§ MR. WHITWELLasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been drawn to a report of an inquest held on May 25th last upon the bodies of Charles Young and Joseph Walston, whose deaths were occasioned by an explosion which occurred in charging a shell in a Government manufactory with gun cotton, which inquest was reported to be adjourned; and if he is aware whether the jury has again met and given its verdict; and, if so, what that verdict was?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, the manufactory in question was not under the supervision of the Inspectors of the Home Department, and he had not received any report on the subject.
MR. GATHORNE HARDYSir, as the matter is connected with the War Office perhaps I may be allowed to reply to the Question. A 7-inch Palliser shell which was being filled with damp gun-cotton exploded in a shop of the Royal Laboratory on the 25th of May last, and unfortunately caused the death of two men and injury to another. The 1625 machine was shattered. There were a number of boys in the shop at the time, who however were not touched. The operation had not previously been considered to involve any danger; but for the future such operations will be carried on in isolated buildings, and every precaution taken to prevent recurrence of such an accident. The jury have not yet, I believe, returned a verdict.