Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-09-20 00:00:00

handed offer to. the company." The power I hid on
board was not sufficient to protect the interests of
the company. My instructions from the Directors
gave me no power to inspect the mode or manner
in which the engines were constructed. I applied in
writing for such power to the Director
March. On the voyage from London,

r. Ituss2ll gave

as fre-

a general superintendence of the engines, and
quently about in the engine-room. I did not approve of
the sailing of the vessel in the then state of the machinery,
but it was not my business to make any report on the
subject to the directors. I told Mr. Brunel what a
dreadful state of things there was on board, not a single
job finished. There was nothing substantially wrong in
the machinery at the time of my starting; my opinions
referred merely to matters of detail.
Mr. John Dixon examined—l am managing engineer
to Mr. Scott Russell. The paddle-wheel machinery
was conducted under my superintendence, including the
water-casing of the funnel. The casing was commenced
by the company, and completed by Mr. Scott Russell.
A part of it was done during the time of the old com-
- Mr. Russell, and I was em-

anc

a part unc

Mr Russell, as well as by Mr. Brunel, under
the Eastern Steam Navigation Company. The water-

heater was

Mr. Russell, who had nothing to do with it

oraerea the COCK to De put m to the pipe tor the purpose
of testinc, the water-casing. I saw the water coming
out of the steam-pipe in the stoke-hole, and steam going
out of the top, at all the trials at Deptford. The cock
was in all that time. The syphon was lengthened after
the last trial, when Mr. Brunel was present, but after the
lengthening, no further trial took place until the,ship
left Deptford, and I did not observe afterwards that
there was either steam or water escaping from the
syphon. Having been the maker of the paddle engines,
Ifelt an interest in their working, but I never gave an
order nor received any in connection with their working.
I did not consider myself in any way in charge of the
engine. gave every assistance in my power. After
the fourth week, when Mr. Brunel was there, I under
stood that the engines were the property of the Com-
pany. I considered Mr. M'Lellan in charge of the
engines. He took"all upon him in the same manner as
I did when I was chief engineer. The explosion was
caused by the "feed-cock" being turned off, and no
water being applied to the casing. I was not in charge
of the machinery. Mr. Russell never gave me
charge. Ido not consider that Mr. Russell was respon-
sible. After the explosion, I examined the cock and
found it closed. I afterwards examined the cock on
the other heater with Mr. Galloway, and found it open.
I do not concur in Mr. Galloway's opinion, that there
was a pressure of 500 lbs. to the square inch on the feed
casing. before the accident. I should think about half.
Stopping the cock and the feed was precisey the same
as stopping the safety valve. M‘Lennan saw the stop-
cock, and drew my attention to it before the wooden
casing was put round it, and he said to me, " Hilloa,
what is this doing here ? " I told him, and he said,
"Leave it there, and I will look after it."
Mr. Roy Campbell, chairman of the Great Ship Com-
pany, said there was a complete understanding between
the directors of the company and Mr. Russell, and
Messrs. Boulton and Watt, that the engines would be
worked upon their responsibility, and that for anything
which might happen to them they would be liable to the
time of the contract being completed. I should say
that Mr. Russell or his foreman (Dixon) was in charge
of the paddle-engines. Mr. Russell was, I think, on
the bridge directing the movements of the engines, and
passing communications from the pilot to the engineers
below.

Mr. Scott Russell said—During the trial trip the pad-
dle engines were not in any way under my control or
superintendence. From the day when the fourth trial
of the engines was made, in conformity with the contract,
the paddle-wheel engines were delivered up to the com-
pany. That was the Wednesday before the ship sailed.
With respeot to Mr. Dixon, I received an invita-
tion from the directors to be present on the trial trip,
and to bring with me a certain number of friends. I
invited Dixon to come as one of my friends, and gave
him one of my rooms.—By the Coroner: Was Mr.
Dixon then in charge of the working of. the machinery ?
—None whatever, except that he went about as I
did, and gave all the assistance in his power ; and
permit me to say that it would have been most un-
natural in us if we had not done so.—By Capt. Robert-
son : Who do you consider was in charge of the paddle
engines ? Undoubtedly Arnott, and the other engineers
ander the direction of Mr. M'Lennan. I concur in the
opinion already expressed, that the cause of the accident
was the shutting of the upper cock. I distinctly deny
all official responsibility, either on my own part or that
of Mr. Dixon, in connection with the accident. All that
we did *as to assist the company, and I should have
acted very wrongly if, having a man in my employment
of so much experience, I had not had him on board to
give every assistance in his power. I not only sent him,
but also every reliable man I had on board, to give
assistance.

The proceedings were adjourned to Monday.
The Great Eastern now lies at anchor, surrounded by
coal vessels of every description ; through her gigantic
ports tons of this material are poured into twelve bunkers
holding about 800 tons each ; they are so arranged as to
trim the ship in a better fashion than when she left the
Thames. Her screw is now nearly submerged, her bows
have abetter elevation, and her appearance is consequently
infinitely more graceful. Steamers are continually
coming up, the.majority laden with passengers, some with
seamen and engineers joining the ship, and with stores
and provisions for her service. On the decks the scene
is a most busy one. Elegantly dressed visitors thread
their way through gangs of workmen, so busily em-
ployed that one might suppose that each imagined tha

able to infer that the position of the administratic
admits of no compromise, itbeing fully satisfied that tl
island belongs to the United Staies."
The disputed island lies north-

'esterly from ti

ton Territory in the vicinity of
broad and beautiful Strait of Fuca being
Sailing from the Sound to Victoria, across
San,Juan appears to be a part of VancOnVer's Island
and the disputed' channel cannot be distinguished until
you have come down opposite its mouth or junction with
the strait.

Notwithstanding the treaty, and the loud talk that is
made about the commanding importance of San Juan to
the Americans, it naturally belongs to the British, and
is of infinitely greater value to them than the United
States. The channel in dispute is the gate to the Gulf
of Georgia, Fraser River, and British Columbia—moso
British water and British possessions. If this s.l
is, by the treaty, determined to be the boundary line, it
only gives us a small island of small value, with no
other advantages, as we own nothing north of it ; while
to them it is the doorway to all their possessions.
(From the St. Louis Republican of September 3.)
By the arrival of the stonmer Northerner we have

;hannel

the British colonist of the Bth inst., giving

several clays

later ne
Island.

ws from the scene of hostilities on San Juan

An extra session of the British Colonial Asembl
had been calla to receive a message fi

n Governor

Douglas in relation to San Juan affairs. Ostensibly the
message was for the information of the House, but ac-
cording to the Co/cnist, it was really to secure a vote of
confidence in favour of the executive. Some inflamma-
tory remarks were made regarding the invasion of San
Juan, of which advantage was taken to secure the vote
of confidence. This was objected to on the ground that
the subject was so important that it required time for
consideration. The opposition to the vote of confi-
dence triumphed, and the question was postponed until
the Bth instant, when it would be again made the sub-
ject of consideration.
The following despatches appear in the Colonist of the
Bth instant :—The Beaver arrived on the 7th from San
Juan. Things remain in statu quo.. .A scow had
arrived with lumber from Whatcom, to erect a barrack.
No troops had been landed off her Majesty's ships.
The. Jeff,. Davis. and Active, left befare the Beaver.
The steamer Ottei arrived on the 7th with a detach-
ment of marines from British Columbia, viu San Juan,
with Col.
,Moody. No further news from the seat of war.

Her Mitjestyi ship Pylades returned from sea with the
Admiral. She had Colonel Hawkins on board, as bearer
of despatches to England. It is presumed he will go on
his mission by the Forewood.

THE CHESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.—On Thurs-
day, the annual meeting of the Cheshire Agricultural
Society was held at Sandbach.. The prizes offered
by 'the local committee, in addition to those offered
by the society, being exceedingly numerous, the re-
sult was the most successful show the society has
ever held. The entries were unusually numerous,
and in every department excellence was the' chief
characteristic. Several animals to which first prizes were
awarded at the late show of the Manchester and Liver-
pool Society, received second-class prizes at this show.
The exhibition of cheese was tolerably large, the first
prize being carried off by Mr. Peter Wright, of Church
Minshull, near Middlewich, Cheshire, who was only
" highly commended "at Liverpool. The money taken
for admisSion to the show amounted to £lB5 10s. Vis-
count Cumbermere was on the show-ground in the
course of the day. The dinner was held at the George
Hotel, under the'presidency of Mr. Randal Wilbraham,
of Rode Heath. Upwards of 200 gentlemen sat down
to dinner, and among others, Lord Crewe, Mr. J.
Tollemache, M.P. ; Mr. T. S. Humberston, M.P. ;
Colonel Wilbraham, C. 8., &c., &c. -
THE EXPEDITION TO CHINA.—On Saturday, orders
were forwarded to the commanding officers of the follow-
ing regiments to hold themselves in readiness for em-
barkation:-11th Foot, 2nd battalion, Aldershott; 14th
ditto, 3rd battalion, Curragh; 16th ditto, 2nd battalion;
Curragh; 10th Royal • Irish, 2nd battalion, Cutragh ;
21st Fusiliers 2nd battalion, Aldershott; aid 45th Foot,
Preston. Three batteries of field artillery are also under
orders. -The following steam gun vessels, already in
commission, and ready for service, will proceed to China,
viz.:—Firefly,f Flying Fish, Jackall, Locust, Seagull,
and Skipjack.
AN HONEST IRISHMAN.—One day lately, Mr. J. A.
Bainbridge, of Bishop Auckland, who has recently be-
come postmaster at that place, was surprised at the
appearance of an Irishman, named Luke Waters, who
called at the Post-office to pay him, as he said, for an
order procured from the late postmaster five years ago.
It appears that Waters had gone for an order for 10s.
when the master and clerks were busy, and whilst wait-
ing. he had unthinkingly taken up the half-sovereign
again and put it into his pocket, and when presented
with the order said he had already paid. The post-
master, on balancing his account at night, found he was
minus 10s., and went to Hunwick in search of the
Irishman, but could not find him. About two years
gafottetrezr‘s
awtehrs caentted eciractumthsetanoficfeche to had been atlhmat, ostaffoterr-
getting the order and going home, he had found the
half-sovereign in his pocket ;
the country next morning, he
nity of calling to pay it, and now he was unable to do
bhuatdasnohte
hleafdt thatan opppaorrttu of_
Walton, the widow
apologies of thefor
late
not
so, but hoped to be able to pay it soon ; and now, after
the lapse of five years, the honest fellow appeared, and
being
tm
pos
coming sooner, paid over the money. —Sunderland
Times,
postmaster,
rctehde to
with Mrs.
an
al
Irishman'st