The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-10 00:00:00

TERRIFIC EXPLOSION.

The greatest consternation was occasioned in
Wandsworth on Friday afternoon, by a sudden report
of such violence as to shake many of the hovses to
their foundations. It was soon ascertained that the
scene of the catastrophe was a baker's shop, situated
near the swing-bridge, and not more than one hun-
dred yards from the railway station, and which had
been blown up_with its occupants, the baker (Mr.
Cupit), his wife, and child. The scene that pre-
sented itself to the beholders was heart-rending. the
interior of the shop was a heterogeneous mass of
ruin, under and amongst which lay the insensible
bodies of Mr. Cupit, his wife, and child. These un-
fortunate beings were, with praiseworthy diligence,
soon released from the mass of rubbish in which
they had been buried, and upon being exposed to
the fresh air showed signs of animation; but all of
them had been most frightfully injured, Mrs. Cupi
more particularly so; indeed so serious are her inju-
ries that, if life is spared, she will probably be a
cripple for life.
The house is the corner one of a number recently
built in a very substantial manner, and was only
opened a week since. At the time of the explosion
there were upwards of five bushels of bread in it,
which Mr. Cupit and his wife were placing ready to
take out, both being behind the counter, and the child
in the centre of the shop ; it was broad daylight, and
therefore no necessity for the gas or any other arti-
ficial light, and the circumstance makes the occurrence
the more extraordinary, inasmuch as it was a gas
explosion, and a vast body, to judge from the damage
done. The entire flooring, under which there is no
cellar, was blown up, some of the boards forcing their
way partly into the first floor; several joists of this
floor were snapped in two, and the boards forced up.
Both shop windows were blown out, the two heavy
folding doors torn from the jamb-posts, and the
destruction continued in an unabated form to the
bakehouse, a distance of eighteen yards from the shop.
The opposite house had all the windows broken, and
the damage altogether will amount to several hundred
pounds. The gas was only laid on from the main on
Monday last, and various opinions are afloat as to the
efficiency of the work ; the matter will, however, be
investigated by the company (a local one), and no
doubt sifted to the bottom. On Saturday Mrs. Cupit
was declared out of danger, but she will be a deplor-
able sufferer for months.

HAYMARKET TREATRE.
We are requested to give insertion to the following
communications : _ _

..... _
" Mr. Webster regrets to inform the patrons of
the Haymarket Theatre that, in consequence of the
severe indisposition of Mrs. Kean, the appearance of
herself and Mr. Kean in the new play of The Wife's
Secret is unavoidably postponed until Monday next."
Mr. Webster has received the following certificate
from Mrs. Kean's medical adviser :
" Percy. street, Jan. 8, 1848.
" Sir,—For several days past I have heen attending
Mrs. Charles Kean with slight influenza, from which
she was gradually recovering, but, unfortunately, this
evening I find her attacked with inflammation of the
trachea and glottis, which renders her quite hoarse,
and as I hear she is t 6 perform at the Haymarket
Theatre on Monday nest, I have given it as my
decided opinion that she will be incapable of articu-
lating distinctly by that day, and I may add, that in
all probability she will not be able to appear for a
week, and that not without care and attention on her
part, the weather at present being so unfavourable
to her recovery.
" This account of Mrs. C. Kean's health is commu-
nicated at the request of Mr. Kean.—l am, sir, your
obedient servant,
"B. Webster, Esq." "JAMES CLAYTON."

Lord John Russell left Windsor Castle on Satur-
day for Richmond Park. Lady John Russell and
family are expected to remain there for some weeks.
Lord John Russell will come to town each day to attend
his official duties at the Treasury, returning to Rich-
mond in the evening.
DR. HAMPDEN AND THE SEE OF HEREFORD.
Dr. Hampden will be confirmed Bishop of Hereford to-
morrow, at eleven o'clock, at Bow Church. We believe
1 that the day on which the consecration will take place is

not yet fixed.
THE COURT, &C.-WINDSOR, SUNDAY EVENING.
—The death of Madame Adelaide has thrown consider-
able gloom over the celebration of the holidays at the
Castle. It was in consequence of this melancholy event
that the royal party arranged for Twelfth Night was
put aside, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the
Princess Mary, Prince George, and Prince Frederic of
Hesse so suddenly left the Castle on Thursday. There
were no fresh arrivals at the Castle yesterday ; nor
were there any invitations to the royal table last even-
ing ; but her Majesty and the Prince dined alone, and,
in consequence of the calamity which has befallen the
family of his Majesty the King of the French, the usual
attendance of the musical band was forbidden. It was
finally arranged last night that the Court will leave for
Claremont between two and three o'clock to-morrow
afternoon, at which time the Marquis of Ormonde will go
out of office as Lord in Waiting on the Queen, and the
Earl of Morten will meet the Royal Family at Claremont

to succeed him.
DETERMINED AND MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.—On
Saturday Mr. Mills held an inquest in the Middlesex
Hospital, on Henry Lamount, aged 45, a faithful
ser
vent, who had lived as porter twenty-three years w
Mr. Solomons, glass-dealer, Poland-street. The
deceased
had the misfortune to be married to a woman who
rather indulged in drink, and who died on Thursday.
After her death deceased went to a drawer in his room
where
he expected to find 141. and his watch, both were
gone. He then rushed frantically from his lodging, in
Broad-street, to Mr. Solomons, exclaiming " I am a
ruined man I will never recover it; I will be compelled
to apply to the parish to bury my wife." Mr. Solomons
in vain endeavoured to soothe the poor fellow. After
sometime he left his master's house, and having bought
half-a-pint of vitriol drank it off in the street. He was
removed in the greatest agony to the hospital, were
death quickly terminated his sufferings. Mr. Solomons,
affectedeased
ecould
d tearswhilenothe
he gave evidence, deposed
surpassed for honesty, so-
briety, industry, and attention to his employer's interest.
He (Mr. Solomons) was certain that he never could get
such another servant. Verdict—'lnsanity."
DEPLORABLE ACCIDENT IN BISHOPSGATE-STREET.
On Saturday, at eight o'clock, Mr. Joseph Payne, the
deputy coroner, held an inquest at the workhouse,
who
that was
dec
Bishopsgate-street, on the body of James Hall, aged 38.
John Morgan, the proprietor of the Green Dragon,
Bishopsgate-street, said, that in the gateway of witness's
house a sewer was at the present time in course of con-
struction. On Friday night an alarm was raised that
the cutting had fallen in, and that the men were buried
alive. Witness immediately went to the spot, when he
saw two men standing upright in the earth. The mould
was removed as soon as possible, and the men were
extricated. It took about 20 minutes to clear away the
earth, when the deceased was found in a stooping posi-
tion. He was quite black in the face, and life was
totally extinct. Upon the alarm being given a surgeon
was sent for, who was present when the deceased WAS
got out. Witness had heard the deceased's master
order the men to shore up the sewer, but they had
neglected to do so. By the Coroner—" There were
three or four feet of earth on the deceased." John
Thumpling said, that he was at work with the deceased
when the occurrence took place. Whilst deceasee d
called
H
stooping down he perceived the earth crack. h
out to him, and made a jump towards the lad_d er, w en
the earth fell in and buried the deceased. Ho had
frequently stated to the witness that the ground was
solid enough without being shored up. Mr. Miles
Beale, surgeon, 41, Bishopsgate-street, said, that he saw
the deceased when he was got out. The face was black
and swollen, and life was extinct. He tried to bleed
him but could not. Verdict—" Accidental Death."
LIVREtOOL, JAN. 7. —The Shenandoah, Captain
West, arrived from New York, brings 20,000/. specie on
• freight; the Charles Brownell, from
Valparaiso, also,
has brought a number of caaea of gold and silver bars.
A letter from 13,reraen states that in the course of
the last year, 63,682 emigrants left that port for the
United States of America, Brazil, and Australis.