The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-15 00:00:00

and water, saying that he had no money, but that the
prosecutor would pay for it. They remained for
ab,ut half an h;lor, v.hen th prisoner came out and
offered to ,teat him to a pint of ale, and in paying for
it dropped two shillings on the floor. Owing to his
having previously said he had no money, his (wit-
ness's) suspicion- were excited, and he went into the
tap-room, where he found the prosecutor asleep and
his pockets turned inside out. The prisoner had left
the house, and prosecutor and witness pursued him
and gave him in charge, when he was searched, and
the stolen property was found upon him.
The prisoner said the prosecutor had made him a
present of the boxes and knife, and that the money
was his own.
He was fully committed for trial.

THE LATE STEAM BOAT

Y.XPL

ADJOURNED INQUEST.-(THIS DAY.)

The inquest was resumed this morning at eleven
o'clock. On the Coroner taking his seat, a letter was
handed in from a female named Frances Hardy,
stating that her husband was on the boat at the time
of the explosion, that he was not injured, but such
was the effect upon his nervous system, that he had
been confined to his bed ever since. Her family
consisted of two children, and she was in the greatest
distress in consequence of her husband being unable
to work. The letter concluded with an appeal for aid
from the company.
Mr. Smith, the chairman of the company, wished
to have the letter, and it was handed to him. He
said it would meet with every attention.
The first witness examined was Robert Banks,
waiter, of Bartlet• court, who stated that on the even-
ing of the 25th of August he journeyed by the Cricket
from London-bridge. At Southwark-bridge the
machinery suddenly stopped from some cause, and
the boat had to be drifted back to London-bridge, and
after staying a short time there she went on all right.
By the Foreman—The enginemen came up and
looked at the paddles. After the boat drifted back
there was an escape of steam.
John Bransgrove, of 43, Great St. Andrew-street,
grocer and cheesemonger, stated that he was on
board at the time of the accident. She lay there ten
minutes, to the best of his belief, before the explosion
took place. Could not say whether there was any
escape of steam or not. One of his ribs was frac-
tured, and he received other severe contusions which
confined him to the hospital for a week. He was in
the after part of the boat.
Gould the beadle, here said that Clarke, the engi-
neer, was ready to be examined, but the Coroner
declined to examine him then.

Richard Parker, of No. 2, Bedforibury, said he was
a stoker in the service of the " Ant and Bee Company."
He had been five or six weeks in their service. He
was a stoker in the Cricket about a fortnight before
it exploded. Thomas Clarke was the engineer during
the first week he was employed. Never saw him do
anything with the safety valve. Had seen him several
times shake the strings of the safety valve, in order
to see if they would give. The string was about
three yarns spun ; it was tied near the end of the
lever, and the ends hung down before the boiler. Had
seen them hang over a nail in the beam, but he had
never seen them tied. Was ready to swear that he
never saw the strings tied. Was on good terms with
larke. No conversation passed between him and
Clarke with respect to the valves. Had not much
knowledge of steam-engines, but knew what safety-
valves were for. Never saw the two spring valves
work, but had seen the others work frequently. Had
himself given the strings a pull now and then. Had
nothing more to state except that the valves were not
tied. Was aboard at the time of the explosion.
Henry Haisman was engineer on the day of the ex-
plosion. The boat had gone four trips that morning.
She worked the same as usual. Was standing on
the deck at the time, near the larboard sponson. Left
the after cabin about two minutes before the explo-
sion. The last time he was in the engine-room
was as the boat passed under Waterloo-bridge.
Haisman was in the room alone when he left it.
Nothing occurred from the time they left London-
bridge till the time of the explosion. Did not go on
shore on reaching the pier at the Fox. under-the-Hill.
Could not say whether any steam escaped. Might
have stopped five minutes or more at the pier. On
being pressed, the witness said the boat might have
been lying ten minutes at the pier. Haisman was
standing close by his side. Shortly before he heard
him trying the water. The boiler sounded as if it
was full. Heard the noise of the water coming out
of the gauge cock. This was about a minute before
he joined him on the deck. Was sure it was not the
noise of steam. If the steam is at its height it would
blow off by itself when the boat was lying alongside
the piers. The steam that blows off evaporates by
the funnel. Could not in his own mind trace the ex-
plosion to any cause.
By the foreman—Understood the mercury gauge.
Had never seen it higher than 40. Never saw the
mercury agitated. He looked at the gauge at Wa-
terloo-bridge, and f..nnd the presclire to be 251bs to
the square inch.
To the jury—Did not recollect lowering the chimney
on the Tuesday and Wednesday before the explosion.
He might have done so, but he could not call any
circumstance of the kind to mind. Was only ex-
pected to act as stoker. Whilst the boat was lying
at the piers the gauge sometime rose to 40, at which
point it would invariably stop. (The witness here
explained by reference to the plan how the steam from
the valves was carried off by the funnel.) Had seen
Mr. Nash, the secretary to the company, this morn-
ing. The captain, he believed, was coming to the
boat when the explosion took place. Was blown
upon the pier, and received contusions on the shoul-
der and shin.
By Mr. James—About ten minutes had elapsed
from the time he saw the gauge at 25 before the ex-
plosion. Haisman had one foot on the deck and the
other on the sponson. The pressure, no doubt, in-
creased whilst the boat was lying at the pier. The
steam ought to blow"off at 40. On his oath he could
not say whether the steam was blowing off or not. It
usually blew off at 40.
By the Foreman—Had not made up the fires
shortly before the explosion. He was engaged, paid,
and liable to be discharged by Clarke. Persons could
see the lever from the deck. Of course a person
touching the strings could tell whether they were
tight or not. Had driven the engine one or two
journeys. Had also driven the old Minerva en-
gine. He did not drive the Cricket more than twice,
and then during the temporary absence of Clarke.
His wages were 1/. Bs. a week. Was never a coal-
porter. Was employed in a seed warehouse last
winter as a porter. Drove the boat two journeys on
two days about two months ago. Kent on one of
these occasions took the management of the engine.
Did not know whether the company knew that he
had driven the boat. Clarke could not have fastened
down the valve without his seeing it. No strings
were attached to the levers of the Minerva. Never
saw strings in any other boats but those driven by
Clarke—the Ant and the Bee ; but he had not been
in any other steam boats than those he had men-
tinned. Had driven the Bee at the request of
Clarke.
By Mr. M'lntyre—l know the valves were not
tied down when I left the engine-room. Did not
recollect the pressure greater than 35. When
Clarke used to leave him in charge he used to move
the weight to the middle of the lever. When the
weight was at the extreme end the pressure was
401ba. to the square inch. The removal of the weight
by Clarke reduced the pressure 71bs. to lolbs. on the
square inch.—(A model of the valve and lever were
here placed on the table, and its movements described
to the jury by the witness and others). The string
was used to cause a vibration of the lever, which freed
the valve if it happened to stick. Made up the fire
at London-bridge. Was in the habit of making up
the fire at the commencement of each voyage. At the
end of each voyage the steam was usually low. The
pressure in the Bee was about 35. There was no
pulley over the lever. The nail on which the strings
were hung was driven into the beam, and was there
before he was employed. There was not two strings
on one lever.
George Bale, mate of the Cricket, stated that he
had been employed on the boat for about six months,
and that he was coming down the pier at the time of
the explosion. Sometime the boat went fast and at
another slow ; could not say that he knew what a
Haisman
not see Clarke on the morning
machinery of the boat. Was
of the explosion. Emmen drove the boat that day.
bel
The CORONER—In fact, you ) g
nsknewaoftetiyn ntv
the
elt hhei
habit of
fo
goingthe
ow.knOw. nothin ?
By the Foreman—Never heard
yes.
S the steam
blowing off at the time of val
Witness—No, Ido not ( (Laughter.)
thatht e r
Clarke, on one
occasion, tied down the
the difference—in
was not smoke. Thought he knew
the explosionaw ; was sure it
pressed, he said he recollected the
fact he understood nothing.—(Laughter.)eingOnobbleiginegd
int o
apt
eu,s
bbea edki d f rnoemt r
eScoeul
ltehevit at rhke . b Trot
ugh he w
n g
fir
eoa the
ns
one
occasion. Heard the steam blowing off.
By Mr. Jones—What he meant was that he saw
the steam blowing off when the explosion took place—
(Laughter.) Could not say he saw it blowing off
before the explosion. Did not know what a safety-
valve nor the dome of the boiler was. Never heard
the statement made by Edwards to the Captain about
Clarke tying the valves down. He was in the service
of the company. Clarke, Haisman, and Parker had
not been superseded. They were still in the active
service of the company.
By a geutleraan—Wever saw nything like the