The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-07 00:00:00

With reference to the proposition of the Government, he mutt / CI-Airman. Though he was one of the people, and highly
say that h., thought if they were to sac,:fiee 600.0001., they elpp.k ea; ed the system at present pursued by t' e -elect few in
might have conferred a greater benefit upon the pulwc• By the pa, is;,, wt:o eon litu v• s- \voniii jor, !!.a,
alterations in the duty on Ghee-e, batter, and ()the, ,rtiele, m etqlg, ar='-rot ~f'., Pt' r.
they might have reduced the general expense of living, and law Commi•sioners. Tnis v, as n t a pony question. Alt
that, in his opinion, would have been a greater benefit than the should unite to oppose the Bill itself as av, hole—not this clause
reduction of the duty on sugar. Mut although he thought or that clause, but the whole of the Bill, as one calculated to
greater benefits might have been conferred upon the country, rend from the people piecemeal the who'e of their rights and
lie did not think that he would be justified on that account in privileges.—( Loud cheers. )
opposing the propos;tion of the Government. He felt called j The resolutioa was then put and carried unanimously.
upon, therefore, to support the proposal of the tariff. Mr. DOUGLAS next moved that a peti!ion, found: d upon the
After a few words from Alr. TURNER, foregoing resolutions, should be signed by the 'Lhait man, on
Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the House divided, bAialf of the meeting ; and that vir Benjamin Hall and Sir
ishen there appeared, Charles Napier be requested to present it to Parliament.
For Air. Roebuck's amendment l6 I The CHAIRMAN seconded the motion in an appropriate and
Agiinst it
Majority against the amendment —227 nearly full; and he rejoiced at this, inasmuch as he knew that
Sir H. DOUGLAS moved the adjournment of the debate ± the parish of St. Pancras was looked up to by the country td,s.-
amidst loud cries of 4• divide, divide," He had received many tricts as the champions of the old Pout-law.
representations and petitions on this subject from Canada; and 1 The resolution was carried with cheers.
he did not think he would be doing adequate justice to them if A vote of thanks was then carried with acclamation to the
he were to proceed at that late hour. Chairman, which, having been brivfly acknowleeged, the meet-
Sir R. PEEL did not wish to interfere, but he thought the nig quietly separated
constituents of his Hon. Friend were deeply interested in the
passing of the measure. He thought that it was necessary
for the interest of the country that the measure should pass
with as little delay as possible.—( Hear, hear. 1 He had not
expressed any intention of making an alteration in the duty on
timber upon representations from Canada being made on the
subject.
Mr. H. HIN DE did not think the feeling of the House
would be altered by further discussion. He therefore trusted
the House would come to a decision that night.
Mr. BROTHERTON thought the subject was sufficiently
discussed.—( Laughter. )
The question of adjournment was then put, but the House
having manifested a strung desire that the debate should be
proceeded with,
Sir H. DOUGLAS moved, pursuant to the no'ice he had
given, that the duties, on and after the 10th day of October
next, should be fixed at 30s. on foreign timber, and 38s. on
' foreign deals, both per load, and that no ulterior reduction, as
contemplated, should take place in either. He had received
memorials from all parts of the country. and also from the United
States, all ef whieh concurred with him in the view he had taken.
Sacrifices must be made, but they must proceed with caution.
If it was found on experience that 30s. duty would give the
colonial interest a greater participation in the trade than was
just, he would vote for any measure to reduce it to 255.
Sir R. PEEL said these had been a most important remark
made by an Hon. Gent. en the Opposition (Mr. Stewart), who
calculated that by the proposition of the Government, there
would be a saving of 31. in a 40/. house. If there was such a
saving in a house, what would there be in building a ship?
The memorial stated that the contraband trade was encouraged
by the high duties ; and to this the memorialists ascribed the
decay of the trade. The effect of the tariff had also
been very favourable on the shores of the Baltic.
An intention that had existed on the part of the
German League to increase the duty on British iron.
had been suspended in consequence of the tariff, and he trusted
would be abandoned. He thought that the proposal would
prove a great encouragement to building, and would lead to an
improved taste and increased outlay ; on the part of the Go-
vernn.ent he felt oaliged to adhere to his proposition.
Mr. LABOUCHERE, after hearing the effect of the t,,r,ff
on the Powers of the Baltic, could not but regret that the pro-
position of the Government, of Lord Grey, for reducing the
timber duties, seven years ago, had not been adopted.
Lord SANDON opposed the reduction of the duty proposed
by the Government.
Mr. THORNELY supported the Government proposition,
and the question having been put, the amendment was nega-
tived without a division.
The schedule of timber duties was then agreed to.
The House adjourned at a Quarter-past Two o'Cleck.

THE LATE FATAL EXPLOSION
Al THE APOTHECAMES' HAE L.
INQUEST ON THE BODY OF MR. H. HENNELL.

The inquest on the body of this unfortunate gentleman, was
held yesterday evening, at six o'clock, in the large town of the •
Apothecaries' Hail, Union-street, Blackfriars, before Mr.
Payne, the Coroner, and a most respectable Jury.
As soon as the Jury were sworn, they proceeded to the room
in which the deceased was lying, in order to view the body.
The loom in which it was lying, was the nearest to the spot
where the accident occurred. On the covering being removed,
the body presented a frightful spectacle. From toe lower part
of the chest upwards, was one blackened, mangled, and shape-.
less mass. The head and feattn ea were entirely gone, with the
exception of the lower part of the jaw. Ihe whole of the
chest bone was torn off, and the heart, lungs, and liver were
exposed, a blackened heap, with here and there a dash of pu-
trid-looking scarlet. The left arm, which was separate from
the body, was lying across the chest. The lower parts of the
body did not appear to have sustained the slightest injury, as the
trousers and boots of the unfortunate deceased were, at tee time
of the accident, not at all injured.
As soon as the Jury had viewed the body they returned, ansi
immediately proceeded to the examination of the witnesses.
Charles Griffiths, the first witness called, said, I was as-
sistant to the deceased, who was chemical operator at the Apo-
thecaries' Hall. A few minutes past ten o'clock on Saturday
morning the accident happened. I was with deceased in the
early part of the day. The first thing the deceased aid, when
he came down at half-past seven in the morning, was to exa-
mine the fulminating silver. This was in the yard. He
examined it as to its state of moisture. He then weighed the
mixture, which weighed 400 grains in its moist state. it would
weigh about 2do grains when dry. The mixture was driest at
a stove, at a heat of about 160 degrees, not more. Fefore we
went to breakfast we left the mixture on a block in the yard;
part of it was to be dried first. Whilst I was at breakfait at
home I heard the report, and immediately came to the build-
ing, and I there found the deceased vviti, in about three yard. of
the block in the mangled state in which he now lies. The
whole of the upper part of the head was gone, as was the right
arm. The left arm was hanging to the body. I cou:d not and
a trace of the mixture lett, either damp or dry. What I believe
to be the cause of the accident is—but I must say, first, that
the making of this mixture was at the earnest -request of the
East India Company, and it was not till Mr. Hennell had tried
every means in his power to get the mixture from an•
other quarter, that he consented to get it up himself.
The order was to have been executed by Saturday.
We were under an engagement to a gentleman in Guernsey to
supply a certain quantity. 1 his was to be amalgansatt d with
that which was being manufactured on the premises, and I sup-
pose that in mixing the two the accident took place. It was
not on account of the ignorance of the operator, for he was a
trust experienced man, and knew perfectly well the nature of
the operation he was ',elfin-ming. He p, rtectly understood his
business. havit g had the experience of many, years.
A Juror—Could there have been any substance in the mix.
tore procured from elsewhere, which, in coming in con act
with the mixture preparezi by Mr. Hennell, might have caused
it to exp ode? Witness—No; we thoroughly examined the
mixture received from the person to whom Mr. Hennell had
given the order, and it was found to be perfectly the same as
that made by Mr. Hennell.
By a Juror—'f his kind of preparation was never attempted
on the premises before. As a proof of the caution of Mr.
Hennell, he said he would not have the mixture prepared in
any building on account of its dangerous nature. It was his
extreme anxiety to meet the wishes of the East I..dia Company
that induced him to undertake the operation.
13y a Juror—lt is usual to mAnutacture this preparation in
the country, and not in any popeluus place. 'the strength of
the preparation had been tried some tune before the accident.
George Haines, a labourer at ,he Apothecaries' Hall, de-
posed that he saw Mr. Hennell five minutes after ten o'clock
on Saturday morning. lie was then in the distillery-room,
about ten or fitter, yards from the place where the accident oc-
curted. He then had a small piece of paper in his heed on
the copper, and he took it up and went into the yard, e he,
he stirred something in a dish. Witness did not know what
he was stirring. The dish was on the block. In about there
or four minutes afterwards the explosion took place. Witness
i was near enough to the deceased to see bins at the time of the
explosion. Witness.was about three yards from him. Toe
deceased was blown to about twe yards distance. Witness
was shaken by the explosion, but was not in the open air at
the time.

POOR LAW COMMISSIONERS
ST. PA NCRA S.
A public meeting of the pat i-hioners of this parish, con-
vened by order of the Vestry, was held last evenieg at the
Vestry-rooms, Gordon-street, Gordon-square, for the purpose,
as stated in the bills, of considering the Bill now in Parliament
for enabling the Poor-law Commissioners to aboli.h the paro-
chial Auditors of Accounts, and to unite this parish with other
parishes or unions for various purposes over which the Vestry
and Directors of the Poor had now the control ; also for ren-
dering in-door relief compulsory in cases hitherto at the discre-
tion of the " Board."
The meeting was convened for seven o'clock, but at that
hour the room was but very partially filled; by eight o'clock
there were a few more present, when on the motion of Mr.
Douglas, Mr. Cooper, surgeon. was voted to the chair ; the
room, however, was by no means full.
The CHAIRMAN stated the Vestry to be of opinion that the
feeling of the parish should be taken on the matter which had
called them together, and that the parishioners should know
how far their interests would be affected by the measure
they had met to consider, which was brought in by a
Tory Government, who had promised so far to
amend the Poor-law as to render its provisions so mild
as not to press too heavily upon the poor. Sir Charles Napier
and Sir Benjamin Hall had been invited to attend; it hap-
pened, however, that in the House that night there was to be •
an important debate in cooseeuence of Lord John Russell's
Bill fur the orevention of bribery at elections.—( A laugh.)
Letters frism Sir Benjamin Hall and Sir Charles Napier
were read, both expressive of their concurrence in the sen-
timents which they presumed would pervade the meeting, and
regreting that their duties in Parliament prevented their
attending.—( A voice—" Let's adjourn till the Members do
attend, for there's a very scanty lot here to-night.")
The CHAIRMAN continued—The Bill that was now in Par-
liament would take out of the parish altogether the power
which they now had of controlling their own funds. The Poor-
law Commissioners were to have the power of auditing the
accounts, and of course the auditor would be a creature of the
Poor-law Commissioners, the result of which would be that the
directors of the poor would no longer have the power of
granting out-door relief.—( Hear, hear.) But that was not
all ; they also said that they would take away all the children
from the workhouse, and would build a boarding-school some
ten miles from the parish, educate and board th in at th.ir
own discretion, and for that would charge the parishioners not
more than one-fifth of the parish rate.— ( dear, hear.) He
thought these encroachments on their rights were ample
grounds for calling the meeting together, and in conclusion he
trusted that a fair mid impartial hearing would be vouchsafed
! to every speaker.
Mr. BARNES rose to move " That this meeting views with
disappointment and disgust, the continual demands of the Poor-
law Commissioners for increased powers, and the readiness of
Government to advance their views, notwithstanding the
great effect which popular hostility to the present Pour-laws
undoubtedly exercised in ousting the late Ministry from office,"
but he spoke in so low a tune of voice as to render his temarks
almost inaudible at the reporters' table. He was understood
to say, that the Poor-law Amendment Act was a most ineffi-
cient and uncalled-for measure ; it not only materially affected
the comforts of the people, but it had considerably increased
the expenses of the parish. The union of a number of pa-
rishes was calculated to increase the expense borne by the
parishioners ; and in proof of this he might state as an ex-
ample, that he himself had some property situated in different
parishes, for which he paid a rate of 3s. 6d. in the pound under
the old system; he new paid under the present system for some of
the property 55., for some ss. 6d., and for some 6s.—( Hear. )
Mr.-IlAsteesole briefly seconded the resolution, which he
hoped would be carried unanimously.
Mr. KYEZOR regretted the absence of so many gentlemen
of the Ve-rry, who were actuated in all their movements by a
desire only for their own interests. He thought it a scandal to
the parish that the meeting was so poorly attended.
The resolution was then carried unanimously.
Mr. NICHOLSON in a lengthened speech, which we regret
our limits will not allow us to publish, moved the second reso-
lution, w hich was as follows :—" That one of the pretences
under which the new Poor-laws were introduced to the coun-
try, was the establishment of simplicity and uniformity in the
mode of administering relief by parishes at large; but t pre-
sent Bill, giving power to the Poor-law Commissioners to
unite parishes with one union, for one purpose, with another
union for another purpose, and so on with a variety of unions
for a variety of purposes, seeks to introduce intricacy and arti-
ficial arrangement into a subject susceptible of the greatest
simplicity, merely to confuse and delude the popular mind, or,
by the manifold operations which it will enable the Poor-law
Commissainers to undertake, afford a pretext for perpetual
coot itittance."
Mr. PICKMAY, in a few words, seconded the resolution,
which was carried unanimously.
Mr. DouoLAs, in seconding the following resolution
" That this meeting views with indignation the attempt of the
Government to procure the sanction of Parliament to the repeal
of so much of the Act commonly called Hobhouse's Act (for
the obtainment of which the metropolitan parishes struggled
long and manfully), as enables the rate-pa3ers to appoint au.:
ditors of accounts, by which appointment the control o the
monies, furreseed by themselves, is placed in their own hands,
and the vexatious abuse of a power so important rendered im-
possible"—said he need scarcely call to their mind the difficulties
which they had to encounter in introducing Hobhouse's Act
into the parish. He should, however, tell them that, pre-
vious to the introduction of the ne.y system, by which
they elected their own representatives, the rate was Is. lod. in
the round—it was new only Is. Id.—( Hear, hear.) Neither
need he tell them of the difficulty which they had to exlude the
Poor-law Commissioners from the Latish: the rate-payers
however, aided by the Parochial Cutrlmiltee, maniully re.
sited their entrance, and resisteu it effectually.—(Hear, hear.)
He hoped that the zeal which actuated the rate-payers then—
six years ago—weuld be exercised by them now.—(Hear,
hear.) What could nut be forced upon them then they were
going now to impose upon them covertly. In proof of this
statement the speaker then referred to a variety of clauses in
the Bill, hem which it appeared, that notwithstanding Sir J.
Graham's statement in the House of Commons that it was not
his intention to,interftre with Local Acts already in force, it
would be quite competent, if the Bill were pasted, to impose a
new and uncalled-for code of regulations upon the parish. He
would now ask them whether they thought it would be desirable
to hive .the Poor-law Commissioners called into the parish to
sepertntend their conduct of the poor and the auditing of their
accounts?--( No, no.) If the room had been crammed to
excess he was sure that " No" would be sounded by every one
in the room. They ought to use their exertions to stir up
their fellow rate-payers, and then he was sure that room would
not be capable of holding the numbers that would assemble
there for the determined purpose of resisting the introduction
of the Poor-law Commissioners into the parish.—( Cheers.)
Mr. HAnLEY seconded the resolution without an observa-
tion, and it was carried nemine contradicente.
Mr. Seoce proposed the next resolution :—" That by the
mode of audit proposed by the Poor-law Bill, parishes with
Local Acts would be placed entirely in the hands of the Poor-
, law Commissioners—subjected to continual annoyance and petty
vexations, arising horn their ignorance of the constitution of
the bodies established by such Acts, being quasi corporations
for important purposes, beside poor relief; and, when popu-
lady elected, not standing in need of the proposed control of
the Poor-law Commissioners, which, in their cases, would be
misplaced and useless for any good purpose." They were very
apt to become apathetic about things, after a time ; otherwise
there would, no doubt, have been a more numerous attendance
than he saw present• Hobhouse's Act had been carried, some
year's ago, by a majority of more than two-thirds of the Vestry ;
end, by that. Act, they secured to themselves the right of elect,:
ing their own Vestry, and a body of men to see that the Vestry
did their duty. By the proposed Bill, heereesee though the
power of electing their Yee try would still remain with them, as
the electipg of ae auditor of accounts would rest with the Poor-
law k.'soinMis•ioners, their vestrymen would be rendered no
better than puppets. to prevent the Poor-law Commissioners,
therefore, appointing an auditor of accounts, they oppo-ed
this Bill. To prevent toe Poor-low coreeniseioneis el,ue
eating their childrep, teas another reason why they op-
ilscd the He "hived they woulel use their ce,ertions
to watch narrowly the pe-eing of that 141 i winch was g ing
so quietly 'throueti the' fit, s 9. The parishes of St. James ,1
and Marelebele were on the alert, and welsh( not allow it to
}less quietly. In St. James, where he had the honour to be
a vestryman, and where Hobhouse's Act was in force, they
now spent from 2.4000/. to 25,0001. per atienuee Oitnerie
they spent 45,0004 The Poorsrates 'pec- is. `2.1.)n the puniii
pievioos to 'the 1 tro4oction of itobhouse's Act; they were
sow deers.)
Mr. Atma seconded the resolution. He thought the only
legitimate course for them to adr.pt on the present occasion was
to petition Parliament, and that was the plan he b. gged to
propose for their adoption.
Mr. WALL, a Chartist, :rose to eyeele to the resolution amidst
Arad deal- of coufusiOn, Nthich was ultimately quieted by the

Fredrick -Leffler deposed that he kept the account of the
stock, both in and out. He heard a conversation between Mr.
Herinel and a gentleman from the East India House, who was
urging on him the necess ty of the preparation being at the
East India House by twelve o'clock on Saturday. This con-
versation took place on Thursday morning. Witness did riot
see the accident, hut was on the premises at the time. He
had often conversed with Mr. Hennell on the danger attending
the preparation. Mr. Hennell had frequently cautioned the
people as to packing the preparation. He said he would, to avoid
r sk, manufacture the article in the open air, and in small quanti-
ties at a time. He said he would make four ounces at a time. This
order was giten by the East India Compai.y, and if Mr. Hen-
nell had n,t undertaken the operation they must have disap-
pointed a good customer of the Company. This was the reason
Mr Hennell undertook it. The Company was under a con-
tract to the East India Company. This was the first prepara-
tion of the sort the • Company had undertaken, ant it was
only the emergency which led them to execute the order.
Witness fully believed that in any case if the deceased had sup-
posed that danger was attendant he would attend to the op• ra-
tion and implicate no "one, but du it on his own personal risk.
lhe value of the mixture was about three guineas a pound.
By a Juror-1 his was the price stipulated fir by parties to
whom application had been made for a supply on another cm-
sloe. Ihe amount that the Company would have received for
the quantity prepared by Mr. Hennell would have been about
et. or W.

Prof. ssor Braude d posed that about a fortnight back Mr.
Hennell told him that an order had been received from the
India House for a quantity of fulminating silver, and witness
advised him to have nothing to do with the preparation.' He
concurred n the opinion wrttie,s expressed. The deceased said
he would try to get it horn the wind' sale manufacturers. Wit-
ness lett town last week under the impression that the prepara-
tion was not to go through the hauls of the Company-, and on
his return, to hi• great horror he braid of the accident. (Here
the witness was much affec ed and shed tears.)
By a Juror— Believed that there are scverai manufacturers of
thts article in London. but he did not know to what extent.
He presumed that it was manufactured in large quantities on
account of its general use fur peicussion caps, Vt itness would
never meddle with the preparation in au), way. 'I he deceased
was a very practical arm experienced man. After the explo-
sion had taken place the witness was aticed if, at the time of the
explosion, the sun might not have suddenly shone upon the
mixture, and thus caused the explosion, but he had examined
the spot, and found that this could mit hare been the cause.

. -
1:y a Jutor—'lbe sun's ra) s would cause am explosion. The
mixture explodes at. a heat of about 220.

Alr.Grlflith4 recalled—Stated that the quantity exploded was
about ,Lb,. 5 wt.

Henry Robinson, the Master and Treasurer of the Apothe-
caries' Company, deposed that, about six weeks eon, Mr. Hen.
nell said he had had a communication from the East India
Company with respect to sispelying them pith some fulinkating
silver. Wank as said that it was a hazardous thing to
attempt. Mr. Hennell said he knew a person in Hol-
born who was a manufacturer of the preparation, and
who had a house in tiuernsey kept for the purpo,e
manufacturing this preparation. In consequence of this an
order WAS given to this gentleman for six pounds weight. Mr.
Elennell wrote to the house in Guernsey last week, urging
them to send what they had manufactured, but being disap-
pointed in this be applied to the house in Holborn, but they
had only abut 41bs on hand, and then Mr. Hennell deter-
mined to make up the quantity of 6lbs. himself, in order that it
might be sent off on Saturday. Mr. Hennell undertook the
preparation solely with the desire of accommodating the East
India Company. Mr. Hennell was a most experienced an"
talented man, and was an extremely moral and amiable cha-
racter.

John Nussey, the Deputy-Treasurer, after corroborating the
statement of the last witness, stated that last 'I uesday he had
a conversation with Mr. lit nnell, and he their said he had made
arrangements that this preparation should not come in contact
with the premises. Wilite.s said, " collect we have nothing
to do with it.." Mr. Henneil said he would. Air. Henze
was a most experienced and excellent man, and the Company
had List a most valuable servant.

'I he CORONER then briefly addressed the Jury on the evi-
dence, and they returned a verdict of Accidental Death. The
Jury further stated that they attached blame to no one, but re-
commended the Company un any future occasion to use the ut-
most precaution.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
ROLLS' COUR7, June C.
iticiraanscai v. HORTON.
The arguments in this part-heard rause, a brief notice of the
main features of which appeared in our report of Saturday,
were resumed this morning.