The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-08-04
FOREIGN.
From the MY. Evening Post
ARRIVAL OF THE HIBERNIA.
Five days later from England.

O'clock She left Liverpool on the goth, and has made
the passage in few hours less than thirteen days
The Hibernia arrived in the bay at Boston Sunday
night but on account OF the thick weather, she was
obliged to lay off and on until morning.
She brought passengers to Halifax left II and took
in there making total of 1876. Among the passengers
from Liverpool to Boston were Jno Lewis Clarke bearer
of dispatches, and Rev G. c. Moore Baptist clergy
man from Sligo county, Ireland, who out by nvi
taton OF gentlemen in this city, TO deliver lectures
on the present condition OF Ireland.
The English news is without any particular interest.
1t was understood that the Queen would in person an
the close Of this years Parliament on Thurs
day, July 22 Immediately after which, the court will en-
bark for Scotland where Her Majesty and Prince Albert
intend to pass portion OF the summer at the shooting
lodge of Lord Abercon, amidst of the most remote
mountain scenery of her northern dominions.
The alleged NAL appropriation of the Irish relief funds
the part OF the local relief committees excited several
fierce disclaimers and rejondes in the House of Commons
on Friday week.
Mr.. Alfred Austin, of Liverpool, in letter to the
destitute Irish from Liverpool to Ireland will commence
Immediately For the first few days the removals will moi
exceed 15oper dem but as soen as the arrangements are
perfect, the number will be increased
The news which reached Liverpool on the 18th, per
Cambria of large shipments OF grain and flour at reduced
Of the exchange, had the effect OF lowering prices
and discouraging purchases Wheat declined from I'd to
Sd per bushel and flour receded Is cd to rs per barrel
western canal brought 34s Prime qualities OF Indian
corn have maintained their prices The same news,
though not varying materially from the previous advces
had the effect of increasing the demand for cotton Amer
ties being quoted Id higher Money has been less Pen
tiful, and the rates of discounts have ruled
THE EXPLOSION OF GuN-CorToN FAcroRy.-Feref-
sham Saturday night-Messrs. Halls works cover an
area exceeding twenty acres extent The gun-cotton
mandatory, which has only been in work about SIX
months is situated in that portion OF the premises known
of Messrs Halls estate. These works, until the manu-
facture of gun-cotton was commenced, were used as
powder-mills, and two OF the four buildings OF which
the range consists still used for the same purpose
Each OF these buildings occupies an area OF about forty
feet square, and they severally divided from each
other BY mounds OF earth about forty feet high having
base of about the extent after the fashion OF ord
nary powder misthese mounds being intended to pre-
vent the explosion of building affecting either OF the
adjoining erectiOns.
The buildings are very massive, the brickwork OF
the walls being eighteen feet thick They consist OF one
floor only, and those which devoted to the manuac
of the cotton divided into four compartments,
known as the dryng-room, the packing department. the
labelling department. and the coopeage. so called In
serted in the wall of the drying room is an immense iron
ceves the heat from the furnace and communicates to
the drying where the important process OF drying
the cotton is carried No fire whatever allowed to
exist within the building and the same precautions as to
the non-admisson OF the workmen in shoes, &c, gene
rally adopted powder-ms, exist in the buildings devo-
ted to the gun cotton manufacture The process OF pre-
pairing the cotton may be thus briefly described:
The web is first stepped in solution OF acids, after
which is washed in clean spring water; IT is then
drying room, where is carefully dried and subsequently
packed in cartridge paper tubes, IN which form the ar-
Gle is sold The sleeping process IS carried on IN sepa
building, erected for the purpose, IN the rear OF the
stove (No a. This building contained some massive
cauldrons and other machinery.
sion, the works were in fui operation Between forty
and fifty persons employed in the two cotton stoves
and in the sleeping department Nothing to have
occurred calculated to occasion the slightest apprehen
sion up the moment of the accident taking place AS
be ascertaned, about quarter past eleven,
while the work people employed in the NO D stove
were actively engaged, the explosion occurred.
The effect, few moments after it took place, can
ssfae Be ssne5 s Mo- Gys
this structure not one brick remained upon another and
marvellous il may appear the EARTH to the depth OF
five or six feet beneath the foundation, torn up and
rent into chass as by the shock Of an earhq
The materials, rising first into the air to immense
height fell in different directions, and large portion clear
Nos and3, came with great violence on the roof OF the
latter This was but the work of moment, and the
next instant the stove, mo 80 the contents OF which
had beyond doubt, ignited from the fallen materials OF
No a, exploded in similar manner. With the eXcep-
lion Of the chimney which is still standing, this building
is reduced TO wreck Nos and ls used as p9w pow,
rooted; while the building in which the sleeping process
is carried situated before stated in the rear OF No
A, was blown completely down, and the massive ma
chinery which it contained hurled into stream which
skirts the northern boundary of the premises.
OF the unfortunate beings at work in the building NO
scarcely yesge discovered near the scene OF the
explosion Arms, legs and portions OF shattered trunks
were thrown every direction and, in some cases, to
an incredibly long distance The remains OF the nnoI-
Some of the parties in No extricated alive. One
youth, named Bunting, had most miraculous escape He
was busy at work when the explosion took place; and
having momentariy lost his by the shock
covering, found himself buried up to his middle in RUNS
though without having sustained any serious injury
Some of the poor wretches seriously mulated in this
building met miserable end being burned to death be-
fore they could be exrcated.
The extraordinary effect OF the explosion the build
ngs in the neghborhood and the fields in the VI
cnity cannot possibly be realized except by eyewit
The roofs of all the buildings within about quar-
ter OF mile of the explosion are completely stripped OF
their tiles, and the walls much shaken Even in the
town of Feversham fully mile distant from the scene
of the disaster, windows broken, and the houses
otherwise damaged, in instances On the opposite
side of the stream which forms the northern boundary OF
the Marsh works, field OF wheat OF some extent The
explosion has completely blasted this over space OF
about two acres and the dropping and discoored
present of desoaton perfect character with the
adjoining ruins
The willow trees which skirt the bank of the stream
referred to, and indeed, all the trees within about fifty
yards of the buildings Nos and 4, torn up by the
roots and scattered about in all directions Those more
distant less seriously injured, but the foliage of all
within very large circle is wholly destroyed Another
remarkable instance OF its power was shown the Tor
chile election from deep well of two massive pumps
the leaden pipes of which, nearly twenty feet long,
drawn up and thrown very considerable distance
The explosion was heard at an enormous distance
from Feversham. AT Deal and Maidstone, and even at
some places than thirty miles from the of the
accident parties described to have heard distinctly
II NAV be interesting to state that the strength of gun
cotton is Just six times that of gunpowder; in other
words ten drachms OF the cotton equal ounces
of powder --Mornrng Chronicle, Juty19
TN II. nan al bau 4, Ia,