The New York herald., 1866-04-21
~>
Destruction Of the English
Steamship European
at Aspinwall.
Explosion Of Seventy Cases OF Nitro
GIycerinc. Equal to Seven Hun
dred Kegs OF Gunpowder.
Over Seventy Persons Killed
and Wounded.
Great Destruction Of Property
on Shore.
The Panama Railroad Company's Splendid
Freight House Mass Of Ruins.
The Loss Estimated at Over Ono
Million Of Dollars.
&C. &c. &c.
Great Destruction Of Property
on Shore.
The Panama Railroad Companys Splendid
Freight House Mass Of Ruins.
The Loss Estimated at Over Ono
Million Of Dollars.


Our Panama correspondence
PANAMA, April 7, 1856.
One OF those terrible saamties that sometimes
remind of tho uncertainty Of all things mortal has
taken place at Aspinwa-a calamity that will long be
remembered hero and elsewhere account Of the i'm
destruction OF life and property caused by agent
that had heard Of being dangerous but which
hte dreamed possessed such gigantic force the expo
sion board tho European has demonstrated. II is
estimated that the explosive force Of nitro yceue
gonoine, 1t termed In the bill Of adng, IL ten
times that Of gunpowder hence the explosion Of seventy
cases on board the European equal that of
hundred kegs Of gunpowder, nearly nine tons.
The steamship European belonged 10 tho West India
and Pacific Steamship Company line Of steamers run
ming between Liverpool, St. Thomas. Jamaica, Aspn-
wall and other points the Spanish Main and West
teen hundred TONS and considered Of the best
the line. These vessels are intended more for
freight than passengers, and In the former bust
ness have been doing well, carrying full cargoss
both ways The line has doubtless been max
ing money; but II has been singularly unfortunate
in tho loss OF some of It's best vessels. Only few
months since OF their new ships foundered of the
French coast The last mail brought the Of the
loss Of the Granadian another nearly new vessel, and
now the total destruction Of the European three
that have been used up very short space Of nme,
and their lon must seriously cripple the line
The European srrivod At Aspinwal the morning Of
the ID inst from Liverpool, with largo amount Of
60 for al parts OF the Pacific and the Ishmus. soon
AFTER her arrival she hauled up to the Long Wharf, 1t the
head Of which Is situated the large and beautiful freight
house Of the Panama Railroad Company The following
morning. abeut seven oelock-when, had the train for
Panama started me half-pas six A. NJ all Of those
employed the wharf and In the freight house would
have been attending 70 their respective dues-a most
terrific explosion occurred the destructive effect Of which
at visible 70 those who Ut hand, and
70 those distant out Of sight Of the wharf and It's
roundings the effect Of the conclusion scarcely le
Tho detention Of tie train the salvation Of
very many lives: but, is the loss OF life fearful
70 think Of nearly all In The immediate vicinity Of the
explosiop being killed outright terribly wounded OF
the latter although well cared for must DO their
injuries being Of such % render recovery
possihls. ,
xYYICrs OF TEE EXPLOSION.
DsoFe saying anything Of The eject Of the explosion
viii speak Of the locality and the positions OF the
sels nearest the The subjoncd map will give
accurate idea Of the wharf, freight house and their i'm
mediate neighborhood.
THE SCENE OF THE EXPLOSION.