The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-05 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 5, 1866

feeling that " it must come to betting at the poet," there
will always be a majority of speculators who Will have their
previous" (awl, ' and so invest accordingly. Hence it is that
commissions coins driibliog in from far and near—chietly
front the cratuir —but the number of " commissioners"
having m retied so much of late years, the amount of
mooey remitted to them for the purposed blacking horses is
incredibly large, and, come what will, the public will not
be dissuaded from having their " bit on at a longish price."
Very little time was devoted to discussion to-day, for as
soon as there was soythieg like a betting quorum, business
commenced, the Derby being the first medium. 500 to 10
each was laid against Strathoonan and Wolsey. but a little
later 1000 to 20 was accepted about Sir Joseph Hawley's
horse., while there were frequent offers to take 1000 to 15
shoat " tbe Strath." The Liverpool Steeplechase was quiet,
only two, Magenta and Iferimec, being actually backed, earth
at 25 to 1. There were frequent ioquines after Mephistopheles
for the Lincoln Handicap, but 100 to 7 failed to elicit
a response. Mail Train was again very forward, at least in
the market, for the Northamptonshire Stakes, for which
. 100 to 6 would have been taken kiudly about him. 300 to
100 was offered on the field fur the Two Thousand, while
4 "monkeys" or any part of it went begging about Student,
the bookmaker who offered the odds emphatically declaring
that the Hawley crack was a "cock." The same operator
afterwards succeeded in laying an even 5001. on the field,
against Lord Lyon, Student, and Young Mooarque, after
' which he laid a patties° of the French stable l 5 " Office'
molest Auguste, although a few minutes previously 1000
to 80 had been accepted about the latter, half-brother to
Gladiateur. Closing prime at 3 p.m.

LINCOLN HANDICAP.
12 to 1 apt Mephistopheles (Mt t 14 tot)
LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE
20 to 1 bar one (A I 22iito 1 agog Magenta (t)
20 to 1 ad Merrimac (t)

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES.
100 to I apt Mall Train (al) (100 to 0 w)
ciry AND SUBURBAN.
30 to i apt Copenhagen (t)
MUTER CUP.
26 to 1 apt Fan (t)
TWO THOUSAND.
. _

iSto 1 apt Lord Ly;o (of) 1a apt Auguste (t)
•to 1 Student (off 20 to 1 YouogMonarque
10 to 1 Janitor (off) (off)
D Y.
10 to 1 apt Stratheonan (t) 160 to 1 apt Wolaey (t)

LIVERPOOL SPRING MEETING.
WIDNIIIIDAT, MARCH 7.

ACCEPTANCES 101 TEA GRAND NATIONAL £4IIIPLI.
CRABS (Handicap) of 300 cove., added to a sweepstakes of
25 cove. each, 15 ft, and 5 only if declared to Messrs.
Weatherby only at noon on Friday, February 2 ; winners
of a steeplechase after the publication of the weights,
101 b extra ; second to save his stake. Starting opposite
the sedges, about four miles and a quarter. (92 subs, 33
declared. . _ .

Age st /9 Age II lb
L'Atrieshs
e Emblms
a 12 10 Merrimac

Moberg a 12 8 Atm
Alribiade
Ball Court a 11 12 Sir Witham • 10 7
Magenta a 11 11 Balder a 10 7
Cortolvin 6 11 6 Salamander
Light Heart
Jerry
Reporter
Th0111•6101/2 a 11 4 Stormeeek a 10 7
Frank • 11 4 Garotter 6 10 7
Cilencairn
Boren 6 11 0 West End
Laura
Ibex (lab)
Sinking Foal
!Renton
Gayhurst
Portland a 10 12 Real Jam
Accident
The Clown 6 10 10 The Cutter • 10
Knave of Tramps .. 6 10 10 Game Chicken • 10
Gamecock • 10 10 Cutaway 6 10
Creole a 10 10 Sutton
gby Turans- Emma. 6 10 10 Dermot Aalborg
Blood Royal a 10 10 Burney 4 10
Rhodomantade 5 10 10 Skiff 6 10
Colombia
Mistake

PROGRAMME OF CARMARTHENSHIRE HUNT
STEEPLECHAERFA—ToSBDAY, FEB. 6.

Tex Oi' SiILIPLICHABI (Handicap) of 10 sous. each,
h It, and 1 (to the fund) if declared, w.th 100 added ;
metiers extra ; second to save his stake. Over about 5
miles of the New Flying Oonree. (38 subs., 24 declared.)
Age st lb Age at lb
Ply6sher
Acrobat
Maces. Dsgmar .. a 11 6 Arlescott • 10 11
Vixen
General Klectloa .. • 11 2 Banbury • 10 6
Ace of Hearts a it 1 Daisy • 10 5
Zora

Tal HMITZBA' STAKES Or 3 Dove, each, with 40 added i
mooed to save hie stake • weight for age • penalties and
allowaocae, &e. Over aboiat three miles of the Old Banking
Coarse. . . _ . . ..

__
AP at lb Age at lb
Minstrel a 12 0 Bancebox
Dandy a 12 0 Chance
Gentle Annie
Valeria

Tan °ANEMIAS STAUB (Set Hog Race) of 3 toys. each,
with 30 added ; over about three wiles of the Old Banking
Course. Aunt Sally (1.001.) ; Whigs (401.) ; Gay Lad (401.)

THURSDAY.

Tun Courn MEMBERS' PL►TS (Handkap) of 8 ears. each,
13 ft, and 1 only (to the fund) if declared, with 50 added ;
wieners extra : second to save hie stake. Over about four
miles of the New Flying Course. (28 subs., 25 deelsxed.)
Age at lb Age at th
llytlther
Acrobat
Princess Dsgmar .. a 11 5 Gay lad
Vixen
General Medina .. • It 3 Daisy • 10 6
Ace of Hearts a 11 1 Freitag 6 10 6
Zora

Tae BOROUGH MIIIBRRS' PLATE of 3 110.3. each, with
25 added, fey bunters ; second to save his stake ; 4-yr-olds,
10st 101 b ; five, list 81b ; six and awed, 12st 41b ; use from
May 1. Over about 3 miles of the Old Banking Course.
Tau Lanus' Pram (Selling Race) of 3 son. each, with
30 added ; second to save his stake ; 4-p-cdds, list ; five,
12st ; six sad awed, 12st 71b ; selling allowances, &c. Over
&boat 3 miles of the New Flyiag Course.

THE LOSS OF THE STEAMER LONDON.

The official inquiry instituted by the Board of
Trade alto the circumstances attending the fuuoderirg of
the steamer London was resumed on Saturday, at the
Greeowichlic•-conrt, before kfr. Trail, the district sti-
pendi►ry magistrate, and Captaios Harris and Baker, the
nautical aeseseors.

Mr. O'Dowd, addressing the court, said he thought it
necessary to state that he had received a great number of
communications since the commencement of the inqniry
from benevolent and int-lligent writers, suggesting a variety
of means for promoting the safety of passenger vessels on
foreign voyages. The suggestions cmtnined in those letters
were very valuable, but it appeared to him they were not
pertinent to the business of the inquiry. He had, however,
no
doubt that before a select committee of the House of
Commons the suggestions would have great weight. He
thought it necessary to advert to the matter, u it was
wholly out of his power to make replies to the numerous
letters he had received, and he tinted the writers would
receive this statement as evidence that be meant no dis-
courtesy in not replying to their inquities.
Mr. Train said it was clearly outside the province of the
court to deal with any suggestions made es to the structure
of ships, but they could refer them to the Board of Trade,
and they might, if they chose, institute an inquiry. The
object of the court was to ascertain whether the London
had been lost owing to faulty construction or faulty manage-
ment.

William Hart, examined by Mr. O'Dowd—l was carpen-
ter's mate on board the ship London on her last voyage. I
did not sign the articles, but was to have done so at Graves-
end. I was to have left the ship at Melbourne, and
I only received nominal pay of one shilliog a month.
I did not sign the articles at Gravesend. I
joined the ship at the East India Dock. I have
been nine years employed as ship carpenter on land and
afloat. I was well acquainted with the structure of the
London, and I am of opinion she was a very strong endear.
ship. I saw the coals stowed round the funnel, and I be-
lieve some of them were put into the bunkers. About nine
o'clock on Tuesday morning, the 9th, the foretopmast and
jibboom were carried away. The wind commenced to
blow bard on Monday night. She was going under at- am
with her head to the wind on Tuesday. On Tuesday morn-
ing the jibboom was lying on the starboard bows, and the
foretopsail was swinging about in the rigging. At ten
o'clock the main royal mast was carried away. We
tried to get the jibboom on board, bet could
not succeed, The jibboom was not likely to do
any damage. The engine-room hatch and skylight went
on a rabbit, and was secured inside with bras* fastenings.
The panes of glass in the skylight were 12 inches be 9, and
half an inch thick. As a ship carpenter I think the
fastenings in the hatchway were secure. The grating that
covered tbe glue was three-quarter inch by 2 inches—round
bars 2 inches apart. When the hatchway was carried, on
the night of the 10th, Mr. Angel, the third officer, called
me from my berth to go eft to secure the skylight. I went
aft, and was washed by a heavy sea against the steam
winch. The seas came over the port side. As soon as I
could go aft, which was about ten minutes. I fount the
skylight had been carried away, and was lying on the
starboard side, upon the combings. About twenty hands
and myself attempted to put back the skylight, but we
were washed to leeward, and the skylight with us. The
glass of the skylight was smashed. We then got sails and
put them over the batches, but, in spite of the efforts of
the carpenter and myself to nail them down, the sea
washed them away. Before the hatchway was taken away
it was battened down by the carpenter and myself with tar-
paulin and a double sail. Before the hatchway was blown
away on Wednesday night, we pot a spar and some boards
and sails over it, and they were all carried away. After
the boards were washed away we filled the hatchway up
with bedding and mattresses. After the flying jibboom
was carried away it was taken io from overboard and
carried aft, and planed along the combings of the engine-
, room hatchway. I saw the boatswain lash it to the ring
bolts. When the skylight had been washed away the
11 flying jibboom was swinging about the dear.
To Mr. Traill—The hatchway was battened with three
inch betas nails. The tarpaulins, when battened to the
combing, protected the edge of the frame of the skylight
When the skylight had been washed off I noticed the tar-
paulin and sails had been torn away close to the battens.
My impression is that the skylight was carried away by the
sea and the flying jibboom. I don't think the
sea could of itself have carried the skylight away.
I was employed during the whole of the night in placing
sails and tarpaulin over the hatchway, but they were con-
stantly washed away. About three o'clook on the morning
of the 11th of Janaary I was called from the hatchway by
the purser to secure the stern pasta on the port side.
went to the stern posts and famed the sliding shutters open,
and they had been so since Tuesday. The upper part of the
shutters were working in and out, and had knocked the
sashes in. The water was coming in. The grooves
of the upper part of the shutters had been driven
in, and had broken the glass of the sashes inside
The frame outside was of iron, and that ioside of wood
three-fourths of an inch thick, there being behind that a
great thickness of wood. I got a spar and endeavoured to
secure the port, there being but little water in. I shored
each shutter to the beam of the cabin, but as the ship set-
tled down the port smashed and the seas ran in in great
quantities through the upper and lower saloone. About
7 o'clock the two ports on the starboard side were partly
stove in. At 8 o'clock I received orders from the carpenter
to plug the boats. The two lifeboats had been previously
washed away, and also the starboard cutter. The lifeboats
had been carried on the davits abaft the pinnaces. One of
the iron pinnaces was lowered about 9 o'clock on Thursday
morning, but she filled and sank, her bow having come
down first. I was engaged in getting the port cutter ready.
The port cutter was towered about 2 o'clock in the after-
noon. After the iron pinnace was last, between 9 and 10
o'clock, the captain gave orders to lower the fore-
sail and brace the mainyards, so that the port
side could be brought to the lee side. The ship was brought
to on the starboard tack. As soon as she came up to the
wind the fore-tack was carried away, and she rolled about
in the sea. The mixes stay-sail had been blown away that
morning while she was on the port tack.
Mr. O'Dowd—Did you see any use in signaling!
Witness—No ; there was nothing in sight to signal to.
Everyone was looking out. We had a greet difficulty in
getting into the boat, as the ship sucked her in. As soon
as she pitched in the water we unhooked the tackle fell,
got our oars out forward, and shoved her bow round before
the wind. Others jumped in as we pushed the boat round,
and we then moved off from the ship. In about three to
five minutes we saw the ship go down stern foremost.
William Daniels, examined by Mr. O'Dowd-1 reside at
13, Maslen-terrace, Weldon-road, Kentish-town. I was
quartermaster on board the ship London on her last voyage.
I went a voyage to Melbourne and back in the same ship,
and in the same capacity. The London left Plymouth
about 12.20 a.m, on the 6th January. The weather was
fine on our leaving Plymouth. On Sunday evening a heavy
wind rose from the S.W., and continued increasing up
till Tuesday. At 7 o'clock on the morning of Tuesday the
port lifeboat was carried away. The ship was then on the
starboard tack. The ship lurched to leeward, and the life-
boat was unhooked. lam sure the ship was on the star-
board tack, and the wind mast have been N.N.W. About
3 o'clock an the afternoon I was at the wheel when she
was tacked and brought on the port tack, the fore and aft
canvass having been previously hauled. I don't know
whether this occurred on Tuesday er Wednesday. Her
head then lay N.N.K, and the wind N.W. I did not bear
say directions to have the ship driven to Plymouth, but I
concluded she was gang there. We were oo the port tack
when the engine-room batch was carried away.
To Captain Harris—On the day of the disaster she was
put on the starboard tack.
To Mr. Traill—The object of that was to bring the boats
to the port aide.
To Captain Harris—The mizen staysail was set when
the ship went down.
To Mr. Traill—Half her maintopssil was also set ; the
other half had been blown away.
To Captain Harris—The starboard side of the msintopsail
was blown away. She was on the starboard tack when she
went down, her heed being about west and the wind north-
west.

To Captain Baker—The other ball of the maintopsail was
let fly.
To Mr. O'Dowd—l went below about an hour after the
ship wee put round. The hatchway had not
been =lied away then. I went to the wheel
at ten o'clock, and nothing had happened then.
Shortly after ten o'clock on Wednesday night Mr.
Angel, the third officer, went down and cal ed the sailors
and all passengers up, barring the women. He said he
wanted us to secure the hatchway. They all went aft, and
when I got up they had one sail covering the engine-room
batch. They got more mils, and nailed them down to the
deck one alter the other. I saw the skylight lying to lee-
ward, but Ido sot know whether it was broken or not.
At 2 o'clock on the moroing of Thursday I went to the
wheeL She was then heading N.N.E, and the wind was
N.W. or N.W. by W. The chains of the wheels went
away with the lashiogs. The lashings were brand new
when we left Plymouth. The stern porta were stove in
early on the morning of Thursday. While I was at the
helm I did not know that the ship was sinking below the
stern ports. At 2 a.m. on Thursday, when I went to the
wheel. I noticed she was settling by the stern ports. I
was at the wheel from 2 o'clock to 4 o'clock. I wept again
at nix, and the ship was still close to the wind. After
goieg to the wheel at 6 o'clock I remained until we got
away from the ship in the boat.
To Captain Barris—The crew were employed in bailing
out the water with buckets from the after saloon, and the
pompoms were doing the same.
- Captain