charge by doctors of medicine had been 17. 1s. for post horses, but since the introduction of railways it was reduced to 10s. 6d. per mile. He went by first-class carriages, and was obliged to have a deputy to attend patients while absent. Previous to going, Mrs. Haffenden had written to him, as an old attendant, to come down, and he replied that he would do so for 10 guineas, if she gave him two days' notice. She had been ill ever since her marriage. In answer to questions by Mr. Parry, the barrister, for defendant, the plaintiff declined stating the nature of her disorder, and said there was no difference in the charges of physicians and consulting surgeons. The husband of the lady had treated him most discourteously, and had repudiated his services. Dr. Tyler Smith said he had been a physician eleven years, and always considered the practice of physicians and consulting surgeons to be the same. He considered the sum charged a very fair one, and below the average fee. Dr. Laing also considered it a fair charge. Mr. Parry said his client had paid 20 guineas into court, which was very handsome, for the demand was preposterous. It was at the rate of 4500l. per year, leaving out Sundays. The judge said it was a great difficulty to determine the equitableness of medical fees, as the railways had so disarranged them. Without any case being cited on either side, he was inclined to consider, from the evidence of the plaintiff, that the charge was a fair one, and below the market price. He therefore gave judg ment for the plaintiff, with costs.

NARRATIVE OF ACCIDENT AND
DISASTER.

By the Explosion at Warren Vale Colliery, near Rotherham (mentioned in our last number) fifty-two persons lost their lives instead of forty-three, as at first stated. The Coroner's inquest concluded its investigation on the 2nd inst. by returning the following verdict: "We find that the fifty-two men and boys whose bodies we have viewed, were accidentally killed by an an explosion of fire-damp in the Warren Vale Colliery, in the parish of Rawmarsh, in the county of York, in the occupation of Messrs. Charlesworth." The Jury added to their verdict these "remarks "Although there is not sufficient evidence for us to return a verdict of manslaughter against any particular person, we should ill discharge our duty if we did not accompany our verdict with an expression of our strong disapprobation of the loose manner in which the works appear to have been conducted at the above pit. We further regard the instructions hitherto given to the men as quite inadequate to the proper supervision and safe working of them; and it certainly does appear to us, that it is very desirable that there should be some stringent rules and regulations at every colliery for the better and safer working of the coal-mines; and further, that the proprietors of every mine ought to be held by the Legislature responsible for the efficiency of their agents and superintendents."

son of Sir William Foster of Norwich) law-students, resided at Highgate. They had dined together, and had a lamp on the table. Mr. Foster rose to supply the lamp with spirit; and just after he had done so, he was proceeding, candle in hand, to relight it, when a terrific explosion arrested his movements. On recovering a little from the shock, he beheld his friend, Mr. Edwards enveloped in flames, the liquid having been scattered over his chest and entire person, and the saturated clothes having then ignited. Mr. Foster, who was himself fortunately unhurt, immediately rushed to his friend's assistance, and endeavoured with all his might to extinguish the flames. Not succeeding, he caught hold of his companion, and, by a desperate exertion of strength, almost carried him first down stairs, and then into a small garden at the back of the house, where by rolling him on the ground, he at length succeeded in extinguishing the flame; having, however, been himself sadly burnt through his generous efforts. Notwithstanding the prompt application of remedies, Mr. Edwards died ten days afterwards. Mr. Foster, however, is recovering. This accident shows how much caution should be exercised in the use of lights of this description.

There has been a fatal Explosion of Fire-damp at Norbury Hall Colliery, near Wigan. At a time when no danger was apprehended, a quantity of gas suddenly ignited, and sixteen miners were burnt. Nine, were hurt so seriously that two of them have since died, and the state of others is precarious. As usual, the men worked with unprotected candles: they dislike safetylamps, the light they give being so small that a considerable diminution of wages, it is said, would result from their use, the men being paid by piece-work.

A coroner's inquest has been held at Alnwick, on the body of Patrick Moreton, a young man who was killed by a Railway Collision on the 2nd ult. The following special verdict, returned on the 31st, explains the nature of the accident; "that the deceased Patrick Moreton met his death by a collision of two trains on the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway; and that the collision was owing to the neglect of the company's officers in charge of the first train to send back a fog or lamp signal to the train following, and further to the neglect of certain officers of the company to supply fog signals to the guard of the first train. We find the directors and managers of the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway, guilty of great blame and culpable neglect— 1.-In forwarding an enormous cattle-train immediately preceding a passenger train, which cattle-train passed Christon Bank when the passenger train was within one minute of being due; 2.-In appointing an unqualified guard to such a train; 3.-In appointing only one guard to a double train, 250 yards long. Also we find, that the production of the printed instructions by the superintendent, as a proof of the general carefulness of the company's management, appears to us only an attempt on the part of the company's managers to get rid of the responsibility resting on them, and to throw the blame on an unfortunate guard, while at the price of a few paltry tracts they get rid of the expense of providing a competent individual, whose sole duty ought to be to see, at least once daily, at some central station, that all parties in charge of a train are provided with proper signals.

There was a serious Collision on the Great Western Railway very early on the morning of the 3rd inst. A goods-train, on its way to London, was detained at Chippenham for some time in the momentary expectation that the mail would arrive; but as the mail was A Boiler Explosion, attended with fatal consequences, very late, the station-master at length sent the goods- occurred at Gold's Hill, near Dudley, on the 7th inst., train forward. A quarter of an hour after, the mail- on the premises of Messrs. Davies and Bloomer. The train came. As the interval between the two was furnace-man named Evans, and his two assistants, were thought quite safe, nothing was said about the goods-instantly killed; and a man named James, a shingler, train; but a heavy fog had come on, the rails were afterwards died, without any outward appearances of slippery, the goods-train had made hardly any progress, injury. The cause of the accident has not been and at length it had become almost stationary. The explained. fog obscured the tail-lights on the goods-train, the mail overtook it, and dashed into it. The guard's break and a horse-box were crushed; but, fortunately, the guard perceived the danger in time to leap from his seat, and he escaped unhurt. The driver of the mail-train was dangerously wounded on the head; the passengers, however, escaped without serious injury.

A dreadful accident from the Explosion of a Patent Spirit Lamp, occurred on the 3rd inst. Two young gentlemen, named Edwards and Foster (the latter a

A Snow Storm, the severest that has occurred for half a century, has taken place in Scotland, and occasioned many fatal casualties. The whole country, from Inverness to Perth, was buried under a deep mass of snow, stopping the mails and interrupting all communication. The following are among the fatal accidents :-On the 16th inst., Mr. Menzies, of Strathbrann, came to Crief, to visit a son and transact business. The son remonstrated with his father against returning that day, in consequence of the severity

of the storm; but without effect. He set off for home, to the room and found the flames had already penetrated and his son accompanied him a mile above Glimmer- the floor in the far corner, close to an open raisin-box ton. As, however, he did not make his appear-containing 231b. of gunpowder: a quantity of apples ance at night, his family were alarmed, and next around the box were thoroughly roasted, a knot in the day a search was made for him. A bundle was found box was exuding turpentine from the heat, a cask of oil which was recognised as his. This made the parties in the same corner was leaking from the heat, and some persevere in their search; which they did all that day hampers of straw were on fire. The courageous shopand the next, but with no success. On the following keeper took up the box of gunpowder, which was day they renewed their exertions, with a number of already very hot, and conveyed it safely away. The men and their dogs; and, after a considerable amount fire was afterwards subdued. of labour, his body was discovered by a dog, in a deep wreath of snow, near the bridge of Newton.-At Killin, on the morning of the 16th, Alxander Cameron, shepherd to Mr. M'Nee, Glenlocay, was found dead. In attempting to drive his flock to a place of safety, he had fallen a victim to the storm. His faithful collies remained two days beside the dead body.-From fifty to sixty fine sheep, belonging to the dowager Duchess of Gordon, were smothered in the snow on the same night in a turnip field, on the farm of Tullich, in Mortlach. On the morning of Sunday, the 18th, two Fires broke out, involving much loss of property. The one was in the premises occupied by the old Woolwich Steampacket Company, situated in Globe-lane, High-street, Woolwich. The fire commenced, from some unknown cause, in the engineers' workshops, in which property valued at some thousand pounds was deposited. The discovery was made by a police constable, who lost no time in sounding an alarm, and sending for assistance. In a very brief period two engines were taken to the spot from her Majesty's dockyard, and a plentiful supply of water having been procured, the two machines were soon in operation, but the fire still continued to progress, and at length assumed such a threatening aspect, that it was deemed advisable to send to London for additional assistance. The Southwark-bridge-road engine, another from Watling-street, and also that belonging to the West of England Insurance Company, from the Waterloo-road, were sent down with firemen, and at once went to the assistance of the local men, when the flames were shortly extinguished. The engineering workshops, together with their valuable contents, were all but destroyed. The other fire broke out in the premises of Mr. Burck, a baker in Berwick-street, Soho, and was not subdued until the premises in which the disaster commenced were partly consumed, and some damage done to the next house, belonging to Messrs. P. Nurdin and Peacock, egg merchants.

Another accident, resulting from the Incautious use of Naphtha, occurred on the night of the 16th inst., to two persons, father and son, named Goole, tailors, residing at 74, Wardour-street, Oxford-street. As they were engaged in charging a naphtha lamp, the spirit became suddenly ignited, and in their agitation the contents of the vessel were upset over their clothes, and they were instantly enveloped in flames. Screams of distress were heard to issue from the apartment, and in a moment the father rushed into the street, enveloped in fire. Many persons hastened to his assistance, and by the speedy application of shawls and sundry other articles of clothing, the flames were soon subdued. The poor man's clothes were entirely consumed, and his body was most dreadfully burnt. He was conveyed to the Middlesex Hospital, and has since died. The son, although much injured, is expected to recover. An engineer, out of work in consequence of the strike, committed suicide on Sunday the 18th instant. As one of the Citizen steam-boats was proceeding up the river, several passengers perceived the body of a man lying in the mud off the Middlesex side of Vauxhall-bridge. Two watermen dragged the body on to the causeway, and a shell having been procured, it was taken to the dead-house of St. Margaret's workhouse, Dean-street, Westminster. The man was apparently about 29 years old. The police circulated notices round the district, and in a few hours a female identified the body as that of a man named John Leach, an engineer, lately in the employ of Messrs. Maudslay & Field, of Westminsterbridge-road, Lambeth. He had been missing since Friday from his home, and the female stated that he had been in a low state of mind since his dismissal on account of the strike.

On Saturday evening, the 24th inst., the great cotton mill belonging to Messrs. Thomas Ogden and Sons, Dickenson-street, Manchester, was Destroyed by Fire. The mill had closed, as is usual on Saturdays, at about A vessel was nearly destroyed by fire in Yarmouth three o'clock, and the workmen had left the premises. Roads, on Sunday morning, the 18th. A guardsman, There was, however, a shafting in the third story, which while on duty at the end of the jetty, discovered flames had worked badly, and a mechanic employed at the issuing from the deck of a vessel (which proved after-mill was directed to remain after the other hands had wards to be the Jane and Margaret, a collier brig of Newcastle) riding about one mile distant from shore. He immediately raised an alarm; Captain F. A. Ellis, R.N., of the Coast Guard, and Lieutenant Eyton, were speedily on the spot, and under their directions the Emperor steam-tug steamed out of the harbour and proceeded to the assistance of the burning vessel, which by that time was completely enveloped in flames from the mainmast aft, including the mainsail, after-rigging, &c., and all chance of getting the fire under being lost, it was deemed the wisest course, having due regard both to life and property, to run the brig on shore, which was accordingly done. There were a large number of beachmen, and other parties assembled, and by the aid of the buckets, &c., it was not long before the fire was extinguished. The stern, bulwarks, sides, and afterdecks, were, however, entirely consumed, as was also the lower part of the mainmast. The brig was in ballast, and only left London on the previous Thursday. A Remarkable Instance of Courage has been shown by a tradesman in Lincolnshire. Mr. Smith, a baker at Whaplode, on entering his bakehouse on Saturday morning the 24th inst., found it on fire; it had been burning probably all night. The shelves were burnt, and two great beams above. Immediately over the room was a chamber occupied as a warehouse by Mr. Nurse, grocer, who resided in the adjoining house. This chamber, a very long one, was stored with drugs, oil, paper, &c., and a quantity of gunpowder. Mr. Nurse was immediately aroused from his slumbers, and made aware of the dreadful fact. He instantly proceeded

left, and to see that this portion of the machinery was got into proper working order for Monday. The man appears to have worked till after five, when no longer able to see, he went into the street and asked a watchman to go and hold his lamp for a few minutes to light him whilst he completed his task. The watchman did so, but whilst he was assisting the mechanic to lift the shaft into its place he unfortunately dropped his lamp. The cotton in one of the spinning frames was ignited by this accident, the flames ran along rapidly from frame to frame, for it was an immense building, eight storeys high, full of frames and spindles; the men perceived almost in a moment that any efforts by themselves to stop the progress of the flames would be fruitless. They therefore raised an alarm, and the fire-engines being within half a mile from the mill were hastily sent for. This was at ten minutes to six o'clock, and, though not less than thirteen engines were almost immediately brought into operation, by half-past six the entire mill was on fire, extending 60 yards in length by 20 in breadth, and the flames were streaming forth from 160 windows at each front of the lofty pile, till they met and formed an immense single sheet of fire over the roof. The destruction of the mill was rapidly accomplished. Floor after floor gave way in quick succession, each falling through with its heavy masses of machinery; and the roof and large portions of the walls were also destroyed at the same time. In less than an hour all that was left of property worth more than 20,0007., was a few shattered walls enclosing a huge heap of broken, disjointed, and blackened ironwork, mingled with masses

of bricks, charred wood, and smouldering cotton, the shortly afterwards lost sight of her.
mere wreck of an establishment which had been amongst
the wonders of the age for the collection of mechanism,
and the results of ingenuity and skill brought together
within its walls.

Mr. Cumming, a respectable surgeon at Matlock, and his son, a boy of 10 or 12 years old, have been Drowned in the Derwent, while rowing in a pleasure boat on the river. The recent rains had swollen the stream, and the rowers seem to have approached too near to the weir near Masson Mill; the force of the current carried the boat over the fall, but Mr. Cumming and his son appeared to be uninjured by the descent, and the boat grounded at its foot. The unfortunate parent made the most desperate efforts to save his child, and repeatedly regained his feet after being drawn down by the current, but the power of the stream proved too great for long resistance, and the father and son were washed away to the depths below before the eyes of the anxious spectators. Mr. Cumming has left a wife and seven children.

The new West India Steamship Amazon was Destroyed by Fire, on Sunday Morning the 4th inst., with a dreadful sacrifice of human life. She sailed on her first voyage from Southampton on Friday the 2nd. At a quarter before one on Sunday morning, when the ship was about 110 miles W.S.W. of Scilly, a fire broke out suddenly, forward on the starboard side, between the steam chest and the under part of the galley, and shortly after the flames rushed up the gangway which is in front of the foremost funnel. The alarm bell was rung, and Captain Symons rushed on deck in his shirt and trousers. Wet swabs and other loose things were placed on the gratings of the spar-deck hatch, and a hose was brought to play on the main deck, but quickly abandoned in consequence of the excessive heat. The deck pump was also kept at work until the men were forced to retire. The wind was blowing half a gale from south-west, and the vessel was going 8 knots, which was her average rate from the time of departure. Capt. Symons ordered some hay, between the engineroom crank gratings, to be thrown overboard; two trusses were hove over the ship's side, but the fire soon igniting the main body, the hencoops on each side, and the paddle-boxes, the men were obliged to abandon the deck, and those who could leave were all finally driven from the ship. Many were burnt in their berths, others suffocated, and a great number were drowned in the lowering of the boats.

The following narrative has been given by Mr. Vincent, midshipman of the Amazon: — "About 20 minutes to 1 o'clock on Sunday morning, fire was observed bursting through through the hatchway-foreside of the fore-funnel. Every possible exertion was made to put out the fire, but all was ineffectual. The mailboat was lowered, with twenty or twenty-five persons in it; but was immediately swamped, and went astern, the people clinging to one another. They were all lost. The pinnace was next lowered but she hung by the fore tackle; and being swamped the people were all washed out of her. In lowering the second cutter, the sea raised her and unlocked the foretackle, so that she fell down perpendicularly; and all but two of the persons in her were washed out. Captain Symon was all this time using his utmost exertions to save his passengers and crew. Sixteen men, including two passengers, succeeded in lowering the life-boat; and about the same time I, (Mr. Vincent,) with two men, the steward and a passenger, got into and lowered the dingy. In about half an hour the life-boat took the dingy's people into her, and bore down for the ship with the dingy in tow; but the sea increasing, and being nearly swamped, they were obliged to cast the dingy off and bring the boat-head to sea. The masts went-first the foremast, and then the mizenmast. About this time a bark passed astern of the life-boat: we hailed her with our united twenty-one voices, and thought she answered us; but she wore and stood under the stern of the burning vessel, and immediately hauled her wind and stood away again. The gig, with five hands, was at this time some little way from us; but the sea was running so high we could render her no assistance, and

[JANUARY.

About 4 a.m.

(Sunday) it was raining heavily, and the wind shifted
to the northward; sea confused, but decreasing; put
the boat before the sea. At 5 o'clock the ship's
magazine exploded, and about half an hour afterwards
the funnels went over the sides, and she sunk. At noon
we were picked up by the Marsden, of London, Captain
Evans; by whom we were treated in the kindest
manner possible." The conduct of Mr. Vincent, a very
young man, has been highly praised. Mr. Neilson of
Liverpool, one of the passengers saved in the life-boat,
says in a narrative published in the newspapers: "I
cannot close my narrative of this event without adverting
in the strongest terms of praise and admiration to the
conduct of young Vincent. Throughout the whole of
the dreadful scenes through which we passed, he never
showed the slightest symptom of fear or hesitation, or
uttered a single murmur or complaint. His whole care
seemed for the men, of whom he took the command with
the calmness of an old officer, and having on him, as
one of the officers of the watch when he escaped, the full
complement of clothes, he gave his pea-jacket to one of
the men who had only a shirt on, a flannel shirt to
another, and his handkerchief to a third. I have been
in scenes which have tried the nerves of hardened men,
but never in any more calculated to try them than
those through which this young officer passed unruffled.
I must speak also in the highest terms of the steadiness,
firmness, and unwearied exertions of our boat's crew,
who, notwithstanding the heavy sea and the crowded
state of the boat, with 21 in her, were most eager
to brave every
to brave every danger for the chance of offering
still further aid to their drowning comrades, while
the possibility of a chance still remained."

The number of the ship's officers was ten, that of her engineers six, and that of her seamen ninety-six; the passengers were forty-nine. Of these, it was at first supposed that only the twenty-one persons who escaped with Mr. Vincent in the life-boat were saved; but a Dutch vessel afterwards landed at Brest six passengers and nineteen of the crew, whom she had picked up at sea; and another boat, with four passengers and nineteen of the crew, was picked up in the Bay of Biscay by a Dutch vessel and landed at Plymouth. The following are some of the details which have been given of this deplorable event. The boats of the Amazon were fitted with iron cranes or crutches on which their keels rested ; these fittings obstructed their clearance from the ship, and but for this fatal arrangement the serious loss of life would have been lessened. Captain Symonds ordered that no one should get into the boats. This order was obeyed until the people saw the flames overpowering the ship. He was last seen with the man at the wheel, ordering the helm to be put up, so as to keep the ship before the wind. His last words were, "It is all over with her." The officer of the watch, Mr. Treweeke (second officer), was walking the bridge when the accident was discovered. Mr. Henry Roberts, chief officer, in his shirt only, was actively assisting the captain; he was last seen going through the companion down to the main deck, and is supposed to have perished there. Mr. Lewis (third officer), Mr. Goodridge (fourth officer), and the two midshipmen, some of whose berths were forward on the port side of the main deck, were probably suffocated, as were also the chief engineer, Mr. George Angus, and Mr. Allen, the superintending engineer, on behalf of the constructor of the engines, as they were seen in the engine-room ten minutes before the fire broke out, going forward, there being no possibility of their return through the flames. The second engineer, Mr. William Angus, was on the spar deck, between the funnel and the crank gratings, pulling oars, and throwing them out of the way of the fire on the deck, near the boats. The two best boats were stowed on the top of the sponsons, where the flames prevented approach. After the Amazon was put about, she went at the rate of twelve or thirteen knots, dead before the wind. One boat on the starboard-side, the second cutter, was full of people, when the wash of the sea unhooked the foremost tackle; she held on by the stern-tackle, and her stern falling into the sea, all except two were drowned, in consequence of the ship's speed. The pinnace was observed on the port-side,

towing by the fore-tackle, behind the burning ship; der; Henry Roberts, chief officer; Charles H. Treweeke,
and as no one cut the tow-rope, the miserable passengers, second officer; John Lewis, third officer; George D.
who were all huddled together, were one after the other Goodridge, fourth officer; James W. Fullerton, surge n;
washed into the sea. The mail-boat, which was also M. H. Strutt, purser; Francis Stainforth, midshipman;
full of people, having shipped a quantity of water, went William K. Stuart, midshipman; Thomas Walter Shap-
down alongside. When the flames had approached the cott, purser's assistant. The petty officers are George
after companion, two male passengers came up from the Angus, chief engineer; Debray Theophile, French cook;
saloon, all in flames, and running aft, fell on the deck. and three other cooks; and Joseph Kirby, the baker.
A tall lady entreated some one to take care of her child; The rest of those lost were seamen and firemen. The
but she would not enter either of the boats. Dineford, crew were picked men, and Captain Symonds was dis-
the quartermaster, placed one lady passenger in a boat; tinguished for his skill and cool intrepidity. The value
but she, being extremely agitated, got out again, and of the Amazon when ready for sea was about 100,0007.
although Henry Williams and another used some force The loss of that sum falls entirely upon the insurance-
and begged her to go in, she persisted in remaining on fund of the company,-a fund exclusively devoted from
board. The stewardess, Mrs. Scott, with her bonnet annual grants derived from the profits of the Company
and shawl on, and something in her hand, first asked towards such casualties. The value of the specie, quick-
Steer to put her in the dingy, and then left for a larger silver, cargo, &c., when added to the value of the ship,
boat. At the time of leaving, some of those who yet will give a total loss of property of little less than
lived were kneeling on the deck praying to God for 200,000l. sterling. The passengers rescued in the life-
mercy; while others, almost in a state of nudity, were boat are Mr. Hawes, Vera Cruz; Mr. Neilson of Liver
running about screaming with horror. The greatest pool, bound for Demerara; Mr. T. Sisley, bound for
part of the survivors escaped in the after-starboard | Chagres. The officers of the crew saved are Mr. Vincent,
second life-boat, in which was Mr. Neilson. One of her jun., midshipman; and Mr. James Williamson, the
occupants (Maylin), in leaving, pressed his foot through chief steward. The rest of the people saved are
the burning deck and injured it; two others (Williams Mr. Dunsford, quarter-master, and fifteen seamen and
and Passmore) had to climb the starboard paddle-box firemen. The persons saved and landed at Brest are
through the flames and smoke. They succeeded after Mrs. Anna Maria Smith, Mrs. Eleanor Roper M'Clen-
three attempts, and then slid down hands and face over nan, and her infant, Mr. Bernardo Barricorn, Mr. Fre-
the paddle-box into the boat; several went down by the derick Glennie, Mr. John Stryburn, and Mr. William
tackles. Two of the watch below (Williams and Foster) Evans. Among members of the crew now saved are
|
had their hair burnt while coming on deck. When the Mr. William Stone, engineer; Mr. Jacob Allen (Messrs.
life-boat left there were sixteen on board; they heard Seaward and Capel's foreman,) George Deal and Alex-
some one shouting in the water, and threw over a keg ander Laing, quartermasters, and Michael Gould, second
and some oars. They endeavoured to approach, but a steward. The circumstances connected with Mrs.
sea carried the boat off. They then took Mr. Vincent, M'Clennan's escape are most interesting. Upon the
Mr. Williamson, Mr. Sisley, and two sailors, from the alarm being given she wrapped her infant in a shawl,
dingy, and making her fast to the stern, towed after the and rushed upon deck; she was put into a boat without
burning wreck, thinking to save more lives; but the any garments but her night clothes. Into this boat
dingy having filled, they were obliged to cut her adrift, fifteen or twenty persons placed themselves, but being
and, fearing that they themselves should be swamped, unable to free the stern tackle, the bow went almost
their boat's head was put to face the sea. Twelve oars perpendicularly down; some fell into the sea, others
were at work, the wind was increasing, and heavy scrambled up into the ship again. Mrs. M'Clennan was
squalls coming on. They saw the ship's gig full of partly thrown into the sea, but her strong maternal
people, shouting as if for assistance, and at the same feelings enabled her to save both herself and the child.
time descried a sail standing apparently to the south- She clung with her arm to one of the seats of the boat
ward. The vessel appeared to pass between the two that was fast, and holding the child with the other, re-
boats, and after this the gig was not seen; whether she mained in a nearly vertical position for half an hour.
was swamped or was taken up by the stranger is un- Just when she became aware that she could not hold
known. The strange vessel came pretty close under the on much longer, the two engineers and others—the last
life-boat's stern, when all shouted together, and thought to leave the ship-rushed to the boat, freed it from the
they were answered on board: she was a barque, under tackle, and jumped into the boat before it could get
close-reefed topsails, foresail, and fore-topmast staysail; away. Mrs. M'Clennan was very much bruised, and in
her spanker was hanging in the brails as if she was in this trying situation remained seventeen hours, almost
the act of wearing. Soon after her helm was put the whole time up to her waist in water, from the sea
up, and she bore right down towards the wreck, breaking over the boat, without food and without clothes.
behind which she disappeared. The masts of the Even the infant's shawl they were obliged to make a
steamer went over before four o'clock in the morning, the sail of, in order to keep the boat before the wind.
foremast on the port and the mainmast on the starboard Seventeen hours after she escaped from her berth, she
side. One poor fellow appeared at the jib-boom end; was lifted, almost insensible, but still clinging to her
the jib was cut loose, and was blowing away. Her child, on board the vessel that rescued the party.
mizenmast was still standing while she was in flames Among the persons saved in the last boat were the
from stem to stern. About five o'clock, when the life- Rev. Mr. Blood, Mr. Kilkelley, Lieutenant Grylls, R. N.,
boat was passing the ship in a leewardly direction, the and Senor Juan de Cima, passengers; and Mr. William
gunpowder in her two magazines aft exploded; and in Angus, the second engineer.
about twenty minutes, the mizen having gone by the
board, she made a heavy lurch and went down, her
funnels being red hot and still standing.

The directors of the Royal Mail Steam-packet Company commenced at Southampton, on the 8th, an investigation into the circumstances of the disaster. The lost passengers are Messieurs De Pass and Delgado, Mr. T. Baring, M.P., Chairmain of the Company, Mr. Fellows, and Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Winton, Jamaica; presided; and Captain Corry, of the Royal Navy, Mr. Best and servant, Messieurs Callender and Stirling, attended from the Admiralty. All the surviving and Mr. Alleyne, Barbadoes; Mr. Johnston, Mr. Burnett, passengers and crew were examined at great length and Mr. and Mrs. Scotland, Trinidad; Mr. Hick and on several successive days. By some, the fire was Mr. and Mrs. M'Clinnow, Demerara; Mr. Eliot War- ascribed to the friction of the "bearings" of the burton (the author of "The Crescent and the Cross"); engines, which were new and did not yet work smoothly: Mr. Geraud, M. and Madame Lacombe and child; but this supposition was contradicted by the evidence of M. Kersaboe, and Mr. Dellemare, Chagres; Mr. M. Del Mr. William Angus, the second engineer. The fire, in Rio, Margaret Fitzgerald, and M. Fevrier, Vera Cruz; his opinion, originated between the starboard fore Mr. Joel, Jamaica; Mr. Cuming, St. Thomas; Mr. Car- boiler and the bulkhead. Judging from the glare of dennas, Santa Martha; Mr. Anthony, and Mr. Hamil- the flame when he first saw it, it commenced below, ton, Jamaica; Mr. Ferrear, Grace Hoare, and Mr. and caught the store-room as it rose. He could only Granier, Vera Cruz; Mr. Crevecowst, St. Thomas; conjecture that it must have been caused by spontaMr. Le Fave, Guadaloupe. The superior officers of neous combustion. The painters and other mechanics the ship who perished are William Symonds, comman- at work, before starting, might have dropped down

their shavings, chips, dabs of paint, and other rubbish. He was quite certain that the fire commenced below the store-room; some sacks, which were placed outside of it by his order, helped the flame. When he saw the gleam of the fire first it was low down, and the storeroom was not then on fire. He was quite certain of that, from his position. The turpentine was kept quite away from that part of the ship, and he had never seen any leakage of oil from the tanks. The "bearings" were not more heated than those of new engines usually were, and he was quite confident that it was from nothing of that kind that the fire originated.

Unsuccessful searches have been made for the boats not accounted for, which appear to have left the burning vessel. On the 17th, the Rev. Mr. Warburton, brother of Mr. Eliot Warburton, arrived at Plymouth from London, bringing despatches from the Lords of the Admiralty to the Commander in Chief at that pert, Admiral Sir J. Ommanney, upon the receipt of which the Admiral issued orders for two steam vessels-the Sprightly, and the Avon, to proceed with all possible despatch to join the Hecate, in searching for any of the survivors of the Amazon. On the 21st the Sprightly and Avon returned to Devonport, having experienced much foul weather, but not succeeding in gaining any further information as to the Amazon, or of the survivors of her destruction. The Hecate, steam sloop, which was despatched to Brest by order of the Admiralty, also returned without bringing any intelligence respecting the missing passengers and crew. Portions of wreck, supposed to have belonged to the Amazon, have come ashore at Swanpool, near Falmouth, at Bridport, and other places. A new inquiry into the loss of the Amazon, under the powers given to the Board of Trade by the navigation act of last session, has been commenced. The subscriptions for the benefit of the survivors exceed 60007., and it is expected that the whole sum wanted, 10,000l. will speedily be obtained.