Sinking of SS Princess Alice.
The steamer SS Princess Alice sank on 3 September 1878 after a collision with the collier vessel SS Bywell Castle on the River Thames. Between 600 and 700 people died, all from the paddle steamer, in the greatest loss of life of any British inland waterway shipping accident. Princess Alice was owned by the London Steamboat Co and captained by William R. H. Grinstead. The collision occurred in an area where 75 million imperial gallons (340,000 m3) of London's raw sewage had just been released. The steamer broke into three parts, and many of her passengers drowned in the heavily polluted waters. The jury in the coroner's inquest put more of the blame on the collier; the inquiry run by the Board of Trade found that Princess Alice had not followed the right path and was culpable. In the aftermath of the sinking, changes were made to the release and treatment of sewage. The Marine Police Force were provided with steam launches, after the rowing boats used up to that point had proved insufficient.
