The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-21 00:00:00

THE ACCIDENT AT NATLEr

PORTSNIOUTH, May 20.—Au inquest was held this
morning on the bodies of the two seamen who were killed
yesterday on board the Hardy, gun-boat, Lieut. C gn-
mander Swinburne, during the firing of the salute at
the laying the foundation stone of the New Military
Hospital at Netley. The names of the deceased are
Michael Devan, aged 30, an ordinary seaman, and Cor-
nelius Flannagan, aged 28, an A.B. Mr. Swainsnn, Al.
miralty coroner, presided, and the jury was composed of
an intermixture of officers and seamen. The inquest was
held on board the Hardy, in harbour. By the evidence,
it appears that the gun-boats were ord,refl to fire a salute
of 21 guns between them ; each vessel firing a...rain at five
seconds' time. The Hardy had fired her first gun, and
her turn to fire again had arrived ; the gun had been
run in for re-loading, and the second charge was
being rammed home 'by the tso deceased men when
the bomb exploded and blew them against the side
of the vessel. This act of "ramming home" brought
the bodies, or rather heads, of the unf..rLunate men in
' such close contiguity to the mr, uth of the gun that the
flame from the explosion of the powder set their dress on
fire and burnt their faces in the most frightful manner.
Flannagan did not speak or move after he fell ; he ap-
peared to have been instantaneously killed. Devan dis-
played some slight indications of vitality for about half
an hour after the.explosion. The surgeon of the Royal
Yacht, and the surgeon of the Arrogant were immedi-
ately signalled for by the commander of the Hardy, who
also lifted his anchor, and ran the Hardy towards those
vessels, in order to pick up the boats containing these
officers. The jury were very minute in their inquiries
as to the cause of the accident, the size and condition of
the sponge, and other details of a similar character.
They had the sponge produced and tried it in the gun ;
but they pronounced it in perfectly gooi condition, and
in every respect suitable ir the gun. By the evidence
it would appear that the accident arose from some burn-
ing fragment of the first charge being left in the gun,
and igniting the second charge. Tots could only arise
from defective sponging by one of the unfortunate de-
ceased. The captain of the gun had his thumb over the
vent at the moment, as usual, and it was blown off
Devan had served in the trenches before Sebastopol, and
was wounded by a shell at the storming of the Malakhil
Flannagan had served in various parts of the world.
The verdict was " Accidental death."

ST. PAUL AND ST. BARNABAS.—The appeal in this
now celebrated case commenced o i Monday morning
before Sir John Dodson, the dean of the Arches Court.
It is the custom in law caurts for the c.mnsel for the
!ippeal to commence, but in this ca,e Dr. Ba)f. rd
opened on behalf of Mr. \Vesterton. The learned gen-
tleman spoke all day, and added little or nothing to the
arguments advanced when the matter N:tali:iitildgetrhtalitetchoons:
.iddration of Dr. Lushington. He er.tered very fully
Into the subject of church ornaments,
employed at St. Paul and St. Barrinbaq were not war-
ranted by ecclesia-tical usage, at.d had not concludi d his
speech when the Court rose. It is not expected that
judgment will be given before November.

The prosecutor replied a pillow-ca-ie, and bad it not
been extinguished it might hive set the house on fire, as
the mantel piece WAS all wool.
Mr. A'Backett asked whether there was any one fas
tened in the room with the prisoner?
C•nnplainant replied that he had his child with_ him,
and he supp sed he meant to suffocate them both, as he
was not right in his head.
The prisoner, who is well known at this court from
his frequent quarrels with his wife and others, state
tbat he was right ennuzh in his mind, and it was all
nonssnse what Mr. White had uttered. Toe fact was
he had had a quarrel with his wife on Saturday evening
in the row'', and hs thr -tv the pillow-case at her whicu
acAdentally fell in the fire, but no harm was done.
Police-constable 228 Al said he sa.v smoke in the
room and attempted to open the door, but it was fas•
ttnel. As soon R 3 they gamed an entrance he saw the
pillow-case blazrng in the fire-place.
Mr. A'Be,licett asked whether any part of the room
was nn fire ?

The constable replied that there was not, but the pro-
secutor gave the prisoner into custody fur attempting to
set his house on fire.

Mr. A'Beckett inquired whether there was any evi-
dence of that

The constable—Ml he had was the pillow, which was
burning at the time. He did not kaow how it cure to
be on the fire.

The pri.oner's wife here stepped forward and said she
was is the room at the time, and having a quarrel with
her husband he threw the pillow-case at her and it fell
in the fire. Ttiere was not any intention of setting the
house on fire. .

Mr. A'Beckett said that as there was no evidence to
support the charge the prisoner must be discharged, but
he should advise him to be more caretal in future.

L A.MBETH.—Frederick Phillips, alias Angular, an
e -policeman, who hat been convicted of felony; Wil-
liam Jacobs, alias Arnold, alias Armstrong, John Miller,
and Edwin Gardener, who had been in custody for some
days on a charge of frau:l, were again placed at the bar
Lefore Mr. Elliot for further examination.
Mr. Sleigh, instructed by Mr. Cnipp-rfield, attended
for Phillips and Jacobs. It will be recollected that the
former charge against the prisoners was that of obtaining
from Mr. Mutton, a confectioner at Brighton, and who
has a farm in Sussex, six loads of hay, of the value of about
301., by fraud and false pretences. Mr. Mutton, having
a quantity of hay and clover to dispose of, caused an ad-
vertisement to be inserted in a Sussex paper, offering both
at a certain price per load. In reply to this advertisement
he received a letter dated 8, Arnold's-place, Frances-
street, Newington-butts, and signed " J. B. Arnold,"
offering to take the whole of the hay and clover at a slight
reduction of the price stated, and offering to send a cheque
on delivery. In consequence of the receipt of this letter
Mr. Mutton sent a friend to town with a sample of the hay
and clover, and for the purpose of making the necessary
inquiries respecting the respectability, &c., of Mr. Ar-
nold, its writer. This person called at the house No. 8,
Arnold's-place, and there saw the prisoner Phillips, who .
informed him that he was employed by Mr. Arnold to
prepare the louse, then empty, for the reception of hint
arid his family on the followinm Tuesday, and further
stated that Alr. Arnold was a Government contractir,
that he kept two horses, and was a most reAperahle
man. 0:i this representation the hay and clover were sent
b y the railway to the Bricklayers' Arms station, and from
there taken away by the prisoners. Mr. Mutton, re-
ceiving neither cash nor cheque in payment, communi-
cated with the police, and aecertai,,ed that he was deal-
ing with practised swindlers. The last load of hay he
for war led was in consequence watched, and all the pri-
soners were found engaged in taking it away from the
rai s ay, and were in o;nsequence 'taken into custo !y
' Tne evidence against the prisoners 111,lltr and Gardener
went only t ► ,noN that the firmer had been employed
• to assist in loading and the latter to cart away the pro-
perty, and they were admitted in evidence against Ja
r cobs and Phillips, as they called themselves, and gave
I testimony of the fact, Neither wit- es,, however, was

able to say where the property was delivered, as Phillips
and Jambe, they said, were in the habit of takipg the
vehicle away, and leaving them at a public•house while
they disposed of the property.
A sec ,nd charge of obtaining a quantity of valuable
turnip seed from Mr. Taber, a seed grower at Ravenhall,
Essex, by means precisely similar t those resorted to in
the last case, was gol.e into. The railway delivery
tickets oT the property and other memoranda relatt.g
it were found on Arnold when taken into custody. It
was also stated in relation t' him that he bad been the
associate of the notorious blind swindler Riccaby, and
had been convicted and sentenced to twelve months' im-
prisonmentfor a swindling transaction with that accom-
plished cheat. It was also in evidence that Phillip had
been convicted of felony, and after a lengthened exami-
nation the prisoners were again remanded.

ROYAL • COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. —The following
gentlemen having undergone the necessary examination,,
for the diploma, were admitted members of the College
at the meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 19th
inst. :—Alessrs. John Johnson, Dalkeith, near Edin-
burgh ; Andrew Charles Johnston, Rathmines, near
Dublin ; Henry Fagan, Waterford ; Roger Hampson,
Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire; William Sowerby Wallen,
Walker-place, Rotherhithe ; and James Alexander
Skene, Aberdeen.
MELANCHOLY DEATH OF A CLERGYMAN.—The Rev.
,3". G. Maddison, formerly rector of West Mookton,
Somersetshire, died at Die Castle, county Donegal, on
Sunday last, in consequer:ce of injuries accidentally re-
ceived by him on the previous Friday. It appears the
rev. gentleman had been fishing in the neighbourhood
of his residence when his foot slipped from the place on
which he stood, and that in falling the back of his head
came in :contact with the rock, fracturing his skull.
He lingered till the 11th inst., when he expired. Mr.
Maddison was 64 years of age.
THE COLLIERS' STRIKE IN SCOTLAND.—EarIy on
Thursday morning, in Hamilton, special constables were
sent for to Quarter Colliery, as a defy:ration of stranger
collie's had taken possession of the pits, and would not
allow the men who were willing to work to go down.
Th, same system of compulsory prevention was adopted
at CArfin, where something like a regular row took
place. On Friday, however, theCarfin men were allowed
to go down, under the protection, f a posse of constables.
Tois style of intimidation is deprivaig, the colliers of
much of the sympathy of the gene ral public.—North
British Dceily Mail.