Brew to Lytton

I have the honor to inform you that I was unable to take My
Brew, Chartresdeparture for BC
Royal Mail Steam PacketWest Indian line
passage from England in The West India Royal Mail Steam packet
which Sailed from Southampton on the 2nd Instant but anxious
to carry out your wish that I should arrive in British Columbia
to enter as soon as practicable on the duties of my Office,
I proceeded to Southampton and embarked for New York on the 4th
Inst in the Steam Ship
Austria,

calculating on reaching New York
ShipsAustrialoss at sea
ShipwreckAustria
in quite sufficient time to proceed by the Steamer which was to
sail for Panama on the 20th Inst. If I had been successful in
taking this route I should have overtaken at Havannah the party
which left England on the 2nd Inst. The Cabins of the Austria
were full but as I was determined to go I contrived to get on Board
and hired for the Voyage the Cabin of the Ships Surgeon. We
sailed from Southampton Water on the 5th Inst at 4 A.M. and
from the Moment the Ships Head was laid on her course we had Most
unfavourable weather, the wind right ahead and a high sea till
the 12th when the weather became Moderate and we made a good
days passage. On the 13th the speed of the Vessel increased
to 11 knots an hour and all on board were in high expectations
of arriving at New York at farthest by the 18th but we were
doomed to be for all sadly and for many fatally disappointed.

About 2 oclock P.M. on the 13th a fire broke out in the
Brew, Chartresshipwrecked
Steerage situated in the fore part of the Ship. In a few
Minutes it was evident to all that nothing could save the Ship.
I was on the Quarter Deck with a Number of other passengers at the
time and remained there till forced by the Flames to get into the
Sea.

In at the utmost half an hour after the Fire commenced
every Soul on the poop was either burned or driven by the Fire
to plunge into the Sea. Only four of the 1st Cabin passengers
and one of the 2nd Cabin passengers were saved. All the
Ladies in both Cabins were lost. As the Vessel was under way all
or nearly all the time her decks were burning the Boats that
were lowered were instantly swamped and all that were in them
drowned. I fortunately got on one of the swamped Boats and
after a hard struggle having been five hours up to my Shoulders
in the Water I was taken on Board a French Ship—The Maurice
ShipsMauricerescues Austriassurvivors
Renaud, Capt. Ernestrescues Austriassurvivors
of Nantes, Captain Ernest Renaud.
 The Fire was seen from this
Ship almost immediately it broke out and it bore up for the
burning Vessel but owing to the light wind was unable to get
near till 5 P.M. Sixty seven of the crew and passengers
were saved by the Maurice and a few more but only a few may
have been picked up by a Swedish ship which sailed up during
the night. The Captain of the Maurice acted most kindly by
the Sufferers several of whom were severely burned. He was
nurse and Surgeon and his tenderness and delicacy in dressing
the injuries of three women who were rescued but much burned
showed that he possessed a refined and feeling nature. It
was estimated that there were over 600 on Board the Austria so
that more than 500 perished.

The Maurice was bound for the Island of
Bourbon

and at 7 A.M.
Bourbon, island of
on the 14th the day following that of the Fire she sailed
away from the still burning Austria nothing living being on
her at the time. Captain Renaud decided on proceeding to [Fyal?]

the Western Isles and there leave the rescued passengers. About
2 oclock P.M. on the 14th we fell in with the Ship Lotus
ShipLotusrescues Brew
of Yarmouth Nova Scotia Captain Trefry bound for Halifax.
Trefry, Capt.
Brew, Chartresreaches Halifax
I went on Board her and as I was anxious to stand on British
territory and desirous of getting nearer to my destination
instead of farther away from it Captain Trefry kindly gave
me a passage in his Ship. Although not abundantly supplied with
provisions he also took on Board eleven other Survivors of the
Austria who wished to get as soon as possible to America. I
lost all my papers Money and property and arrived at this port
on Yesterday evening with nothing but a coat the French Captain
gave me and the other torn clothes in which I escaped from the
Austria. I immediately proceeded to call on the Governor but
His Excellency was not at home. Through the kindness of Lady Mulgrave I was enabled to put up at an Hotel and on this day
Mulgrave, Lord
Mulgrave, Lady
I saw Mr Bullock the Governor's Secretary. I represented
Bullock, Mr., secretary
to him the position in which I was placed and my anxiety to obtain
funds to enable to me to get on to British Columbia. Mr
Bullock brought me before the Executive Council of the province
and on being satisfied of my identity they advanced me £100.
I gave my receipt for the Money and hold myself accountable for
it as a loan to me.

I shall leave Halifax for New York on tomorrow and intend
to Sail for Colon Panama by the Steamer which will leave New York
on the 5th proximo. As my letter of appointment and the despatch
which I had for Governor Douglas were lost in the Austria I
Douglas, Jamesdespatch for
trust you will be pleased to cause duplicates of them to be
forwarded to the Governor as I can scarcely expect that he can
acknowledge my appointment until he receive[s] them. The loss I have
suffered is to me a heavy one. I must try and meet it as I
Brew, Chartresloss suffered by
best can, but I am sure I shall receive from the Government
every reasonable Consideration.

I omitted to say that nearly all the passengers in the
Austria were Americans or Germans. A few persons went on Board
at Southampton they are all lost and I am the only British Subject
saved.