The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-27
INQUEST ON THE BODIES OF THE FIREMEN


sion which took place on board the Great Eastern
Friday evening last, opened by Mr.. H. Locke the
Coroner for the district Of Weymouth jury composed
Of fifteen. The inquiry took place in the Town Hall and
it remarkable that, Notwithstanding the intense in
which the accident has created there were besides
the jury and the officers Of the Ship scarcely dozen
sons present rs spectators
The first duty after the jury had been sworn and most
painful was was to see the bodies of the unforu-
victims Of What the directors themselves their re-
port sgmatse gross neglect They had been removed
from the vessel 70 the hospital at Weymouth and
fully described by the various morning journals in their
yesterdays impression This narrowing task performed
the examination Of the witnesses commenced.
The first called James Briscoe the Junior engineer
Of the paddle engine department. who deposed follows
1t my duty TO attend to the directions Of the engineer
in charge the paddle engines duty and to render
any assistance could have been told not to NEEDLE
with make myself responsible for any Of the cocks or
valves the duty assigned to me the morning OF the
explosion was u attend TO the boilers and keep propep
supply Of water in them; the donkey engine which
pumped the water into the boiler out Of order and
did perform It's duty satisfactorily, and stood by one
Of the donkey engines in No stoke hole all day to keep
doing Tvs work; that the star board side of the
ship the donkey engine on the port side Of the ship in
the forward stoke hole had broken down. about q mi
before the explosion Mr.. MLennan the chief en-
gneer Of the ship came down and looked te satura
lion Of the water in the boiler, and said on leaving that
everything seemed right He again cautioned me not TO
NEEDLE with any Of the cocks or valves unless was told
do go by the engineer in charge Of the paddle engine
department; Mr.. Mc1ennan left the place. and resumed
my position by the donkey engine shortly afterwards
the explosion took place. and filled the stoke hole with
hot ar and steam; came up the stoke hole ladder and
reaching the lower deck heard the stokers calling ont
for assistance three Of them had reached the hover deck
and led the way from thence to the lower saloon and
obtained assistance TO get the deck afterwards
went below 70 have my wounds dressed; noticed
while the lower deck that the immediate and outer
casing of the tunnels had been burst asunder and that
the whole OF the cabins in the lower saloon were DESTROYED
by The bursting Of the water heated round the forward
funnel
Gross examined by Mr.. Leverson.-I remembered Mr.
Mclennan calling the engineer and stokers together on
Tuesday last Mr. McIcnnan told me not to NEEDLE with
the engines boilers but to obey the orders Of the en-
gnecr charge Of the paddle department; the engines
we're in Mr. Scott Russcls hands, and he had supncd
he engineers 20 work them; Mr.. Dickson Mr. Sent
Russcl's foreman, assumed the control Of the n,d,,o
wheel department. The explosion was confined 10 10
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