THE SHELLY BAY DISASTER.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 103, 2 May 1891, Page 2

THE SHELLY BAY DISASTER.

We suppose that all whioh will ever be known as to the causes of the Shelly Bay disaster is now public propsrty. The report of Captain Castle and Lioutonaat White, R.N., is very decisive, and they seom to have had no hesitation in arriving at it. Of oourse, they are exports whose opinion is entitled to the vory highest respect, and the case tboy make against the soldering bolt is a strong and well-reasoned one. At tho same time, many pooplo who have carefully rend the ovidence Bnd thought tho matter out; from a non-scientific but common-sense view of the facts, will probably continue to think that the heat whioh caused the cittern io explode was engendorod by the ashes taken from tho forge actually in uso, rather thau by tho soldering bolt. Bo this as it may, tho report now published is a very valuable one, and may prove instrumental in averting even worse disaster — a greater catastrophe— thau has already occurred. That the system in force ia dealing with explosives in stock is unduly and dangerously lax, may bo taken a3 established. The Commissioners leave no room for doubt on this point. It was cot within their province, perhaps, to fix the blame for this state of things, but by imputation they niako it clear that in their opinion it did not rest with Captain Falconer. Had thny thought he was responsible for the state of affairs they so emphatically condemn, thoy would not have testified to hid appearing ' a steady, zealous, and intelligent" officer, " familiar with the details of submarine mining." It is to bo hoped iho Ministor of Defence will at once initiate the reforms indicated in the report aa necessary, and take all precautions to guard against ai y further misapplication of explosivos.