The Express.
London, England, 1847-08-28 00:00:00

LONDON CHURCHYARDS.

A public meeting Was held last evening in the
Theatre of the Western Literary Institution, to adopt
measures against the present practice of burying the dead
within the churches and grave-yards in the metropolis and
in towns generally.
Mr. MACKINNON, M.P., took the chair at 8 o'clock, and
congratulated the assembly, which was composed partly of
ladies, upon having at length roused the attention of the middle
classes to the important question of the health of towns ascon-
netted with the interment of the dead. Having adverted at
some length to his own efforts in the cause, the chairman
stated that the universal opinion of all the medical men who
had been examined before the two committees of the House
of Commons which had reported on this question was, that
the burial of the dead within the crowded and narrow
churchyards and vaults of the metropolitan and town
churches was highly prejudicial to health and de-
cency, and all must agree that, such being the case, it was
high time the practice should be abolished. The question
woo how to achieve this point. It never would be SOMM-
pliahed except by the determination of the middle classes.
It might be asked why the abolition of the peastios was
opposed in the House of Commons ? To elite the reply
war, that there were so many vested into le contend
with, and so many adverse opinions to that
nothing but the pressure from without weld Abet de-
sired purpose. In the year 1842, when he had first mooted
the subject, he was openly laughed at. But by persevenesse
he had obtained a committee to examine into the subject.
The reports of both the committees were to the effect
that the practice of burying the dead in the church-
yards and vaults of essely-confined spates was injurious,
and ought to cease. In ancient times the burial of the dead
within the walls of towns was strictly forbidden. Was,
then, such a practice to be any longer tolerated by modern
chestnuts ? No. (Cheers.) He had no wish to interfere
with or lessen the gains of the clergy; but, as a member of par-
liament, he declared that the custom ought to be abolished.
It was not, however, to be expected that the government
would take the initiative in this reform. Ministers were too
well satisfied with the posse 'on of the loaves and fishes not
to let well alone, andthey would not stir in the matter until
they were compelled to do so by the universal outcry of the
middle clams.
Mr. Guinan, churchwarden of St. Ann's, Soho, moved
the tint reeolutams. After referring to the copious evidence
on the state of the London church and grave yards so often
cited during the progress of this agitation, he declared that
the state of the burial-ground of his own parish church was
such as to forbid him to bury a dog in it for which he had
any regard. The whole area was a solid mass of coffins and
human flesh in every stage of corruption, from which the
most fetid and horrible odours and exhalations distilled,
poisoning the whole surrounding neighbourhood. The place
had been used as a buidal-ground for 165 years, and upwards
of 95,000 corpses had been Interred there ; so that now the
level of the ground was raised several feet by the enormous
mass of corruption placed there, the size of the ground being
no more than five-eighths of an acre. Sir Christopher Wren,
who had rebuilt London, was wholly opposed to intramural
burial. The clergy and the Bishop of London, who 25 years
ago had denounced the practice, had utterly neglected their
duty in not putting an end to it. After some further re-
marks, Mr. George moved the following resolution :
That the health of Übe people is of paramount importance, and that
it is one of the &Milani.' of the government of an enlightened country
to do all in its power to remove those Muses that generally or locally
aired public health.
Mr. Mamma seconded the resolution, and, in so doing,
was interrupted by Mr. Kitchener, who claimed for Mr. G.
A.. Walker the merit of having originated the question of
loth-mural burial, and of having supplied Mr. Mackinnon
with the necessary evidence to prove his case before the com-
mittee of the House of Commons.
Mr. Idkcxxxxox cordially recognised Mr. Welker's
claims, but reminded the intruder that the proper time to
bring them to the notice of the meeting was alter the Don-
nas& of the evening was transacted. The resolution was then
put and carried) amidst some confusion, and a slight show of
oprion.
lloozas proposed the second resolution; and read
some extracts of the same disgusting character as had bean

so minutely referred to by the preceding 'peeks!. The
meeting interropted the *peskier by repeated arise el,
" Walker!
." implying that from this puree all his hafOrMl-
dga was ditrirsd. mr. Rogers contended that the vested
Mersa of the slew alone were the cause of their opposi
tion to the question, and stated (amidst cries of " no," from
a Mr. Carden, who stated haelf to be the founder of the
extra-laurel isemetries) that the cause why the clergy stood
between the public and decency was, that the fees they
reeeived for burials in churchyards and vaults were too lucra-
tive to be given up. In lit. James's parish the fees on burials
emanated to 2601. a year, and is St. Guess and St. Georgs's
they amounted to 8901. Mr. Rogers wu proceeding to cast
some personal reflections on the Bishop of London, when he
was called to order by the Asir. He concluded by moving
That the frequent disturbance of earth highly charged with the de-
edrormsing sues emulating from decayed anddecaying human remains
Is destructive alike of the morals and health of the people, and come-
quentlythat the interment of the dead in overcrowded churchyards,
eurtounded
.loy the abodes of the living, should be prohibited by law.
.13 Mr. H. •LLer seconded the resolution, which, amidat
some disturbance, was carried.
Mr. J. C. Bairn proposed the third reeciation, en follows:
That, in order to elicit the opinion/of the representatives of the peo-
ple in the new parisment este the necessity of suppressing by law the
mustice of interment in towns, si copy of these resolutions be for.
warded to every member, respectfully requestarst a reply to the guns-
dos ern to bow fir he is inclined to support a bill for the purcone etatml.
Mr. EDWARDS having seconded it, after considerable con-
fusion and noise, arising from the desire of several indi-
viduals to address the meeting, it was carried.
Berne other resolutions, not proceeding from the association
in which the meeting originated, were then discussed, after
which, thanks being voted to the chairman, the assembly
separated.--It was stated in the course of the evening, that
• much larger and more influential meeting would shortly
be held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand,
for the same purpose ar the present, at which the attendance
of the city members and other public men would be ensured.

EXPLOSION OF A THAMES STEAM-BOAT.

Aa stated in this paper last evening, an accident of
a very terrible nature, involving the loas of several lives, and
aware injury to many persons, occurred at an early hour
yesterday morning, on board the Cricket steam-boat, one of
the iron vessels which have for some time past been plying at
halfpenny fares between the City and West-end. From
what we have sinee learned, the Cricket had Made two passages
between the Adelphi-pier and London-bridge, and was lying
off the former landing-place' at the moment the accident
occurred (half-past nine o'clock). The passengers were in
the act of taking their places for the down trip, and about
eighty or a hundred had gone on board, when the boiler
suddenly burst, carrying away the after portion of
the upper deck and funnel of the ressel, and spread-
ing destruction around. The surface of the river was
literally covered for some distance with the bodies of those
struggling to save themselves, and others mere seriously
injured. The boiler—to use a technical expression—was
literally " cleared out," and fell into the river in two large
masses, at a distance of several yards from the wreck. The
funnel was alio torn up, and blown some distance in another
direction. The after part of the vessel was very much shat-
tered, and sank immediately after the explosion, but the
fore erect, which was only slightly injured, remained "high
sad dry," and the passengers on this portion of the vessel
fortunately escaped with only slight injuries. The explosion
was heard at a great distance, and the excitement occasioned
thereby along shore, and on the neighbouring piers, where
the extent of the mischief was soon observed, was very
great. The best assistance at hand was immediately afforded,
and within a few moments great numbers of the injured
parties were got on shore. Happily the tide was at its
lowest ebb when the explosion occurred, and the water
being very shallow, many persons escaped who would other-
wise inevitably have been drowned.
Within a very short period the bodies of two person. were
got out, and conveyed to St. Martin's workhouse. Those
have since proved to bethe remains of Mr. John Blunt, jun.,
watchmaker, of the Vauxhall-road ; and a man known as
" Charley, the sweep," who kept an oyster stall in Clare-
market. Mr. Blunt was proceeding to his daily avocation at
Messrs. Frodshara's in Coruhill. The appearance of his
remains clearly indicates that he was drowned, the body
having no outward marks of violence. The other unfor-
tunate was killed by a fearful incision over the right temple. I
Another body of a man, unknown, was shortly afterwards
conveyed to Charing cross Hospital. There is nothing on
his person which affords any clue to indentiticatioo. He
was much injured about the Asa and head by the explosion.
The following sufferers—more or less seriously injured—
were conveyed to the Charing-cross Hospital
, W. ()ahem, sack injured and much welded; T. Willetts, legs cut,
and very much thAcm • J. Molls, severely melded; 11. Rowland,
much shaker, and face end leg injured; J. Meowed, wrist badly cut,
and much bridged ; T. V. Birks, severe fracture of right leg ; W.
Kay, heed end legs much injured; W. Redeem%) (boy), cut lip and
injured leg; B. frectured jaw ; W. Rut; broken leg; W. Ayre,
injury in the tag; T. Blade (call-boy), fractured skull.
01 the above, Thomas Slade, the call-boy, is since dead.
He lingered in an insensible elate during the whole of
yesterday, and, notwithstanding the unremitting attention
of the medical officers, expired about six o'clock last evening.
Thomas Birks, whose injuries were chiefly in the right
knee, underwent amputation of the thigh yesterday after-
noon and has since been in a very low state. His recovery
is extremely doubtful. In addition to the above, very many
persons more or lees injured by the explosion were conveyed
to their own habitations. As the tide rose the wreck was
gradually lest sight of, and long before high water not a ves-
tige of her timbers could be seen.
It appears that the Cricket, as well as its companion boats,
the Ant and Bee, was fitted with engines built by Meows.
Joyce and Co.' of Greenwich, under a patent obtained by
Mr. Octavius Smith, of Thames-bank, that is, upon what
is termed the double cylinder or high pressure and mil-
dewing principle, originally introduced by Woolf, at the
commencement of the present century, by which the steam
L first employed to move the piston of a smaller cylinder,
and is subsequently expanded into a larger one, where
it becomes effective by the action of a condenser. The en-
gines are on the oscillating principle, and it was for the
' application of the high preemie and condensing system to
oscillating engines that Mr. Smith obtained his patent. The
boiler was a tubular one, and differs but little from the
kind of boiler now obtaining such general use, excepting that
the pressure of the steam must necessarily be much higher
than among the ordinary condensing or low-pressure engines.
Mr. Smith, the gentleman above referred to, is one of the
principal proprietors of the boats, and him patent has not as
yet been applied in any other vessels. The great advantage
of it arises from the immense saving of fuel it occasions—no
less, it is said, than one ton of coals per day in a boat the
size of the Cricket.
It is confidently stated, that at the moment of the accident
neither the engineer nor the stoker were in the engine-room,
nor was the captain on board the vessel. The latter, whose
name is Edward Martin, himself informed our reporter that
he was proceeding along the pier in the direction of the boat
at the moment the explosion took place. A writer in an even-
ing paper last night, in reference to this latter fact, says
" bloat fortunately the engineer and stoker were neither of
them in the engine-room when the accident occurred." We
should rather say it would have been most fortunate had
these individuals been in attendance at their posts, as, in all
probability, in that event, no accident would have occurred.
Among the passengers gepassengerson the fore part of the vessel who
miraculously emir unhurt was Mrs. Smith, the wife of
the gee. Elijah mite, master of Archbishop Tennyson's
school, Westminster. This lady had embarked a few
moments previous to the explosion, and, at the moment of its
occurence, was seated near the taffrail of the boat. On re-
covering from the severe shock she had sustained, and while
the vessel was actually sinking, she bad the presence of mind
to clamber up and grasp hold of the wheel, to which she
clung until ambiance was rendered to her. Several other
females were saved owing to the intrepidity of Mn. Smith,
who, being a powerful woman, afforded them all the assist-
ance in her power until they were taken off the wreck.
We hare received, on the 'abject of the high-pressure
engines with which the Cricket was worked, the following
letter:
cam
have lest
have bean lessrdameof the Imeak.
nent &MN to *lli awed Mee vanilla by ffre
Wrist, red eller belle hoe, lisr lbws armee paat As a pet
that the ibiegglr WS as wry elle were enamel was
the bet enpurl eithelse ath herd
...rmiet senalsre • german Mr a thee rotes
Yes.LPr= ebbe Ile teellseWtrecrmicas ,==
cedes Imes et we alma podia. en bates pollimfee be
kiboim"rma reoltatersat, °WI OrtiXlWele," other eeella Sane s~i rte be
lew.pesassre mimic On sort aware Mt they
ant vesting at Ms. an Oa spire bob. ne aglow
we by Jep toe et theraine power, the fall sea.
meld Is tally about I wt. l eg• pose hear. These we heMi=
boom prying Itweneetiell ao leobreebefige,
preiniure. nig ash goyim et eider, Meer et ad=
Nth
myrieds Mel pseiss bardand wick." frolleweilly tais
pedlellea hos tem Minsa.—A
At Swathed thille.thlee, yesterday, Japbedt Edward,
who had beams* dine back a stoker on board the Cricket
steam-boat, wailed is Mr. Jardine, to request his interfer-
ence in preventing en y portion of the engine dos, being dis-
tubed by Messrs. Smith, the owners, or their mow, without
laving then fond examined by aspelent pens= es to
Orr fitnew led d . He ire been envied is beard
mid their deem rondo when be use repeated by his
eopeelse eel tlietheerd, kr thirst the pro-
mithaillt wilt the vend Item weentistkendhe the
reddens zer to which peemegen were exposed. The mode
eielpielihr imitates for seelleniting the epeeist thaw:awl
mate evoked the safety viler by ettedthi two garde,
the
411thuontanuald;ersadthe on deekees
eusden, flee bang
SD
1W allpthine aboard, agglient observed to him,
thet the elite ei the bar were MAW by eel means, it
belng dna In every 4thedre otalle; bet he menet on
✓egarded but the dirdrell awn be 'Purim He had
Mows when there were Mb. Mews wen eery wen inch
of lie bailer, sad eves 190th. eke" Tem " nt ! bid in a
lade atilloxication, with the Alen 11181wwillwa wenalwas of
igeollog to the cords to let Ilea Mime memo be weld prove
on the inquest—Mr. iteeibanidd that hls Milan, would
be of the greatest impeders% mad by applying le the super-
intendent steps would be tabu that am of the works
should be removed until the inquest weefeeld.
RAISING or THS Wltlcl.-13 O'CLOCK, FRIDAY NIGHT.
—ln the early part of the evenieg premed ere were muds
to raise the unfortunate wad, te wit* two
powerful ithters were obtained, Ma arnea elan dine d&
the veer end at low water, 10 ethic, dubs Won =
weir the bew, and otherwise essay slosh tie
we
rime, dew the wide Leek el the Aielyii,wie Heed
wit ; sad austethe bath we oa-
k the (*lmams with berme end WNW.
the bear et these who are ripest, who were eylwi
Wier beaten board at the time et ter uniethe. The
ebb fads lathy left the wreck out dweer, egneled her
decks le piths view, the reporter was aimed to beard her.
The IbuliilliSpicif the steamer, up to the eng e-room,
wee excepting the rails of seats,
which hien carried away by the fragments
falling is (tuna. The niter part was entirely gone, and a
radars areed Galloway, a civil engineer, was inspecting
whet ranathed of the boilers, for the purpose, if possible, of

elneidating.the caws of the catastrophe. One boiler remains
apparently in ita original position, on the larboard side of an
wreck. That which exploded was on the starboard side.
From the moonlight view the reporter had of the wreck of
this boiler, it seemed to have passed oat at the stern, splitting
that portion of the vessel in two, at the same time carrying
away the entire of the crane-beams and deck. Whe-
ther any of the passengers were in the after-cabin it
is impossible to say. Had there been any, the infer-
ence is, that they must have been crashed to pieces.
Mr. Joyce the eagineer, was present, and inspected the
broken fragments, but did not give any opinion as to the
origin of the explosion. It is but justice to that gentleman
to mention, that he implored the polies not to permit the
fragments to be disturbed until a judicial investigation had
been held.

The operation of raising the ill fated vessel proved sae-
easeful, and the after part was floated nearer the shore.

INQUEST, YESTERDAT.—THE LATE FATAL FIGHT
BETWEEN Two BOYS; ADJOVB-NED.—Before My W. Baker,
the coroner, at the Old Commodore public-house, High-street,
Poplar, respecting the death of J. M. Harr', aged 8, who
died at No. 3, Collings-place, Poplar, from congestion of the
brain, produced by injuries he received in a fight with It.
Anty, about the same age. The last inquiry was reported
in our paper of Thursday. The four men named Johnson,
Cater, leewson, and Aiger, were charged at the Thames
police-court with aiding and abetting a fight between the
deceased and Anty, and were remanded till this day.
Susannah Durant stated that her mother kept a beershop
in Oreherd.place, Poplar. On Wednesday morning, the
19th inst., the four men above-named were drinking to-
gether in her mother's house. Johnson ordered a gallon of
beer. The men went to Abbott's-fields. About three
o'clock they had four gallons more. Witness saw the fight.
Johnson took Anty's jacket, and refused to give it him un
less he fought for it. Anty chose the deceased, and they
fought for nearly an hour. The men promised the victor
some beer, and daring the fight Johnson reoeatedly gave
the deceased beer. The deceased during the fight fell
several times, and his face bled profusely. At the conclu-
sion of the fight the deceased appeared very weak and ex-
hausted, and the men gave him some more. During the
fight the men appeared much delighted, and frequently
encouraged them on. The deceased fell several times and
the men picked him np, and gave him beer. The deceased
appeared to be intoxicated. A boy named Ingletota said,
when the fight was concluded, the men proposed a race, and
deceased, Anty, and two other boys, were selected for
the purpose. The deceased was unable to run, and
he vomited very much in the field. The men
took him to the Elder-tree public-house, in Bromley, and
gave him some beer and rum mixed together. They then
caught him up by his arms, and swung him round several
times. He appeared very giddy, and was unable to walk.—
Mr. Baia, surgeon, said he bad since made a post-mortem
examination of the body, and attributed death to congestion
of the brain. He had no doubt the excitement and the
quantity of beer administered had produced death.—The
coroner then summed up at great length, and after reading
the whole of the evidence, which was very voluminous, the
jury unanimously returned a verdict of " Manslaughter
against Robert Anty, Joseph Johnson, Joseph Cater, William
Newson, and William Alger," and the coroner issued his
warrant for their committal to Newgate.