The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-13 00:00:00

UNITED STATES SQUADRON.

On a Cruise—The United States steam-frigate Mis-
sissippi, bearing the flag of Commodore Charles W.
Morgan ; Constitution frigate, Lieutenant J. S. Rowan
(Acting) ; Jamestown corvette, Commander Mercer.

FuREIGN SHIPS OF WAR AND PACKETS IN PORT.

The French steamer Leonidas; yachts, the Yeterel

Firefly, and Sapphire; the Russian Government corvette
Calypso ; Tunis brig Nassir ; Ottoman schooner Sajah
,Caters.

PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.—Her Majesty's yacht Fairy,
Captain the Right lion. Lord Adolphus Fitzelarence,
G.C.IL, embarked the Court at East Cowes this morn-
ing at a quarter-past nine for Gosport, where they dig-
,-mbsrked at a quarter-past ten under the usual salutes
and ceremonies, the guard of honour being furnished by
'he 4th (King's Own) Regiment, under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Gould. The dignitaries of the port
ind garrison were in attendance at the Clarence-yard,
as usual, and the Royal train left that establishment for
Loudon at twenty-five minutes past ten in the charge of
Wr. Cornelius Stovin, general m: ,r of the South-
Western Railway.
The Superb, 80, Captain Purcell • aerrdered this
•norning to prepare for sailing wit' . . ttitrfor Cork—
it is supposed to take the position lately occupied by the
Ganges, 84. now tilling up her complement to the sea-
going establishment for foreign service at Dovonport.
It certainly was high time the Superb was moved, al-
though the hospitality and urbanity of her captain will
be a loss very extensively felt ashore.
It is rumoured very strongly that Captain Lord John

Hay, C. 8., M.P., one of the Board of Admiralty, will
be appointed superintendent of the Devonport dockyard.
Admiral Sir John Talbot is, we regret to say, very ill,

The Ganges, 84, Cartain Smitb, CO., at 15vonport,
has received orders to expedite, with all possible speed,
her departure for the Mediterranean, to join Sir William
Parker's fleet.

The Encounter, steam-corvette, Captain Gordon, was
ordered from Spithead to Lisbon yesterday, and sailed
about four P.m.

The Terrible, Termagant, Vulture, and other first-
class steam•frigates will be put in commission shortly at
the respective ports where they are now stationed.
The Stromboli, steam•sloop, Commander Lord Ame-
has W. Beaucle➢rk, arrived at Woolwich on Thursday,
from the North, to refit.
The Dasher, steam-vessel, Lieutenant Parks, arrived
at Sheerness, on Thursday, from the coast of Scotland, to
be paid off.

The Pigmy, steam-tender, towed the masts and spars
of the new 50-gun frigate Phaeton, at :Sheerness, from
Chatham to that port on Wednesday. The Phaeton and
the Indefatigable, the latter at Devonport, are expected
to be put in commission daily.
The Leander, 52, Captain S. Dacres, will be undocked
to morrow, and the Termagant taken in.
Wind N.E., fresh breezes and cloudy.
PLYMOUTH, OCT. 12.—Her Majesty's steam•vessels
Conflict, 8, and Virago, 6,--are ordered to be commissioned
forthwith.

Hcr Majesty's steam-vessel Myrtle arrived yesterday
from Portsmouth with marine artillery for the Spiteful,
Virago, and Conflict. _ _

Her Majesty's brig Wolverine, 12,Commander Falcon,
is ordered here from Portsmouth, to be paid off.
The mainyard of her Majesty's ship Ganges, 84,
Captain H. Smith, was sent aboard yesterday after
being repaired; her topmasts are on end.
Her Majesty's iron steam-vessel Trident, 6, Lieutenant-
Commander H. Risk, having had her bottom scraped and
payed up with tar, will go out of dock to-morrow.
It is reported here that La Hogue, 56, steam guard
ship, Captain M'Dougall, is ordered from Queenstown to
the Mediterranean. _

Orders have been received from the Admiralty for Sir
John Louis to make preparations for giving up his ap-
pointment as Admiral Superintendent of the dockyard.
It is stated that Mr. Turner, formerly Master Ship-
wright of Bombay, will be appointed to the office of
Second Master Shipwright's Assistant in the Devonport
Dockyard,vacant by the superannuation of Mr. Aylward.
Four labourers were discharged on Wednesday for not
being punctual to their time.

Off-the Port, on Tuesday, the packet-ship Gladi-
ator, Captain Williams, twenty-one days from New
York for London. She landed several passengers
here, among whom were the Misses Vansittart.
CHATHAM, OCT. 12.—The Wolverine, 12 guns,
Commander Maxwell Falcon, is out of the hands of the
dockyard, and will leave this port on Saturday the 13th
instant. Her destination is reported to be the coast of
Africa.

The Bacchante, 44 guns, serving for many years as a
I,z wet at Standgate creek, has been returned to
Chatham, and she is now undergoing examination by
the shipwrights, to ascertain whether she is fit for
further service.

The Brilliant, 22 guns, Captain Watson, was paid off
at Sheerness on the 9th instant. The marines, con-
sisting of 1 sergeant, 1 drummer, and 24 privates of the
Royal Marines, under command of First-Lieutenant
Gill, joined their head-quarters at Chatham the same
day, and two privates proceeded to Portsmouth, to join
their head-quarters. The sailors and marines were
brought up to Chatham from the Brilliant by the City
of Rochester and Victoria steam-boats, and during the
passage several extensive robberies were committed ; the
sailors' bags were ripped open, and their clothes and
other property taken away ; one sailor lost the whole of
his clothing,:with the bag ; and the first lieutenant, Mr.
Nelson G. Spencer, on board the Victoria, had his
carpet bsg stolen. The gentleman immediately gave
information to the police, and the same afternoon the
carpet bag was found at the Cross Keys public-house,
High-street, Chatham. A waterman of the name of
James Dobson was apprehended, and evidence having
been given before the magistrates of Rochester yester-
day, Dobson was committed for:trial for the robbery.
On searching the steam-boats a large quantity of stolen
property belonging to the sailors was found secreted in
the forecastle, amongst the ropes and other lumber.
The Childers, 12 guns, and the Wanderer, 14 guns,
will be taken into dock to make good their defects, when
the Daring, 12 guns, is put out of dock, which is expected
next week.
Mr. J. Helby, measurer at this yard, has been re•
moved as such to Portsmouth yard, vice Mr. D. Hard-
ing, promoted to foreman of the yard a: Sheerness.
Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Napier paid a visit to this
yard, and after inspecting the Tiger, new steam-ship,
building, which is in an advanced state towards comple-
tion, the gallant officer proceeded to the Horatio, fitting
for a screw steam-ship; and after remaining some
time took a view of funeral parts of the yard, and thence

Rear-Admiral Sir Charlei Napier, K.C.8., visited
this dockyard yesterday, and after a minute inspec-
tion of the Terrible steam-frigate went over the dock-
yard. The Terrible is having two of her boilers
taken out, which will enable her to carry a-greater
number of troops than she could have done when
fitted with four boilers.

The Firebrand steam-frigate, Captain T. 0. Knox,
received about twenty men and boys from the Fis-
gard, about that number having been selected by the
gallant officer, and several have joined from other
quarters. Captain Knox has issued notices that he
still wants petty officers and able seamen, and will,
1,0 doubt, soon hav; his fail complement of? 195 men.
The engineer department of this frigate is now com-
plete, and consists of a chief engineer, with five other
engineers, and twenty-four stokers.

FIVE LIVES LOST IN. A, SEWER.
Last night a fatal accident of the most melancholy
and distressing character took place in that portion of
Pimlico called Willow-walk, and where a number of
new streets are at present in progress of completion.
Before entering into a description of the facts as
they occurred, it is necessary to explain the position
of the sewer and the exact locality where the accident
occurred. Near the top of Warwick-street, Pimlico, a
new street has been commenced named Kenilworth-
street, the houses in which are the property of Mr.
Cubitt, the builder. Along this unfinished street a
short branch sewer runs from the main sewer in
Warwick-street, and the end of it has been bricked
up to prevent the sewage from flowing into the adja-
cent fields. It will be at once understood that iu a
sewer thus closed in, gases of the most noxious and
deadly character are sure to be generated. It further
appears that when the catastrophe about to be related
took place the tide was up, and that in the low-lying
district of Pimlico the danger attending an entrance
into such a subterranean passage was doubly great.
With this :preliminary explanation the following
narrative of the circumstances
_will be easily under-
stood.
Between six and seven o'clock in the evening
Bishop, a police-constable, having been informed that
much anxiety had been expressed with respect to
three men who had gone at an early hour that morn-
ing into the sewer into Warwick-street, and had not
since been seen or heard of, he immediately hastened
to the station of the B division. Mr. Beckerson, the
inspector on duty, promptly directed some constables
to go and see if they could be of any assistance, as it
was understood that some men were about to open
what is termed a " man-hole " into the sewer, in
quest of the missing men, and shortly afterwards
from the distressing circumstances that succeeded, he
followed with a number of other constables. The
" man-hole " was opened in Warwick-street, and, one
of the labourers connected with the sewers having
descended, he returned almost immediately with the
intelligence that the three men were lying in the sewer
apparently dead. Others, as we are informed, con-
firmed this statement, but were afraid of venturing to
them. Owing to this circumstance, it was determined
to break into the end of the sewer in Kenilworth-
street, Warwick-street, which had been bricked up. This
was accordingly done, and a crowd of persons having
in the meantime assembled, the greatest anxiety was
evinced to ascertain the fate of the missing men, and to
rescue them if life was not yet extinct. Among those
whose zeal in this humane cause was most strongly
displayed was Mr. Henry Wells, a surgeon residing
in the neighbourhood. No soonee was an entrance
through the brickwork effected than this gentleman,
with a want of forethought which is surprising when
his profession is recollected, at once entered the sewer,
which is from four to five feet in height. He was
immediately followed by John Walsh, a constable of
the B division, and Richard Sherwin, a labourer in
the employ of the Commissioners of Sewers. These
men had not been absent more than two or three
minutes when Walsh re-appeared, bearing the lifeless
body of Mr. Wells. The gallant fellow immediately
returned, and a second time appeared at the entrance,
carrying with him Sherwin, who had also been over-
powered by the noxious influences of the gases, but
whose life was fortunately preserved. A third time
poor Walsh entered the sewer, probably overcome by
the excitement of the moment, and the stupifying
influence of the atmosphere which he was breathing,
for his doing so could serve no purpose. The crowd
outside waited anxiously his return, but he did not
re-appear, and it soon became apparent that he had
fallen a victim to his own rash gallantry. After
some time his body was recovered by one of the
sewers-men, and was removed at once to the Claren-
don Tavern, at the corner of Kenilworth-street, but
life was quite extinct. The extraordinary power of
the gases collected in the sewer may be judged of
from the fact that no trace of animation could be
detected in the case of Mr. Wells, who was only two
or three minutes exposed to their influence , and that
not only was the skin of poor Walsh turned perfectly
blue, but every piece of metal on his person was
completely blackened.
The body of Mr. Wells was removed to St.
George's Hospital, that of Walsh lies at the Clarendon
Tavern. After the excitement which this dreadful
catastrophe had created began in some degree to sub-
side, efforts were made to recover the bodies of the
three men still in the sewer. The street was broken
up at two different points, and the greatest exertions
were used to establish a safe communication with the
sewer for that purpose. Till three o'clock this morn-
ing, however, the desired object bad not been accom-
plished. Mr. Superintendent Russell and a body of
the police were present to facilitate the search, and
to prevent the recurrence of so deplorable an accident
as that by which two lives had already been sacrificed.
Mr. Wells leaves a widow, to lament his loss. Walsh,
the policeman, had just entered the service, and,
though quite a lad, had already sh-Dwn great activity
and intelligence in the discharge of his duties.
It appears that the men bad entered the sewer in
the morning, to make the necessary measurements
preparatory to having it flushed.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Yesterday evening the inhabitants of Pimlico were
considerably alarmed by a report that several men
who had been ordered by the Commissioners of Sewers
to examine the sewer formerly known as the West-
minster Common Sewer, which runs from Warwick-
street to Kenilworth-street, for the purpose of making
preparations for flushing the soil, had gone down at
five o'clock, and at that time (seven o'clock) had not
returned. The police were made acquainted with the
fact, and upon proceeding to the spot, they were in-
formed by the man in charge that two persons had
gone down the trap near the centre of Warwick-
street at five o'clock, but that they had not returned,
and he was fearful that some accident had happened
to them. Police constable 169 B, accompanied by
Mr. Henry Wells, surgeon, of No. 96, Warwick-
street, immediately proceeded to the other end of the
sewer, which is situated about 150 yards from the
spot, where it falls into an open sewer. Lights hav-
ing been procured, the police-constable went into
the drain, and was immediately followed by Mr.
Wells and two other persons whose names are
at present unknown. Nearly half an-hour hav-
ing elapsed, and none of the persons returning,
information was sent to the police station in _
Roches-
ter row, and Mr. Inspector Moron took several officers
to the spot, and ordered the men to commence ex-
cavating a hole about midway between 01' arwlck-
street and Kenilworth-street, in order toleotsie
the foul
air out, as it was found to be totally impossible
enter in search of the missing persons. Whilst this
operation was being performed, however, a young
man, named Richard O'Kay, rushed into the Kenil-
worth end of the sewer, and succeeded in bringing
out the policeman. Having deposited the officer, who
was quite dead, at the mouth of the sewer he again
returned and almost immediately afterwards brought
out another dead body ; but whether that of one of
the persons who first went in to search, or one of the
labourers, could not be ascertained. As soon as O'Kay
brought the second body out of the sewer he was ob-
served to stagger. He was laid hold of by two persons
who endeavoured to support him, but he fell to the
ground. He was then taken to the Clarendon Tavern,
in Kenilworth-street, where Drs. W. Ord and 'Jen-
nings successfully administered restoratives. In the
meantime some persons succeeded in getting out Mr.
Wells, who was in almost a lifeless state, and was
immediately taken to St. George's Hospital.
SATURDAY MORNING, Two o'CLocK.-14 to half-

put an; 7416.-Zilog nearly forty putsons win NI
Raged in euaysting the roads above the sewer in
0 Kenilworth-street, for the purpose of making aper-
tures over the spots where the bodies of the unfortunate
victims of this dreadful catastrophe are supposed to be
lying. The sewer atthis part runs at the depth of be-
tween ten and twelve feet under the road-way, and it
is not expected that they will succeed in entering the
sewer before six o'clock this morning.
That three other men are at present in the sewer
has been proved beyond a doubt, as when the parties
were first missed,lthat is, when surprise was excited
at their not corning out at six o'clock last evening, two
persons in the employ of the Sewers Commission,
named Christie and Whiting, went down the trap in
Kenilworth-street, and there saw the bodies of three
persons. The sudden shock at seeing the lifeless
bodies of their fellow-workmen, and the effect of the
carbonic gas, quite overpowered them, and it was with
difficulty they brat a retreat.
Upon inquiry at the hospital it was ascertained that
" Mr. ‘Vell-e the surgeon, died before he arrived at that
establishment. The unfortunate gentleman, who was
the first to run in to endeavour to save the lives of
' his fillow creatures, had only recently established
' himself in the neighbourhood, and leaves &young wife
to deplore his untimely death.
Police-constable Walsh, who i; a relative of Mr.
Cole, the deputy governor of Tothill field; Bridewell,
had only recently been transferred to the 13 division,
and WAS noted in the force for his daring tied
courageous character. Directly he heard that
parties were missing. witiout a moment's delay he
rushed into the sewer, sti3ceded in bringing out one
of the sufferers, but upon going in again he was
overpowered by the gas; his body when-brought out
was perfectly b:ack.
Mr. Francis Morten, the clerk of the sewers for the
Pimlico district, arrived at the scene of the catastrophe
at nine o'clock with a large body of men in the employ
of the Sewers Commission, to render any assistance
that might be necessary. He informed our reporter
that three men, named respectively Thomas Lee
Carpenter, John All wood, and William Barton, in
the employ of the Metropolitan Commission of
Sewers, were sent down for the purpose of measuring
the soil in the sewer, in order that it taught be let, to
contractors for removing or flushing out. The men
not coming up as was expected at five o'clock, the
usual hour at which they left off, two persons named
Christie and Whiting, who are also in the employ of
the Commissioners, went down into the sewer, where
they saw the lifeless bodies of their fellow-workmen.
LATEST PAR rICULARS.—(THIS DAY.)
The workmen succeeded at a few minutes before
four in effecting an entry into the sewer in Kenil-
worth-street, when it was opened there was a
further escape of pestiferous gas. Proper methods
having been adopted to render the air contained in
the sewer respirable, the workmen entered it, and
succeeded in recovering the bodies of the lost men,
at about fifty yards from the spot where they had
first entered. The bodies were conveyed to the
Clarendon Tavern.