THE SHELLY BAY DISASLER. REPORT OF THE NAVAL COMMISSIONERS.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 103, 2 May 1891, Page 4

THE SHELLY BAY DISASLER . REPORT OF THE NAVAL COMMISSIONERS.

be used by the sovereigns. The coachman drives four-in-hand, and sits betwoen two ,\ oung nogroeß in fantastic clothing Mdlle. Sioard's dress was on show at tho waehhouse where bhe is employed. It is really magnificent. It is of tho same material as a dres« whioh I saw being packed the other day to bo Bent to tho Czarina, and quite as handcomo. It is of oream brocade, with fern Ipavoß in gold covering it, and is made in tho Anne of Austria style.

Captain Castlps H.N., nnd Lieut. White, R N., the naval officer* who conducted the ollioial onqniry into tho circumstances of tho Shelly Bay gun cotton explosion, in presenting Until 1 Ucoisk)n to his l'lxcollenuy the Governor, toancl as follown : — " That tho oau-o of tho pxplohion that oocurred on 1 1> .» for,»noon of tlio stu ot March, lf-91, at Miell) Bay, was duo to ovcrl'TJ irn^j a lnnriod v-rimf i tin in tin- ihvo^hil luliii r.ug on t) o !i 1 ' The following h lii. i '■•iuoi'kpioii' ib '" i:oii fi eutiul " report i-jriij Iho nffjir : - Auckland, 15th Aj>iif Tho cvulenoe fclio* Kir, ut u'wa' 11 1"' a ,n. on st , March, 1891, 'Ii rpe. o-mai. H'ht aii'l '! o-pfiilo-ma'a Oornwoil woro onif loyod in tho smith's fehop, at tbo btnch bc'.wpeti t'ia large forge and tho window, closing loadiid primer tins with xoldor. the fire in tho larpo fnr^o being alight at tho time and the blast in use As Kohh and Cornwall finished soldering on tho lids they placed tha primer tins to their own right on tho bonob near the dorr, and at tho moment of ox plosion four or five finished tins were in this position Near tho small forgo were two other loaded primer tins, the dry ootton in them covered with threo inohos of a°hes, whioh Torpedo-man Goldie had taken from the exterior ashes of tho large forgo and ttUo from tho small forge. The lids of thoK) primers wore boing made and fitted by Torpedoman Denaom prior to their boing ultimately soldered by Robb and Cornwall. Thus thuro was one primor being uoldored by Ross and Cornwall at tbo bench, two without lids near tho small forgo, and fivo with their lids soldered on standing on the bench . on tho right of Kobb and Cornwall — ono of thoRO, by tho evidence of Torpedoman Goldie, a little to tho right of Cornwall, tho otbors cloeor to the door. Dnring the oj'iration of soldering on tho lid of the prirnor they* woro ongagod at, just when alni't two-thirds oomplotcd, Torpedoman Woods oamo into tho Bhop and borrowed tin) >-oldoring-iron from Koss and used it to Huldor fonr copper wires to four small brass brackets; ho then returned tho soldoriog ir-in to Roys at a low temporature (vide Wood's ovidonoe), and loft tbo shop. Koss mast oongoqnently bavo re hoated tho soldering iron to comploto closing up the primor, and it was thou, in applying tho re-heatud soldering iron to the primor tin, that Biifiici mt heat was oommunicntcd to ignite tho dry gan cotton containod in it. Althongh 'J'orpedo-man Cornwall gives evidence that ho must have folt any undno heat, yet wo aro of opinion that tho overheated snrfaco was of a small extent, and nearor to tho dry gun cotton than to his hands. On this supposition that tho gnn cotton is'uitod in primer tin No. 1 (that boing sold 'red by Hops), we now propose to traoo tho aov.'ral explosions. When tho heated gasos and flamos from primor tm No. 1 reached the detonator, tho r.'maindor of the gun oolton below the dry primer dotonatcd. Then two primers which woro standing uncovered near tho small forgo v/ero ignited, and in their turn when tho heated gasei reaohod the detonators, detonated, and lastly tho primor tins on tho bunoh noar tho door ignited and detonated. • With retrard to the procoduro of Captain Falconer in proparing dry primers for oxliorimentul charges, we cannot acquiesce. Tho application of spider to canes oontainin« dry gun cotton h attended with very gruab danger, and individuals omployed in submarine mining are to forbid those under their orders to apply heat in any form to ou,<fos containing gun cotton, wet or dry (vide confidential memorandum 7896-6788, War Olnoo, 20th Feb , 1886.) Tho storage of Hvo charges fitted with dotnnatora in the mino storo ia against reoogDHod ruloa, particularly when tho simple mil ordinary precaution of insulating tho pnda of lead wires troin detonators is not observed, Jstill more irregular is tho permitting of primer tine containing chanros of dry gun cotton to bo taken into tho smith's shop unprolootod by cover when a forgo was alight. Long custom and praotical familiarity with Kuu ootton appear to have assured Captain Falconer that thore was no danger to be anticipated by the above system of procedure. It appears from the evidence of Captain Falconer that ho was never made aoqnainted with the existence of tho War Offioo confidential memorandum, 7896-6788, of 26/2/86 (copy of which is attached), nor have we been ablo to find, after a most exhiustivo search, that thi3 Bpeoial memorandum was forwardod to him by the Underfc'eorotary of the Dofcnoo Forces. Captain Powell states that this oircalar was brought up with others by Captain Fuloonor in Juno, 1839, and tbo ovidonoo received at Auckland from Petty-Officer Grant, Corporal Boyle, Torpedo-mon Baru'ay and Inglis, tends to substantiate this. "Hut thero is no evidenoo to show how these oironlars wero obtained by Captain Fdlcouer trom tho Defence Office, and Captain Falconer denies having brought any circulars at ullwith him when visiting Auckland in 1889. Wo also observe, on visiting Shelly Bay, that oases containing gun cotton supplied for the filliDg of mines were not under cover ; also that the oafeain whiah wero the gnn cottun,cuttings fromslabs, and quadrants for filliug mines wore also open and exposed to rain and sun. Suitable pits for gun ootton und for the atorago of suoh material are dosirablo. We further gathered from tho ovidoneo the periodical testing of inineß ami spare gun ootton had not been regularly carried out However, the eases from which the slabs of gnn cotton were taken for filling nsinos woro previously weighed ; but no returns of thia or testing havo ever been recorded, apparently, at the Shelly Bay or other submarine mining stations. Tho abovo remissions point to the neoessity of thore not only lu-ing a commanding officer to eaoh of the submarine mining stations, but also to tho necessity of a permanent responsible hoad, who should bo answerable for such returns, not only in connection with torpedo storea, but all warlike materials in the oolony, in ocdor that remissions and departures from regulations may be immediately eheoked In conclusion, wo may add that we found tho Srwlly Bay submarine establishment in uL'editabje ordor. Captnin Falconer is familiar with tho dotails of submarine mining, and appears to bo a steady, zealons, and intelligent official. Iv submarine mining work of overy description, whether mines or oxpi'ripiental ohargos are being prepared, no precautions os laid down from time to timo by the War Office should be neglected, and sure stops Bhonld he taken by the Defence Office that such memoranda are issued as ordors to commanding officers, to bo by them copied, noted, and returned; this would ensure a kuowlodge on tho part of oommanding officers and a punotnal obedionco to War Offioe regulations. Wo enclose Captain Falconer's testimonials, whioh speak very highly of him, also a letter ou the subject of tho circular of 26,2/80, roterred to by Captain Powell, Cotnmandiog Submarine Mining Corps at Davenport. We received valuablo assistance from Mr. Mitoholl, Government shorthand writer; also from Mr Ross, of the Survey Department, who developed and printed tho piotures (photographs) of the smith's shop, &o. Wo are also muoh indebted to Captain Barolay, who acted as eeorotary to the Commission, for the r>rompt manner bo carried out the instructions of tho Premier ; aud, by his ready assistance, wo were able to proseoute our enquiry with oxpodilion.