The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-28 00:00:00

THE DAMAGE TO WICK HARBOUR.

Details are now to ha:u•l of the damage done by the storm
to the harbour of Wick, u Lich we have already noted. It
appears that the amount of injuries inflicted upon the new
harbour works has been most considerable, but the exact
particulars are not yet ascertained. These cannot be known
until the weather becomes more moderate, and the portiaa
under water can bo examined. The appearance of the place
the morning after the severe gale had set in was most de-
plorable, and those who bad hoped that the building
itself might have stood were greatly disappointed
Nothing was left of the staging which ran out
beyond the finished part of the breakwater, and more
than 200 feet of the breakwater itself had gone down to the
level of low-water mark. It is considered that a whole
year's work was lost in the storm of ono night, and the mis=
fortune is enhanced by the knowledge that many have been
thrown out of employment. Altogether, this sad affair has
been the greatest calamity that has occurred in Wick,
although the place is noted for the severe storms that visit
it, and which bring in their train many attending casual-
ties.

TIIE GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION A2'
FAVERSHAM

An inquest has been opened at the Oare Works, near
FavershaM, on view of the body of William Wood, who
died from the injuries he received at the explosion en
Wednesday. Mr. Delasaux, the coroner, said that
the inquest could only be opened ; and Mr. Tassell,
solicitor to Messrs. Hall, the proprietors, said that ix
order to sbew how impossible it was for them to
prevent accident, he might say that they, having.
fresh in their memory the sad explosion twelve months
since, had determined upon stopping their works during
the week, and really, to prevent the men being idle,
they ordered the' machinery to be overhauled. It was
in this overhauling that the explosion occurred. In
the present case the origin of the accident could easily
be accounted for, as several of the men who were present
at the time were still alive, though suffering from their
wounds. The evidence of the foreman was taken, and
the jury examined the press-house, where the explosion
occurred. The machinery was scarcely injured, as there
was but a small quantity of powder in the crevices of the
house. The explosion evidently occurred when au
iron bolt was being sent home by a copper
driver and sledge hammer. The bolt was of iron,
to stand the pressure, amounting to two tons to the inch.
After this inspection the inquest was -adjourned in order
to take the evidence of Thomas Gutteridge, one of the mill-.
wrights, who seems able to give the best account of the
matter. The house had been standing for thirty-three
years, and bad never been the scene of an accident,
although in frequent use. Another death occured on
Sunday in consequence of the explosion. The deceased,
Daniel Anderson, was one of the men engaged in the
manufacture of gunpowder, and his clothes were powdery.
There were six " powder " men in the house, of whom
two have died, and it is feared that some of the other
" powder " men cannot recover. The millwrights, of
whom there were three in the house, are not so much
'ziured.