The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-17 00:00:00

APPALLING ACCIDENT AT THE

ROYAL ARSENAL, WOOLWICII.

SEVEN LIVES LOST THIS MORNING.

One of the most frightful occurrences that haslately occurred,lhap-
pened this morning in the Royal Arsenal, at Woolwich. A few
minutes before 10 o'clock a loud explosion was heard in the laboratory

department, at a building known as No. 1 breaking-up shed, and as-
sistance was immediately at hand, the men rushing from
various parts of the department to the spot. As soon
as ingress could be obtained a fearful spectacle presented
itself. Immediately behind the dear, crowded together in
a confused heap, lay the scorched bodies of five men and two
boys. These were immediately removed to an adjacent shed on
stretchers. The building being on fire, the alarm-bell was rung,
and the engines from the different departments, with the Royal
Sappers and Miners and Royal Artillery, were speedily on the spot.
The flames, by the exertions of the men, were soon subdued,
their ravages being confined to the building, the roof of which
had been already blown off, and some slight damage done to the
roof of an adjacent building. It would appear from what has bees
gleaned in other parts of the same department (for not one of the
unfortunate beings in the devoted building has escaped to furnish
any information), that the men and boys were at the time em-
ployed in breaking up rockets, and, through some friction, the
whole mass accidentally ignited, thus at once consigning
seven unfortunate individuals to instant destruction. The
names of the persons who thus lost their lives are John Craig (master),
an aged man, and one of the oldest servants in the department,
Henry Butters, an aged man with a large family, and his son Henry
Butters, a young married man, Robert Burbage, and Michael
i'urtell. Four of these were what is called laboratory men.
In addition tea these, two boys, named Robert Leonard
aid Henley, lost their lives. Purtell was a labourer
belonging to the storekeeper's department, and was engaged at the
time in loading rockets. A man named William Reed, who was
engaged with him at the same time, had a very narrow escape.
It would appear, that when the fatal occurrence took place, the
unfortunate persons made a simultaneous rush towards the
door. Unfortunately, the doors opened inwards, and to this cir-
cumstance some of the chief officers of the establishment attribute
their destruction. By the side of the doorout of which they had vainly
endeavoured to escape their blackened corpses were found. The
writer visited them shortly afterwards, and they presented a fearftd
proof of the dreadful agent to which they had been exposed. Their
clothes, and even their boots, were either wholly or partially con-
sumed, their bodies literally roasted, and the flesh in many cases deeply
inci eel ; every vestige of hair was consumed off their heads, and
their features so disfigured as to render identification almost impos-
sible. As soon as the fire was subdued, a party of the Royal Sappers
and Miners, under the command of Colonel Barney, R.E., one of the
heads of the department, and Lieutenant and Adjutant Webb, R.E.,
proceeded to pull down the remaining parts of the shed, many of
which were in a dangerous state. The remains of a dog were dis-
covered in one corner of the building. It was the opinion of a me-
dical gentleman who viewed the bodies, with the writer, that death
took place from asphyxia, suffocation by carbonic acid gas.

THE NORWICH FESTIVA

NORWICH, SEPT. 15.—The rehearsal commenced this morning at
ten o'clock, with Spohr's oratorio of Calvary, and Haydn's Seasons.
The orchestral and choral forces are magnificent; the former
amoanting to a hundred. and fourteen, amongst which are
Lindley, T. Cooke (who leads), Howell, Grattan Cooke,
Williams, Lazarus, Puzzi, Baumann, Harper, Prospere, and
others' well known for their instrumental excellence; the
latter consists of eighty-four trebles, fifty altos, sixty-eight tenors,
and seventy basses. Benedict is tke conductor of this mighty musical
army. The principal singers are Madame Grisi, Miss Dolby, Signor
Mario, Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Machin, Madame Caradori Allan, Miss Poole,
Signor F. Lablache, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Bradbury, and Herr Staudigl.
The Bishop's palace is already crowded with guests, among whom
are Lord Lansdowne, Sir Charles Lemon, Sir John Boileau,
Lady Ward, and other noble families. Lord Suffield and
the Dowager Lady Lichfield are staying at the splendid
residence of Mr. Kits•n ; indeed, every nobleman's and
gentleman's house in the neighbourhood is crammed from parlour to
attic ; the genial hospitality for which England in the olden time was
so gloriously distinguished would appear to be again restored. The
festival commences to-morrow evening with Handers Alexander's
Feast, Mozart's sinfonia in G minor, and a " miscellaneous mixture,"
in which the Italians will exercise their most sweet voices.

COURSE OF EXCHAZ
Amsterdam CF. 12 94
Ditto, at sight l2 74
Rotterdam 2U. 12 10
Antwerp 26 10
flamburgh M.B. 13 15i
Aitona

G E.—(YE STE RDA .)
Gibraltar..... . .....
Leghorn
Genoa
Milan
Venice •... •••-••• —
Naples ........ ....... 40
Palermo, per oz 120%
Lisbon 53%
Oporto
Rio Janeiro 23i
Bahia .......
Buenos A yi es
NewYm k dys sight
FRICES F IULLION, OZ
Foreign4;old,bars...E3 17 9
Portuga: Gold Coin 3 17 5
New Doubloons 0 0 0
New DoUars 0 4 9;
Silver in Bars 0 4 111

Paris, 3 days' sight 25 75
Ditto, 3 months 26 0
Marseilles 26 5
Bourdeaux 26 10
Frankfort on Maine 122
Petersburgh, 3 Us..
Berlin
Vienna, effee. 13 M lO 4
Trieste, ditto
Madrid 36i
Cadiz
Bilbao
Barcelona
Sevilla

Woomvicm, SEPT. 16.—The Princess Alice steam-
vessel, Mr. L. Smithett, Master-Commander, arrived this
morning from Dover to be refitted; and her commander and
crew will proceed to Dover in the Swallow steam-vessel, to
resume the duties at that station. The Black Eagle steam-
vessel, Mr. S. Black, Master Commander, arrived this morn-
ing from the Isle of Wight, and will occupy her usual station
opposite the Dockyard, Woolwich. Commander John B.
l'urvis, recently commander of the Alfred, 50 guns, and
Captain Grace, with several other naval officers, have been
named as anxious to obtain the command of the Grampus, 50
guns, fitting at Woolwich. Several of the arrangements
connected with this fine vessel have been made under the
direction of Captain Grace, who was deputed by the Ad-
miralty to see them effected. Some idea may be formed of
the great strength of the Terrible steam-vessel, when it is
stated that the diameter of the axles of the paddle• wheels in
their brass beds, is one foot nine inches, and the length of
the stroke of the engines eight feet; causing thirteen revolu-
tions of the powerful engines per minute.
SCULPTURE ON THE CONTINENT.—Amongst the
numerous additions making to the splendour of the square of
the Opera, in Berlin, the following sculptural embellishments
are spoken of as in project or preparation. Gigantic groups
of warriors, and of " Victory," are executing, after the de-
signs of Schinke], for the Royal Bridge ; and the same artist
is making designs for the ornament of the Guard-house. On
the side of the Unter den Linden, the monument of Fre-
derick the Great is proceeding rapidly— Rauch having nearly
completed its numerous figures. Opposite the colossal eques-
trian statue of that monarch, it is proposed to place a simi-
lar statue of Frederick William 111. To the statues of the
Generals Bulow and Scharnhorst at the Guard-house, are to
be added those of Kleist and Tauenzien ; beside Blucher,
to be placed bronzed statues of Generals Gneisenau and
York ; and the Palace of the Princesses is to be ornamented
with statues of Stein and Hardenburg. For all these works
Rauch, it is said, has already received the royal command.
The Austrian Emperor, on the occasion of his coronation at
Milan, as King of the Lombards, gave a number of commis-
sions to the most distinguished of the Milanese sculptors,
leaving them perfect latitude in the choice of subject. These
works, to the number of seven, are now exhibiting in
Vienna :—A statue of "Peace," by Cajetano ; a " Prodigal
Son," by Albondio Sangorgio ; an " Infant Jesus," by Ri-
naldoßinaldi ,• " Rachel and Jacob at the Well ;" a figure of
a " Fate," by Croff; and two by the Professor Pompeo Mar-
chesi—one a bust of the poet Monti, and the other a group
on the old theme of " Venus carrying off the weapons of
Love." We may mention here that the marbles of the
Pyrenees are coming into use for the supply of the large
works executing in Prussia. Twelve fine columns of the
marble of Campan have just been finished at Bagneres de
Bigerre, for the Museum at Berlin. The monument decreed
by. the States of Bohemia to be erected to the memory of the
Emperor Francis is begun. It is to be an equestrian statue
Of the monarch, invested in his robes as King of Bohemia;
and will be ornamedted with twenty-four statuettes repre-
senting the circles of the kingdom, the capital, and allegorical
allusions. The whole is to be seventy-five feet high.

LYCEUM THEATRE.—On Monday evening, after
the deservedly successful drama of The Governor's Wife, the admirable
burlesque of Open Sesame; cr, A Night with the Forty Thieves, was
revived, and acted for the first time this season. In the burlesque
Miss-G. Hodson made her debut. She is very pretty, and will so
tioubt prove an acquisition to the company at this theatre. Although
CSuffering from extreme nervousness, she went through the part of
egia with complete success. She possesses a good voice, which will
be heard to greater advantage when the timidity of a first appearance
Wears off. She was deservedly encored in most of her songs. Mrs.
Keeley, of course, acted the part of Morgiana, as she alone can act.
'eeley, as the brave Ilassarac, was as droll and humorous as ever, to
nd kept the house in a continual laugh. Miss Fairbrother was of
urse the Captain. Frank Mathews and Wigan each took their
original parts. It would be unjust not to mention the doings of "Lthe
forty." The gallant and devoted band went through their perform-
ance with great military skill and precision, and were rewarded with
great applause, which was richly deserved. Great credit is due to
their drill-sergeant for the pains he has taken with them. The re-
vival is a decided hit. The house was crowded to suffocation.

FOOT-RACING AT WALWORTH.—Yesterday the
Beehive Cricket-ground, at Walworth, was very largely attended by
the admirers of the recreative sport of pedestrianism, who were highly
gratified by witnessing the prizes contested by some of the most supe-
rior runners. The first race was for a handsome silver snuff-box, con-
tested in heats over 100 yards. The entries were—Glenn, Mak-
piece, Exeter, Bertram, Smith and Pattersons, novices, Martin, Mor-
timer, Weaver, and Brompton. Martin, Makpiece, and Weaver,
who were the several winners, then ran the grand heat, and after a
spirited race, Martin won the prize. Second prize—A silver snuff-
box, which was walked for by eleven men, and the distance being
seven miles ; after two miles, several of the competitors fell into the
rear-rank, and the race was made by Jacques, Haynes, and Willet,
who struggled hard for the trophy, and which terminated by
Jacques coming in first, and Turner second. The walking of
Jacques was much admired, and he performed the seven
miles in one hour and ten minutes, fair toe and heel.—
THE Ea° MAxot.—The novel feat undertaken by Molloy, jun. (a lad
of sixteen), and which was to clear one hundred eggs from the ground,
they being laid in a line at a yard apart, to go down and pick up one
egg with his mouth, and convey it in this manner to one end and de-
posit It in a tub of water, and remove the whole within fifty minutes,
for 101., came off yesterday. The stripling entered upon his hercu-
lean task with great activity, descending to the ground and
rising with elasticity, and bounding away with the egg to its destina-
tion. lie made repetition one hundred times, and in the course of
the match proved himself " a true chip of the old block," and finally
concluded his undertaking in forty-eight minutes, thus winning by
two minutes, and covering five miles and three quarters (less twenty
yards) within the stipulated time. The weather was very unpro-
pitious, notwithstanding which the youngster achieved the stakes.
THREE PERSONS DROWNED.—On Sunday last Mrs.
Graham, the wife of one of the lightkeepers at the Plymouth Bleak-
water Lighthouse, went with her son, a lad about six years of
age, "to visit Mr. Graham, on the Breakwater. About seven in
evening they left in a waterman's boat, with the inten-
tion of returning to Plymouth, On Monday morning Mr.
Findlater, the foreman of the works, shortly after land-
ing, discovered the body of the lad, with a basket under his
arm, on the northern side of the Breakwater, near the jetty. This
discovery was the first intimation which Mr. Graham had of his loss.
The boat, which was rather crank built, was in charge of a man
named Ward, and, as no account has been heard of her, it is sup-
posed that she went down in a squall, with the boatman and Mrs.
Graham and her son, soon after leaving the Breakwater. The dark-
ness would prevent persons on board the shipping in the_Souid from
seeing such a catastrophe. _ _

ELOPEMENT. Yesterday morning, a young lady,
residing with her parents in the Kennington-road, eloped with a gen-
tleman from her home. The family were thrown into considerable
alarm and anxiety by her sudden disappearance ; hut about twelve
o'clock her father received a letter from the fugitive, informing him
of her marriage. The young lady is about eighteen years of age, and
possessed of considerable property in her own right, left by a relative.
THE RECENT ACCIDENT AT SIR CHAPMAN IFIAR-
snALD AND Co.'s.—Yesterday morning, William Branton, a man in
the employ of Sir Chapman Marshall and Co., No. 179, Upper
Thames-street, who received so serious an injury on the previous
day, by fracturing "his skull from a fall into a cellar beneath one of
the warehouses, an account of which appeared in The Sun of yester-
day, expired at St. Thomas's Hospital, only surviving the accident
Si few hours. The poor fellow has left a widow and family to
lament his untimely end.
HORROR or UNION HOUSES.—A poor man of the
name of Thomas Stacey, of Hinton, aged forty-eight, showed such a
dread of the union workhouse as to die of starvation on Monday
last, after having subsisted for eight weeks on 55.—Bath Journal.
-A man named Cirier has been condemned to death
by the Court of Assizes of the Aisne for setting fire to the house in
which his wife and his mother-in-law resided, with the intention of
liurning them to death. He confessed his crime,.and said he had pre-
viously made three unsuccessful attempts. The intended victims
were with dittculty rescued from the fate that threatened them.