The Globe. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1876.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 520, 17 February 1876, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1876.

The detalSppof the “ Bremerhaven “ atrocity,” as it is called, show with what diaholia|k-ingenuity schemes for plundering tue community are sometimes arranged. No matter that, as in this hundreds of innocent people, agaiijSt whom the murderer cannot be supposed to have had any personal iU’Jynfo are killed or companies, and possession of a large of money, is successful. The assassin went about his work W destruction with a calmness that appears perfectly frightful, though when his plans were disarranged he had not tbq boldness to face the conse-

quenceg of bis .act', and finicdied Ids career by a suicide’s death. The explosion, which he calculated would have taken place, some days after he had left the ship, and thus secured his own safety, took place prematurely, and thus Thompson’s scheme of plundering was thwarted. The murderous part of the affair was perfectly successful, and the account of the tragedy makes us wonder what can have been the nature of the man who could plan and carry out the arrangements for such a deed of destruction. It would appear that this man had accomplices, and the thrill of indignation that must run through every one on reading the occurrence, leads us to hope that no stone will be left unturned to discover the partners in Thompson’s villainous scheme. The death of the principal actor in the affair is recorded, but, at present, we have no news as to whether he indicated to the authorities any person or persons who wereconnected with him in his crime. He appears to have made some confession, but we are ignorant as jet as to how far that confession goes. The minds of the public in New Zealand have been much disturbed lately by the revelations that have been made with regard to the conveyance of explosives, both in the ships trading between here and foreign ports, and also coastwise. The news of the tragedy at Bremerhaven will not reassure them. ¥e do not expect a Thompson to turn up with a similar scheme of plunder and murder, but we know, from accounts lately furnished to the public, that explosives of the class which shattered the ill-fated Mosel, have been smuggled on board ships coming to the colonies without the knowledge of their captains or officers. The advance in chemical knowledge of late years has been so great, that an extremely small quantity of one of the newest explosives, would be sufficient to send the finest ship belonging, say to the N. Z. S. Co, to the bottom. It follows that the law with regard to the carriage of articles of this description should be very stringent, and enforce every precau tionary measure possible against accidental explosions. But if it is stringent in these clauses, what ought the nature of the clauses to be, under which those shippers of these goods who try to evade the law, should find themselves if detected? We know that many shippers to save freight, and for other reasons, will, if they fancy they cannot be detected, ship explosive material on board vessels carrying emigrants or passengers, perfectly reckless of the danger to which they are subjecting everybody on board. Such men deserve most severe punishment, and an example or two would do a great deal of good. Sir Julius Yogel has had the subject under his consideration, and has had some correspondence on the subject. As we know that when once the Premier has taken a thing in hand, he may be trusted to carry it out, it is to be hoped that he may be successful in getting an Act passed, the provisions of which, if complied with, will reduce the danger of the blowing up of a New Zealand emigrant ship to a minimum.