The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-31 00:00:00

SPORTI

building for more than 20 years. I have superintended the
building, docking, and repairing several iron slips. I re-
ceived instructions when the London was'commenced not
to allow any bad workmanship in her construction.
Any improvements I could recommend that would
increase the strength of the vessel would have
been adopted-expense was out of the question.
The ship was built in accordance with Lloyd's
rules in every respect. The surveyor from Lloyd's,
when he attended to examine the ship, said her strength
exceeded Lloyd's rules, and he complimented me on the
circumstance. I examined the London in dry dock last
December, previous to her last voyage, both inside and out,
and could not find any leakage, or tendency to weakness
throughout the vessel.
By Capt. Baker—Her loaded draught of water was 20
feet 9 inches. When she was docked without cargo she
drew 15 feet 3 inches.

Mr. Thomas Harding—I am foreman to the Messrs.
Humphries and Tennant, of Deptford, the makers of the
engines of the London. I had charge of fill;ng the under
water work of the ship while she was on the slip—that is
to say, the boring out the stern for the screw shaft. I had
charge of the engines after Maxwell had superintended
their erection. I went out in the London on her first
voyage. I never saw a pair of engines work better. I
had orly to stop them, out and home, for 15 minutes, for
adjustment. The voyage was to Australia and back.
PreN:ous to her last voyage I inspected her en-
gines, and found them in most perfect condition.
I went on board the London on her last voyage as far as
Plymouth. I was sent by Mr. Humphries to see how the
engines worked, and whether they could be improved upon.
They worked well ; in fact, they could not work better.
There were pumps on board the London capable in all of
lifting 4,350 gallons per minute.
Mr. Traill—Was there anything the matter with the
engines that caused you to go to Plymouth with the
ship ?

Witness—No. I had business at Pembroke, and that
induced me to go as far as Plymouth in the London. There
was no suspicion as to the engines.
Mr. Isaac Cole—l am a ship rigger. I rigged the Lon-
don in the best manner with galvanised wire rope. The
lower and topsail yards were of iron—topgallant and royal
yards were of wood. The running rigging was of the bust
hemp rope. All was of the best quality.
Thomas North, foreman mast-maker and boat-builder to
Messrs. Wigram, said-riThe low,or masts of an London
were made of four plates with internal angle irons, all
of the best Lowmoor plates, and that ho considered iron
masts stronger than wooden ones. She was not masted
out of proportion to her size.

Captain James Lean, emigration officer to the port of
London, said—lt is pai tof my duty to see that the re-
quirements of the Passengers' Act are complied with in all
passenger ships going to sea. It is my duty to look to the
seaworthiness of the ship, the arrangement and size of the
berths, hospital arrangements, also as to light and ventila-
tion. The London, I considered, perfect as regarded the
Passengers' Act. The regulation of the act with respect
to boats was also complied with. She was 1,428 tons re-
gister. She was bound to carry six boats. She had seven
aboard, in fact more than the number required by the act
for her tonnage. The act mentions one lifeboat, but the
London had two. The boats of tho London I considered
to be very fine ones, both as to size and construction. She
had the means of signalling also one standard, and four
or five steering compasses. She had fire engines and other
means of extinguishing fire on board. She had also five
chronometers and three barometers and tarpaulings. She
had all the requisites of the 7th section of the act. Iler
crew was an excellent one. There were about a dozen or
15 foreigners amongst them. I had no hesitation in giving
the necessary certificate to enable the captain to get his
clearance.

Mr. Traill—Do you consider it necessary that there
should be a sufficient number of boats on board a ship to
carry all the passengers ?
Captain Lean—That is' not required. A ship could
scarcely carry boats sufficient to carry all her passengers,
supposing she had her complement.
Mr. O'Dowd—When did you last seo tho London ?
Captain Lean—l last saw her at Gravesend. I did not
'consider her too low in the water. I consider she had
8 feet of free board amidships, which is the lowest part.
The glass in the skylights of the London was two inches
thick. The London is the first steamship that I have
cleared under the Passengers Act for Australia.
Capt. Baker—Did it occur to you that there were any de-
ficiencies on board the London?
Capt. Lean—lt did not. From what I have heard during
this inquiry, I now think it would be improper to allow
any vessel to go to sea without proper appliances for bat-
tening down all the hatchways.
Capt. Harris—ln what way would you suggest ?
Capt. Lean—l cannot say off-hand ;it requires consi-
deration.
Capt. Harris—We know there were nails and tarpaulins,
but what other means would you suggest ?
Capt. Lean—l cannot say just at the moment.
Mr. Traill—Did you notice when you last saw the ship
whether she had any coal on her deck ?
Capt. Lean - She had 50 tons in bags unsecured on the
upper deck. The bags were, however, stowed in such a
way that I did not think any other security was required.
I saw no other stores on deck. Knowing the consumption
of the coal per diem, and that the ship was going to Ply-'
mouth, I did not object to coal being on deck. I saw the
ship the clay she left. It was on the 30th of December.
Captain Harris—Does the examination of the sails come
under your cognisance ?
Captain Lean—Yes. I see she had two suits of sails.
Captain Harris—Would it not be a part of your duty to
see the sails ?
Captain Lean—l've a list which has been handed me.
Captain Harris—But can you say whether there was a
storm trysail, or storm staysails ?
Captain Lean—No, I cannot.
Captain Harris—But it it not a part of 3 our duty to see
that the proper sails are aboard ?
Captain Loan—l was told there were two sets of sails
on board, and we must have a little confidence in the asser-
tions of respectable shipowners.
Mr. Traill— Oh, no, no. We must have no confidence.
Captain Lean—l did not examine the two suits of sails.
Captain Harris—You aro responsible you know for
public life and safety; is it not, therefore, part of your
duty to look after the sails of the ship ?
Captain Lean—l was informed there were two suits
aboard, ono above and one below.
Captain Harris—That may be, and yet one of the suits
might be of such a character as to be quite unfit for a
ship going to Australia. You did not then look particu-
larly after the sails.
Captain Laan—No, I did not. I have, however, a list
of the sails on board now in my hand.
Captain Harris—Where did you get it from ?
Captain Lean—l wrote to the Messrs. Wigram for it,
and it was immediately furnished to mo by them.
Captain Harris—When Was that ; before the ship
sailed?
Captain Lean—No; on Saturday last.
Maxwell, the foreman of engineers, gave evidence as to
the excellence and efficiency of the engines. The pumps,
he said, wore of great power. She could discharge over
4,000 gallons of water per minute.
The inquiry was here adjourned till to-morrow.
It would but be consonant with common humanity if
some steps wore taken to provide the surviving portion of
the crew of the London, summoned as witnesses, with a
proper place of shelter during the inquiry, in preference to
allowing the poor fellows to hang about the outside of the
court in the cold and rain, some of whom have not even
a penny to buy a mouthful of broad, and having in the
early part of the morning many miles to walkto attend
the investigation. In this matter, whateverybody's
is
business seems to be nobody's business.