The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-27

| TERRIBLE CoNFLAGRATIoN OF OIL WEILs.-The
| express from Titusville on Thursday brought the
news of terrible confagration which occurred at
housewife, fourteen miles below the former place
at O'clock Wednesday. The particulars, as
near as we could CLEAN them from an informant
who left Titusville on Thursday morning, are as
| follows:
A party of men were drilling at the -.' Merrick
WE'LL" and at about o'clock struck the largest
| vein of oil yet discovered. The oil and gas flowed
| from the well in tour-inch stream, and spouted
into the air to the height Of fifty feet, with loud
| rushing sound. Preparations were made to save
the oil, and while dipping it from the ground into
barrels the gas with which the atmosphere had be-
come charged, ignited by means unknown.
and exploded with the noise of thunder, which was
| heard at distance of six miles. Instantly the
whole neighborhood was in flames, and burning
with the herceness of a volcanic fire.
| Four men were burned to crisp at the well
where the explosion took place, and fifth, Mr. H.
| Il. Rouse, of the firm of Rouse, Mitchell & Brown
was so badly burned that his bowels protruded and
! his body was almost completely robbed of its skin
| and flesh. He was not expected to live twenty
minutes, when persons were despatched to Titus
vile for physicians These persons, whose infor-
nation is all that was known at Titusville up to
the time our informant left, stated that the flames
| spread from well to well, and bounded over the
ground in every direction as if chased by a whir-
| wind, and that all the derrcks and combustible
| matter IN the vicinity would be DESTROYED. They
also stated their fears that large numbers of per
sons had suffered death. At the moment tbey left
many were missing, and the utmost confusion pre-
vailed.
1t seems that there large number of wells
on the plot many of them only thirty feet apart
and as the light was to grow brighter from
TitusvilIe, late on Thursday morning, with sudden
and vivid flashes, it is but reasonable to suppose
that the entire fats have been burned over. Fur
Their and full particulars will come in by express
tomorrow, (Saturdayl.-Erie Pa Dispatch.
WHAT Is MARTIAL LAw?-At the present crisis.
the significance of term so much used, and with
so little accurate sense of its meaning, becomes
unusually important
Bouvier defines martial law as ga code establish
ed Tor the government of the army and navy ofthe
united States, whose principal rules are to be
found In the articles of war, prescribed by act of
Congress- But Chancellor Kent says this definition
quite distinct thing, and is founded on paramou unit
necessity, and proclaimed by a military chief
Martial law is generally and vaguely held to be
suspension OF all ordinary civil rights and process
despotism.
1t is an arbitrary law, originating in emergen-
ces In times of extreme peril to the State either
from without or from Within the public welfare
demands extraordinary measures. And martial
law being proclaimed signifies that the operation
OF the ordinary legal delays of justice is suspended
oy the military power, which has for the time be-
come supreme
1t suspends the operation of the writ of habeas
corpus enables persons charged with treason to
be summarily tried by Court Martial instead of
Grand Jury; justfes the searches and seizures of
private property, and the taking of pub
lie highways and other means of communication.
Involving the highest exercise of sovereignty it is
OF course, capable of great abuse and is only to be
Justified on emergencies of the most imperative and
perllous nature.-Pha. Necs.
r QUICK DISrArcH.-our reighbors, Cammack &
converse, cleared, Yesterday, at the house,
with 1921 barrels -four. This shin arrived from
Liverpool on the 10th inst, with GOO tons cargo,
an and alsenarging on the opposite side, commenced
Only six days loading. This is the most remarka-
paper, April 2lst. 0'""''