The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-11 00:00:00

THE FATAL COLLISIOE ON THE THANES.

Yesterday afternoon Mr. Carder, the coroner,
opened an inquiry at the Lord Derby Tarsus, Plunistead,
into the eirenmeteaces attending the death of Richard
Berry and Alice Bridger, two th'im who were amongst
those who lost their lives by the collision which took place
on the Themes, off Plamthead, as Friday iiveabig lath,
between the °mooned pthesager steamer Yetis and a
meow collier steamer named the Wentworth.
Mr. Fry, solicitor to the Woolwich and Waterman's
Company, with Mr. Parry Jackeon, the chairman ; Mr.
Richard Rion, vice-chairman; Mr. Hughes, director;
and Mr. Mann, Leeretary and saperintendent of the com-
pany, were in attendance. The owners of the Wentworth,
Messrs. J. R. Smith and Co., of Newasstle-upon-Tyne,
were not represented.
The Coroner said he proposed, after taking evidence of
identifioatiori, to adjourn inquiry in order to afford the
captain of the Mods, who was seriously injured by the acci-
dent, and was now confined at home, an opportunity to
attend. It was only just and fair to Captain Spenoeley
to adopt such • course, because when • collision
of this kind occurred in broad daylight there must
be something wrong on the one side or the other.
He (the coroner) understood, however, that a per-
son who wee on board the Mete at the time of
the occurrence was obliged to go to sea in a day or two,
and he therefore thought it would be advisable to get his
at ones.
rry althea the coranorrin—rei not possible to dis-
poni", with • Depend inquiry, whisk, as Sergeant Barry had
died in Olthitt-town, appeared at preempt to be necessary.
The Coroner replied that that was not prodble, unless
the body of the deceeesd wee brought within the precincts
of the county of Kent.
Celia was then sworn. She said—l am. the widow
of Richard who lived at 26. Pier-terrace, Oubitt-
town. I identify Lae of the bodies of the two children as
that of my child, Richard Barry, who was nine months old.
He was sucking at my breast at the time of the collision.
I was on board the Yetis with my husband and my child.
I was in the cabin where the people were taking tea. I
heard a cry that • man was overboard. My husband was
mistime beside me. He rushed towards the cabin stain,
telling me to sit still. As soon as he had spoken the words
• smash ems. I ran after my husband, and my child was
washed out of my arms. I looked behind, but I could not
see it, and I thought I would do all I could to save squat
I got to the skylight, and there I was rescued by a man
pulling me through upon the deck. There was no noise
at all Wore the shout " • roan overboard." My husband
died at half-pest Bon Sunday morning. He was got out
of the water about ten minutes after the aceidtht, and
taken ca board the coast-guard ship. I took him home
trom the eoast-guard ship on Saturday morning about half
peat 8 o'clock. He was put to bed when he got home, and
. never left it. _

—Edmundßridger, of No. 1, Edward-street, Pukes-
place, Newington-butts, identified the body of the other
child as that of kis daughter Alice, aged six. He said I
was with her and another daughter, a little older, in the
cabin of the Katie when the oollidon happened, and I
saw nothing as to how the accident occurred. I
heard come one say " Then is some one overboard."
There wits a great trampling of feet overhead on deck. I
fancy the about of " • men overboard" came from the
steward. It was, I think, • sort of supposition from the
trampling on deck that • man was overboard. I don't
think it came from above. I told the children to stop
below while I went on deck, but one of them follows( me.
Were I had got half-way aerobe the cabin there wasl ter-
rific walk the timber' of the vessel fell inward, and the
water rushed in. The younger of my two children was
drowned. I aught her band, but shoed immediately she
was washed from me, and the other was also washed out of
my hands. I myself was washed ender the water. When
I rose again I saw the skylight and made for it. The
elder child was got out some time afterwuda. The little
one was not found until three o'clock next morning. There
were two young women sitting on my left in the cabin.
Whether they escaped or not I can't say.
John Le Contour Gore was the next witness. He said—
I am • master mariner, and am going to leave England to-
morrow. At the time of this collision I was on board the
Yetis, walking the deck aft. I saw the Wentworth on
the starboard bow, about three or four lengths from us.
The steamer was coming up the river on the south
shore, clime in. The tide was • little after high
water. It bad jest turned. The Wentworth was
boned down. I saw the captain of the Meths on the
bridge making • sign with his hand. I don't know what
the sign was. I thought it was for the screw to steer
*liar of us. The Yetis was struck aft. I made roy
so as to forward be clear of the screw's bow' which struck
the companion. I rushed forward with my wife for safety.
As. soon as we got forward the Metis was ashore.
I don't know what injury the Midis sustained.
I didn't look at her afterwards. I helped
.the passengers
out of the vessel. I heard no calling previous to the col-
lision either to ease or stop the Yetis. It was broad day-
light, and there was no necessity for • light on the bows
of the screw. There was no previous shouting of alarm.
We were only 50 or 60 yards from. ant-rat
" end directly
•
r after we were . were as!".,,n. I don't anal
whetbse the Minis was forced by the other vessel towards
the shore, bat I know the Wentworth came with great
force against us. I don't think the Wentworth slackened
her speed at all. I heard no order given by the captain of
the Melia ; only saw the sign of the hand. I didn't bear
the call-boy. I looked to ace what part of the steamboat
the collier was going to strike, in order to judge what
place was best to be in. I am not well up in the
navigation of the river. I always employ pilots.
If we had ported our helm we should have
been still worse than we were, u it would have taken
us more into mid-channel. After the collision everything
was done to save life. I did what I could. The captain
of the Yetis was on the bridge all the way up from
Gravesend. He appeared to be sober. The man at the
wheel obeyed orders, so far as I know. I saw some of the
crew jump off the bows of the Yetis to help the passengers
out. I myself jumped down and helped about • dozen
women out. The reason why the Metim sailed close in
shore was to avoid the tide, which was coming down.
The Cormier here asked if any person was present to
watch the interests of the Wentworth.

The oowtahL on rlsty said he understood the ship went
to sea, and he added that, so far ea he was aware, no one
was in attendance to represent her.
Is answer to the Coroner,
The witness gave his opinion that the screw ought to
have been more in mid-channel than she was, and added
that small boats generally kept in shore to avoid collision
with large vessels coming down mid-channel with the
tide. The screw was not going full speed, but she had a
pod aped en.
Mr,. Harry was recalled, it being intimated that she had
something to say respect i the conduct of the captain of
the Metis. She said her band remarked to her before the
accident that he believed the captain was in liquor, and
she herself thought when she saw him in a boat after the
accident he seemed to be in that st►te.

The Coroner thought the jury could hardly entertain
evidence which had reference to a man's conduct when he
bad sustained serious personal injury.
Mrs. Barry said she heard other people say before the
accident that the captain was in drink.
The Coroner—l think we cannot go on hearing evidence.
The inquest was then adjourned to Thursday week.

APPALLING ACCIDENT BY LIGHTNING.—During •
thunderstorm which raged in some parts of Suffolk on the
afternoon of Sunday week, a most appalling calamity,
resulting in the immediate death of two children
and injury to several others, occurred at Sniallburgh.
At about 20 minutes put 2, when the storm was at
its he' ht about forty children were assembled in
theschoolroom, preparatory to attending Divine
service at the church. They were under tbe charge
of Mrs. Chapman, who was officiating in the ab-
sence of the governess, and hail just received their
" attendance marks," when a vio:ent noise was heard,
resembling the report of a cannon, and immediately
the room appeared to be filled with smoke. The poor
children, excepting those whose fate we have yet to
mention, rushed out in a state of consternetion and a
moment afterwards, when the rector (the Rev. W. A.
Ormsby) went inside, he observed the lifeless bodies of
two little girls—Emily Whittletoo, aged 7 yearn, and
Matilda Harmer, aged s—lying on the Boor near the
west window, whilst on the opposite side of the room,
near to the fire-place, four children were, as it seemed,
paralysed. One of these, named Mary Yaxley, was
very much burnt in various parts of the body, and her
muse at first seemed hopeless, but there are now pros-
' pecta of her ultimate recovery. The other girls, named
respectively Mary Ann Pratt, E. Long, and Eliza
Yaxley, were mostly burnt about the feet, bat not
seriously. They were removed to the Rectory, and
attended by Mr. Cloven, of Statham, Mr. Dix, the
resident surgeon of Smallborgh, being absent at the
time, but the latter gentleman has since been in
attendance upon them, and with the exception of Maria
Yuley, they are all rapidly improving. On an exami-
nation of the schoolroom, it appeared that a Bash of
lightning bad struck the bell outside, tearing away a
portion of the brickwork and part of the roof, and
thence demanded into the interior of the building along
an iron rod, which was used as the bell pull. Leaving
the rod, the electric fluid seems to have struck on the
head, musing instantaneous death, the poor chhildren
Whittleton and Harmer, who were sitting on the left at
the end of the benches, and thence it took a diagonal
course, towards the children standing near the noel:dace.
The combined effects of the thunder and lightning shook
the room to such an extent that puts of the framework
sod the glass of the west window were forced out, the iron
screen supports broken, and the plaster on the walls shat-
tered to pieces in many places.—Burg and Z, rwich Poet.