ACCIDENT ON AN IRONCLAD.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3130, 28 February 1879, Page 4

ACCIDENT ON AN IRONCLAD.

A sod accident occurred on board the A'-hilles the day previous to her departure, j very ironclad now has her regular torj:odo room, with a supply of mines, fuzes, electric batteries, and other gear necessary for t< rpedo work, and there is always a fn all staff of trained men for taking care of and manipulating these instruments m lien required, either for exercise or real .service. The Achilles is no exception to the rule, and bas her torpedo staff as •well as the other ironclads, and the accident which occurred was entirely due to ilie folly of one of these trained men, a seaman gunner, who ought to have been well acquainted with the dangerous implements it was his* duty to handle. '.! lie poor fellow, however, has |laid dearly eruuiih for his reckless conduct, having ]<>>t an eye and several fingers of his righ' hand, as well 88 receiving other grievous wounds. It appears that a few days previousljv when he was out in the steamIn at launch exercising with the " star t< rpedo " there was a miss fire, and, the fuzes being changed, be -managed to get hold of one'of those rejected without being observed. These detonators are highly sensitive, containing as they do a charge of fulminate of mercury, the slightest friction upon which produces an explosion so violent that a few grains alone is sufficient to destroy a man. To guard against accidents, the dangerous compound in question is placed in a metal tube of small diameter and in the pursuit of knowledge, the poor fellow who has come to such serious grief attempted to open the one in his possession with a small penknife: the natural result followed, and he is now on his way to Malta Hospital, and may consider himself fortunate to have escaped with Ms life.—Exchange.