The Express.
London, England, 1857-11-10 00:00:00

THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT MILLWALL.

INQUEST ON JOHN DONOVAN.
Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held at the
Poplar Hospital, on the body of John Donovan, aged TO,
who, with Anthony Hoy , John Brown, Henry
(still remaining in thle ho4ribel), and Henry Wirer
mock extensive Winne at the of the
lariat/at gam *hip from Hr. boob Yard, at
wawa, on Tuesday lan Kr. Baer, rear for the
main *ohne rein comedy of Milidkeez, pada, ad the
taneareen eras gristly crowds/ Antoe the
ypersons
rrlrell Mr. Brunekeidef
of al theTaelw Steam
gatlea Omairy, sad tenni of the diretion.
linnry having bra MOM and viewed the body, which
wee /rag la the & rd-boas of the
tt21114 The eager said, alb* they NI into the narration
of witnesses b this came he thought it his duty thorny to
all the attention of the jury to the state of the law in a
braes to such cases ea it ranted at the preen day. A few
yeah there was an alteration at the law which
dedasd wee levied apace an machbas
teens* the death of any penes, end
tank be entOt be derived of life. Brea a
skip ea large as the Urethan would have bursae the pro-
perty of the cm aro, if it were to be so dada by the jury.
In later years the gamma and the 'mamma bad
thought gt to alter that kw, ea alien of the levying of a
kodand, had gives to the Mak or adniaistreas of the
doomed the right of action ageanthe pear kr the bee
the friends of the deemed ha ...ama lamb his Ikea.
That law, however, framed by the asks" el their emeatens,
fed worked well for °entries ; bag. se he bed sail, a kw
years ago that law ass repealed, es it via aaaidereea that It
.110111111011111 dealt loudly inward, the awn of propel/ who
wee she thenmenes to bleme. Rethought that ma • law
night have bees wedded so ea to afford some cheek cm ha-
rem nand by which human life might he seartaced.
The anted wow this "Boded to the law se it Wad in
ransom to Wan mom whets on Its being peeved that
segligan marred, the Meade of then were entitled
to oarnmenes, app the sentewamotap=l to the levia-
than amp nip, aeans sny
leld down by sore of the non mainent judges of the
He than aid newel cans anal bete upon the point, and
reeentad an the feat that they had no pendent to guide
them as to the knack at this gdp, ea they never heard of
neck a mode of hernoking brag adopted on say former aces•
Mon, so that than word be ell OM matter bitor• them.
He nedweeeed that there were who had cargo of
the lama prawn, and be ehanjht it would be
arocu
that they skald close the inquiry without k
kw
Brags explenstiora; but he theald memo to
wbeiber be would put hiss am his math, melon he dished
to rake his entemeat upon oath; but if ia the canes of the
Inquiry 11 should mann a cannel charge then it would be
seamen to ban a }at-settees examination of the laid
brae was awantiel that the faller tanneries should hid
brow the jury to whom night be Intruded the kir the
pen= swan to be hennaed la the death of the deoneed.
Gage Ben wee the lilt whim —Heat No.
10, at. Ana'eamet, Lathan, and I sm • banner. I
knew the denoted, Jobs Donna. He Ina a labourer, bat
not of my petticethr theireeter, that I am aware of. I
an. him let rive whoa I carried him into • public-hones.
IbeAstmeent whim an attempt was made to launch the
on Mean, the Ind et November, bears one
awl two o'clock in the dbasoes. That as in the parish et
All Sainte, Poplar. I vas et net thee bons the com-
mencement, and I believe the demand was there also. We
were stationed about 11 o'clock In the Samoa of the mime
day. Tbe men espied on the launch wre pneed
tesperive neatness. The anapt to wove the resedid not
trop plan for an hoot eitervezda. John Donna, the de-
esein wee about 20 feet from me wan the accident took
pleas. It la his body which bee been viewed by the jury.
TheComear—Was the as an nand, had you any
partioner instruction' gins le yea?
Wham—Tee.
Coreser—ln writing ?
Witness—No. . . .

Cerise—What was the nature of your duty P
Wit —My duty was to mist in easing the clan when
the akin wa going. The Mtn was attache:lto a 8-inch
rope. TM was to is.. the ship on her launch. The tackle
was them ter the purpose. All the instructions I had
me to usher* the tad le when the ship started. I bad
them instrudene from Mr. Ewing, the foremen. After
that, es ens se I tamed round from unhooking the por-
ters lam In deessead. There was a man placed between
the ship tied the drum--I do not recollect Ms name—who
wee to give se iselmotime, by holding up his hand. Mr.
irriog IMI me that • mu would hold up his hand, sad then
I was to onleme• the Melds. That man did hold up his
head, end I unisseersed the Mete as ordered. The Min
wee mbeetted ellegetlter, so that the purchase might ope-
✓ate bitty. lat and know If that man wee sated
=NZ mqtredy Imedistely Aar I law the
DPIOVSS, thrown up by the handle at •
orb& eamoresi by the drum. I saw the winch gobs
rood with gni velocity. Donovan was thrown up about
II fret loft the greed, and fell on Me beck quite Mine&
to all speemnos when I poked him up. I carried his to •
public Mese In the neighbourhood, and from there he me
takes to the Poplar Ho.pital. I do not know if he was taken
with abets. He died at the hospital on Friday morning,
at three 'idea. . . .

—flederegisr— What wu the muse of the winch going
round violently, as you have spoken.
Witnese—The ship began to move, and caused a strain on
the cheek chain. I saw the ship move about 4 het, as neer
se I meld Judgt, down the incline. I believe the incline was
I foot is 12. The ship was then stopped bodily by the
breaks. When I let go the checks I did not cm rise to the
moths ef the ship. The hydreulk turn mooed the motion°,
the ship. I taw the hydraulic power in action. That was
it the nes Lunge. I did not talcs particular nodes whether
the dm vas the lowest part. I saw the red Noel item to
step thennand it wee stopped immediately. It wee given
frau • about 6 lest from the ground, and about
60 fret the ship on the land ride.
Ti Caws—Have you been told the purport of the red
&et
Witasse—lthad been signified to me before that the signal
of the red flag was to pot the breaks down. That signal wee
obeyed momentarily, end the effect of it was that the ship
wee stayed immediately. I could not see the signals made
to easel to the water that were to haul the ship. I could
not see thews from where I stood. Aa far as I was observant
of the taninetions I sieribe blame to no one whatever.
The Caesar—As far u you judge. were the mum end
appliances efficient for the purpose P—Yee.
The Cava—And properly attended to P—Yee.
A Juror—Wu the deemsed leaning or Pitting oaths handle
of the winch at the time of the 11.. t P—l think be was
leaning upon it.
The Coroner--Could he not have stood there without lean-
ing upon It ?--I believe he had to hold it. I cannot ray how
many other men were holding the winch-handle at the time.
The Coroner—Mr...Bronel, do you wish to ask the whams

any question.
Mr. Brunel—l would rather not. I came hens to assist
your Inquiry, and I would rather not act as an advocate.
A Jumer—Mr. Ewing is foreman to the Great Eastern
Company.
Mr. Matthew Brownfield, examined—l am resident surgeon
of Poplar Hospital. The demand was brought here on the
3rd fist., at about 20 minutes to 3in the afternoon. He was
insensible. and was suffering from a comminuted fracture of
the left leg, cientused left arm, and contused head, on the
upper pert and left Fide. lam clearly of opinion that those
injuries muscat his death. They ere quite en/Relent to muse
death. I think be was upward. of 66, but I have been told
that he la 76 years of age. He died on Friday morning at
haltpast 3. He mu men by Mr. Webb. another medical
gentleman. He had every attention. No operation was
performed.
Mr. I. E. Brunel was the next witlime—He mid—
i reside In Duke-etreet, Westminster. I am a civil
engineer, and was employed on the conetruction of the
Leviathan. I directed these works of the Great Eastern
steam ship. At the time of the attempted launch it wee
christened the Leviathan. I have been an engineer for about
30 yearn. I was employed by the Enders Steam Navigation
Company. Her tonnage measurement by the glsvernment
measurer is 23,000 tone. She I. 690 feet in length, 83 feet in
width, and 66 feet in depth. She is the layman ship known
In the univeree. Her weight is 10,300 tone. She la an iron
built allip with wooden deck. It would not have been
Me to have launched a atdp of her length in the
way, and the operation is not new, as all large American
ships are Winched bread& en. The long iron floating
Mane at Limpet ere alt launched broadside on. The one
at St. Gores pier wu launched so. It is • common thing
to ham& ilp In Ude may, and there Is nothing new in it.
The maehtnery that was used principally on that occasion
connoted of two hydrealie proems. one at le& I.ll=lllllff
way I Wilma I visas the cradle.. One wee a 10-herb peas
and the other wee a 12-Inch. The pressure could not have
exoseded 100 tam at one and 160 at Use other. but I
do not think so post a was put on. At each launch-
ing may ins a chain tackle. with a double sheet
punier* block. The chains weighed about 600 cwt.
to the Mhos. They were made for the purpose. Them
chaise were wound round large drums, 18 feet long, and
.bout 8 fret diameter. There were powerful break' beddes
this. There wen Maim from the ship, gm end aft, from
mural le the river. Them cholas were brought
barges
the there sad worked by steamenglnes. The chain
wee breoght beck to the Mere to an ordinary windlass,
wry by reaeldnery. There were doer barges, with power-
dl duke and purchaser worked by Mad. These were to
milk if 'waked, but were not lased dor the puipse of
essing the Lack. Attached to the mesa drams were cheek-
Mg his, with some ordinary wheel-work end handles,
Adel had been red fee winding chats on le the drum,
and um kept ea Mr the purpose of unwinding the dram, es '
that the ship shield mess-sragy. To sea drum then me,
at we aims* baled It, en ordlwx " ask" with mge
tackle, verist is mmitanling the greet shut la
the event of tbe • slip set nimig oe our with to
einem Thee wee ges. tackle to which. the Mt-
s.' Ban referred, Mt tt led Bedded le do with
its *Wag at th• ship the usaliaary, mail Ns Whim

wee neerelyirdlitwhook It, if not wonted. The rope_ he
sanded to was not a thick tope, but ••small one, as thick r
a earn'
thumb. The ship was not affected by it, nor was
their:sal alluded to by him of any importance ; but be wm
in a very good place to see the rodent The principal sm-
ears, on the works, Mr. Dixon, stood in the centre near the
doge the witness referred to, and which was placed half-
way between the two drums, in order that any signals from
It might be clearly seen from both. The operations which I
directed to take pleas, and which led to the accident, were as
Mows directed a outer length of each chain to be
eased out from each thaw, and the breaks to be put gently on.
A light drain was then put on the two presses, and • serail
✓aft. on the tackle at the sten. As soon se the warn
came the ship moved more duly than I had andalli.pookind
the pee on the breaks was barely sufficient. That on the
format drum was just au/Went to check the ship, and but
her the accident at the other end we should probably have
gone en slowly ; but the afterward drum had rather
the Deadest end of the alp. The prerme on the reeks
was not nfficient, and a sudden strati on the choir moved
the big drama little beyond the stick given out, and by the
jerk made the handles revolve rapidly. That rased four
men who had hold of the handles at the time to to struck.
About ten men belonged to throe roar of whom the
dariamd was not one, and the bulk of them rd very pro-
prly withdrawn from the handles adirected. The haunt
It oecurer the breaks were put on tighter, End the opera-
tion of the launch was altogether suspended tor the time.
The Coroner—And you sacra, the satident to the motion
dam ship f
Mr. Brunei—The ship moved neon treaty then I expected,
end the breaks were not no hard on se at the time when the
larch wee again attempted. la the meentimeft, he shiTL.ras
prevented from sliding down by mere of chains.
are now two preventive chains on her. I believe that the
aneseed be been put where he wee by the men out of
darki, end had rally no burros there. He would not
her been engeged, for beenw an old men.
By a Juror—l believe the other three men who were
injured had a rlOt to be thaw, but they were told to stand
▪ If I had bra there I arid have had no hernia&
in laying hold of the handle., sad therefore I cannot say the
men were to blame. At the time they had nothing to do.
The Causes—Do you believe that it was purely acci-
dental
Mr. Brunel—l do ; but I may say that I blamer. nsizetfire
I did not anticipate it would have gone down so
shfidilatdown five feet at one and and three at the other.
Ewing called—l live in Carlisle-street,
I ant Sarentan over the labourers In Mr. linreirs yard, I was
so on the launching of the ship over the ma chi, dat the
drums. At half-pest five on Monday night I rowed the
mu their stations at the drums, and told them the duty they
would have to poriWm. Each wee told what he would have
to do. The orders at the drum were in writing, which were
to attend to the signals at the breaks. A white flag was the
signal to slack the chain out from the drums, and the red one
was to atop the bleak. There was no disobedience of the
directions, and they were all attended to.
The Coroner—How did the accident occur
Witness—When the ship moved it caused a jerk on the
drama, which caused the handles to turn. There were about
40 tons of chain on each drum. Si: men were appointed to
each break and ten men to the two handled, for the parpoee
of erring to slack the chain off the drums. Whslethey
were slacking the chain they were to lay bold of the han-
dles. When they bad shamed the chain off the drum they
were to stand back. Whim they had done slacking it was
their duty to stand back. I did not employ the deceased to
attend to the drum. He was appointed to a crab, and if he
bad stoppd there be would have-been out of all danger. He
led nehoUners whore be err found. He was at the drum
about a quarter of an hour, and had come away from the
=hexer was stationed. The atop was stopped by the
and they ere sufficiently strong for that purpose.
The ship moved quicker than Mr. Brunel expected.
The Coroner—From what bee occurred do you consider
this perfectly accidental P—l do. Ido not attribute blame
to Wry one.
The Coroner—To what do you attribute one end of the ship
going lower than the other P—Because there was more weight
at one end than the other.
The Coroner—Do you rudder all trainable precautions
were tare to prevent accident P—l do, both as to strength
sad durability. I agree with Mr. Brunel that sufficient
prawn was not applied to the broths. The accident hap-
=iatt a quarter, pest twelve. The breaks stopped the
from turning round.
Richard Webb—l live at No. 19, Co terrace,
flabnon's-lane. lam a labourer, and was employed at the
late Lunch. I was stationed at one of the breaks. I was
looking at Honore, who was in a sitting position on the end
of one of the handles. I knew that he woo not ap-
ported to that duty. The other men might be
Mark by the handles. I heard the order given by the
engineer who bad charge of the drum to stand clear. I saw
the decored about five minutes before the accident at
swear dodos, where he wee employed.
The Coroner—What do you total was the canes of the
oriduit P—A sudden jerk on the slacked chain, which made
We Yorks go round.
The Coroner—You believe it to be occidental, and ascribe
no
blame to any one —No, dr.
The Crooner—Would not the operation of the breaks be to
get the ship to go gently P—Yes ; but the breaks had no hold
until the slacked chain had run out, and that was the tense
of the accident.
The Coroner then aid they had beard the evidence, and it
would ha for the jury to say whether proper precaution bed
been used, or whether any one was to blame. Our duty
had elicited from Mr. Brunel the fact that more stria weld
be put upon the breaks on the next occasion ,• but it seamed
themarilad been the author of his own accident, and there-
fore there was an end of the charge against anyone es far as
be was concerned. There was no doubt that Mr. Brunel vas
a man of great experience, and if they could not rest upon
his judgment he did not know where they could rest. In
thew days, with the mighty works in steam and electricity
before them, it would be impossible to ortzol merino for
producing works of this magnitude and if, in coming to their
redid, they should add any obeeriations which would have
the elect of checking the band of science, he did not think
:E twzi:. rim to any feeling that would be responded
•As jury considered their verdict, when
The foreman said The jury are unanimously of Woks
that the death of the deceased was accidentally caused by hi.

- _
own imprudence.
The inquisition wan then signed, and the mending* ter-
minated.