The Sun.
London, England, 1835-08-03 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Observing in your paper of yesterday evening an ac-
count of an accident which happened to me in attempting to
get on board the Pearl Gravesend steamer, off -Greenhithe,
yesterday morning, it is inaccurate only ia that part which
states that no blame is attributable to the captain or crew of
the Pearl, but that I overreached myself in endeavouring to
save the little boy. From the general civility and good con-
duct of those who have the management of these vessels I feel
a reluctance in stating any thing totheir prejudice, but as my
doing so on this occasion may have the effect of producing
greater caution on their part, if not some legislative remedy
for the future, I deem it right to make the following addi-
tional statement, the accuracy of whichis confirmed by several
competent observers of the accident, of whom I have made in-
quiries -.—There was no diminution of the speed of the vessel
(apparently from the power of the engine not being slaeteried)
until after the little boy (a child of a servant of mine) and my-
self were in the water. From this cause the jerk the boat re-
ceived when made fast to the steamer by the cable attached to
the boat-hook by which we were caught was so considerable as
almost to shake us from our seats ; we however sat still, agree-
ably to the caution generally given by the boatman, until that
shock had subsided, and the little boy, proceeding steadily, had
one foot on the step of the vessel, when the boat, instead of
being held with her broadside to the steamer, as is usually
done, swung outwards, either from the violent rush of water
from the paddle-wheel, or from the neglect of the man who
ought to have held her to, or his inability to resist the force of
the current ; the boat in consequence shipped a considerable
quantity of water, and had she not been tolerably deep in the
gunwale must have been swamped, and every one on board
precipitated into the water. As it was the little boy, from the
swing of the boat, lost his balance and fell overboard ; I caught
hold of him, and could have thrown :him back into the ioat
without difficulty, but that as I necessarily leaned a Hui, for-
ward for that purpose, the boat continuing its motion outwards
swung from under me likewise, and we were both precipitated
into the water. I succeeded, however, in getting a firm grasp
of the little boy, and was thankful to find myself, though no
swimmer, enabled to sustain both in the water until picked up
by our boatmen, in the manner described in your paper.
In the Bill about to be introduced into Parliament for the
Regulation of Steam-vessels, it is, I understand, intended to
provide that an inspector shall be put on board each vessel, to
take care that the regulations to be made by the Bill arc duly
attended to. One of those regulationS I think should provide
under a penalty for a sufficient stoppage of the engine in every
case of receiving passengers on board from a boat. The loss
li Of time that would result from it would be as nothing com-
pared with the additional safety, and could not be complained
of by the proprietors. They should either refuse to receive
passengers on board from boats, or be compelled to adopt all
requisite precautions in doing so.
Whilst on this subject, I may perhaps be permitted to add,
as the result of recent observation on the part of many pas-
sfengers by steam-boats, as well as myself, a suggestion as to
the necessity of confining the numerous coal barges in the
Pool to proceeding head foremost, and on a particular side of
the river, similar to the " rule of the road" on shore, and so
as to leave the channel in the centre free to the steamers and
other more manageable vessels. Instead of this they fre-
quently attempt to float transversely down the centre of the
stream, and often three or four of a line in order to take as
much benefit as possible from the tide, by which means they
block up the channel altogether. It is at such times difficult
for the steamers, and impossible for the barges, to stop with
sufficient expedition to avoid an accident, independently of the
loss of time, which, under proper regulations, would be unne-
cessary ; or small steamers might be employed with advantage
in the Pool, and at an expense which would be trifling in com-
parison with the increased celerity and safety in conveying the
cargo, to tow the barges up and down, several in a line, similar
to the carriages in the train of a locomotive engine on a rail-
road, the ordinary mode of transit being, of course, after the
establishment of the new one, prohibited under penalties.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
WM. PRITCHARD.
Doctor's Commons, August 1, 1835.