HC Deb 08 May 1894 vol 24 cc605-6
MR. J. ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)

I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can give the House any information as to the cause of the reported explosion at the Government cordite factory at Waltham yesterday?

MR. HANBURY (Preston)

May I inquire whether this is not the fourth explosion which has occurred during the present year at Waltham; whether it is not the fact that the manufacture of explosives at Government factories is free from the strict Rules and Regulations which the Home Office impose in the case of all private factories; and whether such a dangerous exemption ought not to be abolished?

* THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. WOODALL,) Hanley

No cause can as yet be assigned for the serious and destructive explosion that occurred yesterday at Waltham, wrecking the washing-house and nitro-glycerine stores at the cordite factory and causing the deaths of the chemist in charge, two foremen, and one other man, who were following their employment at the time. Happily the other men who were injured, chiefly by falling debris, are making satisfactory progress. A searching investigation will be immediately instituted into all the circumstances. It was not very convenient to answer the hon. Member for Preston, but the hon. Member knows that there was one very fatal accident in the powder factory which formed the subject of an inquiry. Another explosion occurred in the cordite factory, but it was not in connection with any part of the process of manufacture. It was caused by a wholly irregular and unauthorised experiment, and the only person seriously injured was the man who on his own responsibility was making the experiment. In the other ease a more violent explosion than was anticipated did, unfortunately, take place in the destruction of a quantity of waste nitro-glycerine, but without any personal injury. As to the Regulations under which Government factories are carried on, they are exempt from the ordinary law, but in the main they are carried on with a degree of strictness which has insured for them until very recently a remarkable immunity from accident.

MR. HANBURY

Then I will ask whether, in view of the four explosions which have occurred at Waltham, the War Office are prepared to put Government factories under the same Rules and Regulations for the safety of life as apply in the case of private factories?

* MR. WOODALL

I think that notice should be given of this question.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)

Have the four explosions shaken the confidence of the Secretary for War in cordite?

* MR. WOODALL

We have expressed our confidence in the efficiency of cordite as an explosive. I do not think anybody ever suggested its manufacture was not attended with danger.

SIR H. ROSCOE (Manchester, S.)

Was any scientific chemist in charge of the manufacture?

* MR. WOODALL

Yes, a practical foreman chemist was employed, and unfortunately he was one of those killed in the last accident.