The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-21 00:00:00

EXPLOSION ON BOARD THE HAM-
BURG AND NEW YORK STEAMER
HAMMONIA.

HAMBURG, Sept. 18. —Great excitement was
created in this city on Thursday by the announce-
ment of an accident of a mysterious nature having
happened on board the iron screw steamer Ham-
monia, Captain Schwensen, of and from this port to
New York, which left: Cuxhaven .the day before
yesterday with the usual bi-monthly mails, a large
and valuable cargo of manufactured goods, and 293
passengers. It appears that the steamer—which,
belongs to the German line of packets that touch at
Southampton, and have hitherto been distinguished
by their splendid runs across the. Atlantic and the
total absence of all accidents or misfortunes—left
the Elbe on Thursday afternoon, and had not been
many hours at sea, when from some hitherto
unexplained cause an explosion took place in the
after part of the ship, and it was found that
the powder magazine, containing the vessel's stock
of blue lights, signal rockets, and powder for
saluting, had blown up. This magazine being
situated under the chief saloon, the passengers of
the first-class cabins were the principal sufferers,
as the poop decks were forced up by the violence
of the explosion. The ship was immediately turned
round to return to the Elbe, whilst medical assis-
tance was speedily offered by the surgeon of the
Hammonia, and Dr. Neander, one of the cabin pas-
sengers. _

Isubjoin the list of wounded as given by the
company :-1, Madame Andre, from Offenbach,
residing at Philadelphia, slight contusion of the
right hip ; 2, Herr Barth, from Costa Rica, dislo-
cation of the left knee cap ; 3, Miss Fanny Bier-
mann, from Furth, a slight wound on the left
cheek ; 4, Herr Friedrich Muller, from Oldenburg,
lower part of left thigh bone broken, and fracture
of right leg below the knee.
Owing to the energetic exertions made by the
directors of the company, the repairs of the injury
will be completed this evening, and the manager
has publicly announced to-day that the vessel will
sail to-morrow morning (Sunday) for New York.
Although the police authorities have made the
most searching investigation, and examined the
officers, passengers, and crew, nothing has been
elicited to throw the slightest light on the cause of
the explosion, which is consequently wrapt in the
same shroud of mystery as before, but generally
attributed to spontaneous combustion. The powder
magazine contained forty blank cartridges for the
saluting four-pounders, five dozen blue lights, and
about an equal quantity of signal rockets. There
were also some gunpowder in it belonging to the
French Government. Some of the slightly wounded
proceed to New York by the Hammonia ; but Mr.
Muller, who was sitting in the smoking saloon im-
mediately over the powder magazine when the ex-
, plosion took place, lies in the General Hospital of
this city in a most critical state, and Dr. Knorre,
the head surgeon of the establishment, is going to
amputate both his legs to-day, and entertains but
very feeble hopes of his surviving the operation.
Madame Andre is also not able to proceed to her
destination by this steamer, and remains for the
present at the Hotel de l'Europe under the surgical
care of Dr. Knorre. No damage was done to the
screw or any other part of the machinery of the
Hammonia, which is an iron-built vessel of 2,500
tons.

TrHAT IRELAND CAN SEND TO

AMERICA.

LEVER'S GALWAY AND HALIFAX LINE.
In connection with this new scheme, of Trans-
atlantic communication the Belfast Mercantile
Journal has the annexed statement :—" The develop-
ment of this new line has been much more rapid
and successful than could have been anticipated by
the most sanguine. Every steamer leaving Galway
for New York, as yet, has been both full of goods
nd passengers, and frequently more has been offering
'than
the vessels could accommodate. The fine steamer
Prince Albert, which left on Tuesday, took out a
full complement of both goods and passengers,
among which, from this port alone, there are
Linen 217 boxes, containing 335,627 yds.,
and 488 pieces, value... ... .L 12,896
Haberdashery 13 boxes, containing 5,625 dozen. 1,172
Handkerchiefs 5 „ „ 3,200 ~, . 798
Shirt-fronts 3 , 665 „ . 376
Muslin
Thread
If
Yarn

£16,463
Also, 6 first, 12 second, and 23 thild-class pas-
sengers, forwarded by the enterprising agent here.
Already the fruits of a direct trade from Ireland
with the United States are apparent. A stocking
factory has been opened in Galway for the purpose
of supplying the States with cotton stockings, and
it is expected that a large trade will be carried on,
and the facilities of labour and water-power cannot
be surpassed."
[Thus far the Belfast Mercantile Journal. We
may add that an important company is already
formed to carry out this line of steam communica-
tion (in conjunction with Mr. Lever), to its fullest
development.]