The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-30 00:00:00

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT IN

BERMONDSEY.

'IDENT BY GUN COTTON.

Mr. P. B. Wall, gunpowder manufacturer, said that
he prepared the cotton, which was made weaker than
usual. He believed the accident arose from compressed
air. He has used the gun-cotton since October last, for
making rockets, and has had only one accident, when a
boy was injured. That occurred while using the
monkey. He has since used the lever, which gives
a more gradual and regular pressure, and no accident
has since occurred. When the explosion he alluded to
took place, the cylinder or tube was about one foot long
and two inches in diameter, and about ten ounces of
cotton were rammed in the tube. He thought the
gun cotton useful for artillery practice, and it possesses a
far greater range of power.
Dr. Letheby, lecturer on chemistry, said that it was
his opinion the accident arose from friction of the cotton
on the sides of the cylinder. Had it taken place by
compressed atmosphere, being overheated, it would have
happened before, as took place in the case alluded to by
Mr. Wall.

The CORONER summed up, observing that no blame
was attributable to any one.
Verdict—Accidental death.

FACTORIES.

The following is the half-yearly joint report of the
Inspectors of Factories (just laid
OOffice,d befocree,
31Paayrli2am7, 1847.ent
Sir—We have the honour to inform you that, in con-
formity with the Factory and Print Works Acts, we
have met to confer on the state of our respective dis-
tricts, and on such matters as concern us jointly towards
the fulfilment as nearly as possible, of an uniform admi-
nistrations of these Aets through the United Kingdom.
We have read and considered the reports which we have
severally addressed to you in regard to our respective
districts, and nothing has occurred that indicates any
wanrctruniformitrin our proceedings in all that relates
to the interpretation of the Acts and the observance of
their several provisions.
Many small mills for carding wool are scattered on
streams in remote parts of England, Scotland, and
Wales ; these mills are only occasionally at work,
and the wool carded is chiefly for the use of the
neighbouring cottagers. In these mills very few per-
sons are employed, generally only the family of the oc-
cupier. This kind of rural occupation cannot be identified
with the factory system ; and although, strictly speaking,
these mills come within the letter of the law, we have
considered that we exercise a sound discretion in direct-
ing the various sub-inspectors not to consider them as
requiring that same degree of supervision as establish-
ments where the factory system, properly so called,
prevail..

- The remote situation of these woollen mills, in rural
districts, and frequently on mountain sides, the purely
domestic character of the occupation, and the usually
healthy state of the children and young persons em-
ployed, appear to us to justify this softening of the
operation of a law intended to control mills of a totally
different character.
It having been suggested to us that each inspector
should for the future lay before you in his half-yearly
report a statement of the number and names of the
persons summoned for offences, with other details, hi-
therto laid before Parliament on an annual special mo-
tion, we have severally followed that plan on the pre-
sent occasion ; but as the return made in pursuance of
the order of the House of Commons, dated the 25th of
January last, includes the prosecutions for the months
of November and December last, the present returns
only include the prosecutions for four months, viz., from
the Ist of January to the 30th of April. If you approve
of this mode of making these returns, our future reports
will, of course, each embrace a period of six months.
We have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servants,
LEONARD HORNER.
• T. JONES HOWELL.
ROBERT J. SAUND.ERS.
JAMES STUART.
To the Right Honourable Sir Grey, Bart., &c.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND SIR H. SMITH.—
On Saturday the Duke and Duchess of Richmond enter-
tained at dinnq Major-General Sir Harry and Lady
Smith, and, with the view of enhancing the compliment
to the hero of Aliwal and his lady, the Duke resolved
that the invitation should include those only who had
served in the Peninsula. The following is a list of the
party who sat at the table:—The Duke and Duchess of
Richmond, the Ladies Caroline and Augusta Gordon
Lennox, Majors-General Sir Harry and Lady Smith,
General Viscount Combermere, G.C.8., General Lord
Aylmer, G.C.8., Lieutenant-General Lord Fitzroy So-
merset, K.C.8,, Lieutenant-General Lord Charles
Manners, K.C.8., Major-General Sewell, C. 8., and
Captain Johnstone, all of the late Peninsular staff;
Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Downman, C. 8., Major-
General Sir Hew Ross, K.C.8., Major-General Macdo-
nald, C. 8., Major Sandham, Mr. Barttelot, Royal
Artillery; Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Dalbiac,
K.C.H., 4th Light Dragoons; Major. General Bour-
chier, Lieutenant-Colonel Rotton, late 1 Hussars
General Sir Peregrine Maitland, K.C.8., Lieutenant-
General Lord Saltoun, K.C.8., Grenadier Guards ;
Lieutenant-General Sir Alexander Woodford, K.C.8.,
Lord Stradbroke, Colonel Lord Hotham, Captain Shir-
ley, Coldstream Guards; Major-General Duffy, C. 8.,
Major-General Brown, C. 8., Colonel Patricksen, C. 8.,
Major Cooke, Captain Sir George Moulton, Dr. Hair,
43d Light Infantry; Major General Bell, C. 8., Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Campbell, Colonel Love, C. 8., Lieu-
tenant Colonel Rowan, C. 8., Lieutenant-Colonel Digby,
Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, 52d Light Infantry; Lieu-
tenant-General Sir Andrew Barnard, G.C.8., Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Leach, C. 8., Lieutenant-Cole nel Cox,
K.H., Captain Kincaid, Rifle Brigade, or Old 95th
Regiment; Major-General Bolt, C. 8., late 17th Portu-
guese Regiment, light division; Major Shadwell Clerke,
1i.E1., late sth Regiment; Dr. Ilume, Inspector-General
of Hospitals. To the veterans of the Peninsula! war,
after an interval of no less than 33 years, a meeting of
this kind could not possibly be otherwise than productive I
of the most agreeable reminiscences.

On Monday morning the inquiry into the cause of the
accident arising from the fall of the railway arch, in
Great Russell-street, Bermondsey, was resumed in the
Board-room of the Union workhouse, before Mr. Carter,
the Coroner, and the jury empannelled upon the former
occasion.

Upon the inquiry of one of the jurors, Mr. Corner,
solicitor for Mr. Little, the contractor, said that applica-
tion had been made to General Pasley, for the purpose
of his being present at the inquiry to give evidence. The
General had replied that he should have been most happy
to have been present, but that he was compelled to be in
Oxford at the time, to attend the British Association.
The contractors, however, with the view of fully inves-
tigating the matter, had consulted several eminent engi-
neers, who were prepared to give evidence that day.
A beautifully-constructed wooden model of the arch
was then brought into the room, and imitation centres
fitted to show the effect which might be produced to the
corner of the arch in the removal of part of the fittings
by a passing vehicle, as was stated to have been the case
by one of the witnesses upon the last occasion.
Mr. Thomas Grissell (of the firm of Grissells and Peto,
the eminent builders), deposed that he had been called
upon to examine the materials of which the fallen bridge
had been composed—the bricks, mortar, and concrete.
He had been called upon by the engineers of the railway
to give his opinion of their quality. He considered the
whole of the materials to be of the best description, and
he did not see anything in the nature of them to account
for the accident. The same material was fit and proper
to be used in an arch of such a span, and they were th,
same throughout the line. To that part which remained
his attention had been called. The arch was called a
skew arch, and the bricks had been placed in strict con-
formity with the usual custom. The abutments are not
more moved than they would be by the fall of the mate
rials. He was satisfied the arch did not fall through the
instability of the abutments. Having been much en-
gaged in this kind of work he was of opinion that the
work was properly and faithfully performed. But little
of the concrete appears to have fallen with the arch. The
concrete, as far as he could say, had been filled in to a
level on each side. The object of easing the arch is to allow
it to take its own bearing to test the solidity of the arch. i
The mortar being green there s considerable pressure,
and if the mortar had been bad the arch would have
come down. If the arch did not follow the centre the
arch was a sound arch, and the builder was justified, in
the course of five days (as he had been informed was
the case) in removing the ribs altogether. The centre
is merely left for a few days, as a matter of precaution.
Looking at the form of the arch it would almost stand
without mortar at all. It was not customary to use
cement, except in the winter. The circumstance of the
mortar becoming hard or dry was not an actual 11PCC3.
sity. The arch was turned u,-Ider very unfavourable
circumstances as to the weather. He was fully of opinion
that the manner in which the centre was removed was the
cause of the accident.

Several other scientificgentlemengave similarevidence.
This being the whole of the testimony, the Coroner
briefly recapitulated the evidence, and atter about an
hour's deliberation the following verdict was unani-
mously re turned :—" That the deceased parties were
accidentally killed, but, at the same time, they (the jury)
desire to say that they cannot but express their opinion
as to the incautious manner in which the boy has acted,
and that they are desirous of recommending to the con-
tractors of such works to apply to the proper authori-
ties for leave to stop up any public way over which an
arch may be turned, more particularly in the striking of
the centres, so as to prevent any such accidents as that
in future."

The inquiry was then concluded, the jury having sat
upwards of six hours.

Monday evening Mr. W. Baker held an inquest at
the London Hospital, on view of the body of H. Redford,
aged thirty-three, who was in employment at the con
Breve rocket manufactory, of Mr. Q. Forsyth Wade,
West-ham Abbey-marshes, and who with Michael Gur-
ney and H. Tuft, lost their lives by an explosion of gun
cotton.

J. Brayley, principal of the factory, having described
the accident,
Mr. Wade said he had the evidence of scientific gen-
tlemen to show that the accident arose from compressed
air, which being overheated ignited the gun cotton.
Mr. Edward Horton Wilmot, assistant lecturer, at the
London Hospital, said that Mr. Wade requested him to
prepare some cotton which would not take fire easily. He
manufaetui ed a quantity which he submitted to the weight
of a 141 b hammer; the blows being repeatedly giver.
He believed that the accident arose from the compres-
sion of atmospheric air, which, being overheated, gave
out its caloric, and set fire to the cotton, causing the
explosion. This would ignite at a heat f from 320 to
350 degrees. He believed that every precaution was
used to prevent an accident, both in the preparation of
the gun cotton, which was made not to explode, and in
the care taken to fill the cylinder, and his surprise was
that one did f)ccur.