An explosion, by which seven persons were very dangerously, and two others severely, hurt, has taken place at Edinburgh. The circumstances are somewhat singular. A deaf and dumb man, residing in a house in the Old Vennel, left home about 4 P.M; when he returned, he brought with him a little keg, which, in answer to inquiries by his wife, be indicated he had found in a passage near. On questioning him again as to its contents, he scanned it narrowly, and made signs to imply that he thought it contained butter. Still in doubt, however, he proceeded to force it open with a poker, but failed. He then put the poker into the fire, and, having made it red hot, be commenced to bore a hole in the keg with it. The keg actually contained gunpowder, and immediately a fearful explosion took place, which blew the roof off the house, and injured, more or less, all who were within. Seven of these were thought to be in danger of their lives.
An explosion has also been caused at Glasgow, by stupid carelessness. A collier, near Glasgow, brought home two tin flasks, one containing gunpowder, and the other some cold tea which he had not drunk while at work. The flasks were similar. He told his wife to put the tea on the fire to warm; she took the wrong flask; after a time the powder exploded, shattering the room, and wounding the people in it.
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