The morning call., 1892-05-22


The explosion on board the ship ST.
Charles soon after she had left Nanaimo
with cargo of coal shows that the gases
which produce such havoc in mines may
arise in just as deadly a form in the hold Of
a vessel. In fact the utility Of a safety
lamp is suggested as much in the one case
as the other. There have been many losses
of vessels at sea through the cargo of coal
taking fire spontaneously. The causes Of
these eonfagrati0ns in a closed hold are not
perfectly ascertained, nor is it quite clear
what should be done to Obviate disaster
Thorough ventilation is advocated by some
and denounced by others, and care IN ship
ping tie coal in good condition free from
wet Is urged as essential TO safety. But
here is a case in which gas is given off Ia
volumes and, becoming inteTmixed with
the atmospheric air in a part of the ship
used for stores. the gas is lgnited by con-
tact with the flames OF lamp, and the re-
suit is so destructive that the crew take TO
the boats and abandon the vessel 10 flames.
The destruction was, in fact, as complete
as when the gas explOdes Ia petroleum
vessel. as has often happened. Had a
safety lamp been used there would at least
have been warning Of what was going on in
the hold, but then the question comes, how
so much gas forming Ia the hold could have
been dealt with on voyage of week or a
fortnight. This risk in the handling Of
NanaImO coal Is one to consider.
What is called the social question looms
uD largely in various countries, and is un-
dergtoOd to be some expression of the
groan Of labor, awakened by the hard con-
ditiOns of life in which there must ever be
struggle and disappointment because of con-
ditions which cannot be equaliZed, save in
dreams. But are we to think OF the social
question studied from the point Of view of
the Redding stage robbery. The men who
pei petrated this crime are now known TO be
two brothers, John ID. and Charles Ruggles,
the sons Of a respected farmer in the south
ern part OF the State. The family Is OF
good standing, and it is not pretended that
the sons were In want or that they were un-
fitted to make their way IN life by the OF
dinary application of industry. The elder
brother, who killed the messenger and
wounded the driver and a passenger, took
to vicious ways some years ago. lie seems
to have persuaded his younger brother to
take to evil courses with very disastrous
consequences to the latter. Education and
good prospects seem TO have done nothing
for these young men. They have assumed
that it is easier and possibly more heroic to
get along in the world by turning highway
men, at the hazard even OF murder. and they
give no thought to the home feelings they
outrage by their disgrace. Laxity of punish
ment ana the frequency with which crim-
inals 90 scot free may have some share in
this form Of the social question.
Apparently Lord Salisbury is about to
take the sense of the country on bis policy
| in June. The exact date whispered is the
| 10th Of June. 1t is leap in the dark, as
| Lord Derby said about household suffrage,
| but the jump is imperative. in view OF the
fact that Parliament would soon die nat
ural death under the septennial act The
| moment chosen produces the least disturb
! ance of the agricultural interests and will
not even interfere with the holiday OF the
| wealthy in the autumn. 1t is probably Just
| as favorable a momeDt as the Government
could expect. They have been riding for a
| fall with their Irish Government bill. The
Liberals have refrained from factious opp0-
sition in the hope that by advancing ordi-
| nary business the Government would be
! caught in the snares Of their Irish policy,
and the nearer the time approaches when
| the Cabinet must show Its true position in
| regard to Ireland the less is the situation
deemed agreeable by the Tories. A dissolu-
ton and general election will end the en-
| barraSsment In a suitable fashion Tor all
! parties. The Liberals are confident that
| Mr.. Gladstone will be carried back to Office.
The only rift within the lutte in the Liberal
| prospects arises from disSeDsions among
| the Irish Nationalist. The latter are all
| dUAiOuS 1OT Il IdTIlHiH6ub III DuD-
lin, but 1t Is unfortunate they should quar-
| rel among themselves on personal matters,
which have arisen, as it were, over Mr..
| ParnelPs grave. Harmony Is desirable il
| Mr.. Gladstone is to go forward with his
| policy of justice and conciliation confidently.
The torridty OF the weather during last
week was oppressive, but our citizens could
take comfort in the reflection that 1t does
not last long on our brseze- blown penin-
sula and that cases of sunstroke are hardly
to be apprehended. There IS also this diff
ference in contrast with hot spell In the
East: The exhaustion so common In New
| York proceeds good deal from the fierce
ness Of the heat during the night as well as
the day, rendering sleep and repose well
nigh impossible. The body gets worn out
by the ordeal. Here on the Pacific Coast
the hottest day is, as a rule. followed by a
lowering Of the temperature at night and
generally speaking cool breeze may be de-
pended upon. For instance, the tempera-
| ture In San Francisco at o'clock A. NJ, on
Friday was So. at noon the SHADE reading
was 81 lid at o'clock p. NJ. the thermom-
eter indicated 60 degrees. This at least was
endurable. 1t was hoped the temperature