The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-13 00:00:00

THE ~‘",17N,111 !LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 13, 1859.

company did not accept tb .e engines un
approved on the trial t rip ?
Witness—l was.
Coroner—ls Mr. Russel I here ?
Mr. Leverson—He is nol t. He has left the vessel.
Coroner—Did you know John Boyd, one of the
deceased?
Witness—Yes, I knew hit 'i, as he was leading
stoker in that watch.
Coroner—Have you seen Mist dead ?
Witness—No, I have not.
Coroner—Did you know M'Ciihoy or Mahon ?
Witness—Yes, but I have mit seen them since
their death.
Coroner—Do you think you cox ld identify them ?
Witness—l think I can.
Coroner—When last did you see the two men
who have last died, Edwards and Adams ?
Witness—l saw them last night when I went to
the dispensary to get my hands dressed.
Coroner—What time was it ?
Witness—Dr. Watson, what time was it ?
Dr. Watson—Your first visit was at 11 a.m.,
and your second visit at half-past two p.m.
The witness then withdrew.
Mr. Thomas Slater was next examined. He said
—I am a surgeon, and, in conjunction with Dr.
Watson, joint medical superintendent of the Great
Eastern steam-ship. About six o'clock on Friday
evening Dr. Watson and myself were standing to-
gether abaft the after-house on deck, which is the
smoking saloon, temporarily used as the purser's
cabin, when the explosion took place.
Coroner—Did you hear it ?
Witness—Yes, we heard a great noise, and went
forward immediately to see what accident had
taken place. My idea was that an explosion had
taken place somewhere on board, and we went for-
ward to superintend the conveyance of any who
might be injured to the dispensary. We then
went down to the saloon, but we did not remain
long there, as we felt we should be of much greater
use in the dispensary, and I gave orders that all
persons injured should be brought there, and 12 or
13 were, of whom five (very severe cases) have
since died. Those which were comparatively slight
cases have been removed from the ship to the in-
firmary, and the others whose injuries were very
trifling have been able to leave the ship, or to re-
turn to duty. John Boyd was one of those put
under our joint care. He was suffering from scalds
over his entire body from head to foot. We at-
tended him up to the time of his death, which took
place about two o'clock on the morning of the 10th.
I was present when he died. The cause of his
death was a general shock to the whole
system. There was a general collapse from
the effects of the severe scalding. In fact
reaction never took place. I have seen
the bodies where they now lie, and can identify
them. Mahon and M'Gilroy died from the same
causes. The former died a short time after Boyd,
and M'Gilroy at seven p.m. on the 10th. Ido not
know their ages, but, judging from experiente, I
should say that Boyd was 45, Mahon 34, and
M'Gilroy 37. There was not much difference in
the severity of their burns; there were all severely
scalded. Edwards and Adams died of the same
causes. They were treated alike, but not one of
them ever rallied Adams died on the 11th at
11.15, and Edwards at 6 a.m. of this day (the
12th). I would say that the scalds were occasioned
both by steam and by boiling water. Every assist-
ance was afforded them, and the greatest kindness
was shown to them by the passengers, and by their
wives, who, waiving all delicacy in the matter,
volunteered their services in the dispensary.
Dr. Watson confirmed the evidence of Dr. Slater.
The Coroner suggested that it would be well to
close the inquiry at this point to enable the jury to
visit the scene of the accident, and on their return
to have a formal adjournment. In the meantime
he would communicate with Mr. Russell and the
Board of Health—he meant the Board of Trade.
Mr. Leverson asked if, before that was done, it
would not be well to have a witness examined who
would explain the cause of the accident ?
A Juror thought it would be most advisable.
Mr. Robert Pierson Brereton was then examined.
He said—l am a civil engineer and chief of Mr.
Brunel's engineering staff. As Mr. Brunel was
unable to be present on the voyage, I attended for
him. When off Dungeness, on Friday, about six
o'clock in the evening, I was on deck, and having
met the solicitor of the company and his wife I
turned back with them, and in a second or two after
the explosion took place. I turned round, and saw
the funnel leap up above the deck. The foremost
funnel and a shower of splinters and broken plate-
glass began to fall where we were standing. I
hurried the ladies aft and reassured them, telling
them they had nothing to fear, and immediately
went forward to see what was the matter. I found the
funnel lying on the deck in two parts. On looking
down the grating leading to the boiler, whence the
steam and hot air were escaping, I heard a man crying
for help and for water. The fire-hoses were then
laid on, as the men below were crying out " Fire."
All this time the engines were never stopped. As
soon as the confusion was over, I went to examine
the funnel, which was lying on the deck. The fol-
lowing and several other engineers were asked by
the chairman to make a survey of what had taken
place to put him in possession of the facts, and we
did so :—Mr. M'Connell, of the locomotive depart.
ment of the North-Western ; Mr. Scott Russell ;
Mr. Smith, inventor of the screw propeller; Mr.
Smith, the editor of the Artisan ; and Mr. Blake,
the representative of the firm of Bolton and Watts,
the manufacturers of the screw engines, and my-
self did make the required survey, and we then had
an opportunity of seeing the construction of the
funnel and water-casing, which we would not have
seen had the timber-casing remained up, and that
led us at once to a knowledge of the cause of the
accident, without having the drawings before us.
The funnel is double for 40 ft. of its length, the inner
cylinder being 6 ft. in diameter, and the outer 7 ft.,
so that there is between the two a run 6 inches.
broad, and this run constitutes the water-jacket
The outer casing we found burst through, the ex-
plosion having taken place about half-way down,
about on the level of the lower saloon. The inner
casing we found in a collapsed state. The object of
the water-jacket is to prevent the cold water being
fed to the boilers. There was an apparatus attached
to it to prevent any excessive pressure taking place
within it. This apparatus consists of a standing
pipe. It stands up nearly to the level of the top of
the funnel, and is connected with the water-jacket
and communicates with it. It is the same thing as
is used in water works, and really constitutes a
safety valve. It being open at the top, as soon as
the pressure exceeds a certain amount it is pressed
out at the top, the height of the pipe being the
measure of the pressure. (To a juror)—The boiler
has its own safety-valve. We next learned that the
feed-water had not been sent through the jacket, but
direct to the boiler, the donkey-engine not working
well. If that had not been the case, the explosion
would not have taken place ; or if the standing pipe
had been in operation. Our attention having been
turned to what remained of the standing pipe, we
found that it was armed with a plug or cock, capa-
ble of being turned, and we also found that it had
been shut off, leaving no vent whatever for the
steam which must have been generated during the
day. The coincidence of these two things led to
the accident. If they had gone on feeding through
the jacket, or if the standing pipe had been kept
open, the accident would not have occurred. No
one seems to know how, when, or by whom the
cock came to be shut off. Two or three days be-
fore the ship started some work was done to it.
As it had been too low, a piece had to be let in at
the top, so I was informed by the contractor. Up
to that time the cock must have been open, and it is
presnmed some workman may have turned the cock
for some purpose, and not re-opened it. It could
only be done by a workman with a spanner, or
instrument for that purpose, as it has no
handle. (To a Juror)---There was no means of
discovering the error, and nothing but a pre-
sentiment would lead an engineer, having passed
a piece of work of that kind, to re-examine
it before starting. It was so shut in that it conld
not be casually interfered with. A mischievous
person might certainly get through the man-ho!e
and turn it. It was originally put on to test the
strength of the casing, and that done it ought to

itil they were

have been taken off. (To a juror)—lf it had not
been for the coincidence of the two causes the ship
might have gone out to Australia and come
back again without the state of the cock being dis-
covered.

By Mr. Leverson—At the time of the accident
one of Mr. Russell's men, whose name I cannot
give, was the engineer in charge of this part of the
machinery; but Mr. Dickson was the chief engi-
neer, and responsible for the working.
The Coroner—Suppose you were the engineer in
charge of a vessel, and that any alterations took
place in the arrangement of the machinery, do you
not think it would be your duty to go and see that
all was right ?
Witness—We only assume it. was done then
when the alterationcook *oe.
A Juror—Might not thAxplosion have done it ?
Witness—Certainly not:
At this stage of the proceeAings,

The Coroner repeated his intention of adjourn-
ing the inquiry, and of communicating with Mr.
Russell and with the Board of Trade in order that
they might be represented when the jury next met.
They would now visit the ship, and on their return
he proposed formally to adjourn the inquest until
Saturday next.
This course having been unanimously agreed to,
the inquiry at the Town-hall here terminated, and
the coroner and jury immediately went on board the
railway company's steamer, South-Western, Capt.
Harvey, which conveyed them to the ship, where
they were received by Mr. Campbell, chairman of
the board of directors, and Capt. Harrison, com-
mander of the vessel, by whom they were con-
ducted over the scene of the accident. .Mr.
Galloway, of the Board of Trade, was present, and
assisted in pointing out the construction of the
funnel and feed-water pipe, and the tap alluded
to by the witness Brereton as the supposed
cause of the accident. Atter remaining more
than an hour on board, the coroner and jury
expressed themselves satisfied with what they had
seen, and returned to Weymouth, where they
arrived about half-past five o'clock.
The Great Eastern is lying within the break-
water, almost under the shadow of the Isle of Port-
land, between which and herself are two first-class
frigates riding at anchor—mere cockleshells on the
water by comparison with their leviathan sister
ship. She is about 20 minutes' sail from the quay
at Weymouth, from which steamboats ply every
half hour during the day, thus affording ready
means of communication with the shore.
The excursion train on the South-Western Rail-
way which left London this morning, and is ad-
vertised to run daily, brought down a great many
passengers, who have the option of remaining 48
hours, at a fare so ridiculously small that it cannot
be doubted a great many persons will avail them-
selves of the opportunity of visiting Weymouth
while the ship remains under repair. A numerous
gang of boilermakers and fitters arrived yesterday
from Mr. Russell's works at Millwall, and under
their united efforts the debris arising from the acci-
dent was fast disappearing when we left the vessel
this evening.

THE NINE HOURS MOVEMENT.

Saturday saw the end of the seventh week of the
strike and the fifth of the lock-out. The master
builders were naturally anxious to insure the attend-
ance of good and active workmen at their respec-
tive establishments yesterday morning, and the
most ea. nest measures were taken by them for that
purpose; while the men were quite es desiron3 to
resume work, where they could do so without pledg-
ing themselves under the .declaration. So far as in-
formation has been forwarded, the efforts of the em-
ployers have not been attended with much success ;
for where the declaration has been presented very
few men have gone in. Among the employers
who are reported to have opened without the
declaration are Mr. Poole, with 60 men ; Mr.
Alders, employing 400 men; Mr. Bevis, 60 men ;
Messrs. Jackson and Shaw, 200 men ; and Mr.
W. Rose, 100. The document was presented
at Messrs. Ashby and Horner's, Mr. Waller's,
and several other large firms yesterday morn-
ing ; but the men, without hesitation, refused to
make it.

The dividend declared yesterday was at the rate
of 3s. 6d. per man, for the lock-outs, and Trollope's
were paid 12s. skilled, and Bs. unskilled artisans.
Subjoined is an official list of the actual pay-
ments made by the conference :
Carpenters and joiners .. 2,216 £336 19 11
Masons .. • • .. 500 87 10 0
Painters .. • • • . 88 15 8 0
.
Plasterers .. • • .. 660 115 10 0
Bricklayers .. .. .. 900
157 10 0
Stone sawyers • • • • 74 12 19 0
-Woolwich men . • .. 208 36 8 0
Labourers.—Lodge 1. .. 500 87 10 0
2 .. noreturns.
II 17
)1 1, 3. • . 132 23 2 0
4. 278 49 13 0
~ ~ • .
II 5. .. 97 19 8 0
17
6. .. 490 85 15 0
7. .. 197 34 8 6
II )9
8. .. 39 6 16 6
fl
I, II
9. .. 325 56 17 0
II
10. 272 42 12 0
~ • •
11, 12, 13, no returns.

Total 6,976 £1,168 6 11
Meetings continue to be held throughout the
provinces, at which earnest sympathy is expressed
for the men out of work. Last night there were
large gatherings at Liverpool and at Hertford. At
the latter
place, where the men were convened
u conjuring them to " Awake, arise,
elatptelarca rd,
or he for ever fallen, the following resolutions
were passed :
Moved by. Mr. SEALES, joiner, seconded by Mr.
CRAWLEY, tailor :
" 1. That it is the opinion of this meeting that the build-
ers of London have acted unwisely, tyrannically, and un-
justly in locking out their men; .that the document put
forth by them is most insulting and degrading to the feel.
ings of every working man, and that its inventors would be
more fit to rule a slave population than the free-born Eng-
lish artizan."

Moved by Mr. COOK (mason), seconded by Mr.
JARVIS (plasterer) :
" a. That we, the working men of Hertford and its vici-
nity, in public meeting assembled, deeply sympathising
with our brother operatives in the London building trades,
and believing in the justice of the struggle in which they
are engaged in resisting the tyranny attempted to be im-
posed upon them by the master builders of London, do
hereby pledge ourselves to afford them all the support in
our power till they have conducted the same to a successful
termination."
Handsome as the dividend is, every one who re-
flects upon the nature of the contest must regret to
find that there are 6,976 industrious men out of
work.

THE ANTI-STRIKE MOVEMENT.
Yesterday being the day on which the Associated
Master Builders had agreed to re-open their doors
(which had been closed since the 6th of August) to
such of the operatives on strike as chose to work on
the conditions of the well-known declaration, crowds
of the men assembled at an early hour in the morn-
ing at the entrances to the premises of the princi-
pal building firms in the metropolis. To prevent
any breach of the peace, which, however, was
scarcely apprehended, suitable arrangements were
made by the police authorities, but the conduct and
temper of the men were such as to render any in-
terference from that quarter unnecessary. The case
of the master builders, apart from that of the men,
coming naturally within the scope of the anti-strike
movement, we give under that head—as distin-
guished from the nine hours agitation directed
from the Paviors' Arms—a few facts, collected
Yesterday, bearing on their side of the question.
At Messrs. Cubitt's, the eminent builders in Gray's-
inn-road, upwards of 200 men, most if not all of
whom were employed there at the time of the lock-
out, resumed their work yesterday morning, ac-
cepting, of course, the conditions contained in the
declaration. This number includes, with few ex-
ceptions, the whole of the smiths, stovemakors, and
pwa'olliy.koefrscarpenters, bricklayers, plasterers, and
painters. ;pbrrahsisci and the remainder was made up
No skilled masons, however, presented
themselves for employment, but a few masons' la-
bourers did. The absence of-artisans in this depart-
ment, which was generally remarked yesterday, not
at Messrs. Cubitt's only, but generally at the rest of
the master builders' works, is attributed to the
wealthy and well-organised society to which they
belong, and which has ramifications extending from
a metropolitan centre over the whole kingdom.
Distinguished as a body by their temperate and
prudent habits, and backed by the trade association
of which they are members, whenever circumstances
throw them out of employment, they are better able
'than many other classes of artisans to sustain them-
selves during a strike. At the commencement of the
struggle Messrs Cubitt had about 1,500 men in
their employment, of all classes, in town and coun-
try. Those of them working beyond the limits of
the metropolitan postal area were not and have
never been affected by the dispute, and they have
continued to work during its existence. The num-
ber locked out at the works of the firm in Gray's-
inn-road on the 6th of August was 930. Of the 1,500
260 were carpenters, 131 bricklayers,lo2 bricklayers'
labourers, 280 general labourers, 55 plasterers, 86
masons, 62 masons' labourers, 98 painters, 38 smiths,

and 35 smiths' labourers. Taking into account those
who resumed work yesterday, and those of their
men who have continued to work in the country
during the strike, the members of the firm estimate
that from 400 to 500 of their hands are. now in em-
ployment, or nearly a third of the 1,500. They ex-
press themselves as well satisfied with the result of
yesterday, as indeed they may be, for in no other
of the large building establishments in London has
anything like so great a proportion of the men re-
turned to their employment. At the extensive
works of Messrs. Mansfield, in Henry-street, Gray's-
inn-road, where between 300 and 400 men of all
kinds are ordinarily employed, besides a large num-
ber in the country, only a few painters and la-
bourers engaged to work under the declaration.
Upwards of 100 presented themselves at the works
early in the morning, but, with the few exceptions
mentioned, they refused to make the requisite de-
claration and soon after• went away. There was
a similar demonstration in front of the establish-
ment of Messrs. Holland and Hannen, in Duke-
street, Bloomsbury, but a small proportion only—
perhaps not more than 30—agreed to start work.
This firm usually gives employment to about 1,000
men in town and country. Again, at Messrs.
Piper's, in Bishopsgate-street, who ordinarily em-
ploy
about 1,000, only about 25 joiners and sawyers,
out of some hundred men who crowded the en-
trance, went in and engaged to work under the de-
claration. About G(men (carpenters) presented
themselves at Messrs. Ashby's in the same street,
but, declining to accept the document, though will-
ing to abandon the nine hours' movement ; none of
them were engaged. At Messrs. Browne and
Robinson's, in Worship-street, where also the de-
claration was insisted on as an indispensable con-
dition, not more than half a dozen agreed to accept
it, though the firm employed between 400 and 500
at the time of the lock-out. It was the same at
Messrs. Jay's, in the City-road, who give employ-
' ment to upwards of 1,200 men there and in the
country in ordinary times. Some 300 or 400 of
Messrs. Myers' old hands assembled in front of
their extensive works in the York-road at six
o'clock in the morning and during some part of the
day. The elder Mr. Myers addressed them at in-
tervals on three different occasions in explanation
of the meaning and object of the declaration, but to
no purpose, for they refused to a man to work under
it. There was also a considerable gathering of
workmen in front of the large hotel in Westmin-
ster, now being erected by Messrs. Myers, but they
all declined in like manner to come to terms, and
the work there continues suspended as before.
Again, at Messrs. Lucas's, in the Belvidere-
road, less than half a dozen men (painters) have
assented to work under the declaration. The
painters, as a body, appear to have come in in every
case.

The general result shows that, excepting at
Messrs. Cubitt's, a very inconsiderable proportion
indeed of the men on strike have availed themselves
of the opportunity afforded them of resuming their
employment. This is accounted for on two grounds
—first, that on a Monday, which is partially a
holyday, it was to be expected that comparatively
few of the men would return to work ; and, again,
numbers of them, not wishing to be the first to set
the example, it is supposed are only waiting for
others to do so, and that the ice once broken they
will flock in by degrees into the various shops.
One circumstance would lead one to suppose that,
with the exception perhaps of the masons and the
rest of the extreme society men, including, of
course, the members of the conference, the nine
hours scheme is now tacitly understood to be im-
practicable for the present at least. Almost in every
instance yesterday the declaration alone was the
ground of scruple with the men seeking employ-
ment. Scarcely in any case were the hours of
labour made the ground of excuse for refusing to
resume work.

A meeting—though not a public one—was held
at Exeter-hall last night, for the purpose of ap-
pointing a committee to distribute the fund sub-
scribed in connection with the anti-strike move-
ment for the relief of non-society men.

THE ROMAN VILLA AT CARISBROOKE.

The following is from a correspondent of the
liampshire Advertiser :
" Freshwater, Aug. 27.
" From the great interest excited by the Roman
villa at Carisbrooke, of which no account has yet, I
believe, been published, a few particulars may, per-
haps, interest your readers, and serve as a reply to
the many inquiries that are constantly being made
re3pecting it, and the manner of its discovery.
" I first met with indications of the villa on the
28th of April last, when, observing workmen ex-
cavating for stables on the vicarage grounds, I
walked down to see if anything might' be turning
up, induced to do so by having before fdund in
Carisbrooke portions of a British urn and other
relics of ancient burial ; and I was indeed agree-
ably surprised by finding portions of Roman tiling,
which had been thrown up by the workmen, its
character being unknown to them.
" I at once applied to the vicar, the Rev. E. B.
James, for leave to make researches, which was
readily granted, and every facility for search
afforded me by those in his employ.
" Following, then, in the wake of the men, still
digging for the foundation of the stables, a good
quantity- of broken pottery,&c., was collected, and
finding some scattered tesserre, which gave indica-
tions of a pavement, I set a man to cut exploring
trenches in several directions.

" The first trench soon opened up a coarse tease-
lated pavement, forming a portion of what may
have been a corridor of the building, another
brought to light the bath, with its hypocaust, and
following, up these and other trenches, the villa, so
far as it has yet been opened, was gradually dis-
closed. A detailed account, even of these portions
of the building, would require accompanying plans,
and a practised hand; but a few general features
may be given, premising that some dimensions are
given from memory, and that the remains have not
been sufficiently explored to speak positively on
many points, while some must be, necessarily, a
matter of conjecture only.
" The villa would appear to have covered a
space of from 110 to 120 feet in length, and from
60 to 70 feet in width, but from the slight indica-
tions of masonry in the adjoining lane this size may
be increased.
" The pavements are from 5 to 6 feet below the
present level of the soil ' • of this depth about 3 feet
is composed of the chalk debris of the walling, &c.,
over which the 3 feet surface mould must have been
brought and spread.
" As to the arrangement of the building, a portion
of the eastern side would seem to have formed a
corridor of about 42 feet long by about 8 feet wide,
leading to the atrium, or central hall, about 221
feet square, and the best apartment, which is on the
north-eastern side, and about 141 feet square.
" Around two sides, at least, of the atrium, north
and west, apartments, probably dormitories, about
10 feet wids, with cement floors, appear to have
been ranged.
" Other walls have been met with in the cuttings,
but as they have not been followed up no idea of
the apartments of wihich they formed a part can be
gained, though from the plain plastering on them,
and the absence of tesselated pavements, the better
portions of the villa would appear to have been t'
opened on the north-eastern side.
"The bath, an interesting object, is near the
south-western side, and is in good preservation.
Its shape is semi-circular, or nearly so ; . its length
at the base, 71 feet, and its height about 16 inches.
When the flues under it were first opened the soot,
of, say, 15 centuries since, was adhering in large
quantities to the tiles. These flues were traced to
the adjoining stable. where they appear to have
warmed a small apartment, the floor of which was
gone, though very many of itti tile supports were
still remaining. The examinations were suspended
before these flues could be traced to the furnace
mouth, which may, however, have been destroyed
by the first excavations of the workmen, or may
yet be found in the adjoining lane.
" To the south-east of the bath a kind of cement
floor occupied a large space, probably the site of in-
terior offices, or, it may be, of, a court-yard. Over
this, the least interesting portion of the building,
stables ha, e been erected, leaving, fortunately, the
far greater and better portion of the villa un-
touched.
" Returning to the corridor and atrium, we find
their ptivements to consist of red brick, tesserm, of
about an inch square, roughly formed, and are
mostly laid without any design. They appear to
lie chiefly made out of roofing tiles, &c: ' • at least
they bear portions of the same markings.
• The walls remaining are about the same height,
2 feet 8 inches, and are from 1 f 049 inches to 2
feet 3 inches thick; on many parts of them the
plastering is still perfect, while in the interior of
the room a plaster moulding runs round the base of
most of them.

" It is, however, on the before-mentioned apart-
ment, at the north-eastern angle of the building,
that the chief care has been bestowed. In about
1,-.1,!-; feet square, but, rather singularly, an angle of
the atrium projects into its south-western corner to
the extent of four feet square.
"The pavement of this room needs a drawing to
convey an idea of it. Tne borders wide, but irregu-
larly so, are of coarse red and white,tesserm. The
designs of the interior portion, consisting of paral-
lelograms and other figures, with scrolled borders
enclosing the lotus flower and leaves, are worked
with finer tesscrre, of a red, white, black, and blue
colour, and are, I find of a form often found in
Roman pavements. Similar ones, among others,
may be seen figured on the sketch of a pavement:at
0 nuinbers of-MT
Basildon, Berks: in one of th

Roach Smith's " Collectanea Antigua." In the
centre is a handsome-shaped vase and flowers.
From its hollow sound it has probably flues under it.
" While it cannot, I believe, be classed with the
superior pavements at Cirencester, &c., it is unlike
some of those, in good preservation, and from the.
testimony of a most competent judge, API. Roach
Smith, F.S.A., is a very interesting one. The
plastering on one side of this apartement still re-
mains. It is painted in panels, but many pieces
were. found among the rubbish on the floor, with
leav es, flowers, and other figures on them. The
cololars, red, white, yellow, blue, green, &c., were
very' bright, when first removed, but have some-
what faded since.
" The villa must have been covered with stone
roofing tiles (if I may so call them), of an angular
shape, as these lio scattered everywhere, both whole
and broken, many of them with the nails still in
them.

" The only flanged roofing tiles that were found
had, been used for the bottom of the flues leading
to the bath.

" Wood ashes in small quantities were found
about most parts of the building in some cases,
though amounting to two or three handsful. Some
portions of the pavements, too, show signs of fire,
so that it was first though:: that the place might
have been burnt down, but no charred wood of any
size has been found, nor does the plastering appear
to have suffered from fire.

" Whe‘tever may have caused its destruction,
nearly ewrything appears to have been first re-
moved from it, for nothing perfect or valuable has
been found, though much that is interesting ; among
which are two coins (third brass), one illegible, the
other a Posthumius in good condition ; two bone
hair pins, two or three small bronze rings, blade of
knife, hinges, various small iron articles, a few nails
eight or nine inches long, a quantity of roofing nails,
fragments of window and other glass, large quan-
tity of 6?ebris of pottery of various kinds, though
chiefly of a coarser sort, part of the upper stone of
a handrnill, stone roofing tiles, flanged earthern
ditto, flue. tiles, painted plaster, &c.
" Bones, too, of the deer, sheep and other animals
are abund [ant, as well as oyster and other shells.
On two three portions or the antlers of the red
deer some marks are as fresh as when first made.

" These articles I shall gladly deposit again at the
villa, as it is important to keep the collection intact.
" I have heard no decisive opinion as to what
period of the Roman occupation the erection or
destruction of the villa may probably be ascribed,
but we know that Vespasian conquered the Isle of
Wight A.D. 43 ; that the coin found is of the third
century, and that the Saxons, under Cerdic, A.D.
530, made slaughter and havoc at Carisbooke.
" The villa will, I think, when fully uncovered.
be found a very interesting one, though much in-
ferior in size to some.

" Apart, too, from any claim it has in itself, it
derives a peculiar interest from its being the first
Roman building that has been met with in the
island. It settles, too, a point long contended for by
the Rev. E. Kell, as to the Roman occupation of our
island, and cannot but contribute to the elucidation
of that period of its history.
" Situated in a rich valley, under the very sha-
dow of the castle, it seems to point to a former-con-
nection with it, though the traces of any Roman
occupation at the latter place are, I believe, few,
if any. This builing could hardly have stood
alone ; in the same valley, indeed, many have
collected portions of Roman tiling a long time since,
while coins, too, have been found there.
" There can, then, I think, be but one wish—viz.,
that the place may be thoroughly explored and
preserved in situ, for it is by that alone that its
teaching can be fully realised.
" Pending any arrangement for continuing the
excavations, the vicar has kindly apportioned the
proceeds received from visitors towards the reduc-
tion of a debt pressing heavily on the parochial
schools, and a good sum has been already realised,
though the amount has been greatly exaggerated.
" This matter of the further exploration has, it
is well known, been beset with many difficulties in
consequence of the remains standing on the private
grounds of the vicarage. To endeavour to remove
these difficulties has been the aim of several gen-
tlemen of the neighbourhood associated for the
purpose, nor have others pleaded privately with
less anxiety for the same object.
" Some of the best portions of the remains the
vicar has already, to his personal discomfort, decided
to preserve, and I confidently trust that he will
before long arrange some plan which shall embrace
the whole.

" I may add that the most important parts, the
best pavements and bath, have been from the first
temporarily roofed in, and preserved as far as pos-
sible from injury."