The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-09-17 00:00:00

The Awful Accident on the
Thames.

LOSS OF OVER SIX HUNDRED LIVES.

The calamity which occurred on the Thames • week
ago bee carried mourning into the homes of England,
and has been the cause of morrow to all men and
women with holy companion in their hearts. London
Is absolutely paralysed, and Chaucer's " silent high.
way," the Thames, has been disturbed to an excep-
tional extent by watermen in their skiffs and wherries,
on the look out for bodies floating up or down the
dream. The spoils gathered in from the turbid waters
are necessarily now of a ghastly kind, and the proms
of recognition becomes every day more difficult. It
Is asignidcant fact that at least 100 persons have been
buried w thout any friends having put in a claim for
their remains. How many solitary beings must there
hemn the great metropolis? How far remote from re-
lations must thousands be who can leave home, die
amen. and never be looked for
living
Tong men
aad women from the country, living in lodgings, or
having no fixed place of residence, may die without
anyone showing the least regard for them. Conjecture
and surmise as to their fate will enter the homes they
left in order to seek their fortunes in London. The
whole truth, however, is seldom known about farce
numbers, and they are lost in the vortex of busy Ills
which . wallows up those who miss the mark. they aim
at, without compunction OT remorse. On board the
Prince's Alice ere may have been, besides the un-
known toilers for daily bread, some members ef
• frail sisterhood, by whom horns, in its best
and dearest semis, had been forfeited for ever,
Among the victims there WWII many children and in-
fants, but for the most part the little ones have beat
recognised and laid at rest by loving hands. The
body of the captain, who went down with hie
vend, has been found • and bodies have been picked
Lp as far above the point at which the Princess Alice
A, as Milbank, Westminster, and at as neat a
distance below as Erith and Baridng Creek. It Is by
sxressed
wi to leery
Ethtb7p.o.nththantmtainorihisty.pointhiltbtFaideamnoroth.oFrsisniZ'orc walasianyetotth.inceecanan.be
os
mothers no tickets would he issued, and two children,
under • certain age, would be represented by only one
ticket. Even supposing that no more than M tickets
were issued, it is quite possible that the numbers
might be swollen to • thousand. There may have
been 50 infants on board and a 100 children at ball-
price.kn It i probable that the whole truth will never
be o s
The water will hide much from view, and
by this time many bodies have disappeared in the
altdevouring sea. 'The question, too, as to the sale
of the road on river must be settled. There is no
more acute curve among all the various bights and
reaches of the Thames than that in which the sodded
A point of land stretches out like •
happened.
pronontory from Plumatead mamba directly
opposite to 13eckton gesworks. The Princess Alice
seems to have been "bugging" the left shore, and the
Bywell
scarcelye, borne on a strong ebb tlde can
have gin.tbe little headland
mirldia,berth
as
been could have been wished. Various opinion have
leen and continue to be ex-premed, but nothing ef a
cm:JOSnature calculated to form a beds whkh
:ant may be given has beat establishecL The
es of the ill-fated steamboat lie in a position
which shows how easy it must have been for captains
of ship" up or down stream to make out the
aa funnel lights. The land is fiat sad
almost on • level with the water. From the
bridge of both the Princess Alice and the screw
collier • full view could be obtained for at lead
amil*, and it was scarcely dark when the col.
nion took place. But it would be premature to
discuss this branch of the subject. 'The terrible
Incident, however, suggests the advisability of
learning to swim. To a knowledge of this art many
owe their lives. It has also been shown that • man
pongees" in he hat an efficient means of support in the
water. Even the low felt hats now so common sake
for this purpose, while the more extensive "chimney
pot" possesses as a matter of course still
_greater power
of buoyancy. The hat should be held firmly in front
of the individual, and brought backwards and down-
ward till the chin is enabled to rest on the crown,
when the body will float easily in an upright position
with the whole of the head above the surface of the
water. To timid people the support of the hat afford*
the needed self-confidence, and by striking out with
their lags they may propel themselves in the direction
of safety. These and other lessons maybe taught with
advantage, but so long as the rule of the road as a
river is left undefined, or is permitted to be in any
degree optional, dinners of the kind which has sent •
thrill of horror throughout all civilised nation', may
take place.
The dockyard at Woolwich, which for so man, dere as
been utilised for this reception of the dead, is now
assuming Its normal condition.
No property is given up to claimants without an mar
from the coroner, and the police require considerable-
evidence as to the rightful ownership of jewellery. Oaly
six or eight lots have barn yet been claimed.
Upwards of 100 coffins still remain in the dockyard, and
those not used will be returned to the contracear.
A terrific storm of wind and rain paned over the dock-
yard about one o'clock on Thursday. The wind literally
blew • hurricane, sweeping through the sheds where the
deed had been lying. The atmosphere of the dockynrd,
which had been fodid—indeed, positively dangerous to
health for several days—was greatly purified.
A claim for £50,000 has been, it is said, filed by the
London Steamboat Company rind Ileum Hen, of
Newcastle, and security was yen for that amount
before the departure of the ywell Castle from the
Thames.,
The police have worked bravely from the first in wash-
ing, stripping, and searching the dead. Day and night
many of them continued their painful duty. Several,
however, completely broke down under the temibie strain
put upon them.
Incidents of the most affecting character continue te be
revealed. The widow of a shoemaker at Pltunstead
hag
been left penniless with ten children. Another pow
woman, after identifying the clothing of three of her
children, was as overcome by grief that her indent
removal to the Woolwich Infirmary became necesserv.
The clothing of the identified dead, madly that of
women, has been disinfected, and it remains •
hung upon tines beneath • shed for identification. Tathade
pockets of • dress, which the friends af a woman had
identified, were found • £5 note and four Seeerehrre• The ClOthill were ordered to be destroyed.
The Hon. Gad Rev, A. Ansoin, Reotor of Woolwich, bee
had an interview with the Home Secretary. prang
fften ol yi
to exhumeich cl the bodies aimed atter tieing
:rhate4 the Wow . A week or two win
elates beton the remain en be removed Irma the
Woolwich cemetery to the family gram eneeriese.
When all the applications have been reesived, the bodies
will be exhund altogether, and after that ao inner
applications will be entertained.
At the inquiry office there are upwards of If/ cipir boxes, nrotemed by gime lldg, metaining the Jeweller/ and trinkets of the persona whose bodies have not base
identified There are upwards of • smee of umbrellas,
and • dams or so of leather bags, which ham not been
claimed. Annagn the reins is abeam waist-belt and •
elbe&Dimlongingiknalb°° atiakl=l 61"%biroadril, nolutheb"allth Hil'useara" evideaThere* m are shawls of messy colours—anaber and bleak,
grey, red, and puce; • pad of false gobble-mimed lair,
• block and white straw satchel, and about • mere alba*
and helmets, some of them trimmed with ankh
1 feathers.
BelljAMilli Whin, of 124, City-road, one of the men who
were emceed, stater that he went to thaveemd on the
day of the accident in the Duke of Camtwidge steamer,
and that she wee more heavily lade& with than the Princess Alice. He his boa ornureareha Muni Journey became be was apprehensive of danger ham the
overcrowding, and fortunately was saved from an untimely
grave. He supported himself on • nese et nod, and wax
on the point of sinking when he was rented atoning to hint woe • poor woman named Chars*, of Tpl
and her was intense when she found thatahl=
Dot support her baby. but WU obliged to let it dn into the waves.

BIRTHS.
anirtber ; at the British Med Hoes%
ma
the British School, iree Port, Irwin
, John Beanies a a sou.
, September 3, at Seethetreet, Dorchater, the wit. a
Mr. Dime Parsons, of • eon
8 her 3, at the Castle Hotel, the wits ci
7 MrreNlVithyoombe, of • son.
September 4, at Melia* the wile of the Rom Mr.
JusMoe Fry, of • daughter.
September 4, at the Police %Mks, Orarkeros, the wife
of Police-constable Warren, of a son.
I September 4, at 4,4 t. lesmarta-strest, Wermseillt, the
wife of Kr. H. Paolo_ ,eta daughter.
Beotelnher 8, at Bridport, the wife of Gerard Alexander
Samson, of • eon.
September 8, at Bradman*, the wife el Mr. J. While
dairyman, of • son.
September 10, Sea View Cottage, Barmur Road. Mel'
port, the wife of 0. J. Sprout, of • dangliter.
MARRIAGIS.
September ilkt. Peter's Math, Dorchester bp theH. Rev. P. James, eldest sae of Mr.Pitileld., Dorchester Gaol, to les Alice Yates, of Dorchester.
r
September at Otterbottrne, Hants, James Raymond.
of Oakley, Winaborne, to Marion Elba Wallis. of Nestle"
'trashes. 10, at St Martin's 'Church, Goerrees7.bS Rev. Robinson, Mr. Job Hansforl Ittiport.„ to ane, eldest daughter of Mr. & Besd, el
Slmtember 11, at Brockeishurst G"liTr7, ty the Rev. 0.
O. Wray, Yr. Jamie 9seger, of Pennerley Farm, Betsullett
to Bath Anns eldest daughter of Mr. William Reed,
Hilton Mame Term, Lymiugton, Haste
Seteember 12, at the Minster. Wind:lone, by the Rev.
I. Good, assisted by the Rev. H. C Lory, William Bridge.
Webb, a 41, Albernarle-street London, to
' Beatrice, widow of Kr. George Henry litenargh Yorks.
of Beittardi Holt, MUnthorpe, Wertmordind.
DEATH&
September
iLiatewDoreet House, Wimbatie neM7 Prio9
after a short aged 4t
September 8, at (.3tamoilster. Charlotte harsh LOWeigals
aged 17 years.
BNtembel,7 at the Royal Crewcut, Westonetneraem‘
Mrilliam tiannen,a afteabstry, aged 71.
ber 7, at Blandford, Sarah Swinburn. aldose
claii7s7r of Mr. 0.0. Richerde aged 12 ream
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