The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-03 00:00:00

THE FATAL GAS EXPLOSION IN ST.
ANDREW'S.

ADJOURNED INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.)
At noon Dr. Lankeater held the adjourned in-
quiry into the circumstances attending the deaths of
Giuseppe Villa, Pietro Basini, and William Cole, who lost
their lives by the gas explosion which took place in Sum-
mers•street, Leather-lane, on the =lid ult.
Mr. Compton Smith, solicitor, of Lincoln's-inn-fields,
appeared for Mr. Bruton, the owner of the houses in which
the explosion occurred ; Mr. Humphreys (Humphreys and
Morgan) for the Chartered Gas Company ; Mr. Merriman
(Merriman and Buckland), Cheapside, for Mrs. Cole ; and
Blr. Hawkins, of Chancery-lane, for the uncle of the boy

Evidence was adduced on the last occasion as to the
identification of the bodies, and the inquiry was ad-
journed, for the purpose of enabling the jury to inspect
the scene of the explosion. The question involved is,
whether the explosion was caused by the neglect of the
persor who receded in the houses or by a defect in the
gas main of the Chartered Gas Company.
Doniinioo Villa, the husband of the deceased Giuseppe
Villa, was examined. He said his wife died at 1 o'clock
on the day that the explosion. Before her death she told
him she was ironing in the house when she heard the explo-
sion, and on her endeavouring to get out she found that the
door was blocked up. The boy Batumi and the man &arisen,
at present in the hospital, were in the house at the time.
There was no gas laid in any part of the house but on the
ground door, where his deceased wife was when the explo•
sion took place. Luigi Basini the uncle of the deceased
lad Pietro Basini, and proprietor of the house, paid for the
The witness, in reply to Mr. Humphreys, said his wife
was perfectly sensible when he spoke to her before her
death. _ _

llir. Frederick Hatwood, house-surgeon at the Royal
Free Hospital, said the deceased was brought to the
hospital at a quarter to 6 o'clock on the day of
the explosion. She was quite senaible. She was
suffering from severe burns in the abdomen and
lower textremities. She died about 3 o'clock next
day. Cole was brought to the hospital shortly after
6 o'clock in a state of insensibility. His skull
fractured, and blood was flowing from his ears and
mouth. He died a few hours after his admission.

Luigi Basini. the uncle of the boy Besini, was next
examined. jfe mid there was only one burner in the house
which he occupied. The gas was supplied from the Char-
tered Gas Company's works, in Brick-lane. The gm was
conveyed through pipes, which were laid in the cellar of
the house.

The Coroner asked if the witness had formed an opinion
as to the cause of the explosion.
The witness, through his interpreter, replied that the
street in which his house was situated was broken up by
the gas company for the purpose of laying downs new main
instead of the old one, and he believed that in the
process of connecting the new main with the system a
large quantity of gas got into his cellar, and that caused
the explosion. He kept the cellar locked and no one had
been in it for a month before the accident. He lighted the
gas himself, but when business kept him from home, the
woman Villa lighted it. He was in his house between
2 and 3 o'clock on the day of the explosion, and
the deemed persons Giuseppa Villaand Pietro Basini were
there at the time. He smelt gas before he left.
In reply to Mr. Humphreys, he said he did not see a
man go into the house about 2 o'clock, speak to his
nephew, and test the gas.
In answer to Mr. Merriman, he said he knew nothing
about the meter, nor did be see any person take it away.
lie was certain he turned off the gas on the night before
the explosion. The door of the cellar was locked when
the explosion occurred.
[The inquiry was proceeding when our report left.]

WESTMINSTER BREWERY COMPANY
(LIMITED).---f THIS DAY.)

The sixth ordinary general meeting of share-
holders was held to-day at the Westminster Palace Hotel ;
Mr. W. E. RENDLE (chairman of the company) presiding.
The following report was taken as read.
" The directors of the company have much pleasure in
submitting the annexed balanoe•steet, showing the result
of the working of the brewery for the past twelve months.
It will be seen that the net profit of the busines.s for
the last year has aniounted to the sum of 7,835/. lls., which
with 12.11.—the premiums received on shares—makes the
total profit 7,9601. 11s. This amount, added to 2,%41.
14s. 9d., being the balance of the profit and loss account
brought forward from the former year, gives a total,
10,9251. ss. 9d. The directors have paid an interim
dividend in July last, amounting to 3,6651. 18e., leaving
a balance of 7,239/. 7s. 9cL to be dealt with.
The directors therefore propose to write off for depreciation
of plant, promisee, and for reserve fund, fic., for the past
year, the sum of 2,547/. 18s. 7d., to pay a dividend at the
rate of 8 per cent per annum, free of income tax, amount-
ing to about 3,G50/., leaving a balance of 1,061/. 9e. 2d. to
be carried forward to the next account."

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said it was satisfactory to the directors, after • severe
financial crisis, and when they had seen companies wrecked
on all sides, to be able to recommend • dividend of ti per
cent. (Hear, hear.) Of course the company bad not al-
together escaped from the difficulties of the time,
bat they had got through them exceedingly well
The cattle plague had interfered with them in a
certain degree more than the financial cries, be-
cause the owners of cattle were afraid to give grains to
their beasts ; and instead, therefore, of the company re-
ceiving a large sum for grains, something like 1,4001. or
1,5001., they had had actually to pay money for taking
them away. This was comparatively • trifling matter
with them, but in some of the large breweries it came to a
very serious item indeed.
Mr. J. HANNAH seconded the motion.

kir. Benin, while very much pleased with the posi-
tion of the company, wished to know how it was that,
having made 1001. more this year than last, the directors
recommended a dividend of one per cent. leas? He also
desired some explanation with regard to the 2,5001. written
off for depreciation, which he thought excessive. When
malt was again reduced in price something ought to be
done to increase their business, and in his opinion, in five
or ten years, it might be increased by one-half its present
amount.

IteoHAIRMAN stated that the amount written off for
depreciation was left entirely to the auditors but he
thought 2,5001. a very large sum, seeing that their plant
and premises were in • much better condition now than
when the company first took them. It might be presumed
that money would range at low figures for the next three
or four years, and in that case they might expect a great
improvement in their business.
Mr. GODFREY (auditor) said it had been determined to
write off two per cent. on their plant and premises as a
fair allowance for depreciation, and the accuracy of the
calculation was proved by the ct that the plant and pre-
mises now stood at 85,700f.,0r • trifle more than when they
took the business. In comparing the results of the years
1865 and 1866, Mr. Baylis had taken for the former year
not the profit on trading but the balance after paying the
interim dividend, and hence his statement of increased
profits this year was incorrect.
The report was adopted, and the dividend was declared
at the rate of 8 per cent. per annum, payable on and after
the 9th inst.

Mr. Handle and Mr. Hannah. the retiring directors, and
Mr. Godfrey, the retiring auditor, were re-elected, after
which votes of thanks were passed to the directors, Mr.
Thorne, the managing director, Mr. Leith, and the other
officers of the company, and the proceedings terminated.

An equestrian statue of the Queen is to be erected
in front of St. George's Hall, Liverpool, at a cost to the
corporation of 5,000 i. This statue will correspond with that
of the late Prince Consort, which also cost the town of
Liverpool 1,000/. The selection of Mr. Thornyeroft met
the approbation of Her 51ajesty, who wss highly pleased
with that of " Albert the good.
ST. PHILIP'S BETHNAL-OREEN. —The third of a
series of Christmas dinners was given last evening in this
district by the incumbent. About 250 of the poorest
people in the district sat down to roast beef and plum mid.
dm/. The total thus feasted is 700.
FATAL &MIK EXPLOSION AT EVLL. Yester-
day, a self-feeding boiler, in the house of Major C,onstahle,
Hull, exploded, killing a charwoman named Barlow, and
severely Injuring the cook. Frost is assigned as the cane
of the accident. The kitchen was destroyed sad the ad-
joining houses were seriously damaged.
STOCK OF GRAIN LIVERPOOL. —By accounta
mode up to the :fist Deciember last it appears that the
following is the of report of the stock of grain in
Liverpool :—Wheat, 109,076 qrs. ; barley, 36,314 qrs. ;
oats, 40,264 ers.; peas, 10,405 qrs.: Indian corn, 13,501 qrs.;
beans, 33.780 qrs. • oatmeal, 8,178 loads ; rye, 950 qrs.;
lour, 8,642 barrel.; ditto, 108,937 sacks.