The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-24 00:00:00

EXPLOSION AT METZ.

It is no new observation that there seems to be a
curious fatality about the autumn in the matter of
explosions. Last year there was the sad accident

in Woolwich Arsenal ; in 1866 there was the ex-

plosion of gun cotton ; in 1865 the explosion at
Erith. These accidents all occurred, if we are not
mistaken, early in successive Octobers. Now, late
in September, we receive accounts of the terrible
disaster at the cartridge factory at Metz, which,
measured by the loss of life and suffering which it

has occasioned, far surpasses the three English
accidents put together. Indeed, we scarcely know.
as yet the extent of the calamity. One report
states that twenty-six people were killed and some

seventy wounded ; another report estimates the
dead at over forty. But, in any case, it is quite
clear that the disaster has been a very awful one;
and, if we may judge from the rather vague and

uncircumstantial accounts which have reached us,

a great deal of blame must attach to those who
were responsible for the management of the factory.
The great number of girls and workmen engaged
in one building and involved in one common risk is
an arrangement in itself open to grave censure. If
to this we add that a very large quantity of gun-
powder—in the form of partially completed car-
tridges—was in the building together (as it would
appear, although this last point seems almost in-
credible) with some exposed fulminate, we have
condition of things about as reckless as could well
be conceived. It scarcely needed the " larking '
. _

of a pair of unhappy girls, or the throwing of a
pair of (steel ?) scissors, to precipitate an explo-
sion which might have been regarded as inevitable
sooner or later. Since the explosion iu Woolwich
Arsenal a change has, we believe, been made in the
system of manufacture by which any accident on
a large scale seems to be quite secured against. The
percussion cap is not fitted into the cartridges until
after they are filled ; and as the cartridges after
filling are proof against explosion en masse, the ac-
cidental explosion of a single cartridge is attended
with no serious consequences. And by this
arrangement it is impossible for even a loose per-
cussion cap, much less any loose fulminate, to enter
into the same buildings as loose powder or half-
finished cartridges.
We commend this simple precaution to the notice
of the French Government, observing, however'
that although it would greatly diminish the risk, it
would not in the case of the Chassepot cartridges
altogether obviate it, as it does with us. For it is
improbable that the Chassepot cartridge, which is
merely covered with thin paper and silk gauze, is
stout enough to resist explosion en masse, and an
explosion in a filled cartridge even might thus be
attended with serious results unless some extra pre-
cautions were taken. These extra precautions
' readily suggest themselves. In the first place/ the
number of operatives in 4%ny one building should
be reduced to the lowest number which maY
deemed practicable. Work should only be carrieu
on on the ground floor of a building, and all buil4-0
ings used for this purpose should therefore be 94413
Ta storied. The buildings should be isolated; and 1
may even be desirable under some circumstances to
separate them by traverses. Further, the qualatill,
a a.
(-3 of powder (or filled cartridges) in a building
4 any one time should be as small as is CODBiSteae.
'
5 with the proper progress of the manufactur
3
2 Finally, the cartridges might be rendered ten3P?"
rarily or artificially secure against
—1
bulk by means of stout separations between
f oar
workpeople, a system now adopted in most of
well-conducted lucifer-match manufactories, and by
3 atlY°
which the risk is limited to a single (TO'
1
2 working within his partition or'cell.
re °t
By precautions like these the manufactu
be
cartridges containing their own ignition way.
conducted without any apprehension of a great nu
locaust of human beings, such as
explosiontlhae
pro-
p just shocked France. Minor accidents will
But the
bably be inevitable to the end of time.
be r°'
accidents under proper management way ,
duced within very moderate dimensions inne,`,.o
Unhappily, however, the general conduct a
- continental arsenals is not of this cautious 3
that whicili bag
thoughtful description. Our own experience
those establishments, acquired a few years 040;„
the reverse of favourable ; and we were rece:Jf
informed that matters have not much improved
late years—an opinion which derives strung c°ll
firmation fro the accien at Metz. the
As regardsm the liability, or non-liability, °f
car.
Chassepot cartridges to explode en masse--011,ebst is
tridge being ignited by another, and so
110 e
a point on which we can express no c° hoes
opinion. We know not what experimentsion of
been made on the subject ; but if the exPltoi-
one cartridge in a barrel is liable to be e°w—ts roc-
cated to the rest, as, judging from the c°l3,_,e_ y,re
tion of the ammunition, seems highly probau:c; the
have an additional and very strong objection "Aii
use of so-called "self-consuming" cartridge%ide
army may in this way be deprived by
accident of its whole reserve of anuninnti
eico'
say nothing of the loss of life which sue looing
sions may occasion. Our own breech,- to thi°
cartridges, as is well known, are not lia"
sort of wholesale destruction.
It is impossible to explode a barrelful 0,7 f :3: bt;
ridges by firing one cartridge within it, °rcieer
exploding a considerable quantity of pow., enow
in it. And this security we regard as inail34Peir olio
in the case of cartridges containing tht
elements of ignition ; its absence ung of P
accepted as a sufficient condenination
system.

THE VATICAN NEW TESTAMENT. --We '-ir-len th 6
------,.......
I, See°
at Messrs. William's and Norgate's cep •s ' 4
: 01 Is
long-expectedfac-simile edition of the Ira'e" oist
Testamentf. in Greek. The entire work will,: NO
of six volumes, five of which will contain t"'" other
othe old and New Testaments. and tlieit- 139'4
been critical
notes, apparatus, and faci-sinziles. 1.400
books
very properly arranged that the 01111-00(
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tviy,hp
The form
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is first
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paper, from 00''
specimennhoef vtlrelgerna-alle
of the book is a large folio, 10°010
original MS. line for line and letter offto°rtille°t9teer.lgtih':
workl appears under the special ansPie° 0 103
ope, and is edited by Fathers vereellen.se tbo
Cozza. We may note that the editors prorsivos;
remaining volumes at intervals of ten ilic'tio of
•nd we must observe that the micsing P°r frail'
the Vatican MS. is supplied in ordinary type iv°,
anotherb MS. of the same collection--the Bft.ciint'
Mealiie.Le,,,itahsentitemo. one whirl was used 11 Card
A
a '00:
MADAME TUSSAUD'S.—The hosts of 00-1.9,1 0,-;
who are now daily visiting Madame Tussao3 trtatotifi
fa 1110; 4:1
nificent Wax-work Exhibition, Baker-street,
to the great interest taken by our provincial fri°/10.01,0/1
deed at no other place of, resort in the great Viept.
can a more interesting and intellectual hour to pent'