The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-02 00:00:00

The Gas Explosion at Nine Elms.

An inspection yesterday of the scene of the ter-
rible explosion on the works of the London Gas-
light Company at Nine Elms, and a further inquiry
into the particulars of the calamity, show that its
extent and the destruction of life and property as
reported in The Sun were not at all exaggerated.
In fact, it would be almost impossible to exaggerate
the misery and trouble brought on numberless fami-
lies through the explosion, for besides the nine men
who are known to be killed, and the many who are
known to be more or less injured, the homes, the
little all, of a large number of hardworking families,
have been completely wrecked, and they are for the
time houseless and homeless.

.This description more particularly applies to a
row of about 20 Cleat houses opposite to the wall
of the gas-works, and known as Haward-street.
As a rule, two families lived in each house,
and all were of the respectable .artisan class,
with homes neatly furnished. A visit yesterday
to these houses showd them to be in a most deplor-
able state. All the front windows, and most of the
back ones, of every house had been completely
shattered, and in many instances the whole of the
framework as well. Street doors had been wrenched
off their hinges, and the interior of every house ap-
peared as though each had had cannon-balls dropped
through the roof, for the ceilings of the rooms were
shaken down, the inner walls were torn from the
laths, and in some instances the flooring had given
way. The people stood about their desolate homes
as though they were for the time shaken out of the
energy, characteristic of their race. They stated that
they had sat up the previous evening in a back place
called the kitchen—a sort of " lean-to"—as they
had not a bed to sleep in, and they were afraid of
the room walls falling down. They were of opinion,
too, they should have to sit up all last night. They
bore their trouble with a calmness and patience
which certainly could not be looked for under the
circumstances. One woman's only trouble was
that she had not a piece of tarpaulin to keep the
rain out of the roof, and to save her lodger's furni-
ture from further damage ; while another, who
called from a house destitute even of a window sash,
only asked that the doctor might be reminded that
he had a patient there, she having both hands and
arms bounct up through injuries received on the pre-
vious diy. The people were asked by Inspector
Silverton, one of the officers having charge of the
police stationed about the works, why they did not
move away at once or go and find sleeping places
elsewhere, and the answer returned was that they
could not leave their homes—for as such they still
regarded the soot and plaster covered and shattered
articles they looked upon as furniture. It is fair to
state that the company's officers are using their best
energies, under the direction of Mr. Watson, the
engineer, to put the damaged houses in a condition
to be inhabited.

The works were yesterday visited by the directors
of the company and by many of the shareholders,
who appeared anxious to judge by their own eyes of
the extent of the damage. There was, as a matter
of course, much inquiry as to the cause of the cala-
mity, and it may be well to state some of the views
expressed by those present. It will be remembered
that the works were described as having two very
large gasometers, or gasholders, called Nos. 1 and 2,
about 400 ft. apart, and each at the time charged
with about 1,000,000 cubic feet of gas. At about
10ft. or 12ft. from No. 1, and between that and No.
2, was a large and strongly constructed " meter-
house," with solidly built brick walls and an iron
roof. The opinion is that it was within this
" meter-house" that the explosion, from an escape
of gas, first occurred, and that the force of the
explosion burst No. 1 gasometer in the side, caus-
ing the flames to burst through the iron roof. It
is still strongly maintained that a gasometer
cannot burst. This may be the opinion
among those connected with the manufacture
of gas, but any one looking at No. 1 gasometer as
it now lies empty would judge that an explosion
from the inside had occurred, as the massive riveted
iron plates forming the top are thrown back like
crumpled sheets of paper. The appearance of No. 2
gasometer is very different. There is a simple hole
in the top, made, it is believed, by a piece of iron
which had been blown up in the explosion, and the
flames from the other gasometer catching the
.escaping gas it burnt itself out. It is feared that
three of the large columns of No. 2 are very much
injured, and, with this exception, the damage at
this part of the works stops with the loss of gas
and the broken. gasometer.

Arrangements have been entered into by the
company with other companies for the supply of
the districts which these two damaged gasholders
supplied, and yesterday workmen were engaged in
different parts in connecting the " London's" mains
with other supplies, so there is a hope that the
houses, and in some instances the whole districts,
which were on Tuesday night left without gas,
would last night be able to light up.
The dead in the works are recognised, and are
described as follow :--Edward Burke, foreman ; T.
O'Donnell, contractor for-plastering ; F. Thomsett,
foreman for Mr. Docra, the contractor for brick-
work ; T. Fielder, a carpenter (who has left a wife
and four children to deplore his loss) ; W. Carter,
carpenter ; John Dwire, apprentice to O'Donnell ;
and Frank Woodham, also an apprentice to
O'Donnell. The two who died in the hospital soon
after admittance are, as was stated yesterday, Sid-
ney Smith, a foreman, and Patrick Shea. These
two both died from severe injuries on the head,
one having a piece of slate embedded in the brain,
and the other acompound fracture of the skull.
On inquiry late last evening at St. Thomas's
Hospital, it was stated that all the patients taken
there in consequence of this accident were going on
quite as favourably as could be expected, and that
no other deaths had occurred.

HIGHLAND RAILWAY CONVERSATION.—AIy fellow
passengers on this journey were small farmers,
artisans, clerks, and fishermen. They discussed every-
thing, politics, literature, religion, agriculture, and even
scientific matters, not in the heavy style of the Mutual
Association for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, but in
a light and airy spirit of banter and fun. An old fellow,
whose hands claimed long acquaintance with the plough,
gave a whimsical description of the parting of the Atlantic
telegraph cable, which set the whole carriage in a roar.
"Have you any shares in it, Sandy ?" said one. "Na,
na," said Sandy. "I've left off speculatin' since my
wife took to wearing. crinolines. I canna afford it
noo." "Fat d'ye think of the rinderpest, Sandy ?"
inquired another. "Weal, I'm thinking that if my
coo tales it, Tibbie and me winna ha' muckle
milk to our tay." The knotty question of Predestination
came up, and could not be settled. When the train stopped
at the next station, Sandy said : " Bide a wee, there's a
Doctor of Deveenity in ane o' the first class carriages. I'll
gang and ask him fat he thinks aboot it." And out Sandy
got to consult the doctor. We could see him parleying
with the eminent divine over the carriage door, and pre-
sently he came running back, just as the train was start-
ing, and was bundled in neck and crop by the guard.
" Weel, Sandy," said his oppugner on the Predestination
question, "did the doctor o' deveenity gie you his opi-
nion ?" "Aye, did he." "And fat did he say aboot it ?"
" Weel, he just said ho didna ken and he didna care." The
notion of a doctor of divinity neither kenning nor caring
about the highly important doctrine of Predestination so
tickled the fancy of the company that they went into fits
of laughter.—Dickens's "All the Year Round."
THE ORIGIN OF KISSING.—That it is a custom of
remote antiquity appears from the book of Genesis
(xxxvii. 26), when Isaac kissed his son Jacob. This kiss
is remarkable as the first recorded in history. Indeed the
Bible abounds with all sorts of kisses. We have the kiss
of homage, in Esther, v. 2 ; of subjection, in 1 Samuel, x.
1; of reconciliation, in 2 Samuel, xiv. 33; of valediction,
in Ruth i. 14 ; of approbation, in. Psalms, ii. 12 ; of humble
gratitude, in Luke, vii. 38 ; of welcome, in Exodus, xviii.
7 ; of love and joy, in Genesis, xxix. 11 ; of sorrow, in
Acts xx. 37 ; of peace, in Romans, xvi. 16 ; and of idola-
trous reverence, in Hosea, xiii. 2. There are also spiritual
kisses, as in Canticles, i. 2; sensual kisses, as in Proverbs.
vii. 17 ; and hypocritical kisses, as in 2 Samuel, xtv, 5.
Kisses are also traitorous, such as Joab's to Amasa, when
ho kissed and then slew (in 2 Samuel, xx. 9), and that of
Judas to Christ, when he kissed and then betrayed. It was
customary to kiss the mouth, and also the beard, which
latter is still practised by the Arabs. Kissing the hand is
not biblical. Kissing the feet was an expression of lowly
and tender regard, in Luke, vii. 38. We are told that the
members of the church at Ephesus wept sore at St. Paul's
departure, "fell on his neck, and kissed him." The kiss of
peace was an apostolic custom, and continues to be one of
the rites in the Eucharistic services of the Roman Catho-
lics, which for obvious reasons is omitted on Good Friday.
—Fiesse and Lubin, Flower Farmers. •

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44.

HER MAJESTY•

WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. 1.
The Queen, with the Prince and Princess Louis
of Hesse and Princess Helena, drove out yesterday
afternoon, and again drove out in the grounds this

morning.
The Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse and
Princess Helena, attended by the Hon. Florence
Seymour, Major-General Seymour (Equerry in
Waiting), and Karon Rabenau, went out riding.
Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and
Princess of Prussia arrived at the Castle to-day
from London, attended by the Countess Hohenthal,
Count Eulenburg, and M. de Norman.
The Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse drove
to the station of the Great Western Railway and
accompanied the Crown Prince and Princess to the
Castle.

Lord Charles Fitzroy and Colonel H. PonsonbY
have succeeded as Equerries in Waiting.

The Royal Visit to Lancashire.

LIVERPOOL, Wednesday.
It would have been reasonable to expect that,
after the fatigues of the progress through Liverpool
on Tuesday, and the dinner and ball at Knowsley
which followed the same night, the royal visitors
would be glad to rest ; but early to day the prince
and a distinguished party commenced the explora-
tion of the Knowsley coverts, which are crowded
with game. In the afternoon the Earl of Derby and
the Hon. E. Stanley left the shooting party and
accompanied the Princess of Wales and the noble
hostess of Knowsley and the other ladies of the
party on a visit to the Ravenhead glassworks of st•
Helen's.

Although the route did not lead through the
town, the St. Helen's folk kept close holiday, hung
out such flags and banners as they could find, rung
the church bells, and assembled the school children,
to greet the princess. The 47th Lancashire Rifles
and the 2d Lancashire Engineers mustered in force
to present the salute at the point of the route
nearest to the boundary of the town. At Raven"
head the women and girls, to the number of 300'
arrayed themselves in striped pick and white
jackets, and the men turned their heads with 3
will to the erection of arches and canopies for the
gratification and comfort of their illustrious visitor.
The royal party approached the works by thie
Liverpool turnpike-road, which they had reached
through the Eccleston-gate, and then along 3
narrow carriage drive to the entrance. The rode
approaching this carriage drive were divided 14
barriers from the royal route, and here some bun"
dreds of people lined the route for miles, cheering
enthusiastically. Volunteers presented arms
the princess entered the grounds of the works, an
the drive down to the entrance was kept by th°
county police. Mr. Sullivan, the chief proprietor
of the manufactory, received the royal party at °lie
gate of the works. Here the princess alighte'
on a crimson cloth under a canvas canopy, which
formed the vestibule of the old casting-hall. The
immense room, containing 100 tempering ovens,
was visited by George IV., when Prince of Wales,
in company with the Duke of Wellington and 3
party then staying at Knowsley. In this apartment,
the princess witnessed the earlier and rougher Pre-
cesses of glass-making, the royal party occupying
a dais covered with crimson cloth in the centre of
the hall. Mr. Sullivan described the process of
tempering, and a pot of molten glass was taken
from one of the furnaces, poured upon an iron table'
and rolled into a sheet of glass, as an illustration ,
the plate-making process. Leaving this apartiaen;
the princess was conducted to a large shop, when
100 women and children were employed in smooth-
ing the plates of glass. The processes of grinding
the plates, polishing, and making them ready fcir
silvering, were then explained and seen in operation'
and in the last shop visited the princess witnessed'
with much. interest, the workmen applying the
quicksilver to a fine plate intended for a mirror.
Upon leaving the building the royal party Were,
received with great cheering by all the workpeoPe
on the establishment, who were assembled on 3
green which fronts the house of the manager, P'
Crossley. This enthusiastic demonstration continue',
until the royal party left the works and proceedend
on the return route. The populace by this time he
assembled in much larger numbers, and,
several hundreds of schoolchildren, kept up a oher,eo
of cheering until the cortege had passed beyond tn
bounds. assistedl9/0

THE CROWN PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF PRUSSIA,
—Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince Oa
Princess of Prussia left the Prussian Embassy at Wel°
o'clock yesterday, where their royal highnesses have pee:,
staying since their arrival from the Continent on Sattllll%
last, for Windsor Castle. Their royal highnessss wer;
accompanied to the Great Western Railway Station bi Di
Excellency the Prussian Ambassador and the Countess
Bernstorff, who there took leave of the prince and princes,
;
The Countess Hohenthal, Count Eulenburg, and Call,
de Norman were in the suite of their royal highnesses.
hear that shortly after the return of the Prince and Pr a
cess of Wales from Lancashire the Crown Prince an
Princess will pay a visit to Sandringham.
Her Highness Princess Anatole BariatinskY 3,
her sons, Princes Wladimir and Alexander, have left t""
Clarendon Hotel, for St. Petersburg.
The Duke of Argyll has returned to Invert
Castle, Argyleshire. The noble duke and duchess do net
leave Scotland for the South till the end of next month. 6
The Earl and Countess of Yarborough aucL
select party have assembled at Hinton Hall, Lincolnsliwl
on a visit to Mr. Edward and Lady Eleanor Heneage• for
The Earl of Dudley leaves town to-dg

Paris. Si'
The Earl and Countess de Grey left their re
deuce in Carlton-gardens yesterday for Studley Park, le'
Ripon.
The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield left tbeci:
residence in Grosvenor-street yesterday for Bretby Fur);
Derbyshire. ITO
The Earl and Countess of Dartmouth 113 cr
arrived at their residence in Grosvenor-square for a fe
days, from their seat, Patshull, Wolverhampton.
cot
The Earl and Countess Spencer left Spell-t
House, St. James's, yesterday, for Euston Hall, Suft°i.l
on a visit to the Duko and Duchess of Grafton. On Sgt;
turday the noble earl and countess will join the party
Lord and Lady Suffield's seat in Norfolk.
The Earl of Cathcart has arrived at MaariP
Hotel, from Thornton-le-street, Thirsk, Yorkshire. ,00
The Countess of Caledon left town yesterday
Longford Castle, Wilts, to visit Viscount and Viscount'
Folkestone. Of
• If the Ear'

We understand that the marriage o. le .
Dudley and Miss Moncrieffe, daughter of Sir Thomas grip
Lady Louisa Moncrieffe, is appointed to take place on
23d inst. to
The Countess Hohenthal, Lady in Waitilig „a
her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Prussia, it-io
Count Eulenburg and Captain de Norman, Gentlemeu of
Waiting to his Royal Highness the Crown Prince
Prussia, have left Maurigy's Hotel, for Windsor Castle. ~,
Viscount and Viscountess Hood have left tow
for their country seat. the
Count Edouard de Viel Castel has arrived at -
Clarendon Hotel. to
The Hon. Edward Russell leaves town to-dg
join the family circle at Kirkby-Mallory, Leicestersh..,:irerg
The Hon. Frederick and Lady Elizabeth IrliPefor,
left town yesterday for Selby Hall, Northamptonshire'
the
Thunting season.
he Right Hon. Sir George Grey left town
evening for his seat, Falloden, in Northumberland.
Their Excellencies Sir -Henry and Lady 11°Is
have arrived at Brown's Hotel, from Corby Castle.
i,er
GALE.—SHIELDS, Wednesday, Noon._ 111
the
very stormy night has been experienced at sea'
wind blowing a gale from the North-east, and this Inlea
ing, at daylight, a little schooner was observed strgqijogl,
behind the South Pier. She proved to be the Curley
of Montrose. The lifeboat put of to her assistance; db.
the crow were enabled to wade on to the pier on the of 0'
Upon the flood tide the vessel, with the assistatic%oo.
salvage crew, was towed off and brought into the 11004
There is every reason to fear that the steam tog, ;030'
Airey, belonging to the Tyne, has perished with all " tor,
She left here oniThursday, having a «hopper" iloire
which was going to load ironstone in one of the Yer; ea to
ports. In the gale of Friday the steam tug was ebitcol
cast the " hopper " adrift. The " hopper" has boll 'OOO
up by a screw and towed into Bridlington ; but tbe tOOO
tug has not since been heard of, and there is every I,olof
to believe that she has foundered and Drowned her cl
four hands.