The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-16 00:00:00

THE LATE BOILER EXPLOSION

The coroner's inquest upon the bodies of the ten
persons killed by the boiler explosion at Messrs.
Firth's woollen manufactory, Lilly-lane Mill, Hali-
fax, which was recorded in The Sun at the period of
the calamity, was brought to a close on Friday even-
ing last. A great mass of evidence was adduced, the
general tenor of which was, that Mr. Samuel Firth,
if not other of the partners, was aware that the ex-
ploded boiler was unsafe for use, and yet that it was
kept working at intervals up to the time of the explo-
sion. Once or twice previous to the explosion the
steam was turned off and the engine stopped while
Firth and the engine-tenter tinkered at the boiler,
which was constantly leaking; and on the day before
the boiler burst Firth ordered the young people out of
the engine-house (where they had been accustomed
to warm themselves), telling them that " they were to
get away as fast as they could, lest the boiler should
burst." The young people naturally became alarmed,
and one of them (Lavinia Carter) attempted to leave
the mill, but was ordered back by Samuel Firth,
and shortly after her resuming work the explo-
sion took place. This, however, was not the most
serious part of the evidence against Samuel Firth.
Mr. Thomas Wood, cotton•spinner, Sowerby- bridge,
stated that two days before the explosion he met Sa-
muel Firth in Bradford Cloth-hall, when Samuel said
—referring to the explosion at Messrs. Wand's Brad-
ford mill—" We had a good deal of bother about en-
gineering this week. Our old engine is poorly, and
I have had to look after the man a good deal, lest he
should get his pressure too strong on the boiler. I
am afraid there will be a blow up at our place, but
we must run on till Christmas." The most important
evidence given during: the inquiry was that of Mr.
William Fairburn, the eminent civil engineer and
machinist, of Manchester, who had been sent for by
the mayor and magistrates of Halifax to view Messrs.
Firth's boilers and report thereon. His evidence is
important, not only as showing how the accident
occurred, but as suggesting a precaution against these
' dreadful catastrophes in future. Mr. Fairburn put in
a written report of considerable length, of which the
following are the chief points :
" The comparative saving which is effected by the
judicious application of high-pressure steam in its
expansive action upon steam-engines, and when due
care is taken that the vessels within which it is con-
fined are calculated to resist with perfect security the
forces by which they may be assailed, does not admit
of doubt. I think it is equally for the general benefit
of the country and the extension of our manufactures
that every facility should be given for its introduction,
and I take this opportunity publicly to state that in
my opinion it may be accomplished with perfect
safety and with greatly-increased economy in the
consumption and employment of the most valuable
mineral production this country possesses. The dan-
ger does not consist in the intensity of pressure to
which the steam may be raised, but entirely upon the
charecter and construction of the vessel which contains
the dangerous element, When contained within the
narrow limits of a well-constructed locomotive boiler

it is perfectly harmless; but if it be attempted to en-
close a volume of similar density in an ordinary
boiler of extended capacity, you incur the almost
certain result of a catastrophe such as we have so very
recently been called upon to deplore. Such it appears
to me was the position in which the public were
placed with respect to the boilers of Lilly-lane Mill.
They were worked (especially two of them) in a very
unsafe condition; and I have no hesitation in stating
that they were unequal to the pressure to which
they were exposed. Insecure to begin with, they
were rendered immeasurably more so from the absence
of proper safety valves—an outlet of only three inches
diameter, which was common to all the three, being
scarcely worthy of the name. From every inquiry
there is no evidence to show at what pressure the valve
was weighted, or whether or not it was ever in a
working condition. lam not aware what may be the
practice in this or other parts of Yorkshire ; but I
cannot sufficiently condemn a system of construction
which limits the means of escape, and exposes both
life and property to the most imminent peril. The
boilers at Lilly-lane Mill were of such magnitude,
and the plates of which they were composed so ex-
tremely thin, that I should have considered them at
any time very precarious. Assuming all the parts to
be perfect—which is, however, doubtful—we shall
find that 121 b. on the square-inch was, although
sufficient to distort the form, totally inadequate to
effect the rupture of the boiler. Taking the tensile
strength of the material, and the joints of which the
boiler was composed, it was equal, under a more judi-
cious distribution, to ten times that pressure ; but un-
fortunately the extreme thinness of the plates, and the
want of sufficient stays, caused the fiat ends to
bulge outwards, which, under the influence of
a variable force, created a slow but certain
strain upon the angle-iron, which ultimately de-
stroyed its texture, and rupture ensued. The
boilers were originally supplied with water by self-
acting jackheads or columns of water at the usual
height of 12 or 14 feet. These, it appears, were
taken down some years since, when the now end of
the mill was built over the boilers, and valves or cocks
worked by hand substituted for them. Now, the
hand-feed, direct from the pump, in well-constructed
cylindrical boilers, with double safety valves, may be
perfectly safe ; but in this case, when the steam escape
was so insufficient, they were very injudicious, and,
in fact, the removal of the jackheads did away with
almost the only security that the boilers originally
possessed. Before the engine is again started I would
earnestly recommend that the boiler next the engine-
house be discontinued and destroyed, and that the
other boiler with hemispherical ends be removed from
under the mill, if it is possible to do so. Having
made these statements it now becomes my duty to
state, for the information of the authorities of Halifax
and the public generally, what I consider the most
feasible means for averting, or at least diminishing
the number of these frightful accidents arising from
boiler explosions. It appears to me that a legislative
interference in the construction of boilers or machi-
nery of any kind is exceedingly objectionable, and
should not be resorted to but in cases of urgent neces-
sity; yet I do not clearly perceive how local regu-
lations, however good and judicious in them-
selves, would answer the purpose, unless under
the control and sanction of the law. I appre-
hend the assistance of Parliament would be re-

quired to carry out the principles I would suggest, as
follow :-Ist. That after a certain date boilers should
not be allowed to be placed under buildings where
people are employed, and that those now in that posi-
tion be as speedily removed as possible. 2d. That
boilers of a waggon shape should not be worked at a
pressure exceeding 101 b. on the square ineh. 3d.
That after a certain date every new boiler should be
proved up to not more than one-third its bursting
pressure, and to three times its intended working
pressure. Lastly, That every boiler should be fitted
with two safety valves, one to be self acting and be-
yond the reach of the engine-tenter, or any other
person but one to whom the duty of examination
should be expressly intrusted."
After the evidence had been closed, the coroner

(Mr. G. Dyson) having summed up, the jury re-
tired, and after being in consultation for upwards of

three hours, returned with a verdict of " Man-
slaughter against Samuel Firth, one of the pro-
prietors of the mill, and Joseph Ilelliwell, the en-
gine-tenter," and the coroner proceeded to make out
their committal to York Castle for trial at the
assim S.

MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS.--Mr. Erasmus Wilson
has been appointed chairman of the sectional committee for
the exhibition of surgical instruments at the forthcoming
display of tha industry of all nations. Dr. Stevenson Bush-
Dan has been elected senior physician to the Metropolitan
Free Hospital. Mr. R. A. Stafford has been appointed by
the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons to deliver the
annual oration in memory of John Hunter, the founder of
the museum bearing hia name.