The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-10
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL.

It is singular coincidence that, at the very
moment when our ears are still ringing with the
| Geographic reports Of the tremendous explosion
| of Regents Canal, London, the British papers
just received contain long articles relative to ex-
plosive substances. 1t seems as if those papers
hal kind of instructive notification OF the tre-
mendous explosion which, fifteen DAYS later, was
to shake London houses within radius of many
miles, and kill several people. Evidently, il we
were to believe what the English journals pub
lished (ilke the London Times, in its issue), the
terrible explosion of four tons of gunpowder,
which occurred recently at Regents Canal, was
only one OF the many others which threatened
the safety of the British capital. 1t appears that
little attention was paid in England to the many
Parliamentary acts which regulated the ware
housing and handling OF explosive substances.
THE EARLIEST ACT
relating to gunpowder was passed in the year
1Gi3, under the reign OF Charles and it was fol
lowed By very many other acts OF the same kind
In Ills, under George l, it was forbidden to any
person to keep within the cities of London and
Westminster, for more than twenty four hours,
greater quantity than 206 pounds Of sunpowder.
All previous acts were Incorporated in single
one, under which gunpowder- makers worked un-
til 1850, and which Is known as the "Gunpowder
Act OF 1860"
In spite of all the precautions of this act, how.
ever, the explosion Of the Lotie Sleigh at Liver
pool, in 1864 and the terrible explosion at Erith
in October OF the same year, directed public at
tention to the subject, and general inspection
OF gunpowder mills, magazines, ETC., was ordered
by the English Government. Meantime, special
bill was introduced, called the Liverpool Gun
powder Regulation Bill, which remedied some of
the more pressing defects of the general act of
1860.
Ten years later, accidents having continued to
happen through explosive substances, the Eng
lish Government ordered another inspection and
report to be made by Major Majendric, r. A. The
revelations then made are sufficient, say the
Brit sh papers, to make ones hair stand on end.
There was no inspection whatever; magazines
we're constructed anywhere and anyhow, and
gunpowder was frequently stored and made into
cartridges in dwelling houses, the barrel of pow
der resting between the legs Of the miner, who
sat with his wife and children around the ire,
pipe in his mouth, and naked candle stuck on
the chimney piece.
REFORMEE AND HIS PIPE.
Even now it appears that there is in England
no power vested IN the police or any other au-
thority to check dangerous practices the trans
port OF gunpovde 1t appears to be the habit
in some districts to convey it in the came carts as
ordinary goldsmith, tor example, consigu-
ment OF lucifer matches or the like; and as an
example of the sort of recklessness with which
powder is conveyed in public carriages. Major
Maiendie quotes the instance Of newspaper re.
porter who, having taken his seat upon Wigan
omnibus, was requested to put out his pipe, as
he happened to be next to a 100 pound cask Of
gunpowder. 1t appears, however, that even il
the act OF 1860 were strictly observed, its pro-
NISlOliS IdiA Vi WIdl ib required
adequate protection to the workpeople and to the
public.
EXPLOSION DURING THE PARIS Commune.
In France laws regulating the trade of explo-
sive substances are OF a very strict character,
but it was not to be expected that much attention
would be paid to these laws in the excitement
which reigned in Paris during the Commune
Almost in the first days of that revolutionary
movement a terrible explosion took place in i
powder magazine kept III Avenue Rapp, near
the Hotel des Invaliaes. Many persons were
xii ed, great many more wounded, and of
course, the cause OF that disaster which remained
mysterious was attributed to the malevolence of
the Versailles Government, whose spies were
said to have lit the fatal fuse which exploded the
powder magazine.
ATCITY POINT AND AsPISwALL
During the secession war, a tremendous ex-
p!oslon took place at City Point on fine morn