The Express.
London, England, 1864-10-19 00:00:00

THE EXPLOSION AT BRIM.

Notwithstanding the time that bas elapsed since the
explosion, many of the lames in the neighbourhood which
had their wisdom blown in and their ceilings injured, still
remain nurepaired. So good • harvest for the gleam has
not occurred in this locality, or indeed in any other, for
many yam, and although hundreds of workmen are engaged
daily there seems at present no end of employment for them.
The question still remains open, who is to pay
the damage for the injury done to the private homes,
which may account in some small degree for
the delay. It is now supposed that 10,0004. ; will be about
the extent of the damage caused by the explosion ;
but some accounte state that the average amount of injury
to the private homes will be at least 601. each. The evi-
-1 chaos given by the first witness at the inquest yesterday
cleared up all doubt, if any existed, with respect to the a-
-1 plosion originating on one of the barges, and • good deal of
the testimony adduced went to prove the exoelle•ce of their
coextruction, as well as of the barrels in which the gun-
powder was packed. It happened, however, that one of the
barges lay at Erith, and the ooroner aud jury were invited to
inspect it at the close of the inquiry. They accordingly
proceeded thither, but the inspectioe, we regret to say,
appeared vary far from satisfactory. The barge in viatica
was one which bad • fire-place at each end, and although
the after cabin appeared to be entirely cut off from ►he bold
with double bulkheads and protecting metal, the forecaatle
had nothing but a slight wooden partition separating it from
the hold, and • door, very loosely fitted, led at once from
the little cabin in which the stove was, to the hold,
which of course is ordinarily filled with gunpowder
barrels. In addition to thin, there were two holes
in the door, through which it wail easy to put one's
finger. This door was only fastened by • couple
of common iron bolts. Although we most suppose that
when • cargo is shipped this door as well as the partition is
covered with saltpetre bags, yet nobody but men who had
grown perfectly reckless by constant familiarity with ibis
description of danger, could for • moment remain coon.
Portably on board such a vessel when there were some 500
or 600 barrels of gunpowder on board. In addition to this
there was in the hold itself such a quantity
of iron knees and joints as appeared quite
to scare the coroner and jury, who were certainly
led by the evidence to supra that although undoubtedly
iron was used in the construction of the barges, yet it was
so covered with leather and other protecting material as to
prevent it coming in contact with the barrels. It is fair to
Messrs. Hall to say that the barge in question was entirely
empty, and probably not at all in the state in which the
barges are when being loaded, it being sent up apparently
for the purpose of taking aw►y the metal debris of the ex-
ploded magazine. The impression, however, on the mind of
the jury was so strong, and the sight the barge presented
was so contradictory to the evidence, that it can only pro-
bably be corrected by Mears. Hall's ordering up • barge
from Faversham in the condition in which she is when
powder is being shipped into her. Several of the jurors
present declared that it was quite contrary to what they
expected to see, and not at all in accordance with the
impression which had been made on their minds by the
evidence. rufortnnately nobody appeared to be present
011 Meillll. Hall's part to correct any misapprehension
that those who witnessed it might have fallen into; but
one could hardly believe that the venal as it
lay at Frith was one which was at all fit to
convey so combustible a material aa gunpowder.
Probably some explanation will be asked 'and given at the
next sitting of the cerc•et'. jury, which will take place in a
; and no doubt had the iuspection taken place pre-
vious to the sitting yesterday • good deal of evidence might
have been brought forward explanatory of the present state
of the barge, and accounting for the difference in its ap-
pears•os to the &outpace of the bergs which blew op.

KENT-STREET (SOCTRWAIRK) WORKING Al en '8
CUM—This club re-opened for the winter session no Mon-
day evening, when the large lecture-room was filled to
overflowing with working men and women, members of the
club, and their relatives and friends. The protreedinp after
tea consisted of a mixed entertainment of recitations end
music (the latter accompanied on the pianoforte by Mr.
West), interspersed with short pithy speeches. The chair
was taken by the president, Mr. Edward Collinear, who,
with Maws. Donald Scott, W. J. Haynes (the newly-elected
treasurer), M. W. Dunn (finance secretary), J. S. Beadle,
J. T. Dexter, W. Snell, A. Hawkins, jun., and &lmood
Hughes (general secretary), addressed the audience. The
meeting was one of enjoyment to aU protest, and coucluded,
alter tea o'clock, with thanks to the friends who had con-
tributed to the entertainment, and to the highly popular and
miaowed president,
ADMIRALTY, OCT. 18. APPOINTIIIINTS. Bur-
Mangle (additional) to the Doucan. Clerk—N. L.
lledge,'to the Excellent, for the /loyal Sovereign.