The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-11 00:00:00

THE BOILER EXPLOSION AT WALKER.

NEWCASTLE, Tuesday.—A coroner's inquest on the
bodies of the persons killed by this explosion was held
at the News-room, Walker, this day, before Stephen
Reed, Esq., Coroner South Northumberland. The jury
having been sworn,
The Coroner briefly addressed them on the importance
of the inquiry on which they had now entered, after
which

Wm. Livingston, engine wright, having the general
superintendence of the engines in the iron works, being
sworn, said that the boiler which exploded had been at
work for some years. It was high-pressure construc-
tion. Last June we had a general examination of
the engines and boilers, and the boiler that exploded
yesterday amongst thereat. Every part of the enginesand
boilers that we found deficient was repaired thoroughly
at that time. The boiler that exploded was in connec-
tion with another boiler, and each of them had two safety
valves. Igo several times through the course of the
day to examine the boilers, and see that everything is
right, and particularly the safety-valves of the boilers to
see that they are all in working order. We have two
floats upon each of the cylinder boilers, to denote the
quantity of water. We have an indicator that these
floats act upon, to show the engineman the quantity of
water in the boiler. The boilers are pressed with
weights from between 351bs. and 401bs. to the square
inch. The boiler-plates are three-eighths of an inch
thick, and are capable of bearing a pressure of 50lbs. to
the square inch. The engineman is not allowed to add
any further weight to the lever. I have never known
the engineman to increase the weight in order to get up
steam. The lever was destroyed and broke from the cup
by the explosion. Once a fortnight we take the safety-
valve out, and clean it. The last time this operation was
performed was on Sunday last, when the valve was found
in proper working order. On the Monday mornings the
fireman and enginernen attend between three and four
o'clock in the morning, to get the steam up, and the
engine is generally ready for work at six o'clock, when
the workmen come to the factory. The explosion took
place at half-past ten o'clock yesterday ; the engine bad
been at work for four hours and a half. We have a cis-
tern where the water is heated, and at boiling heat it is
pumped into the boiler. No cold water can get in. I
cannot say what caused the explosion. The Tyne water
has a slight corrosive quality, that acts upon the plates
of the boiler a little ; but it never gets any thickness so
as to cause corrosion, as we run the water out and clean
; the boilers once a fortnight. The exploded boiler was
cleaned on Sunday last. I questioned the engineman
very much as to his having a sufficient quantity of water
in the boiler. He told me he had but a quarter of an hour
before the explosion examined the boiler to ascertain what
quantity of water there was in,and he found rather too
much in, and he had shutoff the supply, and sent it to ano-
ther boiler. The remaining water would not, in these
boilers, be rapidly reduced by evaporation. On examin-
ing the valves of the boiler I found them both shut,
which showed that the engine-man had been attending
to his duty. If the valves had been found open his
statement would not have been true. There are two
boilers connected together, and fed by the same pipe.
It might be that the water was thrown out of one boiler
to the other, but I think it could not be in this case, as
one man was firing one boiler, and the other man clean-
ing the grate of the other boiler ; and the boiler that had
the slack fire would be more apt to take in the water
than the other. The boiler that exploded was that which
had the slack fire. I believe there had been no want of
water in the boiler that exploded. I believe that a boiler
will not fly out of its seat if there is a sufficient quantity
of water in it, but it might burst. I am at a loss to know
why the boiler was thrown so far from its seat, except
there had been a deficiency of water ; but yet I have no
reason to doubt the truth of the enginernan's statement.
I saw the boiler about 7 o'clock, and then noticed that
the index was standing in its right position, which at
that time denoted that there was a sufficiency of water.
The water could not be diminished in that quantity by
half-past ten o'clock to render the boiler unsafe.
After this witness had been examined, the Coroner
said he was unwilling to proceed any further without the
assistance of a scientific man ; some one who was better
acquainted with steam-engines than himself. The in-
quest was accordingly adjourned till this day week.
The remains of the sufferers were interred this day at
Longbenton, the Coroner having given the necessary
order for that purpose.

.
There are seven altogether who have lost their lives.
Another lies at the infirmary in a precarious state. Of
the rest none have sustained serious injury.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

GREAT NORTHERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for the
week ending Sept. 30, 1855 £27,084 n 11
Corresponding wsek last year 24,026 510
LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAlLWAY.—Traffic re-
turn for the week ending Oct. 7, 1855 £20,718 18 11
Corresponding week last year 20,115 3 5
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for
the week ending Oct. 7, 1855 £6,622 11 8
Corresponding week last year 5,433 16 11

Increase in 1855

...£l,lBB 14 9

GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic re-
turn for the week ending Oct. 6, 1855
Corresponding week last year 5,773 14 5

Increase in 1855..

£543 12 (;

CORK AND BANDON RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for week
ending Oct. 6, 1855 £273 7 9
Corresponding vreek hut yeas flimmilimitim 24011 7

SPORTING INTELLIGENuB.

NEWMARKET SECOND OCTOBER MEETING.

TUESDAY.
THE CESAREWITCH.
Additional particulars of the race :

THE START.

At the first signal they all got off in a cluster ; in the
next moment Early Bird sprang out and took a clear
lead, Gamelad being second—Monarque, Mr. Sykes,
Crown Pigeon, Robgill, Lady Tattoo, and Fulbeck oc-
cupying positions in front of the ruck.

AT THE DITCH GAP
Early Bird gave way, and Gamelad went on with the
running ; the others above-named still lying together ;
the second division of the ruck being headed by Typee,
Muscovite, and Hungerford.

DESCENDING THE BUSHES•HILL
Gamelad dropped off, and Crown Pigeon went on with
the lead ; Poodle, who had been lying off, was now seen
to draw forward and take fourth place, Mr. Sykes and
Lady Tatton then being second and third ; Monarque,
Fulbeck, and Sultan the next three ; when half way up
the hill Poodle took third place, and Fulbeck and Mo-
narque began to fall back ; by this time the heavy
weights were all beaten off.