific force and hurln9 the
men in all directions. Two were severely
injured, and one thrown overheard. lie was
supposed to have been instantly killed, as
he never rose 10 the surface. From the time
the ship was laid on her course we expert.
enced strong westerly winds.
On the l2th the weather was more favor
able, and on the 18th speed OF eleven
knots had been obtained, and all were in
hopes of reaching New York by the 18th.
~ little after . o'clock, p. M, was on the
quarter deck, VIXEN | saw dense volume
of smoke burst from The after entrance OF
the steerage, Some woman ran aft, ex.
claiming, "7ae ship is on fire! Hhat wiH be-
come of us21 The ship was instantly put
at half speed, at which she continued until
the magazine exploded, from which infer
the engineers were instantly suffocated.
only walked from where was, on the quar-
Ter deck, 10 the waist of the ship when
saw the flames breaking through the lights
amidships. AS the ship was head TO the
wind, the fire travelled with fearful rapid
ty.
then went 10 the man at the wheel, and
told him 10 put the vessel with her side TO
the wind. He hesitaled-probably did not
understand me, as he was a native of Ham.
burg. ] then got German gentleman to
speak TO him. At this saw some person
letting down the boat on the port side of the
quarter deck. What became of the boat
doa't know, but think she was crushed un-
der the screw. ! then went TO get boat
over from the starboard side of the quarter
deck, but the moment we laid our hands on
the ropes, there were so many who crowded
into it that we could not lift it oil the blocks
He, therefore, left it for few minutes un-
til the people got out, when we returned
and launched it over the sides of the ship
when the people, all rushing into it again,
it descended with great violence into the
water, and it was instantly swamped, all
the people being washed out excepting
three who held OH to the sides.
We then let down a rope, and pulled up
one person, who proved TO be tho steward
Another IN the act of being hauled up, was
strangled by the rope.
The fire now came on too fercely to at.
tempt 10 get mp any more from the swamp
ed boat All the first.cabin passengers were
on the poop, with the exception of few
gentlemen, who must have been smolhered
in the smoking room. Many ofthe second
cabin passengers were also on the poop,
but number Of them got shut into their
cabin by the fire. Some of them were
pulled up through the ventiator, bul the
greater number could no be extricated. The
last woman who was drawn up said there
were six already sul1ocated.
We now perceived that The ship had got
her head to The wind again, so that the
flames came over the quarterback. In con.
sequence oil the crowd, could not get to
the whcel-house 10 ascertain the reason, but
was informed that the helmsman had deser-
ted his post, and that the vessel being left
10 herself, headed 10 the wind Of her own
accord.
Al titi5 lime the scene on the quarter
deck was indescribable, and truly heart rem
ding Passengers were rushing frantically
TO and fro; husbands seeking their wives
wives in search of their Observation-Disclosures
looking after relatves-mothers lamenling
the loss Of their children-some wholly par.
alyzed with fear, others madly crying TO be
sayed-but few perfectly calm and colIec-
ted.
The flames pressed so closely upon them
that many jumped into the sea; relatives
c!asped in each others arms, leaped over
aud met watery grave. Two girls, sup
posed TO be sisters, jumped overheard, and
sunk kissing each other.
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.
I, about this time, was standing outside
of the bulwarks, holding on by the davits,
leaning out TO avoid the flames which were
leaping towards me. | saw swamped
boat under ME, spinning by rope still at.
tached 10 the ship. AS the oars were tied
10 her, thought if could get to her would
be enabled 10 save myself and some others.
let myself down by rope, passing over a
man who was clinrinp 10 it, but who refused