Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-09-14 00:00:00

THE PRESS IN RUSSIA

The Journal de St. Petersbourg publishes the
following article :

Since a greater latitude has been granted in Russia to
the expression of opinion, the Russian press has taken its
place in Europe as a new eleine!).t in the dohnain of
general publicity.

- The Russian journals are read, quoted, and com-
mented upon abroad ; man seek in them' or a manifes-
tation of a public opinion which hitherto-had few occa-
sions of producing itself. _ ,

There'is, however, a certain hesitation'visible in the
organs of the foreign press as regards the real signifi-
cance of that voice which they had not been accustomed
to hear. They do not know exactly how to appreciate
what weight ought to be attached to it.

Examined by Mr. Leverson : I remembered Mr
M'Lennan calling the engineers and stokers together,
on Tuesday last ; Mr. M'Lennan told me not to
meddle with the engines or boilers, but to obey the
order of the engineer in charge of the paddle depart-
ment. The efigira; "'ere in Mr. Scott Russell's hands,
and he had supplied the engiliCeri3 to work them.
Mr. Dickson, Mr. Scott Russell's foreman, a;strmetl the
control for the paddle-wheel department. The explo-
sion was confined to the funnel-casing, which was used to
heat the water before passing into the boilers, and also
for keeping the saloon cool. At the time of the explo-
sion the boilers were not being fed from the casing, as
was evident from the low temperature of the water going
into them. If there had been a constant supply of
water passing through the casing and flowing into the
boiler, the accident could not have happened; and there
are also two stand-pipes to the water-casing, which, if
left open, would have prevented it. I saved myself from
being scalded to death by throwing myself down in the
stoke hole, and covering my face with my hands.
Mr. T. Slater, surgeon to the Great Eastern, proved
the cause of death in all the five cases to have been the
great shock to the whole system, and general collapse
in consequence of severe scalding, re-action never taking
place. The names of those dead are John Boyd, Michael
Mackleboy, Michael Mahone, Robert. Adams, and John
Edwards.
Dr. Watson corroborated the evidence of Mr. Slater.
Mr. R. P. Brereton was then called and examined.
He said : I am chief of Mr. Brunel's engineering staff.
Mr. Brunel intended accompanying the ship, but being
taken ill and unable to leave his bed, I accompanied the
ship in his behalf. The first day we got to Purfleet,
and the second day to the Nore. We left the Nore on
Friday morning, and about six o'clock in the afternoon FATAL COACH ACCIDENTS.-011 Thursday, two
we were off Dungeness. At that time I had just stepped coach accidents of an alarming description, and nearly
up from the dining saloon and walked forward. I met similar in character, occurred within a few miles of Edin-
the solicitor of the company and his wife, and returned burgh, one of them being attended with fatal results.
back with them. A second or two afterwards I heard While the Musselburgh coach was on its way out, in
an explosion forward. I was opposite the paddle-boxes passing Joppa Saltpans, one of the wheels came off,
and immediately turned round, and I saw the foremost causing the vehicle to upset, in consequence of which
funnel heave up from the deck—it leaped up as it were the outside passengers were thrown upon thb road with
above the deck, and a shower of splinters and broken great violence, and one of them—a boy named Grant,
plate-glass began falling all around. I hurried the who was, along with his father and mother, on the top
lady aft, assured her there was no danger, and told her of the coach—was killed ou the spot. Several of the
to hold her head down so that the splinters might other outside passengers were severely injured, and the
not fall in her face. I then immediately went inside passengers were also much shaken. When the
forward to see what was the matter. I found the first coach from Edinburgh to Dalkeith was on its way
funnel lying on the deck, broken in two parts. On out on Thurday, and when within about half a mile of
looking down the hole, out of which steam and smoke Dalkeith, a wheel came off, in consequence of which
were escaping, I heard men crying out " help," and several passengers were thrown from the top; and one of
" water." A good many of the passengers and crew them— a man named Newton, belonging to Ratho—
were round there. The fire-hose was immediately laid was severely injured.— Witness.
on, in case there should be any fire below, and to supply RESCUE OF A SHIP'S CREW.—WICK, Sept. B.—The
the water that the men' down below were calling out for. crew of the Huntress, schooner, which had shipped a
As soon as the steam had cleared away a little, the cap- cargo of herrings in this harbour, were rescued by the
tain and several of the crew went down with ropes new lifeboat, on-Tuesday last. The vessel was out in
round them, and began to bring up the wounded. As the bay on • Monday, when it began to blow strongly
soon as it was ascertained that there was no fire on from the north-east. She was warned to proceed to
board, the people were reassured, and the ship proceeded sea. Her crew did not consider, it necessary to do so,
on her course, never having in fact stopped at all. As but chose to ride out all night. On Tuesday morning,
soon as'the confusion was over, I went and examined the the gale continuing, they hoisted a signal of distress,
broken funnellying on deck. On the following morning it when the lifeboat stationed at Salmon Rock was imme-
was decided by the Chairman of the company that he diately prepared and put to sea, fully manned, there
and several of the engineers on board should examine being fifteen of the crew, with Captain Tudor, R.N. at
the place where the explosion took place, so as to form the helm. The crew of the schooner, to the number of
some judgment as to the cause of the explosion. Mr. seven, with the master, were taken off, and the boat
M'Connell, locomotive engineer of the North Western safely returned to shore. In doing so, some heavy
Railway (a passenger), Mr. Scott Russell, Mr. Smith, seas struck the lifeboat in rapid succession, placing her
the inventor of the screw propeller, and Mr. Smith, an for a short time in great peril. She, however behaved
engineer and director of the Artizan, engineering admirably, the self-acting valves relieving her of the
newspaper, and Mr. Bate, the representative of the firm heavy seas that broke into her; and she ultimately
of Bolton and Watts, in the screw engineers' department, succeeded in entering the harbour, amidst the cheering
were the gentlemen who made the examination. We of hundreds of spectators who had congregated on the
had an opportunity of seeing the construction of the quays. The weather having moderated, and the crew
funnel and its water-casing, which we could not have having been again put on board, the vessel proceeded
seen if the accident had not happened, because the on her voyage. This valuable lifeboat is on the plan
covering round the funnel was blown away by the ex- of those adopted by the Royal National Lifeboat Insti-
nlogion. The main funnel was exposed, because all the tution, was liberally provided and thoroughly equipped,
round was blown away. There was nothing for Wick, by the British Fishery Society.

Thus, it journal published at Brussels is looked upon
as an organ of the Russian Government, for the sole
reason that it was foanded by private Russian capital.
Again, the daily papers or periodicals -published in
Russia are supposed to be more or less inspired by the
Imperial Government, upon the sole ground that they
are subjected to a preliminary censorship. Such an
appreciation is neither correct nor just. We shall en-
deavour, once for all, to retify it.
It is evident that by granting a broader field to the

Russian press, the government Mean to withdraw its own
responsibility, except the obligations which emanate from
the social and international principles respected by all civil-
ised States. The preliminary censorship to which the news-
papers are subjected has no other object. The mission of
the censors consist in seeing that nothing shall appear
in print contrary to religion, morality, an social order,
or contrary to the consideration due to Sovereigns and
Governments. Moreover, any honest opinion may be
published in Russia ; and the Russian press, authorised
to discuss internal matters in a fair measure, enjoys the
same privilege as regards foreign political questions.
We therefore think it our duty to give a formal denial
to any assertion tending to misrepresent the position of
the press towards the Government. We are authorised
to declare in the most categorical manner that the Rus-
sian journals, or those supposed to be such, do not re-
present anything else but their own opinions ; that the
Government is not in a position either to approve or
disapprove them, still far less to accept the responsibility
under any form whatsoever.

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