New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-01
THOSE INFERNAL MACHINE.S.

The story of the dynamite machines lately
discovered at Liverpool is briefly this During
the latter part of July English Custom House
officers detected in an innocent-lOoking barrel of
cement half dozen clock-work machines
filled with dynamite. One of them was
promptly forwarded to the Home Secretary,
Sir William Harcourt, for examination. A few
days later another barrel similarly packed was
discovered Sir William Harcourt described
the machine as containing eleven cartridges
charged with nitroglycerine and an explosive
like guncOttOn, and fitted with clock-work
which, in about six hours after being set
would explode a percussion cap and dis
charge the dynamite. The aggregate of ex-
plOsive material i'm one barrel was about four
teen pounds an amount sufficient, if exploded
at once, to do incalculable mischief The mode
of packing was such as to forbid the idea that
any purpose existed of wrecking the steamer
In mid-ocean it gave rise to strong
suspicion that the machines were forwarded
from this country to be used by Irish agita-
tors and cOnspiratOrs in blowing up Govern
ment buildings or killing prominent officials
in Great Britain. RumOr says that a biIlhead
bearing the name of O'Donovan Rosa was
found among the machines this led to his be-
ing questioned, but he denied all knowledge
and vigorously prosecuted on both sides of the
water. Apparently the Customs officers in Liver
pool committed practical error in Selling the
machines and disclosing the discovery prema-
turely. If they had kept silence-affected ig-
norance-untl some one came forward to claim
the barrels of cement as consignee, they would
have had a clear clew to the persons responsible.
Naturally enough, after they sent one machine
to the Home Secretary no applied for the
others; and at last accounts the English po-
lice were quite at fault. On this side, the
State and Treasury Departments, without wait
ing for formal complaint from the British
Government have instituted with alacrity the
most thorough inquiries possible England may
rest assured that no pains will be spared
by the officers of our Government to
ascertain the guilty parties and to aid
her Majestys Government in guarding against
like explosives which may not have been in
tercepted. But, SO far as yet made public, the
clews obtained are slight and no one knows
what number of like explosives may have been
successfully struggled through.
limitations are noticeable in some English
journals that the Custom House Service in this
country ought to prevent the expectation of
such contrivances. But a moments reflection
must show this expectation to be unreasonable.
Custom House arrangements are not adapted
to stringent scrutiny of exports. Those who
ship boxes, bales or barrels abroad are re-
quired to furnish manifest" which is q
written list of the matters composing a YES
sells cargo; and the ship does not receive her
clearance" and is not allowed to sail, unless
this paper is furnished and is apparently fair
and correct. But can it be expected that ship
pcrs of Internal machines will describe them
in the manifesto If they do not, our
Customs officers in the absence of special
circumstances of suspicion, have no reason
to interfere. VIII it be said that they
should examined This would require an in
spection of every barrel, box, crate, bale or
bag of merchandise, of every passengers
trunk going abroad, lest forsooth it might
contain an internal machine. This would rev.
olutionize commerce. No; the settled princ-
pie is that each country protects itself against