TILE GUN COTTON EXPLOSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8556, 2 May 1891, Page 5

TILE GUN COTTON EXPLOSION.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Friday. The Commissioners appointed to enquire into the cause of the guncotton explosion at Shelly Bay find " that it was due to overheating a loaded primer, and in the process of soldering the lead." In a confidential report attached the Commissioners find :— " On the morning of the accident there was one primer being soldered by Ross and Cornwall at a bench, two without lids, near a small forge, and five with the lids soldered on standing on a bench on the right of Ross and Cornwall. When the work of soldering the lid of one of the primers was about two-thirds completed the solderingiron was borrowed from Ross, and returned in a few minutes. Ross must consequently have reheated the soldering-iron to _ complete the closing up of the primer, and it was in applying the iron to the primer that sufficient heat was communicated to ignite the dry guncotton contained in it. Although Cornwall gave evidence that he must have felt any undue heat, yet the Commissioners are of opinion that the overheated surface was of small extent, and nearer to the dry guncotton than to his hands. The Commissioners traced the several explosions to the following causes : —When the heated gases and flames from primer tin No. 1 reached the detonator the remainder of the guncotton below the dry primer detonated. The two primers, which were standing uncovered near the small forge were ignited, and in their turn when the heated gases reached the detonators they'detonated, and lastly, the primer tins on the bench near the door ignited and detonated. With regard to the procedure of Capt. Falconer in preparing dry primers for experimental charges, the Commissioners could not acquiesce in the method adopted. The [ Commissioners consider that the applicaI tion of solder to cases containing dry guncotton is attended with very great danger, and individuals employed in submarine mining should forbid those under their orders to apply heat in any form to cases containing guncotton wet or dry. The storage of live charges fitted with detonators in the mine store is against the i recognised rules, particularly when the simple and ordinary precaution of insulating the ends of the lead wires from the detonators is not observed. Still more i irregular is the permitting of primer tins 1 containing charges of dry guncotton to be , taken into the smith's shop unprotected by cover when a forge was alight. Long, custom and practical familiarity with guncotton appear to have assured Captain Falconer that there was no danger to be anticipated by the above system of procedure. It appeared from the evidence of Captain Falconer that be had never been made acquainted with the existence of the War Office's confidential memorandum of 26/386. Captain Powell stated that this circular was brought up with others by Captain Falconer in June, 1889, and evidence received at Auckland from P.O. Grant, Corporal Boyle, and Torpedomen Barclay and Inglis tend to substantiate this, but there is no evidence to show how these circulars were obtained by Captain Falconer from the Defence Office, and Captain Falconer denies having brought any circulars at all with him when visiting Auckland in 1889. The Commissioner? also observed on visiting Shelly Bay that cases containing guncotton supplied for the filling of mines were not under cover ; also, that the cases in which guncotcon cuttings from slabs and quadrants for filling mines were also open, exposed to rain and sun. Suitable posts for guncotton and for storage of such material are desirable. They also gathered from the evidence that periodical testing of mines and spare guncotton had not been regularly carried out. However, the cases from which the slabs of guncotton were taken for filling mines were previously weighed, but no returns of this or testing have ever been recorded apparently at Shelly Bay or other submarine mines station. The above remissions point to the necessity of there nob only being.a commanding officer to each of the submarine mining stations, but also to the necessity of a permanent responsible head who should be answerable for such returns, nob only in connection with torpedo stores, bub all warlike materials in the colony, in order that remissions and departures from the regulations may be immediately checked. In conclusion, the Commissioners state they found the Shelly Bay submarine establishment in creditable order. Captain Falconer is familiar with the details of submarine mining, and appears to be a steady, zealous, and intelligent official. In submarine mining work of every description, whether mines or experimental charges are being prepared for active service or otherwise, no precautions as laid down from time to time by the War Office should be neglected,' and sure steps should be taken by the Defence Office that such memos, are issued as orders to commanding-officers, to be by them copied, noted, and returned. This would ensure a knowledge on the part of the commanding-officers, and a punctual adherence to them.