The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-07-30 00:00:00

VITAL EXPLOSION ON THE KITE.

Unfortunately the Naval Reviev—v--o1;--SiTt-urday
which, from a spectacular point of view, was so
brilliantly successful, for eclipsing any previous
pageant in Portsmouth waters, did not pass off without
accident. Just about the time her Majesty was slowly
steaming in her yacht out of Osborne Bay, followed
by the fine flotilla of Royal craft and troopships, a
serious casualty, which afterwards had a fatal termi-
nation, occurred on board the gunboat Kite, which
occasioned a painful sensation throughout the entire
fleet. The Kite, under the command of Sub-
Lieutennnt T. L. Barnidiston, belonged to the
I) Flotilla of gunboats, which was anchored
just inside the training brigs, and near the
eastern boundary of the fleet, off Southsea Reach.
When the Victoria and Albert was seen to slip her
moorings in the bay a signal was made from the
Inflexible flagship to the Commander-in-Chief,
Admiral Sir George Willes' K.C.8., for the whole
of the ships in the fleet and flotillas carrying suitable
guns to join in the Royal salute of 21 guns. For
this purpose the Kite used a 4-in, gun, and following
the lead of the flagship she commenced to fire shortly
befcre four o'clock. After the first discharge the gun
was sponged, and a second charge inserted in the
breech by an able seaman named Turrell, who pushed
it in with his naked arm. Immediately there was a
loud report, the breach, which had not yet been com-
pletely fixed, being shot out with tremendous force,
striking Turrell in the jaw, while the gunpowder
charge met him full in the chest, hurling him to the
other side of the ship. Several of the crew, which
numbered 31 all told, standing near the gun at the
time, were severely burnt about the bodies. As a con-
tinuous cannonade was proceeding no alarm was caused
by the explosion, so far as other vessels were con-
cerned, but news of the mishap was promptly sig-
nalled to the flagship and thence to Hadar Hospital
at Go3port. In the meantime several private surgeons
who were afloat in the vicinity were summoned, and
did their best for the injured men until they could be
removed to Haslar, where the staff, having been
already apprised of the nature of the accident, were
in readiness to receive them. It was at once evident
that Turrell had been dangerously wounded, besides
being dreadfully burnt in the head, and his case was
from the first regarded as hopeless by the Inspector-
General and his staff, who, however, did everything
ponible to save his life. These efforts were without
success, and the poor fellow died at three o'clock
on Sunday morning. Four others were taken
to the hospital, Boinbadier Wm. Bowmans, of the
Royal Marine Artillery ; William Maynard,
arwourer's crew; Charles Morell, able seaman; and
John Martin, ship's cook, who were all more or less
injured. Martin was the less seriously hurt, and
after his burns had been dressed, it was not deemed
advisable to detain him for further treatment. The
only men who could gives satisfactory account of the
cause of the accident are lying in hospital in such is
serious condition that the Inspector-General con-
siders it imperative that they should be kept perfectly
quiet and tasked no—questions. • The relatives,' have
. been informed that it would not be advisable

to see them just yet. The general impression Borius YEAR, 11,10±17.
appears to be that the was imperfectly
sponged after the first disc gun
harge, and that NATIONAL PROVIDENT
the premature explosion was occasioned by NTITUTION FOR MUTUAL
some sparks remaining in the weapon:. The shock, it --I LIFE ASSURANCE.
is stated, was so severe that one man was lifted off FOUNDED 1835. FUNDS, £4,280,000.
his feet and carried for some distance In the air. DIVISION OF PhOPITS, 20 NO 1., 1887, in
The gunner who was directing the firing had his which all now insuring will participate.
GRACECHURCH STREET. LONDON.
trousers burnt, but otherwise escaped. On her
AORNTS Vi'ANTED WHERE NOT REPRESENTED.
return to Osborne, her Majesty was informed of the - _
accident, and made sympathetic inquiries by tele- A "n'
ST 11,ALIA BY BTEAMBR,
graph conzerning the condition of those injured. fINV 1:11.1, e.) lg.
E
Orders have been -issued that, pending an official IC.SPUR STRICIET,IIOSiiDON
inquiry whiel will be held into the cause of the
disaster on board the Kite, the 4-inch breech-loading
gun in which the explosion took place is not to be
interfered with. It was arranged that the coroner's
inquiry should be formally opened, and then ad-
journed for the purpose of summoning scientific
witnesses.
A telegram received at an early hour on Monday
morning reported the death of another seaman at
Hasler Hospital.
THE ILLUMINATED FLEET.
The fireworks and illuminations at Spithead on
Saturday night were the most attractive part of the
whole show for the average looker-on, who, perhaps,
had no great disposition to moralise upon a tre-
mendous concentration of physical force, and found
the actual review a tedious process, unaccompanied
by the movement and changing spectacle of a parade
on land. Anyhow, Hyde Pier and the adjacent shores
of the Isle of Wight were crowded, as evening came
on, by thousands upon thousands, eager to look upon
a spectacle to which anticipation gave all sorts of
beauty. The highest expectancy was not disappointed
in the result, and with one voice the public have de-
clared the illuminated fleet to be far and away the
post fascinating of Jubilee celebrations.
From Hyde-pier an excellent view of the great
display was obtained—relatively excellent, of course,
because, owing to the immense space covered by the
fleet, there was necessarily, from any standpoint, a
good deal of far distance. The weather office, so kind
and considerate early in the day, sustained the cha-
racter for constancy which it has won this summer,
and was no less amiable after sunset. From the Isle of
Wight point of view it was much to be regretted that
the large fleets of yachts at anchor west of the pier
did nothing to increase the splendour of the scene,
save in a solitary case, where a more than commonly
spirited owner defined the outline of his graceful
craft with fairy lights. But this was the only draw.
back to completeness, and even this received little
attention as the war vessels in the offing dressed
themselves one after another with lanterns. Of
course, the masted ships had an advantage,
The Minotaur and her impressive consorts
showed the electric light from every truck,
glimmering there like brilliant planets that had
snot sedately from their spheres to honour the occa-
sion, while the lines to which flags had been attached
during the day were now thickly hung with yellow
lights. It was curious to note the effect of these as
modified by distance. Near at hand each light could
be discerned, and the position of the ship was marked
by brilliant lines rising from bow to main truck, and
dropping down to stern. Farther off the illumina-
tion appeared as curves of faint radiance, while the
vessels nearest the mainland could only be distin-
guished by a soft glow such as that which, on clear
nights, horalds the rise of a full moon. These gra-
dations had a singularly beautiful effect against the
dark curtain of cloud. From the clear specks of the
nearest craft they faded off into a kind of golden
haze, and it seemed at though the whole sea-way
were radiant with a chastened splendour, upon which
the eye rested with infinite satisfaction.
Suddenly a beam of white light shot from one of
the nearest ironclads, in anticipation of a great effect
to come by and bye. It was joiaed by another, and
the two went on skirmishing duty for the rest or the
evening. They roamed over sea and land with
bewildering rapidity, bringing ship after ship into
magical relief, then darting to the shore, resting upon ,
the steeples and houses of the town, or playing over
the gardens and searching the woods and groves.
Wandering patches of radiance were they—frag-
ments of daylight that had got loose, and, belated,
were trying to find their way back to sun-illumined
lands. But the best effect was made by these electric
rays when the manipulators turned them upon the
clouds. One was lucky in finding the edge of a
vapoury mass, which he lit up with silvern splendour,
bringing out every curve and angle, and almost making
the spectator believe that the moon would come
forth in a minute or two from behind the curtain.
The twin lights roamed around incessantly, but soon
the eye had other things to rest upon—the ships began
pyrotechny, as though their mission were nothing
more harmful and nothing less beautiful. First of
all they searched the sky with rockets—not merely
the ordinary service rocket, but aerial messengers of
every sort, some descending in golden rain, others
giving birth in mid air to a host of fiery serpents,
which hissed themselves to nothingness, and others
liberating lovely stars, that slowly floated away till the
eye lost them in the blaze of newer things. No ordi-
nary rocket effect was this, because the soaring splen-
dour covered leagues of water, and, however looked at,
embraced miles of depth, that made the most distant
rockets seem like the faintest possible streaks of light
flashing from earth to sky. After a time the spectacle
became simply glorious. Ship after ship defined her-
self in lines of blue and red port-fires, which blazed
brilliantly near at hand, flushing the heavens with
answering hues, and fading off into the lovely softened
radiance that was a continuous charm of this Jubilee)
seascape. For a time each ship seemed to act inde-
pendently, and shot into coloured fire, attracting all
eyes for a while and then being swallowed up by the
darkness waiting around. Once, however, as by a
preconcerted signal, a whole line of war-lips burst
into red flame simultaneously. This was, pert a?s,
the most beautiful and striking effect of the even-
ing, and a strong disposition to applaud on Hyde
Pier was only checked by the knowledge of miles of
water intervening betweea performers and spectators.
Nobody who saw it will readily forget that long
array of splendour, or the red clouds that hung over
all a sympathetic canopy, and waxed and waned with
the light below. Meanwhile, the outlying vessels
and the electric lights went on burning and flashing
at their own sweet will—rockets to right of them,
rockets to left of them, rockets in front of them, and,
especially, rockets up over them; till, after a while,
the whole fleet went into a veritable rage of Roman
candles, each ship being for the nonce a volcano of
those charming, though evanescent, illuminants, and
throwing them up with the energy with which she
would vomit shells in battle. She might have been a
Flying Dutchman, with the unhappy Hollander for
once in a sportive mood, and tossing about flame
from 500 hands. But the sea and the darkness
swallowed up this spectacle, as they had engulphed
the others, and then came the last act of a truly sen-
sational drama. Suddenly all the fleet—or, at any
rate, the southern line—opened wide its electric eyes
and glared at the shore with an unblinking fierceness
that positively made the onlooker uneasy. Talk
about the fierce light that beats upon a throne, why,
that is nothing to the searching radiance which, in
the next naval war, will strike terror into the heart
of the foe, and teach him that there is nothing
hidden which shall not be revealed. Now, how-
ever, the silver beams were sportively inclined.
They crossed and recrossed each other in the
air, making fantastic) figures and combinations that
never remained long enough for full enjoyment, but
changed to others and yet others, as some kaleido-
scope independent of the gazer's will. This was the
" bouquet ' of the occasion, and nothing remained
but the ariel sweep of hero and there a belated
rocket. The changing vision disappeared, and nothing
could be seen but the steady lights of ships at anchor.
On shore a multitude wandered homewards, saying
that the Jubilee festivities had ended worthily.
The Munainatione of the private ship Silvertown,
fairly rivalled those of the largest ironclad. In fact
her electric search light surpassed in brilliancy and
power that of any other vessel, and as the operators
"swept" every ship present, the crews of the other
big mercantile steamers anchored near gave loud
cheers of congratulation. The owners had invited
a number of scientific men with many of the personal
friends of directors and principal officers. In honour
of the occasion the rigging of the immense ship was
festooned with incandescent lamps, and these outlines
of light proved remarkably effective.

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