The Press.
London, England, 1854-08-05 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

peared at the Mansion-house on Wednesday on a
summons charging him with having unlawfully and
injuriously kept on his premises large quantities of
explosive and ignitible matches and other materials,
whereby the surrounding inhabitants were annoyed,
disturbed, and rendered uncomfortable in the occu-
pation of their dwelling-houses, and were in great
hazard of losing their lives. The City Solicitor pro-
secuted, having been moved thereto by complaints of
the neighbours, who had been much alarmed by the
outbreak of a terrible fire among the explosive mate-
rials some time last year, and who now found that
the dangerous manufacture was proceeding again in
full activity. The offence, he urged before the Lord
Mayor, was one which did not require the occurrence
of disastrous results to render it punishable, the
mere keeping of such articles upon premises situated
as were those of the defendant constituting a nuisance
under the act. The fact that large quantities of
lucifer-matches were made or stored on the premises
was sufficiently proved, and then Dr. Le theby, chemical
professor at the London Hospital, was called to give
his opinion of their composition and properties. He
said :

I procured samples of the different kinds of lucifer-matches
sold at the defendant's warehouse. I proouce the remains of
some of the boxes. I cannot produce the whole, some of theta
having spontaneously ignited as they lay on my laboratory-table.
I have analysed the chemical materials of which they are com-
posed, land find them to be chiefly phosphorus and Chloride of
potash, glue, and red oxide of iron. 1 have made experiments for
the purpose of ascertaining the conditions under which they will
probably ignite, and rind that the phosphorus itself, one of the
chief constituents, takes tire spontaneously when in a tine pow-
der and exposed to the air. I exposed the lucifers to • tempe-
rature of 140 degrees, and found that they then fired. Such a
temperature is very likely to exist in a window in summer time.
Slight friction will also set lucifers on fire ; for example, the
shaking of a parcel containing them. This happened in the case
I menuoned, where the Inciters took fire on my laboratory-table.
Thu LORD Idavint: Are you of opinion that 'millers in boxes
knocked down by rats would ignite?
Dr. Letheby : Yes, if let fall from any cause combustion would
take place.
The Loan lisvort: Do you consider a stock of goods, stored as
these were in Cannon-street, dangerous as regards other houses ?
Dr. Lstlieby: I do consider them very dangerous.
As the Lord Mayor wished to refer the case to a
higher tribunal, Mr. Bell was dismissed, after giving
recognisance for his appearance hereafter at the
Central Criminal Court.

THE safe custody of the late Ms. Turner"s pictures
was again before the tribunals this week. Under
the title of "Trimmer v. Danby," the case was argued
on Wednesday, before Vice-Chancellor Kindersley,
and proof being given that the present place of custody
in Queen Anne-street was most unfit., the Solicitor-
General was eked to devise some place for the pre-
servation of the pictures, pending other decisions.
On Thursday Sir R. Bethell reported his plan, and
begged for an order of the court to carry it out:—
The proposal was, that the pictures, drawings, and engravings
should, with the consent of the trustees of the National Gallery,
be removed from Queen Anne-street to the National Gallery, to
bethere deposited for safe custody, subject to the control and
direction of the court, with the proviso that they shall not be
shown or inspeoted, or in any manner dealt with, without the
order of the executors.
Mr. GIASSE, who appeared for the executors and next
of kin, begged and obtained a little delay before the
order issued, that he might consult his clients.