Part of the
Acorn Archive
Hearts of Oak
SS Amazon
Destruction of
the Steamship by Fire with Great Loss of Life
The Aftermath
Although there were a few
sections of the Amazon collected at sea,
just one came to rest ashore.
On the 19th January 1852 at
Swanpool Beach, Falmouth.
A 16ft by 4ft piece pitch
pine from the Amazon,
with a string of a lady's
night-cap attached, was washed ashore,
not a half mile from the
house where Captain Symons was born.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The inquiry was instituted by
the directors of the Royal Mail Steampacket Company, and most of the
interviews, as well as statements made previously produced inconclusive answers
as to the origin of the fire.
There was much speculation
and comparison with other fires, there was much speculation as to whether or
not any fire prevention should have been fitted or the vessel treated, there
were thoughts as to the behaviour onboard, though modified by the acceptance
that this was no ordinary situation; on top of this were the concerns as to
ship design and arrangement, and of attendance and searches that could have and
should have been requested and made.
Relief Fund
The Relief Fund grew, from
the first contributions of the Royal Mail,
and from Her Majesty Queen
Victoria;
citizens of the United States
of America
and all over Great Britain
contributions came in.
The Fund realised 14,000
pounds sterling.
Various payments were made
according to the desolation.
Annuities, apprenticeships,
pensions, some single payments.
Despite the fact of my
knowing precisely what theses sums were,
I will not sully the name or
memory of the people who suffered by laying out,
in accountancy, just what
they received.
A certain number of grants
were made, orphan institutions gave places to 21 such orphans,
and a very generous and kind
lady (Miss Noel) of Romsey took in three orphans into her own home.
Terror
The ferocity and speed of the fire was such as to terrify
the passengers into complete panic, which is absolutely understandable, given
the choices and the threat. The panic and confusion left the crew in complete
confusion, as on top of having to handle the ship, and the fire, against all
sense and reason because of the water pumps not being available, and fearing
for themselves, they had to try and prevent the passengers from being harmed or
lost by the boats not being managed properly by the passengers. The crew were
confronted by passengers on fire, passengers who had given up all hope and had
thrown themselves into the raging heart of the fire; as if that were not enough
– they were battling a raging sea. Fellow crew men were struggling with the boat
cradles and getting injured, passengers and crew were being hurled into the
certain jaws of death below.
Causes and
Effects
It has to be said that it is extremely unlikely that any hot
or burning material could possibly have “found it’s way” from the furnace into
the store. Spontaneous combustion was suggested, and quoting a similarity with
a land based fire, in Newfoundland, which resulted, it was postured, from spilt
oil, spun yarn and the heat of the air. That was tested and was based on a
larger amount of oil than was evidenced in the inquiry regarding the Amazon.
The Newfoundland tests came to the conclusion that spontaneous combustion
occurred after three hours of smoke production. The flame suddenly had then burst
forth from the smoking spun yarn. Personally I am not convinced as to the
similarities, nor of the possibility of any material spontaneously combusting
due to the heat from the engines or boilers, in the storeroom.
Other evidence pointed to the possibilty of the fire have
started below. The Second Engineer William Angus maintained the fire started in
a space below, possibly in floor space, which was still filled with shavings
and other building debris; that space would have been hotter than the air space
in the boiler and engine rooms, and if any light oil was there, it could
possibly have spontaneously combusted; that space could well also have retained
the remains of the painter’s work, as they had been reported to have been at
work up until the last minute, resulting in the possibility of either spilt
material, a turpentine rag or even a bottle of turpentine, for that matter
remaining on board in that area. The preparation of the ship’s timbers for
painting would have required a great deal of turpentine.
All the red herrings of the heated bearings and the heat
of the machinery and boilers had no substance and only lead reason away from
the true possibilty of another source for the fire. I can rule out the
possiblity when Mr Angus McInnes who was an experienced lamp trimmer came out
of the store at 11.50, having filled the lamp and having lit it, perhaps the
dripped oil had been lit by a discarded smouldering taper; Angus McInnes would
have been much more aware than to allow such a thing to happen. As an architect, I was constantly checking on
site to ensure that all such material was cleared out of floor voids. It is a
hazard of building anything of timber.
As to the spread of fire, it would appear from
investigations, that the Danzig pine that was used for the upper deckings was
not properly seasoned, and was quite new. The pressure was on to build light,
for speed; even then quality went to the wall when economies were pressured
from the accounting department. And so, oak was set by, in favour of pine, a
timber known to be full of resin and gases which will ignite and spread flame
rapidly. The other advantage in using pine, is of course, that it is easier and
quicker to work and complete.
Raymond Forward