The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-17
FOREIGN.
Further Details of the Westmin-
ster Explosion
The Explosion Attributed to Irish In
vincibles.
Death Of Karl Marx, the Labor
Reformer.

LONDON, March 16.-Every part of Westmin-
sters the Abbey, houses of Parliament, the
great structures of the public offices, clubs and
dwelling houses, was violently shaken last
night by the tremendous explosion. At pre-
cisely great detonation was heard, followed
by crash of glass falling from thousands of
windows. A deliberate atte npt mad been
made TO blow up the part of the government
offices occupied by Sir Charles Dixie and the
local government board in an immense build-
ing bounded by Parliament street. Downing
street, Charles street and St. James Park. Th o
apartments in question front on Charles street
and are almost level with the pavement. The
walls are of great thickness and of solid ma
sonry, and the windows are protected by mas
sive stone balustrades Opposite, so yards
away, is King street police station. Fifty feet
away a sentry guards Parliament street.
Charles street is dark and unfrequented at
night, which partly explains the extr aordinory
fact that no lives were lost.
Dynamite was placed on a window sill inside
the balustrade where the fuse when burning
would be concealed from the view of any one
passing. The force of the explosion was terri
hc. The great stone balustrade was oblter-
ated, the massive masonry rent to fragments
and the pavement shattered and ground to
powder. A wooden structure opposite was
blown into splinters and mass of stone was
driven through the wall of house beyond
Inside of the office there remained nothing
but splintered wood and broken plaster The
able scene of destruction. The street is COM
pletely covered with fragments of broken plate
glass blown bodily out and shattered to atoms.
The doors of King street police station were
burst in by the blast of air, and detachment
present were Frustrated. Broken timbers snd
masses OF stone were sent flying into King
street. People crossing at Parliament street
were knocked down. A hanson and horse
were flung across the sidewalk against the
front of Whitehall club, in which the great
n o VII tnrrG lrtNr s,,41
rooms.
Everywhere the greatest CONSERVATION pre-
vailed. People poured out Of their houses,
broken glass cracking under their feet. In the
Commons the alarm was general. Many mem
berS left Immediately, the lobby was emptied
and people rushed out of Westminster Hail.
Some POO police and a detachment of the fire
brigade took possession of Charles street and
drew a Gordon around the building which no
one bnt members of Parliament and public
officials were allowed to pass. AS the alarm
spread, thousands docked from all parts to-
ward Westminster and most intense excite
ment prevailed, a report rapidly gaining cur
rency that the House Of Commons had been
blown up.
No one pretends to explain the motive or
purpose OF the act. 1t is ascribed to the Irish
Invincibles as matter of course, and describ-
ed as part of q Fenian plot, a threat and
warning to the government. One thing is GER
tain, it was a deed of frightful reoklessness
tune prevented it from being attended with
most serious fatality
Enormous crowds gathered at the scene of
the explosion this forenoon. The government
inspector has made an examination of the por-
tion of the building damaged by the explosion,
and places the loss at $4,000. The vessel
which contained the explosive material was
placed in the cellar of the local government
board Offices
The damage in the surrounding locality of
the explosion is chiefly confined to broken win
dows, which completely litter the streets with
fragments of glass for distance of 200 yards.
The police rigidly guard the entrance to
Charles street and bar the public from ap-
proaches. The whole scene and state of pub
lie feeling recalls to mind the Clerkenwell
outrage.
Government has offered 81 600 for the dis
coyery of the authors of tue explosion.
The reward also applies to the sattempt on
the Times office. Any one not the actual cul-
prit giving information as to the origin of the
explosion will be pardoned.
BERLIN, March 16.-The press here is utterly
dismayed at the Westminster explosion, and
advises that energetic measures be taken.
LONDON, March 16. Sir Charles Dixie,
president of he local government board, says
he thinks the attempt was not upon himself or
other officials of his department The evil
doers intended TO cause widespread destruction
of property. He is of the opinion that the
plot originated with the managers of the skir-
mishing fund.
Sir VIM. Hsrcourt and other home office off
cials, believe the attempt was directed against
the criminal enquiry department adjacent to
the offices Of the local government board The
guards have been doubled at magazine and
military centers.
Dublin detectives are assisting London po-
lice IN their inq0iry Concerning the explosion.
DUBLIN, March 16.-Eqtra precautions have
been taken to protect Earl Spencer's officers
of'the executive department