The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-25 00:00:00

The Shaksperian Tercentenary Celebration
at Stratford-on-Avon,

On Saturday laet the contractors for the erection
of the Great Pavilion (Messrs. Branson and Murray,
of Birmingham), having completed their work in
the interior, the artisans who had been employed
upon the building were entertained therein to din-
ner, and about 120 workmen partook of the hospi-
tality of the committee. The building has now
passed into the bands of the decorator (Mr. Brothers,
of Leamington), under whose artistic skill the
pavilion will, it is expected, be finally completed by
the middle of April; but even now, in its compara•
tively imperfect condition, it has a singularly im-
posing appearance, and, as will be seen by those
visitors who aro invited to inspect it during the
Easter week, when viewed from the south-east,
gallery, possesses a magnitude and apprcpriateress
of design unsurpassed by any building of a tem-
porary character that has ever been erected for a
great national festival.

On Saturday the chair was taken by the Mayor
E. F. Flower, EQq.), and the arrangement of the
tables was similar to that which will be observed at
the commemoration banquet, at which the Earl of
Carlisle will preside, on the 23d of April. Among
those members of the committee present were the
Rev. G. Granvile (vicar), the Rev. W. Morton (sub-
vicar), Dr. Kingsley, the honorary secretary, Messrs.
R. H. Hobbes, Charles E. Flower, E. Flower, J.
Cox, jan., W. Gibbs, J. Morgan, W. G. Colbourne,
R. M. Bird, W. Thompson, W. F. Bolton, J. Atkin-
son, J. J. Nason, and J. S. Leaver. A number of
ladies and gentlemen occupied the galleries.
In acknowledging the toast of his health, the
Vicar took the opportunity of expressing his high
opinion of the excellent behaviour of the workmen
engaged on the building, and the truly orderly way
in which such a great work had been conducted.
Infinite credit, he said, was due to them, and to
show his own appreciation of their conduct, he in-
tended to provide special accommodation for them,
so that they might take part in the services of the
church during the Sunday of the festival week.
The AIAYOR, in proposing the healths of the
architects (Messrs. Thompson and Colbourne), said
that ho had been assured, by a professional engi-
neer, that, as regarded the strength of the building,
it was thoroughly trustworthy and safe. He wished
that opinion to go forth to the public, so that the
timid might have positive assurance of the com-
plete security of the pavilion. Iu fact he had beep
told that the building was extra strong—too strong
—in every part. It was excellent too for sound. All,
he thought,could distinctly hear him in the building
There was no necessity to raise his voice to a scream,
nor to speak in undertone, but he could address them
with ease in his ordinary tone of voice. The pavilion,
too, was particularly good for the capabilities of
conveying sound in a musical point of view, as they
might judge by the performance of the excellent
little band then in the orchestra, and with those
accomplished artists who would be on the orchestra
or the stage, and who could modulate their voices,
the effect would be much improved, and they would
be heard to the greatest advantage. This was most
important and satisfactory to the public, to the
artistes, to the inhabitants, and also to the com-
mittee, because it was no longer doubtful whether
every one who took part in the musical and dramatic
performanc m 3, or in the proceedings of the festival
dinner, could be heard in every part of that large
building without the slightest difficulty.
At the committee meetiog on 'Wednesday last it
was stated by the chairman (the Mayor), that
William Creswick, Esq., who has already consented
to perform the part of Jacques, in " As You Like
had also acceded to a request that he would under-
take the arrangements for completing the cast of
characters in that play, and superintending its per-
formance upon the stage.

Explosion at a Royal Artillery Laboratory,
ELEVEN MEN MEN KILLED.
The Quebec Morning Chronicle, of the sth instant, just
received, contains a long account of a disastrous explosion
which had occurred at the Royal Artillery Laboratory he
Quebec :—" In the middle of the day, without a moment's
warning, 11 human beings were launched into eternity by
the blowing up of the laboratory connected with the R rya..
Artillery Barracks,Quebec, three who were in the building
at the time escaping almost by miracle, although severely
injured. The building which was the scene of the ex-
plosion was a low stone erection of recent date, with walls
of some three feet in thickness, and in every other re-
spect strongly built, situated within the enclosure known
as the Lower Park. At the time of its destruction it was
usel as a laboratory by the Royal Artillery in garrison.
Within the same enclosure there is another building sur-
rpunded by a wall and used as a magazine. Immediately
opposite the spot where the explosion occurred there is a
long building used for the storage of field glens and heavy
stores and tools. At 20 minutes to 12, persona throughout
the Upper Town heard two slight explosions, followed by
a terrific shock, which caused dwellings to vibrate to their
foundations, and sent window glass, broken into minute
fragments, flying in showers into the streets. It was only at
a comparatively short distance from the scene of the disaster
that the first shocks were heard ; but the grand explosion
was terrific, and made itself felt far and near through-
out the city and its environs. The sound was short
and sharp, but of intense loudness. The echoes which it
caused to reverberate as the sound sped rapidly toward:•
the heights on the opposite shores of the St. Lawrence and
St. Charles, heightened the alarm. Persons who were in
the streets and chanced to look upwards saw in the direc-
tion of St. John's Gate a volume of white smoke shooting
straight up into the heavens, which in a moment wen
darkened by the millions of fragments projected upward;
with awful force, and driven far over the city in the direc-
tion of the river. In the streets the panic became general.
Horses bolted in all directions from the carters' stands
Pedestrians rushed in the direction of the supposed scene
of the accident or ran frantically towards their homes.
Fragments of stones, pieces of beams and joists, portions
of the tin covering of the laboratory roof, artillery tools—
aye, even the shrivelled shreds of the unfortunate victims
had fallen into the streets within a few seconds after the
great explosion. The debris came down in a shower, and b
is only surprising that fatal injuries did not result from this
cause. It appears the working party in the building were
engaged in the duty of discharging or destroying defective
fuses, and making new ones. There were 14 persons in
the building at the time, viz., Captain Mahon, R.A,, fire-
master ; Corporal Brayshaw, the laboratory foreman; Mr.
Hawkins, ordnance foreman ; Private Flanagan, 17th Re-
giment ; James Doolan, ordnance labourer; and Gunners
elorant, Russell, Bruce, Elmer, Finn, Lewis, Thompson,
Baxter, and Burr, of the Royal Artillery. One of the men,
it is steted, was immediately outside the door destroying a
fuse, when instead of its contents discharging forward they
discharged backwards, and ignited some of the powder
inside. The first indication of danger to those inside the
laboratory was the flash of the ignited powder, followed by
an explosion. Gunner Morant, one of the survivors, raised
his hands to his eyes and attempted to run to the door. The
great explosion took place; ho lost consciousness, but was
fortunately blown altogether clear of the building, where
he was taken up alive, although suffering from injuries sus-
tained. Captain Mahon and Corporal Brayshaw were also
blown out, and thus fortunately escaped death. Captain
Mahon's escape was really wonderful. When found by the
Ifirst persons who arrived on the spot, he was almost covered
with debris.
"Eleven men were killed by the explosion—Mr. Haw-
kins, foreman of the Ordnance Department, married ;
James Doolan, ordance labourer, married; Private F.
Flanagan, Ist battalion 17th Regiment ; Gunners—Russell,
R.A., single; George Bruce, R.A., single; H. Elmer,
R.A., sngle ; J. Finn, R.A., single; J. Lewis, R.A.,
married ; R. Thompson, R.A., married ; R, Baxter, It A.,
single ;J. Burr, R.A., single. Mr. Hawkins had been
attached to the Ordnance Department for many years, and
had long resided in this city, where he was well known
and much esteemed. Private Flanagan was an intelligent
and well-conducted soldier of the 17th, who was regularly
working at the laboratory. All the men in the laboratory
were first-class men.
" The wounded are Captain Mahon, R.A., Corporal
Brayshaw, and Gunner Morant, R.A. But besides these
who were at the laboratory a large number of persons
were injured slightly in the streets by the fall of fragments
or the dashing out of pieces of glass. One man, walking
up St. John-street, was struck by a piece of plank, and
received a severe blow. Several of the children of the
school house on the Esplanade had their heads and faces
cut by the flying particles of glass dashed violently from
the windows. Of the laboratory itself there is no longer
the semblance of a building. There is a species of pit
filled with heavy debris of the walls and roof ; but literally
not a stone upon a stone. The outer door in the wall sur-
rounding the magazine was shattered and blown in; and
the projecting eave of the building presented the appear-
ance of having been struck by some heavy body in its
descent. All over the Lower Park, upon the giacis, and
along the top of the rampart there were balls, shells, and
other projectiles, heavy tools, mashed and wrenched out
of all shape and half-buried in the snow.
"The bodies of the victims presented a moat sickening
spectacle—one which in loathsome horror can hardly be
imagined. The fragments were gathered up in powder
blankets, but in some instances it was impossible to decide
to which body they belonged.
" Such was the general smash caused by the concussion