tly swamped, and twenty-five people
in her were drowned. The other boats were lowered with a good deal of
difficulty. Only two, however, succeeded in saving life. The life-boat got
loose from the ship with twenty-one persons, and after being at sea thirty
hours, was picked up by an English brig, and landed at Plymouth. Another
boat, with twenty-five persons on board, succeeded in reaching the French
coast. There were 161 persons on board, of whom 115 are supposed to have
perished. Among the latter was the well-known author, Eliot Warburton, who
was on his way to the Isthmus of Darien, whither he had been sent by the
Pacific Junction Company to negotiate a friendly understanding with the
Indians. The Amazon was commanded by Captain William Symons, a gentleman
of known ability, who also perished. Among those saved were two ladies.
The English papers are filled with details and incidents of this sad
catastrophe, which, of course, we have not space to copy. An investigation
into the origin of the fire, and the circumstances of the disaster, has
been made, but no satisfactory result has been reached. The machinery was
new, and its working was attended with very great heat, which facilitated
the progress of the fire after it had broken out. A great deal of
confusion seems to have prevailed on board, but it does not appear that
any thing practicable was left undone. The two ladies saved were a Mrs.
MacLennan, who got into the life-boat in her night dress with her child,
eighteen months old, in her arms, and a Miss Smith, who escaped in the
other boat. The value of the Amazon was L100,000, and she was not insured.

The English press continues to discuss French affairs with great
eagerness. The whole of Louis Napoleon's proceeding is denounced with
unanimous bitterness, as one of the most high-handed and inexcusable acts
of violence and outrage ever perpetrated; and a general fear is felt that
he can not maintain himself in a state of peace, but will be impelled to
seek a war with England. The condition of the national defenses is,
therefore, the chief topic of discussion, and upon this point all the
leading journals express serious apprehensions.

The difficulty between the master engineers and their men continues
unadjusted. Meetings are held and public statements made by both sides,
and the dissension is much more likely to increase than to diminish. The
employers will not concede the right of their men to fix the terms on
wh