The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-21 00:00:00

FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.

•
SCARBOROUGH, Tuesday Morning, Aug. 20.--The
gay and fashionable watering place of Scarborough
has this morning been thrown into gloom and sor-
row by a melancholy catastrophe that occurred
yesterday evening, whereby the lives of ten gentle-
men, all visitors to Scarborough, were unfortunately
lost. Yesterday morning a miscellaneous party as-
sembled on the sands, determined to take a boat to
Flamborough for a shooting excursion. The party
in the boat comprised 13 persons—viz., the master
and a boy and 11 gentlemen. The wind at the time
they embarked (about half-past 10 in the morning)
was blowing very strongly from the west, in fitful
squalls or gusts. The boatman, however, did not
think he was overcrowding or overweighting his
boat, which was one of 18 feet keel, and the party
accordingly set off. All went well in the voyage up,
and though the wind blew smartly the boatman
saw no danger. Having arrived at Flamboroggh,
the party landed and proceeded to the Star Inn,
where they stayed some time. They re-embarked for
Scarborough about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and
the boatman, who is one of the three survivors, was
of opinion that some otthe party were rather un-
duly excited after leaving Flamborough, partly in
consequence of which, and partly owing to the in-
creasing strength of the wind, he determined when
about three-quarters of a mile from Flamborough to
stand in more under the cliffs. About this time
they were passed by two Flamborough fishing ves-
sels, the master of one of which states that he saw
nothing particularly dangerous in the condition or
appearance of the boat, while the other says he
thought she was overcrowded, but did not seem
to be in any danger. We should have said
that on the return voyage there were only 12 people
in the boat—Mr. George Wike, of Barnsley, having
purposely remained at Flamborough, in order to
return to Scarborough by rail. His motives were
partly a nervous dislike to the strong weather, and
partly a slight indisposition under which he was
labouring, which he thought might be increased if
he took cold by getting wet in the boat—the water
occasionally having splashed over her in spray.
About five minutes after the fishing vessels passed
the boat the attention of the men on board one of
them was casually directed to it, and to their horror
they saw her lying with her sail half under water,
and in an instant she filled and went down. The
fishermen hastened to the spot, where they arrived
in time only to save the master and the boy, who
were both expert swimmers. They beckoned the
other fishing vessel to their aid, and its crew picked
up two bodies, which preyed to be Mr. John Brad-
shaw and Mr. James Street, both of Ashton-under-
Lyne. They waited about for a considerable time,
but nothing came to the surface but a few walking-
sticks. The bodies of the drowned men were life-
less when picked up, and the master and boy were
much exhausted. They were brought to Scar-
borough by the fishermen. The boatman states that
when he determined to-come nearer the shore it was
necessary to turn the boat, previously to doing
which he gave notice to his passengers. A strong
squall took her while the foresail was yet hauled to
windward, the boat not being sufficiently turned,
and the slight lurch she then gave was fatally in-
creased by several of the party, who, utterly re-
gardless of the boatman's previous request to be
careful and to stand on the high side of the boat,
actually in their extremity seized the gunwale
over which the water was running, and thus by
their weight added to the danger. The boat im-
mediately filled, and ten of the party, comprising
all the visitors, except Mr. Wike, were drowned.
A coroner's inquest on the bodies that were reco-
vered has been held at the Old Town-hall this
morning. The bodies were at once identified by a
gentleman who had been acquainted with the
deceased. Mr. Wike stated that he was one of
the party ; that they had a little shooting while off
Flamborough ; that they landed and went to the Star
Inn ; that while there he flared some of them had.
drunk rather too freely, so as to be a little excited,
but not intoxicated; that, observing this, seeing the
increasing strength of the wind, and feeling rather
unwell, he decided on returning by rail ; that he en-
deavoured to persuade a friend (Mr. John Asquith),
to remain with him, but failed; that he did not see
the boatman take more than a glass of ale, and that
he appeared a very competent person in the manage-
ment of the boat; that in his opinion the boat was
rather crowded, but while they were shooting, and
sitting in an orderly manner on the voyage up, there
appeared to be room enough, and that the boat
shipped very little water while he was in her.
Robert Major and Moses Smith deposed to seeing
the boat (as above stated), and to picking up the
bodies, together with the boatman and boy. Smith
stated that as they passed the boat no signal was
made to them (the fishermen), and nothingappeared
wrong farther than that in his opinion there were
too many in the boat. They brought the bodies to
Scarborough. Edward Heselton, the boy saved,
said that when about three-quarters of a mile from
Flamborough, and out at sea, he heard the master
say he was going about. Witness was then in the
forecastle, when a sudden squall caught the boat,
and he felt the passengers rush to the wrong side,
and she instantly swamped. The boy says he went
down to the bottom with the boat, as he thought he
felt her touch the rocks before he could float out of
the hole in which he was at the time. This was
thought to be improbable, as the water was very
deep. He described the scene as a very fearful one
when he came to the surface. He saw the drown-
ing men convulsively clutching at each other, and.
heard them screaming for help. He pulled off part
of his clothes while he floated on his back. Wit-
ness is 12 years of age. The evidence of the
boatman, George Hewitson, is embodied above.
He stated that shortly after embarking to return
he ordered all the guns to be *discharged,
and requested everybody to keep still, see-
ing they were rather unruly, and the weather
was become more squally. When the squall took
the boat he did his best to recover her, but failed.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
They acquitted the boatman of blame, but remon-
stratednames owith h himthe
ge
nfotrl e overcrowdingmen l
lost
are--J• Bradshaw, a
eh 13t•
James-street, Ashton-under-Lyne ; John Asquith,
k
p
J. Ogden and A. Ogden, jun., Dewsnop, ric in-
°
The
field, Manchester ; J. Hobson, Hyde, Cheshire ; J.
Batty, Ashton-under-Lyne. The other three had,
not been ascertained when our parcel left.

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE *TEE-.
---

(From the Regsstrar-General's Weekly Return.)
The improvement in the public health which was
noticed in the last return has not been maintained,
the deaths, which were then 1,172, having risen to
first
deg daysin
1,257 in the week ending last Saturday. The high
of the
shade week,ori
reaching
a maximumduring
o
t hef
Monday, was perhaps the cause of the increase.
The mean temperature of the air • d • uring the week
was 65.3 deg., being the highest recorded during
the present year.
If the deaths from cholera in the 33d week of the
epidemic year 1854 are excluded, it will be found
that the average number of deaths in the week cor-
responding with last week was 1,107, which cor-
rected for increase of population will become 1,218.
Hence it appears that the deaths of last week ex-
ceeded the corrected average by 39,
I Diarrhoea was fatal in 208 eases, including 184
children, 129 of whom wereitnder one year. Cholera
or choleraic diarrhoea odased 15 deaths, 14 were
those of children under 10 years of age. A pen-
sioner, twa 02 years, in the East Indian army,
diem ac 6, Risbies-ropewalk, Limehouse, of" exhaus-
tion from choleraic diarrhoea." Scarlatina and
diphtheria caused 57 deaths, whooping-cough 45,
typhus, 34, phthisis 130, and violence 56. Old age
carried off 43 persons, of whom three were widows,
aged 90, and one a male, aged 96.. The registrar
of the City-road sub-district of St. Luke's calls at-
tention to a house (No. 29, George's-row) which is
let out in lodgings, and was recently occupied by
seven adults and 24 children ; four of the children
died during the last month, three by and
scarlatina,
one by teething and diarrhcea.
Last week the births of 889 boysand 810 girls,
in all 1,699 children, were ' London.
In in
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1851-
60 the average number was 1 62
, 1.
At the Royal Observatory' Greenwich, the mean
the
height of the barometerin week was
29.762 in. The barometrical readings rose to
2997 in. or, Saturday, and fell to 29.60 in. on
Monday. The mean temperature of the air in the
week was 65,3 deg., which is 3.8 deg. above the
average of the same eek in 43 years (as determined
by Mr. Glaisher). The mean daily temperature was
above the average on the first five days of the week,
and rose to 67.7 deg. on Sunday, and 72.9 df.:g. on
Monday, being respectively 6.0 deg. and 11.3 deg.
above the averages. The highest point aft/tined in
the week by the thermometer in the shade was
89.3 deg. on Monday ; the lowest night tern perature
was 40.8 deg. on Saturday. The range of tempera-
ture was 32.3 deg. on Monday, and only B'2 deg. on
Friday. The mean daily range was 21.2 deg. The
greatest heat in the sun was 138.8 deg. on. Monday.
The mean temperature of the water of the Thames
was 66.5 deg., there being only 1 deg. of difference
between the highest and lowest mean readings of
the week. The difference between the mean dew-
point temperature and air temperatur e waB 7'3 deg.
The mean degree of humidity of t.)2,0 air was 79,
complete saturation being represented by 100. The
general direction of the wind was soutti-west. Rain
fell on three days to the aggregate AMC), allt of 0.17 in.

STATE OF EIUNGABY.

(From the Correspoisdvnt of the Tunes.)
PESTH, AUG. 16,

The wise tuen of Vienna are understood to have
made up their minds as to the answer to be given to
the recent final manifesto of the Hungarian nation,
popularly known as the Deak address. According
to information which I have every reason to believe
correct, the plan it is proposed to carry out includes,
as its principal points, the early dissolution of the
Hungarian Diet, and also that of the Provincial
Councils, or, as they may be more exactly termed,
the County Committees. The first of these two
-weighty measures is likely to be taken within a
very few days ; the second can be only gradually
carried out, and is likely to be a work of time and
difficulty. A Rescript from the Emperor may be
expected shortly to arrive—no long-winded, hob-
bling document, like the last, but something brief
and trenchant. Of its exact contents, of course, no
one is as yet informed, but conjectures are hazarded
which may prove not very wide of the mark. The
Emperor will, probably, treat the address as an
attack upon the dignity of the Crown (a favourite
phrase just now in the political circles of Vienna),
will declare the Diet dissolved, and will express a
hope that time and reflection may bring Hungary
to a better frame of mind and more practicable
political views. Something of this kind is expected.
It is not known who will come down to dissolve
the Diet. It has usually been an Archduke who
has inaugurated and dissolved these assemblies, but
under all the circumstances, and as the present Diet
was opened by Count Apponyi, it is not thought
that so high a personage will be sent down. We
hear that a Hungarian is to be selected, if one
can be found, and probably he will be a
General. It was desired at Vienna that Count
Apponyi should dissolve it, but he, not unnaturally,
declined. Benedek's name has been mentioned,
but he might refuse also. If no other can be found,
there is a certain General Haller, a Transylvanian
of German extraction, who is old and feckless, and
will do whatever he is bid, and to whom, as a pis-
alien the ungrateful mission may be confided.
That I have good reasons for considering the dis-
solution of the Diet as all but certain to take place
you will infer from my having telegraphed to that
effect this morning. In the opinion of the majority
of those persons who have the best means of judg-
ing, it is almost as good as a fait accompli. It is
proper to mention, however, that there are other
persons, who must know all that has passed, and
more than I am able to write to you, who still think
it extremely uncertain. They do not doubt that
yesterday the positive intentions of the Vienna Go-
vernment were as above communicated to you. and
that very probably to-day they still remain un-
changed, but they point to the capriciousness that
characterises Francis Joseph's councils, and they
think it highly probable that the Emperor may
change his mind. Viewing the present situation
by the light of past experience, they are at no loss
for arguments in favour of the likelihood of a less

decided line of action being adopted than the one
we know to have been just resolved upon. One of
the most distinguished Hungarian statesmen of the
present day lately remarked, very happily, that the
course of the Austrian Government habitually re-
sembles that of a man who, having a road on his
right hand and another on his left, cannot make
up his mind to take either of the two, but persists
in floundering on through the broken ground be-
tween them, in pursuing a middle track, on which
the obstacles and difficulties are so great that he
has no chance of ever reaching the desired goal.
The two paths now open to Austria, with respect
to Hungary scarcely need indication. They are
absolute concession or complete absolutism. Sup-
posing the Emperor were to send for Deak and to
say to him—" You evidently enjoy the complete
confidence of the Hungarians ; it is equally evident
that nothing less than the Constitution of 1848 will
content them ; I grant them that Constitution, but
I look to you so to shape and modify matters that
the empire shall not suffer, and that I may not have
cause to repent my liberality," this would be ab-
solute concession ; it would be entering upon one of
the two plain and well-marked roads. Francis
Joseph might come down to Pesth the next day and
he would see whether there is loyalty and monarchi-
cal feeling in the country, and whether the Hunga-
rians are susceptible of enthusiasm and gratitude.
My belief is that the past, with its many painful
episodes, would in a moment be utterly forgotten,
and all that would be remembered would be that
the present Sovereign is the descendant of that
Maria Theresa whom the Hungarians so dearly
loved, and for whom they not only constantly pro-
fessed, but repeatedly proved their readiness to
die. In stating the feelings of the Hungarians,
I may not always have sufficiently marked the
difference between those they cherish for the Crown
of Hungary and those by which they are inspired
towards the reigning dynasty. Essential, monar-
chical by tradition and tendencies, they hold
strongly for the unimpaired maintenance of the
kingdom of Hungary as composed of Hungary Pro-
per, Transylvania, Croatia, &c.; but their attach-
ment to the House of Hapsburg, once so strong,
has been grievously shaken and weakened by ill-
usage and breaches of faith. They can no longer
trust that House ; therefore they can hardly re-
spect it, and without some respect there can be
little love ,on the part of a nation towards its
raters. But I reiterate my belief that with this
warmhearted generous people bygones would quickly
be bygones if once confidence were shown and jus-
tice done to them. If, however, to this the Emperor
cannot bring himself, the other plain road is that of
complete absolutism. And to something very nearly
approaching it he seems to have made up his mind.
If he dissolves the Diet and the County Committees
he will be compelled to govern the country despoti-
cally. The dissolution of the committees will be
followed by the immediate resignation of the Hun-
garian officers ; taxes will still be refused ; he will
have to send in Austrians to carry on
every branch
of the Administration, general and local,and "e
cion and distraint will be the Government's
r'sott recs. He might possibly go on in this way for
a year or two, always supposing no war with Italy
or elsewhere. These would be the hard times Which
Do-,k anticipated in his address, and which he de_
dared the nation ready with firmness and fortitude
to. encounter. Well, it is just because this is a
eecided course that some doubt its adoption. The
Vienna Government, they think, will falter in its
aysoi ve, will temporise and resort to half-measures ;
will, perhaps, prorogue the Diet instead of dissolv-
ing it, and maintain the County Committees—with
which, if it does so, it will find itself in perpetual
conflict. There is so much that is plausible, and in-
deed reasonable, in this view of the probabilities of
the matter, that it would be rash to say that it may
not, more or less, be justified by the event. The
Vienna vane veers often about, and none can fore-
tell its next vagary.. All that I can at present
do is to tell you in what direction it most
positively pointed not many hours since. It is
possible that within a day or two there may be
variations, but in the meantime people here are
very properly acting on the latest decision, and as
if no change were to be expected. It is thought that
the dissolution should not be allowed to take place
without some sort of expression of the feeling of the
Diet. This is but a vague intenion at present, but
'something will doubtless be done, and the combined
committee of fifteen (the same which delibe rated on
the Address) has been summoned for Mat iday to
consider and decide what that something sha.l.l be.
The Emperor's reception of the two Presi, dents
of the Diet on Wednesday afternoon was not un-
gracious, althous.h
when the sass, g'l perhaps, rather colder th an
expressed
emen went up with Desk's fist
Address. He r
Magnates
his surprise and regret that
the Chamber o
favo: sfhould have shown its elf
so unanimous in
owlithe Address. He hid
not expected that those
otherwhd invariably bees!
in Opposition should act
do with
he thought
that at least those who had to the working
hicasaesifMailath, And
of the actober Diploma-811
rasy, Babarczy, and Apponyi
beep disposed
have
to
taken a different `view, and have
One of
stand up in its behalf. the presidents is
understood to hare• told his Majesty that
nothin
less than was set down in the Address that is
say, the Constitvion of 1848—would satisfy t®
the
Hungarians. The is reported to ,
_Emperor's reply