The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-19 00:00:00

It will be reatmtehmobeNreedw,
Cupryoontatlhepoalcacoaesioonnofmthohedlaayte,
accidentsad
those of the sufferers who were not killed upon the spot
were removed to Guy's Hospital, in which institution
two poor fellows died within a short
period after their
admission. Yesterday forenoon, Mr
W. Payne, coro-
ner for the borough of Southwark, *
assembled a jury of
highly respectable inhabitants of Saviour's parish
(of whom Mr. Burrell, proprietor of the Bridge-house
Hotel, was foreman), for the purpose of investigating
the circumstances under which t
their deaths. hese two poor men met
The jury met at 11 o'clock, at the To
Chas. Fox and Mr. John Henderson, the
contractors
Sir
contractors
for the erection of the building, and Mr. Francis Fuller,
the managing director of the Crystal Palace.
Company,
were present.
Mr. Ballantine again attended to watch the case.
The deceased persons having been identified as Wm.
Harris, carpenter, aged 27, and Henry Reading, car-
penter, also aged' 27, the jury proceeded to the hospital 1
for the formal purpose of viewing the remains.
On their return the proceedings commenced with the
examination of
Mr. John Cochrane, who said—l am an engineer, and
assistant to Fox, Henderson, and Co., at the works of
the New Palace at Sydenham. The transept of the New
Palace is 120 feet wide from centre to centre of the
columns that support the arch. The height from the
floor to the centre of the highest point of the arch is
about 170 feet. The height from the top of the columns
is 102 feet, which is 8 feet from the springing of • • the
arch. At the time the accident occurred a portion of
the scaffold was being erected for the purpose of enabling
us to fix the roof over it. It was an iron roof of circu-
lar form. The height from the top of the columns to
the crown of the arch was..6B-feet,
Coroner—Now will you describe the course of proceed-
ing adopted in fixing the scaffolding ? Witness—At one
end of the transept there are five tiers of galleries raised
against the north wall, each 24 feet wide. On the fifth
or top gallery, it being a good platform for the men to
work upon, we put up two of the lower trusses forming
part of the scaffolding.
Coroner—Now describe to us what is a truss.
Witness—lt consists of an iron tie-bar at the bottom.
Coroner—Can you sketch it ?
The witness did so, and added in explanation that the
lower connecting piece was a horizontol tie-bar, consist-
ing of several pieces of wrought iron riveted together, its
total length being something more than 120 feet. The
upper part is a horizontal strut of timber, and between
this strut and the iron tie-bar are a series of diagonal
struts, also of timber. There are two bars, one on each
side of the strut ; each bar is six inches by half an inch,
and in their proper position they are placed edgeways.
The tie-bars consist of a number of pieces of wrought
iron fastened together by joint plates and rivets. [The
witness illustrated his meaning by a sketch.] The upper
part of the truss is composed of a strut, which is made
of timber, because it is in compression. The truss itself
is composed of a certain number of equilateral triangles,
each of which has a side of 30 feet deep, so that the
vertical height is about 26 feet from the tie-bar to the
strut. The struts are in shape something like a boat.
The sides bulge, and there are pieces of wood placed to
prevent them from collapsing, and they are strengthened
with iron bolts to prevent them from widening. The
equilateral triangles which extend from the iron tie-bar
to the longitudinal strut, are of the same formation as
the latter, and are also called struts. Six of these trusses
had been completed, and the seventh was in process of
construction, when the accident occurred. The seventh
was the last truss required for the north side of the '
transept. The sixth gave way first and brought the
seventh and fifth trusses down with it. It is necessary
I should explain that on the top of these lower trusses
are placed a second series of trusses, bringing the scaf-
folding nearer to the crown of the arch. These upper
trusses were not completed over the fifth and sixth lower
trusses. On Monday afternoon, about half-past two
o'clock, the men were upon the sixth truss, putting the
seventh together.
Coroner—How were the trusses raised to their proper
position ?—Witness—We hoist them up by means of
blocks and falls to a level with the gallery floor. The '
first and second were formed upon the gallery floor. I
The first formed the outer truss at the extreme end of
the building, and the second was moved forward twenty-
four feet into its place. To construct the third truss a
stage was made on the tie-bar of the second. We then
hoisted up the necessary pieces to the stage, and when
all was complete we moved this out to its place, twenty-
four feet further into the transept. Then the fourth
was formed on the tie-bar of the third, the fifth on the
fourth, and so on.
The Coroner—Having examined the scene of the acci-
dent, and the fallen materials, are you able to discover
\
the cause of the trusses giving way 1--I am totally un-
able to account for it. Something must have broken
somewhere, that we know, because the thing came down.
Whether the timber gave way first, or whether it was
one of the struts, or a casting that broke, I cannot say.
Examination in chief—l had no doubt myself of the
perfect safety of the process we adopted, otherwise I
should not have gone upon it, as I did myself frequently,
or have directed other persons to go upon it. I never
heard any man say he considered the scaffold unsafe, nor
was such an idea ever suggested to me. I never heard
men express any fear of the trusses, but some men would
be afraid to go upon them, on account of their height.
The plan of the trusses was suggested by Mr. Hender-
son and myself. It was something very like the plan
adopted at the old building in Hyde-park. The same
system of trusses is in constant use in building railway
bridges and other permanent works, but I am not aware
that the plan of moving forward the trusses is generally
adopted. We intend, for the future, to raise a scaffold
from the ground. We shall do this for greater caution,
simply because we cannot ascertain how the recent acci-
dent originated. I wish to add, in reference to a former
question, that though I have never heard men comulain
of being obliged to work on this transept scaffold, fhave
known them express disappointment at not being al-
lowed to do so. It was considered the "biggest job"
in the place, and they had all a desire to be at it. I
was in the office when it gave way. The trusses up to
the fourth are all remaining standing. The fifth, sixth,
and seventh are all down, and the materials forming
them shattered.
Henry Wilbee was next examined. He said—l am a
foreman of carpenters in the employ of Messrs. Fox,
Henderson, and Co., and superintended the fixing of the
scaffold for the central transept of the new palace. I
have spent a great deal of my time on the scaffold, and
was there about twenty minutes before the accident
happened. I have been engaged in works of this cha-
racter for sixteen years. The plans for this scaffold
were placed in my hands before a timber was laid. I ap-
proved of them, and expressed every confidence in the
mode of construction. At the moment of the accident
the men were engaged in fixing in the iron bolts to se-
cure the tie-bar of the seventh truss, preparatory for the
rivetters. I cannot tell the cause f the sixth truss hav-
ing given way. The materials of which it was composed
were new, and of the best quality—the timbers as well
as the iron work were all new.
Mr. Ballantine—A little error has crept into the
papers of this morning on this subject. An impression
seems to have existed that the timbers forming the
trusses came from the old palace. This was not so.
Coroner—Just describe to us how the ends of each
truss rested on the columns.
Witness—There is a " half-timber" placed upon the
top of the girders. The girders are from column to co-
lumn. Each end of the tie-bar rested upon this " half-
timber," and when the truss was completed and properly
secured, it was moved along by " prising" each end with
a crow-bar. The " half timber" was lashed to the top
of the girder by ropes. These " half timbers" are not
disturbed where the trusses have fallen. The weight of
each truss would be about 5 tons to 5i tens. I cannot
at all account for the aocident.
Sir Charles Fox was next examined—He said, I am a
civil engineer, and, in conjunction with Mr. Henderson,
am a contractor for the erection of the new palace. I
was not present when the accident occurred. The works
generally have been under the superintendence of my
partner, Mr. Henderson, and Mr. Cochrane, in conse-
quence of my having been very much abroad ; but in re-
ference to this particular work my opinion has been asked
on more than one occasion, and we have together gone
very carefully into the consideration of it. I was perfectly
aware of the plan on which these trusses were about to
be erected. It was submitted to me before it was adopted,
and I approved of it. I saw the works on several occa-
sions during the time they were in progress, and it never
occurred to me that there was anything unsafe in the
--, execution. If it had I should never have allowed the
early in the
I—THE CAMP AT CHOBHAm.— men to work there. I was upon the spot .
LADVERTISEMENT. j .
.examine-
after the accident. Upon a careful
Pic,cadilly.—Observe, opposite the morning
39, Albemarle-street,discovery as
A valuabl tion I have been quite unable to
inn
yossible to die--
newly-invented, • vented, very small powertul
new y-in svais coat-pocket to the cause. I believe it to be quite p
first place
these two reasons. In the
lass, the size of a walnut, by which a
.person cover the cause for
gel beseen and known one mile and a half distant ; the parts which have fallen are so thoroughly broken to
„n purpose on the race-course, at the • that cannot form any opinion of what was
they answer every piecesyou
and ships are clearly seen the accident, and in the second
opera-houses, country scenery,
forshooting,the proximate cause of
at 12 to 14 miles. They are invaluable deer-
lthose which fell at the time they gave way were
not ace
g, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, third, and I should think not
saTitnourists. Telescopes—A new and most important bearing more
hthoafn
tahe weight borne by those that
more than a fourth
inventionn in telescopes, possessing such extraordinary
' Those which are standing have to
that some, inches, with an extra eye-piece, will are now standing.
they have then to carry a
powers
moons, Saturn's ring, and the carry, first, their own weight,
show distinctly Jupiter's
•ehin 1 of the lower portion. They have
double stars ;with the same telescope, wee„ gon y 3 scaffold at the
d above that there is an-
ounces, countenance three miles added to them atop truss, an
ounces can be seen a pe
.large quantity
, and an object from 16 to 20 miles., other row of scaffolding, together with a
and a half distant, .
other kind for the waistcoat-pocket, of boarding, &c., necessary in the construction of the
They supersede every
with increasing powers As far as I can compute the
and are of larger and all sizes, . g works.
d• el Opera and race-course glasses, with wonderful ,
ne• d which appear in every respect equal to the
SCOOT in° y.
an object can be clearly seen, from 14 to 16 miles 1 -' an for which they were designed, are bearing at
Tisiv,aenrt;,. Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, opticians, have in- purpose .
load which those which have fallen
p le lenses. Immediately least three times the
vented invaluable p
reservings" spectacle
ever did bear. But, more than this, they had resisted
they are placed before imperfect vision,_
detective
object
tremendous wrench which was necessary to break
clear and distinct; the most aged, detective sight the
the fourth and fifth trusses.
appears
is brought to its youthful, the connection between
becomes bright and brilliant,
a scaffolding from the ground in the
andoriginal state. Deafness—New Discovery— Had we constructed
natural,
have neces-
' Vibrator, an extraordinary powerful and way we now propose doing,
The Organic but we considered
invented instrument, for Deafness, entirely different nary to use these trusses ;this a bet-
from lyall-i
others, to surpass anything of the kind that has ter and a safer mode, because to erect a scaffold from
been,ra or probably ever can be, produced. Being of the the ground 180 feet high is a very serious job. The
as the skin, it is not perceptible ; ieenables
same principle has been adopted in many railway
same colourbridges
to hear distinctly at church and at public as-
much larger span. I have seen Moore, one of
deaf persons of
sensation of singing noises in
semblies ; the unpleasant _ .
the men in the hospital, who fell with the scaffold, and
is entirely removed ; and it affords all the assist- 1
the ears
once that possibly could be desired.—S. and B Solom s who might
Solomon s,hcan give no information as to
1 t B.
Piccadilly.sure e the cause. He
'ts and Opticians, 39, Albemarle-street. e-s reet. am
Ames
Observe, opposite the York Hotel he was quite insensible when he got half way down,
says

Gallons.,
One-half of each to be delivered
VINEGAR .... •• • •
Qrs. mainder in one month after-
OATS (for making Oatmeal) 500 I wards, or earlier if preferred
Tons.
MUSTARD (in Flour) • • 6• by the party tendering.
PEPPER (whole 81ack).... liJ
The Rum and Pepper to be exempted from the Customs Duties.
No tender will be received for a less quantity of Rum than 4,000
gallons—of Vinegar than 3,000 gallons—of Oats than 100 quarters—
of Mustard than 2 tons—and of Pepper than 1 ton.
Samples of the Rum to be sent in pints for each import mark, and
the average strength of each mark ex to be stated. and
not an average of different marks or strengths of several imports,
and any parcel of Rum that is found not to be of the same quality,
mark, or aver: ge strength of the sample tendered and accepted will
be rejected by the officers; and samples of the Oats (not less than 2
quarts), and of the Mustard and Pepper (not less than 21bs. of each),
must be produced by the rarties tendering.
The samples produced by persons whose tenders are not accepted,
are requested to be taken away by them immediately after the con-
tracts have been decided.
The conditions of tin revised contracts, to which particular atten.
tion is called, may be seen at the said office, at the office of Corn
mauler Bevis, at Liverpool, and of the Collector of Customs at
Bristol. •
No Tender will be received after One o'clock on the day of
treaty, nor any noticed, unless the party attends, or an agent for
him, duly authorised in writing.
Every Tender must he addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty,
and bear in the left-hand corner the words " Tender for
and must also be delivered at Somerset-place, and those for Rum,
Vinegar,ig ned b a
accompanied by a letter
y
the person tendering, in a sum of 201. per cent. on the value, for
Signed
Mustard,
responsible
and
perso,, must
engaging b o
to become bound with
the due performance of each of the contracts.

CONTRACTS FOR SALT BEEF AND SALT PORK.
Department of the Comptroller for Victualling and Transport
Services, Somerset-place, 21st July, 1853.
pHE Commissioners for Executing the Office of
g. Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, do hereby give notice, that on TrtunsnaY,
the 15th
September next, at One o'clock, they will be ready to treat with
such Persons as may be willing to Contract for supplying and de-
livering into her Majesty's Victualling Stores at the undermentioned
Ports, the following quantities of
ALTMEAT,

of the cure of any country, and all of theveare of the ensuing season,

Navy Pork.

Tierces. I

Barrels.

550 2OO
550 200
550 200
1550 500

22` 1300
2250 1300
2250 130 n
2600 1000

Their Lordships reserving to themselves the power, when the
tenders are opened, of contracting either for the whole, or for such
part thereof only, as they may deem fit, or for a greater quan-
tity, or of not contracting for any ; and also an unlimited power
of selection, according to quality.
A separate Tender must be given for Beef and a separate Tender
for Pork, and every render must specify where the meat is intended
to he cured.
Persons tendering for more than one Port must give a separate
Tender for each Port. and every Tender must contain a separate
price for tierces and a separate price for barrels.
The Beef and Pork to he delivered into the respective stores as
folio via.:—One-third of each by the 31st day of January, another
third by the 15th day of March, and the remainder by the 30th day
of April, 1854, or any greater portion or the who'e at any earlier
period if preferred by the party tenderibills payable at sight. ng, and to be paid for by
The conditions of the revised contracts, to which particular atten-
tion is called, may be seen at this office, or by applying to the Agent
Victualler at liaulbowline, or to the Collectors of her Majes
or to
ty's
Customs at Bristol, Limerick, Belfast, Waterford, and Newry,
the Secretary of the Postmaster-General at Dublin, or to the Com-
mender conducting the Pacoet Service at Liverpool; or to the Resi-
dent Agent for Transports at Leith.
No Tender will be admitted for a less quantity than 100 Tierces
or 100 Barrels.
No Tender will be received after One o'clock on the day of treaty,
but it will not be necessary that the party tendering, or an agent
appointed by him. should attend at this office, as the result of the
offer received from each person will be communicated to him in
writing.
Bills in payment for any Becf or Pork delivered into her Ma-
jesty's Stores will be sent to parties upon transmitting the usual Cer-
tificates of receipt.
Every Tender must be addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty,
and bear in the left-hand corner of the envelope the words "Tender
for Salt Meat," and "Comptroller for Victualling," and must also
be delivered at Somerset-place, and be accompanied by a letter
signed by two responsible persons, engaging to become bound with
the person tendering, in a sum equal to 201. per cent. on the amount
of the contract, for the due performance of the same.

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" A. Row,an i and Son, 20, Hatton garden," engraved on the Govern-
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and Perfumers.

I asked him if he could throw any light upon the acci-
dent ? His answer was, "It was the weight of the iron
ribs." I said, " Then you fancy that the whole of the
trusses are down ?" " Certainly," he replied. I told
him he
,was mistaken in that. He then said, "I can't
tell you anything about it. It is a mystery to me."
Moore made up his mind that the whole thing—
Nos. 1,2, 3,4, 5,6, and 7 trusses—had come down
together.
Mr. William Ward, an architect, proved having been
much engaged at that portion of the building where
the accident happened. Ile was not at present profes-
sionally engaged at the Palace, but had been so some
time since ; and feeling a great interest in this peculiar
scaffold, had been many times to see it during its pro-
gress. He was there for this purpose when the acci-
dent occurred, and was standing within 24 feet of the
portion that gave way'. He observed a slight vibration
of the timbers forming the sixth and seventh trusses,
and immediately afterwards the whole of the last three
trusses fell to the ground, carrying the men with them.
The struts near the centre appeared to break up as they
fell. Witness had no doubt whatever of the safety of
the principle upon which the scaffold was erected, or he
would not have gone upon it himself.
This closed the evidence, and
iaanps kpa
edyadoriust i
to
onh
have
aot
vcteho uee rnes
tveei
The Coroner then said : Now, gentlemen, I should
rydeeodnu
e me
theayyemut
ihnhi
dna
skv
have
tf
adesirable
ehtna
dot
la de.
mo
epl
ntt
at a have
great
a atgrdeaetalidiesa
sometimes
m oe f s
accomplished
the jury that it might perhaps be desirable to see the
pklanocw that
place.
localitiescomplsh
iaenddbyl
an inspection of the spot where an accident has occur-
red. Perhaps you may think, however, . after what
you have heard, that that is unnecessary, and that
you are now sufficiently acquainted with the details
and particulars of the place to enable you to form a
just conclusion. If you wish to see the spot, lam sure
that every facility will be afforded you for doing so.
But it is for you to say whether you think that necessary.s .
The case, as at present before us, seems to be that there
has been adopted somewhat of a new principle in erecting
the trusses for the purpose of placing the roof over the
building, and that something like it had been adopted at
the old palace at the west en of the town, so that it is,
therefore, not quite a new, but something of a new
principle. It appears there was a gallery at the north
end of the transept, from which they began to work, and
they thought, therefore, that it would not require any
scaffolding underneath the trusses to raise them—having
a gallery to start from, they thought that would be quite
sufficient. Sir Charles Fox is of course a party concerned
in this matter, and therefore, though we have the fullest
assurance that he would not utter a word that he did
not conscientiously believe to be correct, yet of course
you will take every man's evidence as it is given you ;
and if you find a man connected in any way with the
building, so that his mind may possibly, and almost im-
perceptibly, have a bias without intending to say any-
thing wrong, you will give such credit to that opinion
as you think it entitled to. There are other persons
also connected with the building who have given the
same opinion, and we have also had Mr. Ward, the last
gentleman examined, who is not now connected with it,
but who was there for a scientific purpose, and all agree
in stating that the mode adopted was in their judgment
perfectly safe and judicious. Then, that being so, if
you think that that was in their judgment a perfectly
safe and judicious course, there can be no criminality
attached to any person with regard to this case. If you ,
should be of opinion that they really thought that this
was a safe mode of doing the work, and that the accident
was the result merely of an error in judgment—even if
it were so much as that—of course you may remove from
your minds any question of criminal responsibility
attaching to any person, because none can exist. Were
it otherwise, no man would ever venture upon a new
invention, or upon the application of a novel process.
No man would be safe in making an experiment if you
were to carry the law to the extent of saying that be-
cause a man is fairly endeavouring to bring about some
new method of doing something that had not been done
before, he shall be criminally responsible in the event of
death unfortunately resulting. You would put a stop
to everything like inventive genius, or the attainment of
scientific objects. The question is, whether you con-
sider that these persons went recklessly to work in con-
structing this scaffold, and whether it was such a foolish
and improper thing as no person in his senses would
attempt, because in such a case you would say that any
man or set of men who acted so rashly must be responsible
for all the consequences. Here, however, you have the
opinion of several persons that although this was a some-
what new invention, yet in their judgment it was a perfectly
safe one ; and certainly if they had not thought it was
so, they would not have trusted themselves upon it.
They had described the manner in which the work had
been done, and I do not know that you would gain much
more information even if you saw the trusses in their
present position. This is for yon to judge of, ilowever. If
you wish to see them, of course you can do so ; but it
will only lead to your meeting here again. If your
minds are not satisfied as to the construction of the work,
and you like to take that trouble, every opportunity will
be afforded you ; but if you think, as appears to me most
completely, that there is no ground for saying that this
was a reckless, or foolish, or unadvised mode of pro-
ceeding, and that no person in his senses ought to have
thought of doing anything so rash or reckless, then that
which has happened in pursuit of that which is lawful
can be no more than an accident. You have already
had, I trust, sufficient evidence to satisfy your minds, as
it has done mine most completely, that this is the result
of an accident which happened to that machinery, or
scaffolding, whichever it may be termed, which no hu-
man foresight could have seen so as to have prevented.
You see they have carried out four trusses, which are
now standing complete and uninjured. They had also
carried out the fifth and sixth trusses, which were stand-
ing safely at the time of the accident. Then only at the
last, from some unaccountable cause, which nobody seems
able to explain, the trusses Nos. 5,6, and 7 all came
down together, and these lives are unfortunately sacri-
ficed. If you think, as I before observed, that this scaf-
fold was fairly erected on scientific principles, by men
who understand their business, and who really thought
that they were doing that which was perfectly safe, then
the result, however unfortunate, can be none other than
accident. You have put questions with a view of ascer-
taining whether any improved or safer course can be
adopte with regard to these matters in future ; but you
have heard from gentlemen connected with the works,
that they do not intend to persevere with the present
mode, because, though they were at first satisfied that
it was perfectly safe, yet inasmuch as something has hap-
pened which they cannot account for, they think it safer,
and it is highly creditable of them to say so, not to fol-
low out the original plan, but to adopt some other which
they think would be freer from doubt as to the result.
They intend, therefore, to adopt another course, by which
injury may be prevented in future. It appears to me
that this is purely an accident. The men no doubt have
died from the effects of the injuries they received, and
if any person could tell us what occasioned the trusses
to give way, then the good which would result from
pursuing this inquiry would be, that it would operate
as a caution to others to avoid the mischief which has
occurred in this instance. No one seems to know
what the cause of the accident was, and I do not think
that either from looking at the pieces that now remain
or at those which have fallen, that you will be one
whit nearer the mark. Those who were upon the spot,
and have examined it carefully, cannot tell, and I do
not think if you were on the spot that you could tell
either ; still if you think it desirable to have a view, of
course you can do so, and then you can return your ver-
dict either to-day or any other day you choose to appoint.
We know that under the most favourable auspices acci-
dents may happen, and this appears to me to have been
one of those unfortunate cases which no human foresight
could have prevented. They did that which they thought
was best, but an unfortunate result ensued. Still that
does not amount, either in law or in common sense, to
more than an accident. It is for you to judge l
ge of the
if
case. If you wish to have a view, you shall
eco ;sod I
l
not, you will please to consider . your verdit
think you will have no difficulty a deciding th;at and
this
together,
and an accident. Be kind enough to consult
and tell me which course you prefer taking.
After a few moments' consultation, the jury expressed
a desire to visit the scene of the calamity, and the court
adjourned until eight o'clock to afford them an opportu-
nity of doing so.
The jury then proceeded by railway to Sydenham, and
viewed the locality. Upon their return,
The foreman said the jury desired to know whether
any person unconnected with the building had examined
the materials of which the trusses were formed ?
Another juror hereupon observed that two of their
own body, both of them very competent men, had exa-
mined the materials. One of them was a builder, and
would of course be competent to speak as to the charac-
ter
of the wood, and the other was well • acquainted with
the qualities of iron.
The Coroner said, as that was the case, it would
points.
per-
haps be desirable to examine them on both
A. third juror remarked that, while awaiting the re-
turn train on the platform at the Sydenham station, they
had met a person who told them that evidence would be
addueed at the adjourned inquest before Mr. Carter to-
morrow (this day) of a very different nature to that which
had been brought forward to-day, and which had been
kept back hitherto. The person who had said all this
was Downer, the witness who proved the identity of the
deceased man Henry Reading.
Downer was then recalled, and on being questioned by WOOLWICH, AUG. 18.
the Coroner, he declared himself unable to give any evi-
APPOINTMENTS.
dence of his own knowledge. He had only heard float-
Graham Ogle (1846) to command the float-
ing iumours and was not in a position to state anything Commander
t Chatham wh 'll
Arab, 12, sloop, a ) ere s e will be immedi-
until he had put himself in communication with some A
other persons. ately commissioned.
Hall
Commander Robert
The Coroner considered it would be a waste of tape to 'paddle-wheel Stromboli, b. steam-sloop, of 280-horse
listen to hearsay testimony of this character. He thought
connissioned this day, at Portsmouth.
it would be better they should hear what two of their power, , Naval
Chaplain and Instructor the Rev. Samuel Bea
own body would say on the subject. from the Queen
sworn. , (1852), , 116, to the Sybille, 40, at De.
Mr. John Boyle, one of the jurors, was then
; vonport, whence she is toproceed to the East Indies
He said he was a scalemaker, and acquainted generally
station.
with the qualities of iron. He knew good iron fr.oi3n. 1
Second Mast • NIT' • illiam Francis Greet (1845), from ,
bad, and what he had seen at the Palace thatday I
e‘xtt- the Coast Guard,el
to the Dolphin, 3, brigantine, at ,
peered
to him to be of the best quality. lie hadofthe Sheerness.
hoes
mined portions of the cast iron forming the s .
wrought iron Master's Assistant W. B. Goldsmith, to the Philo. r'y -'t
struts which had been broken, and of the....
not broken. Every mel, 8, sloop, at Devonport.
which was bent and doubled up, but
and -
partof itappeared to him to be of the best quality, Midshipman C. E. Burlton, to the Plumper, screw
• e manner. He steam-sloop, at Portsmouth,
to have been put together in a workmanlike l h
k

Her Majesty embarked at Cowes this morning at ten
o'clock on board the steam-yacht Victoria and Albert,
Captain Crispin, and steamed up to Spithead. On
nearing the anchorage the Rolla, naval apprentices'
instruction brig, Lieutenant Fenwick in command, led
off a general Royal salute by the whole of the fleet,
which had a most imposing effect from the shore. The
Royal Yacht steamed through the line to the head of
the fleet. when her Majesty left her yacht, and embarked
in the State barge for the Duke of Wellington, 131,
Captain H. B. Martin, C. 8., and the fleet was signalled
to prepare for weighing. The squadron about to pro-
ceed to sea under the command of the Queen in person,
consisted of the Duke of Wellington, 131, (flag) ; Aga-
memnon, 91, Captain Sir Thomas Maitland, C.B. ; Im-
perieuse, 50, Captain Watson, C.B. ; Arrogant, 46,
Captain Fremantle ; Highflyer, 21, Captain Moore ;
Desperate, 8, Captain Chambers ; and Encounter, 14,
Captain O'Callaghan—accompanied by the Victoria and
Albert, Elfin, Royal Yacht, Master Commander Rallis-
, ton ; Fire Queen yacht, Master Commander Paul. *. and
Sprightly, tender, Acting Master Commander Men.
Steam being up, the Duke of Wellington signalled to
weigh, herself being the first to " move on ;" she got
away in 81 minutes from the time of making the signal,
and it is but just to note that all the other ships showed
similar alacrity. Each having taken the station allotted
to her, the squadron proceeded towards the Channel,
steering a S.S.E. course, in the following order :
Port Division. Starboard Division.
Agamemnon. Duke of Wellington.
Encounter. , ImpJrieuse.
-

Desperate. Arrogant.
Victoria and Albert. Highflyer.
They stood out to sea, and were soon lost to sight
from land. No one but the naval authorities was
aware of the intention of the Queen to visit the fleet to-
day, and civilians were, consequently, unable to go on
board and witness the day's cruise.
At four o'clock the Royal squadron was seen again,
through the haze in the distance, making for Spithead,
the Duke leading ; but in coming within the circle of
the anchorage the Agamemnon overhauled her, and the
force came up in the same order as at starting.
At 5.30, the fleet which was left at Spithead—the
Queen, 116, the Prince Regent, 90, the London, 90, the
Blenheim, 60, the Edinburgh, 56, the Amphion, 34, the
Gefion, 48, and the Amazone, 12 (Prussian), and the
paddle frigates Sidon, 22, the Odin, 16, the Leopard, 12,
the Vulture, 16, the Magicienne, 16, the Vesuvius, 6,
the Barracouta, 6, the Banshee, 2, &c., fired a general
Royal salute to greet the Queen's return ; and, as soon
as the smoke cleared away, the crews were discovered
on the yards, ready to cheer her as she passed through
the line homewards. Her Majesty left the Duke of
Wellington at 5.45, and returned to her yacht for
Osborne.

During the absence of Captain Scott, of the Oiin, on
24 hours official leave, while moving the Odin into line.
Commander Geo. Parker, of the Barracouta steam-sloop
(who was towing the 0 lin), let her fail foul of the High-
flyer. The latter has lost by the movement jib and fly-
ing jibboom. The Odin has a couple of boats destroyed
and a good deal of superficial damage done.
The Rhadamanthus steam-transport, Master Com-
mander Belam, arrived in harbour this morning from
Pembroke, bringing round the party of riggers that was
sent down about the Caesar.
The Edinburgh, 56, steam-ship, Captain Hewlett, will
leave Spithead on Saturday, on three weeks' cruise.
The Tribune, 30, steam-frigate, Captain the Hon. S.
T. Carnegie, hauled into the south docg. this morning,

PLYMOUTH, Aua. 18.

Her Majesty's frigate Sybille, 40. Captain the Hon.
C. G. Elliot, will probably sail on Sunday next for the
East Indies. Her crew were paid two months' advance
yesterday.
The steam block-ship James Watt, 90, having been
coppered, was taken out of dock yesterday.
The St. Jean d'Acre screw line-of-battle-ship, Capt.
the Hon. H. Keppel, will probably be ready for sea this
tusettrei
under
supplyeamryesrttoewa,asm oobn sl
yehr;ve re
awii
nt h
t4hoeo
ftonse
oo
uf
week. The Pallas coal depot was towed alongside yes-
Wind, SM., fine breeze. Her fun-
rscoeal.
Yesterday, at 12 a.m., a ship-rigged paddle-wheel
down Channel,
nel was before the mainmast, and she bore the red en-
sign at her peak.
This morning, at 10, a two-decker screw steam-ship,
said to be the Edinburgh, entered the Sound from the
eastward.
Mr. Edye, Master Shipwright of this dockyard, and
Mr. Isaac Watts, Assistant-Surveyor of the Navy, left
by train yesterday for Pembroke, where they met Sir
Baldwin Walker and a committee of master shipwrights
for the purpose of inspecting the Caesar, 90, recently
launched at that port. It is stated that this ship was
hogged three feet out of her build before she was fi ally
launched, but that she has nearly recovered her shape
afloat. Some of the copper bolts by which her iron
knees were fastened were cut clean off by the ironwork.
when the ship strained.
the 16th,
The Lady
t
The General Screw Steam Company's ship
the South, Captain Norman, sailed on Tuesday. Queen of
for the Cap e of Good Hoe and Calcutta.
300 tons, Cap
The Danish merchant-ship Christine,
and landed pas-
sengers Peterson, was off the port yesterday,ea.
She is laden
Jocelyn, homeward, will be due here about the 26th
instant. t.
from the Cape of Good H
f Simons 'Bay on the
Copenhagen. The Christine
Helena on the 26th, Ascension
with rice and tobacco, 120 days
11th of June, was off St. z
ores on the Ist of August.
on the let of July, and the Azores
ship
Scotland, from Chine
, Off St. Helena she spoke the Macao, bound for
I for London.