The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-25 00:00:00

EXPLOSION AND FIRE ON BOARD A HAVER

YEsssi.

(FROM OUR OORRIMPONDINT.)

IN, TUESDAY.

The South Western Company's steamer Havre
arrived here this morning from Havre with a large and
valuable cargo and a number of passengers. A portion of
the cargo and many of the passengers were bound for New
York in the Bremen packet, which leaves here to-morrow.
The Havre had a very rough passage. While she was
being unloaded something amongst the cargo exploded and
killed one of the crew, a man named Gafford, and dan-
gerously wounded another of the crew, named Wareham.
Gulliford was shockingly mutilated ; oae of his legs
was torn from his body, and his bowels protruded.
Wareham was rescued, and taken to the infirmary, where
he lies in a dangerous condition. The explosion set the
vessel on fire. An alarm was soon given, and several en.
gines were quickly on the spot, and after two hours,
exertion the fire was got under. The burning ship was
flooded with water, and a considerable portion of the
cargo is seriously damaged. Amongst the latter were
' quantities of silks and other valuable kinds of French
manufactured goods. The Havre was in the inner por-
tion of the Southampton dock when the explosion took
place. A coroner's inquest was held on the body of
Gulliford this afternoon, and was adjourned until Friday,
in order that the Board of Trade might be communicated
with. It can scarcely be conjectured at pre-
sent what could have caused the explosion, as no
explosive substance is permitted knowingly to be shipped
on board the company's vessels. Some broken glass has
been found in the hold and on the deck of the Havre, and
some persons believe that the matter which caused the
damage is some kind of blasting oil. An affecting circum•
stance is associated with the accident. Captain Wright,
of the South Western Company's ship Atalanta, arrived
this morning from France. When the explosion took place,
he felt excited, and went, on board his own ship, and laid
himself down and died suddenly. He had been suffering
from disease of the heart. It was a most fortunate thing
that the explosion took place on board the Havre after her
voyage had been completed. If it had taken place at sea
with the rough weather she had, the consequences might
have been of the moat serious nature.

WESTMINSTER SCHOOL CONCERT.—On Monday •
night a concert modestly called, but with pretensions far be-
yond, a school concert, was given by the Westminster boys
in the spacious dining-hall. Long before the hour of eight,
at which time the concert commenced, every available seat
was occupied by a very fashionable audience, among whom
were the Dean of Westminster and Lady Augusta Stanley,
Under the direction of Mr. Turle, everything passed off
with a brilliance and eclat which left nothing be desired.
Mozart's " Ave Verum," and Scott's " Praise the Lord, 0
Jerusalem," were sung with much feeling, and in excellent
style. Mr. H. G. Rawson distinguished himself in Men-
delasohn'e solo "O Refit in the Lord;' and in a perform-
ance of Locke's music to " Macbeth " Mr. F. Pow-nail's
and Mr. Oldman's fine bass voices told with marked
effect. "The Hardy Norseman" was given with a
freshness, vigour, and verve that provoked enthusiasm ;
and Bishop's charming " Where art thou, Beam of Light,"
was treated with a delicacy that charmed the audience.
Our notice is necessarily brief, but, in simple justice to the
Westminster boys, we may say that their singing of the
concerted pieces, glees, and choruses was such as to reflect
the highest credit on the training they have acquired
under the accomplished direction of the veteran Mr. Turie.
Westminster is one of our foremost public schools ; the
atmosphere of this great city has not sapped its constitu-
tion or relaxed its nerve. 'We know what it has done at
I the universities. Its " eight" hold their own on the river.
In the field its " eleven" occupy an honourable position.
We are glad to find that it cultivates the gentler arts with
equal success.
BOARD OP TRADE, WHITEHALL, APRIL 23.
The right honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade have received from the Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs copies of a public act and its
annexes, signed at Galatz by the European commission of
the Danube on the 2nd November last, and of which, to-
gether with the protocol relating to it, a translation is
published in last night's Gazeitr.
Flax IN FErrr.r.-LASE. —Last night, shortly after
8 o'clock, a fire broke out on the extensive premises of
Messrs. Morrell and (lowland, electrotyper', situate at the
corner of Plough-court, Fetter-lane, one of the most
densely-populated localities in the neighbourhood. The
building is quite a new one, and is of great extent. The
fire broke out on the second floor workshop, and in a very
short space of tune that, together with the third floor RIO
roof, was completely destroyed. Ily the time the engines
had arrived the fire was rapidly making its way downwards,
a large portion of the warehouse on the first floor, and the
offices and show-rooms on the ground floor, being in flames.
By dint of great exertion on the part of the firemen,
this portion of the building was saved from entire
destruction, though a large amount of damage was done
both by fire and water. Ily ten o'clock the flames were
subdued. The premises at the opposite corner of Plough-
court, also a new building, occupied by Mr. Brooks. carver
and gilder, were at one time in great danger, the whole of
the wooden framework of the windows having been burned
out. The total loss of property, irrespective of the damage
done to the building, is estimated at about 2,000 f. During
the progress of the fire the greatest excitement existed
amongst the inhabitants of Plough-court, consisting of
some hundreds of the lowest order of Irish, and it required
the exertions of • large body of the City police to keep
them from impeding the firemen in their work.
FIRE AT BROADLANDS. RODNEY, TVESDAY
Arrmomox.—A fire of a most destructive character broke
out this morning. at Bruadhinds, the well-known residence
of the late Premier. It appears that for the purpose of
sawing the immense quantity of wood constantly being
felled on the Broadlands estate • steam sawmill has been
erected on the farm in the park, and at this a fire of wood
and sawdust is constantly kept burning. About half-past
nine o'clock this morning, Mr. Waterman, the foreman at
the farm, was informed; by the labourers that the farm
buildings were on fire. An alarm was instantly raised,
and the fire engine belonging to the Broadlands estate, as well
as one from Romsey, were soon hurried to the scene. The
materials ignited, however, were of such an inflammable
nature that the tire had already made considerable pro-
gress, and all the efforts of the united bodies of firemen
were required to keep the flames from extending to other
premises. Several ricks of hay, a considerable quantity of
valuable timber of various descriptions, and the whole of
the outbuildings have been destroyed, but it is hoped that
the farm-house and the labourers cottages will be saved,
as well as two or three ricks of hay, which were
at one time in great danger. The damage already
done is roughly estimated at from 2,0001. to 3,0001.,
and at present (four o'clock p.m.) the fire is still
at work
ellragingeuy,.thToughehftehrme eienOnw
ston, and is situated in the Broadlands park, within two
esthhsae occubegiovnigruf LI; Palmer-
or three hundred yards from the ball The origin of the
fire has not yet been definitely ascertained, though it is
confidently stated to have arisen from the flue of the
engine, where, as we have stated, a fire is constantly kept
burning. The flue, it is said, ought to have been covered
' with iron network, but this protection bad been over-
looked.