The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-16 00:00:00

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THE FATAL COLLISION ON THE THAMES.

ADJOURNED I:IITQURST.—(THIS DAY.)
This morning Mr. Humphreys, coroner for the
eastern division of the county of Middlesex, resumed sik
inquiry into the ciroumstances attending the death If
Richard Barry, a sergeant in the metropolitan polite, sots
was one of the four persona who lost their lives by to
collision which took place on the Themes on Friday wstit
between the Woolwich and Waterman's Company'sstease
Metis and the screw collier Wentworth.

Mr. Fry, solicitor, appeared for the Woolwich UNI
Waterman's Company ; and Mr. 11. T. Stokes, proctor ot
the Admiralty, for the owners of the Wentworth ; Mr
Charles Wilson (solicitor) for the widow of the deceased
and Inspector Allison for the police.

The Coroner, h►ving formally opened the proceedings,
Mr. Stokes said that before the inquiry proceeded le
thought it was his duty on bahalf of the owners of the
Wentworth to state that he withdrew the imputatioi,
which had been cast upon the sobriety of the captain ti
theyetio at the time of the collision.

Mr. Wilson said that no doubt the opinion formed by
Mrs. Barry the unhappy widow of the deceased, could not,
owing to the excitement under which she laboured, be
looked upon with any degree of confidence.
Henry Spenoely examined-1 was captain of the Hai
on Friday, the 6th of September. I have been 26 years a
the acmes of the Woolwich and Waterman's Company,
and have acted es master during 18 years of that period.
I left Gravesend on the evening of the collision at half.
put 5. I only took • glass of stout between the time of rm
departure and our arrival at Gallion's Reach at ten Wilma
to 7. We came the usual course followed when the
tide is running down—the south or Kentish shore. The
Wentworth was opening Margaratness Point, and I me
close in shore under the point. The Wentworth by
• lofty forehead, and was very much above us. She mt.
denly ported her helm, and came towards the south shore.
She was well on my starboard bow. She was nearly in
the middle of the stream. When her helm was poet
her bead was brought towards my starboard aide. I Ins
close to the shore, and when she ported I she
hoarded my helm to get still nearer to he
shore. I sang out to ease the engines, but Idleg
I NM tier coming on us I ordered them to be put on spa,
I did that in order to get clear of the Wentworth. fibs
struck us abaft the paddle-box on the starboard side. fas
hail no room between us and the shore. We were petty
well on the bank when she sti uck us. After we wen
struck we were about • dozen yards from the shore. Ths
concussion knocked me off the bridge, and my arm wee
broken in two places. I saw no one on the forecastle
of the Wentworth, but I saw • man on the bridge,
on the port side just as she sti ask us. Two children, ore
of whom was my own daughter, were with me on the
bridge • quarter of an hour before the collision. They
were below when the collision occurred.

Mr. Fry said he had asked the question with regard to
the children because the fact of their having been with
Captain Spenoely on the bridge was mentioned on a forme
occasion, possibly with the N iew of showing that he Ins
not attending to his duty.
The witness in continuation said the Metis was 59 tons
burthen, and the Wentwoo th 340.
By Mr. Stokes—The Yetis is about 135 feet long. After
starting we stopped at Rashes villa and Erith, not above
three or four minutes at each place. On the 6th of Sep
tember, the day of the incident, high water at London.
bridge was at Zi minutes past 7 o'clock. I kept to the
south shore because the tide was cunning down, and vs
always do so in running against the tide. When first I see
the Wentworth we were keeping straight up the reach, and
she was then, I should say, about SOO yards f rem the Kentish
shore. If both vessels were then about mid-channel, sad
kept in the amuse they took, there would have beats
danger of a collision. The course I was steering is what
is known as cheating the tide. The Wentworth, when she
opened the point, was on my port bow, and she crossed the
bow at the distanoe of about 200 yards. If I had ported my
helm, and gone into mid stream, instead of starboarding,
we should both have met. I know there is a law regulating
the meeting of steamers. The law forbids the porting of a
helm when a collision is imminent. I don't believe there
is any law as to how vessels on the Thames are to pass one
another. lam not aware that such a law existed up to
1862. lam aware that there is a law requiring the slack.
ening of speed when there is danger of • collision. When
I first saw the Wentworth port her helm she was abut
90 or 190 yards from us. She must not of necessity have
ported her helm to have got round the point.
[The inquiry was proceeding when our report left]

WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.)

MONDAY. BIPTIMBIR 16. 8 LIS.