The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-18 00:00:00

SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

An accident of a serious nature, and which almost
resulted in the destruction of Bedminster-bridge,
Bristol, occurred on Tuesday morning, about eight
o'clock. The Fanny Chapman, a vessel belonging
to Messrs. Lucas, African merchants, had just
arrived, and was being towed up to Bathurst basin.
The tide being remarkably high and coming in at
rapid rate caused the vessel to have a good way on
her, so much that in checking her round the pier
with a stern rope the warp immediately parted.
There being also a fresh wind at the time, the Fanny
Chapman quickly shot away from the pier into the
middle of the river, and was making rapid progress
towards the bridge when a second hawser was got
out at the landing stage, but it shared the fate of
the former. The steam-tug Tiger still kept near,
vainly attempting to render assistance, and upon
the Amelia steaming up to aid the Tiger swung
round, her stern dashing against the broadside of
the Amelia so violently that the water began to
rush into her through an opening of two feet,
which had been made in her side by the graat force
of the collision. Seeing that she was rapidly fill-
ing the captain endeavoured to run her alongside
the landing stage, which she had just time to reach
andithe crew to get on shore when the large quan-
tity of water ,in her hold tended to her aft end
and caused her to rear up and sink end on, gra-
dually righting on her keel as she reached the
bottom. Meanwhile the Fanny Chapman, de-
spite every
heryeaadtwteay attempt to she to ph
rherbridge.
e p.
r
o gEvr ees; y was
exertionm a k.
ng
was made by Captain Ryder and the crew ; a bow
anchor was thrown out, but proved of no service
whatever, the vessel dragging it without the least
check to her speed. Seeing no other alternative, the
pilot decided on running
the wheel to starboard her on shore on the mud-
bank, and for that
the purpose
helm, called
but
out
he
to e the
being man
told
al
dt
that the order was reversed, put the helm hard
rsport,ier:
keeping the vessel's head in the middle of the
river, and
..
By losingw the only opportunity of stop-
ping
her, as she
this a s thentime rapidly nearingnumber
oßedmin-
ster-bridge.people
assembled, watching with suspense for what
_appeared the inevitable destruction of Bedminster-
bridge, which was constructed in the same manner
as Bath-bridge, which was destroyed a few years
since by a similar accident. Capt. Able, who com-
mands another of Messrs. Lucas's vessels, and who
had witnessed the occurrence. hastily procured a
new hawser from his ship, and rendered what as-
sistance he could ; but, as before stated, nothing
seemed to stay the progress of the Fanny Chapms.n.
The only chance of saving the bridge appeared to
be by preventing the vessel meeting it stem on, and
every exertion was made by the pilot, captain, and
crew, who fortunately succeeded in slightly chang-
ing the direct course of the ship. As it was, how-
ever, the bowsprit, which was brought up by the
remarkable height of the tide to a level with the
flagstones bf the paving, caught the bridge
just un-
derneath the coping, and its fall appeared immi-
nent for some moments, the force of the contact
making it swerve and vibrate visibly. Immediately
on striking the bridge the vessel reared, as it were,
nearly on end, the cutwater throwing up the stone
work into the road, and the bowsprit smashing 8 or
9 of the iron railings, breaking them off as if they
w u m. • nearly
in the
b
were reeds. The ties then caught the Fanny Chap-
manroa
dosni
dteh or
e on
to the heran
sterndshe s
settling
mud on the off bank, where she resisted all efforts
of the tug-boat to dislodge her for about half an
port
t quarter,
bria
bridge
.
"
hour. The tide then slackening a new warp was
got out, and she was " stewed round and towed
to Bathurst basin. The police endeavoured to stay
the rush of people on the bridge immediately after
impossible it was struck, but it was found to pre-
vent them, and notwithstanding the great peril in
which they were placed the bridge was crowded
The Fanny Chapman, with
with eager spectators.
her valuable cargo, has not sustained any damage
beyond the loss of her bowsprit, jibboom, and a
portion of her eutwater.