The Sun.
London, England, 1830-04-26 00:00:00

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NEtANCHGLY CATASTROPHE AT
MANCHESTER.

„ 71
On Saturday-morning a most calamitous circum-
stance occurred on the tiveOrwell, near the place,
where; two years 'since; abofit thirty persons were
drowned, at the launch of a flat from the wharf at
the Old 'Quay in. Water-street. A considerable
number of masons and labourers are at present em-
ployed by the Manchester and” Liverpool Rail-road
Company, constructing arches across Water-street,
and a bridge over the which is to connect the
rail-road on the two sides of the river. Many of the
men lodged on the Salford side, and were in the
habit of being ferried over to their meals, as well as
at night after having finished their work. The boat
in which they crossed was a small one, generally
guided by a single ore at the stern, and had to make
several trips, in order to convey the whole of the
hands across. Saturday morning, at eight o'clock, a
number of the men expressed rather more anxiety
than usual to go with the first trip. It had rained
fast all the morning, and there was a strong wind;
the river was.also considerably swollen, and the ra-
pidity of the stream was much increased. Notwith-
standing these circumstances, twenty men crowded
into the boat, air'. she was fearlessly and heedlessly
pushed from shore, with her gunwale nearly down to
the water. For some minutes she went steadily, the
men standing up; but shortly, from improper ma-
nagement, her side came upon the stream, and she
heeled considerably to the larboard. Some of the
men were instantly displaced, and three of them,
stepping on her side, leaped into the water ; others
then rushed to the same place, when she instantly
upset, and the whole were precipitated into the
deep and rapid stream. Two. swam ashore ; and
through the prompt assistance rendered by the crews
of several flats, which were lying in the river, and
the hands at the quays and dye-houses, six others
were rescued, io a state of greater or less exhaustion;
but the remaining twelve were carried down by the
current and perished. Their cries at intervals are re-
presented as truly heart-rending. Half-an-hour
elapsed before the first body was recovered, and it
was not until the expiration of two hours that the
eleventh was dragged ashore. 'I he names of the
sufferers are as follow :
John Winstanly, sen., about 50 years of age, leaving a
wife and four children ; John Winstanly, jun., about 21.
Both from Newton, near Manchester.
John Wilson, a single man.
Jere9tiali Andersen, about 25, from the neighbourhood
of Purl jlll.
Ralph C 'welt, same age, a wife and one child.
Jari.es Dooly; abciut 22, single man.
James Baron, 35, wife and one child, from Kincardine_.

shit e.
Donald M'Donald, Murrayshire; and his brother was
in the boat, hut escaped.
Alex. Finlay, Murrayshire.
Wm. Howard, Durham, married.
The bodies are now lying at Mr. Baby's, a public-
house, in the Liverpool road. One has not yet been
recovered. The melancholy event has caused a great
sensation in the town, and it has been proposed that
the bodies should be interred by means of a sub-
scription. An inquest will probably be held on
Monday.

THE EXPEDITION TO ALGIERS.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM MARSEILLES, DATED

APRIL 14.

Here, as at Lyons, whence I wrote to you las
the expedition is the general topic of conversation ;
with this difference, that at Lyons it is unanimously
blamed, whereas at Marseilles it is universally ap-
proved. This is not to -be wondered at when we
contemplate the different interests of the two cities;
the commerce of the latter only will be increased by
this important event. It is true that this mode
of viewing matters savours of egotism; but such is
the way of the world, and we must take it as we
find it.
There is no chance of the arrival of the Dauphin,
an event announced as certain in all the newspa-
pers. The presence of the Prince might, indeed,
have a salutary effect on the army, but this ad-
vantage -would not counterbalance the ineonveni•
ences resulting from even a temporary suspension
in the preparations for the war, which must take
place under such circumstances.
The Admiral has himself made trial of three
steam-packets offered by the American Consul at
Havre; they might be fit for the navigation of the
Rhone, but they appear of too weak a structure
for sea; moreover, the price required for each is
300,000 francs, which is far beyond the sum
which it would be prudent to bestow on such ves-
sels. It has, therefore, been determined not to pur-
chase them.
Intelligence from Africa announces the perfect
security of the Dey and his Divan. We are in•
formed that he scarcely condescends to make prepa-
tions for defence. In vain do officious persons—for
such are to be found in every clime—endeavour to
make him sensible of the imminence of his peril. He
is told of the magnitude of the preparations making
against him ; that they are on a larger scale than
even those made by Bonaparte for the Egypt:an
campaign. To this lie answers, " God is great, and
the sea is dangerous." On the other hand it is
known that the populace subjected to the yoke of this
barbarian hail with joy the approaching arrival of
our fleet. If the inhabitants of Algiers, placed im-
mediately under his grasp, dread the effects of his
rage, those who live extra mums may escape his
fury by quitting their nomads dwellings, and thus
laugh at the impotence of his threats. No doubt
can exist that as soon as the expeditionary army
shall have surrounded the place, there will be a
general insurrection among the Moors in our favour.
The most minute precautions are taken on every
point connected with the expedition. The only
fault that could be found on this subject would be
the excess of precaution, if such indeed could ever
become a matter of reproach. The greatest difficulty
exists in procuring sufficient supplies of forage.
Provence affords few resources in this respect. The
piice of hay rims daily. The boatmen of the Rhone
will profit by this impulse given to the trade in the
conveyance of forage to Toulon and Marseilles. The
.enthusiasm of the troop/ is wound up to the highest
pitch ; but on this ,übject I must not enlarge, lest I
should be merely reneatieg what issues from every
tongue.—London Express and Paris Advertiser.

The " Carnatic Commissioners" (BENJAMIN 1
HOBHOUSE, THOMAS COCKBURN, and ROBERT HARRY
IHOLIs) have at last closed their labours, with their 2fith '
Report, just printed ; and they finish their Report with
observing—" In closing an inquiry, necessarily often
protracted by circumstances not within thtir controul, and
which must always attend intricate and extensive investi-
gations into subjects remote in time and in place, and in
the greater proportion involving the interests of natives of
India, they have reason to believe that the patient investi-
gation, the last results of which they now communicate,
has not deprived any one claimant of his least right under
those terms of inquiry to which, by signing the deed of
covenants, he bad himself agreed ; while, As to some of the
eases rejected, it has defeated the most iniquitous com-
binations of fraud which were ever submitted to a Itgal
tribunal."
MOST MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.--A me-
iauth,,i, accident occurred on Tuesday morning on the
river, which was attended with the most fatal results, The
John Reyes, belonging to ROBERT GLADSTONE, Esq.,
just arrived from the East Indies, was lying abreast of
Wallasea Pool. A two-masted river gig, on board of
which were eight individuals, departed from the pier-head
about ten o'clock in the forenoon, for the letter-bags.
There was a strong gale from the northward at the time,
but the boat, however, was skilfully steered, and brought
alongside the ship, which was then much under the influ-
ence of the roll of the sea; the jigger-mast of the boat un-
fortunately came in contact with the lower part of the
ship's chains, and was instantly swamped. Two of the
crew clung to the vessel's side, and were happily saved
from a watery grave, the others less happy sunk. One of
them, after remaining in the water about forty minutes,
and drifting a considerable way down the river, was picked
up by the Alice steamer, of Seacombe, and notwithstand-
ing the promptest remedies were afforded, has since died.
Three of the bodies have since been found, but the other
two are still missiug.—LiverpoolJourna/.