The Sun.
London, England, 1825-09-19 00:00:00

DREADFUL ACCIDENT AT PORTSMOUTH.

The following details of the Inmentabla acci-
dent which occurred at Portsmouth on 'Wednesday, are extract-
ed from the Hampshire Telegraph. A Coroner's Inquest bad
sat on the bodies of fifteen persons who had perished, and had
returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."

" On Wednesday last, at twelve minutes past twelve, his Ma-
jesty's ship Princess Charlotte, intended to carry 110 guns (the
largest ship ever built here), was launched at this Dock-yard,
in the presence of an immense concourse of spectators, who saw
this stupendous fabric majestically glide into that element in
which she was destined to float, in the perfectness of combined
superior skill and science. His Royal Highness the Prince
Leopold came from Claremont, attended by Sir Robert Gardner
and General Wetherell, purposely to witness the launch of the
ship named after his late lamented consort. But it is with the
deepest sorrow we state, that whilst this event was passing in
view cif tens of thousands of persons, with all the interest and
admiring feelings which so magnificent a. spectacle must eye
produce, the appalled attention of a vast number of persons was
arrested, in their way te the sight, by a more afflicting and ter-
rific accident than a long course of past eventful years of war
produced here, and which took place about ten minutes before
the ship went off the slip. Our readers, perhaps, are not ge-
nerally aware, that over the gates of every Dock, in this Dock-
yard, and connected therewith by iron stancheons, is thrown a
light bridge or brow, of four planks.width, for the general con-
venience of passing to and fro, and shortening the distance to
various parts of the yard. In tho short .passage from the
entrance of the Dock-yard to the slip on which the Princess
Charlotte was built, are three of these bridges each about
seventy feet long. Connected with the first bridge is a cape.
cious basin, into which it was intended the Princess Char-
lotte, on being launched, should be floated, preparatory to being
taken into what is called the angular dock, to be coppered.—
An increased quantity of water had been let into the basin Ibr the
purpose. At the hour of 12 o'clock, this bridge was crowded
with persons pacing over it to view the launch, when the weight
of the water in the basin; find probably agitated by the motion
kept up on the bridge, pressed so ponderously against the dock-
gates, that they broke intopieces, and in au instant the dock was
filled by a tremendous rush of water from the basin, carrying
along, in its resistless course, the gates in fragments, bridge
rails, work stages, and all the passengers on the bridge, ex,
cepting such only as were within a few feet of the extremities.
How many persons were on the bridge, and thus were suddenly
precipitated into the dock, is not known : it is hoped their num-
ber did not exceed thirty. The terrific rush of water towards
the bridge and dock-head, throwing up the bodies of the unfor-
tunate sufferers, intermingled with all the destructive mass of
agitated fragments to a height of several feet above the masonry
work, and its revulsion towards the basin, was a sight so dread-
fully appalling, that almost every spectator shrinks from the
task.of minutely describing it. We have, however, prevailed
on one intelligent gentleman of this place, who was, with nine
other surveyors, from London, within twenty yards of the fatal
spot, and in half a minute would have been upon it, to endeavour
, to describe the scene. He says--I was within 20 yards of the
bridge when I heard a scream, and looked towards the bridge ; it
had the appearance of an inverted arch, and I distinctly saw
several persons run off at both ends, I should think from fifteen
to twenty. In a moment a dreadful crack was heard, and an-
' other scream from the persons precipitated into the water; at
the same instant a tremendous rush of water issued into the
dock, which was impelled with a rapidity not to be conceived
of but by those who saw it, forming a stupendous wave, bear-
ing on its surface many of the struggling sufferers, mingled
with large fragments of broken timber, all which was dashed
with inconceivable fury against the other end of the dock, and
which, from its impetuosity, again rebounded in a curling wave, -
whose height was at least 10 or 12 feet abpve the level of the yard
carrying in the tremendous conflict the bodies of the sufferers,
large pieces of timber, cloaks, hats, and clothes of the unfortu-
nate victims, and again rushed back to fill the hollow which had
been created in the surface by its own velocity. 4 Oh ! my God !
my God !' was the exclamation of the beholder, and a momentary
stupor took possesion of the mind, which was affected by the con-
viction that the unfortunate victims must, in that instant, have
been clashed to inevitable death against the stone-work of the
basin. The silence was but for a moment ; for immediately af-
terwards appeared in different parts of the basin the bodies of
the sufferers, some in the agonies of death, others in a state of
insensibility, and one or two apparently not much injured, but
still exposed not only to the horrors of drowning, but to
those of coming in contact with the pieces of scattered tim-
ber which the agitated uproar of the water was dashing one
against the other. Persons on the banks stripped their coats
and hats, and were about to plunge in to rescue such as were
near the brink ; but for some minutes, until the agitated
surface of the water was stilled, it would have been perfect
madness; and those minutes were. fatal to several. There
was one person, apparently an interesting female, with short
dark hair, and apparently a purple pelisse, who was un-
commonly buoyant. I said to her, "Take hold of that
piece of timber, and it will save your life." She he heard me,
and clasped in her hand a mere chip. Some one threw
an umbrella to her, but she was too far gone to reach it.—
I rushed to the other end of the basin, and urged a boat to
come, and they wanted no persuasion. As it passed the wharf
I jumped into it, and pointed out the spot where I had one
moment before left this female. She was gone, but we had the
satisfaction to save an old man, who was lifted ashore; and
again we proceeded in the work of mercy. The female rose
again, I think from the buoyancy of her clothes, and was res-
cued by the intrepidity of two individuals, whose names de-
serve to be recorded amongst the most valuable members of
society. One was a Lieutenant in the Navy, and the other a
young man in coloured clothes, who I have ascertained is a
tailor of the name of Seagrove. The Lieutenant (Purvis), with
a coolness peculiar to his profession, jumped into the water and
got hold of this female, who was still sufficiently conscious to
lay hold of him, and to hold with a firm grasp, and it seemed
extremely doubtful whether or not both would not hare
sunk together. He kept her off from him, but still sup-
ported her for a long time, when Seagrove jumped into
the basin to his rescue, and effected the safety of both, by
conveying a rope across a piece of timber, and all were
brought to shore; and the female, I understand, was re-
stored. I have heard her name, but I will not give it, lest it
should be mistaken. Whoever she is, she owes her life to these
two ; and it is difficult to say which is most deserving of praise.
Two sailors also exerted themselves in this work of humanity
with the greatest intrepidity and perseverance. I do not know
how many they were instrumental in saving, for at this moment
I left the scene in search of drags, or a net, but the stores were
all locked up, and the men assisting at the launch, and it was
some time before any thing of the kind could be procured--
They were at length obtained, and every exertion which could
be made was made to recover the bodies of the sufferers. In the
bitterness of my mind, I then went in fear and trembling in,
search of my own family, eight of whom I had reason to believe
must have been near the spot at the moment of tore disaster, and
one of whom had crossed the bridge a minute before. It was
near three quarters of an hour before I found them, and never
shall -I forget the anguish of that hour.
After the momentary violence of the water had ceased, exer-
tions were made by every person on the spot to rescue the suf-
ferers; but when it is considered that not less than 500 tons of
fluid fell instantaneously into the dock, sweeping away, in its
immense impetuosity, all that before opposed its course, some
slight idea may be formed of the magnitude of the danger in
which the unhappy sufferers were engulphed, and the surprise
excited that any survived the catastrophe. By the most perse-
vering activity the bodies of 7 dead persons were taken to the
Dock-yard Surgery in less than half an hour, and six persons
were conveyed there who had been rescued from tire dock witu
bruises only. Mr. Cowan, Surgeon of the Dock-yard, and Dr.
-T. Cooke Jones, late assistant (recently appointed chief of the
profession at Bermuda Yard), were soon on the spot, to afford
assistance to the sufferers, and they were speedily assisted by tile
most strenuous efforts of most of the profesional gentlemen of
the town. But such' was the nature of the dreadful accident,
that not one of the inanimate persons presented the least ap-
pearance of mere suspended animation, but they all had evidently
been killed by violent bruises, from concussion among the
wreck of the dock gates, or against the sides of the dock. Every
exertion has since been unceasingly made to discover the bodies
of other sufferers, and in the course of the night eight more were
grappled up; and on the following afternoon the body of Mr.
Deering, Midshipman of his Majesty's ship Victory, was dis-
covered, having floated out of the dock into the basin. The
water in the basin has been considerably reduced, and the
means of discovery constantly used, but there is yet no reason
to suppose that any other person has suffered.
Disastrous, melancholy, and affecting as this calamity is—
harrowing to the feelings, and exciting the keenest sensibility of
the hearts of parents, relatives, friends, and neighbours, and the
deepest sympathy of tens.of thousands of persons who left their
distant homes, in the morning of the day with far different feel-
ings ; yet, it must be gratefully acknowledged that, under all
the circumstances, as an afflicting Providential occursence, it
has been attended with a smaller comparative portion of human
woe than any could venture to hope. Had the accident occurred
in the working hours of any one day in the preceding week, not
less than three hundred human beings would, mast likely,
have been the victims, and upwards of 1,000 children (it is
accurately ascertained) have been fatherless. More than tfla
number of men were at work in the dock. Had it occurred an
hour sooner than it did, nearly 100 workmen would have pro.
bably perished. They had happily completed their work in
getting the dock ready, and had gone to be spectators of the

launch. The extent of the calamity is, five men, six boys, four
girls, and one child, drowned. .Tne names of..the sufferers are
as follow,:

1. John Stanfiel, a Custom-house officer at Portsmouth,
locker at the Victualling Office, aged 49, leaving three orphans.
2. Robert showers, 6ia, wood-merchant, Rosemary-lane,
Portsea.

3. Latarus Hart, 49, shopi:eeper, Oyster street, Portsmouth.
4. Sophia Hart, 23, daughter of the above.
5. Gabrial Nathan, 7, Hart's nephew.
6. William Bridle, 48, servant to Mrs. Admiral Osborn,
Broomfield.

7.- John Leal, 14, Pud's-lane, Portsea. -
8.. John llawes, 12, Son thampton.row, Portsea.
9. Elias Taylor, 15, son of J. Taylor, painter, Wiltshire-
street •

10. John Hewitt, 12, Mary-la-bonne-street, Portsea.
11. John Ninehani, 12, Green-row, Portsea.
12. Sarah Knight, 16, servant to Mrs. Mason, Queen-street,
Portsea..

13. Ann Knight, 14, servant to Mrs. Bull, Margery's-court,
Portsea.

14. George Bull, 2, son of the above Mrs. B.
15. Jenmna Fioggett, 15, Green's,fields, Hyde Park-corner.
Portsea.

16. Thomas Deering, 23, master's mate of his 7.llajesty's ship
Victory, nephew of the gallant Colonel Deering, and whose
mother and two sisters live at Jersey.
It will be asked, what was the immediate cause of the dis-
aster, and was anylone to blame for not having taken the nec•_s-
sary precautions ? It is most satisfactory to say that no blame
-can possibly attach to any one ; the accident is attributable to
existing circumstances, which either could not be foreseen, or at
least could not be prevented. The construction of the gates is
'certainly vastly inferior to those now building, and to the con-
struction the catastrophe is, partly-owing ; 'but, speaking as an
engineer, 44 I should say (says a Correspondent), the defect was
more in the workipanship than in the original design ; the plank
is fastened to the uprights by large wooden pins,both sufficiently
substantial, and much leas decayed than could have been ex-
pected, certainly not enough to beveled taany ill consequences;
but the pins were too large and too numerous, and left the wood
so weakened, that it wax unequal to the pressure, and it gave
way at the pin-holes. In addition to this, from the relative
situations of the moon and the earth, the tide was much higher!
than • usual, at least 12 to 18 inches; and' it is probable, too,
that this, was partly occasioned `by the situation of the Queen
Charlotte, which, I think, directed several inches of water into
the basin, more than would otherwise have flowed into it.—
The
pressure of the water. on the gates was equal to a- weight 1
of about 520 tons ; and all there circumstances together contri-
buted to create an equilibrium between the pressure of the
water and the -strength of the gates. Several circumstances,
though of a' minute kind, would contribute to produce this i
effect : of this kind would be the concussion of the guns, and
any increased action of the water. The weight of persons on
the bridge, supposing them even fifty, might be equal to a ,
perpendicular pressure of a few tons, and, us the pressure
was inward, if this weight acted in the same character,
would contribute to produce the result. I do not 'think the
weight of fifty persons scattered over that bridge wbuld have
broken it ; I think when the gates gave way, the stays which
were fastened to the bridge and the gates, to keep the bridge
from swagging,' as it is called, dragged the bridge after them;
and those who were on it, into the waters." The 'gates of the
Dock were built on the plan of the late General Bentham,
who also constructed those of the Dock in which the Hibernia
now lies, which, on being examined, were '3)und defective, four
of the principals being sprung. There is no doubt that a most',
minute survey will be made into the state of the other gates,
and probably it will be thought a hint worthy of attention, that
there should be an annual examination into the state of them.
The bridges too should be erected independently of the gates
altogether, and which may be made as ornamental as they
would be safe and useful.

Since the preceding account of the melancholy disaster was
written, we have received the following authentic account for
insertion :

44 To the PRIXTERS of the HAMPSUIIZE TZLEtRAPH.

" As it is not improbable that erroneous statements of the
fatal accident which occurred upon the day on which the Prin-
cess Charlotte was launched from the dock-yard at this port, may
obtain currency, it will no doubt be satisfactory to the public to
receive an authenticated account from me of this melancholy
event. On Wednesday last, the day of the launch, the tide rose
so rapidly and to so unusual a height that the ship was obliged to
be launched sooner than was anticipated ; the same great rise of
water occasicned such a powerful pressure against the gates of
the South East Dock in the Basin as to cause them to burst
inwards, and to carry with impetuous violence into the empty
dock, the bridge which rested upon the gates, and, with the
bridge, the persons who were unfortunately passing over it
at the time on their way to see the launch. The torrent
of water which rushed into the vacant dock below, over-
whelmed the unhappy individuals, and I grieve to say, that
notwithstanding the active and prompt exertions of those
who beheld the dreadful catastrophe, and of the boats
which immediately hastened to the spot, but few persons
were rescued from their perilous situations. The proper
means were immediately resorted to for the recovery of
those who were picked up, in which the surgeons of the dock-
yard were most humanely and ably assisted by the medical
gentlemen of the place. it he following is the list of those who
were restored to life, and of those who are known to have-
perished :,--

RESTORED TO LarE.—Mr. Sabben St. George's-square,
Portsea ; Mrs. Bloomfield (a soldier's wife), the infant of ditto,
the sister of ditto; Sirs. Mitchell, of Charlotte's-row, and the
(laughter of ditto ; a boy, name unknown.
DROWNED-Mr. Deering, a midshipman of the Victory ;
Mr. Stanfield, Custom-house officer (has left three children) ;
Mr. Showers, a dealer in chips; Mr. Hart, a slopseller, Ports-
mouth; the daughter of do., aged 16, and nephew a( do. aged
seven; a man servant of Mrs. Osborne, of Broomfizld-house.
Young women—Frogett, aged 20, daughter of a labourer;
Knight, 18, Do. 14, daughters of a sawyer. Boys—Bull, 2 ;
Taylor, 15, painter's apprentice ; Hewitt, 14, father a wheel-
wright; Nineham, 14, father a shipwright; Leal, 12, mother
a widow with seven children ; Hawe, 13, father a shipwright
" Every exertion has been made to find the bodies of other
sufferers, and every endeavour to ascertain what persons are
missing. From the best information I have been able to ob-
tain, it appears that there may be still five or six bodies not
found, but this is as yet uncertain. The list already given tells
a melancholy tale, but it is consolatory to my ()sin feelings, as
it will be to the relatives of the sufferers, and satisfaCtory to the
public generally, that no human foresight could have averte-,1
the dreadful calamity, and that it was entirely unconnected with
the preparations made for the launch ; and further, that it
happened ata time when most providentially no persons were
employed at work in the Dock, for had thwc been the case, the
disaster, severe as it it, would have been tenfold greater.
" GEO. GREY, Commissioner.
" Portsmouth Dock-yard, Sept. 17, 1825."