Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-24

A Large Number OF Persons Killed ana houn-
ded. pa .-' ..+
On the Sd instant, while the Liverpool steamer
European was lying alongside the railroad compa'
nys dock, discharging cargo terrific exploson took
place in the hold Of the ship. The effect was fright
full in the extreme. The vessel was literally SKATER
ed to pieces, while the wharf was almost totally
ruined The railroad freight-house fine stone and
iron building, situated at least two hundred feet from
the vessel, was totally demolished by the concus-
sion But the loss of property, although great was
small matter in comparison with the frighttul loss
of life. The captain first officer, second officer the
surgeon and five Others on board the ship were al
most instantly killed. Twenty-one men on the wharf
met with the same horrible fate, and twenty-five
men on shore and ship were badly wounded. OF a
gang of laborers who were at work in the hold
Of the ship not one is known to have escaped
death.
up to this date, is as follows: Killed and missing
the latter undoubtedly being dead), ftytwo woun-
ded and in hospital twenty-four. This list includes
those who died from their wounds after their remov-
al TO the Railroad Hospital.
To heighten the frightful character of the acct.
dent, fire Immediately broke out on board the ship,
eectually cutting Off all retreat of the wretches in
the hold of the vessel who had escaped instant death
from the explosion. While the fire was raging on
the decks of the vessel and around the hatchways,
the unfortunate men could be seen approach hing the
port holes and imporng the aid which it was total
iy impossible to afford them. They were burned
or drowned to man. and helped to swell the list of
missing. .It
Fearing that second explosion might take
Mace attended with further loss of life, Captain
Moir, OF the Royal Mail Steamship Solent with the
greatest peril to himself and vessel made fast line
to the burning wreck, and towed her from the dock
into the stream The Soent had scarcely cut loose
from the European when a second explosion took
place-more terrific, if anything, than the frst-and
Immediately afterward the wreck began sinking
rapidly and in thirty minutes portion of the ILL
fated steamer could be seen above water, with the
exception of the top of her smoke-stack. Had the
second explosion occurred thirty minutes previously,
the ensuing loss Of life could not have been eaeula-
ted as the docks in close proximity to the European
were damned with curious spectators of the scene.
The effect of the explosion on shore and near the
dock was scikening in the extreme. Fragments oil
human bodies were seen floating around in the water
here limb and there trunk-while in other
places on the decks Of neighboring vessels and on
the dock the balance of the unhappy victims might
be found Many bodies were taken from the water
almost entire, Others piece meal while Others sank
to the bottom, or were quickly swallowed by the
voracious sharks.
All the aid in human power was extended to the
wounded men. The Panama Railroad Company
received them in its hospital and Superintendent Of
the same corporation provided special train from
Panama with medical aid. The express reached
Aspinwall in one and half hours drumming time)
from Panama-the quickest time on record on that
road.
The funeral of the officers of the European was
largely attended A detachment Of marines from the
United States steamer James Adger accompanied the
procession as a military escort. The dastardy Pre-
feet of Aspnwall, however, refused permission for
the marines TO land with their and consequently
they presented a sorry appearance at the funeral
Captain Swanson was inferred the next day with
Masonic hOnors but the marines were not allowed TO
repeat the farce of the preceding occasion. The
friendly object of the American Consul at Aspnwal
in rendering an escort of United States marines for
the remains of an English captan-in the absence
by the petty meanness Of native official.
CAUSE OF TIE EXPLOSION.
During the excitement of the hour following the
event, the accident currently attributed to the
explosion of the boiler of the steamer. But upon a
close examination Of the bills Of lading it tcaS found
that large quantity Of glOnoin oil, or nitro-gfy-
cerine had been shipped at liverpool under an or
binary inroice This solved the mystery.
.. OTHER ITEMS.
The European was an iron screw steamer, OF about
one thousand eight hundred tons BURDEN and nearly
new. The total damage to property is estimated in
round numbers to be about one million of dollars
No injury was done to the other shipping in the
harbor, with the exception of the Caribbean, be-
longing TO the same company, which had several OF
her iron ribs broken. She was lying on the oppo-
site side of the wharf from the European. The mat
ter is undergoing official investigation. The fol-
lowing official list of killed, wounded, and missing
has Just been furnished me: Killed, 80, missing
certainly dead) 90 wounded, "a.