Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-09-30
Burning of Ia Steamship Austria.


MR. CHARITIES BREw's NARRATIVE.
| took passage at Southampton 90 the 1th
in the s;e.msmp Austria, Capt. Heydtmann'
which left Hamburg on the %.
From the time the ship was laid on her
course we experienced strong westerly winds.
On the 18th the weather was more favorable,
and on the l3:h the speed of eleven Knots
had been attained. aud all were in high hopes
of reaching New Yyrk by the ls.h.
At a little after > O'clock, p. NJ. | was on
the quarterback. | saw a dense volume OF
smoke burst from the entrance OF the steer
age. Some women ran aft exclaiming the
ship is on fire what will become rs" The
ship was Instantly put at hall speed, AT
which she continued until the magazine ex-
pl ded, from which | infer the engineers were
Instantly suffocated.
walked from where | was on the quarter
deck to the waist Of the ship, when | saw the
flame breaking through the lights amihshlpS.
AS the ship was head to the wind the hre
travelled with fearful rapidly. .
| then went to the man at the wheel ana
told him to put the vessel with her slle 10
the wind. lie hesitated, probably dld not
understand me, as he was a native OF liam
burg. | then got a German gentleman to
speak 70 him. At this time | saw some per-
sons letting down the boat on the port side
of the ausrter-deck. What became Of the
boat | don't know, but | think she was crush-
ed under the screw. | then went t" get o
boat over from the starloard side ct the quar-
ter-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 tine people got out, when we r.
turned and launched it over the side OF the
ship: then the people al rushing into It again 1t
descended with great violence into the water,
and was immediately swamped, all the peo-
pie being washed out except three who held
on 10 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 s,rangled by the rope.
The fire now came on too tlercely TO at
tempt to get up any more from the swamped
boat.
All toe first cabin passengers were on the
poop, with the exception OF a few gentleman
who must have been smOthered 10 the smOk-
ing room. Many OF the second cabin pas
sepgers were also on the poop, out a lumber
OF them got shut into their cabin by the fire.
Some Of them we're pulled up through the
~vgntiIat r, but he greater number could not
be extricated. The last woman who WAS
drawn up said there were six already sufo-
Gated.
We now perceived that the ship bad got her
head 10 the wind again, so that the flames
clmc over the quarter deck. In consequence
OF TIC crowd | could not get to the Wheel
house to ascertain the reason, but | WAS 10
formed 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 indescrlbable and truly heart.rendlng -
Passengers were rushing frantlcally to and
trU-hu-bands seeking their wives, wives In
search Of their Observation-Disclosures looking
after relative---n1thcrs lamentlng the loss OF
their chiidren-somo wholly paralyzed with
Eear--others maGiy crying to he saved but
few perfectly calm and collected. The flames
pressed SO closely upon them that macy
Jumped into the -ea--relatives, clasped, III
each others arms, leaned over end met
o wa;ery grave. Two girls, supposed to be
sisters, jumped over and sunk kissing each
other. 4 missionary and wife leapcd into
the sea together, and the stewardess and as
sistant steward, arm 10 arm, followed. Doe
Hungarian gentleman, with seven fine child
rem, four o! them girls, made hii vile jump
10. thcn blessed his ,Ix eldest children, made
them Jump 10 one after the other, and fpliO"-
ed them with the iufant in bis OWE arms.
About, this time | was standing outside the
bulYarks, holding % by the dasits, leaning
~ 49,. u .,.. urb;,b n.rn lnnrltU
towards me. -aw 4 swamped boat under
me, spinning by u rope still! attached to the
ship; a. the onrs were tied IN her thought,
ii | could get to her, | would be enabled to
save myself and some others. | let myself
down, passing over a man who vas cii"SiDg
TO il, but who refused to come with me.
took ont a peuknlfe - cut tue tackle; The
large blade broke, ard / severed 1t with E
small blade. The ship passed ahead. A. the
screw approached | found the boat drawn
towards il. | srled t. keep the boat Oft, but
the screw caught and capsizei her over me.
| dise1 from the ship, aud came 20 the surface
near a bat. which was keel upwards. got
on her, and by pressing on one side, with rhr
assistance Of t. wa'r, rightei her, but ste vas
still swamped, and the oars bad been knock
out by the screw. The only thing | could
find in her to paddle with were som liths
nailed together a. q sheathing iNr the sides.
When | looked around, the ship was t.
quarter If a mile away from me-. | could see
the ladies and gentleman jumping If the poop
into the water in twu's and three'-, some OF
the ladies' in Almes. Several ncsltited to
leap from the burGIng ship urn! the las,
N lmcr:, az the height wa twcuty feet, and
thcv wpr" at l"nstG compelled 20 throw them.
selves off to avoid a more painful death. In
half an hour not a soul was to be seen on IN"
poop. | pulled alter the ship and picked
up German. who was swimming strongly.
| got him beside me III the boat, aud We pad
died alter The ship.
now say vessel under sail approaching
She reached the steamer AZ about , I. NJ
We continued padding towards them, and
abour - o'clock, after being five hours in the
wa,rr, got within hail OF The sa,litg vessel,
which ut If a boat and toos us OF board
She lrived to be the French Darque M,urice,
Can't. Ernest Rnuaud, OF Nantes. bound from
Newfoundland 70. the Isle of Bourbon, with
fish. She had up to that time rescued Tory
persons Of the burning steamer, chiefly taken
of the bowsprit, though a few we're picked
W ii IatIug around. AT about o'clock one
of the metallic bIats came up, with about
twenty-three persons, including the first and
o,d mud cfSc.rs Afterwards three or four