The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-29 00:00:00

r •

THE LATE SCIENTIFIC BALLOON ASCENT.
Some anxiety having been felt as to the safety
d Mr. Mandist, who asoended with Mr. Coxwell, on a
mislaid* trip, en Friday lad, we have much pleasure in
giving publicity to the fact that the voyage wu a satis-
factory on.. As already reported, the balloon
left Wolverton at about 12 minutes past one, and we now
learn that it descended about sight miles beyond
Ely at 28 minutes put two, in a field belonging to Mr.
Jones. The highest point reached was four miles
and a half, and from information which has reached
us the balloon at times must have travelled at the rate of
70 miles an hour. At an elevation ot three miles the
aeronante encountered asnow-storm, and, what has not before
been experienced, they came into contact with the donde at
various intervals. We look with mach interest for the re-
port of Mr. Glaisher, who we believe reached home the
morning after the journey.

TERRIFIC BOILER EXPLOSION NEAR
DEWSB

SIX PERSONS KILLED AND NM WOUNDED.
One of the most fatal and destructive boiler
explosions which ever occurred in the West Riding clothing
district took place on Saturday morning last, at Hembrigg
Mill, Morley, near Dewsbury. This mill is situated west
of the village, and within • hundred and fifty lards of •
viaduct on the Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax 14ailway, not
far from Morley station, crossing the public highway.
It in a building of five storeys in height, including an
attio, and is the propery of Mr. Hairy Hint, • retired
manufacturer, who has let it to five firms, who carry
on the manufacture of cloth within the wgls. At the
west end of the mill was a low-pressure engine, of 16
horse power, and against the gable end • boiler-house was
placed, the upper storey being used as a drying-room.
Within was • double-fined Cornish boiler. which usually
was worked at a pressure of 361 b. to the square inch. On
Saturday morning, at 6 o'clock, the employee, about 113
in number, commenced work, and, as is usual, ceased for
breakfut at half-past 8 o'clock. Some went home, while
oilier; partook of their meals within the walls of the'
building, or in the yard neer the engine-house. At ten
minutes to 9 o'clock the boiler exploded with terrific
force,• and not only caused lam of life and much injury,
but effected the destruction of • large amount of
property in the immediate neighbourhood. The boiler
was literally riven into at least half-a-eoore pieces,
some toing thrown over and within some house adjacent.
and one or two projected beyond the railway. The
entire end of the factory was thrown down, the engine
loss m broken, the machinery torn and twisted, and
the mill chimney, which is 36 yards high, cracked from
top to bottom, and • bole made in its side, at • height
of twelve or fifteen yards, large enough for a man on horse-
back to pass through. The structure did not fall, but it
may be expected to do so almost ►at any time. Around the
mill, but at tome distance from it, are several cottages and
a manufactory or two, and these present the appearance
of having reared a heavy bombardment. One cottage
(separated by a row of houses of three storeys from the
mill) has its entire roof broken in, and the upper room
now contains • piece, about five yards long, of the boiler
flue, and which is estimated to weigh at least two tons.
The loss of, and injury to life, has been even more awful
than the destruction of property. David Thackray,
the engine teeter, was in front of the boiler when
it exploded, along with William Pilkington • wool
scourer. Both men were driven across the yard, amid •
shower of bricksand stones, and were decapitated. William
Champion, who was working a short distance front the
mill assisting in the erection of • new engine and boiler-
bones, had his skull cloven, besides being otherwise injured.
He died instantly. Nathaniel Diekennon, an employe at
the mill, was on the public highway at the time the acci-
dent occurred—the railway being between him and the
plus he was going to—and at a distance of 200 yards,
when be was struck on the chest by a flying brick, and
almost instantaneously killed. John Mushal4 a boy aged
tea years, at the time of the explosion was engaged in
hawking newspapers in the village, at • distance of 250
yards from the mill. He wan streak by • piece of iron or
stone on the heed, and died after seven boon' agony. Emma
Carr, aged 15 years, was supposed to have been eating her
breakfast in an upper storey of the mill, for after the steam
and dust had cleared away, her body was found among
the debris. At 4 p.m. John Varley and Thomas Smith,
two men employed at the mill (the first as an overlooker
and the other as a labourer) who had received fractured
skulls, were not expected to survive many hours. The
following persons have received injuries more or less
revere, vim. :—Lake Lowry, labourer, of Bristol; John Wil-
son, filler of Morley • Wm Bentley. woollyer ; Margaret
Kaye, pacer ; and Charlotte and Ann Bragg (asters). Two
of the sufferers were removed to the Leeds lafirmary, and
the others were attended to by the medical men of the
neighbourhool, who were on the spot soon after the acci-
dent. The inspector for the 3iancheeter Steam Boiler As-
suranoe Company came to the mill for the purpose of
making an examination of the pieces of the exploded boiler
and valvcs(the latter were projected more than 103 yards),
but Police-Mspecter Nicholson refused to allow him to do
so. It is expected that an inquest on the bodies will be
opened this day (Ifeaday).