The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-18 00:00:00

THE ACCIDENT TO THE SHIP GANGES.

On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Humphrey, the
coroner, held an inquest at the Albion Tavern, Highatreet,
Shadwell, on the bodies of four Lamar seamen and a boy,
who lost their lives in consequence of the sinking of the
ship Ganges in the river Thames, opposite the Shadwell
entrance to the London Docks, on Thursday last. The
names of the deceased parties were given as Tarbangel, a
native doctor, who practised the healing art among his
countrymen on board the yawl ; Ishmael, Seryah, and
Catchall, three Lunar seamen ; and Johnny the cabin boy.
Robert Boyd, the mate of the Ganges, stated that he had
been eighteen years a seaman. The Ganges arrived from
Trinidad on the 6th of the present month, and put into the
West India Docks, where she discharged her cargo of sugar,
rum, and cocoa. The vessel left the West India Docks
about two o'clock on Tuesday last, for the purpose of being
towed to Mr. Brodie's graving dock, on the Surrey side of
the river. When she left the docks, to the best of his be-
lief, there were about thirty-seven hands on board, but be
was not sure as to the number. There was a pilot engaged,
whose orders all on board obeyed. The vessel was towed
up the river to the graving dock by one of the New Unity
tug steamers, the tow rope being made fast to the star.
board side of the ship ; but he was not aware that the tow-
rope was slacked while the vessel was being slewril round.
When she came abreast of the dock did not hear any orders
given by the pilot to those on board the tug on the subject.
The vessel heeled over and went down with her starboard
side uppermost, and he considered the cause of the accident
to have been the steamer swinging round the vessel in
the strong current running at the time, the tide flowing
fast, which caused her to heel over. There were forty
tons of river ballast in the vessel, and twenty tons of
water in the tanks, which, from his experience as a sea-
man, he considered quite sufficient. The Ganges was 839
tons register.
Mr. James Nourse, the master of the Ganges, corrobo-
rated the statement of the mate. It was his duty to'
engage a pilot for shifting the vessel, and on this occa-
sion he engased Mr. Osgood, who had on former occa-
sions officiated for him as pilot, but he never saw his
certificates. The quantity of ballast necessary depended on
the build of the ship ; and the vessel he commanded
previous to the present one, which was of 1,200 tow
burden, required no ballast whatever. That vessel was
built flat on the floor, while the Ganges is a fiat-built
ship in the centre, but sharp at both ends, about eighty
feet being flat, the total length of the ship being 180
feet. While going up the river the vessel went perfectly
steady. Re considered that the full sweep of the tide flow-
ing up strong at the time, and the steam-tug going ahead,
swinging her round, would have the effect of taking the
vessel's keel from under her, and make her heel over, just as
a person's legs being knocked from under him would cause
him to fall, and that that was the cause of the accident.
The Coroner—But had she had more ballast in her, would
she have capsized!
The Witness-1 believe she had rufficient bulled in her,
and Mr. Pyles, builder of the vessel, told me that she was
safe without any ballast. Of course, if she had had a full
cargo she would not have capsized, nor would she have done
so had she had no tons of ballast in her. She went over
from want of sufficient weight in her bottom. The raising of the
vessel would cost about 1,0004 Witness was three-quarters
owner of her, but he would rather have given 2,C30/.
before she had gone down, as he had lost all his private
effects, and in fact everything belonging to him. The
vessel was not insured.
The coroner remarked that, as the inquiry would have to
be adjourned, there being several important witnesses who
could not attend on that occasion, he thought the present
would be the proper stage for doing so. On the next °COM
sion they would have the person who had charge of the
steamer that towed the vessel, as also the pilot, as well as
the ship's register, which would,no doubt contain the names
and ages of the deceased parties.
The inquiry was accordingly adjourned until this day at
, four o'clock.

ENO/CYOI3B SNAIL—A specimen of the diamond
make, measuring 12 feet, sod of considerable thickness, is
being taken to England by the steward of the Rif(erase, for
presentation to the Zoological Society of London. The rep-
tile is at present in a dormant state, this being the season
at which theme creatures are inactive. Every
raze
however, been taken to keep it alive. It is snugly e
in a cask lined with sheepskin. —Sydiwy Herald, June 2L