The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1893-12-30 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

EXPLOSION. Majeet's ship Boomerang, torpedo gunboat, one On Wed nesday morning an alarm ng gas ex plosioti of the seven vessels forming the Colonial E Ante took place at Crompton Hall, Shaw, near Oldham; Squadron, writing from Sydney on November 8, the residence of Mr James H. Lees-Milne, J.P. gives an account of several exciting incidents of I r cotton spinner and manufacturer. The family are the cruise among the islands of the Western away from home, and on Tuesday night tho l'aci tic, includi ngiNew Caledonia, Loyally, and New I caretakers Mr and Mrs Dell retired to Hebrides. Proceeding to Villa (Sandwich Islands), bed, after leaving a small jet of they heard .4 the massacre of a boat's crew of the American schooner Don Henri at Pentecost Island. going gas burning in one of the waiting-rooms. Upoi into the room with a light yesterday Captain Bruce, of the American vessel, stated that morning Mr Dell found that there was a smell of early in September, calling at Pentecost Island to j gas. He at onceretired with the light, and, send', engage natives for work in the plantations, they i ng his wife to posh up the chandelier, stood 14. sent off a boat containing M. Lifton, a French the door. No sooner had Mrs Dell pushed it up trader' and three natives. Aa they reached the than a terrific explosion occurred, which alarmed shore they were attacked by savages armed with the whole neighbourhood. Mrs Dell was tomahawks, and M. Lifton and two of his toat's , knocked down, hut escaped with little injury. crew were murdered. They subsequently found Her husband, however, was not so fortunate, the bodies of M. Litton and one native firing on for he was hurled across the passsge by the beach terribly mutilated. Before the the force of the explosion, and when picked no was Boomerang had time to investigate this unconscious. Two medical men were speedily in murder another report came to band , attendance, and found Mr Dell to be suffering of the massacre of a boat's crow of the French from injuries about the head. Last night he was trading schooner Neptune at Aurora island. The still unconscious, and he lies in a precarious con, crew of the Neptune saw one of their hands dition. The windows of the room were blowe horribly hacked about by blows from a tomahawk, I out, the tower on the roof partly demolished, and while another victim was disembowelled. The ' other damage done. The contents of the waitingBoomerang immediately proceeded to Auroral room caught Ore, but the flames were quickly sub.Island, where she fell in with the French warship I due& Seorff. The commanders of the warships determined to punish' the Pentecost Islanders for the . . .  assmsination of the boat's crew of the Amnric.to  steamer, and proceeded thither. On arrival the Boomerang and Scorff each landed 48 arm-d blue-jackets at different points, the French l.eing more to the north, with instructions to converge on particular villages where the murderers were known to reside. On _ .  reaching the village the British force was to await a signal from the French, on which both parties were to spread out and capture the murderers. The natives, however, saw the 13ritish force and raised an alarm. They made a feeble defence with old Sniders, tomahawks, poisoned spears and arrows, and then United into the lbush. Two vii lages a;ere destroyed and fines inflicted on others.