Safe gun-cotton

FATAL EXPLOSION OF GUN-COTTON AT STOWMARKET. - A terrible explosion, or series of explosions, took place at a large gun-cotton factory at Stowmarket. It was believed that the precautions taken at the manufactory ensured immunity from explosion. Experiments had been recently conducted by Government officials which, it was said, showed that gun-cotton cartridges, made and stowed away as they were, could not accidentally explode.

The Messrs. Prentice, or rather the Limited Liability Company in whose behalf they manage the works, were executing a large order for Government, and had as much as fifteen tons of gun-cotton stored. The number of persons employed at the works was about 130, and most of these were upon the premises when the explosion occurred. A dense column of smoke rose several hundred yards into the air, and spread out gradually into a fan-like shape; then there came a deafening roar, the explosion being felt in every corner of the town. None of the Messrs. Prentice was at the works at the time, the manager, Mr. Eustace Prentice, being on the Continent.

Soon after the first explosion, Mr. E. H. Prentice, one of the partners in some chemical works also conducted in the neighbourhood, and Mr. W. R. Prentice, second son of Mr. Manning Prentice, arrived, and collecting as many other persons as possible, they set to work to save such of the remaining buildings as were still standing, but which had taken fire. These sheds contained a number of boxes of cartridges, and, though some warning voices were raised, Mr. Edward Prentice replied that there was no danger, and continued to draw some of the boxes of cartridges towards him, while his nephew, Mr. W. R. Prentice, assisted in pushing them farther from the flames. The result was that one of the boxes caught fire, and a second explosion of great violence followed, which blew the two Messrs. Prentice to atoms, and completed the wreck of the premises. The number of killed and missing amounted to twenty-four, and of wounded seventy-two.

The inquest upon the twenty-two bodies, which were all that were found, lasted nearly a month, a close inquiry being instituted as to the manner in which the gun-cotton was dried and stored, with a view to preventing a recurrence of so terrible a disaster. On September 6th, the jury returned the following verdict:-

“That the explosion causing the deaths of persons on whom this inquest was held was produced by some person or persons unknown adding sulphuric acid to the gun-cotton subsequent to its passing the tests required by Government. At the same time we consider, from the evidence adduced, that there is no danger in the manufacture of gun-cotton in the wet process, but that the drying and storing of gun-cotton should not be allowed near a town. Also, we consider that gun-cotton works should be subject to constant Government inspection.”