The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-09 00:00:00

THE LATE EXPLOSION AT ERITH.

ADJOURNkIL? INQUEST.

After oar report left yesterday, -
The Coroner read tb3 following letter from Gemmel
Tolloh :

"Dear Mr. Hall,—l regret that the state of my health
and other circumstances will prevent my attending the ad-
journed inquest and inquiry relating to the unfortunate ex-
plosion of -gunpowder at Belvedere. That such a cats-
strophe should have taken place in the management of
gunpowder io which you are concerned, is doubly uofortu-
Ditto, for, *peeking from an experience of upwards of twenty
years, I have known your works and visited them as the
government officer in charge of the Royal Mills, Waltham
Abbey. I can safely and willingly, as a matter of justice,
bear testimony to your unceasing endeavour to adopt every
possible precaution to prevent accidents in every branch
of your dangerous calling, so much so that a difficulty
arises in my mind as to what additional securities can be
devised beyond thole now in force in your gunpowder works,
which in this respect, as well as is every other, are second
to none in England, and, I might add, in the world. You will,
no doubt, agree with me that therein difficulty in doing away
entirely with cooking, and consequent lire on board a gun-
powder barge. Of all the enemies we powder people
have to deal with, 1 consider the locifer match
the greatest, and no rule* can be too strin-
gent to prevent their being brought by the men em-
ployed with gunpowder to any shape, and one simple
remedy is that of not allowing the men to have any pockets
in their gunpowder dresses. This explosion of a barge on
the very bank of the Thames involves a matter for serious
consideration se to whether a barge containing gunpowder
ought to unload at any jetty by which such • serious in-
undation of country might take place as that which
threatened that side of the Thames, where most of the
store-houses for gunpowder are placed. A canal is the only
suggestion I can make, to be carried up to a gun-
powder store placed at the greatest distance from
the Thames embankment and all inhabited and
other property which the locality will permit. I
am sure that, if anyone can suggest a means of preventing
such a calamity in future, you will be the first to adopt
them, no matter at what expense. I sincerely sympathise
with you in this unlooked-for event," and believe me to be
yours faithfully, M.Litt. T. Tchhott.
" Sherborne Yilla, West Malvern, Oct. 9, 1514."
Mr. Poland also put in the following notice :—" Lucifer
matches having been found near the powder houses, any
workman bringing lucifer matches on to any part of the
works will be instantly discharged. No pocketa are allowed
in black clothes. (Signed) Wu.ttatt Ham.. Dated, Sep-
tember, ISZU 3."
At this stage of the proceedings the inquest room was
closed for half an hoar while the coroner and jury had a
consultation as to the course of proceedings. On the court
being again thrown open,
Mr. M. D. Pliny, the London agent of the Lowwood
Works, was called, and stated that the quantity of powder
that was in the Lowwood magazine at the time of the ex-
plosion was 11,783111ba., or about 4) tons, and there was in
addition 550 coils of common blasting fuse. There was never
any shot or cartridges in the magazine.
Mr. Peter Hall sworn—l reside at Ellekar House, Rich-
mond. I recollect seeing Rayner in town three years ago.
It was en September 7, 1861 I recollect the date, because
I wrote a letter to my brother in consequence of his com-
munication. Rayner told me that be was going to write to '
Mr. Monk about a complaint he had to make of the casks,
and I told him to write by all means, but that I would write
to my brother by that poet. I did so, sod in reply I received
• letter from him stating that he had looked at the barrels,
and put the matter right, and bealso asked me to tell Rayner
never to send out any barrels with which he bad Loy fault
to find. Rayner was one of the most outspoken men that I
ever know. I used to see him two or three times • week.
He never made any complaint within the last two or
three years to me about the barrels.
By Mr. Perrin—Rayner boyar returned any casks to my
knowledge, but there was a general order to hua to return
faulty casks.
By the Jury—The present price of a whole barrels is
nearly Is. The particular defect complaiued of was worm
holes.

The Coroner then asked if there was any explanation to
be made with respect to the contlictmg evidence given by
Mr. Harry and Mr. Pocock.
Mr. Harry stated that Mr. Pooock, who had been in
court all the morniug. had left, but they had a conversation
together, and a mutual explanation had taken place, with
which it wu not necessary to trouble the jury, unleis they
desired it.

The Coroner—Was the explanation satisfactory to you?
Mr. Harry—Quite so.
Mr. Poland—Tbere was truth on both tides, for though
some iron had bees used in the construction of the building
handed over to the government it parts where Mr. Pocock
did not consider that it was ruatenal to use copper, yet sub-
stantially copper was used, and the floorirg was laid with
copper nails.
The Foreman—The jury have no wish whatever to go
into that part of the question.
. . .

The Co;oner then minted that there remained ona witness
more to be examined, who could not be present to-day, and
it bad been determined to adjourn again.
It was then arranged that the inroad should be ftctlier
adjourned to Tuesday next.