The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-24 00:00:00

THE BRITANNIA BRIDGE

:MENA I STRAITS, FRIDAY AFTERNOON.—Particu
lars of the fatal accident that occurred in connexion
with the stupendous works now being carried out
with the Britan.,Jia-bridge, have reached us from a
correspondent w ho has visited the spot. The accident,
by which one man lost his eye and others were in-
jured, occurred during the process, on Tuesday, of
removing the great hydraulic press, used for the pur-
pose of elevating the tubes 100 feet above high-water
mark, and which having done its duty in the Anglesea-
tower, was about to be transferred, with all the
accompanying apparatus, to the Carnarvonshire side
of the Straits, to be deposited on the opposite tower,
to lift, on its being floated, the second great tube.
The total tonnage weight of machinery that had to
be removed, let down, and ferried over from one shore
to another, was between 100 and 200 tons, including
the chains, cylinder, engine, cross-heads, and other
apparatus ; and it was while the engineers were en-
gaged in lowering the cylinder that the catastrophe
in question occurred. The lowering of each separate
piece of machanery, from its 100 feet elevation into
barges below, is effected by what are termed a series
of purchases on huge ropes and blocks regulated by
capstans, a similar system being adopted for again
raising them into the other towers. At the time of
the accident 30 sailors were working the capstan by
which the cylinder, representing a total weight of 15
tons, was being gradually lowered down through the
recesses f o the Britannia-tower, within which, under
the direction .01. Mr. Edwin Clark, the resident engi-
neer, who has for the second time been placed in a
position of imminent peril, were a number of work-
men attending to the tackle, when suddenly, owing
to the surging of the tackle, that is to say, a large
quantity. of loosely coiled rope round the capstan
paying itself out too precipitately, the cylinder
descended with the velocity of a thunderbolt from its
lofty elevation in to the gulf below.
At the inquest held on Wednesday, at Carnarvon,
before Mr. Poole, the coroner for the district, on the
body of John Williams, deceased, who was one of the
sailors working at the capstan, Mr. Clarke, the resi-
dent engineer, examined upon oath, stated that the
deceased was assisting in lowering the hydraulic press
or cylinder, which was about 15 tons weight. The
rope passing from the press through two three-part
blocks led to a powerful capstan, which was manned
by 50 men. The press was being lowered by the
back wing of the capstan, the rope making three
or four turns round it. Deceased was assisting in
the coil of the rope behind the capstan, serving it
out as the men worked back the capstan bars. The
press or cylinder was not descending at the time,
but was hanging on the tackle. Jones, the fore-
man of the gang (who has since been suspended),
had left the men to attend to some other part of the
tackle, and he unfortunately left the turns on the
capstan on the bottom or largest part of its diameter
ready to surge. Whether from the wetness of the
cables, the day being showery, or from some relaxa-
tion on the part of the nine men who were holding
back the rope, the line of cable surged unexpectedly
up the capstan, and overpowered the men employed
to hold it back.. The cylinder then descended preci-
pitously a height of 132 feet into the Straits, dragging
the rope through the blocks and round the capstan,
which was enveloped in smoke and fire arising from
the tremendous rush and friction. Deceased was
dragged out of the coil and thrown about with the
other men by the contortions of the cable. He was
picked up near the capstan sensible, but died from