Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-04-23

Another Explosion ta London Thea
Morning-A Room In the Admiralty
Building Wrecked and Several Oms
cinls lnlured. One DAngerNusly.

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.
II is supposed that the explosion was caused
by the premature discharge OF o projectile
which had been sent TO the admiralty for en-.
animation.
Several Omctals injured.
The explosion occurred I'm the secretsrys
department. Mr.. Edwin y. Swanson, assistant
secretary and principal clerk, received q severe
scalp wound. IL is said that other officials
were also injured, but none 50 seriously as Mrs
Swanson.
The Work or Dywamtters.
II is now believed that the explosion was not
but that it was caused by Dynamite.
A large force OF detectives under Inspector
building and no one is allowed 90 leave until
after Identification.
The Building Set On Fire.
1890 p.m.-The explosion badly damaged
The officials and flremen soon extinguished the
flames. The cabinet ministers were immedis
and were furnished with all the facts I'm con.
nection Herewith that were ascertained at tho
time; A special messenger was dispatched TO
court, home secretary. was thus notified OF the
affair. Mr. William sproston Caine, NJ. p, civil
lord OF the admiralty, was summoned by tele-
graph, and he shortly afterwards arrived at the
scene OF the explosion.
One Room Completely Wrecked.
1p.m.-1ti is now regarded as certain that either
gun cotton or dynamite was used TO cause the
explosion. Mr.. Swanson's room, In which the
explosion took place, was made a complete
wreck 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 70 the
are making a critical examination OF the wreck-
age. No arrests have been made mp 20 this
hour nor has any one been detained even on
yet been obtained as 10 the origin OF the exploa
sion.
Examining the Wreck.
Sir William Vernon Harcourt and Col. Ma
jendee, chief inspector OF explosives, are max.
ing a careful and personal examination OF the
the explosion has vet been made. The wallis
and other principal parts OF the building are
uninjured. In addition 20 the severe scalp
wound Mr.. Swanson also suffers from severe
conclusion OF the brain. IL is expected. how4
ever, that he will recover from his injuries.
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 in front OF the
the admiralty. al W The plaster Of the The room roo hangs
In ribbons from both walls and ceilings. The
fittings of the room are smashed In atoms. The
marvel now Is that a more serious damage Waa
not done to the occupants OF the room.
The Explosive Hurled into the Room.
Mr.. Swanson, who has been restored to con-
sciousness, gives IL as his opinion that the expo.
sive, whatever II may have been, was thrown
into the room through q window. A rumof
is now in circulation that two men bearing q
package were seen just previous TO the explosion
mounting wall near TO the secretarys de-
partment.
Mr.. Gladstone, Earl Granville and Lord Ed
mund FitZmaurice, under foreign secretary,
were together at breakfast In the foreign Office
at the time of the explosion. They quickly left
the table and were soon upon the scene making
inquiries into the cause of the explosion. Mr.
Swanson, who. ii is now ascertained, was tho
only person injured, was taken TO the hospN
tai.
The explosion took place at 1880 this morn
ing. Two loud and quick reports were heard.
CONSERVATION took possession OF all persons In
the vicinity. II is supposed that the explosive
was thrown over the wall in the rear of tho
Admiralty building and facing the Horse
to. but not in Mr.. swainson's room. as stated in
the earlier reports. The staircase. leading 70
the board-room, which is located In the souths
west corner OF the building, was demolished.
The iron railing OF the staircase was wrenched
from its fastenings and windows within dfteen
yards OF the spot where the, the explosion u tooe
Guards which was parading at the time OF the
explosion, was instantly ordered to watch the
building, while additional sentries OF fooe
guards were posted about.
THE EXPLOSIVE WAS GUN COTTON.
$3.50 p.m.-Mr. Abel, who IL identified with
the office of the inspector OF explosives, states
that the explosive used this morning was .
large charge of gun cotton.
Another Theory.
II In believed that some stranger, under Pre-.
text of visiting an official obtained access TO the
visitors waiting room, and, watching his OPP
portunity, placed the explosive at Mr.. Swain
sons room, which is only q few steps distant
from the visitors room, whence he had time to
leave the building unchalenged before the
lighted fuse reached the explosive material.
Mr.. Swainson's injuries are less serious than
at first reported. His face, however, is much
cut, and one eye is injured.
A Appointment Scotland Yard detective asserts
to-day that the nihilists In London have sud.
denly become very patriotic I'm their CONVERSE
tion since the controversy between England
and Russia regarding the Afghan boundary
racfin had had ri aIsfa
The employees of the admiralty Office have
been working day and night for some time past,
In order to hurry forward the war preparations
for the Soudan and COR other purposes, and any
disaster to the building at present would cause
q serious delay.
Two Suspicious Characters.
Another report says two men were noticed by
several persons reconnoitering yesterday, and
this morning the same men were seen TO enter
the garden, in front OF Mr.. Swainson's ONCE,
from the direction Of the Horse Guards parade
ground. One of them carried a tin can, which
WAS placed in a recess of the passageway lead
ing to the offices. The movements of the two
owing to the fact that several surveyors and u
number Of workmen have recently been en-
gagged in measuring distances, ETC., on the
grounds. and those who saw the two men be-
lieved that they were employees OF the govern
ment engaged In the same sort q work. Two
officials of the government took such particu-
lar notice of the two men that they claim that
they can identify them even IL placed In .
crowd OF other men. They have given good
uesCripllou U susptcbeu men bo tue uttec.
tives who are9ow working up the case. There
was only one explosion.
Parts Of an American Clock I'm the
Ruins.
The face OF a small American clock, black
ened by the explosion, together with some
pieces of clockwork attached, was found among
the debris during the examination which fol-
lowed soon after the explosion. The admiralty
officials suppose that these fragments are parts
of the internal machine which caused the ex-
plosion.
Another Texas Cyclone.