The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-21 00:00:00

THE INUNDATIONS.

BRENTFORD.
NEW BRENTFORD,WEDNESDAY EVENING.-The extreme
fineness of the day has caused a great influx of persons into
the town, for the purpose of witnessing the reality of the
extensive destruction oecasoned by the fearful inundation
on Sunday morning last, and throughout the day every
avenue leading to the banks of the Grand Junction Canal,
from which a view could be obtained, has been thronged
by persons having that object.
As it was arranged at the meeting last evening that
the owners of every barge should send four men, and the
owners or agent of every monkey-boat two men for the
purpose of making a joint effort with the Grand Junction
Company to raise the wrecks, a body of men assembled
about seven o'cicck this morning for that purpose; but,
in the absence of the proper gear and of a person to super-
intend, very little was done. At nine o'clock Sir Francis
Head arrived at Brentford, on time part of the Canal Com-
pany, and on being informed of the decision of the meet-
ing, objected to it, expressing his belief that it ought to
devolve on the Navigation Committee of the Thames to
see to the raising of the wrecks, but that if the Com-
pany did it, the arrangements and execution of the task
must be entrusted to their officers. After much discus-
sion, that arrangement wns, we understand, agreed to, and
it was determined that the operations should commence
to-morrow morning.
The flood has since Sunday greatly subsided, yet the
water was last night much higher than usual, and a barge
belonging to a lighterrnan named Marsden, while lying in
the canal, was swamped.
Between sixty and seventy of the men, women, and
children belonging to the monkey boats still continue in-
mates of the Infant School in the Butts, supported by the
subscriptions of the inhabitants.
INQUEST ON ONE OF THE SUFFERERS.

At noon a Jury was impanelled at the Catherine Wheel
public-house, before Mr. T. Baker, to inquire into the
circumstances attendant upon the death of William Spruce,
aged 19 years, who was drowned during the late inun-
dation.

The ConoNEß—The inquiry upon which they were about
to enter appeared to him to be one which they could not
properly bring to a conclusion without, in some measure,
entering into the causes which led to the calamity; to al-
certain which it would probably be necessary to adjourn
the inquiry to another day. He would therefore suggest
to the Jury that they should view the body, and also the
spot where the occurrence took place, and on their return
receive evidence as to the identity of the deceased, and
then adjourn for a week.
_

On the return of the Coroner and Jury to the ir.quest-
room, _ _

The CORONER said, from the view they had taken, there
was no doubt in his mind that, on the removal of the wrecks,
other bodies would be found. He could, as ho had pre-
viously said, take the evidence of persons as to the identity
of the deceased, and leave the primary cause and the lia-
bility of parties, should any be blameable, to another time,
as in that case the Jury would require the report of a per-
son scientifically competent to determine those points.
The Rev. Dr. Stoddard observed that, as the clergyman
of the township, he had attended with the churchwardens,
for the purpose of stating to the Coroner and Jay that
several applications had been made to them by inhabitants,
that a full inquiry into the causes of the calamity should
be gone into. There was no doubt the flood had been the
primary cause; but if the gates were not opened to allow
the water to pass off, and if therefore any persons should
be to blame, an important question would arise as to the
liability of parties. He therefore hoped the inquiry would
be adjourned, that the fullest evidence might be adduced.
The CORONER inquired whether the Magistrates had in-
stituted any inquiry on the subject, and was answered in
the negative.
Richard Sivers examined,—l am a bargeman, and re-
side in the Ham, New Brentford. I knew the deceased,
William Spruce. He was a barge boy, in the employ of
Mr. William Fowler, a lighterinan, at Brentford End, and
was about nineteen years of age. The body which has
been viewed by the Jury is that of William Spruce.
A Juror.—What in your opinion, was the cause of the
barges getting adrift ? Witrrss. —I should say the tim-
ber-floats.

Examination continued.—On Sunday, at eleven o'clock, I
observed the body of the deceased lying on its side under
the waters of the Grand Junction Canal, opposite Mr.
Roger's house, in New Brantford, and as the waters sub-
sided they left his arm apparent. I have no doubt the de-
ceased was forced into that position by the flow of the
waters. He was apparently drowned, and free from any
marks of violence. The accident I conceive arose from
the heavy flow of water, caused by the melting of the
snow and of rain, which forced away the timber. Seve-
ral floats of timber, I supposed lying in the river Brent,
called the Old River Brent, and which were not sufficiently
fastened, gave way, and carried no less than fourteen
barges, and about sixteen monkey-boats away, and threw
them all in a heap, two, three, and even four upon each
other, so as to be raised upwards of twenty feet above
the level of the water, where they now remain by the Duke
of Northumberland's wall, opposite the Boar's Head-yard.
The wall has also been forced down by the water.
By the CORONER—I know of no actual breach in the
banks of the canal, but only of a rise in the waters above
the banks and locks of both the river and canal.

A Juror observed that the locks were not at all opened
at the time of the flood, which ought to have been done
when the water was found to be rising so much.
Examination resumed—The water, when at the highest,
rose to within less than a fcot of the top of the arch of
Brentford-bridge.
By the COIZONEK —D3 you consider the timber floats were
properly placed where you have stated ? Witness--No, I
do not. The barges would not, in my opinion, have got
afloat had not the timber driven them. They would never
have been swamped and wrecked to the number of near
thirty, had it not been for that. I cannot tell the exact
number, as several are out of sight in the water. The
loss of property must be immense; by some it is estimated
at 50,0001.

By the Jury—The position of the timber floats was dan.
gerous. I consider the whole accidental, and cannot at-
tach blame to any one; but I have known similar floods
of water from the ice suddenly breaking up, without da-
maging any of the craft. There were then, however, no
timber floats there. The canal is dangerous to navigate
when these floats aro there. The timber belongs to
Messrs. Dovvson and Co. Ido not know to whom the
right of navigating the stream belongs, unless to the cor.
poration of the City of London.
A Juror observed there were other timber floats there
besides Messrs. Dowson's. Some belonged to Mr. Os-
borne, and some to Mr. Saunders.
The CORONP.R then suggested that, as a wide and vastly
important fisld had now been opened, the inquiry had bet-
ter be adjourned.
A Juror thought it would be better, before an adjourn-
ment was agreed to, that the monkey boatmen might be
examined, as they might probably be gone to their homes
before the Jury met again.
The CORONER expressed his readiness to abide by the
wishes of the Jury.
William Cooksey examined—l live at Aldborough in
Shropshire, and am a boatman belonging to the Queen
monkey boat, which is the property of the Horsley Com-
pany. My boat was attached to the barge William Henry,
belonging to Mr. William Fowler, which was moored off
Mr. Fowler's wharf, just below Brentford.bridge. My
boat was outside of the barge. About half-past three
o'clock, or front that to four o'clock, on the morning of
Sunday last, I saw the deceased on the top of the cabin of
his own barge, as we were coming from Mr. Fowler's
wharf, round the Ham, in the direction of where the boats,
&c., were afterwards found. We were goicg as rapidly as
a bird flying. The barge had both timber and ice with
her. I did not see the deceased knocked off the cabin of
the barge, neither did I see him fall into the water. The
timber kept coming down the stream for two hours, and
broke the barges away ft om their moorings. Nothing
could resist the force of the timber.
By the Cotton) R—The waters were rising for full three
hours. It was full a yard in half an hour. We were driven
against the Duke of Northumberland's wall, and I put a
boy over, who fastened a rope to a tree, by which means
no less than 21 men, women, and children were safely got
over the wall, and their lives spared. Deceased was asleep
in the cabin until we awoke him, when he came up to the
top of the cabin.
By a juror—The timber Boats were the cause of all the
destruction, in my opinion. The water was completely
blocked up by the timber and ice.
The CORONER remarked, if the timber could be proved
to have been moored there illegally, then a question
amounting to manslaughter would arise. They would
not, however, enter into that at present.
John Jones, of Leicester, boat-boy to the Tipton Lass
monkey-boat, afforded no additional information. His
examination being at an end,
The CottoNEß said lie thought it would be better at that
point to adjourn, in which opinion the Jury acquiescing,
the jurors were bound over in the usual recognizances, and
the inquiry was adjourned until this du week.

GPFAT FLOOD, AND ItAiLWAY PARTLY

ivninegar Ih..corueg,hborough, being washed
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carried away is computed at from two to three milea,—
Sh cei rid Iris. _ —__
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distancel
SUDBURY.
JAN. 18.—In consequence of the rain and rapid thaw,
we yesterday experienced the highest flood remembered
here fur the last ten years. Owing to the strength of the
current bringing down large pieces of thick floating ice,
fears were entertained for the safety of the bridges, &c.,
but, though struck with great violence, no serious damage
was done ; the water rose so high in the street opposite
All Saints Church, in Cross-street and Ballingdon, that
foot-passengers were prevented from passing without sub-
jecting themselves to an inconvenient wetting. The roar-
ingf the water and ice, as it passed between and against
0 the piles of the bridge leading into Essex, was so great as
to be heard at a considerable distance. Many gardens,
and the first or lower floor of several houses in the lower
and Ballingdo:,,
part of the town were flooded sev( rat
inches deep, the current passing through the passages into
the street.—Bury Post.

During the week great activity has been appa-
rent in the embassies of Austria, Russia, Turkey. and
Prussia. Baron Bulots, the Turkish Ambassador, Baron
13runow, Baron Nieurnami, and Viscount PAlmerston. have
had several
leftralt 4sib
oLferietnuenim iuse for es;Linteon
Tuesday night Baron
I' i
egeßerlin,
charged
with
despitfacE, •