The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-21 00:00:00

FATAL STEAM-BOILER

EXPLOSION.
Baum, DEC. 19.—This morning, shortly before nine
o'clock, the utmost consternation prevailed in th, neigh-
bourhood of the works of Messrs. Stothert, Slaughter,
and Co., ironfounders and locomotive engine-maker,
Cheese-lane, St. Philip's, in consequence of the sudden
explosion of the steam-boiler of one of their stationary
engines, by which it was said that several men were
killed and severely injured. Upon inquiry as to the
facts, it was found, notwithstanding there is a printed
rule in the works to the contrary, that the men, in con-
sequence of the severe weather, have been in the habit
of going into the different engine-houses, and sitting
upon and by the boilers of the steam-engines for the
purpose of the heat while taking their breakfast. This
morning a hot, about sixteen years of age, named
Thomas Thatcher, and four men, went into the engine-
house, and were taking their breakfast, when suddenly
an explosion of the boiler took place, and the steam and
boiling water rushing out, they were all most severely
scalded. As soon as the place became clear of steam
assistance was given, and the five sufferers, all of whom
were scalded in a dreadful manner, were removed to the
Bristol Infirmary, where the survivors now lie in an
almost hopeless state, the poor boy Thatcher having
died from the extent of his injuries before reaching the
infirmary.

At two o'clock this afternoon an inquest was held upon
the body, before Mr. J. B. Grindon, the city coroner,
and a highly respectable jury, who having viewed the
body, the whole surface of which, from the head to the
feet, was covered with most extensive burns, returned to
the inquest room, and were addressed by the coroner,
who, after having explained the nature of the accident,
stated that as the law empowering them to give deodands
had recently been repealed, they could no longer do so,
should the evidence be such as should induce them to
wish to levy one. Their duty, therefore, would be to in-
quire whether the deceased had come by his death solely
by the result of the accident, or whether the engine-
boiler had been allowed to get into a bad state, and the
lad's death had been so caused by the negligence of any
one, in which case they would give their verdict ac-
cordingly.
Evidence was then adduced as to the nature
of the accident, and as to the positive rule
that the men should none of them, except the
engine-drivers, go into the engine-house. The engine-
driver deposed to his having been in Messrs. Stothert's
employ for about ten months, and to his making,
with the foreman of the works, a regular examination
of the boiler every four weeks, the last time he had exa-
mined the boiler which caused the accident having been
on Sunday week, when he went into it with a lighted
candle and a hammer, and thoroughly examined the
joints and sounded the platei of the boiler with the ham-
mer, when he found it to be in a good state. At the
time of the accident the engine was not at work, but he
had been working it until half-past eight that morning,
when everything was correct, and both the safety-valves
worked freely. The explosion had blown out the brick-
work, and it was found by examination since that one of
the plates in the boiler had given way. Mr. Greig, the
house surgeon, having deposed to the lad's death having
been caused by the agony arising from the extensive
burns and from his having inhaled some of the steam,
which, scalding the air vessels, had produced acute in-
flammation tending to suffocation, the jury returned a
verdict of " Accidental death."

Another of the unfortunate sufferers, named Joseph
Walker, who was 24 years of age, and who had only been
in the employment of the Messrs. Stothert three week:,
died late this evening.

ALIWAL.
SIR H. SMITH AND THE 52D REGIMENT.
The accompanying letter has recently been received by
the 52d Light Infantry from the distinguished hero of
" Aliwal," whose signature it bears.
" Cawnpore, India, July 29, 1846.
" Sir,—The honorary distinctions recently conferred
upon me by our Gracious Queen enable me to take sup-
porters to my family arnis. I have, therefore, the ho-
nour to acquaint and to request you would make it
known to my gallant comrades, the 52d Light Infantry,
in full remembrance of the period I was Major of Bri-
gade to the 2d Brigade of the immortal Light Division,
of which the 52d formed so prominent and distinguised
a part, involving the glorious contests of the Peninsular
war, I have adopted iz soldier of the 52d Light Infantry
and a 'Rifleman' my own regiment. The many affairs
and battles this brigade so nobly fought in (no man
better knows than yourself) include the Coa, Pambal,
Foy d'Anez, Sabugal, Fuentes d'Onori, siege, storm,
and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, siege, storm, and cap-
ture of Badajoz (where you lost an eye as my brigadier),
Salamanca, San Munoz, San Millan, Vittoria, the
heights of Vera, that most irresistible attack, although
on fortified mountain, Irun, crossing the Bidassoa, Ni-
Nive, the many affairs near Bayonne, Tarbis,
Orthes, and Toulouse, with the numerous skirmishes
each of these actions entail upon light troops. To this
brigade, and to the great school of the illustrious Duke
of Wellington, am I indebted for that knowledge of my
profession which has led to my present aggrandisement,
and which has so lately acquired me the approbation of
the Queen, the Duke of Wellington, and an expression
of thanks from my grateful country. I pray you, there-
fore, Sir Edward Gibbs, and the 52d Light Infantry, to
give me that credit for the feeling of a grateful comrade
I desire to demonstrate, and that you, and the renowned
corps may regard me as not unworthy to take a soldier
out of your ranks to support me, in conjunction with
their brothers in arms, a Rifleman,' and as the means,
in declining life, of remembering the gallant regiments
who taught me to fight for my country.—l have, &c.
"H. G. SMITH, Major General.
" To Major-General Sir E. Gibbs, K.C.8.,
" Colonel, 52d Light Infantry."

THE LOCOMOTIVE ESTABLISHMENT AT ASHFORD.
—There can be no doubt that the approaching comple-
tion of the Paris line to the coast will materially increase
the traffic of the South-Eastern Railway. It is not alone
for this increase of traffic that the company are, by the
erection of an immense locomotive establishment at
Ashford, preparing. The North Kent line to Graves-
end will require a very large carrying stock. The im-
mensity of the river passenger traffic to and fro between
London and this town, is too notorious to need particular
remark. Experience teaches us that a great portion of
this will inevitably pass over the South-Eastern Rail-
way. The directors are looking forward to the con-
struction of the stock necessary to work such a traffic.
The ground on which the works at Ashford are being
erected was originally a hollow, the surface rising
in the direction of the railway (east and west), and to
the south. This hollow has been filled up level with
the rail. The works consist of a large engine shed, a
repairing shop, smiths' and boiler shops and tender
sheds. The engine shed, which is for the accommoda-
tion of 16 locomotives, with their tenders, is 208 feet 9,
by 63 feet, parallel with the railway. Four lines of rail
extend longitudinally through the whole length of the
building. The repairing shop has room for 15 engines
and tenders. The length of the building is 395 feet by
45. Attached to the front of this building is to be a
stationary engine of 25 horse power, for driving the
works. A tranverse crane will move on iron rails, lon-
gitudinally along the shop. It will be capable of lifting
20 tons at its centre. To the south, and parallel with
the repairing shop, is the smithy. This will contain 20
fires. It is 176 feet long by 45 wide, and 28 high.
These and other buildings comprise about one-half of
the works that the South Eastern Company intend to
carry out simultaneously with the construction of their
new lines.—Kent Herald.
THE MArts.--SouTTEAStProN, DEC. 20.—The
Oriental and Peninsular Company's steam-boat Oriental,
Captain Keene, took her departure from the Docks at
10 A.m., this day, for Alexandria and Malta, with the
East India and China mails, in charge of Lieutenant
Tancock, R.N. The Oriental has a valuable cargo in
bale goods, and takes out ninety-three passengers. On
Friday evening (but too late for the train) the Gibraltar
packet Queen, Captain Weeks, arrived in the Docks, and
landed the mails, which were forwarded by early train
yesterday. The Queen's dates are—Gibraltar Dec. 6tb,
Cadiz 7th, Lisbon 10th, Oporto 1 1 th, and Vigo 13th.
She brings thirteen passengers.
WORSHIP-STREET.—OE Friday last Mr. Bingham
made some observations upon the misconduct attributed
to William Cotton, the discharged soldier of the 22d
Regiment. The facts of his case are, as we are informed,
as follows :—He was enlisted on the 14th of December,
1885, at the age of 16 8 12 years, and was discharged on
the 11th of June, 1844. His claim to a pension was for-
feited by three convictions of desertion, viz., on the 18th
of May, 1837, the 31st of January, 1838, and the 26th
of December of the same year. He was besides confined
in prison for another crime, from the 11th of November
to the 18th of December, 1837. His wound was received
from the firelock of one of the guard at Sukkur, on an
alarm of an attack at night, when a sentinel on his post,
in February, 1843.
THE FOREIGN MAILS.—The following notice,
fixing the dates on which the foreign mails wilt be made
up in London to be forwarded via Southampton Mar-
seilles, Liverpool, and Falmouth, and the dates on which
the return packets will be due at the said ports, was
issued on Saturday at the General Post-office :—" Ma-
deira, British West Indies, &c.—The mails for Madeira,
the British and foreign colonies in the West Indies (ex-
cept Honduras, Bermuda, and the Havannah), and Vene-
zuela, will be made up on the morning of the 2d of January
and evening of the 16th ; Mexico, Honduras, and Havan-
nah, on the morning of the 2d only ; Bermuda, San Juan
de Nicaragua, New Granada, Chili, and Peru, on the even-
ing of the 16th only, vid Southampton ; mails due on the
2th and the 22d at Southampton. Mediterranean, India,
&c.—The mails for Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, the lonian
Islands, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Hong-Kong, and
China, will be made up on the evening of the 2d and
morning of the 20th, to be forwarded via Southampton.
By the fortnightly closed mail to the Mediterranean,
.lEgypt, India, &c., vid Marseilles, on the evenings of
the 7th and 23d. British North America, &c.—The
mail for Bermuda, British North America, and the
United States, will be made up on the evening of the
4th, to be forwarded by the Hibernia steamer via Liver-
pool ; Cambria due on the 15th. Madeira, Brazils,
*e•.—The mail for Madeira, Brazil, and Buenos Ayres,
will be made up on the evening of the 4th, viii Falmouth;
ber Majesty's brig Crane due on the 27th. New South
Wales, &c.—The mail for Sydney, New South Wales,
APltridia, Van Diemen's Land, and New Zealand, will
tx!.l2,:qtde up on the evening of the 31st, to be forwarded
g the monthly sailing-packet yid Gravesend. France,
i.
—Thd6 mails for France and Belgium are made up
0 ery even.iive at the General Post-office and forwarded
via Dover, (~ slab, and Ostend (Sundays excepted) ; due
daily. HollatA every Wednesday and Saturday morn-
ing ; due Wednesdays and Thursdays. Hamburgh,
every Tuesday :laded riday evening • due Tuesdays and
forware, by the General Scaotmupgnrdayys,s,
packets from the Thammez...B:4Bl.ll:avigation
steady
n_ee. The re-
BRISTOL SUGAR'MAR2KRT.,
his week at former rates, and
business has been done t the
market has closed with a Arne!_,Penre
ruled market is also more anAittag and Miler Sham_