Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-03-09

Explosion of The Princeton's Great G,n-Death
of the Secretary Of ,Slate-of the Secretary Of
the NaUy-ot C0mmodore Kennon-of Vtr-
gal .Marey-of Mr.. Gardiner Of N. Y, &c.
rI.-. IL II ..-.- mt.
Washington, Feb. %, 1874

pIt Jh0Tey-OJ SuT. OtFUHLeT u ~ ., W.
From the Boston Times.
Washington, Feb. %, 1914.
The city is in mourning; another melancholy e.
vent has befallen the country. Having been an
eye witness to the scene, will, as infinitely as
! possible, give an account of it.
! Capt. Stockton, of the Steamer Princeton, nv-
ted some three or four hundred ladies' and gentle
men, including the President and his family, the
members Of the Cabinet, and Foreign Ministers,
some Senators and members of the House, and
large circle of his especial friends, to take an ex-
curson with him down the Potomac this day, and
witness the beauty and movement of his noble
vessel, and the discharge Of his immense gun
All the invitations were most eagerly accepted
and at about one o'clock, the company were safe
ly put on board the Princeton from small steam
| er which took them from the wharf
! The day was clear and pleasant, and there were
as many ladies Oh board as gentlemen, and every
thing promised delightful excursion. After sa-
lutte of twenty -one guns from the small pieces, the
bic Gun was put in readiness for the firing of
ball weighing $50 pounds. The ladies' were all
| ''piped OH deck,' and obtained prominent places
to see the discharge. The word fire" was given,
and all eyes Immediately beheld the motion Of the
ball upon the water giving some hafdozen bounds
and going a distance Of about two miles before 1t
| finally sunk The experiment was in every res
pect successful, and all were delighted.
The party then adjourned to the cabin, and af-
ter the ladies had Toasted fully from the abundance
so liberali1 provided for them by the noble Cap
tain, the gentlemen took possession of the table,
Capt. Stockton being at the head-the President
upon his right-the members Of the Cabinet with
the single exception OF Mr.. Spencer who was not
Oh bOard) arranged according to their official Sta
ton, upon the leit-Senators Benton and Wood
bury, Mr.. C0tn and other members of Congress,
following on the right of the President. Toasts
and champagne sparkled together, and all were as
merry and happy as could be-
| In the midst Of this, and as the vessel was near
ing home, the Captain concluded to have another
| fire with his big gun-and then occurred the fatal
event which will now detail.
The gun was ranged-and the gentlemen whom
the Captain most desired should the operation,
were specially invited up to witness it. The gun
was fred-the breech erploded! ksLing 2cjh ii IN
Sianth Mr.. Upshur, Secretary Of State; Mr.. Gil
mer, Secretary of the Navy; Virgil Maxey, Esq,
of Maryland; Com. Kennon Chief Of the Bureau
of Construction; and Mr.. Gardiner of New York
seriously injuring Capt. Stockton, also of the
midshpmen, and three or four Of the hands ofthe
ship; and more or less imjurng some half dozen
others of the ships crew. Senator Benton was
standing on the right of Capt. Stockton, as were
also Mr.. Tyson of Philadelphia, Col. Strickland
Of the same city, and others.
Mr. Benton, Immediately after the affair, com
planned and suffered much from the effect Of the
explosion, but did not see, when left the boat,
that he was seriously hurt. The gentlemen kill
ed were all standing on the leeward side of the
| gun, nearly in row, and when the gun burst the
pieces went in their direction and killed them m
stanily-not groQ1 ecas heard TO escape their lips.
The President, but IA moment previous to the dis
charge, fortunately left its vicinity. AS the smoke
cleared away, Capt. Stockton was discovered with
his hair and face scorched, and his dress covered
with powder He Jumped with one spring to the
top OF his gun, and exclaimed ''MY COP WOULD
THAT WERE DEAD TOO"
II He was Immediately handed down and convey
:, cd to the cabin, and a more heart-broken man |
never saw. He is to be pitied for the calamity,
though he is in no wise to blame, for it has result
ed as will now state, from causes over which he
could have no control.
The public should bear in mind that the gun
had been discharged several times, how many
am unable to say; and especially three times dur
ing the day When the accident happened she
was only charged as usual, but on examining the
break aud the pieces, the only fresh break that
could be discovered was on one part, a place us
big as two hands, and another part as big as one
hand.
The following extracts of letter from the cor
respondent of the journal of Commerce, which
contains some particulars that we have not met in
other accounts.
This day will be ever memorable as day of
calamity. large party of ladies and gentlemen
were invited to a ball on board of the Princeton,
by Capt. Stockton. The ball was a topic of con-
versatlon here for week past. 1t was to be high
~ exclusive. 1t was Civ out that no clerks nor
subordinate officers were to be invited to it. Still
the invitations were as numerous as the capacity
OF the ship justified. 1t was known, a week ago,
that the President aud his family were to he pres
ent; that the Heads of Departments and their
families were to be there.
Amid the general burst of grief and agony, ii
may be vain to call attention to the causes of this
disaster. Vain it is for the dead, but not for the
| living. The two hundred and twenty-five poun-
der was said, and so reported to Congress- to be
2 OF lcrOught 'rOn, as 1t was to some extent. But
earn from Mr.. Barney, that the scattered pieces
t of the gun were seen everywhere. They say
that the breech of the gun of mortar shape,
/ and was of cast iron and welded on to the other
= part The other parts appear to have been in sec
4 tons, and welded together The parts Of the gun
that were burst we're all below its axis. But il
/ does not matter as to this. We have evidence OF
the strongest character. that experiments were
made in Europe, long ago, Of welded guns
and that they sgnally failed. am told by good
: authority, that the plan was tried and exploded
= in Europe, two centuries ago. VIM. Cost John
h sons reports on this subject have been UNDECIDED
: He investigated this whole matter, and showed
the necessity of establishing National Foundry
for cannon.
q But, Notwithstanding all this, it is at this nom
y ent question before Congress, whether the con-
tracts for making cannon Shall not be given to the
lowest bidder, according to the law of the last SEES
: sion. These guns of the Princeton were proved