The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-23

the work; the feeling is widespread
that there has been lack of intelli-
geuce and OF care in its prosecution.
II i said that the afternoon before
the explosion the directing engineer
OF the factory in Bilbao that made the
dynamite that was on board of the
MachichacO, in 3 divers dress, was
over an hour under the water in
speeding the wreck, and that he re
ported that there was no danger from
what there might be of ro-glycer-
inc. In less than five hours from that
time ten or fifteen men had been
blown 10 pieces by the explosion,
L would seem that the simple truth
OF the matter i that the experts are
Yet ignorant OF some Of the mysterious
conditions and powers OF dynamite,
and OF il chief component, nitro
glycerine. 1t i supposed that one Of
the unfortunate divers must have
dropped something on some crystals
OF nitro Clycerine in his path-but
then why had not all the nitrO-glycer-
inc exploded under the first great
conclusion, the Sd of November; and
why had not that which remained eX-
piOded twenty times since then, I'M
der immensely greater prOvOcatiOn
from shock or blow than any that
could have been given by the diver
this last fatal night?
When such parts of the bodies of
the unfortunate meT as could be
found were taken, the next day, TO
the cemetery for burial, the immense
company that followed, returning 10
the city in an excited mass, went 10
the mayors Office and obliged him TO
accompany them 10 the governors
house The crowd became so men
acing at length that the mounted
Civil Guards had TO charge upon
them with drawn sabres and fired in
TO the air. Apart, however, from
tearing down the sign over the office
door OF the company owning the
steamer. no harm was done.
OF course, Civil Guards, soldiers Of
the line, gunbOats and marines and
military engineers by the hundreds
are hurried 10 the scene Cabinet
meetings are held by Government
ministers in Madrid, and the country
waits breathiess 10 see wha. Will hap
pen next.
This mornings papers announce
that II has been decided by the Ma
drid government that what re
mains OF the wreck must, with all
due precautions, be blown up without
delay, and every vestige OF the danger
Gus elements be extinguished. All the
houses within $50 yards OF the wreck
are to be vacated by their occupants
from six hours before TO six hours
after the explosion, the exact time for
which will be announced twenty-fOur
hours in advance. That district will
Be surrounded by q Gordon OF soldiers
10 prevent anyone from entering il
during the specified twelve hours, and
army tents will be provided for the
inhabitants thus driven for the day
from their homes, and the military
will see 10 il that no pillage occurs in
the vacated houses.
Il i q little singular that no an
nOuncemeut j made by the experts a.
20 the likelihood 81 buildings suffer
ing damage from the explosion.
Probably, having 10 exact knowledge
Of the amount OF nitro z. ycerine that
has filtrated through the cargo and
the mass Of wreckage, they simply
DO not have the data on which 70
base an opinion a. 70 the force Of the
explosion that they may be provoked
By the twO or three cartridges Of some
ten pounds u dynamite each, which
they propose 70 use.
Our mission house - well within
the danger limits, a. drawn by the
Government, but We may hope that
a. no material harm was done % Us by
the last explosion, we will now g
cape. At all events, IL seems 70 be
the ygi=e-t course 10 have done with
the matter a. soon a. possible, a. this
agony 80 long drawn out j. becoming
almost nbearabie 70 the Inhabitants
Of that unfortunate city.
WM. II. GCLICK.
san Sebastian, Spain, Mar. >, 159f.
The lorgc-t continuous land line
- t.-a-.rarn II To rznr-l L acro-a