The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-16 00:00:00

R 16, 1847.

LATE STEAM-BOAT EXPLOSION.
ADJOURNED INQUEST.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
1 Mr. Benjamin Nash, the Secretary to the company,
5, Acacia-place, St. John's Wood—He said he kept a
report book, in which he inserted the statements
(made weekly to him by the captains. There was a
statement in the books of the company from the cap-
tains' report-book to the effect that Edwards, the
stoker, had stated to the captain of the Cricket that
Clarke had tied the valves down. Tie believed that
Edwards made an exclamation of this nature to the
captain in the presence of the passengers.
The CORONER ordered the book to be produced.
Mr. Nash said he would go to his office and bring
it back immediately.
The inquiry was then adjourned for ten minutes.
On its resumption Mr. Nash produced the minute-
book.

Mr. M. Chambers suggested that nothing more
than what had reference to the matter in question
should be read.
The CORONER acquiesced, and the following ex-
tract was read :
" April 25.—The Cricket started at Ito 10. About
three o'clock the stoker came on deck, and said the
engineer had got the valves of the engine tied down, and
that it was not safe to stop in the engine-room."
Mr. Nash—There was no other record in the book
with respect to the matter. Recollected on one
occasion a stoker in the Bee, named Buckley,
had his hair singed and his jacket burned
by his own carelessnes. No record of that
was kept. When he heard of the occurrence
he communicated with Mr. Smith. Edwards was
not discharged for this. He ran up and made
this exclamation before several passengers, instead
of making his statement to the proprietors, who would
have investigated it. He was discharged because the
engineers were, as a body, dissatisfied with him, as he
was a malicious man. The report that Clarke had
tied the valves was discredited as a thing impossible.
Clarke himself said he should be a madman to do such
a thing. He obtained the information from the cap-
tain's weekly book.
To the Jury—Edwards was discharged because he
informed the public that they were in danger.
Mr. Nash said he considered Edwards rightly dis-
charged ; he might have made his statement to the
proprietors. Edwards would have been discharged
whether this had happened or not, because the en-
gineers were dissatisfied with him; they thought him
a dangerous man. He was a good stoker. When
the entry was made, be called the attention of the
superintendent to the matter, and no doubt he inves-
tigated it.
A Juryman--You hold a very responsible situa-
tion ; but it appears that you are a mere copyist.
You are a very inefficient secretary.
To further questions, the witness replied that he
certainly did not go and see whether the valves were
tied down. I satisfied myself that the superintendent
of the company made an investigation, and that the
valves were not tied down. He did not have the
captain's book until the end of the week. The pro-
prietors would hear of anything that occurred imme-
diately from the superintendent. Could not say
whether he communicated the charge immediately to
the proprietors. The superintendent communicated
with the proprietors independently of the information
afforded by the captain's book. The superintendent
was in the habit of seeing Mr. Smith almost daily.
By Mr. Chambers—Mr. Smith was in the habit
of journeying by the boats two or three times a day.
At times he wrote a short note to Mr. Smith stating
what had occurred during the day. He obtained in-
formation in addition to that furnished by the captain.
By Mr. James—Clarke must have engaged Parker.
Had no record in the books of Parker driving any of
the boats ; but he had seen him driving the boats in
the absence of Clarke. Did not know that Parker
was employed in a seed warehouse last winter. Could
not say whether Ball was on board of the boat at the
time Edwards ran up from the engine-room and ex-
claimed that the valves were tied, and that the lives
of the whole of the passengers were in danger. No
watch was kept en Clarke to see whether he tied the
valves down or not. It never occurred to him after
to look at the valves. He had seen spunyarn at-
tached to the levers and hanging down, both before
and after the complaint. In fact he did not pay any
attention to it. Never saw the levers tied.
Most likely was on the boat the same day or
the next morning. Took no steps himself to
ascertain if it was true. Mr. Polleti gave him neither
a written nor a verbal report to lay formally before
the directors. A few days after—he could not tell
how many—Mr. Smith made a minute examination.
Clarke was called into the office, and Mr. Smith
spoke seriously to him on the subject. He denied it.
He was satisfied with his assurance. Clarke had
driven one of the vessels since the occurrence. He
was the foreman of the engineers, and it was his duty
to be as much in the boats as out of them.
To the Jury—Never saw the covering of the boiler
off. The Cricket was sometimes out of repair. Clarke
did a great many repairs, independently of Mr. Joyce.
He had the character of a first-rate mechanic, and
Mr. Joyce entertained such an opinion of him.
Mr. James said he would call witnesses to show all
the repairs that hed been made by Mr. Joyce.
To a Juryman—Clarke repaired the engine last.
He repaired the boats with the aid of other hands.
Last week he had his brother to assist him. The
boat was never laid up for repairs longer than a week.
By Mr. M'lntyre—The denial of Clarke was con-
sidered sufficient, and the denial of the foreman of
the engineers of any company would be considered
sufficient in any case. Beliewd Buttress took
Edwards from the Cricket into his boat after Clarke
said he would not have him. Edwards went to Mr.
Smith to ask him to reinstate him ; but finding that he
was disliked, he was not re-appointed. His " oration"
did not lead to his discharge. They were all jealous
of Clarke, because he was foreman. Edwards wanted
to get an engineer's situation. He did not, however,
tell him so. Kent, the former engineer, also com-
plained of Edwards in writing.
Mr. Edward Cahan, tailor, of 371, Strand, stated
that he was on board the Cricket the day before the
explosion. He took the boat at London-bridge, and
when she was between Southwark and Blackfriars-
bridge there was a loud noise in one of the wheels ;
the boat was stopped, it was rectified, and the boat
proceeded.
Joseph Whalden, foremast hand cf the Cricket
since the 14th of May—Was in the engine-room the
day before the explosion. There was nothing the
matter with the machinery on that day. Saw the
engineer take a broom and move up the valves.
Never saw a string attached to the lever. Clarke
never said anything to him about the valves. He
(witness) knew as much about the safety-valves as
the safety-valves knew about him. About a week
before Haisman came in Clarke told him that the
Engines were never in better order. Haisman
was about four or five minutes in the en-
gine-room after the boat put to before the
explosion. Heard the steam making a hissing
noise just before Haisman came up. It was
quite an easy noise, but he did not see it, because he
could not tell the difference between steam and smoke.
Very little smoke was coming out of the funnel. He
was standing alongside the paddle-box on the sponsors, 1
by the engineer and stoker, and a person named
Cripps, all of whom were talking. The passage up
was an easy one, and took about eight minutes.
Usually stopped about ten minutes at the pier. Hais-
man broke the broom handle raising the lever of the
larboard boiler—the one that exploded.
By Mr. James—The boat had been on the blocks
when Clarke said it never was in better order. Saw
the steam blow off when Clarke raised the lever with
the broom handle. The handle was thin and easily
broken. Had been fourteen years on board steam-
boats, but could not distinguish the &Terence between
steam and smoke issuing from the funnel. Heard
Haisman open a water-cock and try the quantity of
of
water in the boiler. Never was in a vessel
lookedwith at
the starboard boiler the
steam-pipe opening into the m beforeY.
occur-
rence, as he thought there was_ so
morningron chimney.
g en the
fire,
re,
aod
'he could state, on his oath, thathe did not see any
rope attached to it.
By Mr. M'lntyr.e--drivenrope the
engines once er twice. KnHewad Parkerthere bled
a ean
at-
tached to the end of the lever beh must have seen it.
Alfred Cripps stated that he was the foremast
hand of the Bee ; and that he had frequently been
employed on board the Cricket. Had looked at the
engines frequently, but during the whole time he had
been employed he had never seen the valves tied ; in
fact, be never noticed them. Was not acquainted
with the nature of engines. He was on the larboard
sponson when the explosion took place. The boat had
been four or five minutes at the pier at the time of
the explosion. Did not hear the steam blowing off.
Had heard that Edwards had charged Clarke with
tying down the valves. Had heard some of the men
employed by the
,company say that Edwards was a
smuggler.
Mr. Edward Martin, captain of the boat, was next
examined. He said be ',had filled the post of captain
since July last year. It was not his business to con-
trol the engines or the engineer in any way. The
engineer was rated above him, and paid a higher sa-
lary. He had nothing more to do with the
engineer than giving him the word of com-
mand. Had seen a piece of spunyarn
during the time both Kent and Clarke were em-
ployed. It was several yards long, and the ends
were thrown down into the engine-room. Never
saw it tied. Its use was explained to him as there
to shake the valves. It was used in the other boats,
and when he was appointed to the Cricket he did not
ask the reason. Had not bad his attention called to
the strings. The engine never required any serious
repairs.- The boat went very well indeed the morning
of the explosion, so well that he remarked it. He
had landed his passengers, and left the boat three or
four mintiket before the explosion took lace. oould