, 1866-04-25

Total Destruction OF the Steamer Eta
rupeAn ~ Si1ty-threr Person. Killed
md Wonnded-Loss One Million DuI-
lnrs-Criminal Proceedings in ycyp
York Against the shippers OF Nitro
Glyccfipe 10 California.
Correspondence Of The n. +. Timesl
PANAMA. Friday, April 10, 1866,
Aspiuw al, on the Sd inst, WAS the scene Of
one of the most terrible accidents on record.
just before Z o'clock on the morning Of that
day, the West India and Pacific Steamship
Company's fine stcauer European was blown
up Mt her wharf, resulting in the death Of
more than sixty persons, and destroying
property to the vu1ue OF three-quartcrs OF d
million Of dollars. The accident, which was
at first supposed to have ar1sen from powder
clandestinely shipped by ogeuts Of the Ch,lian
and Peruvian GoyeEnments, WIS subsequent
ly found to have been caused by tho explo-
sion Of . large quantity Of .nitroxiyccrfne,
described il the bilt Of latlfng as tglon0in
OIL" The explosion was terrific, shaking
tion, shnttcring many roofa, tearing doors and
windows from their fastenings, smashing
glassware, crockery, and scattering broken
furniture over the rooms.
The European. IN iron uyde-bnllt propel-
Ter, Of l,6sl tons, is one OF a line OF Liver
pool sonpaay, who own about Twenty-Five
stea1a sca-soing vessels. These vessels are
sntsH asd principally for carrying freight, al
tkoash NEST e4 them have .iue state-room ac-
eran 1fsnuzs ier IRON f.nssa 10 twenty-five
Brss- elafx Passengers. khey ruu between Liv-
s1psol and ssyural OF thu West India isl&1ds,
touching also at Santo Marthn and cariha-
sena> aud ma king their tsFsn1uus at Asptu wall,
with goods ior Central aud Eonth 4Aneyiea
and Calltcruia, whlAh ta&tet nre trims pogtsl
over the Panama Railroad. Last ycar, end
Ing December II this line mnde thirty -sevoa
trips to Asninwall, hEonght ont tall irefgbts,
II
returned from AspfnWa1l to Liverpool loaded
TO their fall capacity.
The European left Liverpool on the fst
day of March, touched at Port-au-Prince,
Kingston and Carthagcna, and arrived at As
pfnWall on the LIST day Of april She landed
in soMe freight at Carthagena for tho return
voyage. She hauled into her wharf at AS
pinwall on the I'd, III the afternoon, md when
the explosion took place gang. Of 1ahorers
stood on the *harf, ready to receive and take
away cargo. while dnzen or 80 Of blacks
from the shore were between decks, ready to
take 1t out. They were only waiting for the
clerks Of The Panama Railroad Company to
check the goods, who we're fortunately that
morning little late, % they we're gathered
which should hare gone at $50 O'Clock.
Had the train gone on time, q dozen or
more American clerks must have been Killed,
and probably many merchants and Others,
who were also waiting ior tthe train to
start. The explosion took place tn the after
between decks. i volume Of fire and white
smoke assembled high in the air, catrying up
With il twcuty or thirty men from the hold
and vessels decks, spers, bales Of goods, por-
tions Of the upper deck, etc., ETC., the goods
unrolIing IS they went up and descended IN
the red t1ames, forming Is described y those
who were at u sufficient distance to take n
The effect, one OF the most terribly masnia-
cent spectacles ever witnessed. Almost eiG-
ultnneously with the explosion the great iron
aEd slated root Of The railway eompany's stone
freight house was seen to lit itself a little
from lis walls and then dropped down Inside
of them, smash hing The lighter goods Pltea N
whom It iii. One Of the clerks, Mr; Burn
hsm, who was in the freisht-htuse, seeing the
roof LIT, sprang from the high platform