More information : 'GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION.
'An explosion of gunpowder yesterday cost at least three lives, as well as the destruction of a great deal of property. Two matters - the conveyance of gunpowder and the state of the barges . . . have recently attracted discussion; and the discussion will be terribly emphasized by the explosion of yesterday. At about 3am a train of six barges, of which the first was a steamer, left the City wharf of the Grand Junction Canal Company in the City-road. Next after the steamer, the READY, was the fly-boat JANE, whose steerer or captain was named Boswell. Next to her was the DEE, the steerer Edwards; and next the TILBURY, whose steerer was Charles Baxton, of Loughborough, in the county of Leicester. The TILBURY was followed by the LIMEHOUSE, steerer Edward Hall, and by the HAWKSBURY, steerer Blewer. The JANE had "a little gunpowder on board"; the TILBURY's lading is thus described by the company:- "The cargo consisted chiefly of sugar and other miscellaneous articles, such as nuts, straw-boards, coffe, and some two or three barrels of petroleum, and about five tons of gunpowder." It is stated to be a common practice to send gunpowder and petroleum in one and the same barge. Most of the gunpowder was in barrels, but there was one box which was probably filled with powder in canister or in flasks. After the dreadful event which happened by the instrumentality of this barge laden with powder, petroleum and sugar, a powder flask was picked up near the scene of the occurrence, and is now in the possession of Inspector M;Hugo. The powder was consigned by Messrs. Pigon and Wilkes to Chesterfield, for Codnor-park, near Nottingham, and the presumption is it was sent for blasting purposes. When the TILBURY with her inflammable freight was under the North-gate bridge which spans the Regent's Canal, making a way from the Outer Circle in Regent's park to the Regent's park-road, she blew up. A few minutes before 5 in the morning most people in town heard between sleeping and waking the sound of an explosion. It was heard and felt at Chislehurst, Bermondsey, and Peckham-rye . . .
'The boats were about 23 yards long, and they were attached to each other by about 20 yards of rope. It is probably due to this distance that only one boat besides the TILBURY sank. That was the boat next to her, the LIMEHOUSE, under steerer Hall. The TILBURY blew up under the bridge, and it is conjectured that a spark from the steamer, kept by the bridge from rising and so being carried far away, fell upon her and caused ignition . . . there is an account, depending on hearsay evidence twice removed, to the effect that before the explosion the TILBURY was observed to be fuming and smoking, and her crew to be making ineffectual efforts to extinguish the combusion. . . two bodies were early recovered from the canal. They were found beside the LIMEHOUSE not beside the TILBURY, which blew up, and it is therefore doubtful to which of the two crews they belonged. . .
'A third body, supposed to be that of Charles Baxton, the steerer of the TILBURY, was taken out at a quarter to 4 in the afternoon . . . ' (1)
'Two pumping boats have been brought up, and by midnight on Saturday the water was all pumped out of the canal. Then an accident happened to one of the dams, and the water all came in again. The pumping had to be repeated . . . The gang of a hundred labourers work with relays by night and by day . . . The LIMEHOUSE is visible, with little alteration of shape, but quite useless. A little piece of the TILBURY was left in the canal and is being broken up.' (2)
General account of accident. (3)
'Edward Hall, captain of the LIMEHOUSE, the boat which was immediately behind the TILBURY, and sank after the explosion, being recalled, said, in cross-examination by Mr Sampson, that he had been 23 years engaged in canal work, taking a cargo into the country and a return cargo back. During that period he had several times carried gunpowder . . . But he had not taken any since he had been steerer or captain of the LIMEHOUSE - that is, for the last three months . . . He employs two men on board.' (4)
Master: Edward Hall (1)(4)
Crew: 3 (4)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss |