The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-08 00:00:00

THE ACCIDENT AT THE NEWCASTLE BOAT

Fiois LIFE.

(Fran tb* Noraaii DeillAsproo.)

It is our painful duty to lune to record one of
the most terrible catastrophes that has occurred in the
north. So far as has been ascertained up t., the time of
going to press, it is feared that at least fifty lives have
bmn lost. Thousands of people from the places on the
banks of the river to the east of Newcastle were anxious
to see the great contest between Kelley and Chambers,
and they had come to Newcastle by steamers. All
the passenger steamboats plying on the river belong
to the Tyne General Ferry Company. The landing-
stage at the Quayside, Newcastle, is • large floating
keel, although, of course, it is as large as some three
or four keels. It is 11101:11/111 at some distance from
the edge of the quay wall, and is reached by two gang-
ways. The north one is used by 'weenier, leaving the
vessels and for the goods traffic, and tae other is set
apart for those persons who intend to go down the river
by the steamers. It was the breaking of the latter which
caused this melancholy accident. it wee about 00 feet in
length and four in breadth, spanning the space between
the quay and the landing-stage. It was made principally
of iron, supported on two heavy wooden beams, and
was considered of sufficient strength to Mar without risk
any number of persons that might crowd upon it. Unfor-
tunately this calculation has been proved to be wrong.
After the boat race there was a rush of people on to the
gangway that they might get the first steamer going
down the river. The bead officials of the Tyne General
Ferry Company made what they deemed ample and safe
arrangements for the extraordinary demands thus made
was them. Several Mambos% were moored alongside of
the stage, holding themselves in readiness to receive their
freight of passeugera according to the pee-arranged order.
About twenty minutes to seven o'clock oue of the number
hat been filled, and orders were given for her leaving
on her voyage and another coming next the
It is said that in order to keep back the crewel
sliding door between the gangway and the landing.
stage was temporarily closed. The gangway was
at this time full from end to end. Some say it
was packed, and others appear to think that more persons
might have crushed on to it. One of our reporters saw it
shortly before the accident happened, and it was literally
crammed at that time. Taking a very low estimate, there
must have been 100 waiting there fur their turn to obtain
tickets, and be conveyed, as they hoped, to their homes
and their friends. The delay wade them somewhat im-
patient. About • quarter to seven the gangway yielded
to the great pressure, giving way, without the least warn-
ing, about eight feet from the landing-stage. The majority
—in fact, nearly all—on the gangway fell into the river
in one heap. It 11 likely that many would be stunned
by the fall, and would, consequently, be unable to make
any effort to save themselves. Some of those who were
close to each end of the ongwayeither kept themselves, or
were kept by others, from being precipitated into the water.
The confined space in which the catastrophe occurred was
greatly against even those who were strong and able to
swim. The drowning persona laid hold of each other in
their vain struggles to save themselves, and in this
way their chances of escape were greatly lessened.
Some made for the drooping ends of the gangway, and a
few were rescued in this way. Others clung tenaciously
to small boats and other craft lying near the scene, until
assistance could be rendered them. The excitement on
shore was such as to exceed the power of words to describe.
Nor were there waating heroic and self-denying efforts to
rescue) the drowning men and women. In several cases
men sprang into the river, and succeeded in saving not a
few. Small boats were also brought into requisition, and
they were the means of saving wine twenty persons. Some
men on the stage handed over an oar to a drowning man,
which he got hold of ; but others clung to him, and the re-
sult wasthat all were lost. One woman was saved by a man
who leapt into the river ; but we believe her infant child
perished. The tide was ebbing at the time, and many
persons were thus swept under the stage and craft lying
at hand. It is believed that about thirty persona were
got out of the water, and it is feared that at least fifty
were ‘llrevue4 but the reel Taber. Nat net /et bvtu,
ascertained. A tremendous erowa soon gatherer. oh the
quay, and excellent order was kept by a strong force of
police under the command of Cluet-Conetable Sabbage,
Inspectors Amos, W. Scott, J. Scott, and Hall. So ex-
citing was the scene—what with the shouts of those on
shore and the cries of distress proceeding from those in
the water—it is a mercy in the crush of men on it eager
to render assistance that the other gangway did not glee
way. Every available means was made use of to rescue
those in the water. A rope was made fast to the broken
gangway almost immediately, for the purpose of drawing
it partially up in the water, so that the straggles might
lay held of It, and cling there until some one could de-
scend it and lift them out of the water. This praise-
worthy effort, however, was not successful, as the shattered
gangway could not be moved on account of its weight.
Ropes, boat-hooks, and oars were then extended from the
gangway in all directions for the purpose of being laid
bold of by those in the water.
As the darkness closed around the sad mine the ex-
citement increased, and crowds of persons were seen
wending their way to the spot eager to ascertain the facts
of the catastrophe for themselves. Great diversity of
opinion exists as to the real number of persona who were
immersed, some calculating it at 200, and others placing it
even so low as 70 or SO.

NATIONAL REFORM UNION. —Arrangements are
now being made by the executive committee to assemble a
large and influential deputation of the vice.presidents and
chief officers of the numerous branches of the union to
wait upon Mr. Gladstone at his residence in London. The
object of the deputation will be to protest against the
government Reform Bill, as being utterly inadequate to
settle the demands and requirements of the people ; to
urge upon Mr. Gladstone the desirableness of returning to
the old constitutional principle of household suffrage,
which was once the law of the land ; and to express undi-
minished confidence in him as the leader of the liberal
party. A large number of gentlemen in various parts of
the country have already signified their intention of join-
ing the deputation, end it is expected Mr. Gladstone will
be requested to-day (Tuesday) to fix the date on which he
will receive them. Those intending to join the deputation
should communicate at once with Mr. J. IL Morton, the
agent of the National Reform Union. Manchester
Examiner. _ _

iIAIII3iinAIIITH AND CITY RAILWAY.—A special
general meeting, under the Wharncliffe standing order,
took place yesterday at the Paddington-station, for the
consideration of • bill now before parliament for conferriog
further powers on the Great Western Railway Company,
in relation to their own undertaking and the undertakings
of other companies, and for other purposes. Mr. Foakee
presided, and explained that the bill was promoted by the
Great Western, but contained clauses affecting the Ham-
mersmith Company, and in fact carrying out the agree-
ment entered into for the abolition of the Hammersmith
Company and its amalgamation with the Great 'Western
mdem, the terms being that the Great Western and
Metropolitan Companies are to pay, instead of the present
annual rent charge, 5 per cent. on the five per cent, pre-
ference stocks of the Hammersmith Company, and upon
the ordinary stock, 5/. sa. for the half-year ending 31st of
December, 1867 ; 51. 7s. 6d. for the year 1868 ; and
51. 10s. per cent. for 1869 and all succeeding years, the
preference capital being 160,0001., and the ordinary
capital, 180,00.11. The securities for the payment of these
dividends was a first charge on the Hammersmith line
after the debentures; eecouilly, a joint covenant on the
part of the Greet Western and Metropolitan ; mid thinlly,
certain powers of re-entry. A draft agreement had been
drawn out, which would, he believed, be ready for signature
in about three weeks, when the Hammersmith Company
would cease to exiet. A resolution formally approving
the bill wee proposed and carried.
MIDLAND RAlLWAY.—Yesterday a meeting of
shareholders in this company was heid at the Clarence
Hotel. Manchester, convened mainly at the instance of the
recently.formed Railway Shareholders' Protection Society.
Mr. Robert Crewdson presided. Hr. Shepperd, a share-
holder in the Midland Company, submitted a statement in
opposition to the policy of the directors, 000demaing the
Western
amalgamation with the Glasgow and South
Western Company. on the ground of *he large additional
liability which would be incurred. He proposed a resolu-
tion disapproving of the scheme as unnouud and likely to
be disastrous, which was *wended by Mr. Wiukworth and
carried unanimously. A counnittee, it was proposed,
should be appointed of IlidLnd shareholders to supervise
the appointment of directoni, atop farther expenditure in
new lines, control the officers of the company, b.c. A re-
solution to this effect was carried.
DEATH FR,IM THE ADMINLSTRATTON OP CHLORO-
ross.—On raturilay an inquest was held on the body of
George (Hiked, who died in the Taunton Hospital, caused
by the administration of chloroform. The deceased was 27
years of age, and bad met with an accident which dislo-
cated his elbow. At the hospital it was resolved to ad•
minister chloroform, which was given by Mr. Ridden,
under the direction of Mr. Alfonl. The patient, after
taking the chloroform, began to retch violently, became
suddenly Efforts
the eye. opened, and the pupils became
dilated. Efforts were immediately made to restore hint-
, Respiration went on for some time, the pulse cooed at
the wrist, and Fe died in ten minutes after the adminis-
trstion of the chloroform. The jury returned a verdict
that death resulted from syncope of the heart caueed by
the administration of chloroform, and they completely
exonerated the medical geutlenien from blame.
CRYSTAL DALAES. —The first ballad concert of
this season, in which Mr. Sims Reeves, Miss Louisa
Tyne, and Miss Edith Wynne will take part, will be given
at the palace this afternoon at four o'clock.
PATRNT OPTIC' MIUsEUW, SOUTH KiNSINOTON.—
Number of visitors for the week ending May 4, 1,67:1;
total number since the opening of the Museum, free daily
(May 12, 1t156), 1,136,366.