The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-05-12 00:00:00

FATAL SHELL EXPLOSION.

A fearful gunpowder explosion occurred on Satur-
day morning at Priddy's Hard, near Portsmouth, and
was attended with the loss of six lives. The following
particulars have been given :

Priddy's Hard is one of a number of Government
magazines, and is situated in a somewhat remote spot
on the Gosport side of the water, and abuts upon one
of the upper bends of the harbour, out of the way of
the shipping. In consequence of the shallowness of
the waterway even at high tide it is only possible to
approach the place by means of a long staging, while
from the land side access is gained by a circuitous
journey.
The magazine and works are under the charge of
Assistant.Commissary-General Booth, assisted by
Major Fielding, R.A., Inspector of Warlike stores.
Besides serving the purposes of a powder magazine,
the establishment is a storehouse for a variety of explo-
slve and inflammatory compounds used in modem
warfare. It owes its distinctive character, however,
to the fact that it is the magazine whence the fleet
derives its supply of shell and cartridges for its guns,
and where they are filled ready for use.

The precise cause of the explosion cannot at present
be determined, as the men whose evidence could have
thrown light upon the subject are killed. It appears,
however, that at the time shell-filling was being pro-
ceeded witti. This supremely dangerous occupation is
carried out in a one-storied building near the water
boundary, measuring about 60ft. long by 30ft. wide,
and protected by a mound of earth or traverse. The
walls are thick, though not so thick as many of the
neighbouring buildings, and it is covered by a slate roof,
The room is divided into two equal portions, in the
outer of which the work of shell-filling was being con-
ducted, the projectiles after filling being wheeled into
the other division, upon a sort of tramway. To
provide against accident, the most detailed and strin-
gent precautions are insisted upon by the military
authorities. The ordinary procedure is as follows:
—Two men are detailed off as magazine men to issue
the powder in barrels from the magazine, four men
are occupied in conveying the barrels and filled shells
to and from the laboratory ; eight men, or fewer if the
amount of ammunition to be made up is small, attend
in the shell-filling room to unhead barrels, weigh
out charges, and fill ; while two others are required at
the entrance or receiving hatch to pass in empty
shells. The floor of the filling room is covered with
hides or wad-miltilts, and the men engaged in the
processes are required to exchange their clothing, take
off their boots, and wear laboratory slippers. Pre-
viously to being told off for duty they are to be
warned to lay aside all kniveP, pipes, and matches, or
any other combustibles they may have about them.

On Saturday morning some 40-pound shells were
being filled and fused in the filling chamber. The men
engaged in the work were a naval pensioner named
James Jones, and Gunner, Sewitt, 2nd Battalion Ist
Brigade Southern Division Royal Artillery; Gunner
Rayner, 3rd Battalion Ist Brigade Southern Division;
Gunner Hilling, 4th Battalion Ist Brigade South Irish
Division; Gunner Bunn, 3rd Battalion Ist Brigade
Southern Division • Gunner Lawrence, 4th Battalion
let South Irish; and Gunner Hillier, 3rd Battalion Ist
Southern Division; while in the adjoining room
Bombardier Harrigat and Gunners Mitchell, Posting,
Dickens, and Grayson were employed. The men
returned from breakfast at nine, and soon afterwards
a fearful explosion shock and alarmed the neighbour-
hood, the noise of the sharp, angry detonation being
heard along a radius of four miles.
The force of the explosion hurled 81f the roof, blew
down the upper portion of the formidable walls, and
played havoc in the immediate vicinity. A fire.
engine was at once manned in case of the fire spread-
ing ; but its services were not required ; nor, in
spite of the cUbris which fell upon the roofs of the
adjoining buildings, did the explosion extend beyond
the filling-room. There is a storage for shells only
separated from the filling-room by about 40ft., but
the separating traverse of earth, which rises to the
height of the buildings, seems to have received the
force of the concussion and diverted it into the air.
As soon as the smoke had cleared away and an
entrance could be effected it was found that Jones
had been literally blown to pieces, and that Rayner
and Hilling had also been killed. Bunn, Hillier,
and Sewitt were picked up in a deplorable condition,
and died after being taken to Haslar Naval Hospital.
It is supposed that Jones was affixing the fuse to a
shell which had been filled, and it is thought that,
owing to some defect in the fuse, it ignited, and
caused the shell to burst.
Of the seven men who were engaged in filling shells
Lawrence is the only survivor, and he remains in a
very critical state, it having been found necessary to
amputate one of his legs at the thigh. He passed Li
good night and is going on well, and hopes are enter-
tained that he will recover.

The whole of the artillery men wbo were working in
the room adjoining the filling room had marvellous
escapes. Assistance, medical and otherwise, was
promptly rendered by the men•of-war at Portsmouth
and by the medical officers from Gosport; and the
dead and the dying were conveyed by boats to the
Naval Hospital at Haslar.
On Saturday evening Sir John M'Neill, equerry to
the Queen, was despatched by her Majesty to make
inquiries. After visiting the hospital, Sir John made
an inspection of the establishment at Priddy's Hard
and went over the scene of the explosion. The spot
was also visited by Admiral Hornby and Prince
Edward of Saxe•Weimar.

The inquest on the bodies of the six men was opened
on Monday afternoon at Haslar Hospital by Mr.
Goble, coroner for South Hants. The coroner, in
opening the proceedings, explained the process of
filling a shell, which was done by means of a funnel,
and then the fuse was screwed in. It was important
that the funnel should be used to prevent any powder
accumulating in the opening of the shell, which,
before the fuse was screwed in, was again wiped out
to make all safe. - _

The jury then viewed the bodies, and after formal
evidence of identification had been given the jury
proceeded to Priddy's Hard to inspect the scene of
the explosion.
The inquest was then adjourned to the 28th inst., by
which time Fleet-Surgeon Reed thinks the survivors
may be able to give evidence.
It has been ascertained that 20 shells burst in the
shed, but the cause is still unexplained.

The gunners] of the Royal Artillery who were killed
by the above explosion wpre interred on Tuesday at
the Ann's Hill Cemetery, Gosport, with full military
honours, and notwithsLanding the drenching rain
there was a large concourse of spectators. Each of
the five coffins, which was covered with a Union
Jack and surmounted with wreaths and other floral
emblems, was placed on a gun carriage drawn by six
horaea of thp field artillery, and attended by officers,
non-commissioned officers, and men. Preceding the
corpses was the band of the Berkshire Regiment play.
ing the "Dead Maroh" and other funeral aim The

relatives and comrades of the deceased followed,
and next came detachments of artillery and other
corps. The cortege was met at the gates of the
cemetery by the Rev. C. Wetherall, Chaplain to
the Forces, and the surpliced choir of the Garrison
Church, and the procession passed to the mor-
tuary chapel, where the service was read. General
Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar and many military
and naval officers were present. Gunner Bunn was a
Wesleyan, and was therefore buried in that portion of
the ground allotted to the Dissenters. The corpses
having been deposited in the graves and the service
concluded, three volleys were fired, and after that the
last verse of the National Anthem was played.

OPENING OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE
OF MUSIC.
On Monday afternoon the Royal College of Music
was opened by the Prince of Wales, who was accom-
panied by the Princess of Wales, Princes Albeit^
Victor and George, the Duke and Duchess of Edin-
burgh, and Princess Christian. Tbe building which
has been adapted for the college is that at Kensington
Gore, which was erected by Sir Charles Freake, and
presented by him to the Heir Apparent. Although the
ceremony was understood to be of a private character
there was a considerable gathering of leading friends of
the institution. Their Royal Highnesses on arriving
were received by the trustees, the director, and the
honorary secretary, by whom they were conducted to
seats in the corridor on the second floor, where suit-
able preparations had been made for the inaugural
ceremony. The pupils of both classes—students hold-
ing scholarships and paying students—were all as-
sembled in rooms at the side of the corridor, and, the
doors being open, they witnessed the proceedings of
the day. These commenced with the offering by the
Primate of the following special prayer for the opening
of the College:

"0 God, who art the only Author of order and
beauty, bless, we beseech Thee, this college to the
perfecting of science and skill in Thy pure gift of
music; and grant that the good intent of its founders
may be so answered in the diligence and virtue of its
students that both the restful delight of man and
the glory of the Divine worship may be enhanced
ever more and more, through Jesus Oh:ist, our Lord.
Amen."

This prayer was followed by the Collect, "Prevent
us, 0 Lord," &c., the devotional part of the ceremony
concluding with the Lord's Prayer.

_
Dr. Grove (the Director of the College) then read an
address on behalf of the Council to the Prince of
Wales, in which he reviewed the history of the founda-
tion of the college, for which a sum of £llO,OOO had
been raised, 25,000 of which was due to the gracious
action of the Princess of Wales. Four private scholar-
ships had been founded by private individuals and three
by local bodies, and the money contributed, though
only half what was desired, had enabled the council to
open the buildings presented by Sir C. J. Freake
for the admission of 50 scholars, 15 of whom would
also receive maintenance. Having alluded to the
able professors who had come forward to preside over
the various departments, Dr. Grove said that the
1,588 candidates who had desired to compete for ad.
mission testified to the interest which was taken in
the college throughout the country, and concluded by
saying—Time will not allow me more than an
allusion to various acts of private generosity
by which the college has benefited. Prominent
among them is the gift of the library of the
late Sacred Harmonic Society through Sir Philip
Cunliffe Owen, and various other gifts of pianos,
furniture, &c., by Sir Charles Freake, Messrs.
Broadwood, Messrs. Erard, Messrs. Chappell, Messrs.
Holland, Feltham, and others. The professors,
slholars, and students are awaiting your Royal
Highness's notice at the close of these proceedings,
and I trust your Royal Highness will believe that we
are all alike animated by a sincere and enthusiastic
desire to carry out to the full those wise and gracious
designs which have brought us to this first step in our
career. That your Royal Highness may long live to
preside over us and guide us in the right path is our
humble and earnest hope and prayer.

The Prince of Wales, who On -rising was received
with cheers, replW as follows :
I have heard your address with pleasure, and I feel
great gratification in opening to-day the Royal College
of Music, in the promotion of which I have taken so
deep an interest. I avail myself of this, the first
public opportunity that has offered itself, of express-
ing the deep personal gratification I feel at the
manner in which the country has replied to my
appeal for aid in establishfleg the College. There is
no class of Her Majesty's suojects capable of afford-
ing assistance to which I have addressed myself
in vain. The Corporation of London and the
London companies have led the way in giving
pecuniary assistance ; and I owe a debt of grati-
tude to the Mayors throughout the kingdom for the
valuable aid they have afforded by granting facilities
for holding local examinations essential to the proper
selection of scholars. I thank these great bodies for
their services, and I trust that I may yet expect from
them further help in completing the task so aus-
piciously begun. I thank the donors of scholarships
for their liberality. I thank the general public for
the sums they have subscribed at a time when agricul-
ture has been depressed and the prospects of trade have
not been encouraging, and, above all, I thank the
many kind friends who have responded so cordially and
liberally to my appeal for assistance. I have noticed
also with the greatest pleasure the contributions for
colonial scholarships that have been given by two
eminent colonists, the one on behalf of the colony of
Victoria, and the other on behalf of the colony of South
Australia. The object I have in view is essentially
Imperial as well as national, and I trust that ere long
there will be no colony of any importance which is not
represented by a scholar at the Royal College. (Cheers.)
Much, indeed, has been done, but I am aware that
much remains to be done. I am conscious that I
may be thought to have taken a bold step in begin-
ning so great an enterprise with only the resources
at present at my command. But I am unwilling
that any delay should take place in giving effect to the
generous intentions of those who have already con-
tributed so liberally. I am sanguine enough to think
that
,the example set daring the last year by corporate
bodies, representatives of the colonies private
donors, and the general public will be followed in
ensuing years. Ours is an institution which admits
of almost indefinite extension, for wherever a scholar-
ship is founded, we know now that we shall find a
deserving candidate to bold it. Let me now pass to
an account of what has been actually accomplished.
Fifty scholarships have been established, of which 35
confer a free education in rouge, and 15 provide not
only a free education, but also a maintenance for the
scholars. Of these scholarships half are held by boys
and half by girls. I observe with pleasure that the
various districts from which the scholars are drawn
indicate the widespread distribution of a taste for
music, and an adequate cultivation of music through-
out the United Kingdom. London, with its vast
population, sends only 12 out of the 50. The remain-
ing 38 come as follows :-28 from 14 different counties
in England, two from Scotland, six from Ireland, one
from Wales, and one from Jersey. The occupations of
the scholars are as various as the places from which
they come. I find that a mill-girl, the daughter of a
brickmaker, and the son of a blacksmith take high
place in singing, and the son of a farm labourer in
violin playing. (Hear, hear.) The capacity of these
candidates has been tested by an examination of un-
usual severity. Each of these scholars who returns to
his native place furnished with the highest instruction
in music will form a centre from which good musical
education will spread around • while those who obtain
musical engagements elsewhere will stimulate and
encourage by their success the cultivation of music
in the places whence they have come. Surely,
then, it is not too much to expect that many years
will not pass away before our College has so popu-
larised music as to place England on a par with those
countries on the Continent which have acquired the
distinction of being called musical people. I feel,
then, that one great object of a College of Music has
been secured—namely, the discovery of latent musical
ability and the extension to those who, with great
natural gifts, have been blessed with little of this
world's goods of the opportunity of obtaining instruc-
tion in music, to say the least, not inferior to any which
this kingdom can afford. That these words are not
the language of exaggeration will be apparent to those
who read the names of the eminent staff who have
placed their services at the disposal of the College.
Side by side with these scholars will be educated
a group of paying pupils, who think that music is an
art which, if worth studying at all, is worth studying
well. They are then, prepared to enter on a sys-
tematic course a instruction, of less severity and con-
tinuance than that of the scholars, but, still far re-
moved from the musi..al dilettantism of those who,
induced by fashion, not by taste' to study music,
make progress enough to torment themselves and
distract their friends. (Laughter.) I lay great
store by. the meeting of the various classes of
society in pursuit of a common yet elevating
study. Such a union softens asperities, in-
spires kindly feeling between various classes, and
proves that all mankind are akin when engaged
in an art which gives the highest expression to some
of the best and purest feelings of the human heart.
The observations I have hitherto made relate only to
the Royal College of Music in its character of a teach-
ing body. It is not proposed, however, that the
functions of the College should be restricted to teach-
ing. The charter under which we are incorporated
provides that the council are to cause examinations to
be held of pupils of the College, and of other persons
who may present themselves for examination, and
after examination to confer on those who deserve such
distinctions the degrees of Bachelor of Music, Master
of Music, and Doctor of Music, certificates of pro-
ficiency, and other rewards. I propose that this power
should be exercised by an independent board of
examiners chosen by the Royal College in con junetion
with the Universities, and after consultation with the
great musical authorities of the United Kingdom. I
trust thus to secure an examining body whose impar-
tiality will be above suspicion and capacity beyond all
question. I hope thus, through the instrumentality of
the Royal College, to raise the standard of music
throughout the United Kingdom and to create a central
influence which may be beneficially exercised over
all music-teaching bodies who recognise the advantage
of a common system of examination. Beyond and
above all this, I trust, as I stated on a previous occa•
sion, that the College will become the recognized
centre and head of the musical world in this country.
It has been a reproach to England that with her vast
resources, her large benevolence, her eagerness to
instruct all classes of society in other branches of
knowledge, one thing has hitherto been wanting—a
national institution for music. Yet music is in the
best sense the most popular of all arts. If that govern-
ment be the best which provides for the happiness
of the greatest number, that art must be
the best which at the least expense pleases the
greatest number. I trust that to-day we have re-
moved the reproach. England, by a national sub-
scription, has acquired an institution worthy to be
called national, and with the establishment of such
an institution we may look forward with confidence to
the creation "oi a national school of music. England
has the composers already; all she wants is a general
centre, such as a Royal College of Music, to which
they may resort for mutual aid and common inspira-
tion. (Cheers.) Such are the aims, not mean nor ignoble
aims, proposed for the college which we open to-day. It
remains for you, gentlemen of the council, to be careful
that the ainas are fully realized, A young Institution,

requires fostering care and constant supervision.
You must not relax your efforts, no pains must be
spared to gain fresh support and obtain the establish-
ment of new scholarships. We want much; we are,
I trust, entitled to ask for much of the public. In
addition to scholarships we want more extended
premises, a music-hall, lodgings for our scholars,
houses for masters, and all the appurtenances of a great
College. lam sure I may trust to the generosity of
the public to supply these wants, but you, gentlemen,
must by your careful supervision make our institution
worthy of support, and no efforts of mine shall be
wanting to secure the objects we have in view.
(Cheers.)
I will say only one word in conclusion, continued his
Royal Highness. The establishment of an institution
such as I open to-day is not the mere creation of a
new musical society. The time has come when class
can no longer stand aloof from class, and that man
does his duty best who works most earnestly in
bridging over the gulf between different classes which
it is the tendency of increased wealth and increased
civilization to widen. I claim for music the merit
that it has a voice which speaks, in different
tones, perhaps, but with equal force, to the
cultivated and the ignorant, to the peer, and the
peasant. I claim for music a variety of expression•
which belongs to no other art, and therefore adapts it
more than any other art to produce that union of feel-
ing which I much desire to promote. Lastly, I claim
for music the distinction which is awarded it by
Addison—that it is the only sensual pleasure in which
excess cannot be injurious. What more, gentlemen,
can I say on behalf of the art for the promotion of
which we are to-day opening this institution—an insti-
tution which I trust will give to music a new impulse.
a glorious future, and a national life. Before I quit this
room a further duty devolves on me—a most gratify-
ing one, I admit. I am called upon to announce a
most gracious act by which the Queen has been
pleased to mark her interest in the opening of the
Royal College. Her Majesty authorizes me to say that
she proposes to confer the honour of knighthood on
Professor Macfarlane and Dr. Sullivan. (Cheers.) If
anything could add to my satisfaction in making this
statement it is this, that these honours are bestowed
by the advice of the Prime Minister, who has taken
so kind an interest in the promotion of the Royal Col-
lege, and who could have devised no better mode of
celebrating its opening than by recommending that
honour should be done on this occasion to music by
conferring knighthood on men so celebrated in their
art as Professor Macfarlane and Dr. Sullivan, and that
honour should be done to our College by awarding a
like distinction to its director, Dr. Grove (cheers), who,
eminent in general literature, has speciallk devoted
himself to the preparation and publication of a dic-
tionary of music, and has earned our gratitude by the
skill and sucoess with whiah he has worked in the diffi-
cult task of organizing the Royal College. I have only
to add that the Prime Minister by his presence to-day
proves that neither the cares of State, nor the over-
whelming press of business by which he is surrounded,
prevents him from giving personal countenance to a
national undertaking which, if I am right in what I
have said, is calculated to advance the happiness and
elevate the character of the English people. (Cheers.)
The Royal party then visited in turn all the class-
rooms in the building, where the students and pupils
were already in their places, with the professors of
the various departments of instruction. After in-
specting the arrangements their Royal Highnesses
left the College.