The Sun.
London, England, 1847-08-30 00:00:00

LATE FEARFUL
.4414 BO 41' EXPLOSION

'lllt

I'll " INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.)
'Nil ,-Quest on the body of the unfortunate suf-
°l)ellea'll the recent disaster on the Thames, was
1 the- today at eleven o'clock, in the Board-room
aNtto* a,,s t• Martin's workhouse, at the rear of the
All
et"' Gallery, before Mr. Bedford and a special
.c't the 'seventeen, selected from the neighbourhood
bs„,,u4ies wee It will be recollected that five
:17'404,i:6 found. The names of the unfortunate
Ali 11-4° John Littleton, about 32, costermonget ;
te„, -acid body had been,
-10//eit eY, 19, engineer (whose
NI ' here from the dead-house in the Waterloo
1,„„ • ; Thous"eh Shade 14, call-boy; John Blunt,
%gter; and
Aber.tr- George Shute, aged about 30
Ili Smith and Mr. Nicholson, gentlemen
ItNatta with the boats, attended; as also. did Mr.
t41„„sall ii,ebarobers (the counsel), and Air. Dakes,tl,e
,h7eltet• e-41'r t° the company. Mr. Le Breton, .
"a f-017,!he Parish, also attended. The arrange-
t co"' convenience of the press were excellent.
Ages an utt having been formally opened, Ma r.
-41t4t1,!les, lihendraper, of the Strand, was p-
"Nina
iti,Theiur, 111.
v lit th Y .4ving viewed the bodies, three of which
t:li4 ne workhouse, and two at the hospital, to tb NdOko
te• e je. Aka addressed a few preparatory remarks
dialtt the •
Il 'Y' Ile said, no doubt his mind, and the
cot iv, Jury, had been depressed by the serious
the sarpri,.°h they had met to enquire into. It was
had excited
46,,Pahlie'ing that such an occurrence
tt44 lied mind, neither was it surprising. that opi-
e veen set forth in the public prints and. else-
N ' itatl th t
todPao)- • a Charges had been made against the
b., 0; th: WWI which of course the jury had nothing
atd ;-,3;111. mu disregard all the reports which had ap-
tikteleell't he columns of the newspapers, and all the
4e ~eur,.,B which had been published with respectl _to
tilos"' le-nee• The inquiry might invo ve
efaterhOliries of the kind involved—criminally
tt s'4e, loslt,9f others, and that alone, independently
Watt' Co?' life Which had been occasioned, must
Prs-aregar4dtstigation one of a most serious nature.
,heat eotir I the nature of the evidence he was at
the -le inn e unacquainted, but he assured them
tost
~,itury y should not be closed this day, unless
e27,lllwitl;°°lusive evidence should be brought for-
get:4op• respect to the causes which had led to the
11441°'' etthreltibted "e3r
-,,e1. a egt should have the evidence of men
reputation in the branch. of science
teptiNthill ~t° locomotion by the aid of steam. Het.
the-:lto tVrther to say than to request their a
A : -evidence which might be adduced before
tler4Jl2tYrae
eu 4 suggested %tu„.._o4 the . that if there were any gen-
Voi the JurY connected in any way
it
.e Ai
Y should withdraw. with the
tliolUired if°tru coincided in the suggestion, and
s Y ?
(:42114tat ere were any gentlemen connected with
eompk, °Akins e
The X three an:l he performed some work for the
Placed "deitoa weeks ago.
Ix Ta %Olt inquired if he had requested to be
~,t1:. uel,t: Jury p
driit e Coa7s said he had.
II!) Nit Ilea said-1 thinkyou had better with-
-44* a g• t° til-delicacyof
11 enkios the inquiry. Tho followia accordingly withdrew. , ,
.__
ea._ tau kk_g:. Witnesses were then examined .
llaiownt-ard',74e said he lived at 11, Rose-street,
call- litet ttltiate oai,a,rld that he was the father o
the 00e4er. -8e y, ?!, who was fourteen years of age
reke r°Pany sin had been employed on the boats of
months fl'nta t-0 ,ast Christmas. He had had him
!very, „," age. 11; 4ktit to the Cricket about three.
!very
Of --iitr4ing, but .7,45 in the habit of seeing him
IA the ti
occurre-„- s'edid not see him on the morn-
Was whintr• Ile 8;e:11 consequence of being in bed
114peeritilt his de ii3'eaillstitensibi him after the accident, but he
Lad freln the time of the accident
eatified hie sou a, Is 110 statement to make with re-
kr ywith hi'3 ~,1 "e believed his son was perfectly
111 R y. "11"---Whace.
vittieosur sot
ac) fat
Was the cause of your remov-
Nit s----I had" /;orn the Ant to the Cricket ? The
tv, \veil tr
er h; eatedill°l removed as I thought he was
bY those' and 1 thboy the persons who were placed
aocc he Was , 118'1.4 he would be better treated
lialisr 4 Lyed ~lilaced under in the Cricket.
deli cead, stiplunt, of xi-
tn 43 cl a (4 he Was ..-1;t0 2, Tallick-terrace, Vaux-
- sty Jo gin watchmaker, and that
.the
Ilai ' except t,_ nt was his son. He had nothing
r.toatie,,
„ veth -.• that every means were taken to restore
~o---- er,,,. ,-
Laant she iciv'e,Llttletou said, she was now a widow,
%I d'
Jehu it., at INT°• 6, 13loomsbury-street. Her.hus-
",,Myker Yttletoo
, was aged thirty-three, and was
kleor .
N) ge SiUlte •
teiliel!hd that be
said he lived in James-street, Mile-
it NiQ_ 4114 si,e__,was a painter and glazier. The de-
titti
~ and tw:a was his only son, and that he had
Rent
5,,„,,,, , 'undren. He was a general dealer,
aotl try Vollrenty-four and a half.
4 bliuek lel of 104 Golden-lane, St. Luke's.
l'etelvits in e?:
_Was his nephew; his age was eighteen.
haoirig hn:_cniPloyrnent as an engineer, and was
I,`:4othinZuutv from repairing a small engine. He
:I'o sic B°4 More to say, except that he should like
iie when hquestiocs of the engineer and of Mr.
%at t• 'lmo,: .;.N.rus examined.
w,ilt be reeid -°ll,, ocker said he was a tailor, and
Lair.% 1)044' at No. 23, Maddox-street. He
then ast tine the Cricket about five minutes before
eri he went nonthe morning of the occurrence.
atu:hownalkcieicistto sir) board he looked about him. He
anr_hepetern of the boat and took his seat
did ii aft;"' 'ram the boiler. He was rather
than t proceer_, waiting a few minutes, that the boat
pe,ll sual. Thereuon its voyage—it was much longer
se-'Ol4 on board` was a considerable number of
tlYthere weraerci--rnore than two hundred. Should
fsitlle bout. nearly one hundred in the after-parthe
thuan quiver"lad at about five minutes, when
'tit ''er.
0111beedliZellai
IT- ° a%
th s feet—a sort of trembling
thew
took the
ti Y after the deck was blown
- -Qees, with a terrific explosion.
13, hole
of
direction of the after-part of the boat.
ley; think _ ‘33! the ha,
part was driven away—he did
he sitt w... 4
,ipgle foot remained. The seat on which
...e
shad I:' '"lown from under him. A parcel which
‘4tl 6 1,7:. his hand, and his hat, were blown away,
... WOllll
Cie('
°II the hip and shoulder, The

steam struck him on the face like a slap from a hand.
W' an the 4-4.earti eloarcd aww faani that all
the persons he had noticed on the seats
had been carried away—some were hanging by
the sides; and he assisted a lady who had
called loudly to him for assistance. The Echo, a
Richmond boat, came from the middle of the river
and took some of the passengers off. A gentleman
with a white head cried out that his leg had been
broken. He looked down into the cabin and heard a
noise like the howling of a dog. Assisted to get a
man from amongst the timbers whose mouth and
forehead were bleedir g. He was doubled up like a
drunken man. There was no one on board con-
nected, with the company to render assistance. Saw
neither the captain nor the engineer on board. Ex-
amined the place from which the boiler had been
carried, but found no one there. He apprehended
that the boat was waiting for the captain, as it was
ready to start and had its fair complement of pas-
sengers.
By the jury—Was in the habit of going down
Duke-street to the boats. On the morning in ques-
tion he met persons coming from the boat, and he ran
down the pier and got on board without loss of time,
as he thought the boat must be about to start, as they
were not in the habit of stopping long after landing.
The boat was not aground, because he felt the stern
part sink after the explosion. Travelled frequently
by the boat's, and was often in the habit of. standing
by the engines and admiring them.
A Juryman said the time of the occurrence was
about the period when the parties connected with the
boats breakfasted.
When the statement was read over to the witness
he added to it, that the parties connected with the
boat came down to it to inquire into the cause of the
explosion after it had happened.
Mr Archibald Henry Hamilton was next examined.
He said he was a reporter, and that he lived at No. 6,
Francis-street, Waterloo-road, and that on Friday
morning he went on board the boat at about twenty-
'hree minutes past nine o'clock, and took up his po-
ition in the fore part of the vessel near the windlass.
About two minutes after, whilst talking to a fo-
reigner, he experienced a sort of oscillation in the
vessel. In a moment after the explosion took place,
and he was thrown on his face. The boat was not
aground. The captain was not on board, because he af-
terwards heard him put the question to Mr. Gilleto,
the superintendent of the boats, " How long do you
suppose I have been on shore ?" He knew the super-
intendent, and spoke to him ten minutes after the
occurrence. He did not look into the engine-room,
but he saw neither the engineer nor stoker on board.
Saw Redgrave taken out. He thought the last wit-
ness was mistaken, as there appeared to him (wit-
ness) to he no more than from 120 to 140 persons on
board. The deck was not overcrowded. There were
few on that part of the deck on which he stood. Did
not notice the after part of the boat ; there was plenty
of room. Passengers were coming on board when

the explosion took place.
The CORONER said he did not intend to take
further evidence with respect to the explosion. He
wished now to have evidence of the parties who as-
sisted in conveying the deceased persons from the boat
to the places where they now lay.
George Silverton said he resided at 13, George-
street, Adelphi, and that he was a fisherman. He
was standing at his door at the time of the occur-
rence, and when he saw and heard the explosion he
ran down to the boat, and with the aid of the captain
extricated the boy Shade from the bottom of the boat.
He was lying in the after-cabin, and was almost
covered with fragments of wood and water. Pulled
him out by his arms, and took him into the office ;
afterwards took him on his shoulders to the hospital,
and assisted to undress him and put him to bed. He
was living at that time, and at the time he left him,
but he was unconscious. Immediate attention was
rendered to him. Had seen the engineers, but noticed
nothing remarkable in them. Knew the engineer,
but he never spoke to him about tho engines. As-
sisted in extricating an elderly gentleman with white
hair from the broken fragments. (We believe this is
the person whose leg was amputated )
By Mr. Montague Chambers—The call-boy might
have been blown up and fallen where he found him,
or he might have fallen through the deck, the middle
of which was entirely broken up. The Learned
Counsel said he merely asked the question in order
that the jury might not form an erroneous opinion
with respect to what the unfortunate youth was doing
at the time of the occurrence, that they might not
consider that he was neglecting his duty.
Some discussion here ensued on the application of
Mr. Noble to inspect the engines and fire-place of the
boat.
The CORONER said he could not then give him an
order.--he doubted whether he had power to do so,
but no doubt the company would offer the relatives of
the deceased parties every facility for that purpose.
On inquiry it appeared, from the statement of the
superintendent of the boats, that the ill-fated vessel
was in the custody of the police, and that he had re-
ceived directions from the company to permit no one
to see it without an order from them.
Mr. Knight (a juryman)—Do you mean to say
that the jury may not see it without the permission of
the company, if they think proper ? Mr. Montague
Chambers—l (litre say the company will afford the
jury every facility for inspecting the boat, and also
the relatives of the deceased parties. There is no
doubt about it.
Mr. Knight—l do not claim to inspect the boat
either by favour or affection, but by right.
The superintendent promised the coroner to allow
the persons, related to the deceased, to see the boat,
and the matter dropped.
(The inquiry was being proceeded with when our
report left.)

EMBARKATION OF TROOPS FOR INDIA. On SK
turday morning nearly 200 men embarked from the
Custom-house quay, Gravesend, on board two ships, for
conveyance to Bombay, viz., the Mary, of London, 560
tons burden, Captain Thomas Grant, and the Ilindostar,
500 tons, Captain C. West. The former ship received
on board a detachment of the 10th Royal Light Dra-
goons, consisting of 110 men, with lour women and
eight children, and the following officers:—Captain
Methuen Stedman, Lieutenant R. E. Blake, Cornet
Robert Clements, and Cornet Edward Stacey ; these
troops arrived from Maidstone. Also embarked with
them a draught from Chatham garrison, consisting of
66 men of the 78th Highlanders, with one officer, Lieu-
tenant Thomas James D. Reed. The ship Hindostan
received the following draughts from the provisional
battalion at Chatham garrison : 177 men of the Ist
battalion of the 60th Rifles, 26 men of the 86th Regi-
ment, and eight men of the 78th Highlanders, with a
proportionate nu.nber of Women and children. The fol-
lowing officers also embarked : Captain H. Bingham
and Lieutenant R. T. Eustace Robertson, 60th Rifles,
Lieutenant S. L. A. Messiter, 28th Foot ; and Ensign
Duncan D. Grahame, of the 78th Highlanders. The
whole of these troops were inspected previous to their
embarkation by medical officers appointed for that duty.
THE POLISH IniaLs.-13y accounts from Berlin
of the 20th, we learn that only 24 out of the 254 poli-
tical prisoners who are to be tried, had been interro-
gated. If this slow rate of proceeding should continue
the trials will occupy nearly nine months..
NEWS FOR NANCY.—Matthew Irvine, of Hebburn,
an ingenious mechanic, has made a small steam engine
to rock his child's cradle. The length of the engine
and boiler is 161 inches.
FEARFUL GUN ACCIDENT AT BATTERSEA.—Yes-
terday afternoon, between the hours of four and five, an
accident of a most fearful character happened to a man
named Francis Jardin, aged thirty-fire, under the sub-
joined circumstances :—lt appears that at that hour the
I unfortunate man was in Battersea fields with a party of
gentlemen, shooting, and Jardin was in the act of load-
ing a rifle for one of the parties, which suddenly ex-
ploded, and he was shot in the hand, thus causing a
severe fracture of the metacarpal bone of the first finger,
besides injuring his face. He was soon taken to a sur-
geon in the neighbourhood, and subsequently to the
Charing-cress Hospiial, with the bullet remaining in his
hand Mr. G. M. Young, the house surgeon, who saw
him upon his admission, considered that the process of
amput:aiuu must be adopted.
MARLBOROUGH- STREET POLICE- COURT.—The alte-
rations which have been going on for sinle weeks past in
this Court are now completed, and many of the iiisad-
vantages which existed in the previous arrangements
have been remedied. The ventilation, the hearing, and
the general aceomtuodation are greatly improved.
BRISTOL SUGAIL..MARHET, AUG. 27.—We have had
a good business doing in raw sugars this week, at full
pri.;es, and the market closed with more firmness than
has been perceptible for some time past.—Bristol Mer-

cury.
WIDDICOMIIE AT
EN —On Saturday, the 21st
Holborn, Mr. MEr.hzWthicletihicomEbied,eoef,
A August,etieyatA eaS St
hAi
tnhdertietwr
polfactew, Henotylß:srinx.
dauDghutTecrHof
CATTLE.
—rA.J.sEmdadlein
'vnefssEell);
teeitwCheL tramhasaries,
thear
rivedb
at
tr tht ehue onlyßree,
Brunswick,
emked t e
Wharf,J o
Bn
DpruetcdeheepeorrtheFilluanshdi,tigail withawh2iel she
h 5
were landed
on board,latidedinp perfect
tos their destination.afetyandingoodcondition, and were delivered at once
A general reduction of gamekeepers
has
n
made on the Duke of Buckingham's manors in
Around Stowe no less than sixteen have been dismissed,
Bucks.
and two only retained. A number of " watchers are
out of commission. The venison from Stowe Park is in
the course of sale, and the leverets on the estate are
sent to market.
GALLlClA.—According to a letter from Vienna, of
the 20th, the intelligence from Gallicia was unsatisfac-
tory, great agitation reigning in the province and at
Lemberg. The priest, who was to have been executed,
has had his sentence commuted to twenty years' im-
prisonment in the fortress of Kufstein.
QUARANTINE.—The select vestry of Liverpool have
resolved to discontinue the quarantine regulations, as fax
as the Irish are concerned, the improved health of the
town having warranted them in so doing.
The several rumours respecting appointments to
the bi,hopric of Manchester are unfounded. No ap-
pointment can take place until the arrangements fur
the constitution of the new see shall have been formally
announced in the Gazette,—Observer.