The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-12 00:00:00

EXPLOSION OF A POWDER-MILL.

On Wednesday morning, between the hours of
ten and eleven o'clock, the ►nhabitants of Hounslow,
Hampton, Twickenham, and Hanwortl►, were
thrown into the utmost alarm by the blowing up of
the corning-house of the powder-mill on Hounslow-
heath, with the destruction of two of the workmen
employed on the works. The names of the unfOr.
tunate men sacrificed are Robert Barrett, aged 37,
and Henry Bird, aged 28.
The mills are the property of Messrs. Curtiss_
Harvey, and Co., and within the last three years
no less than three explosions have taken place on the
site where the present catastrophe occurred. So
great was the shock, that the whole of the premises,
which are situate above a thousand yards from the
corning-house, arc more or less injured. The ele-
gant mansion of Lady Tollemache, at Hanworth,
suffered considerably, the windows being completely
demolished : at the moment of the explosion, her
Ladyship's steward, an elderly man, named Stokes,
was leaning out of a window, and was literally
knocked backwards, the fragments of glass sticking
in various parts of the body. The injuries he re-
ceived, however, are but superficial. Immediately
on the calamity taking place, Mr. Harvey, the ju-
nior partner, ordered the whole of his people to the
scene of devastation. On their arrival the most ap-
palling sight presented itself; the corning• house was
blown to shivers, huge masses of brick-work, por-
tions of large wheels and planks of timber, were
lying in various directions, the whole of a blackish
hue, produced by the powder ; the trees surround-
ing the house demolished are quite destroyed, many
of them being blown into the dams in the vicinity.
Search was immediately made for the bodies of the
unhappy men who had perished. Barrett was dis-
covered about 50 or 60 feet from the site of the
corning-house across some water; his body was mu-
tilated in a shocking degree; both his legs were
blown off; his death must have been instantaneous,
from his head being crushed flat. Bird was found a
short distance from him, but in a much more horrid
condition ; his body was nearly severed just above
the hips; both his thighs and legs were laid open to
the bones, the muscles protruding; every other
bone in the body was broken. Both the bodies
were removed to a shed near the mills, preparatory
to the inquest. Information having been forwarded
to Mr. Stirling, the coroner, yesterday afternoon
was fixed for the inquiry.
John Hanson examined.—On Wednesday morn-
ing last, about seven o'clock, I breakfasted with the
deceased men, and others, at which time they were
both sober and in their usual state of health : after
breakfast they went to their work. I was employed
at the water-mill about half-past ten oclock, when I
was alarmed by a tremendous explosion, and on
looking in the direction of the corning-house saw
smoke and large pieces of timber flying in the air :
I instantly knew the cause, and that the men were
inevitably sacrificed.
CORONER—I cannot in any way account for the
accident.

By a Juror—lt is possible grit may have entered
into the machinery, which, producing friction, caused
the powder to ignite.
Several other witnesses were examined, whose
testimonies, however, did not throw any light as to
the cause of the disaster.
The CORONER briefly addressed the Jury, who
returned a verdict, " That the deceased men were
killed by the accidental explosion of the corning
house."

Barrett has left a widow and six children, and Bird
a widow and four children.

On Friday morning, as the two-horse coach
from Hereford to Bristol through Monmouth was descend-
ing Ganerew-hill at a slow pace, with the wheel locked, the
of•horse, annoyed by the weight of the coach, which was
heavily laden, kept bearing against the Lear horse, and at
last forced the coach against a slight hedge on the left side
of the road, from whence, in consequence of the looseness
of the soil, which gave way under the wheels, it rolled over
into an orchard below. There were no lives lost ; but
three of the passengers (a young married lady, who was
going to meet her husband at Exeter, and two gentlemen)
were very seriously hurt. The lady fell on her head, and
lay for some time as dead, but afterwards came to herself,
and we are happy to state is rapidly recovering from the
effects of the accident. One of the gentlemen, who had
only mounted the coach at the top of the hill atter parting-
from Major MARRIOTT, dislocated his shoulir ; abd t'_►e
other had the small. bone, of hie leg Lokea..-..ifereforcl
Journal.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRENCH PAPERS.

(From the Gazette de France of Wednesday.)
Conau, Max I6.—The English Consul-General
at Constantinople left this place on the 12th, on
which day he had arrived from Ancona, and went on
board the lonian steamboat to Zante. It is sup-
posed that this vessel carries despatches for Count
Carlo d'lstria, to acquaint him with the Proclama-
tion by which the lonian Government declares it will
not acknowledge the blockade of the coast of Prevesa.
This morning at day-break the English ship of the
line the Asia appeared off this Island. It bad sailed
from Naples six days before. Admiral Malcolm,
who was on board, came on shore in a boat, and
proceeded to the Palace of the Lord High Com-
missioner, where lie now is, while the Asia still re-
mains tinder sail; it seems that this vessel will de-
part again immediately. M. Gordon is not on board.
PARIS, JUNE 9.—The Coar;•ier dc Sidyrne of
April 26th says, that according to a letter written
from Napoli di Romania, dated 20th March, Colonel
Schamhorst, son of the Prussian General of that
name, had arrived ra Napoli. It is said, that after
the departure of Colonel Heidegger, he will have
the command tit the regular troops. The President
seems resole ed not to confide this post to any French-
man- l-I.e desires nothing from France but its money.
From the Journal du Commerce of Tuesday.)
PARIS, JUNE B.—We have a letter from Bastia of
31st May, which says—" The Magistrates have just
had two Neapolitan officers arrested, who are said to
have been implicated in the political events in 1820,
and whom our Ministry has consented to give up.
Ten thousand francs have been the reward of the
capture of these unfortunate individuals. Will they
germ This is what every body anxiously asks.
A Neapolitan brig of war anchored in our port yes-
terday morning: the Captain has orders to take pri-
soners on board, whom an ignominious death awaits
in their own country. In order to delay their de-
parture, if possible, one of their creditors has had
them arrested. Other writs will be taken out against
them if the Commander sheuld take upon himself to
pay the debt of four thousand francs, for which they
are arrested. Several creditors have agreed to exer-
cise their rights in succession, in order to give time
for the Ministry to receive the applications which
are made to them in favour of these unfortunate
foreigners.
FarNCH FUNDS.—PARIS, JUNE 9.—Five per Cents.,
108 f. 85c. 75c.; Three per Cents. ea. div. 78f. 60e.
50c. 65c. ; Bank Stock, 1,572 f. 50c. Naples Stock,
85f. 25c. ; Royal Spanish Loan, 77f. ; Haytian Loan,
450 f. Exchange on London, ene month, paper, 25f. 45c. ;
money, 25f. 40c. ; three months, paper, 25f. 30c. ;
money, 2M. 25c.—fours Authentique.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(LAST NIGHT.)

Lord \Vynford (late Chief Justice Best) was in-
troduced by Lords Tenterden and Grantley, and took
the Oaths and his Seat.
Lord Harris and Lord Vernon also took the Oaths
and their Seats.

LONDON,
FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 12, 1529.

We inserted on Wednesday a letter from
Mr. ROBERT GRANT to the Senate of the
University of Cambridge. We copy this even-
ing, from the Cambridge Chronicle, an ad-
dress to the same body, which is well known
to proceed from the pen of a resident, whose
ardent zeal for the best interests of the University,
and the eminent station he fills in the scientific
bodies both of London and Cambridge, must
give especial weight to his opinions on thc pre-
sent question.

The subject of a " Free Trade to the East,"
daily begins to occupy public attention, and
must of necessity continue to do so more and
more, as its absolute importance becomes to be
more considered. Partly connected with this
subject, a work has just appeared, entitled, Re-
flections on the Present State of British India,
which we recommend to the serious attention
of all those who feel an interest not only in the
extension of our commerce, but in the existence of
our Indian Empire. The author professes not to
enter upon the difficult, and almost unbounded,
field of discussion relatively to the affairs of
India, but his object is rather to attract public
attention to the perilous situation of our Empire
in that quarter, with a view to the adoption of such
measures as may appear calculated to consolidate
its strength, and to prepare it for the eventful
crisis which it must at no distant period have to
encounter. And, in doing this, we must say
that he has effected his purpose with a masterly
hand. His work is divided into chapters,
treating on the territorial acquisitions of the
English in Hindostanthe danger to which
British India is exposed from invasion—the con-
dition of the people of Hindostan—their general
character and temper—and finally—the coloniza-
tion of India.

As Russia is the only power from which any
immediate danger of invasion can be appre-
hended, we have selected an extract from the
Chapter on that head, which will be found the
most interesting, on account of the present
display of military enterprise manifested by that
ambitious power. In treating of this part of his
subject, the only thing of which the author
does not seem fully aware, is the decided ad-
vantage of the route by the Oxus river—a route
which a Russian invader would find infinitely
preferable to any other.

New York Papers have been received this
afternoon at the North and South American
Coffee•house to the 13th May, but they do not
contain any news of particular interest. A New
Orleans Paper says, that accounts from Peru state
that the Peruvian army had laid down their
arms, not wishing to fight against their brethren.
As a proof how much the American public is
imposed upon about the affairs of Europe, we

extract the following account of the Exile.
dition flirming at Cadiz for the re-conquest of

Mexico :
The .21ren, Orleans Mercantile Advertiser of the 13th
ult., contains a letter dated Havanna'', April 3d, stat.
ing that an expedition would proceed front that place
for the re-conquest of Mexico. Information bad been
received that twelve battalions of 1,600 men each
were embarking at Cadiz for Cuba, and that the
Captain-General of that Island had received orders
to place all the di.posable force under the direction of Ad-
miral Laborde, with orders to be off the Cape of San An-
tonia towards the last of May ; 6,000 foot would embark
on board Laborde's fleet, and the expedition from Spain
would sail under the convoy of the Hero 74, and frigates
Iberia and Pula.

A meeting of the Inhabitant Householders of
the parish of St. Clement Dimes, Strand, was
held yesterday in the vestry-room, for the pur-
pose of taking into consideration the propriety
of cleansing, repairing, and warming the Church.
Mr. CLARKE introduced the subject by stating
that the Church had been long unfit for the per-
formance of Divine Service—that the walls and
roof were covered with dirt and filth—and that
he considered it expedient that the interior and
exterior of the sacred structure should be imme-
diately cleansed, painted, and whitewashed.—
During the winter months the Church was so
cold that many of the inhabitants had deserted it
in consequence, it being almost impossible to re-
main in it for any length of time. While filling
the situation of Overseer, a few months since, he
had attended the Church twice, and on each
occasion caught such a severe cold that he was
confined to his room for some time.

Mr. DAVIDSON opposed the motion for :the
repairs, &c., of the Church, on the plea that the
numerous brothels in the neighbourhood should
be first looked into ; to which Mr. COLLIER
replied, " that upwards of two hundred pounds
had been some time since expended in prosecuting
the owners of those brothels, since which they
had flourished more than ever." We are strongly
disposed to advocate any measure havi»g for its
object the rooting out of these detestable. sinks of
iniquity, but do not see upon what principle
such measure should precede the necessary re-
pairs of the Parish Church, or how it is in the
slightest degree connected with them. Both are
measures indispensable to the welfare of the
Parish, but surely that which is most urgently
and immediately pressing, deserves, and should
obtain the precedence

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.

FROM LLOYD'S.

DEAL, JUNE 11.—Wind N.E.—Arrived the Ear;
of Balearras, Broughton, from China.

- „ -
PORTSMOUTH, JUNE 11.--Light airs and variable.
—Arrived the Perseverance, Morrison, from Da4tzic.
Sailed the Chorie, Wheatley, for Antwerp.
PLYMOUTH, JUNE 10.—Wind E.—Off Port, the
Balticum, Vigt, from St. Thomas; and Elizabeth,
Cody, from Baltimore.
FALMOUTH, JUNE 10.—Wind variable.—Sailed
the Plover packet, for Jamaica.
HOLYHEAD, JUNE 10.--Arrived the Three
Sisters, from Barbadoes ; and Manchester, bketehley,
from New York.

DOVER, JUNEll.—Arrived the Anna Maria,
Letts, from Faro. •
VESSELS SPOKEN WITH.—The Henry, Take, from
Liverpool to Baltimore the 2.46 of April, by the
M'Lellan, which arrived at Baltimore the 2d of
May ; Vansittart, from London to China the 13th
ult., in hit. 44. long. 13; Lady Kinnaird, from Sierra
Leone the 4th ult., in lat. 51. long. 14 ; and Crown
Prince, from the Clyde to Charleston the 6th, in lit.
35. long. 36.

TIIE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.)

CITY, TWELVE Os CLOG'K.

We are again in the same dull state as yesterday,
with no arrivals of any consequence; but. accounts
have been received at the North and South American
Coffee-house, from Liverpool, of the New York
packet of the 16th May being off Holyhead. The
papers and letters are not expected in town until late
in the afternoon. Consols opened at the same price
they left off at yesterday, 881, buyers, and up to
the present time there is not a feature in the market
worth observation. The Bank taking Exchequer
Bills at four per cent. has not had any effect on the
market. It is supposed that this maasure is done
with a view to facilitate the payments into the Ex-
chequer for the revenue.

In the Foreign Market not a bargain doing as
yet; prices nominal.

(111031 A MORNING PAPER.)
An expedient for relieving the scarcity of money, which
we stated last week to have been submitted to the Di.
rectors of the Bank, was adopted yesterday at the weekly
meeting of the Board. It has been determined on to snake
temporary advances on the deposit of Exchequer Bills from
this time till the 15th of next month, to an amount not
exceeding 2,000,0001., at an interest of four per cent. By
that time it is conceived that the pressure on the money-
market, to the extent at least that it is connected with the
payments into the Exchequer, will have subsided, and the
necessity for any such assistance, which is a departure from
the ordinary mode of doing business at the Bank, will
have ceased. The Directors do not mean, we understand,
by this proceeding to establish any precedent for the future,
but leave themselves at liberty, according as the experiment
shall appear to be attended with useful results, to adopt or
reject it any period hereafter. A loan on Exchequer Bills
may now be obtained at the Bank for as short a period as
one day, or for the whole time to which the accommodation
is to extend. The measure has undergone-a good deal of
discussion on 'Change, where it has been for the most part
approved of, because it is considered to hive at least the
good effect of preventing that inequality in the circulation
which the payments into the Exchequer generally produce
at this period of the quarter, and restoring it to one uni-
form level throughout the whole of it, The scarcity of
money which before existed out of doors was relieved by
it almost instantaneously ; for as it arose in part from the
fear of being called upn to an indefinite extent, which made
every capitalist keep a supply in hand the double of his
actual wants, no reluctance was any longer manifested at
granting accommodation, when it was ascertained that a
resource was ready in the Bank in case of need. Bence
it is imagined that the avowed determination alone of the
Bank to give assistance will accomplish all that can be
desired, and that few claims to any great amount will be
made upon it.

TWO O'CLOCK.
Consols have remained all the morning at 88i,
alternately buyers and sellers. The French Funds,
Tuesday evening, 179-10 cx. div.
THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols for Account, 88i
CLOSING PRICES.
Danish 66i
Greek, 1825
Mexican, 1825 213-
Peruvian 12
4
Russian 971
Spanish 8-

FOUR O'CLOCK.

Consols
Do. for Ac. 881 1
Brazilian Bonds 57
Buenos Ayres
Chilian Do.
Columbian, 1824

Baron ANSELI DE ROTHSCHILD, 8011-iit-
law to N. M. DIE ROTHSCHILD, Eq., arrived, this morn' -
log, from Paris.