The Sun.
London, England, 1847-08-27 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL
STEAM BOAT EXPLOSION

(THIS DAY.)

FEARFUL LOSS OF LIFE.

(FROM OUR OWN REPORTER)

ELEVEN O'CLOCK.
One of the most fearful steam-boat explosions that
has occurred either in this country or in America—so
proverbial for fearful accidents of the kind—during the
last few years, occurred this morning at the pierclose to
the Fox-under-the-Hill, almost at the back of The Sun
office, between which and London-bridge the Cricket,
the Ant, and the Bee, three new and beautifully con-
structed steam-boats ply, carrying passengers at the
small fare of a halfpenny each. As may be imagined,
these boats, owing to the small cost at which they
carry passengers, receive a vast amount of public
patronage, particularly at the end of the week, owing
to the numbers who avail themselves of the accom-
modation they afford in conveying goods between
Billingsgate, Newgate-market, and the western por-
tion of the metropolis.
Shortly before half-past nine o'clock this morning,
whilst the first mentioned boat—the Cricket—which
bad on board from 150 to 200 persons of all ages and
of both sexes, was about to start with her human
freight to London-bridge, her boiler burst with a
terrific explosion. Several of the passengers were
blown into the air and fell into the river—others fell
on the dsck from a considerable height—and when
the immense cloud of steam and smoke had in some
degree evapoiated, it was found that the decks were
covered with ,the injured and the dying, that the
sides of the boat had been blown outwards, and that
several persons were in the after-cabin, which bad
been driven several feet below the ordinary water
mark, and that it had been filled with water.
Assistance was immediately rendered from the
pier and by watermen, when it was found that
upwards of fifty persons had been more or less
injured. Owing to the great excitement that
prevailed, and the crowds that almost effectually
blocked up all access to that part of the river, great
difficulty was experienced in getting anything like
authentic information of the horrible disaster. A
generally credited rumour was afloat that several
bodies were under the boat and the adjacent barges.
From a careful investigation we have ascertained that
upwards of eight bodies were picked up and conveyed
in shells to the workhouse. The stoker, who was
killed, was amongst them. The call-boy is lying in
a dying state at the hospital. Up to twelve 'o'clock
more than twelve persons had been taken to the
hospital, some of whom were seriously injured. The
dead are mostly men and boys: We are informed that
but one woman was amongst them. Several women were
on board. The number injured cannot be correctly
estimated, as those who had the good fortune to
.escape with a few scratches or bruises made the best
of their way from the scene of the accident. Several
fragments of wood and iron were blown a consider-
able distance, and we were informed that the houses
in the immediate locality were shaken to their founda-
tion. The tide is flowing up, and twenty or thirty
men are busily engaged in trying to raise the sunken
part of the boat, in order to recover any bodies that
may be in that part of the boat.
The other boats immediately ceased running.
Great credit is due to James Dodd, Jeremiah
Leary, John Conner, and Joseph Taylor, who are
employed as coal-heavers at Smith and Sharpe's,
Waterloo-wharf, which is situated close to the
pier. As soon as the accident occurred, and be 7
fore the consequences could be known, or whether
or not a second explosion might not occur, these
brave fellows rushed into the water, waded to the
wreck, and succeeded in saving many of their fellow-
creatures from death. It is not the first time these
brave fellows have risked their lives to save those
of others. Whenever any accident occurs on the
river in the neighbourhood of the wharf these men
are always among the first to render assistance. An
eyewitness who was standing at the yelled at the
time of the accident, states that he saw a young
woman with st. child in her arms blown up into the
air by the force of the explosion, they, fell_ into the
were 11410T-Ivit*** .7 --
This vessel,_ like" the Ant- **44.145% was :fitte4aip
with Joyees's engines; with oscilliating
cylinders, and the awful calamity was no doubt
caused by an undue pressure of steam. Botb ends of
these steamers, belonging to the " halfpenny com-
pany," as it is termed on the river, are alike, and
there is-a rudder and tiller at each end of the vessel,
to enable the masters to steer them without the• in-
convenience of turning round on leaving the piers.
(ADDITIONAL PARTICUL ARS.)
The following are the names of the persons brought
to Charing-cross Hospital up to twelve o'clock as
furnished to our reporter by Mr. M`Cain, the secre-
tary of the hospital :
Thomas Willet. 'Thomas Shade (call boy).
James Hulls. Virgo Birks (severe fracture
Mr. Cahir. of the leg).
Henry Rowland. . William Kay.
James Sisrnan. Willem Ayre.
Benjamin Reesse. Williamßedgrave (a child—
, Willi Am Rust broken leg).
There is also one man lying dead at the hospital
whose name we have not been able to obtain. Most
of them have received severe injuries on their legs,
and several are severely scalded. Scarcely any hope
is entertained of the recovery of the call-boy. With
the exception of the call boy all the others are in
a fair way of recovery, but.it is impossible to speak
with any certainty as to this.

Our reporter noted the two bodies now lying at
the dead-house of St: Martin's workhouse. One is
that of -a respectable middle-aged man, apparently
of ids,: His death was no
years
about thirty. live
doubt caused by a severe ard deep cut on his right
temple. A watch, with the name of "Dent" upon it,
was found on his person. The other body is that of
a working man, and from marks on his finger it is
concluded he is a tailor. He has a cotton night-
shirt on, marked " J.E.," and a detached front. He
is of a dark complexion, with black whiskers. As
there are no marks of violence upon his person, no
doubt his death was occasioned by drowning. He
wore black trousers, and a satin figured waistcoat.
- (ANOTHER ACCOUNT.)

The Cricket arrived at the pier from London-
bridge with a full complement of passengers. As
soon as she had discharged the persons on board, she
Vial taking in another cargo for London-bridge. The
master of the vessel, Captain Martin, as is usual
when the boats are loading, was not standing on the
paddle-box, and fortunately neither the stoker nor
engineers were below at the time.
A sufficient number of passengers had gone on
board to occupy nearly the whole of the seats on the
fore and after decks, when a scene occurred of a most
appalling character. The centre of the vessel with
the funnel suddenly rose a considerable distance, and
in an instant a noise resembling the discharge of a
hundred cannons took place. At the
_same instant
clouds of steam and showers of buriiing coke, to-
gether with the ponderous boiler, and we regret
to say a number of human beings, were„blown high
into the air. The after-cabin and deck, *ere' simul-
taneously shivered to atoms, the persons standing '
thereon were forced into the water. The shrieks of

the passengers who were on the fore-deck were truly
heartrending, and many of them leaped over board to
save their lives.

Some few minutes elapsed before the exact mis-
chief done could be ascertained. Wi4en the steam
and smoke had in some measure cleared away a great
number of the unfortunate passengers were to be seen
struggling in the water. The boiler, weighing a ton
or two, was forced about one hundred and fifty feet
from the ill-fated vessel, to which a young man was
clinging—the funnel of the boat was split completely
up the centre, and after being forced a great height,
it fell at the side of the fore-deck, after striking several
of the passengers on their heads.
The parties
.belonging to the vessel feeling con•
fident, from the great number that had taken their
seats on the afterdeck, that other persons must have
sank with that portion of the vessel, which it should
be stated was some distance under water, they had
the search renewed, and very speedily they found
the body of a man dreadfully mangled amidst the
wreck. The lifeless body was removed to the dead-
house of St. Martin's. workhouse. As one of the
steamers was passing up the river the swell of the k

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