The Sun.
London, England, 1828-01-16 00:00:00

THE THAMES TUNNEL.

At four o'clock yesterday afternoon, a Meeting of
the Directors of this Company took place at their
office in Walbrook, for the purpose of taking into
consideration what course was most proper to 'he
pursued in the present emergency, owing to the late
disastrous occurrence. We understand that, after
examining the drawing made of the cavity, and other
documents, and hearing the opinion of Mr. Brunel,
sen., who expressed his firm conviction of being able
to stop the leak in a shorter period of time, and at
much less expence, than on the former occasion, it
was decided, we believe unanimously, that the means
at present adopted for stopping the cavity should be
pursued; and should they fortunately be attended
with the expected success, that the pumping out of
the water should take place with all expedition. A
Meeting of the Shareholders was also determined
upon. The Meeting separated with the most confi-
dent hopes of the success of the measures adopted.
We are credibly informed that an eminent Engi-
neer, not in any manner connected with this great
undertaking, voluntarily offered to subscribe 500/.
towards defraying the extra expence incurred by the
unfortunate occurrence, sooner than witness the failure
of an undertaking of such vast magnitude.
Up to a late hour last night, the exertions for re-
covering the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers were
not attended with success. The operation of filling
the bags with clay was continued, and wattling of
them with sticks was pursued with the greatest
activity ; seven or eight of the bags are thus united
together, and will be lowered on to the spot by
ropes (instead of being thrown at random, as they
were last time) through a hole in the raft, which
will, no doubt, be placed over the cavity by the aid
of the diving bell. Mr. Brunel, sen. remained on
hoard the lighter for the purpose of making another
descent at low water, but, owing to the boisterous
state of the weather, the idea was relinquished.

The following spirited letter has been addressed
o the Editor of the Times :

• Sir—Having ever considered the Thames Tunnel one of
the greatest undertakings in the history of scientific enter-
prise, I feel a most bitter and sincere regret at the accident
which has just occurred. And as lam confident thaw, this
regret will be generally felt, I would propose a subscription
throughout the kingdom for the completion of this noble
and national design. I beg leave to enclose Fsl. ; and I
have to regret my inability at present more largely to
con tribute.

Last summer I made a short tour upon the Continent,
and I was pleased to find the Thames Tunnel the chief
subject of inquiry wherever I went. I mention this in the
hope and persuasion, that a subscription towards com-
pleting this gigantic project would not be confined to this
kingdom. _ _

I have only to add, that our admiration of so stupendous
a work can wily be surpassed by the praise so justly due to
he skill, intrepidity, and perseverance of Messrs. Brunel, its
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
R. JONRS.

Jan. 14.

DEATH OF HENRY DRUMMOND, ESQ.

On Saturday night last, the house of Henry
Drummond, Esq., No. 8, Hanover-terrace, Regent's-
park, was thrown into the greatest alarm, in conse-
quence of the above gentleman being discovered in
his bed-room in the agonies of death. His lady
was absent from town, and none but the domestics
were on the spot. Violent antidotes were attempted
to be administered, but they proved ineffectual, as
the power of swallowing was quite gone. As the
last resource, the stomach pump was applied; this
had the desired effect of emptying the stomach of its
contents, which proved to be strongly impregnated
with laudanum. The operation, however, proved
fruitless, as he gradually sunk, and ultimately ex-
pired in about half an hour after. Communication
was immediately forwarded to Thomas Stirling,
Esq., the coroner for the district, requesting that an
inquest might be held as soon as possible. Accord-
ingly eleven o'clock on Monday forenoon was fixed
for the investigation, and it was held in the front
parlour of the late residence of the deceased. Our
informant attended at the appointed hour for the
purpose of taking notes of the proceedings before
the jury, but was refused admittance by the beadles
and servants.

The following facts, as stated upon the inquiry, he
has obtained from a quarter that can be relied on :

A female servant deposed, that on Saturday night
last her master came home and complained of being
very unwell, and directly went up stairs to his cham-
ber, desiring that a wine glass should be taken up to
him, stating that he was going to take some medi-
cine. The glass was accordingly taken up to him,
and in a short time after, a noise was heard to pro-
ceed from his bedchamber; and upon the witness
running up stairs, she was alarmed at seeing the de-
ceased lying on the bed, apparently dying, and the
wine-glass lying upon the table near his bed-side,
by the side of which stood an empty phial. She
caused an immediate alarm, and two medical gentle-
men promptly attended. Her master died in about
half an hour after.

CORONER—What age was the deceased
Witness—l cannot tell, Sir :he was a young man.
The two medical gentlemen called in to the de-
ceased, deposed to the finding and to the employ-
ment of the remedies already stated, .

The CORONER asked the gentlemen if they could
state the immediate cause of the death of the de-
ceased ?

The gentlemen both answered, that the quantity
of laudanum found in the deceased's stomach would
not have caused his dissolution, particularly as they
understood that he was accustomed to take it pe-
riodically. They should attribute his death to epi-
lepsy, produced by some excitement.
Mr. White, surgeon, of Parliament-street, had at-
tended the deceased for several years, and knew him
to be subject to epilectic fits; and he had more than
once expressed his opinion that he would die under
such an attack. To his knowledge the deceased
was in the habit of taking laudanum, and he was
clearly of opinion that he immediately after taking
his usual portion of that opiate, was seized with one
of those fits, which was the cause of death. The
laudanum might have produced excitement, and
brought on the attack.

m
ateizea,s ae
dn dd
it:ldt i
bmya ttehl ye
mhee
returned a verdict—"
The Jury consulted
TfoLtsot
visitation of God."

Mr. GURNEY'S steam-coach has been again
tried in the Regent's-Park, and proceeded at the rate of
134 miles per hour. Hitherto considerable difficulty has
been experienced in guiding the machine over the rough
road. To obviate this difficulty, an improvement of a
very simple nature has been suggested
by Mr. Wu.
LIONS, an engineer of Birmingham, which, it is alleged,
will give the guide such a purchase over the carriage, that
it may be steered with ease and precision. The alteration
is now making, and will be tried this afternoon in the Re- i
gent's-park.