New-York daily tribune., 1859-09-27

angle iyors vas wrenched back and nearly bent IN
hslves In parts tie explosion seems TO have acted
with the caprcious violence Of lightning Thus, IN
the Grand saloon the two largest mirrors each side
of H. running fore and eft, were quite unbroken,
though the silverng was boiled Oh the backs OF bo'n
by the bes, Of the steam ny tne sde OF these
cast iron columns we're bent and broken, and mirrors
al four times the distance from the seat of the disaster
were Amos, pulverized, and their Trainings even de-
stroyed. The beautiful oak stalrcases descending 70
the saloons we're blown up like cardwork uyet not q
botk On the library shelves cose to the funnel, was
stirred At the bottom Of the stokehoe found one OF
the gilt Trainings, which were placed round the WIN
DOVE Of the saloon; it was perfectly nnojured. For
your readers 10 understand this srgusrfy they mus,
su;po.e One house-say number eight-to havelhsd an
explosion in is cellar and the ruin is found un
Injured drawing-rOom picture belonging 10 me ne1'-
door pegbbor at number nibe. The boieI, as !sr ss
can be judged from superficial examination, stands
rn; close scrutiny, however, VIII os necessary 70
enable the engineers TO determine whether any part OF
H. more especially its tubes are Injured IL seems
almost too much 20 hope that when such severe coz
cusson was experienced, il have escaped entirely
without injury Near and upon the boiler lie scraps
and morsels Of the unbels which show where the first
tearing away commenced before the inner casing was
blown up to the deck.
The following are the names Of those killed and in
ured:
Mr. William B,i.coe, engineer; tishtly injured
John Boyd hrrman; dead.
Michael M lroy, fireman; dead
Edwsd Psuiet GormaD, trimmer; jumred overheard 70
escape be steam, and lost.
John Yo1toD, trimmer; expected 70 recover ,
Richard towards fireman dsDseoasy burned and scsded
William Sparks fremsn ditto.
Walter Woodward frsmsn; ditto.
We give below summary Of the testimony given
on the Inquest:
The Coroners irquest the bodies Of the five un
fortunate stokers-John Boyd, Michael Mshon, Mi.
chsel McRoy, Robert Adams and Richard Edwards
was held at the Town Hall at Weymouth, before Mr..
Henry Lock, the Coroner for Dorset.
E~at ,.4,ao nod xUaa mo q
Junior engineer Of the paddle engine department, who
said hat il bis duty to attend to the direction OF
the engineers in charge OF the paddle engines on duty
AT TO render assistance under their direction. He
was told not to NEEDLE with or make himself respon
sible for any Of the cocks or valves. The donkey
engine which pumped into the boiler was out OF Or1er
and did not perform ts duty satisfactorily The don.
key CINE On the port SIDE Of the ship In the forward
stOk e. hole had broken down. One minute before the
explosion, Mr.. NJ LeDnan the chief engineer of the
sbip came down to witness, and looked TO the ss'ura
tion Of the water in the boilers, ard sad, on leaving
that everything seemed night; knew that the bursting
of the water heater round the forward funnel caused
the explosion. At the time OF the explosion, the
boilers were rot being fed from the casing, which was
evident from the low temperature of the wster going
into the boiler They had ceased 10 feed the boilers
from the water casing, he believed TO get greater
amount of water into the boiler II the water casing
had been regularly kept supplied with water, and a
coDual flow in and out, the accident would not have
happened. There were two stand pipes TO the water
casing which, if opeD would have prevented it.
Mr.. Brenton, one Of Mr. Brunels principal engineers
called TO give evidence to the probable cause OF
the accident. Witness was accompanied in his ex'
animation by Mr.. ConDe the engineer Of the North
Western Railway, Mr. Scott RUSSELL Mr.. Smith the
inventor Of the screw propeller, Mr.. W. Smith IA civil
epgDeer and Mr.. Bates, who represented the hfm OF
Bolton and Watt. Witness and those with him came
to q conclusion TO the cause Of the accident. The
double funnel casing not always applied to other
steam boilers. The fact Of the woodwork around the
funnel being blown away led witness to see the cause
Al .t1~S ,ko1
They ascetaned that the funnel double for 40 feet
of its length the inside being feet in diameter, and
the outside feet leaving space of inches be-
tween the two all round. 1ne water was contained
between the two; the explosion took place about half
way down. near the lower deck. The inner casing was
collapsed, and the outer one burst out: The object OF
the casing was to prevent the water being led direct
to the boilers There was an apparatus provided to
preveIt any excessive pressure accommodating IN the
water.jacket. This apparatus consisted OF stand.
pipe which carried to near the level OF the top OF
the funnel and communicate with the water jacket,
constituting safety.vsye. Being open at top as soon as
the pressure increases runs out OF the standppe
The hight of the column Of water regusted the press
ure in The jackets. From inquiry, they learned that
the eed-wster for the boiler was sent direct to the
boiler without passing through the funnel as the dom
key.engires did not work satisfactorily; one OF them
being disabled the other had TO do the work OF two
That accounted for the fac of the communication be-
tween the boilers and the casing being shut off, An
explosion ought not TO have occurred If the stand
pipe" was in operation. Their attention was called to
the state of the standppe and they found at the bot
tom Of il plug capable OF being turned. IL was snnI
of leaving no vent for the steam generated in the
case If the "stapd.ppe had been in operation, or 1t
the feed was continued through the jacket the expo-
sion would not have occurred. The steam must nave
gone on generaipg till the cylinder burst No one
seemed to know how, when, or by whom the cock vas
shut Two or three days before the ship sailed the
srand.pipe' not being high enough piece was
added to it, that up to that time the cock must have
been open. Itwas supposed to have been closed by
arp uOr
again opened If the cock had been taken off, the ac-
cident could never have happened. The cock was
put to test the by hydraulic pressure and had
not been removed. The cock could not have been
Gle sed by the force of the explosion, indeed wit
ness could not conceive the accident occurring,
The inquest was Ieeumed next day, Mr.. John Scott
Russell having come from London to be present.
Mr. John Dickson, foreman to Mr.. Russell, and
under whose superintendent the machinery OF the
paddle engines was fitted, was also present and Mr..
MIenpsn the chief engineer of the Great Eastern.
The oroner said that on the opening OF the inquest,
be had al once considered that it was case which
ought TO be adjourned in order that the Jury might
have the assistance of some of the surveyors from he
Boaid Of Trade. He had accordingly communicated
with the Board of Trade and received letter IN reply
the previous day. which stated that II was Impossible
that Capt Robertson, the Surveyor General could at
tend the inquiry before Saturday next He therefore
thought that, under those circumstances, 1t would be
most advisable that the Jury oud have the benefit
OF the experience of those officers and with their per-
MISSION he would adjourn further proceedings TIL Sat
urday morning at o'clock. He the Coroner) trusted
that both the Company and MIR. Scott Russell would
be ready on that occasion with any evidence which
could throw the smallest light upon the causes which
had he'd to 50 disastrous accident.
Mr.. Scott Russell said it would be proved by wit
nesses ha. the cock of the valve open Tuesday
and when the vessel left the river on Wednesday.
The inquiry was then djourned I'LL Saturday morn
ing.
The interest evinced by the public in ths part of the
country in ali relating to the ship seems great
ever. Nearly 6,Oo0 persons paid their haferowGs to