The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-20 00:00:00

£0,880,025
BANKING DEPARTMENT.

Proprietors' Capi-
tal £14,553,000
Pest
Public Deposits (in-
cluding Exche •
-
quer, Savings'
Banks, Commis-
missioners of Na-
tional Debt, and
Dividend Ac-

Government Secu-
rities (including
Dead Weight A-
nnuity) £ 9,570,212
Other Securities 19,780,748
Notes
Gold and Silver 772,463
Coin

counts) 3,273,589
Other Deposits— 14,C93,154
Seven Day and
other Bills 505,985

£35,770,513
1

L 35,779,513
MILLER, Chief Cabhier.

Oct. 20, 1864.

The Explosion at Erith,

Yesterday evening Mr W. Payne, coroner for London and
Southwark, resumed at Guy's Hospital the inquiry respect-
ing the death of the girl Elizabeth Osborn, who expired
from the effects of the explosion at Erith.
Mr C. J. Carttar, the coroner for Kent, was present.
Mr H. Bodkin Poland, instructed by Mr Tassell, ap.
peared on behalf of Messrs Hall, the owners of the exploded.
barges and magazines.

It will be remembered that these proceedings had been
adjourned in order that the cm over might apply to the Board
of Trade to direct an inspection to be made of the barrels,
Bcc., in use by the Messrs Hall, as the undated letter found
atter the explosion in the handwriting of George Rayner,
the manager of the exploded magazine, described the con-
dition of the barrels sent to him from Faversham to be in
the last degree dangerous.

Mr C. J. Carttar handed to Mr Coroner Payne the letter
of Rayner, which has been already published.
Mr Payne read the letter to the jury, and made a note of
the fact.

Mr Peter Hall was then sworn. He said—l carry on
business as one of the fi-ra at Lombard•street. William
Nlonk is the manager at Faversham, and George Rayner
was the manager of the magazine at Erith. The letter pro-
duced, though addressed to Monk, was not received. If it
had been my brother would hays seen it at Faversham, I
believe moat confidently the letter was never sent. It was
written three years ago.
Coroner—Ysu cannot tell that.

Witness.—Well, three years ago Rayner called at the
offices and complained of the casks, and said " Do so cer-
tainly;" but I communicated with my brother, who visited
the works next day. lly impression is that he did not
send the letter, as I took up the matter myself. No com-
plaints were made since then.
_ _

A Juror—But in the letter ho says, '. I have not as yet
made any complaint," so that he could not ha, a seen you at
the time he wrote the letter, and he told you ho would
write.

Witness said that his impression was that the letter, which
was without date, had been written when Rayner had the
interview with him.

The coroner then read a few words from the fragment of a
letter dated 1818, and written by a man named William
Hart, in which it was said, " Let these be sent in new and
sound casks, not," &c. The letter had been picked up, like
the other, after the explosion. It did not appear to be of
any particular importance, But he had received a number
of letters and communications from different persons, some
of which contained apparently valuable suggestions. He
had written to ask the Board of Trade to cause an inspection
to be made GI the c misting magazines of Messrs Hall, but
they had not done so.

Various suggestions as to the safe package and storage of
powder having been offered,

The Foreman said that it would certainly seem to be de-
sirable that magazines should only be erected on such a spot
that an explosion would not place in peril the lives of a
whole community.

Mr Hall said that 18 acres of land had been purchased at
gnat expense, solely to keep persons at a distance.

The Coroner said that no doubt the Messrs. Hall had
done everything for the best, according to their judgment,
and therefore they could not fairly be blamed for, the cala-
mity which had taken place. But after such occurrences
suggestions were naturally made with a view to improve-
ment, and he had no doubt that due consideration would be
given to them.
The Jury returned a verdict—" That the deceased died
from the effects of an accidental explosion of gunpowder,
but that there was uo evidence as to how the explosion
arose."

The Foreman said that the jury had already expressed
their opinion with respect to the danger of permitting lights
and fires on board powder barges.
The proceedings then terminated.