The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-29 00:00:00

TIIE OFFICIAL INQUIRY.

Yesterday the official inquiry of the Board of Trade
was continued ; and subjoined is a summary of the evidence :
Michael Fox, fireman, was the first witness examined.
His evidence differed iu no material respect from that pre-
viously given by him. He had not seen anyone engaged in
making a raft. He thought the persons an charge of the
engines exerted themselves to the utmost. The engineers
were unremitting in their attentions, so much so that he
almost pitied them.

Mr. (Denny, one of the passengers, was questioned with
regard to the impression of the passengers that something
calamitous
would happen. He said it was the impression
of Mr. Warburton, and another passenger with whom he
conversed, that something would really take place before
the end of the voyage. This impression was shared by him-
self. It arose from the fact that the ship was a trial ship.
lie had been under the notion that steam vessels were al-
ways tried first. The fact of the beatings being hot
strengthened the apprehension of disaster. He observed
no deficiency either in the officers or the crew. The crew
was superior to those which he had seen in other vessels.
He could give no information as to the origin of the fire.
He was awoke in bed by some heavy substance appearing
to fall above his head, and immediately after he heard a
cry of fire. The moment he got on deck it struck him that
the confusion which prevailed was worse than the fire it•
self, and that if the captain, who was doing his best, could
maintain order, every one might be saved. There were
no sailors on deck. Some of the men in the beats looked
like sailors; the rest were engineers and parsngere. He at
once perceived that his safety depended on his individual
exertions. Ile saw some of the settees or benches being
dragged aft. It occurred to him that the captain had or-
dered that to be done, and he assisted. lie had seen the
settees which had been li:eked up, and had recognised
them ea those which he saw on board. They were removed,
ie probably,' either to be kept out of the way of the fire, or to
used in case of necessity. After he left the ship he saw
a boat on the starboard quarter which was quite available.
The difficulty arising from speed had then ceased; the wind
also had lulled. He believed that if the captain's orders had
been obeyed every one would have been saved. When he
arrived at Brest, the French authorities showed great
alacrity in sending out a vessel to the scene of the fire. He
was still of opinion that there was a probability that several
persons had been saved in the remaining boat.
George Webb, able seaman, was re-examined, but his
evidence was purely recapitulatory. He was severely cross-
examined with regard to his desertion of the wheel, at
which be was stationed when the fire broke out. His de-
fence was that he did not hear the captain's orders respect-
ing the boats ; that he saw all the boats full ; and that his
remaining at the wheel would have been useless, while it
would have cut off his chance of escape.
James Berryman, the seaman who lashed the tiller, un-
derwent a similar examination. To the question whether
it was not the duty of the crew to attempt to save the pas-
sengers he gave no direct answer. He was of opinion that
the gig would not have lived if she had been put to sea.
William Stone and John (amount repeated their former
evidence.

Henry Pawnor., a seaman who escaped in the tame
boat as 31r. Vincent, deposed that when he first saw the
barque she was going to windward of the ship, and that she
afterwards altered her course to:leeward. An attempt was
made by the crew of the boat to pull down to the ship, but
it was found too dangerous to be persevered in.
Jacob Allen, the engineer sent out by Means. Seaward,
the makers of the engines, to see how they worked, was
examined with regard to the working of the machinery.
its said the boiler was one of the coolest he had ever
seen. Its length was about 24 feet. He observed no un-
usual quantity of smoke. From the construction of the
space between the fore-boiler and the bulkhead, where
the are wee Bret sesn, it was impossible to get a pricker In,
as bad bees ssplemei
Job* Be m% shit ossuan, said the gig was stove in
in throe or than pions, and the fin cosld be seen
through it.
Dsaiel Brown, able seaman, thought he was the last on
dick of these wto escaped in the boats. When he left the
vernal dr oalhia Mt and second mate, and others—
in ell threat MNIIIPINO standing together on the quarter-
deck. There wee platy of room for some of them in
bas boat which he entered. About a quarter of an hour
attar the Ire bathe eat he heard voice, in the dingey crying
eat he ethers th isms down into her.

11siep11;rilaTTisiiiii-o;;Wir evidence.
The court then adjourned wall Tuesday neat, et eleven
o'clock.

STEAM YACHT FOR THE PACIIA OF EGYPT.—One
of the most gorgeous and splendid specimens of naval archi-
tecture which has ever been produced—not excepting, per-
haps, the famed galleys of Cleopatra—is now being con-
structed
for the of woof the Pasha of Egypt by Mean. Todd
and M'Gregor of Glasgow. Her engines, able most bean- I
tiful make and finish, are of 300-horse power ; the femme-
work isof iron, and being intended only for pimento trips=
the Nile, she will not draw more than 4 feet 2 inches of
water, and she is to be called " The Light of Heaven."
The fittings of the interior are of the most gorgeous eha-
meter, consisting of papier-mache ornaments and rich '
brocaded silks, which will alone east a sum of 25,0001.
Meters. Bielefeld and Son are engaged) to supply the
papier mache decorations; and Mews. Keith and Co.,
the exhibitors of the silk trophy at the late Exhibi.
tion, will supply the silk. The ceiling of the sa-
loon will be divided into a number of panels of
rich white silk, having upon the centre the device of the
crescent and the star, encircled with most elaborate and
richly•coloured wreaths of eastern flowers of silk. The
borders of the panels aro to be richly ornamented with
Itaffulesque decorations. Other portions of the ceiling,
between the beams, ere to be covered with silk of a white
ground, and groups of flowers formed with gold thread. The
panels on the sides are of papier mache. 'the ottomans in
the saloon are covered with cloth of gold, formed with a warp
of gold and weft of glass thread. The awning of the deck
is to be formed entirely of richly brocaded silk, the fringe
being of gold and costing twenty guineas per yards. The
coat of the silk for the awning will not be lees than 2,000 f.
The officers' rooms are alo fitted up with brocades of the
richest character and colour, differing only from the other
portions of the vessel in not having gold embroidery. This
is the second vessel of this kind which has been built and
fitted for his highness in this country, one having been de-
spatched a few months sines., a specimen of the rich silk
from which occupied so prominent a position, as a speci-
men of British manufacture, upon Mews. Keith and Co.'s ,
Silk Troph" at the Great Exhibition. The whole of
the silk will be of Spitalfielda manufacture..

SOUTH AMERICA. —The Linda, Captain Citron,
brought to Liverpool on Tuesday dates from Pernambuco
to the 2nd inst. The political advice. are unimportant.
The occurrence of the Christmu holidays had partially sus-
pended business orrations, the only change being in ex-
change, which, owing to the advice* of a decline at Rio de
Juno iro, brought by the lay, had been done to the amount
of about 5,000'., at 28d. A vessel had Ives. hired to load
augur fur the Channel at 395. and 6 per cent., with &a. extra
to a continental port.

THE STRIKE.