THE SHELLY BAY DISASTER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 994, 20 March 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE SHELLY BAY DISASTER.

THE INQUEST

The Coroner, Mr H. W. Robinson, R.M., opened the enquiry on Monday into the circumstances attending the death of Walter N. Heighton and William Densem on March sth at Shelly Bay. The following gentlemen constituted the jury :—C. J. Gamble (foreman), W. Christie, J. Stick, W. Mackay, T. Williams, and Alex. Watt. Mr Skerrett watched the cases on behalf of Captain Falconer, Mr Jellicoe appeared for the \vidovv of Heighton, and Mr Gully represeated the Government. Mr Gully explained that he intended to call the evidence in the following ordei : He had meant to start with Dr Cahill, but aB he wae not present he would comtnenop with witnesses as to facts—that is not persons actually present, but in the. vicinity when the explosion occurred ; and then what expert evidence he considered necessary would be teudered. Before taking the evidence it was understood that Heighton, who was universally known as Rose, should be referred to by the latter name to avoid misunderstanding. The following evidence was called : Samuel John Kspenett, petty officer in the Torpedo Corps, deposed : On the fifth of March I was at the Torpedo Station, Shelly Bay. I was in the kitchen a little before II o’clock, and about an hour before I was giving instructions to McCallum, a thirdclass torpedo man, in the smithy. At that time Ross and Densem were there. I think Ross was making some lids, but cannotsiy for certain. About 10 minutes to 11 I heard the »ouud of an explosion. I was then in the kitchen, which is detaohed from the smith’s shop, and some distance away. I ran out and saw two men running down to the water from the smithy, which is about a hundred yards from the water’s eijge. They fell into the water. Their names were McCallum and Cornwall, both second class torpedomen. I went to Cornwall’s assistance, and helped to get him into his bunk. He was kept there till Dr Cahill arrived. Next day, I think, I picked up a wooden p.pe (produced) close to the empty mine, about twenty yards from the blacksmith’s shop, between the sea and the shop door. Mr Jellicoe objected to the witness giving any hearsay evidence as to the pipe. Mr Skerrett could not understand why bis learned friend wished to keep back any evidence. A Coroner’s Court was not bound by the strictest laws of evidence. The Coroner said he would take the evidence for what it was worth.

Mr Gully said that his object was to provide against the possibility of Cornwall not being able to be present, as he was at present seriously ill, and it might be some weeks before he could attend. He bad, however, two witnesses to speak as to the ownership of the pipes. Mr Jellicoe again protested againt hearsay evidence being received, but the Coroner ruled that it could be taken, and he would tell the jury what value was to be placed upon it. Witness continued : I showed the pipe to several people, and they said that they thought it belonged to Cornwall. I have not shown it to Cornwall himself. To Mr Skerrett : I shall have been connected with the service twelve years next June. Daring that time I have had tome experience of explo. and have more or less dealt with gun cotton in New Zealand. Smoking was forbidden by written order from Captain Falconer. This order applied to the blacksmith’s shop. Petty officers received strict instructions to see that order obeyed, and I believe Ross was brought— Mr Jellicoe objected, and the question was disallowed.

Witness : I have known men to be reprimanded by the officer for smoking, although not reported. I have assisted Captain Falconer in loading primers- We have no special primers here, and they vary in size according to the quantity of wet gun cotton. The quantity of gun-cotton depends upon what the primers are used for. The primers we use are of copper or tim. (The witness explained the nature of the detonator to the jury.) I recollect on one occaa on when I made primers with Captain Falconer. This was about nine months ago, and was the last time I assisted in the work. The orders are 1 that primers should be loaded in the gun cotton room. A a a matter of practice they are loaded in the gun-cotton shed, usually called the mining shed. This is a distinct building from the forge. I have been with Captain Falconer when he has soldered the lids on the tins. When the soldering was done the primers were put inside one by one and placed on the ground. They were soldered on the bench io the smith’s shop. Since ,-this accident I have witnessed some experiments made by Captain Fa coner. Mr Jellicoe submitted that an experiment made by an interested person after the event was not evidence. The Coroner said that he did not think he would exclude the evidence. Witness : Captain Falconer made a fire in the open air and put a cold piece of tin upon it. He then dropped a piece of gan-cotcon on the tin, and after the cotton ignited, which was after five seconds, we tried to hold the tin, but it was too hot to bold. He next put some more cotton, and that ignited, but a third quantity did not explode The tin, however, was still too hot to hold. We then heated the soldering bolt so that it would melt what is known as hard Bolder. We placed the bolt under the tin and placed the gun cotton on the top, but it did not ignite. We then tried running the hot solder on to the gun cotton, and there was no explosion. Ross was usually in charge of the smith’s shop, and I was instructed not to interfeie in any way with the men loading the primers. To Mr Jellicoe :* The gun cotton placed in the tin was unconfined. The piece of cotton was about an inch long. If gun cotton were placed next to a Same it would not explode. The result of the cotton being confined would be that it would explode if it were ignited. A thick case would explode with greater violence than a thin one. I was surprised that the hot solder did not ignite the cotton, bat I knew it would not explode. If the same

quantity of hot solder had found its way into confined gun cotton in a case I would expect it to ignite, after the experiment had been made. Before the experiment I should have expected it to ignite, and the ignition to have exploded the canister. . 1 do r.ot think there would beany difference in applying the hot solder to the gun cotton whether confined or unconfined, so far as ignition is concerned. 1 ain referring to dry cotton. The cotton used for the experiment was dry, and I received it from the storekeeper, Gibson. I think that dry cotton would ignite at 300 or 400 deg Fahrenheit, but I do not know what degrees of heat would dissolve hard solder. I cannot say what was lhe temperature of the solderiug bolt, or that of the tin when they »ere heated. When I was in the shop before the accident I did not see any loose pisces of gun-cotton lying about. The men were working at the bench noarest the fori-e. I consider the smithy a safe place to do such work, with a screen to the furnace. There is no regulation forbidding the filling of primers in the shop. The meu were soldering on the lids of the primers and filling the top with ashes. At this point, Mr Gully protested against the waste of time. The witness had simply been called as to facts, but he had been converted by the oouusel appearing into an expert. It was intended to call two men who were present at the time of the accident, and they could give direct evidence on the point. The Coroner said that there had been a great waste of time, and he Imped Mr Jellicoe would confine himself to asking question as to matters of fact.

Witness continnsd : I certainly think that it was safe to do the work I did wi h Captain Falconer, or I should not have been there. To Mr Gully : I am not giving evidence from special knowledge as an expert. I have no scientific knowledge on these questions beyond the performance of my duties. Any iuflammable substance confined would not burn so freely as when exposed. Dr Cahill deposed : Oa the sth of the present month I was called to Shelly Bay, and reaohed there at about 12.30. I saw several men who were suffering from the result of the acoident. The first man I saw was Densem, then Cornwall and afterwards Roas. Densem waa lying on a stretcher on a verandah outside the barrack room. Ross and Cornwall were lying on beds io the barrack room. Densem was suffering from a shock to the s\stem, and there were signs of burns and wounds caused by striking against something, or by something. He was very severely burned, and I should say the injuries would be caused by such an explosion as has been described. The only article of clothing he had on was a portion of a singlet. I administered morphia at once and stimulants. I dressed the wounds of each of the sufferers in turn, and ad minis tered morphia in all the cases. Cornwall was suffering from shock, and injuries partly from burning, and partly from explosion, and Ross showed the same symptoms. I continued to attend the patients who were left at the forts. I attribute the death of Densem, who died at 9 o’clock in the evening, to shock of the system and effusion of the brain, consequent on injuries received. Rosa died at 5 o’clock on the evening of the 6th from the same cause. I have since attended Cornwall and McCallum. The latter was suffering from a slight shock and some burns. Ross had only a “jumper” on, which was very much burnt. To Mr Skerrett: Ross was burnt very much about the head He had a jagged wound on the upper lip under the nose and general signs of burning. The lip must have been hie by something. 1 was asked by Capt. Falconer to see some experiments. Tbe last witness had given a fair account of the nature and results of those experiments. I saw the solder melted on the gun-cntton, and the bolt was held about three or. four inches above the cotton, and the latter did not igDite. Charles William Wall, corporal in the Torpedo Corps, deposed : I w»s in the carpenter’s shop, which is 40ft south of the smithy, on the morning of the stb. I could see the north window, but not the front door from where I was standing. I heard an explosion while I was talking to Corporal Nelson. I saw fl imes through the window. They seemed to be of an orange yellow peculiar to gun-cottoD when ignited. I then heard a succession of smaller reports, followed after a slight interval, by a somewhat louder one. The last one occurred just as I got opposite the door. I saw Ros 3 rushing out of the door, whence large volumes of smoke were issuing, with both arms raised in front of his face. I and Nelson, with some others, seized him and laid him on the ground. His clothe* were alight and smouldering, and only about eight inches of his trouser were remaining at the bottom of the legs. I cannot Bay positively what was on his body, as he was one mass of flames. All the words I heard him say were “ Oh, mates.” I assisted in carrying him to the barrack room and he was covered with blankets. I recognised the pipe pro duced, which I found in the smithy about an heur after the accident. It was immediately inside the door on the bench. The plan I drew was partly from memory, and is not exact to scale ; it iB, however, practically correct. The furnaces are protected by moveable screens. To Mr Jellicoe : When I went in on Thursday night the screens were not in front of the furnace, when I picked up the pipe. This was the first time I went into the smithy after the accident. Between the time of the accident and when I found the pipe I was assisting the wounded men, and therefore did not have the smithy door in view during the whole of the period. No one had spoken to me about a pipe before I found the one produced. I have been at Shelly Bay every day since the accident. Captain Falooner was there the whole of the time, and Colonel Hnmfroy some part. I cannot call to mind any order from Captain Falconer as to an inspection of the gun-cottoa. I have not filled up any forms relating to gun-cotton since the accident. I cannot say in what direction the flames went; the whole smithy seemed to be full of flames. I don’t remember to have filled up a form at any time in

regard to the inspection of gun-cotton. I have made out an inventory of what things belonged to Densem, at Shelly Bay. James McCauley, third-class torpedo-man, deposed : On March sth I was in the smith’s shop, and left there a few moments before the explosion occurred. I left for the purpose of fetching some paint for Ross. I was in the smithy for three-quarters of an hour. I was making paint for Ross all the time. I saw Ross unsoldering an ammuni tion tin about twenty minutes to 11, but I did not notice what else he was doing the rest of the time. Cornwall, Densem, and McCallum were in the shop at the time. McCallum was taking the drilling machine to pieces. There are usually two soldering irons in the shop. I saw six tins of guncotton on the bench, five of them being soldered up, I think, the remaining one being unsoldered. Densem was cutting out the patterns for the tops of tbe tins, but I did not see what he did with the “cap ” he had in bis band. I went to the store, which is about 70ft or SOft from the smithy, to get the paint, and while there I heard a report I came towards the shop, and saw part of the front blown out. Ross and Densem were then outside. I picked np the pipe produced in the shop about an hour and a half after tbe explosion. It was on the fround, about 3ft from the bench. The pipe belonged to Densem, and I also recognised the other pipe (namely, the one shown to last witness) as Ross’. To Mr Jellicoe: I did not see Densem cutting the tin, but I saw him with the pattern in his hand and some unsoldered tin beside him. I have never assisted in soldering tins. I have assisted in filling the mines, and the corner pieces are frequently cut off. The pieces are put away in proper gDn-uotton cases. There were no pieces about on this morning, so far as I know. { Whatever fragments there might be would be put in separate boxe3. At this point the Coroner remarked that it certainly did seem as if Mr Jellicoe was travelling outside the case altogether, and a great deal of time was being wasted. Mr Jellicoe replied that as he understood it, the enquiry was uot only to enqu're into the cause of death, but also to decide who was responsible for the disaster. He would say clearly and distinctly that he would be able to prove who was responsible, but he was not obliged to disclose what was in his brief.

A long and somewhat acrimonious discussion ensued between counsel, in the course of which Mr Jellicoe remarked that if he were not allowed to probe the case he would leave tbe Court. The Coroner said that he had no wish to burke the euquiry, but it must be remembered that he had some rights in that Court, while Mr Jellicoe seemed to treat him as a perfect child. Witne-s continued : The cases in which the fragments were put were placed outside, I have never at any time been sent to get gun cotton from the etore. I did not see the men using any ashes, nor any on the bench. I did not see any of the men smoking. I have tilled mines with wet gun cotton, but I cannot say who wetted It, as it happened twelve months ago. 'To Mr Gully : I am quite clear that I did not see any fragments of gun cotton in the smithy on the day of the explosion. Francis Nelson, corporal in the Torpedo Corps, gave evidence similar to that of Corporal Wall in regard to the accident. To Mr Jellicoe : I was in the smithy about thirty seconds before the accident, and then remained about a minute. Tbe furnace screens vrere not up. The object, of the B"reens is to prevent the sparks flying. I have seen sparks flying, but never while gun cotton was about. Captain Falconer was about that morning. I have never had anything to do with gun cotton. To Mr Skerrett : —The only time I have seen sparks flying was when Ross haß been doing heavy blacksmiths’ work and a strong blast was on. Although I have never m-de up the gun-cotton in tins I should not object to the work considering the testa made by Captain Falconer. Samuel Wigley McCallum, third class torpedo man, deposed : I went into the blacksmith’s shop about 9.30 and saw Ross, Densem, Cornwall, and Goldie there. Ross was soldering canisters of gun-cotton. He was using the large forge in the ceutre. He was working on the Dench opposite the forge. Cornwall was, I think, on his right, engaged in making spanners. Densem was leaning over the bench alongside of Ross, and Goldie was at the old forgo at the back, and I believe, but I would not swear, that be was putting ashes in the cans. That forge had not been used since January. I was occupied in taking a drilling machine to pieces. At the time of the explosion Densem was closer to R-pss than Cornwall, and I was by the door at the other bench. So far as I could judge from the flash, the explosion seemed to come from the canister at which Ross was working. There was a report as if it came from an over-loaded gun. At the first report 1 made for the door and went out. As I was passing through 1 looked rourd and saw three men on top of one another in the centre, between the old forge aud the bench. I then saw two flashes, one immediately after the other, from the old forge, and I ran towards the office, I heard Bomeone sing out “Go to the water.” 1 had no coat on at the time, and a portion of my clothing was on fire. I think Ross had on a pair of trousers, a waistcoat and a guernsey. I went into the water, and Cornwall rushed in about the same time. He was all on fire. After I had extinguished the flames on my own body I made for Cornwall, who was getting too far oat to sea. My pipe was stuck in mj hat, and I had not been smoking in tbe blacksmith’s shop. I did not see Ross smoking, but he might have been doing so without my seeing him. It is strongly against the regulations to smoke, and I do not think I saw Ross smoking in tne shop tbe morning of the explosion. Densem did not smoke at all, and I did not see any of the others smoking. I have had nothing to do with guncotton. To Mr Jellicoe : Ross and Densem were making canisters on the previous day, I think of copper tinned over. I saw Captain Falconer in the shop while the work was goiDg on. The canisters I saw made were

about thirteen inches high, made of the ordinary kind of tin. The man who was putting in the ashes had two tins. I believe there were three or fear canisters on the bench, bat there may have been more. On one occasion about a month ago I assisted in filling mines, and I saw the solid pieces «towed into a mine. I did not wet the guncotton myself, as it was already wet.

To the Coroner : Cornwall was working at the spanner with a file. To Mr Skerrett : I was at my own work, and not noticing particularly what Ross was doing. The four canisters were on the bench. I only saw ashes put into two canisters that morning. All I can say was that the flash came from the direction of Ross. I can positively swear that the lids were on the four canisters.

George Neilson Goldie, second-class torpc io man, deposed : On Tuesday evening I received orders to go to tbe blacksmith’s shoo. and get eight tins that Ross was making. I was told to make up the tins in the nsual way with dry gun-cotton as primers. On the same night I got the detonators and tested them to see if thev were in good order. The tin of the canisters seemed to have been used for some previous purposes. On ednesday I got the dry gnn-ootton from the store, and broke it up for putting in the canisters. After half charging the two tins I put in the detonator, and then put in more gun-cotton, two inches loose. I then brought ashes from the blacksmith’s shop to tbe mine store. I got the ashes from off the floor and used them for loading the two tins, and took them to the blacksmith’s shop. 1 placed them on the bench at the right haud side of the door. I took another four away that day and loaded them in the same manner, with the exception of the ashes, which I put in from the old forge. On Thursrtay I took the last two to the smithy, and had finished putting in the ashes about ten minutes before the explosion took place. I took soma of the ashes from the old forge and some from the other forge. I am quite certain the ashes were dead. There was a tire in the other forge at the time. Densem measured the tin to see the siza of the lid. I went np to Ross to speak to him. He had a soldering iron in his hand, and I think Cornwall was holding a tin on its edge. There wa* only one tin in front of Rots, and the others were towards the door. I then went back to the old forge, where Densem was still measuring the tins. Lhad just turned round towards Ross when a blinding flash came from his corner. I was blown down on the ground, and my memory of what occnired afterwards is a blank until I found myself outside. Ross came out just after I did, and he seemed to be covered with fire. He fell down in front of me near the mines about a chain from the smithy. I have done the work of filling the canisters several times before, and on this occasion J followed the same course as previously. I did not see anybody smoking when I. was in the blacksmith’s shop. The soldering iron I saw in Ross’ hands was about nine inches long, including the handle. At the instance of Mr Skerrett, the soldering iron found in the smithy after the explosion, which was in the poesoccion uf Mr A. D. Bell, was produced, and witness identified it as tbe one he had seen. The enquiry was adjourned at 6.25 o’clock till 10 next morning.

The inquest was continued on Tuesday. G. N. Goldie, examined by Mr -lellicoe, said—Captain Falconer did not give me any reason for filling the cases, and I had no knowledge for what pu pose they were to be used. I never watered the cotton at all. Petty-Officer Gibson was in the store when I went to get the gun cotton, and he pointed out what I wanted. The shelf where the cotton was lying was about 18in from the roof. The gun cotton may have been there for several months.' I have never seen wet gun cotton in that room. I have seen the gun cotton being shaped for the cylinder. At this point Mr Skerrett protested against the importation of totally irrelevant evidence. He was quite aware what Mr Jellicoe would say, namely, that Captain Falconer was trying to bnrke the enquiry, but he would take that risk, as it was ridiculous that there should be sach a waste of time. The Coroner said he mast admit he did not see the relevancy of the examination, but he would not stop it. Witness continued : Part of the gun cotfco i on the shelf might have consisted of pieces cut off in tilling the mines. I took solid pieces about 6iu long. I weighed 6£lb in the tin, and that was the quantity for each canister. I never tested any gnn cotton, and was never told by Captain Falconer to do so. To all appearances there was no defect in the join in the tin, but it was no business of mine to examine it. There was no plug inserted in the top of the tin, and I cannot say whether the inside was lacquered. I have sometimes assisted Capta n Fatooner in filling the canisters. I saw the soldering bolt in Ross’ hand, hat did not see him actually apply it to the canister. There are india rubber bags for gun cotton in the store, but I do not know anfepe.ial use to which they are applied. I have seen Captain Falconer solder the tins, and he dipped the bolt into some fluid. It would be highly improper to smoke in the smithy. I did see the bolt produced v the large one) on the day of the accident. To Mr Skerrett : I know nothing abont the storing of the gun cotton, and I do not pretend to be an expert- It has certainly struck me as a waste of time to ask me questions about things I am absolutely ignorant of. To the, jury : 1 did not see Ross or Densem knock over a canister. I should say that if a tin with a detonator in it dropped it wou’d probably explode. A detonator would explode if dropped a couple of feet ; at least that is what I have always understood. Mr Gully then put in Ross’ depositions, which he read to the jury. John Wood, second-class torpedo man, deposed: The two bolts and the hammer produced were in my charge, A fortnight before the accident Ross boi rowed the bolts from me. and he borrowed the hammer on the morning of the accident. At three

o’clock on that day, after the explosion, I found the smaller bolt in the smithy. To Mr Jellicoe : Ross complained of the job on several occasions. On the morning of the accident he said to me, “ I don’t like thiß job ; I believe I’ll be blown away before I’ve done with it.” I have never had anything to do with gun cotton. On the Sunday before the accident I went with Ross to Sergeant Sheppard, for the purpose of his asking to be transferred ou account cf the dangerous nature of the work he wap engaged in. On the morning of the accident I went to the smithy, and saw Ross soldering the tins. Cornwall advised me not t.« go too near to Ross, and I said that 1 would get away altogether. I have seen Ross smoking in ihe smithy, but not at this class of work. Ido not remember seeing any other men. except Ross, smoking. After the accident, Ross banded his watch to me, and two other men took charge of the contents of his trousers’ pockets. I did n>t see the pipe, and I did not hear Russ asked for it. To Mr Skeriett : I have seen Ross make up the solder, bat I did not know that Captain Falconer had given him a prescrip tion foi its manufacture. Had I known that it would have altered my opinion as to the solder being of the ordinary kind. Ross was certainly an inveterate smoker. I am certain I was not in the smithy more than three minutes. Ross handed me the bolt when he had partly completed the soldering of the tin. I will not swear that Ro3s was not smoking during the time I was in the smithy. It was against the rules to smoke in any part of the works, and 1 have seen Ross transgress the rules hundreds of times. "When I left the shop one third of the tin had been soldered. I cannot recognise the pipe produced as one that Ross used to smoke. Russ complained to me that he had had his pay reduced by 6d per day. Thi3 reduction was due to his refusal to do corporal’s duty, and he was made firstclass torpedo man. The reason he went to Sergeant Sheppard was that he thought there would be a better opening in the Permanent Artillery. I took Cornwall’s remark about my getting-further away from Ross as meant for chaff, as I am rather a nervous man. I did not see any canisters ou the bench, except the one Ross had in his hands, but I saw some underneath. There were no lids on the latter, but they were covered up with ashes. I did not see the match box produced in the smithy, and I do not remember seeing a match struck. The only uses to which matches could be put there were either to light the fumance in the morning or to light a_ pipe. If the bolt was red hot id would be impossible to solder with it. Cornwall could not have been making spanners at the time I was there, which was three minutes before the explosion. After the accident I waited on Ross, but I did not hear bim mention his pipe nor did he ask for a smoke. To Mr Gully : I have had no communication with Mr Jellicoe about my evidence. The nearest canister would be two feet to the right of the vice, and the others were close together on the floor. The only one I oaw cii-tiifi bench was that Ross was working on. Ido not think that I could be mistaken in there beine five on the floor.

Chas. R. G. Gib-on, petty officer and acting sub-storekeeper in the Torpedo C >rps, deposed: A* out 19,00ldbs of gun cotton is kept at Shelly Bay. Most of it is kept above high-water mark on the beach immediately opposite the office, and between 7000 and SOOOibs is in the shed. On the Monday previous to the accident I gave Goldie a quantity of gun cotton, which was taken from the shelf close to the iron roof. He took it as he required it, but I checked the quantity. I weighed the first two tins at 7i'ib, ami the tin itself weighed lAlb. The cotton taken by Goldie was dry, and, so far as I know, it was not defective. In my opinion it was in a proper place to keep it dry. To Mr Jellicoe : Captain Falconer gave me instructions to keep the cotton dry, and told me to keep it on the shelf. There were 751 b of gun cotton on the shelf before Goldie took any away. The shelf was a little less than 18m from the roof, which is of corrugated iron, and that would attract the heat of the sun, making it about the driest place in Shelly Bay. '5 he cotton had been there for nine months, and had not been wetted during that time. The rest of the gun cotton in the shed was in mining cases', and these had been there for 15 months. The balance on the beach had been there for two years. I have been sub storekeeper for one year. The regulations laid down provide that the cotton should be kept wet. liuring the time the cotton had been on the beach it was not wetted. Mr Gully eaid that these questions were carrying them altogether outside the enquiry. The Coroner agreed with Mr Gully, and he did not see the relevancy of the questions. Mr Jellicoe contended that tLe point to be determined was whether there had been culpable negligence on the part of certain persons in connection with this question. Mr Gaily said that that Court bad nothing tado with the general discipline of the department, but whether this particular accident was caused through some negligence of certain persons. The Coroner ruled that Mr Jellicoe should confine himself to questions about the particular question. Witness continued : The mmes where the gun cotton was stored aie about 15 feet from the store. The cotton from the mines was wet when brought into the store. I know this because the mines were loaded with a particular kind of gun cotton. There was in the same store wet and dry gnu cotton. The regu'ation which provides that all solid pieces detacn d from ioadiog mines sbouli cither be locally destroyed or re wetted has not been observed since 1 have been at Shelly Bay. Regulation 16 has not been complied with, as there are no cylinders in the store.

Mr Gully again protested against Mr Jellicoe wasting time and utterly ignoring the Coroner’s ruling, the foreman expressing the same opinion. The Coroner said that Mr Jellicoe mast confine himself to the dry gun cotton sapplied on this occasion. - Witness continued: The regulation re-

ferring to the inspecting and re-wetting of the gun cotton has not been carried ont. The loading of the mines and that of the primers was altogether different. I know of no regulations as to the filling of primers, but lam aware there are Bume. I was in the smithy about an hour before the explosion, and saw some of the canisters Goldie had filled on the bench in front of the forge. There was one at least without a lid. I had two indiarubber bags for gun cotton, one bolding 51b and the other 251 b. These were quite distinct from the canisters. There are none of these in the stores. Ross made the solder from tin and lead which I gave him from the store. 1 never saw any returns written up by Corporal Wa Is. 'To Mr Skerrett : Primers are always made with dry cotton. The cotton was placed on the shelf wet for the purpose of being dried. . The shelf would contain lOOlbs at the outside. .All the rest of the gun cotton was originally wet. The store is one shed divided into two compartments, and the dry and wet cotton was in different rooms though under one roof. There are 72 mines, and "of these I loaded eight. I should not be surprised to learn that there were other regulations concerning the disposal of the refuse cotton besides that read by Mr Jellicoe. To the Coroner : One mine has been opened since the accident, but not re-wetted. The contents were damped and the mine was closed again. John Falconer, captain and inspector of the submarine stores in New Zealand, deposed : 1 arrived in this Colony in 18S8, and prior to that had been torpedo instructor in Tasmania, after serving 17 years in the Royal Engineers, having passed through all successive steps up to instructor in submarine mining lam in charge of the station at Shelly Bay. I gave instructions both to Goldie as tester and Ross as mechanic in connection with gun cotton primers. Ever since I have been on the station these instructions have been carried out, unless when Ross was busv at other work I have done it myself. I instructed Ro-s to make light canisters, and gave special instructions co Goldie as to the testing. I told Petty Oilicer Espinett to tell Ross to make the canisters 9in by 4Jin for use in experimental work. These orders were conveyed to Ros 3. I saw Goldie personally, and told him to make up eight charges of 61b each in the usual way. I gave him sDecial instructions as to the lashing of the detonator to the disc. Both men had previously been instructed as to the proper method of loading the primers. Ross had first to make the canisters and the lids. The canisters have always been made from the tin cases of the Snider ammunition boxes and the old gun cotton cases when the cotton had been stored in the mines. Tha canister now produced was not made of the latter material, but the rest of the eight were so made. I gave him no Bpeoial instructions as to the putting iu of the cap. I had told Ross that if he felt any heat whatever in the ashes he must put the tin aside to let* it cool. I albo told him to “tin” the inside of the lid so as to prevent t 'eating. Ross was chosen because he was the man specially adapted for that work. Goldie’s instructions were to fill the primers in the usual way. The canisters were then to be handed to Ross, and when he had done with them he was to place them outside to be pitched. Ross was supposed to put each primer outside as soon us it was sweated,” according to iny own practice. I never told Ross Dot to allow them to accumulate, but have impressed him the necessity of not keeping more than two at a time by him. I saw Goldie filling the primers and he was doing it in the ordi nary way. and I had no fault to r nd. The system pursued in filling the canisters wa< similar to that observed in Tasmania when I was there. These primers ware made for the Spar torpedoes. The last lot of primers 1 saw made in England was in 1877, but they have since gone out of use, as mines are utilised. The soldering of the cap and the rest of the work was the same as 1 had been in the habit of carrying ont in England. I do not think there has been any material alteration in the manufacture of primerß since I left the Royal Engineers. The Court adjourned at 4.45 till Thursday, April 9th. ______________