The Express.
London, England, 1860-03-21 00:00:00

THE GREAT TASMANIAN CABE.

Yesterday the inquest on the bodies of the unfor-
tunate soldiers who died on board the transport ship Great
Tannanian was resumed before the Liverpool borough
coroner, at St. George's-hall. The attendance in court was
much more numerous than on the previous day, and the
soldiers who were present to give evidence touching the ease
presented a very emaciated appearance.
Mr. Lewfonl opened the proceedings by reading a letter
from the Governor-General of India, to the effect that in
emesqueoce of the great number of troops proceeding from
India to England and elsewhere, it was impassible to supply
the transport ships with salt porisions instead of freah,and
consequently salt provisions were issued to the troop ships.
Several papers were read showing that the biscuit put on
board war so hard that it Wan with difficult that they
could be broken, and when broken had to be steeped a long
time before they con' be eaten. The firm which supplied
the biscuits were Masan. Marton and Co., Calcutta.
John Worth was the first witness called—He said be was
a gunner in the Bengal Horse Artillery, and came home
from Calcutta on beard the Great Tasmanian. The ship
left Calcutta on the 10th of November. He was in
good health when he left India, and was ap-
powited corporal of 92 mess. Two days after the ship
left port. He got a hammock on going on board, but there
were two men in his mess who had none, because there wee
none for them, and they were obliged to sleep on the tables
and forms. There was no bedclothing whatever supplied to
the men. The best possible feeling existed between the
soldiers on board and the captain and officers of the ship
during the voyage. The beef was found to be bed fourdsys
after the ship left Calcutta. The beef was very bad, and
when cooked smelled so bad that it had to be thrown over.
bawd. There was M. substitute. The lime juice was weak,
and not fit to drink. The biscuits were hard, musty, mouldy,
and maggotty, until they reached St. Helena. The water
was black and rusty. The suet smelled, and was thrown
away. He was obliged to scrub the sides of the vessel, and
pump water.
Patrick Flannigan examined—He eaid he waa a private in
the 3rd Bengal European Regiment. Be said that George
Doherty, a private, who died on hoard, applied to be ad-
mitted into hospital three drip before he died, but was re-
fused by the doctor, who told him lie had uo room for him,
although there wart plenty of spina timber for berths. The
army oMoers were very negligent. Captain Pond refused
the men their great-mate when the cold weather mine on.
Lieutenant Ganclien hail often thrown the men's hammocks
overboard. The mess to which lie belonged bad all ham.
mocks, but the next mess, amounting to 22 men, had not
one hammock amongst them.
Michael Casey corroborated the preceding witnesses in
nearly every particular.
Mr. Thomas Francis Fernandes, F.R.C.S., a retired snits
pow in the Madras /service, deposed that the Great Tas-
mania was very defective in ventilation between decks. He
examined the decks at Calcutta, and found them cline and
unwholesime ; and the remit of such a close atmosphere
upon the men, who had hitherto been leading a very active
life, was productive of the nuntefearful results. He
rno-
demned in strong term+ the whole of the provisions suppled
to the ship, and his statement in general gave a most do
plorable and affecting picture of the suffering" of the men
on board. Dr. Fernandez fully More out all the statements
hitherto published, and the wormier is that a single sod
reached Liverpool. [The cam was proceeding when our
I parcel wasdevateho. We learn by telegraph that the
inquiry was ultimately adjourned till this (Wedueelsy)
I morning.)

The Cologne Gineffe states that the nialverantions
in the Austrian army appear very much greater than warn at
first supposed. As nutny ea eiglity.two lemons are 'beady
in custody, and arrests continue to be effected at Bruno,
Prague, and Peach. The malvereationa are stated to date
from the battle of Sulferino. On the sudden conclusion of
an armistice after that affair, numerous contracts for sup
plies to the army were entered into, subject to the conditiot
that in the event of peace being concluded, the contractors
should be allowed indemnities. The greater part of three
contract; were fictitious, being only made to obtain the lm
demaities ; and by means of them the government was de•
handed of million.. General Eynatten and his accomplices
shared with the contractors the suing so obtained.
- •

We read in the Bombay (Imeffe of the 25th ult.,
" Information that the submarine cable from Kurracitee
had been spliced at Ades with the lied Sea able wril
received in Bombay early boat week ; but the fact of the
happy union is all that is yet known to no. Ours is only
the miserable consobttion of Galileo, who Could "Y.
to himself, 'Yet the earth Moves,. hut was forced to art
and suffer as if it stood still nevertheless. We talk of tabs'
graphic communication with Alexandria; but we reern to
get on no faster than we Ilia before, for we have nothing
from &skied of a later date titan January 26. But this
delay is temporary. It is caused at present by an inter•
ruption on the line between Aden and Alexandria. which
will soon be put right. Novena short messaged have bees
forwarded to Bootubuy front Aden by the new cable ; but the
telegraph seems not to work properly yet, for we get 00
summaries of news, though we hear of the arrival sod 'k'
pasture of steamers."
Dowatuu-erener, MARI.H 19.—The Queen hat
been pleased to appoint Miran! Shephveal Crwey, W
be Chief Justice the 11111110.1 of of eeyke. Her HajtetY bis
also been pleased to appoint Thomas C. Harvey.
7(Soarveyor•Oeneral and Civil Enlz:::lttla
.), to be • men r o
he
the Executive Council of the 1 nds.—Oemette.