The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-16 00:00:00

The Steamboat Collision at Shoerness.

The inquest relative to the death of Mrs. A.
Turner, of 11, Delamere-crescent, Upper West-
bourne-terrace, Bayswater, which was adjourned
from Tuesday the Bth inst., was resumed yesterday
by Mr. Thomas Hills, coroner for East Kent. It
will be recollected that the deceased was a passenger
on board the Oread steamboat, belonging to the
Woolwich Steampacket Company, and that she was
drowned in consequence of a collision between that
vessel and the Government steamer Wildfire, tender
to Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Talbot, K.C.8., Com-
mander-in-Chief at Sheerness. On the Bth inst. the
inquest was formally opened and evidence taken re-
lative to the finding of the body and for identifica-
tion. Charles Hall, R.A., coxswain of the garrison
boat at Sheerness, stated that on the day in ques-
tion he was on the river in the garrison boat coming
from the marten() tower, on the Isle of Grain,
towards Sheerness. His boat was about 200 yards
from the Wildfire when the vessels ran into each
other. The Oread appeared to be going at her
usual speed, and the engines of the Wildfire were
completely stopped. He did not see any reversing
of the engines in either vessel. There was nothing
intercepting to take off the sight of one vessel from
the other, and they might have seen each other for
a considerable distance. The Wildfire's moorings are
about 100 yards from the flagship Formidable, and
she •was making lor them when the accident oc-
curred: Captain Edward M'Laughlin, R.A., de-
posed that he was in the boat with the last wit-
ness on the day in question, and it was his opinion
that it was impossible ,for the Wildfire to have
avoided the collision, because she was describing
part of a circle, and had hardly any way on ;
whereas the Oread had great way on, and if her
course had been altered she could have got clear
off. Lieutenant Thomas Walker Brydges, R.A., was
in the boat with the previous witnesses, and said that
two women, who were thrown overboard, had been
picked up by the boat of the Wildfire, which was
lowered for that purpose. The boat could not have
been lowered if the Wildfire had any considerable
way on her. From the time witness first saw the
boats till the collision the Oread had plenty of time
and opportunity to alter her course. Mr. John B.
Ross, surgeon, and captain of the Ist Tower Hamlets
Volunteer Engineers, living at 12, Albert-square,
Stepney, London, said he was on board the Oread.
When the collision occurred he threw himself on his
left side on the deck and saw the head of the Wild-
fire break away the bulwarks of the Oread and drag
three women overboard. Just before the collision
witness heard the captain of the Oread say something,
but could not distinguish what it was; after a mo-
mentary check the boats went on as before. Richard
Wheeler, master mariner and captain of the Oread,
said he had commanded the Oread 11
years, during
the summer months. He was well acquainted with
the passage from Gravesend to Sheerness.
On the
and shaped his course direct from S
day in question he was in commanndutohfentldietoOread,
Sher-
ness. When within 100 yards of the flagship he per-
goroonththere
nc
re
ai vf et do
nn ohti
sh i
ag
ri in tahr
de sbhoalpr
.e
lolf eas wasm a:
tll a boat
bridge of his boat and casting his eye to the starboard
paddle-box when he saw the Wildfire approaching.
if e was steering in the usual course, and could not see
that he had it in his power to avoid the collision. The
reason of his not seeing the Wildfire before was that
as she came down the west shore of the river she
would not be in a line with his vessel. Michael
Burr, chief quartermaster of the Wildfire, deposed
that he was in charge of that vessel when the
collision took place ; the Wildfire had been up the
river Medway and was returning to her moorings.
He had stopped the engines at such a distance as
would spend her way at the time of reaching her
moorings. The witness found, howevei, that the
speed.of the vessel was so much diminished that he
should have to start the engines again to reach the
moorings. He had seen the Oread 600 yards off,
but expected that she would go to the stern of the
Wildfire. He did not sea the Oread afterwards
until she was under the bow of the Wildfire. At that
time the Wildfire was standing quite still. In his
opinion the Oread damaged the Wildfire instead of
the reverse. He did not back the engines, because
he did not think it necessary to do so. The jury
found that there was not such culpable negligence
on the part of any one concerned as would justify
them in returning a verdict other than "Accidental
death."