Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1864-10-07 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

MULLER'S DEFENCF.—There has been much talk about the railway murder and Franz Muller. A strong fecl:ng is growing up in favour of Muller. Many people are beginning to say they will not be surprised if it should turn out that he was not the murderer. It was whispered before he was brought back from America that on his trial an frlild would be proved. It is now said that for his defence it will he proved that on the evening of Mr Itrigg's murder, and at the time of the murder, he was in company with a woman of loose character, and that he then had the money to pay his passage to America. This is to he proved by the evidence of the young woman, and an older woman in whose house the young woman lives. It is further stated that the police officers who went out after Muller had a warrant for the apprehension of one of the witnesses who accompanied them had he shown a disposition to remain in the land or the free.—London Currespondesot of the East, ni M,,rniny Yews.  At an early hour On Saturday morning, a terrible explosion took place at a powder magazine at Erith, about twelve miles from London, on the banks of the Thames, where gunpowder is stored for export and other purposes. The disaster appears to have been most terrible in its effects for miles around, and at first was mistaken for an earthquake, the report being distinctly heard and felt in the most distant parts of London. No authentic details have yet been acquired respecting the loss of human life aud the destruction of property, but a number of persons have been found dead, and several who were injured taken to the hospital A whole row of cottages are reported to have beeu destroyed in the immediate vicinity of the catastrophe Two vessels lying alongside the magazines were blown to atoms, while for miles round the disastrous effects of the explosion have been severely felt. One of the powder manufactories was the property of Messrs. Hail and &dm and the other belonged to the Tranmere Company. 30 000 barrels, containing upwards of 100 tons of powder, were destroyed, and houses were blown down a mile off. 180 yards of the Tliames embankment was blriwn away. CAPTAIN BLAKELY'S GUNS —Ott Saturday week, .tie of Capt tin 113,akely's 11-inch hammered Cast. steel guns, weighing 14 tons, underwent two rounds of proof at the Wooiwich butt, with charges of 45Ihs of powder, and cylinders of 2401 h each. After the second round, Mr M Kinley. the proof master, detected a hissing sound, which seemed to be caused by the passage of a missile (hr. -ugh the butt. On examination it appeared that the 240.13 cylinders had struck on an old shot which had been fired in some former proof and had not been extricated, and that the latter had been forced upwards and had passed throtich the top of the butt. Tlk- continuation of the proof was therefore daferred to a (mare day. On IVedneday mornin.z, the prof was renewed. The charge was increased to 801). powder and tioo b. cvlinders, and at the conclusion of the proof, notwithstanding the enormous amount of the charges, not the slightest blemish or strain was detected in the guns. On 'Thursday, the Blakely ordnance seven-inch steel gun, made to the order of our own Government fir naval purposes, was proved at the butt with charges of 3141 h. of powder and shot weighing 110Ib. each. The gun is rifled with eighteen grooves, and weighs six tons two hundred-weights. The proof was likewise satistaciory  WOLV -Ettll PT,IN. —T IT E