The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-08 00:00:00

INQUEST ON THE TWENTY PILOTS
DROWNED OFF THE TYNE.

An inquest was held on Wednesday, at Beath
Shields, on the body of the only pilot out of twenty drowned,
that heti yet been recovered. A jury, congaing chiefly of
nilon, having been empanelled, the following endenee was
taken
John Wadhain being sworn, slid :—I am mate of the
brig Betsey, of Littlehampton. John Tucker, muter, and
I, belong to Littlehampton. Yesterday morning, a little
after nine o'clock, we were coming into the river Tyne,
with the wind E N.E , and we ran aground on the Herd
Saud. A life boat come off from Soutar Stiehl. alongside,
and we gave her a rope forwari and another aft, and I was
just getting into her, when the sea caught her under the
hoot's count. r, aid capsized ker. }bur were saved, and a
number drowned. Two WC' huts thou tame eff, and took
the crew ashore, as well as the four men belonging to the
fast life boat.
John Milburn, being swum, said—l am a pilot, and live
at South Shields. lam one of the sueerintendeuts of the
life best at South Shield', and was in ber yeah rday morning
when she eaps.vel alongside the Betsey. Lancelet Burn and
myself were steerine her. She capsized the ascend time we
w, et cif, anti Leuncelot Burn was drisweed with nineteen
etherreind cis body win fauud about half a mile to the south-
ward during the day. The crew consisted of Leuncelot Burn,
Johe;Buru, John Burn, jun , John Bane, Tuna Marshall,
Robert Dunkin, ' Johu Donkio Ralph Philip', Jibe
Phillips, Beery Young, Ralph Shown, George Tindle,
William Smith. William Pun*, J.101(11 Watson, George
Tynemouth, John Wright, James Wright, J ehe Maraud!,
and James Yourg. The men saved were John Milburn (wit-
ness). George Marshall, John Harrison, and Geo. Eyre. &ler-
shall got on board the ship, and the other three on the bottom
of the best. I was cn the Beek Top yesterday, and s.w the
vessel coming in, with the *led about N.E , nil sew her
get upon the Herd Sand. I went to the life nu house,
and the crew being in her I went on roam, aed she wet
launched. We went al; and got to the vessel, but they no:
liming prepared with ropes, we I. t the beats drive a little
farther on shore, and told 'hem to get some ropes ready.
We then made another attempt, and got elate to her;
and they threw a rope from the ship's quarter into the
boat's bow. The ebb tide VAS running about three knots
past the ship, noel we swung aloogside in the eddy, the
bow of the boat. brine to the wens of tho ship. They I
eel.: us a ripe. forwards which Jelin Marshall and I rove
heough the nag in the stern of the tm., sheet four
'Aleuts of rope, when the sear came raur.d the ship's bow,
end took the boat under the larboard quarter, canted
her up, and the tide caught her under the et.ip's querter ;
then it went iaW her starboard been., and turned her
bottom up. The starboard silo was next the ship.
was under the boa', but get one, and got on to the bottom.
I 'hick ..he rope was not fast on beard the chip, as the
hold we bad of it shoul.l have prevented her evening. The
lite boats then out e.ff tram both side., and the south aide
boat took us off. I saw n minima:gement in any person
on board the boa'. The boat wee built at South Shields to
the yc sr 1842. She woo 31 feet long over all, 11 feet 4 in.
broad, and 3 feet 10 in. deep in mliships. She rugs 14 can
double haired, and steers with an oar at either cad. There
is a life line stn each side in midships outei le the eunwale.
There are life buoys under each thwart to theow if a men Li
everboard. There is • grrpnell forward and one aft t
throw walmard a ship. Bhe wee eerie all round outside
shout 2 feet 3 inches deep. The oars are hued with gum-
ming. She has sir been at each end end along the sides.
The centre is a well, and she has a pump ea
e Led% side. I I are often been out in her In
worse sees, and bane never had reason to tind fault. We
rend four cre es in one day in her. She had cork fenders
for going riloneetele. The oats on the unhurt' side were
laid ie, and some on the larboard. Site is s xamined every
..ey by the superintendent. I exemined her yesterday, and
she wee ell right. We Lave feu ettp ruiteedeets, and all
the aew are plea. She will curry 40 or 31 men. We have
Caste's tifeebilts in the h at.houn for them n, if they wish
to use the:. We em eider the, are too cumbersome to
row in. 1 consider if there had been lefe-lines above be:
water-mark, Juan Burn might have bee. save t. There were
some rods for boring et out 20 yards from where the vessel
lay, which made it ditecult for us to eppr..aeh the vessel.
They in& the attention or the whole crew to keep dear of
them. If It had been dark, and the boat hesl dietted upon
them, the reds would have eon through her and kept her
there. Proheblv they would have CANN, e 1 the loos of all our
lives. If., se nigh are in the direction of the lir...tenet going
to the Herd Sand; they are else in the way of piloteohle-.
Tree; are unlit water aunt about half ebb. There are no
built at the place. The rods are used for the purpose of
bonne for f iundatinne ior a pint at hat place.
A se ammo of the Betsey was called in to give some further
iufoewation, but Lis statement was not cen.idered of nil-
chmt importance to be taken on oath. He stated that hoth
rupee were mule hot on board the Ilene..
The Cerone r having brie tie addreseed the jury, the follow-
ing studied Will recorded :—"We ate ut upiniun that Leaned t
Bart was drown-II by the I.fe. heel ea-seizing, at dwe ore
also unaninauesly et olenion that the sole on the Herd Saud
are left iu • very elogeren position, and ace hie to nue-
erest lore of life, being in the eireet road of the life-boat
peening from South Shields to the Herd B.nd, and also of
pilot collies."
The Coroner said he would give formal notice of the
obstruction to ti e Mayor of Newuntle, its order that the
CUIIatIVAIOII of the river might Lave thee attention called to
the suile:t.
0: 0 of the jurors geld they should express an opinion *at
the rod. ought to be remov.d.
I Toe Coroner said that was mien:envy. Af er the ear-
poration of Newcastle tad neeived due notice oft dang. r
aii- ing from three role, they would b • owe re.p .nahleior
aey aced tent which might be occasioned th. raby. It would
be for the corporation to provide a erne 'y, and he hal
no doubt they would do so as soon es their attention had
bee, called to it.
We understand that a liberal subscription has been cone
'he
eueue
!wet
unate .Sheinel;dtswfoor
otfieewrihlotni. f
,of;
John
ne
afrsiii
poi!
Phillip., are sons of a widowed mother, tied were her prin.
ciped support ; end one mthe Phi.lips hus left • widow and
ens child. There are also other C 11,411 of peculiar hardship.—
Sander/and Herald.

ADVANCE is THE PRICK OF GRAHL—Within the
last etght days the price of corn in Castleb.r mete: has ad-
vanced from 3e. 6d. to 4•. 6i. ►er mot Haley, 4s. 44. to
Is. (LI., ant wheat, G.. 64. to 7.. 2d.