The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-08-31 00:00:00

STEAM-BOAT EXPLOSION ON THE THAMES.
SEVERAL LIVES LOST.

An accident of a most terrific and unusual nature, we
regret to say attended with a serious loss of life, occurred
on Friday morning, about half-past nine o'clock, at the
pier of the halfpenny steam-boats, below Hungerford
bridge. As the Cricket, halfpenny steam-boat, with the
deck crowded with passengers, was about to start for Lon-
don bridge, a fearful report, which was heard at great
distances around drew all eyes in the direction of the
steam-boat, and, to the horror of the beholders, fragments
of the vessel and human beings were seen scattered in the
air in every direction. The boilers had burit, and the
explosion sent all behind the paddle-box to atoms. Only
the keel of the after part of the boat remained, all the
rest having been scattered about in pieces in every direc-
tion. The unfortunate passengers shared the same fate ;
some were precipitated into the river, and others cast upon
the shore and the numerous craft lying near the spot.
The boilers burst into fragments, and parts of them were
thrown to a distance of twenty or thirty yards.
Immediately on the explosion being heard, crowds
rushed to the spot from all parts of the Strand and the
neighbourhood, and a great many boats came from the
Surrey side of the river to behold the dreadful scene. For
at least ten minutes after the fatal event, several persons
were busily engaged in taking up the unfortunate passen-
gers. Very few of them were able to walk—not one
escaped unhurt—several had heads, legs, arms, or some
other members broken or injured ; a great many who were
precipitated into the river, although not killed by the
explosion, were unable, from the effect of the shock, to
attempt to extricate themselves, and were drowned before
their bodies were discovered, or assistance could be ren-
dered to them ; and there were others who were killed
directly by the accident.
The Cricket, at the time of this terrible explosion, was
crowded with several hundred passengers, and there were
a great many running along the pier to get on board, but
who fortunately escaped uninjured. The engines of the
Cricket were high-pressure engines.
One of the parties injured, the call boy, received a
fracture of the skull, and died soon afterwards. Four
bodies were taken from the vessel and the river, and two
on Saturday, and it is feared that the river may yet have
other corpses to yield up.
On Saturday an attempt was made to raise the vessel,
and soon after ten o'clock three barges were moored along-
side the steamer. By twelve o'clock the chains were set
underneath the boat, and it was then fixed upon to raise
the remains at the ensuing tide. At half-past three the
attempt was made, when she was raised up as far as the
paddle-wheels. She was then examined, but no person
was found in either cabin. The head of the boat was then
turned towards shore, when the chain at midship slipped,
and the other broke ; the result of which was, that the
boat went down with great force. As a considerable time
elapsed before the chains gave way, several of those em-
ployed were enabled to make not only a minute examina-
tion of the boat, but also to remove some portions of the
engine. _ _ _

Although the boat was raised in the course of the day,
she broke in half, and thus added to the losses of the
company, which will be compelled, under Lord Campbell's
act, to make compensation to the families of those who
have been killed.

The deceased persons have been identified, one of
whom is John Littleton, costermonger, who resided at No.
6, Bloomsbury-street ; others, George Shute, Farmer's-
buildings, Mile-end, also a costermonger; John Blunt,
watchmaker; Thomas Shade, the call-boy; and John
Buckley, aged 19, the engineer.
In the course of the morning, a widow lady called at the
hospital, and stated that her son, William Smith, aged 39,
and her son-in-law, John Beadle, aged 25, left home on
Friday morning to proceed to the city by one of the early
boats, neither of whom had since been heard of, and she
was afraid they were drowned.
Fourteen persons were taken to the Charing Cross Hos-
pital after the accident, of whom two are dead.
There were two boilers in the steam-boat, abreast of
each other, one of which (the starboard boiler) exploded.
The boilers are tubular, the fire being placed in a large
tube, say of 3 or 4 feet in diameter-within the boiler, and
therefore surrounded by water. The flame or heated air
is returned to the front of the boiler by about 60 or 70
tubes of about 2 inches in diameter, and it is the use of these
small tubes that gives the boilers the name of " tubular."
The chief advantage of these boilers is. that a larger
heating surface is obtained in a smaller space than when
the old-fashioned flues were exclusively used. It is said
that a saving of not less than one ton of coals per day is
gained by the description of engines used on board the
Cricket. The boilers were three-eighths of an inch thick
in every part except the steam-chest or dome, which was
five-sixths of an inch thick. The tube-plates were three-
quarters of an inch thick. The boiler case was six feet
six inches long-, the fire tube two feet six inches, and the
smaller tubes one-eighth of an inch thick.

A DAY AT AIGBURTH ;
WITH A PEEP AT THE MYSTERIOUS MACHINE.

BY HUMPHREY JOHNSON.

Eager to procure a relaxation from the bustle and toil of
every-day life, and, at the same time, to inhale as much as
possible of a purer atmosphere than that of Liverpool, I
determined, a few days ago, to " sink the shop" for a time,
and seek some retreat where my enjoyments should have
as little of the alloy of care as possible. The representa-
tions of a friend having induced me to select Aigburth as
the scene of my rustication, I stept into one of Laurence's
omnibuses, which, in due course of time, deposited me
safely at the door of the Aigburth Hotel. The day was
one of nature's best and brightest, and contributed no
little to enhadce the beauty of the scenes through which I
had passed ; and, I must confess that, in all my perambu-
lations, I have rarely travelled over six miles of country
better calculated to call forth admiration than those be-
tween Liverpool and Aigburth. The long avenue of stately
trees, whose boughs project from either side of the road,
mingling their branches at the centre, and bearing a strong
resemblance to a grand triumphal arch, forms an agreeable
adjunct to the handsome villa residences of the merchant
princes of Liverpool, which so thickly stud the locality,
and burst upon the view in rapid and pleasing succession.
My first care, on reaching the hotel, was to bespeak a share
of " creature comforts" from mine host's larder and cellar.
That (to an Englishman) the most important part of a coun-
try excursion being done, I strolled into the gardens which
I found laid out with taste and judgment, and abounding
in choice specimens of plants and flowers, decked in all the
gorgeous colours of high perfection. In the centre of the
garden is a fountain, the waters of which fall into a basin,
tenanted by gold and silver fishes. Several good speci-
mens of statuary effectively placed over the grounds, give
a pleasing variety to their appearance. A full length
statue of Psyche, with busts of several eminent men well
known in Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, &c., hold
prominent positions ; nor must I forget a well executed
statue of a bull, whose appearance induces a belief that
the hero of the china shop has abandoned his crockery
destroying propensities, and become the domesticated guest
of Flora. Numerous grottos and arbours admirably suited
for the enjoyment of " cigars and cold without," are
placed in convenient and picturesque situations. As I
approached one extremity of the garden, my eye fell upon
a huge structure, having the appearance of a booth ; on
enquiring what it was, I was told it contained " The Mys-
terious Machine," of which I had heard so much and of
which I was exceedingly anxious to get a sight. My
wishes were scarcely expressed, when the gentleman under
whose superintendence the machine is being produced,
offered to show me over it; this he did in the most cour-
teous manner possible, but at the same time exhibiting
so much reserve in answering my questions, that I must
acknowledge I left the spot little wiser than when I
entered upon it. The whole affair is to me involved in
deep mystery, and whether this strange piece of mechanism
is intended to mount upon the winds or descend into the
sea, this deponent knoweth not, but may say with the
showman, "it must be seen to be believed." I will
attempt a description.
It is tubular in form, and upwards of 120 feet long, and
36 feet in circumference at the broadest part, being con-
siderably broader at one end than the other. It is built
of pine planks, free from knots and made air-tight. From
the little I could gather from my conductor, " I guess"
enteringthat
endp a intended
eyrf
tltheobspe placed.. tee i
n ni t
ap-
prehend
small
en-
trance-doorund
o a
is at the side and near the widest part • on
state or anti-room, intended to be fitted ulna a superior
style. This room will receive light from a glass door •
there is also a window in the roof (to which there is
winding staircase) to enable a good look out to be kept.
The remaining portion of the interior is, I understand,
intended for a public saloon, capable of containing con-
sideably more than 100 persons, for whose accommodation
seats will be placed on each side. This saloon will be
lighted by dead lights and furnished in an unique and
suitable manner. At the stern there is another opening
to the roof or deck. Of the propelling power I could
learn nothing. In fact everything with this strange
" nondescript," save its accommodation for pas-
sengers, is shrouded in mystery, the development of
which will, doubtless, prove an interesting epoch in this
scientific age. I ascertained that no less than two years
will elapse before the completion of the machine.
Although longing, with almost a woman's curiosity, to
know more, good breeding prevented me from prying any
further into a secret the divulging of which might expose
the projectors to the risk of rivalry. I was, therefore,
compelled to rest satisfied with what I had seen, and,
after thanking my conductor, I quitted the building yard
and hastened to discuss what was far less mysterious to
me—a good dinner. I must here remark that the repast
was all the most fastidious could have wished, and at a
reasonable cost. After sitting a while I betook myself to
the grounds, where I found numerous parties of well
dressed visitors, including a fair sprinkling of the far-
famed Lancashire witches, whose sparkling eyes and joy-
ous looks gave a decided finish to the picture. A green,
upon which several parties were enjoying the once classical
game of bowls next attracted my attention, as also did
several specimens of wild animals, birds, &c. After some
time spent in a second interview with my conductor of
the morning, ( for the mysterious machine still ran in my
head,) the "last buss" was announced, and I took leave
of Host Prest perfectly satisfied with my day's enjoyment.
i
The ride home, though last, was not least in ts contribu-
tion to my pleasure. The beautiful and picturesque
avenue through which I passed lost nothing by the ab-
sence of old Sol.. On the contrary, the scene was ren-
dered far more interesting when bathed in the silvery light
of the moon, riding in a cloudless sky, mingling in its soft
beams with the foliage of the trees, and producing an
effect at once grand and magnificent. I was yet in the
midst of a reverie induced by the scene I had just left,
e 'nnt
oiwnflArnei
enya
ttrehuder
alin•la
yet txal
cipnir
approach
neth.h et
nv e
icvl
ee rop vn earl the bt
the
oead terminationpa
I cannot close " A day at Aigburth " without express-
ing my unqualified approbation of the attention and enur-