The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-06-10 00:00:00

THE CARRIAGE OF EXPLOSIVES.

Major Ma.jendie, R.A. her Majesty's Inspector of
Explosives,. In
his annual report describes the action
taken to blew into operation, on the lstofJanuary last,
the Explosives Act of last session. The necessary
arrangements were, as far as his department was con-
cerned, completed by the 9ila of December. The Board
of Trade had, early in the autumn, issued notices to
railways, canal and harbour authorities calling on them
to frame bye-laws under sections 34 arid 35 of the act.
In the case of exploeives other than gunpowder, with
few exceptior s, double packages had been required, and
in the case of nitro glycerine preparation the packages
required to be waterproof, It was represented to him
that to insist upon the invariable use of double
packages for gunpowder would involve a eerious dis-
location of the trade, and aczordingly the expedient of
single packages to be approved by the Government in-
spector was euggested as a sedation of the difficulty,
with a reservation of the right of the trade to use
.double packages if they 'preferred. Accordingly,
in section 33 it is directed that if gunpowder ex-
ceeding 51b. is packed for conveyance in a "single
package" (as distinguished horn a " doutrie package '
as defined by the same section), such single package
shall be "a box, barrel, or case of such strength, cF.n.
etruction, and character as may be for the time being
approved by the Government inspector as, being
of such strength, construction, and character that
it will not be broken or accidentally opened, or
become defective or inscc ire whilst being conveyed,
and will not allow the gunpowder to escape. '
Major Majeudie, in order to remove the question of the
approval of the different packages from the region of
what might be called caprice or fancy, devised a set of
tests which would show the .capability the package
to undergo (1) exposure to alterations of temperature
and atmospheric changes, (2) falls and blows, (3) ehak-
ing and jolting, and ult;mately assigned a standard test
far below that which the government barrels used in
his exp‘riments proved themselves capable of satidy-
ing. The standard of strength has, he says, been
sharply criticised, and pronounced excessive, but he is
decidedly of opinion that any lower standard would
have failed to afford that increased measure of safety
In the transport of powder which it was one of the
principal objects of the Explosive Acts to afford.

THE LAST STAKF„—A bet male by a celebrated
gambler, nearly a century ago, deserves to be recorded
for its singularity. After a run of ill luck with Lord
Lorn, he jumped up suddenly, and seizing a large
punch bowl that stood near, said, addressing his lord-
ship, "Fur once I'll have cue bet where I have a
equal share of winning I Odd or even for £15,000
guineas?" "Odd," replied the peer, with the utmost
compo.,,ure. Dash wtnt the punch bowl against the
wall, and the pieces being counted, unfortunately for
the young hero of the experiment there proved an odd
one, and he was a ruined man.
A PECULIAR RELATIONSHIP.—Mr. Howard was one
day at a great dinner party which the late Duke of
Norfolk gave to several of his neighbours. He sat at the
bottom of the table, the duke being at the head, and
9ne of the gentlemen who sat near the duke called out
to him and said, "Mr. Howard, will you drink a glass
of
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resumed
s au
mc.eodn connection on
gentleman,between
your ancestor, Lord William Howard, hung up twenty-
three out of twenty-seven of my family, and you must
own that was a tie."