The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-16 00:00:00

DREADFUL EXPLOSION.

FEVERSHAM. JULY 15.—A most distressing and
alarming accident occurred in the vicinity of Feversham
Wednesday. We have received the following details
;row an eye witness:—
The Messrs. Hall have for some time been engaged in
extensive preparations for the manufacture of gun
cotton, in which a number of men, women, and boys
were employed. About three minutes past 11 o'cloek
on Wednesday a most terrific report alarmed the in-
habitants, and in less than half a minute a second report,
equally loud, occurred. A few seconds more, and the
rising of a dense body of smoke convinced those who
knew the position of the different departments that it
' was in that part in which the cotton " was prepared
for explosive purposes, and from the great number of
persons ess off,mpl,l?ee.d it be
was well known that there must
much
A great number of persons ran instantly to the place,
and proceeded to extricate the sufferers.
In a short time about twenty persons, more or less
injured, were removed, most of them to their homes, and
medical attendance ordered. By two o'clock ten lifeless;
bodies had been removed—some of them with scarcely a-
wound, and others sadly mutilated, so much . so as not to
be recognised.
As it was known that seven or eight more were miss-
ing. the search was continued, and about: eight o'clock
two more bodies were found. The search will of course
be resumed this day, though it was feared from the num-
ber of detached limbs, &c., found that the remainder of
the missing are blown to pieces.
Same very miraculous escapes occurred. One boy
was carried out of the building with only a slight mark
on his face; a man was running about in a state of
nudity, he being but very little if at all hurt. Mr. W.
Hall, one of the partners, was conversing with Mr. Day,
one of the superintendents of the factory, on his way to
the office, and was but a short distance from the place
when the explosion happened. Mr. Monk, the general
superintendent of the Messrs. Halls' works was also on
his way, and in three or tour minutes Mr. Hall and the
other two would have been in the office with Mr. Toppin
(another of the superintendents), who is amongst the
killed.

HEE ..... At ..AJESTY'S THEATEE.—Her Majesty' the
Queen Dowager's box was last evening occupied by- the
Marquis and Marchioness of Clanric.rde, the Marquis
and Marchioness of Ely, Lsdy Emily de Burgh aild
party. Amongst the company were the Conde Monte-
molin and suite, the Duke of Wellington and Mr.- Ar
buthnot, his Excellency the Duke de Broglie and suite,
his Excellency the Au,trian Ambassador, the Princess
Galacovitz, the Count and Countess do Jarnac, the Cyunt
theis c Earlou
t n
de Bearne, the Marchioness of Douro, the Marquis de
Villa Franca, the Earl of Bective, the Earl and Countess
Bruce, the Earl of Munster, the Earl of Cardigan, the
oEfaErliioetn
fsWeersetmt
boerel Westmoreland,
Countessthe Earlof
r oetmCblraonk:,illtiialem ,
v,
Clifden, the'Viscount and Viscountess Maidstone, M. C.
de Koudriaffsky, Lord -and Lady Brabazon,L Mr. and
Lady Emma Vesey-, Lady Woodford, Lady Roc,
Rose Greville, Lady Mary Wocrtle
Mountgarret, Lord and Lad;
sh
Craven, Lord William
Wortley, Lord and Lady
Lennox, Lady Seymour, Lad
Campbell, Sir Hesketh Lady
(ray, the Hon. Codrington, Sir John
Mr. Arbuthnot, the Hon. e
bßmeul.lep,k.l,e
Buckley,
and
rhil.rs
ward Codrington and the Misses awe Stewart, Sir Ed-
Fleetwood, Sir Wil-
liam Lady
Captain Captain Vane,, the lion.
Fitzhugh, Mr7Agleilßba7kge',
liam and Lady
lhaith, Captain Meynell, R.N., Major
CA°llr.°.;olsrli-gasoinn,
Lushington, M *Hodgson, Mr. E riaaley Sheridan, Mr.
P., the Hon. Julian
Vane, Mr. BroadwOod,
M.N., Sze.

THE NIGHT BALLOON ASCENT AT VAIJMHALL.--:-
The announcement that another display of nocturnal
aerostatics would take place on the Royal Property !sal
night, attracted a throng of visitors, both
without the gardens. The upheavings of. the
monster were not manifested until nearly tewre
expectant
but-for fully an hour beforehand therer
_wens,
along the .
crowds- round° the exterior of the_
bridges,
d
--
duripg the pm., -
banks of the river, end on th,e d,,
This completed,. •
cess of the performance of a filling.i
minutes before tweite,
the balloon slipped cable atefiviretihtheileterial
f some thousand feet, there
and on reaching Cu altitude P consisting of
.
and fires of variegatt. co o . The process.
bouquets
displayed was conducted by means of .a_41.41- *
of firework
t ohed to.ihat in which the .
voyageur
elementary ear 12.t...t_t_.
themselves were setae . d • They were M
was a splendid pyrotechnic outpouring,
lurs
-r. Gypson, who
onthis occasion made his sixty-ninth ascent, this being
his second nocturnal one ; Mr. Coxwell, editor of the
Aerostatic Magazine; and Mr. Augustus Bernal. Under
the influence of a gentle buoyant breeze, the balloon
sailed in safety due north. At about 120 feet below the
car the fireworks were discharged by means of a slow
match with perfect safety, illuminating the huge dome
of gas and canvass above with much novelty and effect,
and amidst enthusiastic cheering, The aeronauts were
up about thirty-five minutes, had a view of the river,
heard St. Paul's and other clocks strike twelve, and at
length landed in Acton-fields, where some parties came
to their assistance, and they made good their arrival at
the go.rateil at twelve il*llltea put two

ROYAL SURREY THEATRE.
Tinder the Management of Mrs. Frances Davidge, Lessee.
THIS EVENING

Will be presented the opera of CINDERELL.i. Prince, Mr. W.
Harrison ; Baron Pompolini, Mr. Leffler; Alldoro, Mr. M'3lahon ;
Dandinl, Mr. H. Horncastle ; Cinderella, Miss Rainforth ; Fairy
Queen, Miss Isaacs.
fo conclude with Rhakspere's tragedy of MACBETH, with the
whole of Locke's music. Macbeth, 31r. Scott ; Lady Macbeth, Mrs.,
Henry Vining.