Weekly News. — 1890-01-09 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AT SEA.  The steamship Rollin Castle arrived on Sunday at Plymouth from the Cape of Good Hope, having among her passengers Captain William Morrow. the cook, and steward of the barque British Minarch,of Liverpool, destroyed at sea by a terrible explosion of dynamite. The vessel, which was 1,200 tons, was from Hamburg for Sydney, New South Wales,with a general cargo, which included 10 tons of dynamite in the afterhold, between 8,000 and 9,000 cases of spirits, a large consignment of safety matches, and 400 pianos. On the 29th November there was a strong smell of tire, and the man at the wheel reported the prevalence of smoke, but nothing wrong could be discovered, though the captain directed the holds to be searched. However,shortly afterwards smoke was perceived issuing near the mainmast, where the matches were stored, and the captain directed the hatches to be renioved with a view of getting at the dynamite This caused immense draught, and smoke rushed up from the hold. The vessel being now perceived to be on fire, the captain, considering the deadly nature of the cargo, ordered the crew to the boats, and they pulled away. When about two miles distant the vessel, enwreathed in flames, blew up with a tremendous explosion, going utterly to pieces. The captain's boat was afterwards picked up by an American whaler, but another, containing six men, was missing. A court of inquiry was held into the disaster at Capetown when the captain was exonerated, but the stowage of the cargo was much condemned.  The town of Wardner, Idaho, has been nearly destroyed by fire, and the population of 1,500 are sufferingogreat privations, as the cold is intense. Mr. Edwin Townley, • responsible clerk in the employment of the London and North Western Railway Company, at their North Wall offices, Dublin, shot himself on Friday in his bedroom at his residence, Williunispark, Rathmines, with a revolver. He lingered until late in the night. The motive of the suicide is not known. The deceased was of a religious disposition. Ho was 28 years of age. Telegraphing from Shanghai, the Standard correspondent says that owing to repeated and inoreas• ing raids on the part of the aborigines in Formosa, the Chinese Governor some time ago, after. extensive preparations, despatched a powerful punitive force to the interior. News has just been received that the first engagements have been fought in the i mountains near Takow, 100 of the Chinese troopa and 400 of the natives being killed.  Seward influential Kent county gentlemen, who have hitherto been supporters of the Con aaaaa tire party, have withdrawn their annual subscriptions to the funds of the party in consequence of the applies. tion of the dog-muzzling order, and intmate their intention not to again take any part in promoting the return of Conservative candidates.  The building of the new Protestant church at Beth lehem, in Palustine, which was interrupted when ill had only been half finished in 1888, has now been resumed, the Sultan having, at the special w:•ii of the German Empress, expressed during her it At visit to Constantinople, Kit on his sanction for t 1... ciuiplslien of the edifice.