The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENI.N 6, SEPTEMBER 24, 1847.

By the CORONER—I was never in Citizen m.
By Mr. M'lntyre—Examining the valves is seeing
that they do not stick and oiling them. I have been
employed on the Wasp. I recollect one of the
tubes bursting, the boiler did not burst. The stoker
was killed. I was the engineer. The boiler was
made by Mr. Spiller—it was high pressure. I used
to work that boiler at 40—the same pressure at
which I worked the Cricket, as near as I can tell.
In reply to a Gentleman—The witness stated that
the valves were not tied down on the Sunday before
the accident, as stated by a witness.
By Mr. Le Breton—l have found valves stick in
other boats--more on the Thames from the muddy
water. I never was instructed, in any way, to guide
myself by Salters' balance. A person looking from
the deck, unless the case was off, could only see the
string three or four inches from the lever downwards.
lie would see the rope nearest the weighted lever.
Any one might imagine that the end of the rope was
fastened from the direction it took ; they could not
however, think it tight. I should suppose I was,
doing wrong if I altered the index of Salter's valves.
An engineer is placed in the greatest danger. The
valves might be tied without danger if there was not
much steam, but I never did so. I could always
weight the valves. It takes six minutes to perform
the ordinary voyage—sometimes longer from want
of steam. A person attending to the steam blowing
off at 38 might hear it. The day before the explosion
the engine room did not become suddenly full of
steam. _ _

To the jury—l went in the Ant the day of the ex-
plosion. I do not know who unscrewed the brass
bearings of the engines and boilers. I did not re-
move the string from the other boiler. The explosion
of the Wasp took place about two years ago. I re-
mained in the service of the company some time after,
until the boats of the company stopped for the season.
Pater never drove the engines. The weight of the
ball on the lever was about 331b5., not 661bs.

By Mr. Richardson—l saw some one doing some-
thing to the boat after the explosion, removing pieces
of the wreck, but I cannot say exactly who they were.
There were several persons. There was the captain
and the superintendent. I did not see what was re-
moved. My berth was at the side of the sponson,
and after the explosion I picked up a shirt and a
light waistcoat.
To a juryman—Any one coming into the boat
must have seen me standing on the sponson. I
fancied I had more pressure than the gauge indicated,
because the boat was superior in her speed to the
other boats ; also when I tried the steam cocks I
found that there was greater power than in the Ant
and the Bee without the gauge indicating it.
Mr. Lloyd, the Government engineer, was re-
called,' and explained two or three parts of his evi-
dence. He said the unexploded boiler began to break
at a pressure of 1201bs. to the square inch, and burst
completelytat:l36lbs. 1t could not, in his opinion, have
burst at a pressure of less than 1361b5. He would not
undertake to say that the whole of the bulging of the
front plate of the boiler was caused by pressure ; it
seemed, however, to have been so caused. The pro-
bability was that the pressure was greater than he
had mentioned. They might assume that the pressure
on the two boilers was alike. If the rivets had been
better the plates would have been held more firmly
together. The rivets were loose and two short.
By the Foreman—lt appears, from what I have
heard, that the gauge did not indicate more than one
half the pressure on the boiler.
Charles Jenkins, of No. 4, Agar-street, Strand,
plumber, painter, and glazier—l was sworn on this
jury originally, but retired. I have seen the valves
with the strings tied to them, and I have made the
model which I now produce.—(The witness produced
the model, and said that even if the string was tied
that the valves could work. The witness said, the
model, or " muddle " as Mr. James called it, was
made upside-down, and that it belonged to a kitchen
boiler. The model caused much laughter.)
Mr. Poletti, the superintendent of the boats, was
next examined. He said he had nothing to do with
the machinery of the boats. He saw that the steam
was got up in time, and generally superintended
the affairs of the company. He never saw the
levers tied down. Spunyarn was used at present in
the other boats. He examined the valves on the
Sunday. Clarke was charged with tying them by
Edwards. They were not tied. He never saw them
tied. Edwards made one " oration" in the bearing
of the passengers, and I went at once into the engine-
room and taxed him with it. I said, " Clarke, have
you been tying the valves down ?" He replied,
"Do you think I am mad, Sir ?" I said, " If
you had I should have thought that you
were mad." I examined the spunyarn and found
that it was not taught—that it hung loose
over a nail in the beam. There was one
string to each valve. Had seen it repeatedly
in the same position both before and after; subse-
quently I kept my eye upon them, and put my hand
upon those in the Cricket, and in other boats several
times. They were never tight in any of the boats.
I declare to my God that I never saw the string in a
position to impede the valves ! I have seen the ends
hanging down. I never knew anything serious
occur in the machinery. When anything occurred
I generally investigated it.
To the jury—Probably Clarke had sufficient time
to notice them if they were tied. I did not go down
the moment I heard the charge. I felt it my duty
to acquaint Mr. Smith with the circumstance the
next morning, and he came down at eleven or twelve
the next (Monday) morning. He sent me for Clarke,
and I went for him. Mr. Smith spoke to Clarke on
the subject. I disbelieved the report with respect to
Clarke. lam not positive whether they did, or did
not, go into the engine-room.
By Mr. M. Chambers—l was the person to whom
complaints were made in the first instance.
(The inquiry was not concluded when our report
eft.)

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S.—YESTERDAY.
CESAREWITCH STAKES.
7 to 1 agst Mr. Bouverie's War Eagle,3 yrs, Bst llb
—taken
14 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Wood Pigeon, 5 yrs, Bst
1,000 to 60 agst Mr. Disney's Cawroush, 4 yrs, 7st—t
1,000 to 60 agst Mr. B. Green's Rob Roy, 3 yrs, Est—t
20 to 1 agst Mr. St. Paul's Ulysses, 3 yrs, 6st—taken
20 to 1 agst Lord Glasgow's Miss Whip filly, 3 yrs,
4st 121 b—taken
20 to 1 agst Lord E. Russell's Reminiscence, 3
yrs, ist
20 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Lady Wildair, 5 yrs,
Bst—take 25 to 1
25 to 1 agst Mr. Parr's Giselle, 4 yrs, Est 121 b
25 to 1 agst Mr. Meiklam's Inheritress, aged, Bst 81b
25 to 1 agst Mr. Meiklam's Lightning, 6 yrs, Bst 81b
25 to 1 agst Mr. Johnstone's Annandale, 5 yrs,
7st 121 b
25 to 1 agst Mr. Payne's Marquis of Conyngham, 4
yrs, Est
30 to 1 Captain Pettat's Newcourt, aged, 7st 121 b
33 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Crozier, 3 yrs, Est 61b
The above were the average prices at the close; in
several bets, however, against Rob Roy, Cawroush, and
Lady Wildair, higher odds were laid; 20 to 1, 25 and 33
to 1 laid by different parties against Marquis of Co-
nyngham.

CADIBRIDGESIIIRIik STAKES.
15 to 1 agst Mr. Robertson's Blackbird, 4 yrs,
7st 121 b—taken
15 to 1 agst Mr. Nunn's Prior of St. Margaret's,
4 yrs, Bst
16 to 1 agst Mr. Bouverie's War Eagle,3 yrs, Bst 31b
,000 to 60 agst Mr. Taylor's George Hudson, 3 yrs,
Est—taken
,000 to 60 agst Mr. B. Green's Rob Roy, 3 yrs, 6st 61b
—taken
25 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Pyrrhus the First, 4 yrs,
Bst 101 b
Very little done on this race.
DERBY.
11 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Surplice—taken to 100 i.
12 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's Springy Jack—t to 100 L
30 to 1 agst Colonel Anson's Backbiter—taken
30 to 1 agst Mr. B. Green's Flatcatcher—taken
2,000 to 60 agst Mr. B. Green's Beverlac—taken
1,000 to 20 agst Mr. B. Green's Swiss Boy—taken.
BEDFORD RACES—WEDNESDAY.
The Preparation Stakes of 10 sovs. each, 5 ft, and 25
added. Once round and a distance. Gentlemen riders.
(6 Subs.)
Mr. G. Ongley's Roderick, aged ... (Mr. Beville) 1
Mr. C. Rayner's Alboni, 3 yrs
Mr. Wilder's Spem Gregis, 3 yrs ••• ..• 3
Lord Strathmore's Lyons, 5 yrs ..• ... 4
The Two Years Old Stakes of 10 so
ya. each, and 50 added.
Last half mile. (9 Subs.)
Mr. Minor's Shropshire Witch ... (Darling) 1
Duke of Bedford's c by Plenipo, dam by Lancastrian _2
Mr. Ongley's Bird of Paradise
The following also started, but were not placed :—Mr.
G. Hobson's Passion Flower, Lord Strathmore's Sweet-
sauce, Mr. Shelley's Remembrancer, Mr. Death's Lady
Francis, and Mr. Tilbury's Rosalie. Won by a length.
The Bedfordshire Stakes of 20 so ake
milvs. each, 10 ft, with 70
adTwo es.
Al&
rr SGt. e pHhi eg
,ng si on ns
ss Docsi r
Pt rei
tneer,
L 3
ayur
rs ...
i e 3
yrs
Mr. Shelly's Tit-bit, 4 yrs ••• •••
•••
The following also started, but were not placed :-
Lord Warwick's Yardley, aged—Mr. Robertson's Tom
Tough, aged—Mr. Hobson's Chatham, 5 yrs—Count
Bathyany's Master Stepney, 5 yrs—Mr. Scott's Mosque,
aged—and Mr. F. Glanville na Fannus, 3 yrs. Won by
a neck.
The Town Stakes of 5 sovs. each, and 25 added. Heats,
one mile and a quarter.

(Pearl

(Carter) 1 1
... 3 2
... 2 3
-. 4 4

Mr. Arber's Caroline, 5 yrs ...
Mr. Shelley' br f, by Alpheus, 3 yrs
Captain Thompson's Etona, 5 yrs
Mr. Marson's Rosanna, 5 yrs

Three others started for the first heat.
THURSDAY.

Tho Stratton Park Stakes of 10 3O
s. each, and 30
d. Twice round.
Mr. Rayner's Alboni, 3 yrs ...
Mr. G. Ongley's Roderick, aged
Lord Strathmore's Tit Bit, 4 yrs
Mr. Trulock's Faunus, 3 yrs ...
Mr. Eleves's Subduer, aged
The Queen's Plate of 100 guineas. Three miles.
Lord Lonsdale's Jericho, 5 yrs (Bartholomew]

...(Pearl) 1
2
3
4
i