The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-29 00:00:00

ACCIDENTS IN STEAM-VESSELS.

A meeting on the subject—of steam-boat accidents too
place in Newcastle-on-Tyne on Monday, the Mayor, Mr. T.
E. Headlam, in the chair, who expressed his hearty approval
of the objects for which the meeting had been called.
Mr. Alderman RIDLEY moved the first resolution to the
effect—" That this meeting sincerely accords with the genera/
feeling of sorrow for the serious loss of life occasioned by the
wreck of the Forfarshire steam-vessel on the coast of Northum-
berland, and entertains a fear that it was in some measure to be
attributed to some fault or deficiency in the machinery or the
vessel."

Mr. J. WATSON seconded the motion.
Mr. W. LORAINE moved the second resolution—" That
this meeting, contemplating the great use of steam navigation
throughout the British empire, and the vast and rapid
tension of that mode of conveyance, considers it to be the in-
dispensable duty of Government to provide, as far as possible,
against the increased danger which is incurred in travelling by
that means, the state of which means it is impossible for indi-
vidual passengers to examine."

This was also seconded, and, on being put from the chair,
was carried unanimously.
Mr. M. PLUMMER proposed the third resolution i--" That
it is the opinion of this meeting that the best means of pre-
venting a recurrence of similar accidents in future would be
by the appointment of duly qualified persons as inspectors of
steam-vessels to observe their state, and who should have the
power of granting licenses or certificates of the sufficiency of
the vessel, to be placed in some conspicuous part, to which
the passengers might have access."
Mr. W. H. BROCaETT seconded the motion, but before it
was put,

Mr. W. GREENER begged to say a few words on the subject
of steam.boiler explosions. He stated his opinion that many
of the accidents from this source were owing to the inferior
quality of the iron employed in the formation of boilers.
The motion was then put, and carried unanimously.
Mr. STRAKER next addressed the meeting, and dwelt on the
great 'importance of having a strong and powerful windlass,
together with a heavy anchor, and cables of sufficient length
and strength to correspond, so that if the machinery happened
to go wrong, which the utmost vigilance of an inspector could
not always prevent, the vessel might still ride in safety until
assistance could be obtained. Mr. Straker concluded by
moving a resolution to that effect, which was seconded by Mr.
S. Lowey, and carried unanimously.
The Rev. Mr. HAWKS moved the fifth resolution. Every
one seemed to be convinced that some measure was necessary
to render travelling by steam more safe; they might differ on
details, but they were all agreed on that important point. Tho
only thing appeared to be to address the Queen for the ap-
pointment of an Inspector, and he would therefore move a re-
solution to that effect.

Mr. J. BRANDLING said the resolution went to apply to Go-
vernment, and he must tell them that he rejoiced in the pre-
sent meeting, because it would tend to good, but it did not
quite come to what he thought the most efficient way. A
Government Inspector might be appointed, he would give in
his Report, and the whole responsibility would rest upon him.
Now, the steam boat proprietors themselves should do some-
thing to protect the public; and he thought they should be
called upon as a body to appoint Inspectors, who should be
responsible, and who should report upon the sufficiency of the
vessels. He was not inclined to oppose the resolution, but
he thought that something like what he recommended should
take place.
After a little discussion it was agreed that a copy of the
resolutions and the memorial should be sent to steam-boat
proprietors.
Mr. J. H. HINDE, M. P. agreed with the meeting gene-
rally, as to having the steam-boats placed under proper autho-
rity, but he thought it would be better to present the memo-
rial to the Secretary of State for the Home Department,
with a view to' some measure being brought forward on the
subject. He considered that the expense should form no Ob-
jection, for when not only property, but human life was at
stake, no pecuniary circumstances should stand in the way.
Many half-pay naval officers, for a trifling addition to their
pay, would undert Ike the task.
After some disc fission, it was agreed that the Members of
the town should press the subject on the attention of the Go-
vernment.

Mr. S. REED, the coroner, produced a letter be had re-
ceived from the Home-office, from which it appeared the Go-
vernment were likely to take the matter into consideration.
Mr. J. BRANDLING proposed the next resolution, for raising
subscriptions to reward those persons who risked their lives
in saving the passengers of the Forfarshire. He had much
pleasure in advocating this cause, because there was a female
connected with it, and he was always ready to assist them by
every means in his power. If ever there was a woman
that well deserved the thanks of her country, it was the
daughter of Darling. He did not like to raise any thing like
jealousy, but no doubt they formerly called themselves lords of
the creation, and they must now allow a female character to be
no way inferior, for that woman exhibited a firmness of mind,
a duty to her father, and a Cu y as a Christian, equal to any man
in the country.
Mr. Alderman RIDLEY seconded the motion.

In consequence of a question from Mr. Straker, some con-
versation took place as to the danger incurred, in the course of
which Mr. Joshua Watson said, that a female joining an old
man in doing out in a rough sea, and the kind way in which they
treated the sufferers, would affect any man in a great degree,
and he could with the greatest pleasure have gone to view the
place and see the girl.
After some arrangements about the subscription the meet-
ina broke up, after passing a vote of thanks to the chairman.
.—Tyne Mercury.

The alterations in the mail communications be-
tween London and the West Ridina. of Yorkshire, which are
about to take place in consequence of the whole line of rail-
way between London and Manchester, will, it is understood,
be made on the quarter-day, the bth of next month, when the
morning mail bags, for Rochdee, Halifax, Bradford, and
Leeds, will leave London at 8 or 10 o'clock in the morning,
via Manchester, and will be forwarded by the Manchester
and York mail, which leaves Manchester at 8 o'clock on tha
evening of that day, so that the morning letters and papers
from London, which, are despatched on the forenoon of one
day, will arrive in Leeds at two o'clock in the morning of the
following day. Already the London Morning Papers, by an ar-
rangement with the railway proprietors, arrive in Leeds, by
the Manchester mail, about 16 hours after their publication
in London. The day mail from Leeds to Manchester, which
now leaves this town at ten o'clock A.M., will not be de-
spatched after these arrangements are completed till a quarter-
past 11 in the forenoon, when it will convey the Leeds bag to
Manchester, whence it will be forwarded to London by rail-
way, where the letters will be delivered the following morning.
There will also be an evening mail from Leeds, by way of
Manchester, to leave this place at about 7 o'clock, with the
London letters, which will arrive there in time for delivery
in the afternoon of the following by; and by that return
mail the letters which leave London in the evening of each
day will arrive at Leeds at about 2 o'clock is the afternoon
of the following day, two hours earlier than at present, and
similar accommodation, nay even still greater advantages, will
be afforded to Bradford, Halifax, and Rochdale. By a memo-
rial presented to the Postmaster-General from the bankers,
merchants, manufacturers, and other principal inhabitants of
Leeds, an improvement has been suggested upon their plan,
to the effect that a mail coach should be established to run
direct to Leeds from Rugby, receiving at the latter place
the letter-bags for Chesterfield, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wake-
field, and Leeds, without going round by Manchester. We
should by this plan receive our letters at noon daily, instead
of at four o'clock in the afternoon, as at present, or at two
o'clock as proposed by the Manchester route; and the towns
mentioned to the south of Leeds on this line would be bene-
fited by such acceleration of the mails in the same proportion.
—Leeds Paper.
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT.--TWO LIVES LOST.
—On Friday morning, about five o'clock, the Argyll steam-
boat left Inverary, on its way to Glasgow, and had proceeded
but a short distance when she had the misfortune to run down
a small " herring wherry," containing three persons, two Of
whom (father and son), we are sorry to say, met a watery grave..
The individual who escaped is quite a lad, and was mainly in-
debted for his preservation to the pilot of the Argyll, who dis-
played much promptitude and presence of mind on the occa-
sion. The Argyll remained an hour on the spot, and neither
men nor boat could be seen. The Captain then sent his vessel
off to Glasgow, and remained behind to render assistance in
searching for the bodies. The universal feeling among the
passengers was, that no blame was attachable to the Captain.
—Glasgow Herald.

A fire broke out early on Thursday morning last in
a rick of bay belonging to Mr. Shepherd, of Muchall, in the
parish of Penn, Wolverhampton, by which much of the hay
was either consumed or damaged. It was discovered soon
after twelve o'clock, when the flames were breaking out at the
top of the rick, but by the timely assistance of the neighbours
and others drawn to the spot, the injury was confined to the
rick in which the fire broke out. We are happy to learn that
there is no reason to suppose it to be the work of an incen-
diary, as the fire is lydieved to be caused by the too hasty
putting of the hay together, although about six weeks have
elapsed since it was finished. The damage is estimated at
nearly 100/. Wolverhampton Chronicle.
FACTORY INFORMATIONS.—On Monday, at
Rochdale, Mr. Edward Ainsworth, woollen-manufacturer,
ply not guilty to eight informations for infringements
Factory Act. They were for not whitewashing his for
not producing the register of ago and school vouchers;aB
not signing the rules and regulations; for not
anonfistzhge hours
cient meal-time ; for banging up a false aecounsturgeon
grant-
of working; for not exposing the name of the
is ill an abstract of
ing certificates ; for not hanging up
in
b firing information Mr.
the Act ; and for overworking. For the
on the second, 1/.
Ainsworth was convicted in 2/. and costtss.;
The 4th, 6tb! 6th,
and costs ;on the third, in 21. and nilo: thefor
c°sThe Bth was deferred
and 7th informations were
—anc CONVICTS.—In conse-
quence OF PARDONED . s
until that day fortnight.
tct ft 1
twh
ri tehe yea r s eacgr
oe
,t a ra
sy
soi
sf t
eS
dt a
ht ey
ju-Valesster Guardian.
Magistrate,free
Burke, stipendiary a pardon was
Major W.
.teen
persons from the neighbourhood of Dun-
more,granted to sixteen fqoure
the
ee of I
Homeou r
Department, humble i n te. fearbeon
convicted
Margaret Hussey,
oHsocsosmeym,onofAsLsoizwehseorfryt,hseixabedfuwchtioot:
of the in
were actually at tho time in New South Wales. Wo are now
proud -
to coy that one of the six, the father of twelve children,
once a comfortable farmer, Edmond Murray, has returned
within the last month in perfect health to his family. To
Mr. Samuel March Phillipps, one of the Under Sheriffs, is the
country indebted for this act of justice ; and it is but fair to
add, that the gentlemen of the neighbourhood of Dunmore
offered him a piece of plate, value 601., which etiquette con-
strained him to refuse.—Galway Advertiser. .