§ Sir WILLIAM BYLESasked whether a dangerous explosion occurred at the British Museum on Thursday last; whether it was caused by the use of a lighted torch to search for an escape of gas; who is to blame for so careless an act by which priceless national treasures were imperilled; and what steps, if any, have been taken to prevent its recurrence.
Mr. McKINNON WOODA slight explosion took place on the 25th instant under the roadway to the north of the British Museum owing the the defective plugging of a gas main which was being laid by the contractor for the extension of the Museum. One of the contractor's employés noticed the leak, thought it was due to an escape from a email pipe, and applied a match. Nothing was set on fire by the explosion (the seriousness of which has been much exaggerated) and the collections were in no way endangered. Gas is only used to a small extent in the British Museum, and the present mishap, which was due to the thoughtlessness of a mechanic, arose out of temporary conditions which are not likely to recur.