The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-28 00:00:00

INCENDIARY FIRE AT COTON

NEAR CAMBRIDGE.

CAMBRIDGE, SUNDAY EvEignie.-_Last night, just
before midnight, the greatest consternation was caused
in the picturesque and usually quiet village of Coton,
two miles and a half from this borough, on the road to
St. Neot's, by the outbreak of a fearful fire upon the
extensive premises belonging to and in the occupation of
Messrs. Reynolds and Sons, farmers. From the fact of
the homestead being placed upon a hill near to the vil-
lage church, the spire of which may be distinctly seen
from the roof of St. John's College, in Cambridge, the
rising of the flames was most clearly perceived by
watchmen patroling the outskirts; and as soon as the
information could be conveyed, the circumstance of the
outbreak was made known to the principals at the several
fire offices. The engineer connected with the Phoenix
Fire Office immediately ordered' post horses and two
postillions to take over the engine, which he accompa-
nied, attended by a body of firemen. So rapidly was the
machine conveyed to the scene, that in twenty minutes
subsequently to the start being made the men were upon
the spot.
At this moment the appearance of the flames was
fearful in the extreme. A large stack of beans, con-
taining about 120 loads, was on fire throughout. Imme-
diately adjoining this there was a stack of straw, and
within a distance of a few yards stood a granary or barn
(thatched), not less than 150 feet long ; an extensive
range of stabling, in which there were eight or ten
valuable horses, with harness cc,mplete ; a large yard,
fully furnished with hay, fodder, and materials for bed-
ding the cattle ; and a stack of old wheat, containing
about 200 quarters.

In addition to these buildings, upon the opposite side
of the yard stands another barn, fully stored, and the
dwelling-house of the proprietors. Most providentially,
notwithstanding the great bulk of the flame, the wind
was westerly, and not at all violent, so that the stream
of fire and shower of sparks was blown in the
direction of an open lane immediately opposite to the
burning ricks ; but so slightly away from the thatched
barns, that it required al) the care and atten-
tion he firemen could command to prevent the bulk
of the property from becoming ignited. Other
engines having by this time as rived, the utmost efforts
were made by the firemen, tiie resident gentry, and
the neighbours, to obviate this calamity; and, upon per-
sonal inspection of the ruins this day, our reporter is
able to state that the destruction of property is happily
confined to the entire demolition of the stacks in the
outer yard, the most valuable of the stock and effects
having been saved.
It is with regret we have to come to the fact that
there can be no doubt of this calamity having happened
through the act of some vile incendiary. Sufficient proof
of this is in the hands of the proper parties, and this
morning (Monday) inquiries will be instituted for the
purpose of fixing the case upon the actual delinquent.
Just now, therefore, it is premature to say more.
Both the senior and junior gentlemen on the farm are
most highly spoken of in the neighbourhood, and by
parties working on the farm, as friends of the poor and
needy; and it is only justice to say that no pains were
spared by the labourers present at the fire to extinguish
it as soon as it was possible. The parties, it is said, are
insured. The affair has caused great sensation, it being
seventeen years since the last fire (an incendiary one)
occurred in this parish.

DREADFUL EXPLOSION at WEST
HAM, BY GUN COTTON.—LOSS OF THREE
LIVES.
On Thursday morning, about eight o'clock, an explo-
sion of gun cotton took place at the Congreve rocket
manufactory of Mr. R. F. Wade, West Ham, Essex,
which was attended by the destruction of a large portion
of the factory, and the loss of three human lives.
The premises, which were divided into several apart-
ments for the manufacture of the explosive gun cotton,
are situated on the marshes between West Ham town
and the River Thames. The three deceased men, Michael
Garey, Henry Tuft, and Robert Redford, were employed
in filling a rocket, eighteen inches long and two inches
and a quarter in diameter, which was made to contain
121bs. weight of the material. Layers of the cotton are
put into the rocket, and are compressed in it by means
of a monkey, a piece of wood which is raised by a rope,
when in falling, by pressure, it compresses the cotton in,
the rocket. Mr. Brady, the superintendent of the fac-
tory, had been in the room just before, and had not left
a minute when the explosion took place, and he was
almost stunned by the report, which was distinctly heard
two miles off. On recovering himself he found the gable,
end of the factory blown away, and the interior in flames.
At the same moment he saw Henry Redford coming out of
the moat, into which he had been hurled by the force of
the concussion, and is a distance of nearly twenty feet
from the building. He walked into a house adjoining,
and went to bed. Mr. Brady hastened to put crut the
flames, which were making much progress, and, having
succeeded, he looked about for the other men, when he
discovered Michael Geary shockingly disfigured in the
moat, and life quite extinct. The other man, Henry
Tuft, was found near the building, also dead. Redford
was shortly afterwards removed to the London Hospital,
, where he died on Friday.
INQUEST ON THE SUFFERERS.
The inquest was held before Mr. Lewis on Saturday
afternoon, at the White Swan Tavern, West Ham Ab-
bey, Essex. The following evidence was adduced
John Bragby said that he was in the employ of Mr.
R. F. Wade. He was the foreman, and superintended
the making of the rockets. On the morning of Thurs-
day last, witness and three other men had been engaged
charging a rocket with gun cotton. It was what is
called a 12-pounder. It was commenced on Wednesday
morning, and occupied the whole of that day, and was
' being finished when it suddenly exploded. Witness hack
just passed into the yard when the occurrence happened.
How, or by what means the accident occurred he was
at a loss to tell. He immediately ran into the place,
when he found the floor on fire, and one of the men
lying quite dead. The two others had been blown into
the moat at the side of the factory ; with his assistance,
Redford got out of the ditch. Witness then got a couple
of buckets of water, which he threw on to the fire and
extinguished it. The other man was found in the ditch
quite dead. Redford was removed to the London
Hospital, where he had since died.
A juror inquired whether or not the work was consi-
dered extremely dangerous? Witness—So far from
being considered dangerous, I should have no fear of
going to work in the same place to-morrow morning.
I have made the rockets by myself, and have held them
between my legs while I drove the cotton down.
Another juror—But did you never have another acci-
dent at the same factory? Witness—Yes; two men lost
. their lives twenty-three years ago, but it was not occa-
sioned by an explosion of gun cotton.
Mr. Wade, the proprietor of the factory, was next
examined—He said every precaution had been taken for
the safety of the men in case explosions should occur.
Stalls were made for the men to run back into after the
monkey was raised and whilst it was in -the act of falling.
He could not account for the disaster.

In answer to a juror, witness stated that it was pos-
sible some foul air might have got into the case and
caused the explosion. _

After some discussion, the jury not being satisfied
that every precaution had been taken, adjourned the in-
quiry in order that they might obtain the opinion of
some scientific gentleman.

COURT OF CHANCERY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

d before
eertehe afordnocwhaL6eiclaousr
oens waphpic4hafrovembethe.ne
Lordship's judgment. Some of these causes, were heard
VheiSacerhancellor and Master of the Rolls, waiting for his
by his Lordship twelve months ago. Surely this is
state of things which ought not to exist.
It is misfortune enough to be involved i❑ a Chancery
suit, with all the delays, expense, and anxieties up to the
hearing, which, as the Court is now modelled, leaves
suitors a very long way from a decision. After the
hearing, in a large majority of cases, there is an appeal
from the Vice-Chancellor or Master of the Rolls to the
Lord Chancellor, with an enormous outlay in fees to
counsel. Harrassing and distressing as all this is, both
to mind and pocket, borne it must be; but even then the
unfortunate suitor (for it is a great misfortune to be
a litigant even if successful) is not at the end of his
trouble and anxiety, being compelled to wait with
" hope deferred," his prospects ruined, and his family
brought to beggary, because the Lord Chancellor finds
it convenient to do anything rather than deliver judg-
ment.

No one can, or does complain of any want of in-
dustry, talent, or integrity, on the part of the Noble
and Learned Lord who now fills the office ; but doubts
are reasonably entertained whether the Learned Lord
considers it to be quite as important a part of his high
office to determine as to hear causes. Certainly he
cannot be aware of the ruin he entails upon litigants
and their dependents by his delays in giving judgment.
Besides the delay, there is the chance of the argu-
ments of counsel being forgotten, and, upon resuming
the consideration of a case argued many months ago, a
judge can only refer to it from the pleadings or other
documents in his possession. What, therefore, is the
use of heavy fees to, and long arguments from counsel,
if the latter are all to be thrown over, as must be the
case, if the judgment is postponed even for two or three
months only ? and how utterly useless where judgment
is postponed for ten or twelve months, or a longer period,
as is the case in several instances now before us.
It seems to me to be the duty of the judge (I say
it with all possible respect), to determine causes as they
are heard ; not to suffer an accumulation of causes for
judgment, which must be embarrassing to himself, and
detrimental to suitors.
It is to be hoped, that his Lordship will turn his
attention to the subject, and not rise until
judgment
is given in all the causes already heard.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant!
R. —A

-.AMWAY COLLISION AT NXITCASTLE..NEWCASTLE.—Analarm-
mg collision occurred on Friday morning near the
southern terminus of the Newcastle end Berwick
Rail-
way, happily, however, without producing any serious
injuries. The terminus is employed for the Tynemouth
branch as well as for the line northwards, and trains run
to and from the former place nearly every half hour. A
train starts for Morpeth at a quarter before eleven A.M.,
and the carriages were being drawn from the sideway,
to be thence taken to the station, when, just as they
entered the main line, the Tynemouth train came up on
the same line, being then due. Although the " break"
had been applied to reduce the speed before reaching
the station, it was found impossible to prevent a collision
which took place between the engines of the respective
trains, and was sufficiently violent to do injury to both.
Some of the Tynemouth passengers and one of the
stokers were the principal sufferers, but fortunately only
to the extent of a few bruises.

THE IRON TRADE.—BIRMINGHAM, SATURDAY.—
From what has transpired in Birmingham and Wolver-
hampton during the past week, it is not probable that
there will be any change in the price of iron at the ar
proaching iron-masters quarter-days. The demand is
still good, and it is thought best to leave well alone.