The Express.
London, England, 1850-01-03 00:00:00

EXPLOSION AT GLASGOW.

We recorded on Tuesday the fact of a serious ex- 11
plosion of gas bevies occurred at Glasgow. The North
British Moil affords the following additional particulars :
.• A few minutes after seven o'clock oa Monday morning
the inhabitants residing at Bath•strest and the streets in the
vicinity were thrown into a state of the utmost consternation
by a tremendous s :plosion, followed by a rumbling noise
as of an earthquake. In many of the houses the glass
in every apartment was smashed, and in some instincts
the window-frames forced out. This, it appeared, had
been occasioned from an accidental explosion of gee,
which is supposed to have been accumulating for the last
few days, and latterly had become sooffensive as to ex-
alt, the serious apprehensions of many of the residents.
Oa Monday, in particular, it is slid that the earner of Ball-
arat at West Nile-street was rendered almost impassable
ken the density of the vapour, and we understand that
Mr. Corbett, whose house is in that quarter, apprised the
gas sompany in Virginia-street that something was wroeg
with their pipes, which required immediate attention.
What the effects of this communication were, we
have not as yet learned. To give our enders an idea
of the nature and magnitude of- the explosion, we may
state that the ground under the causeway, and imme-
diately in front of Noe. 21 and 26, Bath-street, has for
some time been formed into vaults. which are at present
occupied by. Mr. Lander, George-street, as an ice-house.
Toe main pipe of the Old Gas Dempany, ea we under-
stand, runs along the causeway at the edge of the gutter,
near Bathetrett, said is thus close to the vault adverted
to. It is sonjectsverd, from a slight subsidence of the
ground at this point, which has been observed for some
time, that the earth had been partially scooped from un-
derneath the pipe, and that, thus left without support, it
had bent, and got partially cracked. This supposition is
the most feasible way of accounting for the leakage which
took place. The vapour, making its secape in dense. quan-
tities, at first got free egress to the open air, but the intense
frost of yesterday appears to have forced it through the
ground in a lateral direction, and the ice-house in this way
. also got impregnated. No danger of explosion was appre-
hended in the vault itself, as the place had been visited on
Saturday night, when aro smell was felt. Monday morn-
ing, however, three men, in the emj loyment of Mr. Lauder,
who were sent to the vault with carts, for a supply of ice,
had no sooner entered the place with lighted canal.s than
a tremendous explosion took place. The unfortunate indivi-
duals who had not got many yards past the door, were
thrown with great violence against the wall, dreadfully
scorched and bruised, and how any of them escaped with
their lives is a matter of astonishment. As before ob-
served, the whole of the atmosphere around being com-
pletely charged with the combustible vapour, the explo-
sion was simultaneous in every quarter, where it had
collected in any quantity, and this accounts for the great
destruction of window plan, which took place at so many
differ. nt points. The houses that have suffered most
are those of Mr. Corbett, 21, and Mr. Brown. 26, Bath•
street, which appeared to have been situated in the very
focus of the explosion, where hardly one pane has cooped
destruction, while the chooses suffered considerably. In Dr.
arlitod's house, West Nde.street, which is about sixty
yards distant, no fewer than twenty panes of g ass have been
soneked, and at the opposite corner of the same street, a few
have also been broken. We regret to say that the most
lamentable 'Met of the catastrophe is its probable result, so
he as the injured men are concerned. They were imme-
diately conveyed to the infirmary. Two of them who acted
as shopmen to Mr. Lauder, respectively named O'Hara and
Wallace, are very much injured, particululy Wallace, whose
life, we understand, is despaired of. The third ma., whose
name we have not ascertained, is less severely scorched,
though none of them ere beyond danger. It is gratifying,
however, to know that, so far as we have learned, no other
casualty hes occurred, notwithstanding the violence of the
concussion was so great that many of the houses actually
shook. In the course of yesterday the scene of devastation
was visited Ir y large numbers."

MUSIC.
LONDON WEDNESDAY CONCERTS.

The concert of last night was the best and most
summand of the season. Exeter-hall was literally
full in every part; for, besides the 'tractions of
Ernst, Thalberg, Miss Dolby, Miss Lacombe, Miss
Poole, and Mrs. A. Newton, S.ms Reeves made his
first appearance this season, after a long absence in
the provinces. Our deservedly favourite tenor stems
to hue returned with renovated health and vigour;
he is much improved in appearance, and his
voice, as tnu't naturally foil ,w. He sang two
of his best piece.; the " Fra poco," from " Lucia
di Lammermoor," and Beethoven's inimitable
"Adelaide." His reception, tt is scare ly necessary
to say, was enthusiastic ; the audience seemed to think
they could not applaud him enough. Ernst continues
in unabated favour; and the great admiration ex-
cited by a style of performance so exquisitely refined
as his, says much for the taste of a p.pular audience.
He played a tante- ia on the romance and march from
" Otello," and his famous " Carnival of Venice."
Thalberg performed in his usual style, and had his
usual reception. His playing is the very perfection
of tone and execution; but his compositions seem sul
to be cast in the same mould, and, to those who
hear him often, their want of variety &regatta
from their effect. Beethoven's scene, " Ab, perhdo!"
one of the finest pieces of dramatic music in existence,
was superbly sung by Miss Lacombe, who gave the
wild ravings of the distracted Medea with great vocal
power and the utmost truth and force of expression.
Handel's beautiful contralto air, " Amor nel neo
penar," from his opera of " Flavio," is one of Miss
Dolby's most successful efforts ; it is a model of pure
and graceful singing. The trio from the " Matrimonio
Segreto," " Vi taccio an inchino," was sung in Eng-
lish by Miss Poole, Mn'. A. Newton, and Miss Doiby,
with excellent effect. Among many other things of
lesser note, there was, a new ballad, "The s diem
boy's return," by Miss F. Romer, which Miss Poole
sang with much feeling and sweetness. The instru-
mental orchestra deserve great praise for their deli-
cacy and smoothness ; and Mr. Land acquitted him-
self with great ability as the accompanist on the
pianoforte.
Considerable annoyance is caused at these concerts
by a portion of the audience vociferously encoring
almost every thing. Many of these calls are, of
worse, opposed, and a scene of noisy contention is
the result. The performers themselves, if they were
wise, would abate this nuisance by declining to
comply with an encore, unless the call is unanimous.