190 REPORT—1868. 
On the Unsatisfactory Character of Coroners’ Inquests consequent on Steam- 
Boiler Explosions. By Lavixeron EK, Frercunr. 
It appears that since the commencement of 1835 up to the 31st of May last there 
occurred in different parts of the kingdom as many as 464 explosions, by which 
789 persons were killed and 924 injured; and these are not all, as in the earlier 
years the records are not complete. It may he stated, in round numbers, that 
about fifty steam-boiler explosions occur on an average every year, resulting in the 
loss of seventy lives. In the author’s opinion, derived from a very extended expe- 
rience, whatever may be the precise circumstances of each case, the cause of every 
one may be given in one word, viz. neglect, while the simple preventive is care. 
The author proceeded to say, let every coroner be empowered and instructed, when 
holding an inquiry on a boiler explosion, to call in two competent and perfectly 
independent scientific engineers to investigate the cause of the explosion, and re- 
port to the jury. These engineers should visit the scene of the explosion, examine 
the fragments of the boiler, attend to the inquest, hear the evidence given by 
parties concerned in the charge of the boiler, and aid the coroner in conducting the 
inquiry ; while, in addition, they should report to him, either jointly or severally, 
on the cause of the explosion, and accompany their report with suitable sealed 
drawings of the exploded boiler, showing its original construction and the lines of 
fracture as well as the flight of the parts, as far as they can be ascertained. The 
inquest to be open to the public, under the control of the coroner, and also to the 
press, both scientific and general, so that the entire proceedings may have as wide 
a circulation as possible. A full account of the inquiry, including the engineers’ 
reports, accompanied with the sealed drawings to be printed and deposited at the 
Patent Office, and to be accessible to both the purchase and inspection of the 
public, as is at present the case with the specification of patents. Also a report of 
each inquiry to be sent to the members of both Houses of Parliament as issued. 
Such a course, he thought, would stimulate coroners to make searching and full 
investigations; and if at the outset incompetent engineers were selected by the 
coroner, the publicity given to their proceedings, as recommended above, would 
bring them under the criticism of the press and general engineering public, which 
it is thought might be relied on as a corrective. If full investigations were 
‘brought to bear upon boiler explosions, and those persons who produce them by 
working old worn-out boilers were fairly brought to the bar of public opinion, 
and compelled, when necessary, to compensate the widow and orphan for the 
results of their negligence, the mystery of hoiler explosions would soon be dispelled, 
and their occurrence put a stop to. He considerd this plan superior to any govern- 
ment inspection, which led to the fettering of trade and destroyed responsibility. 
On the Irrigation of Upper Lombardy by New Canals to be derived from the 
Lakes Lugano and Maggiore. By P. Lu Nuvu Fosrer, Jun., CZ, 
The author, after referring to the high pitch of perfection to which irrigation in 
Lombardy has heen carried, pointed out that, although the lower part of Lombardy 
is well watered by existing canals, the whole tract of country to the north of Milan, 
extending to the foot of the hills of Varese and the Brianza, is too high to be 
watered by them, and is almost unirrigated. The author then described the tech- 
nical details of a scheme undertaken by Signori Villoresi and Meraviglia, by which 
it is proposed to irrigate the higher lands by canals from the Lake Lugano and ~ 
the lower lands by canals from Lago Maggiore, this Lake being situated at too low 
a level to water the whole region, while the supply from Lugano is not more than 
sufficient to water half the whole district. Permission has been obtained from the 
Swiss Government to store up the flood-waters of Lugano, and regulate their dis- 
charge for use in droughts. The same system will be adopted in reference to Lago 
Maggiore, and works for this purpose, consisting of dams, gates, and locks, will be 
erected in connexion with both lakes, The waters will be distributed by principal 
canals—tive in number, secondary canals, communal canals, and private canals. 
The total number of the works to be constructed, such as locks (of which there 
will he forty-seven), bridges, aqueducts, siphons, &c., will be about 260, and the 
