The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-30 00:00:00

DROWNING OP _ POUR SCHOOLBOYS AT

BRIGHTON.

A lamentable accident happened at Brighton
yesterday morning, resulting in the drowning of four
young gentlemen, under circumstances peculiarly painful.
They were pupils at the boarding-school of Mr. Frederick
Taylor, Stafford-house, Buckingham-place, Brighton.
Mr. Taylor is a member of the Society of Primula, and
the four boys were sons of parents of the same penult-
don. The bathing regulations in force at Brighton, and
in the adjoining parish of Hove, direct that no bathing is
to take place from the open beach after eight o'clock in the
morning, and up to that hour only from bathing places ap.
pointed by the authorities. One of those bathing places
in Hove is opposite the Sussex County Cricket Ground.
It is said that the bottom there is of a rather dangerous
character, liable to shift and change with the weather,
and having rocks protruding through the sand. In certain
conditions of the sea the sand is washed away from the
rocks, leaving holes and pliers that are extremely dan-
gerous to persons who cannot swim. At low water there
is a bank of sand some distance out, and if persons wade
to it during the " turn" of the tide they are liable to be
overtaken by the water, so that they cannot return to the
shore across the intermediate channel without assistance.
About half-past 7 o'clock yesterday morning Mr. Taylor
took a number of his scholars to this place to bathe. tie
himself went into the water, and there was nothing to in-
dicate that special caution was required. Some of
the lads made their way to the bank of sand
with other bathers, and were there enjoying
themselves as lad, are wont to do, when suddenly an out.
cry was made, and it was discovered that a lad named
Clark, who was in the water at the eastern limits of the
bathing place, was in imminent danger of drowning. Mr.
Taylor had just previously called all his lads in from the
water, and most of them were on the beach. At first he
thought that Clark was one of the boys he had brought
down, and ran to give all the assistance he could. Ulti-
mately, Clark was got out in an insensible state, or
nearly so, and was taken in a fly to the residence of Dr.
Halley, Western-road, Hove, where he was soonplaced out
of danger. Meanwhile, Mr. Taylor had returned to the
part of the beach where his clothes were, and saw that
four of his boys were missing. Some youths were on the
beach where Clark had been brought ashore, and Mr
Taylor, thinking his boys were amongst them, sent thither.
Further search quickly elicited that the four
lads, whose clothing was laid on the beach,
had neither returned to the shore nor were afloat in the
water. Every means which suggested itself was used to
find them, but it was not until an hour later that one of the
bodies was discovered on the edge of the sandbank. It was
that of William Bottomley, aged 12, whose parents reside
at Birmingham. It had drifted a considerable distance to
the east of the bathing ground. It was immediately
brought to shore and eiainined by Dr. Bacon Phillips,
who, after using, for half-an-hour, proper means of resusci-
tation, pronounced life to be perfectly extinct. Later
another -body was recovered, still further to the east-
ward. It was that of a boy named Samuel Dann. whose
parents reside at Reigate. He was about 12 years old. An
elder brother cause down with him to bathe (both
being pupils at Mr. Taylor's), and he, too, is one of the
drowned. The fourth unfortunate boy was named Samuel
Kidd, aged about 14 years. His friends reside at Bristol.
As to the precise circumstances under which the poor
youths lost their lives nothing is at present known. The
attention of every person in the immediate neighbourhood
was so taken up with the danger of the boy Clark, who
was saved, that this shocking fatality appears to have
been entirely unobserved until too late. Even if the lads
shouted fur help their cries must have been lost in the
confusion caused by Clark's risk, for no one, so far as can
yet be ascertained, heard a cry or saw a &Uvula in that
direction. The bodies recovered were taken to the Bruns-
wick tavern, Holland-road, Hove, where they await an
inquest. Up to dusk last evening the two missing bodies
had not been recovered, though boats had been dragging
all the afternoon.

About eighteen months since the Duke of Col n-
wall was in treaty for the purchase of an estate called
Warrington-park, in Devonshire, mime two or three miles
to the north of Launceston. After considerable delay the
negotiation proved unsucoessfuL Within the last fortnight
his royal highness has, however, bought the estate of Hare-
wood, twelve miles south-east of Launceston. The locality
is not favourable for the preservation of pm*. The duke
has given 26,0001., the full present value. The vendor is
Mr. Reginald Trelawny, second son of Sir William
'rrelawny, who resided there.
At a meeting held yesterday in Bloomabnry, foe
the purpose of originating a public subscription in aid of
the workmen who have been thrown out of employment by
the loss of their tools in the recent fire at the premises of
Messrs. Holland sad Mennen, builders, Duke-street,
Bloomsbury, it was stated that the losses sustained by the
workmen amounted to 2,000/. A committee was appointed
to collect subscriptions and investigate the claims of the
workmen. Mr. Spong, Brown Bear, was appointed
treasurer of the fund.
Mit. BRIGHT AT BIRMINGILLM.—The Vice-Presi-
dent of the Chamber of Commerce at Birmingham, Mr.
J. S. Wright, entertained Mr. Bright at dinner at the
Exchange in that town on Tuesday evening. The Mayor
sad about twenty other gentlemen were invited to meet
the hon. member, who addressed the company for more
than ball an hour, the topics selected being India and
matters connected with the present system of government
and the future of that country ; the question of interne-
tionel Maritime Law ; the protectionist duties imposed by
the United States and some of our own colonies ; and
lastly, in reference to Chambers of Commerce, the useful-
ness of which he acknowledged if they took an indepen-
dent course of action. Mr. Bright was listened to with
much attention throughout his address. There wets no
reporters present
Oases or Mn. HINDMARCH, Q.C.—We regret
to announce the death of Mr. J. W. Hindrnareh, Q.C., of
the Northern Circuit, lute candidate for Leominster, Re-
corder of York, and Attorney-General for the county pala-
tine of Durham. Mr. Mindreareh, who was a native of
Sunderland, was sixty-two years of ago. Nnrcoafit Daily
Journal.