Page:Loss of the Comet steam-boat on her passage from Inverness to Glasgow, on Friday the 21st October, 1825.pdf/22

 The copper boilers have collapsed in a surprising manner, and, as boilers, are useless. The condension of the steam must have produced a vacuum and the pressure of the surrounding water on  outside caused this effect. Engineers have already set to work to take the machinery to pieces, under the direction of the proprietors.

It is a remarkable circumstance that the body of female found floating from the wreck on Tuesday,  supposed to be that of Mr McDonald of  cook-maid, was in a better state of preservation than any other yet found; and it has been freely  that she was in a state of intoxication at the time  accident happened.

The Sheriff, Mr Marshall, has been indefatigable in his attention to the preservation of property. It found necessary to prevent so many people from coming on board as presented themselves for admission and orders accordingly were issued to a boat’s crew from one of the revenue cutters on this station, under the command of an officer, to admit none on board. Still curiosity prompted many respectable gentlemen, and even ladies, to appeal personally to Sheriff, who was thus placed in the disagreeable predicament of being obliged to make special refusal for had all been admitted who applied, there would not have been standing-room for them, and none all to work.

Sunday Morning,—Owing to an accidental circumstance the Comet has not been moved so far in to ebb the cabin at low water, yet a number of articles have been got out, among other things Mr travelling bag. I saw it opened, and the money much talked of recovered; it was tied in a pre large parcel by itself, without any wrapper, but perfectly unruffled and fresh-looking.

A silver tea-pot belonging to Captain Sutherland an Andrew Ferrara sword of Sir Joseph