The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-08 00:00:00

The Belvedere Catastrophe.

Fragments of the mutilated and mangled remains
of persons who perished in the explosion of Satur.
day continue to be picked up emong the ruins.
Several of these relics, blackened and charred, have
been found since the inquest was opened at Belve-
dere on Tuesday, and taken to a shed behind the
hotel there. They appear to be beyond identifica-
tion, if, indeed, that were desirable under circum-
stances so revolting. It is now certain that 11 per-
sons in all perished in the catastrophe. Of these
the bodies of five have been. found and identified,
and six are missing—namely, the four bergemen,
and two men named York and Wright, labourers
employed about the magazine of Messrs. Hall. The
death of the young Italian, Angelo, who received
mortal injuries in the crowd at the Erith railway
station on Sunday night, adds another to the num-
ber. The case of the Yorks is ♦ery lamentable.
Father and son (a bey of 13) were killed in the
explosion ; a younger boy of six or eight, now an
orphan, lies in a precarious condition at Belvedere ;
and the mother and a little girl, the latter of whom
is nearly recovered, are in Guy's Hospital, The
bodies of George Rayner, the storekeeper, and of
the lad York were buried on Thursday in one grave
in the little cemetery attached to the parish church
of Erith, hard by the scene of the calamity.
The considerate kindness of Captaia M'Killop,
of Belvedere, in taking the poor little orphan
boy York, suffering from compression of the
brain, into his house, and providing him with
medical attendance and all the comforts of a home,
is the theme of praise throughout the neighbour-.
hood. Grimes, the master of a Trinity ballast lighter,
who was seriously injured by the explosion, remains
at the Yacht Tavern in Erith in a condition which
precludes his removal. He had a narrow escape.
He was passing the spot in the lighter at the time
of the explosion, with two other men newel Bruce
and Clarke. He was steering at the moment, and
his two mates were in the hold of the lighter. The
effect of the first explosion was to sweep him clear
off the barge to a considerable distance, and as he
fell in the water fragments of timber and bricks
were hurledupon him from the shore by the second
and still more appalling one, some of which struck
him upon the hip, inflicting a dangerous wound.
The shock prostrated his companions in the hold of
the lighter, and for some minutes they were unable
to render him any assistance. Being a strong man
and an expert swimmer he made for the lighter,
disabled though he was, but made vain attempts to
catch hold of it, end was on the point of drowning
when one James -Williams, who had been fishing in
a little boat just opposite the magazines at the time
of the explosion, went to his rescue, though he
himself was hurt, and with the aid of Bane and
Clarke put him on board his own lighter. Williams
is the man who had his right whisker blown off, and
it may interest Mr Carttar, the Coroner, to know
that he lives at 9, Queen-street, Greenwich, and
may possibly be able to throw some light on the
matter. A waterman named Gray, at Erith, vrha
was on the steamboat pier there at the time of the
explosion, has made a statement which goes to con-
firm the general belief that it originated in one of
the barges. The pier at Erith projects far into the
river, and commanded a view of the powder maga-
zines, which were about two miles distant. On
hearing the first explosion he says he looked in the
direction of the magazines, and saw a great &shot
light between the water, which was lotv at the time,
and the embankment. This, he adds, was followed
instantaneously by the second and more astound.
ing explosion, and then by a third. Two brothers
named Jones, who are reported to have taken away
a quantity of gunpowder in a barge from one of the

two barges which lay off the jetty on the evening
preceding the explosion, are expected to be forth-
coming at the adjourned inquest on Tuesday:

• Yesterday again about 100 navvies, in the service
of Mr. Webster, the contractor at the outfall sewage
works at Crossness-point, were at work backing
up the embankment with solid clay at the place
where the breach was made by the explosion.
From day to day there have been high tides, and
often strong winds blowing in that direction, but
the work so promptly begun by the navvies, and
followed up by the Sippers and Miners from the
garrison at Woolwich after the catastrophe, has
never in the least yielded from the first, and pro-
bably when it is finished the breakwater will be
stronger at that particular point than all the rest
of the embankment, which has lasted for ages. Had
the attempt to repair the breach failed in the first
instance the subjacent country far miles would
have been deluged with about seven feet of water,
and engineering skill would have been taxed for
months in the attempt to recover it. Some ame-
nities have been exchanged between Major-General
Warde, the Commandant of the garrison at Wool-
wich, and Mr Lewis Moore, an engineer connected
with the Thames embankment, residing at Erith,
in reference to the manner in which the embank-
ment was reinstated. Mr Moore, it will be recol-
lected, was among the first who proceeded to the
spot after the explosion, and having at once per-
ceived and appreciated the emergency arising from
the peril of inundation, he despatched messengers
bath to the garrison at Woolwich and to Crossness
Point, which had the effect of bringing first the
navvies, and then the Sappers and Miners and the
Royal Artillery, with General Warde at their head,
upon the. Scene, with what glorious result is now well
known. Mr Moore states, in a letter to the Gene-
ral, that the assistance rendered by him and by his
officers and men during the trying crisis had saved
from inundation an immense tract of c9an try extend-
ing from Gravesend to Battersea. He has no hesita%
tion, he says, in asserting that, having himself been
present from half an hour after the accident, but
for that assistance, with the aid rendered by the
400 men in the employ of Mr Webster at the Main
Drainage works at• Crossness, nothing could have
prevented a disaster exceeding in magnitude that
of the Dagenham Reach or Middle Level inunda-
tion. He took the responsibility on himself as an
engineer in communicating with the garrison,
knowing that one tide flowing through the breach
would wash down a great part of the river wall
and render it irreparable for years. Gen. Warde
writes in reply to the effect that it was very for-
tunate Mr Moore was on the spot and capable of
realising the very critical state of things. He adds
that he has forwarded his letter to the Horse
Guards, and he thanks him, on the part of the
troops, for giving them the credit they deserved.
An inquest has been held by Mr. Serjeant Payne,
the coroner for the city of London, on the body of
Angelo Morandi, who died at Guy's Hospital from
the injuries he received at the Erith station of the
North Kent Railway on Sunday evening. The de-
ceased was 24 years of age, and a cabinetmaker by
trade. With thousands more, he went to the scene
of the explosion on Sunday, and about 8 o'clock in
the evening was one of an enormous crowd of people
waiting at the Erith station to be taken back to
London. In a rush which was made to a train on
its arrival he fell or was pushed under the wheels.
On being taken up he said, "I'm a dead man." He
was conveyed to Guy's Hospital, where he arrived
half an hour after midnight, having bled profusely
in the interim. He was found to have sustained a
compound fracture in the right thigh and other
injuries; he was cold and almost pulseless. He ob-
jected to amputation, which would have afforded the
only chance of life, saying he would rather die than
lose his leg, and he expired in three quarters of
an hour afterwards. His account was that he was
pushed under the train by the crowd, It came out
in evidence that from 700 to 1,000 people had as-
sembled on the platform at the time, that the com•
pony's servants were wholly unequal to restrain the
crowd; that numbers had got upon the platform

ever ' he railings for a quarter of a mile on each side

of the station ; and that many slipped down an em-
bankment 50 feet deep. When the train as coming

into the station it became necessary to telegraph Co
atop it 400 yards down the line, on account of the

people who were being pushed upon the rails by
the pressure. The jury returned a verdict that the

death was accidental.

The Lord Chancellor will receive the judges and
the Queen's counsel at the noble and learned lord's resi-
dence in Upper Hyde-park-gardens, on Wednesday, the 2d
proximo, being the first day of ➢lichaelmas Term. The
Lord Mayor elect, with the Recorder and civic authorities,
attend before the judges assemble.

The Stranding of the Brig Governor

Maclean.

The following is the repOrt of Mr James Traill,
stipendiary magistrate, assisted by Captains Baker
and Cow, as nautical assessors, of the investigation
into the stranding and damage of the brig Governor
Maclean, on the Owers, on Sept. 5, 1864
The brig Governor Maclean was 216 tons burthen, was
built at Millwall in 1833, and was the property of Mr John
Forster, of London. Though upwards of 30 years old, she
was strong and seaworthy. Sho was employed in the
African trade, and at the time of her stranding was on her
homeward voyage from that coast, bound for London, laden
with palm oil, cotton, and ivory. She was commanded by
Carl August Gyllenspetz, a Swede, holding a Board of Trade
certificate of competency as master, dated Sept., 1854, who
has commanded English merchant ships for many years,
during which he has had opportunities of being acquainted
with the navigation of the English Channel. Besides the
master there was a chief mate, holding a Board of Trade
certificate of competency, dated the 19:h June, 1862; and
also a boatswain and acting second mate, a Swede, who
holds a Swedish certificate of competency as master. The
brig was in every way properly found, and manned by a
sufficient crew. The facts of the case, as regards the strand-
ing of the Governor Maclean, lie in a small compass, and
may be collected from the ship's log, which is admitted by
the master to be a correct statement. The following is a
transcript of these entries, from 4 a.m. of the 4th Septem-
ber, till 3 a.m. of the sth, when the brig went aground on
the Owers :—" 4 a.m , Start Light N. E., 10 miles. 5
a.m., set port foretop and maintopgallant studding-sail.
7.20, wind heading; in maintopgallant studding-sail, and
braced forward the yards. 8 a,m., St. Catharine's Point
N.E. N, 11.30 a.m., squared the yards and set all
studding-sails, Noon, Dunnose Head N.N.W. § W„ lat.
50 23 N., bar. 30. Cher, 64, lat. account 50 45, long, account
234 W. Pumps attended to. 6 p.m., got sight of Beachy
Head, it being thick, hazy weather, so that at dark, when
we saw the light, could not distinguish any flashes as from
the light on Beachy Head; but presuming that some alte-
ration had taken place with that light took in all studding-
sails, royals, and topgallant sails, wind W. to W.S.W.,
squally, with thick haze and drizzling rain. Steered east
and east by north till eight o'clock, when Dungeness light
came in sight. At ten o'clock, very thick, dark, and rainy,
with wind increasing and blowing in heavy gusts, the light
then bearing N.N.W.—sounded in 15 fathoms, keep-
ing the course for a short time, and burning flash lights
for the attention of pilots, but saw no sign of return
signals. Braced up the yards and stood off to the star-
board until twelve o'clock, when it became necessary to
take in two reefs in the topsails, stow mainsail, jib, and
mainstaysail, the light being nearly out of sight, and the
object being to keep near so as to get a pilot at daylight.
Wore ship with her head to the N. W,, until we got sight of
Folkestone, or the reflections from the gaslights of the place.
Sounded in 10 fathoms, Wore ship round, the light bearing
S.W. by W. Steered a S.S.E. course, and got to the
southward and westward of the light, and about what could
be judged in about two miles dietaries, and sounded in 15
fathoms. At a quarter to two hove the vessel to under the
double-reefed topsails, with.the head N. W., wind W.S.W„
and the tide ebbing; the vessel seemed to gain to the west-
ward or north-westward. At half-past two the vessel
struck the ground several times, and all attempts to back
her off were unsuccessful. Clewed up and stowed all sails,
and got the longboat and surf boat hoisted out. As the
vessel struok the rudder was unshipped, the wheel and
everything around knocked to pieces, and the vessel, as the
tide fell, listed over on her starbcard bilge. At daylight,
found that the vessel had stranded on the elbow of 0 wer,
and that Owers Light had been mistaken for that of Dunge-
ness," From these entries it will be seen that the master
made a series of the most extraordinary and unaccountable
mistakes as to his position during the whole of Sept. 4. At
4 a.m. he knew he was oft the Start, and when he next
sighted land, at 8 a.m., only four hours afterwards, he fan-
cied it to be St. Catherine's, in the Isle of Wight, a distance
of 91 miles. If the master knew so little of this part of the
Channel as to make so great a mistake, he was the more
inexcusable in not examining his chart, which would have
made him aware that this land was not St. Catherine's
but the Bill of Portland, 50 miles short of it. Once pos-
sessed of this erroneous notion of his position, he goes on
with a succession of mistakes, first supposing St. Catherine's
Light, seen at 5 p m., to be Beachy Head, 59 miles further
up the Channel, and afterwards, at 8 p.m., mistaking the
Owers for Dungeness, above 60 miles further up. Under
these circumstances, the stranding and damage of the Go-
vernor Maclean was adjudged to have been caused by the
default of the master—and it was further considered a de.
fault on his part that, with so great reason to be doubtful
of his position in the night of the 4th and sth, he did not
lay his ship to with her head to the southward, and wait
for daylight, particularly when, at or about twelve p.m.
he found the soundings reduced to 10 fathoms, and
the light which ho took to be Dungeness appearing to sea-
ward of the ship. Had he done this ho would, in all pro
bability, even at that late period, have escaped the conse-
quence of his mistakes. For these reasons the master's
certificate has been suspended for six calendar months from
this date, and would have been suspended for a longer
perio 1 but for his general good character and the care he
seems to have used in all other respects, with the exception
of a proper examination of his chart.

JAMES TRAILL I it. B. BAKER I JOILN Cow,
To the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council

for Trade, &o.

MARKETS—TIds Day.

COVENT GARDEN.

The show of fruit and vegetables was seasonably large,
and the inquiry for most descriptions ruled steady, as
follows :

YRI7IT.

a. d. s. d.
Pine apples 6 0 to 6 0
Foreign do., each 1 6 to 2 6
Grapes,per lb 2 0 to 6 0
Foreign do 1 0 to 1 6
nelons
Nectarines, per dz 0 0 to 0 0
Apples, per hf-sv. 1 3 to 2 6
Pears, per do
Oranges, per 100..10 0 to 14 0
Lemons, per 100 5 0 to 8 0
Gooseberries ht eve ) 0 to 0
Strawberries pr pt 0 0 too 0

s. d. e d
Mifberries,prpt 0 4to 0 0
Cherries, per lb. 0 oto 0 0
Foreigit htb, puno oto 0 6
Filberts, per lb .. 0 oto 1 0
\Valuate, per 100 1 oto 2 0
Cobnuts, per lb .. 0 oto 0 0
Almonds, per bus 0 oto 0 6
Figs, per doz. .... 0 oto 0 0
Peaches, per d 0... 3 0 to 10 0
Curt ants, per h.sv 0 oto 0 0
Plums, per do. .. 2 6to 3 6
Greengages, pr d 0.2 6to 3 0

VEGETABLES.
Greens, dz bunch 3 oto 4 0
Cabbages, pr doz 1 6to 3 0
134c1 ditto 2 oto 2 6
Savoy do., pr dz 0 oto 0
Cauliflowers, p d 0 9to 2 0
Brown sprouts
Potatoes, per tou 80 0 10120 0
New ditto, pr cwt 0 oto 0 0
Turnips, dz bunch 2 oto 3 0
Carrots,pr do 3 6to 4 6
Cucumbers 0 4to 1 6
Garlic, per lb
Sorrel, per sieve 0 oto 0 0
Green peas, n.-sv. 0 oto u 0
French beans,h.s. 1 6to 2 0
Onions, doz. bn 1 oto 2 0
New Do., dz bun 0 oto 0 0
Spinach 0 oto 0 0
Brussels sprouts 0 oto 0 0

Shallots, per lb .. 0 oto 0 0
Horseradish, pda 1 oto 2 0
Parsley, per ditto 0 oto 0 0
' Celery, per ditto 1 oto 1 3
Beet, per doz. .. 0 oto 0 3
Parsnips, per do. 0 oto 0 0
Small salad, p. pn, 0 oto 0
Mushrooms. p pt. 0 oto 0 0
Artichokes, each 0 oto 0 0
I Cos lett, score .. 10 oto 1 0
Mint and savory..o oto 0
Endive, per score 0 oto 0 0
Radishes, dz linds 0 oto 0 3
Tomatoes, doz... 0 oto 0 0
' Chillies, per ditto 0 oto 0
Capsicums, per do 0 oto 0 0
Rhubarb, per bun 0 oto 0 0
Asparagus, pr do. 0 0 to 0 0
Seakale, par bun. 0 oto 0 0

POULTRY.

Turkeys, 5s Od to 7s Od ; geese, 6s Od to 8s Od each ;
goslings, 4s to Gs Od ; ducks, 2s Od to 3s Od ; ducklings,
2s Od to 3s Od; rabbits, 13 Od to is 10d each; wild do., 81
to is Od; pigeons, Os 5d to Os 8d each; Surrey fowls,
9s Od to 13s 6d ; chickens, Os to Os Od ; barn door fowls,
3s Od to 5s Od; capons, Os Od; hares, 3s Od to 3s 6d ;
ptarmigan, Os Od to Os Od each ; pheasam,s, 4s to Gs Od ;
partridges, is Od to 28 ; woodcocks, ls to 28 Od ; snipes, Oct
to Os Od; teal, Os Od to Os Od ; wild ducks, Os Od to Os Od ;
widgeons, Os Od to Os Od ; plovers, Os Od to Od each ;
guinea fowls, Os Od to Os Od; roasting pigs, Os Od to Os Od
each; Ostend fresh butter, is to 18 2d ; English, is 2d
to is 5d per lb ; English eggs, 9s Od to Os Od ; French do.,
64 6d to 8s 3d per 100 ; leverets, 2s Od to 3s Od,; grouse, 3s
63 to 4s 6d.