The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-01 00:00:00

'

;-nAic YENING

; .
EASTER HOLIDAYS.'
ril II E ROYAL I" 0 LYTECHNIC
..,A.4 so : INSTITUTION, RgGBNT-STRBET.
Dr.. Bachho er's Secolui Lecture on the: hilosophy of Bcientille
Recreation— ptic.il Effects, daily at Two, and every Evening except
Saturday, at right o'clock.—Third Lecture by J. •IL Pepper,. Esq.,
on the Chem stry of the Metals, with brilliant Experiments, daily
and in the Evenings. —Anefffirely new Series of Digsaiirig Views
exhibiting Se nes in Ceylon, from Sketches taken on the spot by A.
1
Nicholls, Es ~ painted on Glass oy Mr. Clare. Also a :leeks of
Views of the Arctic Regions, with an interesting Description, daft,
at Half-past Four, and in the Evenings. The Views of London la
the Sixteenth!Century, and as it. now ls, are shown, at. One o'cti9ck.—
ExiSerinaents ' •ith the Diver and Diving-bell, &c., &C. . ,

tthit...
• livii
.., .
DEsTit
1

Admission, Is.—Schools, Half-price.

UCTION OF LIMEHOU§E
CHURCH.

. The inhabitants of Limehoule having been de-
prived of the means of attending public worship in
the parish:church, owing to its entire destruction by
fire on Goixl Friday, assembled yesterday morning,
to the nurrlber of nearly 1,000 personF, at the Na-
tional School-rooms, Featherstone-street, comn-lercia
road, purstiant to notices which had been extensively
circulated through the district in the ccurbe of the
previous dity. _ _ '

The interior of the school-rooms was arranged in a
manner best calculated to afford accommodation to
the greateA number, and two reading-desks were put
up on a raised platform at one end of the apartment,
for the use of the officiating clergyman. The prayers
were read 'by the assistant curate; 'after which the
Rev. Gem*. Roberts preached a .sermon appropriate
to the festival of Easter, The termination of the
Rev. Gentleman's address was strikingly pertinent to
the recent catastrophe, and deeply, affected the
audience. ' '

In consequence cf an injunction from the Bishop of
London, addressed to Mr. Roberts, advising hint of
the necessity of continuing the observances of the
church• within the ruins. of the saered edifice, the
vestry, the, only portion of the church which escaped
with partial destruction, has been fitted up temporarily
for the solemnisation c:f marriages, christenings, &c.,
and after the service at the school-rooms yesterday,
it was called into ute for the first time, no less than
three couples having been married by Mr. Roberts.
It was with some difficulty that the several parties
were enabled to clamber over the ruins to the 'en-
trance of the vestry, and their appearance excited no
little observation from the crowd of spectators as-
semblcd in the neighbourhood of the church.

The Rev. J. Harris, afternoon lecturer, preached
at the National Schools at three o'clock, Mr. Roberts
again officiating in the evening.
From any inspeCtion made on Saturday by the au-
thorities, in conjunction with Mr. Cubitt, M.P., and
other scientific gentlemen, it appears that the steeple
and stone-work generally of the sacred edifice is not
so much injured as was at first anticipated, and hopes
are entertained that the walls may be brought into
use in the re-erection of the church. The cost of re-
building is estimated at 8,0001.

EXTRAORDINARY EXPLOSION

OF A LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE.

One of the locomotives belonging to the London
and North-Western Railway " blew up," on Tues-
day last, under some what extraordinary circumstances.
The engine was one built on Stephenson's long boiler
and outside cylinder principle, and had just come out
of the shed into which she had been taken for repair.
The accident took place upon what is called "Wol-
verton Bank," just beyond the locomotive workshops,
a few minutes after six o'clock in the morning. At
the time we mention, the driver had, with the assis-
tance of another person, been reversing his engine—
the gear working very stiff—and was about to give
the engine steam in order to push a luggage engine
out of the way, when the boiler burst with terrific
violence. Nearly 25 cwt. of the shell was thrown
over some buildings, and to a distance of about
200 yards, and the engine dome, weighing some
five hundred Weight, was thrown about 300 yards
in another directiun. Two or three wheels of the
engines were forced off by the explosion. The fire
box was not torn asunder, and to its withstanding
the shock is to be ascribed the miraculous escape
of the driver and his assistant, who were on the foot-
plate.

The engine was comparatively a new one, and was,
it is stated, made at Mr. Stephenson's own manufac=
tory, justly famous for the excellence of its workman-
ship and the materials used at it for the construction
of locomotives. We think it right to state this, be-
cause one allegation made to our reporter, who visited
Wolverton on Saturday, was, that the boiler plate
was defective. It is stated that some time before the
arrival of the driver, who came upon the station a few
minutes before six o'clock, one of the men employed
at the works observing the engine to be " blowing off"
at 401b5., jumped upon the foot-plate and screwed her
down to 801bs., and that she was blowing off hard at
the latter pressure at the time the explosion 'took
place, while evidence equally trustworthy would ap-
pear to show that the steam was scarcely "blowing
off" at all when the boiler was rent asunder with
such terrible force. An opinion pretty frpely ex-
pressed is, that the safety-valve was probably, out , of
order; but nothing beyond vague and very general
remarks. are offered in confirmation of the probability
of the accident having been thus occasioned.—lferald.

GROG COMMITTEE of ihe NA .IiTY.
Thefollowing 'report• of the committee appoir tted to
inquire into the expediency of diminishing the quan-
tity of spirits. served. ot!t" daily to the seamen in the
Royal Navy has just lzten issued by the Admiral ty
Jan. '3O, 1."8 VO.
Sir,,--My Lords Commissioners of the Ada" ii-alty
having under theiE ennsiderafien whether a reds to tidn
might not be Made in- the daily ration of spirits with
bent-fit to the seamen, and with advantage to the.
discipline of the' fleet ,(a fair compensation 1- ie ing
made for such redaction); and the question of ad lo pt-
ing the calendar . month in the payment of NI, lk;ea
being also under consideration, my Lords, :be-
fore coming to any .conaltision on these matters, :arm
desirous of assembling a committee of flag and flier
officers to examine and inquire into all the,circ tit a-
stances of the case, and their Lordships would be , ?1. td
if you would favour them, with your services as cb tti r 7
man of that committee.
The cominittee;will;be aitira of the change .n ie
in the allowance of spirits in- 1824 ; and in -gi sit g
their attention to the whole. subject, they will at .0
bear in mind the alteration made in the liquid r eel :-
sure in 1826.
The reduction in the issue of spirits in 1824 w as
made in the persuasion that the discipline of the ser-
vice and the health of the,sEatnen would be materi
benefited by the change; :but the Act of Parlian to nt
by which, in 1826, the imperial measure was e at a-
bashed, entirely derapged tne-previous scheme, ; d,
in fact, counteracted-the change made in 1824,
It would seem, therefore,: that the; subjects to! be,
considered by the committee are as follows :-
1.
The expediency of reducing the daily rationei of
spirits.
• 2. The• due equivalent to be paid to the seamen :for
such reduction.
3. The expedienCy of adopting the calendar for
the lunar month in the,payment of wages, as rec or '-
mended in the report of the committee of 1847, '
the causes of desertion, and the general improven tent
of the position of the working petty officers of the
fleet."

Upon these points my Lords rely on the commi ;tee
obtaining all the evidence in their power ; and • the
committee are hereby authorised to call ;before th itam
any officers, or others, whose,testimony in such IT Lat-
ters they may think likely to be of value ; and
papers or reports on the above subject which the ct
mittee may desire to see will be furnished to them. fon
your application.
A list of the officers of whom the committee is. to
consist is herewith added, and my Lords would 'be
glad, if their convenience admitted of it, if they w
to assemble at this office on Tuesday, the sth proxit rt.),
at twelve o'clock, to take these matters into their
consideration, and to report to. me, for their Lo rd-
ships' information, their joint opinions and observa-
tions thereon.

I have the honour to he, Sir,
Your most obedient
J. PARKER..ient humble servant,
Sir Thomas Byam Martin, G.C.8.,
Admiral of the Fleet.
P.S.—My Lords have made the necessary comtan-
nicatious to the undermentioned officere, who, with
yours'elf, will constitute the committee :
Committee—Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Thomas B.
Martin, chairman; Admiral Sir Charles Adaan,
K.C.B. ; Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas J. Cochra ne,
K.C.8.; Rear-Admiral Sir George Seymour, C. 8.,
G.C.H. ; Captain Edward Collier, C. 8.; Captain
Armar L. Curry; Captain Sir Thomas Herbert,
K.C.B. ; Captain Henry D. Chads, C.B. ; Captain Sir
Charles Hotham, K.C.8.; Captain William H. Hen-
derson, C.B. ; Captain John Kmgcome.
REPORT.
Committee Room, Admiralty, March 18, 1850.
Sir,-1. In compliance with the directions of the
Lords Commissioners of the' Admiralty, signified in
your letter to the Admiral of the Fleet, dated 30th of
January last, we, the undersigned flag officers and
captains, have fully considered the several points re-
ferred to us, namely ;
" Ist. The expediency of reducing the daily ration
of spirits.
" 2d. The equivalent to be paid to the seamen for
such reduction.
"3d. The expediency of adopting the calendar in-
stead of the lunar month in the payment of wages."
2. And we have now to request you will lay before
their Lordships the ollowing observations, and report
thereupon.
3. The concurrent testimony of all whom we have
examined on the subject of drunkenness in the navy
proves the necessity of some remedial measures, and
we consider the step now contemplated with a view
to its prevention, not only expedient, but imperatively
called for, as well for the safety as the credit of her
Majesty's fleet.
4. To tlicise familiar with the naval service it is un-
necessary to state the risks, and dangers attendant on
drunkenness in a ship ;. but 'to others, not conversant
with the subject, it may he proper to point out some
of its effects.
5. Accidents, frequently fatal, are the consequences
of men, under the influence of liquor, having to per-
form duties.aloft. The lives of boats' crews are often
risked, and sometimes .sacrificed,, in the attempt to
save drunken men who have fallen overboard.
6. Fire, under the most awful circumstances, is
another of the dangers to be apprehended ; but still
more serious.would ha the consequences of drunken
men being called suddenly into battle at night time
amidst lighted lanterns and gunpowder.
7. To guard against dangers of such magnitude, as
well as to repress the insubordination which generally
attends drunkenness, severity has sometimes been
necessary.. .kut no dread of punishment seems to
overcome the propensity.
E. It is, therefore, better to seek preventive mea-
sures than continue an ineffectual effort to suppress
the crime by the ordinary resources of discipline.
9. No man was ever more alive to the danger of
drunkenness in a ship than Lord Nelson. His hu-
mane and generous feeling fur the welfare of the sea-
men was as conspicuous as the other noble qualities
which render his memory so, precious to the service
and so dear to his country. But.his sense of public
duty overruled every other consideration, and made
him feel the necessity or having recourse to rigorous
measures in dealing with this dangerous habit.
10. Lord Nelson's captain, Sir Thomas Hardy,
with the same feeling, and anxious desire for the good
of the service, strove by every means to suppress the
fort finddf
rotuhcnatkot
ebnebi,et
1804, very Many corporal
vs
vs
eteeno kt hpel c 1 es ton° of
b oAa rudg ut
the
his bord4hip's gag:,•ehip; but it would seem
without diminution of the crime.
11. No greater proof can be given of. the danger
vliBco7, for
Iwst
sebf
ot
sthtooribtye of these great and
Vpuicntioshry,
regarded than the
12., Nor can any better •teit be produced of the
exemplarywieffortsthw mhacde,
me ,euon, drunkennessdfeorr theit ssaup pression.
authority
value of.the measure now contemplated by their
Lordships as a remedy; than. the opinion generally
expressed by the officers of the navy as to the advan-
tages to be derived from 'its adoption.
13. Sir James Graham, Lord "Uinta, and Sir
George. Cockburn, whose experience at the Board of
Admiralty has made theß well ,a.equainte,d with the
amount of this crime, its, causes, and poneequences,
have likewise expressed:fheir full concurrence in. the
proposed measure. • -
14. We have also found reason to believe that the
respectable part of the seamen (happily the great ma-
jority of.a ship's 'crew)' welc °mei' any ar-
rangement which will' abate a nuisance "ending so
much to their discomf,A.

iii(i. subject ha's ;Made us
15. The importance Of
desirouS of hearing. what could" be urged by perions of
every class, and especially by the seamen themselves,
of spirits, with
fao
lri.ob re
raagl againstp
eanrseadtiuocrit iionnino
of
t.tlehye ration.
16. We have therefore called before us 10 cap-
tains, 2 cemmanders,, 2; ,lieuteoants, 4 surgeons,
1 Royal Naiy ; 1 major, captain, Royal Marines . 3
shipowners and masters ot.rnerchantmen, I, chief
engineer, employed afloat, ). quartermaster of Scotch
Fusilier Guards, 2 clerks of: Wages -office' a warrant
officer, 17 first-class pettj officers and able seamen, 3
sergeants of marines, 1 American merchant captain,
who, being on the point, :of sailing, gave written
Dr. Carpenter, M.D., a
answers to the questions •
Professor of University. College.
admit in
• 17. The seamen, without one exception,
their evidence that drunkenness is the prevailing
crime on board her Majesty's ships, and they ac-
knowledge with equal frankness that drunkenness is
the cause of almost every punishment.
18. With such evidence .from the seamen them-
selves, it would be superfluous to seek further proof
of the necessity of some measure which may put an
end to a state of things so destructive to discipline
and injurious to health.
19. The facts, as set forth in the evidence attached
to this report, warrant us,in saying that drunken-
ness must be put down ; it cannot be any longer per-
mitted, consistently with what is due. to the efficiency
of the fleet.
20. The question, therefore, which we have had to
consider, and. upon which their Lordships will have
to decide is, what remedy will be most effectual and,
at the same time, most satisfactory and' beneficial to
the seamen.
.... .._,
~. 21, But on entering upon this part of their Lord-