The Express.
London, England, 1860-08-14 00:00:00

THE FArAL OCCURRENCE AT DOVER.

DOVER, MONDAY.
The official inquiry into the circumstances of the
tragic+ ocentrence el Thursday LA cannot take place till
Wednesday, as the new coroner will not be appointed till
the morning of that day. The town council will then meet,
and the gentleman who may be elected will in all probabi-
lity at once proceed to the exercise of his functions in the
case which renders his appointment eeeeruy. The re-
mains of Mr. Thompson have been removed from Archcliffe
Port, where they wen deposited immediately after the
accident, to the home of the deceased gentleman. We un-
derstand thet in his case the interment, which cannot be
l'illevpik Witildpreisi4the coroner's jur/i=
sauna betpdte the mifertnaate
having left in his vr. instructions as to the manner
of his burial ; but that in the use of Mr. Monger there
is no doubt the funeral will be attended by full
military honour,. Tokens of the sympathy with the be-
reeved which is felt by volunteers in other places, have
already been manifested, requests having been preferred by
several of the Cinque Ports Vollinteer Corps to Is, permitted
to sena deputations to the funeral of one or both of their
deemed brethren in arms. This wish will be complied with
in few as parable, and we may at the same time state that
there Is no doubt the demonstrations on the part of the
military authorities will testify in the highest degree the
respect to which the memory of the unfortunate deceased, In
• military point of 'crew, is entitled. Applications to be
present hive alio been made from other voluuteer
bath tittered artillery, throughout the county, and rnrPa
awls *emptied with. Speadation is still nfe as to the
cause ef the amide*. Captain Hardy has been
Initially sent down from Woolwich by &mites
of Colonel Tulloch, acting under the ceders of
the government, to make an examination of the gun
and to Inquire specially into the circumstances attending the
explosion. We believe that this investigation has mot
resulted in the discovery of any defect in the gun, but that
it is the opinion of Captain Hardy and the other artillery
ahem who have been engaged with him that tae accident
arose either from some hidden dew wkich defied the ordinary
means adopted for testing the efficiently of the gun, or from
its old age. It may be stated, however, Ida re,:ard to the
letter point, that the larger fragment Of the gun .uund near
the goods shed of the South-Eastern Railway, so l which is
some two or three feet in length, contain. the v( nt, which
remains quite perfect, while it is the opinion of eompeSout
judges that a gun exploding from old age alone would, in all
probability, give way at the vent rather thou at any other
part. It u quite true that no record is kept of th i number
of rounds fired from particular guns, and as every gin is num-
bered as it is cast, the omission of so easy and simple
• register seems extraordinary to the mind of ~ civilian.
There is no doubt that the calamitous occurrence will Lace
the effect of directing attention to this point, eel of oeca-
sioni • more careful history of the guns in our forts sad
arsenals than hie hitherto been preserved. Up to this time
it has been the practice to submit cannon to a certain test
on tiddrig it out of store, which w.ts done in this case, the
gun haviag been received from store lesa than a twelve-
month. During this time about 180 rounds have been fired
from it, including the volunteer prelim as well ea that of
the Royal Artillery and the Militia Artillery force. It may
be stated that every precaution is taken in conducting the
shot practice of the volunteers, en officer of the Royal Ar-
tillery being always present, and the same regulations ob-
served as when the men of the Royal Artillery Are tiring.
On the occasion of the accident Lieutenant Rook, was the
officer present, and he sustained a slight contieuoo over the
right eye by • stone supposed to have been forced front the
platform by • fragment of the gun.