Star.
London, England, 1828-03-05 00:00:00

THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT MANCHESTER•

The dragging for the persons who perished at the
launch of the ship at Manchester an Saturday, con,
tinned for the whole of that day, when the bodies of
the two lads and an old man were taken out, and on
Sund sy, the body of a lad named Kirkham w 'seaman
out by his own father, a blacksmith, in the service at
the Old Quay Company, who was so much impressed
*Rh the idea that he should never see his child again,
that when he discovered the corpse, could scarcely have
exhibited more joy if he had met him alive and well.
A lad of the name of Butterworth, is in the list of those
drowned ; his brother and father were on the flat with
him, but fortunately escaped; the former. by clinging
to a rope, was enabled to keep himself out of the
water, and to draw out his father, but his brother was
beyond his assistance, and sunk. Amongst those who
ventured into the water was a most excellent swimmer,
though he had but one arm; this man, instead of
directing his attention to saving the lives of those wfio
were sinking about him, in which, from his peculiar
excellence in swimming, he might have been very suc-
cessful, seemed more bent on saving the hats of the
parties. • When he had got a hat he put it on his head,'
swam to the bank, on which he threw the hat, and
then mut ntd for another; in this way he collected
mote than a dozen.
The total number of bodies found is now thirty-
eight : and, we understand, inquiries are made respect.
ing two or three persons who are said to be missing ;
and who, it is supposed., may have been amongst the
sufferers. It is, however, difficult to conceive that, in
so small a space as that to which the effects of the ac
cident were confined, any bodies could have escaped the
persevering search which has been made for them.
THE INQUESTS. .
. Saturday morning an Inquest was held by Mr. Altura on the
bodies of the sufferers (sixteen in number), which lay at the New
Quay Company's yard; but as Mr. Milne refused to admit any
person to be present, except those engaged in the Inquest, we are
not able to give any particulars of the evidence. We understand the
witnesses examined consisted principally of the agents and the ser-
vants of the Company; and the effect of their evidence was to show
that the accident arose from the people on board crowding more to
one side of the vessel than the other. The band of music having
been stationed near the starboard side, the people naturally preferred
that side to the other; and it was stated that after Mr. Grime, the
agent, directed the removal of the ladders by which the people
ascended upon the vessel, in order to prevent any more from getting
upon her, many persons clandestinely ascended on the starboard
side, where they were concealed from Mr. Grime's observation, and
thus tended stiU further to increase the preponderance of that side
of the vessel. The Jury finally returned a verdict, that the valor.
Innate persons were accidentally drowned at the launching of
a vessel.
On the afternoon of the same day inquests were held on the
bodies which lay in Salford—namely, sixteen at the Britannia pub.
tic house, and six at the lion House, in Oidfield Road; when the
evidence was to the_ same effect as that given on the inquests in
Manchester ; and the verdict was, in each case, the same. At the
conclusion of their labours, the Foreman observed that the Jury
thought it necessary to state, before they separated, that; consider.
lug the very small breadth of the liver where vessels are generally
launched, it was much to be regretted that any persons should be
permitted to be on the deck of the vessel at the moment of launch-
ing it ; more especially when the mast was up, and the vessel rigged.
It is a circumstance not unworthy of notice, as connected with
this melancholy affair, that the second lesson appointed to be read
in the churches on Sunday morning last. was the 13th chapter of
the Gospel according to St. Luke (forming put of the sermon on
the Mount), in which the following passage occurs:—
" And Jaws, answering unto them. said, Suppose ye that
these Galilean* were sinners, above all the Galileans, because they
suffered such things? I tell you nay; but except ye repent, ye shall
all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in
Siloam fell, and slew them : think ye that they were sinners above
all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you nay; but except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish.'"
It is also a rather curious coincidence, that the same chapter was
read as a morning lesson within a few days after the dreadful acci-
deatat Air. Gough's factory, on the lath of October, 1824.—ifen-
cheater Mercury.

BRUNSWICK THEATRE.

DIERTING AT DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

A fleeting, ptincipally of the Performers, was held
yesterdry, in the Saloon of Drory.lane Theatre, Mr.
CALCRAFT, M.P. in the Chair. He held in his hand a
statement of the particulars of the dreadful accident
relative to which they had met. Thirteen individuals
had lost their lives, and several others were in a state
which rendered it impossible to say whether they would
survise the horrid catasttophe. He (Mr. C.) recomel
mended that a Committee should be appointed to re-
ceive the subscriptions, and inquire into the particulats
of each individual case, with a view to afford them
relief.—The following Committee were then named:
Messrs. Robins, Brabant, Duraot, Price, Lindley, Wallach,
Harley, Jones, Dowton, Liston, and Dunn.—Messrs. Price and
Durant to act as Treasurers.
Mr. Farce suggested that a subscription be immediately opened.]
He had at first intended to have given a benefit at this theatre, free
of all expense, but by the recommendation of advisers he had
altered such an intention. He felt happy to say that the performers
of Drury Lane bad agreed unanimously, and of their own free
will, to give, in aid of the sufferers, a night's salary—(Hear).
The Committee this day appointed would co-operate with that no-
minated in the Qty, in aid of their common object. He concluded
by moving the opening of a Subscription.
Mr. Maas: entered into a short description of the sufferings
experienced by some of those persons in the Hospital, which he
gave with great feeling, and said that the -Lord Mayor bad autho-
rsed him to say that he would himself, if nominated, feel happy to
MS as one of the Committee.
Mr. MATIIIWS said, that a Meeting of the Covent-garden
Theatrical Fund was held yesterday, at which it was proposed
sa apportion a sum front that Fund, but he resisted curb an
application of the funds, as being contrary to the purpose for
which they were collected. U they wished. to be liberal, they
should be so out of their own pockets, and not out of a fund
which was purely theatrical. The Meeting after that at once
came forward and volunteered a night's salary for the relief of the
sufferers. He wished also to state, that a Meeting would be held
to-morrow at the Freemasons Tavern of the Covent-garden Ladies
and Gentlemen, for the same purpose as they were then met upon,
sand he hoped that those who might have been unable to attend the
Meeting of to-day, would be informed by their friends than an op-
portunity to attend a similar Meeting will occur again to-morrow. •
Mr. Hawn, stated that it was originally the intention of the
persons connected with the Drury Lane Theatrical Fund to appro-
priate part of it to the relief of the sufferers; but it was discovered
that the Act of Parliament tied up that fund ; anti that it could
only be applied to the purposes for which it had originally been
shed.
A subscription was then entered into, which was very respect.
fully filled up In a very short time.
MEETING THIS DAY AT THE FREEMASONS'
TAVERN IN BEHALF OF THE SUFFERERS.

A Meeting of the Gentlemen connected with the
Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, was this day held at
the Freemasons Tavern, Great Queen•street, for the
purpose of furthering the subscription in behalf of the
unfortunate sufferers on the late calamitous occasion.

Mr. FAWCJTT was unanimously called to the Chair;
and hating briefly addressed the Meeting, the followinL
Gentlemen immediately set an example by putttng
down their names as follows: _ _

-- -- ----- -- -
The Proprietors of Covent Garden Theatre' 101. eaeh, Wl.
Mr. Fawcett 101. Mr. Kernble 101. Duchess of Bedford 101. Mr.
Kean 201. Mr. Young 101. Ike. &c.
Thanks having been voted to theasalrtnan,the Meeting separated.

CORONER'S INQUEST-(THIS DAY).
This being the day appointed for the further investi-
gation of the unfortunate calamity, by which so many
lives wire lost, the Court-house, in Welklose-square, at
an early hour, was thronged with persons anxious to
witness the proceedings. At half-past nine o'clock,
Maurice Thomas, Esq. entered the Court, and took his
seat cn the Bench.

The Proceedings were commenced by the calling over