The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-09 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY EXPLOSION.

Yesterday afternoon a painful sensation was caused
in the immediate vicinity of the Theatre Royal Hay-
market, in consequence of the following extraordinary
explosion occurring in the private house belonging to
Mr. J. Buckstone, the well-known comedian and lessee
of the theatre, at the back of and adjoinine, that place
of amusement, in Suffolk-street, Pall-mall East.
From the inquiries made, it appears that for some
time past a number of men have been employed at the
house numbered 18 in the before-named street, for the
purpose of repairing and painting it, preparatory
to Mr. Buckstone's taking up his residence therein.
During the morning of yesterday the men ;em-
ployed had experienced a strong smell, as if the
gas was escaping, but from what part they were un-
able to tell. They left the house at the usual time
for dinner, and on their return found that the gas smelt
considerably stronger than previously. One of the men,
who was standing on a board swung about midway of
the floor and ceiling, incautiously took a lucifer match,
and drew it across the upper part of the wall, when a
loud and fearful explosion took place, which terrified
the whole of the neighbours, who imagined that the
theatre had taken fire. Simultaneous with the first ex-
plosion the windows were forced out; three of the
painters at work had their clothes set on fire, and a
number of vessels containing turpentine and oil were
soon in a thorough state of ignition. The screams of
the parties brought assistance to the spot, and after
some trouble in extinguishing the flames about three of
the unfortunate men's bodies, those in the house were
also suppressed. It was then found that the three men
were much burnt, two of them so seriously that it was
deemed prudent to remove them to Charing-cross Hospi-
tal, where they were examined by the house-surgeon, who
found their injuries to be of such a character that they
were both put to bed. Everything was done for them that
humanity or surgical skill could devise, but they still re-
main in a very precarious state. One of the sufferers,
who is fearfully burned, is named Charles Sprowle,
aged 42, whose family reside at No. 27, Gloucester-
street, Queen-square. The other patient in the hospital
is named Chas. Shortell, of No. 6, Warren-street,
Fitzroy-square. The engines of the London Brigade
and West of England Office were soon on the spot, but
fortunately the fire was extinguished before their arrival.
It is at present unknown whether the explosion was
caused from the escape of gas before alluded to, or from
the man who drew the match over the wall having acci-
dentally dropped the light into a pot of turpentine stand-
ing under him.
Mr. Buckstone has directed that everything shall be
done for the unfortunate sufferers that their case de-
mands. The theatre itself has not sustained the least
injury, the private house being situated completely be-
hind it.

THE MASSACRE OF THE CREW OF

THE HEROINE.

The following letter has been addressed to the
owners of the brig Tweed, the captain of which
vessel took possession of the Heroine, after the
dreadful murder of the captain and crew, as pub-
lished in The Sun of yesterday :

Cape Lahou, Africa, Sept. 1, 1853.
"Brig Tweed, of Bristol.
" Gentlemen,—When lying at anchor off Grand
Bereby, on the 13th of July last, I was informed by the
natives of that place that the crew of the schooner He-
roine, of London, had been massacred at Grand Tabou,
and that the natives had seized and stripped the vessel
of everything moveable.
" I lost no time in proceeding to Tabou, and arrived
there on the day following, and anchored my vessel
as near the Heroine as I could with safety. At
daylight the next morning I boarded her with five
of my crew, and the stains of blood on her decks
convinced me there had been a dreadful and wholesale
murder committed ; and, finding no person on board,
commenced heaving the anchors up. When I had
purchased one, and loosing all sails preparatory to mov-
ing her, a number of canoes were launched, and pro-
ceeded towards my vessel. After the dreadful murder
that had been committed, I did not feel justified in re-
maining longer on board the schooner at that time, as I
considered my first duty was the protection of my own
vessel and crew ; I therefore left my second mate and
two seamen on board her, cautioning them against any
attempt to get the vessel under weigh until I sent orders
to that effect. I considered it necessary to use every
caution, as the schooner was so near the beach that the
natives could, if so disposed, resist any attempt to re-
move her (without launching their canoes), as she was
within the range of musketlshot ; and, being not sufficiently
manned and armed to take the vessel from the natives by
force, I was compelled, and considered it a duty to all
who may be interested in her, to resort to stratagem ;
and, in order to remove any doubts they might enter-
tain as to my good faith, I promised them, if they
would allow me to remove the schooner from her peri-
lous situation to what I considered a safe anchorage,
I would then come on shore with them and arrange with
King George M'Caulay for the purchase or ransom of
the vessel. After some considerable hesitation they
permitted me to remove the schooner ; and when I saw
her safely under sail proceeding to a proper anchorage
I left her, and, as 1 had promised, went on shore. On
landing, I found large numbers of the natives armed and
evidently prepared to resist any attempt on my part to
dispossess them of the schooner before I had paid what
they considered a sufficient sum for her. After remain-
ing on shore all night—for I was quite in their power,
and they would not allow me to go off in the evening—
I prevailed on the King to allow me to return to my
ship, taking with me those of his people who were to
receive the ransom agreed upon, goods to the amount of
3831. Os. Id. On reaching my vessel I paid the amount
for which I had given my word, not because I considered
them entitled to it, but from a fear of any breach of faith
towards them on my part may be attended with serious,
and perhaps fatal, consequences to the crew of any
other vessel that might visit the place after me.
" The course I have pursued may, perhaps, be open to
some remarks—in fact, some very severe ones have been
passed upon me by the colonists of Cape Palmas ; but,
gentlemen, you will, I am sure, after a perusal of this
letter, fully comprehend the position I was placed in.
Any other means to obtain possession of the vessel must
have failed, as they could, as I have already stated, cover
her with their fire-arms from the beach, or they might
have burnt her ; in fact, they intended to do so if I had
not interfered.
"At 3 a.m., on the 10th, the schooner left Tabou, in
charge of my second mate, and proceeded to Grand
Bereby, with instructions from me to remain there,
getting her rigging set up, and fit for sea. I supplied
them with the necessary stores as far as I could, previ-
ous to her departure from Tabou.

" I shipped on board her 16 tons camwood (9 of my own
and 7 of the Chalco's), as she required ballast, having on
board only 40 casks of oil, say 26 tons, and a little cam-
wood, when she first came into my possession, and which
I did not consider sufficient dead weight for a passage
across the Atlantic. On the arrival of the Chalco, Captain
Gregory, at Frisco, I applied for provisions and stores of
various kinds for the schooner, which he has supplied me
with. I have given him a receipt., and an order on you
for the amount. As I considered the vessel and cargo
to be of considerable value, I was naturally anxious
for all parties to oLain the services of a qualified
person to navigate her home. I offered the command
to Mr. Stafford, chief mate of the Chalco, and he accepted
of the appointment, and have advised him to leave
the amount of remuneration for his services to be decided
by you. My second mate, Mr. Tozer, I appointed chief
mate ; James Mitchell, one of my seamen, and Henry
Phillips, a seaman from the Chalco, have volunteered to
return home in her.
" t`ble
raherewithnsa
ransom
and forward
outfit mn yf
the accountsnh o
oonf
eerx
Heroine.penses
incurred
in
" I remain, Gentlemen, your mo,,stEoDbweAdivenntEsoervADaEnict,.

THE PILOTS AND THE ILL-FATED SHIP.
The following is a copy of a letter to the owners, dated
Castletown, Ireland, Nov. 4:—
« Gentlemen,—l arrived at this harbour yesterday
about noon, with the loss of foremast, and in great dis-
tress. I made Cape Clear light about ten o'clock on
Wednesday night, and bore up for Cork Harbour. In
the morning the wind drew round to the S.E., and I
was on a lee shore, with sails and gear all to pieces.
Soon after daylight we saw a skiff bearing down for us,
and expected to get a pilot. They boarded us about
8.30 a.m. (Thursday), and demanded 4001. to assist us.
I told them how I was situated, and that I could make
no arrangements with them, and requested them
to assist us, and leave it to Lloyd's agent or the
owners of the ship, which they refused to do, and
threatened to leave us, and persuaded me to aban-
don the ship also. They would then have left us had I
not signed an agreement for 2001. to tow us into har-
bour with their skiff, which proved afterwards of no ser-
vice, as we could have done without it ;_buti, seeing us in
distress, refused to put a pilot on board without
mthro.utswthaentaosn-
sistance of their cutter. I have consult
(Lloyd's agent) about it, and he thinks it an imposition,
and that they cannot claim it. I think that 201. would
quite pay them. Mr. Swanton has written to their em-
ployers about it. I have had most terrific weather from
the Western Islands—nothing but continual gales. I
lost the foremost and maintopmast on the 22d of Octo-
tbherroiungh. Theaheavy schooner
gale ; the mast was rotten more than half
is a
yleaky.
state--
at
now,e-
bulwarks gone nearly allround,now and in
very
gentlemen, wait your instructions. If you wish
come to Bristol, she will • either have to refit here or be
towed by steam. We were obliged to cut away the
rigging with the mast, so it will have to be renewed.
We are all of us quite knocked up ; I don't think we
could have stood it three days longer ; everything was
as wet below as on deck.—l remain, gentlemen, your
most obedient servant,

F. W. STAFFORD, Master."

COVENT GARDEN MARKET.—The urinals which were
some time since erected in the avenues of Covent-garden
market, have been removed, and the walls put into their
former condition, with a notice forbidding the committal
of any nuisance against the premises. The offensiveness
of these places, which were erected solely for the public
convenience of persons attending, or passing through,
the market, was found to be so great, especially during
the summer season, as to render their removal of urgent
necessity.
MILITIA ARTILLERY.—The twenty-eight days' training
of the Royal Lancashire corps, commanded by Sir
Duncan M‘Dougall, terminated on the 30th of October.
Colonel Colonel Brereton, C. 8., of the Royal Horse Artillery,
inspected the regiment, when, after marching past
open and close columns, besides the exercises of the
garrison and field-guns, various battalion movements
were performed with a celerity equal to that of any
regular corps.—Livrpoa Journal,