The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-10-14 00:00:00

THE CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.

Another Fen disaster has occurred, which threatens
to be as serious as the famous Middle Level deluge. In
consequence of that great accident a large quantity of
water bad to be discharged off the drowned lands
through the Marshland, &meth,. and Feb drain, and
the adjoining Marshland sewer, both of which run
parallel for a considerable distance to their outfall
sluices—the one draining the Fens, and the other the
higher Linde of Marshland proper. This unusual test
of the two sluices caused some apprehension as to their
safety, and, in consequence, shortly after the Middle
Level inundation, both sluices were strengthened by an
"apron" of larch' held up by piles being laid against
the outer face, and the adjoining banks faggoted and
further secured by walls of sheet piling. In the case
of the Smooth and Fen drain these precautions have
proved unavailing. Nothing peculiar WU noticed about
the work until about ten minutes before the injury was
fully developed. At that time the alnico keeper casually
observed what he thought was a log of wood across the
roadway over the sluice-bridge, and going to the spot
found it was a deep and extensive fissure. He had
scarcely time to examine it when the bank against the
southern side of the sluice fell in with a crash, leaving
a gap of forty feet width in the roadway. The cause of
this evidently was that the water roshingdown the drain
had undermined and scoured away the earth behind
the southern flank walls of the sluice, exactly as in the
ease of the Middle Level sluice, but with this difference
that the sluice itself (which consists of one arch only)
is at present left standing. It is, however, very much
injured ; the bank on the north side is cracking and
crumbling in ; and in a tide or two the sluice must
necessarily fall into ruins, The opinion of all competent
judges, and of the residents themselves is, that a very
, large breadth of country must inevitably be drowned
by the approaching spring tides unless the success
the works in progress for excluding the sea water should
be all but miraculous.

A BOY SHOT HTe. VOLUNTEITL—On Saturday after-
noon an unfortunate occurrence took place at the rifle
range of the 3rd Glamorgan Volunteer Corpe, firiansea.
About 4 o'clock some target practice WU gbing on, and
a boy named Rees Griffith collected the metal
behind the target. Private Nott fired at the
the butt, and the boy having got away from the pro-
tection afforded by the target, was struck by the bullet
and fell lifeless to the ground, On examination it was
found that the shot had struck him by the left tar and
passed out through the right ear. No blame is attached
to'any one, but the occurrence shows that extraordinary
preccutions are required in connection with all rifle

_
ranges.
TERRIFIC GAS EXPLOSION IN A FACTORY. —On
Monday a violent explosion of gas occurred at the
factory of Messrs. Harris and Sons, Brannstone Gate,
Leicester. It appears on the above evening the front
part of the building was about to be lighWd with gia
for the first time this season, and the meter wet turned
on about 5 o'clock by Mr. Broughton, the timekeeper,
who shortly afterwards discoVered a strong smell of gas
In his office; he at once communicated the fact to a
mechanic oonnected with the establishment, and the
meter was immediately turned off. A person named
E. Bhutillewood then applied a light towards the ceil-
ing, when a terrific explosion took place. The report
was heard at &considerable distance, and the houses on
the opposite side of the !street were much shaken.
Four men were much burnt, and in the room where the
explovion occurred the plaster was stripped from the
ceiling and a wrapper set on fire; a portion of the
floor above WU also sprung. Had not the precaution
been taken to shut off the gas meadow to testing the
pipe the consequence must have been most &matrons
both to life and property. In the Earl Howe' 's Arms-,
about 30 yards from the scene of the explosion, the
reflection of the light resembled a strong flash of
lightning, and many were impressed with that idea
until the facts became known.

FIGHT BETWEEN A NEGRO AND A FAIjTHEB.-otl
a icc f M y evening an accident occurred in Edmonds's
mbwell's Menagerie, now exhibiting in Nottingham,
.h at one time wore • most serious aspect. " The
I Lion Hunter," a native African, entered the
performing panther's den. He commenced to pot the
animal through • coarse of performance, which con-
sisted mainly in making it leap from one platform to
another, the two elevations being erected at either end
of the den. The animal, instead of taking the proper
course, leaped upon Its keeper and tore. liiii face, so that
the blood ran copiously from the wound. The keeper,
no ways daunted, notwithstanding a cry of terror from
the spectators, persisted in making the refractory
subject resume his position. For some time the beast
continued obstinate, notwithstanding • terrible thrash-
ing which it had received. The keeper then left the
den, and procuring a still heavier weapon, he returned
and gave to the stubborn brute such a proof of hisprowess
as finally overawed it, and amid the applause of the
spectators the performance went on, and was completed
according to the programme before the keeper quitted
the den, though all this time he himself was bleeding
freely from the wound inflicted by the animal on his
face. The self-possession of the keeper was highly
extolled. The fight between the panther lasted 20
minutes, The same evening a keeper went into the
zebra's den, and while offering the male animal &biscuit
it bit off his fore-finger.