The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-17 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

Stephen Lushington, Captain; Henry A. Story
Joseph G. Bickford, Charles Hawkey, Hon. John R. M.
Byng, and Philip W. Darrell, Lieutenants; Robert Sol-
mond, Master; Bartholomew Verlinz, Surgeon; Robert
Wallace, M.D., Acting-assistant Surgeon; James S.
Mourchien, Paymaster and Purser; Thomas C. E. War-
cup, Naval Instructor; Rev. George Cooper, Chaplain;
Francis T.-Jameson, Second Master; F. FA. Dewdney,
George Todd, J. H. E. Wemyss, and C. E. Day, Mid-
shipmen; Robert A. Parr, J. R. Bowling, Spencer P.
Brett, and George E. Massy, Naval Cadets; Henry• S.
Ley, Master's Assistant; Edwin Death and John Donald,
Clerks; John Compton, Gunner; William Bray, Boat-
swain; and James Rogers, Carpenter—to) the Ven-
geance.

- Rev. W. S. Miller, Chaplain to the Queen.
Alexander Lays, First Engineer; James W. Bills,
William Josey, and John Saunders, Second Engineers;
W. H. J. Newberry, W. L. Covey, and Richard Ken-
nedy, Third Engineers—to •the Excellent for the Retri-
bution.

THE EXPLOSION at the WALKER

IRON- WORKS.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, THURSDAY.—The inquest on
the bodies of the three unfortunate men who were killed
at Walker Iron-works, under circumstances already par-
tially described, was returned this afternoon before Mr.
Reed, coroner, at Walker, The names of the deceased
are, Daniel Davies, Robert Spearman, and Robert
Rogers. The extraordinary nature of the explosion, and
the singular character of the assigned cause of it, in-
vested the proceedings with considerable interest. The
following witnesses were examined :

William Short said—l am the foreman of the black-
smiths at the Walker Iron-works. At about half-past
seven o'clock last Monday night I was going through
the works, when I was told two persons were suffocated.
I received directions from Henry Steward, another fire-
man, to proceed to the regulator, and take off the man-
hole door, in order to get in and plug up a four-inch
pipe, through which the blast was supposed to be es-
caping. Rogers accompanied me, and while he was
unscrewing one bolt I unscrewed another. Before the
man-hole door was opened, I saw a man named Thomas
Chalmers approaching with a lamp, when I told him to
stand back. I had no particular reason for telling him
to stand back, but I thought it was safer. The wind
was blowing very fresh from the north, and Chalmers
was to the windward of the regulator. After the
man-hole door was open nothing took place for
from three to five minutes. Rogers and I were stand-
ing close to and in front of the man-hole. I said to
Rogers, " Now, go in, and I'll follow you." But he
stood a minute or so waiting for Staward bringing the
plug ; and in that interval I heard a heavy blast,-and a
rush of wind come from. the main pipe, and a tremen-
dous explosion took place, when I was knocked down
senseless. I don't think the explosion was caused by
the lamp. The air engine that forces the blast along
the pipe was standing at the time. I cannot account for
the explosion by anything I saw. Rogers was killed,
and I received considerable injury.
Henry Staward said, I am the head millwright at the
Walker Iron. works. I was at honie on Monday night
about half-past seven o'clock, when I received word that
a gas pipe was on fire, and that I was to go down and
get the engine stopped. I went down to the works, and
found that a lead gas pipe had been melted by the hot
ashes blown up by an escape blast. I cut the pipe off,
and then gave orders to Rogers and Short to go and
plug the hole of the blast pipe in the receiver. Tho
pipe from which the blast escaped was a branch pipe
from the main blast pipe, and the end of it went under a
puddling furnace among the ashes. The ashes being
hot had heated the branch pipe to a red heat. The
heated air in the branch pipe would go into the main
pipe, and thence into the receiver, and as soon as the
man-hole door was opened the atmospheric air would
rush in and convert the heated air into an explosive
mixture, which might have ignited at the heated pipe.
There was no way of getting at the pipe to plug it but
by entering the receiver. I have been in it several
times when there had been leaks in the pipes, and I
never apprehended any danger.
Mr. Bell said, I am a proprietor of the Walker Iron-
works. About half-past 6 o'clock on Monday evening
last it was discovered that a man named David Davies
and a boy named Robert Spearman were suffocated in a
privy constructed for the use of the workman. It was
after very considerable difficulty and great exposure to
danger that the bodies of the unfortunate persons were
extricated. They were conveyed to the surgery, where
everything was done to endeavour to restore life, but in
vain. To prevent, if possible, the occurrence of any
further accident, immediate measures were taken by our
men to ascertain the cause of such an unlooked-for dis-
aster, with a view to its prompt removal. It was then
ascertained that from some cause or other a joint of an
underground pipe, of about four inches in diameter,
communicating with the main blast pipe, which is about
three feet in diameter, had been leaking, and that it was
the occasion of a loss of blast to a certain extent, which,
making its way under ground to the ash pits of some
puddling furnaces, had caused an increased combustion
of ashes, that might have for some time lying under the
fire bars. The heat thus generated had heated through
the lining of the ash pits, and had communicated igni-
tion to a small stratum of ashes in which the pavement
is laid, as well as to a minute quantity of ashes which
had got accidentally mixed with coal in the
stirring of' the furnaces in question. The carbonic
oxide and carbonic acid thus formed had found
vent by penetrating towards the privy, and
caused the death of Davies and Spearman. There can be
no doubt it suffocated them, as their bodies presented all
the usual appearances of asphyxia. The blast engine
being stopped, an endeavour was made to separate the
four inch pipe alluded to from the main blast pipe; but
that being found impossible or difficult to do, it was de-
termined to proceed to the reservoir, or regulator, as it
is termed, which is a cylindrical iron vessel, 20 feet long
and 66 feet in diameter, in which, by opening the man-
hole door, access could be gained to the main pipe, the
stopping up of which would prevent the possibility of
any blast reaching the puddling furnaces or the privy.
The man-hole door having been removed, William Short,
the head smith of the establishment, and an intelligent
man, smelt foul air, and desired one of his assistants,
who, had a lamp with him, to keep at some distance from
the opening. In about three minutes, and while Short
and Rogers were standing close to the regulator, Short
heard a rushing noise in the blast pipe, and the explo-
sion took place instantly afterwards. Short was thrown
down, and Rogers, who was standing immediately oppo-
site the man-hole, was blown over a wall behind him,
in such a manner; that, to have reached the place whereas
he was taken; up, the unfortunate man must he
mounted many yards into the air. Rogers
been
was so
sadly mutilated that his death. must hoe b
in-
stantaneous. The explosion filling the main blast pipe,
was conducted by it to a supplementary blowing engine,
One part, of which it shatteredtoofptiheecensa,manedofomneauogfhtehne,
fragments struck a young man
and broke his arm, while another fragment took a con-
trary direction, and struck a man of the name of Dyson,
and fractured his leg. Next morning, on going to the
scene of the accident, it was surprising to find how com-
plete the destruction of the receiver was, for of it not a
tenth remained in its seat, though it had been very
strongly laid down. One large piece of it was thrown over
the offices, all the windows of which were broken out.
Another was projected so high in the air that in falling
on some railing 130 yards distant it was impaled. A
third portion was found on the top of the inn, 200 yards
distant, and at an elevation of 20 yards above its original
level. Many yards of the blast pipe were torn like paper,
and fragments of it and of the regulator were found in
various directions of the works. I believe the cause of
the accident was this ;--As soon as the man-hole door was

.'-4!

removed, a current of air was put itii)z)n tinn ng the main'
blast pipe, caused very probably by the hig •
was blowing at the time, and that induceff a/a-i4l-k
bonic oxide gas to enter the 4 inch pipAßOWttis os,
furnace already mentioned; and the en ;‘, .nic gas beirl:gcf,A,4l
mixed with the atmosphere in th t -pipe woulCN'-.
form a highly explosive mixture. Ho • - 'tiog IN as com- 4;4,,
municated I cannot say; but lam o gp
‘. Atme-ked_
hot-ashes in the ash-pits of one of the d r
were the most probable cause of the ex
almost incredible how so small a quanti rtt rertr
ashes should have been able, in so short a time, to have
generated sufficient carbonic oxide gas; and still more
incredible is it, how it could have entered in sufficient
quantity into the blast pipes to have caused such tre-
mendous destruction as it did. But as all the blast pipes
in the vicinity of the blast furnaces, which are the only
possible sources of the gas, are uninjured, lam compelled
to come to the conclusion that the cause above-mentioned
was the true cause of the explosion.
The CORONER complimented Mr. Bell on the com-
pleteness of his statement, which left no doubt on his
mind that the explosion was the result of accident, and
could not have been anticipated or prevented; and that,
consequently, or, blame was attached to any one
The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Deatb."
The bodies of the unfortunate sufferers were interred
this afternoon. The other persons injured are going on
favourably. There was not any " escape valve" into the
drain, as stated in the description of the premises, but
the impure air is supposed to have percolated through
the stratum.

IRELAND.
DUBLIN, OCT. 15.—The Cork Examiner, received in
town this afternoon, gives accounts of the deaths of four
men from starvation. Two had died at Castlehaven, one
in Macroom, and another in Skibbereen. The Board of
Works have authorised a considerable number of the
presentments, lately made in that county ; but from its
great extent, and the density of its population, com-
paratively little relief has been afforded to the poor.
However, the Board appears now to be getting on with
more effect, already it is said they have 20,000 men at
work in various par is of the country. With the excep-
tion of Cork, the reports from the other counties are not
so gloomy as they have hitherto been. The following
letters are from the Cork Examiner, and the writers of
which express themselves warmly. The death of a
human being from starvation is a deplorable event, one
which invariably excites general sympathy, but after all
we should not regard these as indicative of the fate of
any considerable number of the population. The exer-
tions made are likely to be attended with success, at
least, near all large towns where food can be purchased.
The cry now is for food to purchase. The scarcity in
many districts is occasioned by the want of mills to grind
the wheat and oats, which are tolerably abundant.
DEATHS FROM STARVATION.
CASTLEHAVEN.—In the locality of Dereleigh an in-
stance of death from want has taken place. The victim
was a poor man, name unknown, who had been at work
all day on a new line of road. On reaching his miser-
able home in the evening, he was seized with illness
consequent on his want of food, a morsel of which he
had not tasted that day. The Catholic clergyman, the
Rev. Mr. Mulcahy, was sent for, but on his arrival death
had ended the sufferings of the miserable victim of want.
In the same neighbourhood another death of another
poor man took place from a similar cause. General ap-
prehensions are entertained, that if something effectual
be not done before Christmas, the • consequences must
indeed be alarming in the extreme. In the parish of
Dereleigh Indian meal is sold at the rate of from Is. Bd.
to ls. 10d. per stone. The great majority of the popu-
lation are totally unemployed, and the wages of labour
of those who succeed in procuring work are totally in-
adequate to the purchase of food for families, which
average in number at least six, in many cases nine and
ten. The population heretofore derived a subsistence
from fishing, but circumstances and the elements have
combined against them, and for the reason they have
taken scarcely any fish. The respected Catholic clergy-
man of the parish, the Rev. Mr. Mulcahy, notices the
absence from divine service on Sundays of a large num-
ber of his flock. He can only attribute this to their
want of clothing, all their raiment being pledged or
disposed of for the sake of feeding their famishing
families. _

—An unfortunate labourer, having
struggled against poverty, destitution, and famine so
long as any resource had been left, was proceeding on
Thursday last to the Macroom Workhouse, when death,
as if in pity, assailed him on the road, and put a period
to his earthly sufferings. Upwards of eight hundred
starving creatures daily receive a breakfast at the work-
house, which amongst the great majority is their only
sustenance.

SKIBBEItEEN, OCT. 12.—1 send you a copy of the
minutes of evidence taken on an inquest held in Skib-
bereen court house yesterdar, on the body of a poor
man, named Jeremiah Hegarty, who resided on the
townland of Licknafon, near Skibbereen, and who was
found dead on Sunday morning last, at a short distance
from the town. The evidence elicited on the inquest
renders it unnecessary for me to add one word on the
frightful distress which has prevailed in this locality,
and indeed in all Carbery. Suffioa it to say, that the
condition of poor Hegarty, who died of starvation, and
his sorrowing but half-starved son-in-law, Driscoll,
was better than that of thousands of his neighbours ;
for Driscoll is a small farmer in Carbery, he had a little
barley, which he was baking privately out of the stack,
and using, although Curly Buckley, the driver of De
Courcey O'Grady, had put a cross and keepers on
it. There is general dissatisfaction here at the
conduct of the Government, and the universal
feeling here is, which I hope you will express through
your journal, that Lord John Russell is unfit for the pre-
sent emergency, and that Sir Robert Peel should be
again restored to power. We have the name of a Board
of Works, who have not yet given half the necessary
employment, and the poor men whom they have employed
are unable to work for want of food, in consequence of
the irregularity of the payments—they are often nine
and ten days, and sometimes a fortnight, without receiv-
their wages. The Relief Committee of Skibbereen have
frequently represented to the Board of Works the neces-
sity of more frequent and more punctual payments, but
their representation has not been attended to. Though
Indian meal is now one shilling and tenpence per stone,
the labourer on the public works is not able to earn
eightpence per day regularly. We have the name of a
depot in Skibbereen, and a commissary officer to take
care of it, but it might as well be in Kamschatka, for
though he has a good supply of provision in store yet we
cannot get an ounce of it in Skibbereen, although the
poor people are fainting on the streets for want of food.
It is really most affecting to see the poor labourers, who
are on the streets breaking stones, trying to work, but
unable to do so, and occasionally asking the passers-by
for a penny to buy a little bread. Many have been
obliged to give up the work, from weakness and exhaus-

tion. We-wantmore work to employ the people. We
want more frequent payments, daily if possible, twice a
week at least; we want higher wages for the labourers,
and we want a sufficient supply of provisions to sell out
at a reasonable price, a price proportioned to a man's
wages, so that a labourer may be enabled to purchase as
much food, as would be sufficient to support him. If
we do not get those the poor people must starve. The
minutes of testimony which give the details of the case
related in the preceding letrer shall be given in our next.
CROOK HAVEN, OCT. 12.—What a deplorable state of
things ! A noble peasantry are famishing ! A con-
tinued parade of their patience, even to the agony of
fainting, is kept up every day before a Relief Committee,
powerless as themselves, for the purposes of relief. Good
God ! how long shall this continue ? Oh, shame on it.
All cry out for a sufficient staff to open works for relief,
or else be prepared, and that speedily, for unheard-of
scenes. Let these committees be either enabled to re-
lieve, by giving employment, or, for God's sake, relieve
them from a pressure they cannot stand longer ; for this
I feeling is come upon every member of them, from seeing
the vast crowds that beset continually their private houses
as well as the committee-rooms—every one crying out in
paroxysms of hunger, protesting to Heaven that they
have not tasted food since yesterday morning, and that
they have not a penny to purchase food, even though it
were to save them from death. Next to the religious
feeling, the confidence of these distressed men in the
benign intentions of the Government has had the effect of
keeping them quiet. Shall not the Government officials
hasten to their relief, and give them practical proof that
their confidence is well founded ? If this is to be, let not
a moment be lost, for now, in truth, delay is dangerous.

APPREHENSION OF JOHN PERRY, THE PUGILIST.
—NEWBURY, OCT. 15.—This morning, or rather in the
middle of the night, between the hours of twelve and one
o'clock, Police Superintendent Shepherd, of the Win-
chester force, accompanied by Superintendent Van San-
ten, of the Andover borough force, apprehended the.
above-named well-known character at Speenhamland,
Newbury, on a warrant issued by the city magistrates of
Winchester, backed by other magistrates, charged with.
uttering a 201. note, purporting to be of the firm of the
University Bank, Oxford, to a Mr. Flight, a tailor, of
Winchester. It appears, Perry went to Mr. Flight's
shop, and ordered a suit of clothes, for which, when
done, he paid with this forged 201. note, receiving in
ex-
changead the balance in sterling money. Mr. Flight
the e note
came
intoaw a
ythine
by them it was transmitted to their L
hhiasn d s usual
of way
theohf
,s
bankers at
dt‘iovl
nli
nabctahlneeitpegerrtshi:
in the said city o
of the University Bank, establishedced the same to be a
Oxford, who immediately pronoun
who in due course presented it to the agents in London
forgery.
A warrant was, therefore, applied for, obtained,
and placed in the bands of the city police, Winchester,
who on the same day, and within less than 12 hours,
apprehended him as and where above stated—the 0f6.-.
e
c s returning with their prisoner arriving at Andover
by
rsix o'clock, and in Winchester by nine in the morn-
ing, where they safely lodged the offender, there to be
examined before the magistrates.
GRAVESEND, OCT. 16.—A detachment of the 38th
regiment of Foot, consisting of ninety-four men, under
the command of Captain Storey, arrived here yesterday
evening, from Londonderry, and proceeded by the
Gravesend and Rochester Railway 'o Chatham barreoks
where they aro to remain for a few days prior to their
.r2s6d3aytonsm morning
Moorhead,rn register,
embarkation at this place to join head-quarters at Jamaica.
ugi mastertarho:
Loss OF THE BRIG CLIFTON, OF NEWCASTLE,
WITH
rived
ai Sgt xCp Clifton, oa HERrnt,ho of Newcastle,oltaEs—o n 34
Tr
CREW.—Mr.
barque Secret, and brought the mournful intelligence of .
the total loss of that vessel, as well as six of her crew.
It appears that the Clifton too 4 on board at Buctush a
cargo of timber for London ,• and on the 9th of Septem-
ber proceeded on her intended voyage. On the 19th of
the same month she encountered violent gales, ranging
from S. to S.S.W., at which period the vessel became
water-logged, and turned bottom upwards ; her masts
then gave way, and she righted. Six men were drowned.
After the survivors bad spent three days and three
nights in the main top, they were seen by Captain Gor-
win, of the barque Secret, who took them on board. Int
this vessel they arrived at Penarth roads on Thursday
morning.—Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian.

!ass BunNErs DIARY.

Now ready, VOLUME VI., embellished with a Portrait of Madame

de Stael, of
THE DIARY AND LETTERS OF
MADAME D'ARBLA Y.
Authoress of " Evellua," &c.

EDITED BY HER NIECE.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough•street.
Orders received by all Booksellers.

SECOND EDITION OF FRANCATELLI'S " MODERN COOK.
This day is published, a New Edition of
THE MODERN COOK.
By CHARLES ELME FRANCATELLI,
Pupil of the celebrated Careme, ant late Maitre d'Hotel and
Chief Cook to her Majesty the Queen.
Richard Bentley, New Burlington-street.
(Publisher in Ordinary to her Majesty.)

THE EDINBURGH REVIEW, No. CLXX.,
Was published yesterday.
CONTENTS :
I. PROPOSALS for EXTENDING the IRISH POOR-LAW.
2. SPEECEIES and WRITINGS of the late LORD KING.
3. GROTE'S HISTORY of GREECE.
4 LIVES of EMINENT ENGLISH LAWYERS—LEGAL EDU-
CATION
5. STATE and PROSPECTS of BRITISH AGRICULTURE.
6. GOVERNMENT of BRITISH INDIA.
7. RAILWAYS at HOME and ABROAD.
London : Longman and Co. Edinburgh : A. and C. Black.

THE LIVERPOOL, CROSBY, and SOUTH-
PORT RAILWAY.

(Registered provisionally.)
Capital, 150,0001.
In 7,000 shares, of 201. eaeh.
Deposit, 21. per share.
PROVISIONAL DIRECTORS,
(With power to add to their number.)
WILLIAM BLUNDELL. Esq., Crosby 11411, Chairman.
WILLIAM NICOL, Esq., Liverpool, Vice-Chairman.
Robertson Gladstone, Esq., Liverpool.
Richard Formby, Esq., M.D., Liverpool.
William Potter, Esq., Liverpool.
William Earle, Esq. Liverpool.
Hugh Horiaby, Esq.. Liverpool.
Eyre Evans, Esq., Liverpool.
Cottingham Moss, Esq„ Liverpool.
Henry Cleaver Chapman, Esq., Liverpool.
Thomas Chilton, Esq., Liverpool.
Emanuel Zwilehenbart, Esq., Liverpool.
George Holt, Esq., Liverpool.
James Aiken, Esq.

COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT.
William Blundell, Esq., Chairman.
William Nicol, Esq., Vice-Chairman.
Robertson Gladstone, Esq.
William Potter, Esq.
Hugh Hornby, Esq.
Henry Cleaver Chapman, Esq.
SOLICITORS.
Messrs. Duncan and Radcliffe, Liverpool.
Messrs. H. and W. Toogood, 22, Parliament-►street, London.
BANKERS.
London—Messrs. Barclay, Bevan, and Co.
Liverpool—Messrs. Moss and Co.
PROSPECTUS.

The object of this Company is to construct a line of railway be-
tween Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport. The accommodation pro-
posed to be thus given has long been desired, but the diflicalty of ob-
taining a convenient entrance into Liverpool has until lately proved
an insurmountable obstacle. This difficulty the Liverpool and Bury
Railway, now in course of construction, affords the means of over-
coming, it being proposed by the present scheme to make use of that
line for nearly a mile and a half out of Liverpool, and thence proceed,
by way of Bootle, Seaforth, Waterloo, Crosby, and along the coast,
through Formby, to Southport, affording to those places and the ad-
jacent farm districts a cheap and speedy means of communication
with Liverpool. On the other hand, the benefits to the over-crowded
population of Liverpool in a sanitory point of view, by giving ready
access to the rapid], -increasing bathing places along the coast, the
district of Crosby, and the much-frequented and salubrious watering
place of Southport, as well as throwing open the intermediate coun-
try for the purposes of villas and residences, cannot well be over-
estimated.

The undertaking is promoted by the principal landowners and
other parties locally interested.
The line is about sixteen miles in length, and, being nearly level,
is entirely free from engineering difficulties. A considerable part of
the land between Crosby and Southport, over which it will pass, has
already been given by the landowners, and the cost of construction
will be unusually small.
The liability of each Shareholder will be restricted, by Act of Par-
liament, to the amouit of his subscription, and power will be ap-
plied for in the Bill to allow interest at 41. per cent. on all calls from
the passing of the Act until the opening of the line.
Applications for shares may be made, in the subjoined form, on or
before the 6th of November next, to the solicitors, or to any of the
following sharebrokers :—Messrs. D. and J. B. Neilson, or Messrs.
Aspinall and Hughes, Liverpool; Robert M`Ewen, Esq., Manches-
ter ; or to Messrs. Hill, Fawcett, and Hill, 29, Threadneedle-street,
London.
In the allotment of shares, a preference will be given to parties
having local interest, and a reserve will be made for landowners.
Liverpool, Oct., 1846
FORM OF APPLICATION FOR SHARES.

To the Provisional Committee of the Liverpool, Crosby, and South•
port Railway (provisionally registered).

Gentlemen,—l request )eu-vrill allot me Shares in the
above undertaking, on the terms of the prospectus, and I agree to
accept the same, or such less number as you shall allot to me. And
I undertake to pay the deposit thereon, and to execute the Sub-
scribers' Agreement and Parliamentary Contract when required so
to do.