The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-09-03 00:00:00

About eight or nine years ago, a eatastrN
at the little village of Omagh, wl '

e occurred
h is worthy of being

mentior

•••-• • /S., yaIG LUC CA,
plosive force of gunpowder, when ignited under the same
circumstances which would occur in case of an accident at
the Wallasey Magazines. The circumstances, as related
to us by an eye witness, whose name we could give if re-
quired. were as follows :—ln the village or town in ques-
tion, the only party licensed to keep and sell gunpowder
was an elderly man named James Love, a highly respect..
able tradesman, who was considered, however, a little dis-
ordered in his intellect, although harmless to all extent

himself. He was in consequence strictly watched by his
family ; and, through fear of his attempting suicide,
every implement of self-destruction was kept carefully
out of his reach. The premises in which he carried on
business and resided with his family, was of the usual
description found in country places • a front shop, with
house and a range of offices, stable, &c.,Z behind, amongst
which was a kind of hut, provided only with a roof of
thatch, in which he locked up his stock of gunpowder,
which probably never exceeded 50 or 60 lbs. weight. On
the day of the unfortunate occurrence he was last observed
by his daughter going out by the back door, of which
nothing was thought at the time ; but shortly afterwards
a viorent explosion was felt, attended with great devasta-
tion and severe injury to several members of his family,
and others in the neighbourhood. The powder hut was
literally blown into the air; and our informant, who was
at some distance off, with a narrow river between him and
the spot where the explosion occurred, describes hearing
first a booming sound, accompanied by a violent shock,
andon looking round seeing the air hbove literally darkened
with a cloud of flying materials, which, on falling, strewed
the ground to a distance of from a hundred to a hundred
and fifty yards on every side. The walls of the buildings
nearest to the hut were laid completely prostrate, and
those of the adjacent houses seriously damaged. Scarcely
a piece of glass in the place was left entire. Of a row of
excellent built brick houses in the vicinity, the walls pre-
viously close to each other though not party walls, were
wrenched from their perpendicular, until, in some in-
stances, six or eight inches of space were left between each
house. It was concluded that the unfortunate man had
deliberately entered the powder but with a view to effect
self-destruction, by igniting the powder in the keg with
a lucifer match. His body when found was literally
smashed to atoms, scarcely a bone remaining in it above
a couple of inches long. Such was the work of a man of
distempered intellect, and the effect of the explosive force
of 59 to 60 lbs. of gunpowder, not increased by com-
pression ; merely in fact producing a vacuum and not a
detonation. What might not then be the effect of the
explosion of from 600 or 800 tons, the quantity usually
stored in our magazines, and how easily it might be brought
about by the act of a madman, by ordinary carele.--
or by lightning !

...ness,

IMPROVEMENT OF THE TOWN.—III consequence of the
offers by the Council of £5O for the most approved plan
and £25 for the second best, for the improvement of the
town and its approaches, sixteen of such plans have been
deposited at the Town-hall. After the decision of the
committee the plans will be open for the inspection of the
public.

INCREASE OF SPECIE DEPOSITED IN BANKS.—The
New York Tribune of the 20th ult., just received, noticing
the increase of specie in the city banks and the sub-trea-
sury, and the prospect of further arrivals at an early
period, remarks upon the certainty of the fact that they
will shortly have " an embara..:- "

.6sing surplus," and that the
same increase is going on in France and England. In
New York the increase has been since January up to
June $6,665,376 ; in France, $28,872,500 ; and in Eng-
land $10,089,544. Deducting a small decrease at New
Orleans, the aggregate increase is 444,837,593. The re-
ceipts from California at the mint of the United States
and the branch at New Orleans is estimated at 424,850,000.
SHIPBUILDING IN LIVERPOOL. Mr. Chalinor is
building a first-class vessel of 640 tons, to be launched in
January next ; Mr. Clarke one of 800 tons, also to be
launched in January ; Messrs. Cato, Miller, and Co., one
of 690 tons, to be launched in September ; Messrs. Ver-
non and Sons a lightship of 200 tons ; Mr. Thos. Royden
one of 294 tons, to be launched in January ; and Mr.
Steel one of 530 tons, to be launched in October; making
six vessels, of 3154 tons burthen. Of these two or three
are being constructed on what is termed " builders' ac-
count," and the remainder under contract. The vessels
launched this year, up to the present time, show a total of
2474 tons, and during the whole of last year only 2374
tons were launched.—The Committee of Inquiry appointed
by the Council to inquire into the present state of this
important trade, have reported that the present depressed
state of the shipbuilding trade in Liverpool is to be attri-
buted to the following circumstances :—The want of suf-
ficiently commodious yards, affording proper space for the
storing ol timber, &c. The highness of the rents in com.
parison with those of the outports. The fact that leases
are ..ut granted, and that the tenants have no security for

~y out!ay they may find it desirable to make in theim-
rovement of the yards. The absence of private graving-
ocks attached to the yards. Great loss has been sustained
y the removal of Messrs. Wilson and other builders from
Ile north end of the town, and in this loss the engineers
ave largely participated. These removals have reduced
number of engineers employed in marine work about

on reptli ; and the various trades, including many.arti-
zans, . of course, suffered in the same proportion.
Private graving-docks would afford facilities for the repair
of vessels at considerable saving of expense, and they would
also give the advantage of superintendence over the men.
We believe the plan to be submitted to. the Council in
order to remedy the evils complained of and encourage
the shipbuilding trade will be as follows :—That yards be
made immediately north of Sandon Graving-docks and
eastward of the new steam dock. That graving-docks be
attached to each yard. That there be sufficient water
space to launch the vessels without risk. That cranes and
other necessar) appliances be provided for the adjustment
of boilers, masts, and heavy rigging. It is estimated that
there is room for fourteen large-sized yards, and they
should r in cast and west, so that each would be a protec-
tion to the other from exposure to the winds. This plan,
we have ni eoubt, will meet with the approval of the
shipbuilding tr tele generally ; and it has given the greatest
satisfaction to all who have inspected it. The inquiry
showed that the south end of the town, being pre-occupied
by the timber trade, is altogether inadequate for ship-
building purposes ; and that if we are to foster this im-
portant element of our local and maritime prosperity it
must be by affording ample-and liberal acornmodation at
the north.