The Sun.
London, England, 1822-09-20 00:00:00

[TIIE TIMES.]

Deep interest and anxiety were yesterday ex.
cited in the city, until the determination of the
Court of Proprietors of Bank Stock was publicly
announced. That determination, indeed, was,
according to custom, prescribed to the Proprietors
by the Court of Directors, which latter has long
exercised an unbounded sway over the votes of the
Corporation, as well as over their money. Why
the Bank Directors should desire—why they
should not be, ►we had almost said, ashamed—to
possess the absolute dominion over other men's
property, except on the condition of rendering to
their principals some account of the manner in
which they have executed their trust, is to us
altogether inconceivable. In private life, what
would be said of an agent accepting a trust
which imposed upon him such a systematic and
indelicate concealment of the vouchers for his
own good faith ? Would not severe reflections
be cast by some upon his seeming ►want of ho-
nour, by all upon his manifest ►want of wisdom,
in exposing himself to needless doubts, to sus-
picions, perhaps groundless, and to uncharita-
ble and offensive _sarcasms ? But it will be said
the Bank of England is a public concern ;
it is directed by men of unquestioned cha-
racter for integrity ; and the mystery which
envelops it may be indispensable to the mainte-
nance of its credit as a corporation. We re-
ply, that the Directors are men of known
good character, and that the credit of the
Bank ought to be an object of their utmost
solicitude; and for both these teasons it is that
mystery and disguise of every sort ought to be
sedulously avoided. Honest men have nothing to
fear from frankness, nor has the credit of so
powerful and flourishing an establishment as
the Bank of England to fear any thing from
the most complete disclosure of its operations ;
while, on the other hand, the owners of the
Bank capital—the constituent body who choose
the Directors—have an indefeasible right, in
common sense and justice, to. the fullest satisfac-
tion respecting the management of their own con-
cerns. In other great Banking Corporations no
such mystery prevails as is here contended for.
The Bank of Edinburgh,.and that of France, pro-
claim and demonstrate every thing. We were
sorry to see, That when the Governor yesterday
felt himself compelled to notice a letter from Mr.
Gundry, the proprietor, who has on former occa-
sions stood up so manfully for a statement of account,
he described the letter as being " in that pro-
" prietor's usual style!" We suppose the Pro-
prietor asks for ►what he conceives to be his ricrlit
and does not condescend to supplicate a boon
from his own agents. But the acknowledgment
of the Governor himself goes strongly to coun-
tenance a suspicion that the affairs of the Batik
have not been managed with perfect and indis-
putable wisdom. A dividend of 5 per cent. is
announced,, on which Mr. Young, a proprietor,
asks these t►wo questions—" Have your profits,
" consequent on a reduction of the rate of discount,
" been compensated by an increase of business ?"
And, secondly, " Have you enough of profit left
"to allow us the proposed dividend ?" The an-
swers are ►worth attention. First, " Our profits
" are of course reduced since the peace." And,
secondly," The Court of Directors were satisfied
" that the profits were sufficient to meet the divi-
" dend, or they would not have recommended it."
Let us ask then, if a reduced profit be equal to a
dividend of 10 per cent. per annum, why ►were not
the dividends throughout the war proportioned
to the undiminished profit of that period ? What
surplus over 10 per cent. per annum was paid
to the Proprietors during the war ? and what
sums in the form of bonus ? and to what extent
did either correspond with the now admitted
excess of the foymer over the more recent pro-
fits ? These considerations, we say, are of grave
importance when the Directors call upon their
principals to continue the unlimited confidence
hitherto reposed in their official judgment and
integrity..

CORONERS'

THE EXPLOSION OF A STEAM BOILER::

Yesterday morning, at eleven o'clock, ad in
quest was held in the Committee-rcioni of Camberwell work-
house, before CIIARLIcS J.EMMETT, Bsq. Coroner for Surrey,
on the bodies of John Denford and Samuel Buckleridge, young
men, who met their deaths at Messrs. Cleaver and Yardley's
glue-manufactory, Wells-street, Camberwell, in consequence Of
the explosion of a steam boiler.
The first witness examined vidX John Sparks, a young man
residing in Bowyer-lane' Cambetwell, Who stated that on Tues-
day last, about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, he was employed in
the manufactory of Messrs; Cleaver and Yardley, in Wells-
street, Camberwell, with the deceased. They were at work at
a steam boiler. Witness Was a the fire in order to supply it
with the necessary fuel, when one of the deceased (Denford)
was coming into the manufactory from the yard attached to it ;
Buckleridge was near to the boiler, and neither of them were
more than six yards therefrom. The boiler was at the time
charged, and they had the steam at work at 361 b. upon the
square inch, which was much under what the boiler was sup-
posed to contain: This was the first day of trying it, to see
whether it was sound. Mr. Haughton, of the firm of Haugh-
ton and Fraser, who had lately repaired the machine, was
present to superintend the trial, with Buckleridge, who
was his foreman. Mr. Haughton wished the boiler to
be tried at forty, and witness was putting some fuel on,
the fire in order to raise it to that pressure; on doing which, he
felt the ground shake under him while lie was at the front of
the furnace ; being very much alarmed, he attempted to run
away, and at the moment the rafters and joists gave way and
fell on him, which knocked him down, when he heard a great
explosion—which appeared to witness like the shooting of cart-
loads of heavy stones. Thomas Denham, the engineer's man,
was standing on an erection above witness, and he, together
with the floor, came down in consequence of the shock, and fell
upon witness. At this period the whole of the building was
falling down, and the upper part of the boiler was blown about
12.0 feet in the air, leaving the bottom in its original situation.
On recovering himself, ha endeavoured to creep from under the
rubbish which surrounded him, and he proceeded with Den-
ham to the assistance of those who were more perilously situat-
ed. On getting into the yard, they heard the groans of Mr.
Haughton, the engine-maket, who was buried under a mass of
bricks, timber, and rubbish. They went to his assistance, and
succeeded in getting Mtn from under the ruins. Buckleridge,
just before the explosion took place, said, that he would stand
near the place even if it was at 60 degrees—he was killed on the
spot. Witness had worked at steam-engines before, and this
was made in the same way as others were made. He did not'
see any of the deceased, until they were taken out of the ruins.
The force of the steam and water dashed Denford against the
corner of the wall, and lie was severely scalded. Buckleridge
was quite dead, but Denford heaved a very heavy sigh, and died
almost immediately. The weight of the boiler was estimated
at about four tons. It was never sound • it had a leakage and
was repaired, but was afterwards unsound, on which a new bot-
tom was put to it.
A Juryman asked, whether the bottom was not rivetted on
a new plan ?
Witness answered that it was' rivetted in the same way as
others, but it was all the new work that gave way. They had
the valves fixed at a certain pressure, and occasionally they were
relieved. Witness used his own discretion in the supply of
fuel to the fire. In the whole five persons were injured beside
the deceased, and so seriously than they were carried to the
Hospital without hope of recovery.,
Mr. Charles Yardley, of the firm of Cleaver and Yardley,
glue-manufacturers, of Wells-street; Camberwell, was next
sworn. Mr. Yardley appeared to be very much injured in con-
sequence of the melancholy accident ; his head was bound up
with a handkerchief, &c., and since the accident he was under
the care of Mr. Brown, surgeon, of Camberwell. Being sworn,
he stated that on the day of the accident he was at the manu-
factory, viewing the operation. Ile was standing near the boiler
when it burst. Witness at first heard the noise, but did not
consider it of serious consequence, until a mass of bricks fell on
him ; then lie anticipated all the consequence .which arose from
the accident. Ile was about 6 yards from the machine when
the bricks commenced falling on himi and he was obliged to
run to save his life. Mr. Haughton was present when they
were trying the boiler ; he heard a dashing inside, which he
thought was the steam. Ile ran to the extremity of the yard,
and on turning round he perceived' the whole of the building
falling down. The pressure of the engine was from 3.5 to 38,
but was guaranteed to hold 601 b. on the square inch. Witness
heard the groans of Mr. Haughton, and saw him when taken
out of the ruins. The deceased, Denford, was witness's fore-
man, and Buckleridge was in the employ of Mr. Haughton,
who warranted the boiler to hold 1501 b. on the square inch
when it was brought from Birmingham. It had been altered
twice. _ _

Mr. Brown, surgeon, of Camberwell, stated that he was
called to attend the deceased at the workhouse immediately
after the accident. Denford evidently died through suffoca-
tion from steam and dust, and Buckleridge through a dreadful
fracture on the skull.

John Angel, a coal porter, employed at Mr. Hicks's, opposite
to where the accident took place, heard the -explosion and went
to assist the unfortunate sufferers ; the building was all in
ruins ; he found Mr. Ilatughton• lying on his face covered with
the ruins over his head and shoulders; he next found I)enford,
who was scalded very much, lying in the corner of the manufac-
tory ; Buckleridge he found eight or ten yards from the door-
way, covered with the rubbish, and seriously bruised on the
head, and he had the appearance of having struggled much to
extricate himself : they were carried to the workhouse on
shutters.

The Jury, after a snort consultation, returned a verdict of
" Accidental death, occasioned by the bursting of a steam
boiler."

PENITENTIARY AT MILLBANK.

Inquisitions were yesterday taken in the Penitentiary, Mill-
bank, by THOMAS Iliccs, Esq., deputy for J. H. 6E1.1,
Esq., Coroner for Westminster, on the bodiesof Edward Chubb
and Elizabeth Collis, convicts, who died therein on Tuesday
last.

The Jury having been empanelled and sworn, and taken a
view of the bodies, Mr. John Couch, Governor of the Peni-
tentiary, was sworn, and stated that the deceased Edward
Chubb was convicted at Gloucester on the 29th of March, 1820,
of cutting away. the gold seals from a Gentleman's watch, and
sentenced to be transported for seven years, which punishment
was commuted to five years' confinement in the Peniten-
tiary. He was received therein on the 23d of May, 1820,
at which time he stated himself to he nineteen years of age,
and remained there till he died. Elizabeth Collis was con-
victed on the 15th of September, 1819, at the Old Bailey, of
stealing 251. in Bank of England notes and a watch, for which
she was sentenced to be transported for seven years, but her
punishment was afterwards commuted to five years' confine-
ment in the Penitentiary. She was received therein on the 6th
of July, 1820, at which time she stated herself to be 27 years of
age, and she remained till she died.
Mr. John Pratt, surgeon of the Penitentiary, was then sworn,
and stated that Edward Chubb was removed from the Penta-
gon to the Infirmary on the 21st of April last, for a scrofulous
affection of the neck. He had been subject to the disease prior
to his confinement in a slight degree, which afterwards in-
creased, and he had been in the infirmary for it several times
before. It went on increasing from April, and assumed a seri-
ous aspect about a month since, when the lungs became tuber-
culated. A hemorrhage from the lungs took place about four
o'clock in the afternoon of Tuesday last, the 17th instant, of
which he died in about half an hour. Elizabeth Collis was re-
moved from the Pentagon to the Infirmary on the 18th of
March last, complaining of pain about the chest, which gradu-
ally increased and terminated in consumption, of which she
died about half-past 8 o'clock in the evening of Tuesday last,
the 17th inst. She told the witness that all her family had died
about the same age, of the same complaint. Both parties were
attended from the commencement of their complaints by the
witness, and Dr. Hutchinson, physician to the establishment,
and every thing was done which in their judgment was proper
towards their cure. Chubb had been recommended for dis-
charge, in order that he might be removed to the sea coast.—
Verdict in both cases—Natural Death.

LEEDS.—On Wednesday se'nnight two women
introduced themselves into the house of a Gentleman in this
town, under the pretext of selling small wares, one of whom,
who had a young child with her, exhibited to the female ser-
vant some slight-of-hand tricks, winch raised in the mind of the
poor girl an apprehension that she was possessed of some su-
pernatural power, and which induced her to deliver to this
pretended sorceress the most valuable part of her wearing ap-
parel, receiving, at the same time, a promise that it should be
returned to her in a few days, with some charm performedupon it. The impression which the supposed supernatural
powers of this wretch made upon the young woman was so
(Treat, that it was some days before she ventured to disclose what
had happened; and she declared to her master, that she
was so much afraid of the woman, that she would have given
every thing she had in the world to get rid of her. 'A he same
woman appears to have obtained other property, from different
persons, by similar absurd pretences.
We understand that the Noblemen and Gentle-
men, friends to the general amelioration of the condition of this
country, and to the modification of the tithe system have it in
contemplation to give a public dinner to the Duke of DF.VON-
Sit tnE,.when he passes through. D. üblin, on his return to Eng-
land. his Grace's noble and disinterested conduct, in respect
6f tithes, and his constant advocacy of Ireland, deserve our re-
spect and gratitude.—.( Dubitra Morning Port.)