The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-17 00:00:00

Fatal Boiler Explosion in Glasgow.

On Friday afternoon a boiler explosion, which
has already occasioned the death of two men, and
which there is only too much reason to fear may
yet give rise to fatal results in one or two other
cases, occurred in the chemical works of Messrs.
Charles Tenneut and Co., St. Rollos, Glasgow.
The portion of the establishment in which the
accident occurred is an extensive shed-like building
where the maganes© recovery process is carried on.
A good deal of machinery seems to be employed in
this portion of the works, and the engine which
affords the necessary power is supplied with steam
from a set of boilers placed, not as is often the case,
in the open air, but within the building. The
boilers, which are five in number, have, we believe,
been in use about three years, and certainly, to
judge by appearances, they seem to be of the most
substantial construction. _

At the time when the accident occurred only
three of the boilers were in use. It was about a
quarter to four o'clock when the men employed
about the works and the people in the imme-
diate neighbourhood were startled by a pretty
loud report, and presently those in the imme-
diate vicinity of the boiler, found themselves
enveloped in clouds of steam and exposed
to streams or plashes of scalding water. When
the panic occasioned by the catastrophe had par-
tially subsided, and the steam had begun to clear
away, the nature of the accident became apparent.
It was discovered that the boiler had been lifted
bodily a foot or two from its bed, and had settled
down again on the ruins of the brickwork which
had enclosed it. The brickwork at both ends was
blown down and lay in two heaps of debris, and a
considerable portion of that which had supported
the west side of the boiler was also displaced. The
boiler itself seemed externally to have sustained no
damage, but on looking inside it was found that
the flue had been torn to pieces. Giving way in this
manner, the boiler had belched forth the boiling
water, with which it was charged, through the flue
apertures at both ends. Fortunately, at the north
end, the scalding steam was arrested in its course
by the opposite wall of the firehole; while at the
opposite extremity the wall of the kiln above re-
ferred to interposed an equally effective barrier to
its passage, Had it not been for these obstructions,
the water must have been dashed about the pre-
mises to a much greater extent than it was, and in
that case a much larger number of persons than those
who have actually been injured would have suffered
from the calamity. As it is, the results are exceed-
ingly lamantable. When the real magnitude
of the disaster had been ascertained, it ap-
peared that seven of the men employed in the im-
mediate neighbourhood of the boiler had been more
or less seriously injured, The engineman, John
Richmond, who happened at the time of the acci-
dent to be standing in the fire-hole immediately op-
posite the end of the boiler, was exposed to the full
force of the stream of scalding water, and thrown
down by a mass of falling brickwork. When ex-
tricated from the debris the poor fellow was found
to be fearfully scalded, the skin all over his body
peeling off in shreds. He was a good deal bruised
about the upper part of his person by the rubbish
which had fallen upon him. The other persons in-
jured had suffered chiefly, if not entirely, from the
scalding effects of the water and steam. John
M'Lachlan, a labourer, was frightfully scalded
all over his body. Andrew WFarlane, labourer,
was very badly scalded about the arms and upper
part of his body; and four other labou.rers,,name
Samuel Guthrie, I atri
ick
Thomas M‘Donald,
ITllonald, and John Glancey, were more or less n-
jured from the same cause.
Richmond and 111‘liachlan died in the course of
the evening.
With regard to the cause offt:ne acc.ident, wo have
as yet heard no explanation.. The boiler, we under-
stand, is to be allowed to lie in the condition in
which the explosion loft it till it shall have been
inspected by a properly qualified person.—Glasgow
Herald.

THE DUNE AND DUCHESS OF BUCKINGHAM are
entertaining a large party at Stowe House, Buckingham-
shire.
Lord Brougham arrived in Paris on Friday after-
noon, and proposes to remain a week. He will then pro-
coed to his seat at Cannes. His lordship attended th 6
w
sitting of the National Institute on Saturday, and • ill re-
peat his visit to-day. Ho is in excellent health,
THE BATTLE OF THE STIT6IIES.--Of
as o
the per-
fection to which mechanical science has h
life,s brought
a beautiful
many of the conveniences of domestic
,
illustration is furnished in the instance of a sewing machine
of Messrs. Wilecx and Gibbs, of Regent
street which for
"
family use seems quite unrivalled. The main principle of
it is wonderfully simple and yet extremely ingenious. One
recommendation of this machine is the elegance of its con-
struction, which renders it quit© an ornamental piece of
furniture for the parlour or the drawing-room. The
machine will stitch a yard of cloth thoroughly and beauti-
fully in 12 seconds. It is like and yet it soon be-
comes as familiar as any ordinary household utensil. The
twisted loop stitch is a peculiarity of this machine. The
twist strengthens the 11.()1d of the thread and produces a
strong and durable seam that will stand any amount of
washing or friction.
by
mere
Ad machine of this sort cannot be
done justice to
Wilcox and Gibbs' ee,eription. When seen at work.
"the perfect' sewing machine appears to be what it
really is,
frequently Seen ion of mechanism realised." We have
speak of it from e this machine in use, and can, therefore,
with which it is experience, and have observed the facility
TH:ottr
tion.— t
cirewuola,..ed after a very few words of iostruc-
BURNING OF KAGOSIMA.--On the first
Tuesday after parliament meets Mr. Buxton will move the
followiT.g resolutions :—" 1. That 'this house views the
burning of the town of Kagosima by Admiral Kuper with
deep regret," "2. That the burning of the town was not
justified by the instructions issued to Colonel Neale."
It appears from official returns that the number
of letters transmitted through the French Fost.office in te
year 1861 amounted to 300,000,000, of which 1,820,000 werhe
money letters, value not declared, and 976,047 letters of
which the declared value was 600,000,000 f. Tho produce
during the year 1861 was
of the receipts of the Post-office
66,781,3031,, and the exrnse 42,748,373 f., leaving a balance
to the Treasury of 21,032,990 f. The gross receipts of the
French Post-office in 1802 rose to 96,906,800 f. The num-
ber of private telegraphic despatches transmitted in 1862
Was 1,521,000, ar,d the receipts 5,315,0001.