The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-24
The Explosion Generally Thought To
Be the Result of Personal Malice.
The Quarrel Over the Suppression of the
French Newspaper at Cairo-The Prince
of Wales at Belfast-Cable Notes.
ANOTHER EXPLOSION.
The Office of the English Admiralty Dam
aged, and the Principal Clerk Injured.

caused in the Admiralty Office, in Whitehall, at
IL o'clock this forenoon, by an explosion in a
room in the basement of that building The
fremen and police were promptly summoned,
and all the gates of the Admiralty building were
closed. A special guard was at once posted, and
no person was allowed to enter or depart from
the premises until a thorough examination could
be made. It is supposed that the explosion was
caused by the premature discharge of project
lie which had been sent to the Admiralty for ex-
animation.
The explosion occurred in the secretary's de-
partment Mr. Edwin N. Swanson, assistant
secretary and principal clerk, received a severe
scalp wound. 1t is said that other officials were
also injured, but none so severely as Mr.. Swain
son. 1T is now believed that the explosion was
caused By dynamite. A large force of detectives,
under Inspector O'Hagan, has been posted
around the Admiralty building and no one is
allowed to leave until after Identification. 1t is
now reported as certain that either gun-cotton or
dynamite was used to cause the explosion.
Mr.. Swainson's room, in which the explosion
took place. was made a complete wreck, and
the adjacent corridors were very much damaged,
while all the windows fronting on the Horse
Guards parade were blown out. Several of the
inspectors of explosives attached to the Home
Office were promptly on the ground, and are
making q critical examination Of the wreckage.
No arrests have been made up to this hour, nor
has any one been detained even on suspicion.
No clew cf any kind whatever has been obtained
as to the origin of the explosion.
Sir William Vernon Harcourt and Colonel
Majendie, chief inspector of explosives, are
making careful and personal examination of
the wreck No official statement of the cause
of the explosion has been yet made. The walls
and other principal parts of the building are un-
injured. In naldition to a severe scalpweund,
Mr.. Swanson also suffers from severe concus-
sion of the brain. 1t is expected, however, that
he will recover from his injuries.
The explosion badly damaged the room in
which it occurred, and set it on fire. The Of
fcials and fremen soon extinguished the flames.
The Cabinet members were Immediately in
formed by telegraph of the explosion, and were
furnished with all the facts in connection there
with that were ascertainable at the time. A
special messenger was dispatched to the Home
Office and Sir William Vernon Harcourt, Home
Secretary, was thus notified of the affair. Mr..
William Sproston Caine, NJ. P, Civil Lord of the
Admiralty, was summoned by telegraph, and he
shortly afterwards arrived at the scene of the ex-
plosion. At first it was reported that the explo-
sion had been caused by dynamite and that it
was the outcome of plot Matched by either
dynamiters or Nihilists for the purpose of ham
pering the war preparations of the British gov
ernment. prominent Scotland Yard detective
asserted to-day that the Nihilists in London have
suddenly become very patriotic in their
conversation, since the controversy be-
tween England and Russia regarding
the Afghan boundary question had
reach critical stage The employees of the Ad-
miralty Office have been working day and night
for some time past in order to hurry forward the
war preparations for the Soudan, and for other
purposes, and any disaster to the building at
present would cause a serious delay An in
spector, after cursory examination, expressed
doubt as to whether the explosion was caused by
gas, gunpowder or dynamite
The room occupied by Mr.. Swanson, and in
which the explosion occurred, is on the ground
floor, and Immediately back of the Admiralty
Office 1t overlooks the yard il front of the
residences of Lord Northbrook, the First Lord of
the Admiralty The plastering in the room
hangs in ribbons from both walls and ceiling.
The fittings of the room are smashed into atoms.
The marvel now is that more serious damage
was not done to the occupants of the room. Mr..
Swanson, who has been restored to conscious
ness, gives it as his opinion that the explosive,
whatever it may have been, was thrown into the
md A 10 in
circulation that two men bearing package were
seen, just previous to the explosion, mounting
wall near the Secretarys department..
The explosion took place at 1850 this morning.
Two loud and quick reports were heard. Con-
sternation took possession of all persons in the
vicinity. 1t is supposed that the explosive was
thrown over the wall in the rear of the Admir-
atty building, and facing the Horse Guards pa
rade The explosion occurred close to but not in
Mr.. Swainsons room, as stated in the earlier re-
ports. The staircase leading to the board room,
which is located in the southwest corner of the
building, was demolished. The iron railing on
and windows within fifty yards of the spot where
the explosion occurred were broken.
Another report says two men were noticed by
several persons accommodating yesterday, and
this morning the same men were seen to enter
the garden in front of Mr.. Swainson's Office from
the direction of the Horse Guards parade gounds.
One of them carried tin can, which was placed
in a recess of the passageway leading to the
Office The movements of the two men attracted
but little attention at the time owing to the fact
that several surveyors and number ofworkmen
have recently been engaged in measuring dis
tances, ETC., on the grounds, and those who saw
the two men believed they were employees OF the
government engaged in the same sort Of work.