The Express.
London, England, 1859-09-20 00:00:00

THE EXPLOSION ON BOARD TIM
GREAT EASTERN.

ADJOURNED INQUEST.
WEYMOUTH, MONDAY.
The adjourned inquest upon the bodies of the an-
tagonists wee who were killed in the racist explode& an
band the Greet Euterst steam-chip was meowed ibis mea-
ts( ai the Tows-hell, Weymouth, bake* Yr. H. Leeks,
meow.

Ciunala Robertson, of tin Board of Trade; Mr. Barn
Snell; Mr. Leyereon, solicitor to the cesium,; Mt. New-
um, aolloitar to Mr. Ransil and Mr. Lawson, soltatter to
the shareholders' committee, were wain to attendanos.
Bekaa the proceeding. commenced,
The foreman of the jury said he win requested by the
jury to orate their objection' to the comes which tbe inquiry
was taking. It appearel to them to be drifting into a law-
suit, sod matters were introduced respecting contracts and
oar matters which were entirely irrelevant.
The Carom, rid he wes very anslose that the time of the
jury should sot be anasorearily occupied, but It was uses-
day soomeary to aacertain not only what wee the canes of
the .cctd.ot, hut who was the cause of it.

-•
Mr. laelmee, was the, caned. In reply to the
mow be mil ha wee shahs= sad me of the
reasseglag direelese Madame Compaay. Am &petty
ohairmaa, hews sertalla dkostiaas he megimellea with Mr%
Cempleell telbeleme to the mike of Mimi; !MMus
tow as as errearpmMot was omen se be the mesa,
bat it was always medersteed that those who had constructed
the sera= would team tbefr management on the trial trip.
Mr. Campbell, on Malt of the ocespeny IVY to attend to
their interest ea board the siessi, sad witness wee to
matters of flan* oa ahem. He was, theref,s=
to say what arreageseent wee come to between Mr. Scott
Hassell sad Mr. Campbell. He understood, however, that
Mr. Scott Ramell maid appoint men to the engines.
By Caritas Roberessa—He certainly uodentood that the
Mr.lt of the mere for the Inp was in the bands of
luseell. sod Meson. Bonbon end Watt, and that
°plains was cusermed by seeing Mr. Hamel] on the bridge.
Mr. John Arnett was thee called, and boring been
motioned by the coroner against oommitting himself, was
examined by Captain It -Amnon. He paid he was chief
engineer on board the Great Eastern under Mr. M'Lennan,
la charge of the paddle engines. He considered Mr.
!Moons& his chief engiceer, but had beta in the employ
of Mr. Rumen before joining the ship. Wee one of the
engineers selected by Mr. Ruesol to join the ship. Oa the
day of thnexplosiaa mimes' was in charge of the paddle-
wheel swiss. Was aware that there wee a cock on the
syphon attached to the pipes in the water csahsgs. Mr. Pa-
trick acted wades Me mean In the engine-roma. Was moor
to the Miltinrossa all day. It was net hie duty as weghtiser
in chug, of the seghwe to look after the boilers. The *Mee
Illictststs Inked e'er them to thole (lancet watches. Did
act recollect Mr. Patrick having told him at two (idea on
the day of ehe explosion that at twelve o'clock he bed skit
eft the feed frees the two water melees, If be MA dome es,
knowing that there were cache on the syphons, Its should
have tilt ft his duty to see whether the steam wee seeeplag
la the stoke bele. Was not aware up to the time of the
explain that the feet wee abut off. Reesived se lastrae-
time from Mr. Dixon on board relative to the working at the
mean, aor from Mr. IsPLesinan. Whams started them,
&Meted by Mr. Diem.
By the Jury—At the time the ahip left Deptind the cooks
wove_ opened. He wmt rimed bigwig' sad secortalned that
fest ham the vessel started. He went rotted with Duncan
M'Partme, ea dm Toisedey before the Great Beaten left the
river, abort, alter Me ektest. Wane.' opened the door
Media to the seek himself.
By CimMesllebertom—Oa opening the door he found that
the cooks were all right. Teat ma after the stand-pipe had
bees lengthened. The person who repaired the s.nd .pipe
had nothlag to do with the oaks, and had so amnion to
touch them. Os going down the river he wee sever on deck
to as. it the steam was escaping above, and he did tot notice
whether it was escaping into the stoke hole. The ctcb were
too sod to he turned by hand, and could only be turned by •
epanner. Believed that after the explosion both cooks were
found closed. Was aware of no advantage which would re-
sult from the clewing of the cotes, but to the contrary.
By Mr. Lanka —Dre't know that it wee the duty
of say peewit M particular to go round and manias the cocks.
They ought *lmp to be left open after haring been once
set right. Witmer knew that deeper might remit from the
eras Wag &eel. These were plenty of spanners of ell
else ce board the ship. Severel other persons Wide@ him-
self knew of the existence of the e,eks, but he did not know
If t hi/ were acquainted with the toe of theta. Had bad con-
siderable exponent* in the contructkn of sagines, but had
aeon seen cocks employs(' before. He knew they were
diagentas Hamad. _ _

By Captain Rebethon—Did not onneider myself is charge
d the holler. as well as the machinery.
Captsin Robertson—Why, I sever heard of such a thing.
As seethes in charge of toe engine. cmaidering honed/ not
in charge elate boilers, the meet dangerous part of all.
Witness wee then examined by Mr. Leversoe-31r. Rus-
sell had appointed me to go into the Paddle-wheel depart-
meet. When I ceased my connexion with the ship 1 did not
expect to return again into Mr. Russell's employment. It
redid will the com_pany. Had beat on other veseele, and had
needled to Mr. Howell's employment alter ail or twelve
inesthe abeam, on meting tor week. It was • 001aalaa
melee for WAN on. from the engineers' works to go with
the mese, el a new 'dial. Was cm shame en Saturday.
=ter se leave of absence to Mr. Ill'Lessen or Captain
. They knew very well that to we, to go. Would
gedbmely go on shore without eking fur teem.
leas sii by Mr. Newman—Considered Patrick perfectly
gempstent to take charge of the boiler,. Knew when to get
up Wars. Mr. ll•Linnau gem hie the thiewla of the
meter several timer, the Let time immediately • •rte the et-
gimbal. Was sure the syphon cock was open wham he ma-
shed it os Teesday morning. He could sot attend both to
the maim* sad Wilmas. It would take a minute end a halt
le go from the engisemom to the bod-r-room. The boiler-
mom was oat of sight from the eserine-roost. Had ne mesas
of amertsisisg is the stiginerroms the stets of the bailers.
If them bed been esythtsg wrong in the engioe•roore he
skald have reported to it Mr. li'Lessm. Mr. M.Lossaa
leaked after the greagth of the water. °morally speaking,
es chid estchwer, he should have liehed after the Weise-
-1 mese a. well, bet upon this occasion he did sot ronaider it
bin ditty to do es, se he was enticed to the engine-room.
Need heard that the deskey mese. broke deem.
Be Captain Bubeetion—Then woe woad ix the cylinders,
sad of course • greater amount of caution was required. No
she.. reriater wee kept th.t he was steam of. He kept
sees. If any had been kip. it would have been hie ditty to
ham kept it.
Denten Weeks. wee the nest wither. He raid he was
sheet engineer of the auxiliary . Os Tuesday before
Ye versed started he rmasp r. Arnett roes* the
meeifiseey, end elbowed him the Mara sad feed reeks. At
OM time they wemeopen. Of that I will t.ke my oath.
TM dear is the eerie we, closed, bat they spelled It axed
simmised the seeks. It was his duty to attend le the make
of the paddle-wheel boiler raof•J, 'melodic, the two syphon
pipes to deck. He 4 so °bergs of thme after leaving the
Nom, but previously ha wes quite certain they were all
right sad in gaul working order' as he sew both the steam
sad the wet-r felspar. He hed men the rocks themselves
War. at Dlitlord seed knew that they could sot be turned
walw.tit a ipuneer. Was not 'mare that the etch. were
Lead ••pm otter the explualoO. The :urination of the cram
wish Arent wes mode on Monday the 6th, before II o'clock.
He bud e•-t them en Monday under the ignpreraase that the
ship wee tor tomes the Tnesdey. Altogether le eternised
with Arnett Wires cocks and valve,. Of coarse the cram
were that Wore the vowel got under weigh, end he only
tech him rowed to show him that they w•vo is proper order.
is add•tios to the cocks he had op/add taro check weaves for
the ow. ri or pipe.
By the Jury—Mr. Arnett was welts calm, sad pettedly
@ob.., titter the maddest occurred.

——
By the Cana-r —Had bees directed by Mr. Dix sa
&Med the toughy to-day. Mr. Dixon said wittier.' was a
ma wire was v.ry asessery to go ashore, and Mr. Ystee,
the esastsry of ttse twat quay, at once void to shluld bay* a
per to en. The eneversatles only occurred that moralsg.
lied bras Le the esti to of the ouutputy Mews the do of
WU,. Had preciously bees employed by Mr. Ruwall,
with when be bed beat ter warty awe yews. Had been
shied, mord ice the laid thew yaw la the coostructios of
the vowel.

By Nr. Leases-7or the lest In yews he lard rxerciet d
the duty et eireslaiag the roses. wedge Mr. Diroo'r orders,
tot Mr. Remerll,l &Name to all the skin had meat our.
Mr. Arson big his to eat the wk. as the Mead.y, sad ow
the Tweriley he skewed Mr. Anent banns diarnet cook*
to Win, kin that they were all right. He asked about
°them which witness teld him were all right. nos was so
onnin to show them

[The three-way orb was Mn pr and the witness,
inmower to gua 's. no nom Ca Robertson and Mr. Scott
Russell, ezplaised In Um jury te construction and the mode
in which it worked.]
Szamintti by Mr. Lawrea—Yr. M.Lourear vs/ wits.,'.
chief. If anything hat gots wnmm b. would ham 0011111111.
Meal' i with Mr Arnett notwithatandiag that Mr. M'Leanm
was hie ehief, Up to the day bodies the Oreat fliadan ..11,d
be V. in the employment of Mr. Soot Rumell, and was
psi,' by Mr. Unwell up to 6 o'clock that day.
By Capt. Robertalso—Mr. Wiseman of him to take
charge of the aim Jury mein*, but no one mire kin' mania
liens aftanrardis Mr. Daon did not interfere with bun at
all.

87 Mr. Lcereca—Was not snowed with tint mm. Mr.
Mlonnan knew 'hot he could not hoes AM post, sad sa-
cred Elm

By the Jary-1t anything had tope wow la hi. degas a.
oral ha oboald have gone for shies to the ponies who an-
Ousel biro—Mr. /11.1.shosa. rao.pod the water lobo the
Meek of his owe .cool. Mr. Dix, n was is the adjoiakag
missy. tu.eat, .bunt 7 feet trees Imo.

Captain Harrison wag the hest *tune. In answer to
Captain Robertson, he said—l aw cessuesd of the Greet
Eastern and commanded den the she left Depdord
until eke arrived st During the trial trip
Mr. Russell woe in alms d 1r paddle entrisse,
and gave the orders ken thatilers. The stem
for the screw engines Attest I saw Mr.
Russell give orders, and pale Arad down to the
people in cheep of his ewe anise& The Bireetors gave on
So informal km as to who ens b dregs of the engines before
starting. I did not consider, however, that they were dr
livered. Mr. Beset told ass be geoid not; certify their
delivery until he weld get a better rate of speed out of ties.
I think the eouversallosoecarred on the Saturday or Monday
before the start, and after the trial 'd the engines. I gave
Mr. Ill'Lennes our engineer, directions not to interfere In
gay way with a. working of the engines, but to hand over
hie seat partly to Mr. Dims and partly to MIMS. Semites
aad Watt. At the prams =moat I weeder that the segues
are In the chergeof Mr. Reseal. If anything had gone wrong
with Weems to the engine I should have communicated
with Mr.Ruessi if be weeps...at, and with Mr. Blake. I did
not beer Mr. Dixon give say adore. I told M.Lennen to
tell the men the steam ewe la charge of Mr. Dixon, sad
tbey wens tO his instructions, sad he told
me he had dons so. No object:kw was wed*
by Mr. Emma or Messrs. Bathes and Wett
. wash
regard to star lag at the time we did, I had the navigatka
of the Teasel under the pilot. Of come I had range of Lis
discipline of the vessel. Borealis*& he asked se to pass the
word slung, and sometimes he did so himself threagh Mr.
Resell, on the 'ridge. One of the reasons which induced
a to consider Mr. Rumen in charge of the engleseens the
fvot of hie giving the orders from thebridge. Of course Kai
Rowell wpilid naturally be anxious for the proper working
j hr.
By Mr. teverson—l don't know whether the last trial of
the engines Lifers leaving was under the directions of
Mr. Brunel. The other trials were certainly not under the
company s directions. I complained of the first being dome,
as it dragged my moorings. All the trials were made by
Mr. Russell's engineers. I had only one engineer on board
the ship, and he was not in charge. The eoginee have bean
started four times. After the trial on the Wednenley pre-
vious to starting the engine were not delivered up to the
company, but Mr. Russell's engiceers continued in charge.
Bias the 6th of August to the starting of the ship Mr. Rus-
sell haa had a great many men at work on the ship.
The Curette thought these were matters with which the
I jury had nothing to do.
Mr. lemma contended that it was most important to
' eseertaie whether the contract hid been completed, and he
proposed to put in the contract itself to show that it was not.
Captain Robertson—The only difficulty in my mind—and
we have been endeavouring to settle it all this morning—is
as to who was really in charge and responsible fur the
machinery.
The jury entirely concurred with Captain Robertiou.
Examination resumed—Durlog the pimp the pilot
wished to go astern with the peddles and ahead with the
mew. Mr. Remelt demurred, salts, he would rather go
ahead with the paddles and astern with the screw. Mr.
Sera was applied to becalm he was en the t ridge. If
Mr. Sewell had not bean en the bridge I should Item given
I the order myself. Mr. Itessell was es the bridge working
the telegraph to both engines. If Mr. Buseell bed not been
there I should have had two of say OEMS to work the
NMr. Russell
eal the engines were both stopped at the
time be demurred, and were set in a certain order which
would have occupied time to have changed.
Captain Robertson said he did not know how ell this could
prove whether or not Mr. Reason was le chirp of the an-
glers.
Examination oontieued—lf the steam from the stand pips
had overflowed it might have found its way through the nee
ruing, bat could not have got into the lisping cabins. Even
if it went through all the casings it could not here gone lam
the sleeping eabins. Mr. lamest told me he should nut re-
commend the directors to tads the scenes rlf Mr. Russell's
beads until he could get a greeter speed out of them this
bad been attained in the Themes. The chairman told me the
same thing.
By Mr. Newman—Mr. Russell wee not present.
By Ur. Leverson—l eteolltet the pilot ordering the peddles
to he driven faster, as the screw was overrunning the peddles.
In all the trial trips I have seen the engines hare been tested
at full speed before they were &septet. It never occurred to
me to apply to any one except Mr. Russell to drive the
engines foster. Mr. Remit referred me to no one else. I
4, not know that any arrangement was come to between Mr.
Martell and Mr. Blake as to the relative speed of the different
engines.
Mr. Lawson—The engines were never drives at fall
speed. They were not sufficeently immersed to have res-
• it safe. If the ship had been under my cheep I should
certainty not have allowed Mr. Blake and Mr. Rumen to
have come to an arngement in retertees bathe working ale
rate of speed. I=re
did not coosider Mr. Rummell responsible to
me for the proper execution of the orders. If I had been in-
formed that Mr. Russell was merely a voinntert, lending h's
assistance for the benefit of the company, I would act have
allowed him or any other person, excepting my own cfliro,
to occupy the putties he did. I ant acquainted with the
terms el part of the contract between Mr. Russell and the
company. In my judgment, the ship is not yet completed
sesedieg to the cootrect.
Mr. Neermsa—The onlystimilation in it le that the engines
should be worked four times before the start.

By Mr. Newmte•—The steering •pparTtns was worked by
Captain Comstock, en Autorican captalo, in the absecce of
my encore et ley request.
By Cssehn ]> —The contracts for the screw an-
glers and for the paddle 'newts are different.
Mr. Newman—A trial et rea le required In Moulton end
Watt:a oceetrsot and not in the other.

At thi. Nap of the inquiry an adjournment took place for
s boor, and the jury had not rereentrobled when our parcel
was despatched.

THE VERDICT.
LIIT ILIOTZIO TILMOZAPIIIa
WET MOU TB, TVISDAT MOHNINO•

Lrefe hot night the jury strived at the &Irwin verdict:
" We Bad the doomed tune to their deaths from injuries
nerved from steam, hot air, and water, i• oetwegsenes of
the bur•ting of the jacket attar( I to the foremost (marl
of the Great Eastern 'testate, and that the said bursting
was osue.d by the closing of a tap connected with the
syphon &teethed to the rid j whet la covjunc,ion w.th the
s►uttieg off the feel from the water-triag to the boiler",
but there le ao evidence before the jay to "how by what
pars sr per. the said tap was 'hut off, and the jury fur-
ther express that opinion that tape are highly dangerous
Wan pieced is sash positions, and that sufficient oaution
wee aril used by the renters."
The jary, however, mama a verdict of " Accidental
death."

THE Coma' Fun.—Mr. Roebuck has written
the Mowing letter with reference to some interruption ex-
menet:red by Mr. Hadfield In the worse of his speech delivered
at be recent Cedes: Feast —"Yarmouth, lee of Wight, Sept.
9.—My dear Blr,—l am eaceediegly grieved that anything
should have hammed at the Cutlers' Yeast, giving pale to
Mr. Hadfield and his friend.. I am enxiote, however, to
believe, that no slight wee really blended, bat that the in-
Irruption an. merely the remit of the tedium which bee
e• men body at a public dinner. But whether this woa the
ea l muse of what occurred I do not pretend to say, but I
woad bops that no dimmest was Intended towards Mr.
Hadfield, who bee erer shown himself to me a kind sad con-
siderate oolleague, sad to hi. constituents a faithful and in-
dustrioos repreeentative. I would beg of yen to give my
beat remembrances to Mr. Hadfield, and to believe me,—
Yoars very truly, J. A. Rozmucs.—Mr. John Wood."

- -
Ma. RttlGllff Ta LlVZlPOOL.—Following the ex-
ample of Mr. Cobden, Mr. John Bright had a conference
with the committee of the Liverpool Financial Berme As-
amtation on Baquday. We understand that mongol the
subjects discussed were the advisability of taking off the Mass
oe tea, mitre. and sugar, sad abolishing the duties on 439
article% which produce bat little money to the treasury, and
cost upwards of three-quarters of a mi Iba in collection. The
nerasety Me:testate. on property, It was staled, wee Mee
diectamed.

---•
FORBIDDING THE BANNS.—At St. Thomas's
church, Wigan, co Sunday lase, • most unusual seer
occurred. When the rev. iecuabont wee reeding over the
smote of those pant.. desirous of beteg joined together is
holy marlinny, sad before he had made the usual Inquiry
r to whether any person knew just curs or its{ iiiimast, an
ad and spectacled man roe, in the canoe of the church, and
marched down the nave to the reeding-dirk. Perceiving
that the man was about to speak, the chew IPM said, if be
was going to f rdid the banns, he had better await the con-
radon of the service, and dim see him In the vestry. " 1
do forbid the bonne," said the old geetheeem, " be is of
'mane sled, and be le not 19 ;' and thee, apparently sails-
fled, be returned to his seat, and immediately left the church.
The couple whose nuptials have thus begs prevented are, it
appears, of difterest &retells perm...tow, the young mas
being • Roman catholic, and the woman a protestant ; sod
it is more to the marriage at the church than anything eta
that the :ratios' object. A. the ewer Is under env, and
the babies cresst cannot be obtained, the marriage crier
be folenestsed at St. Thomas's church.

MUSEUM OF PATENTS, SOUTH R ENSINGTON.—
Number of visitors far the week ending Sept. 17 : lluetthe.
LIM; evesthp,l,667; total, 3,106. Mace the openfyief
the Meneate free daily (May 12,1868), 141,780.
../Aileertitensena—LtSlWe AND GOTTO, Piper
etytke of I.le the pump. I.
AMP gee Wrmeni rod anis le se) ISllway edam rat.
land ea row lea ,wt Do wet fee h.: *Mem dllab far i.
WOO emiegak fro the or yaliW et Wows a scam 011 s.
Imordrid wows. Pablie‘Allkm. as.* Wm*. vsa9bwt
ltl.Wteeet DeIFAASINI and aorio.ll 311. OalerlirlosfA.