STOWING GUNPOWDER IN NEW ZEALAND-BOUND SHIPS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1436, 23 September 1878, Page 3

STOWING GUNPOWDER IN NEW ZEALAND-BOUND SHIPS.

[Melbourne “Argus.”] Every now and then we hear of the danger to which passengers by vessels coming from Great Britain to the Australian colonies are subjected in consequence of the carriage of largo quantities of explosives, but nothing has yet been done to place a check on the practice, or to make more stringent the conditions under which the stowage of gunpowder and substances of a kindred nature is allowed. The cases of the Cairo and Great Queensland are still fresh in the memory. Both vessels left London for Melbourne with large quantities of gunpowder on board, and neither of them reached their destination. From indirect but strongly suggestive evidence, it is morally certain that these ships were blown to pieces at sea, and all lives on board sacrificed. Others probably have experienced a similar fate, and if things are permitted to go on in the old way, many more will bo added to the list. We are induced to refer to the subject now by the appearance in a recent issue of the “Times” of a letter describing the preparations that were being made for the reception of tome twenty or thirty tons of gunpowder on board a vessel at Gravesend, which was about to sail for New Zealand. No magazine was provided, but a largo space partitioned off with deal planks was set apart amidships, and in this large “hole” the gunpowder was about to be put. The writer of the letter, who had a friend a passenger by the vessel, being struck with the dangerous nature of the proceeding, appealed to the inspector of explosives. This officer, who acts under instructions from the Thames Conservators, stated that the stowage of gunpowder in this manner was, “no doubt, dangerous,” but that if a separate compartment of any kind were provided, and the gunpowder covered with flannel or matting he could not interfere. He admitted that if the ship had been in Her Majesty’s service a proper magazine, plated to a certain degree of thickness, would have to be provided. He also stated that he had written reports to the Board of Trade as to “ danger of storing gunpowder in passenger ships as at present,” but had received no reply. At the close of the letter one or two suggestions are made in which we heartily concur. In whatever vessels gunpowder is carried proper precautions ought to be observed, and it would only be just to compel shipowners to inform passengers about to engage berths that explosive materials wore to form part of th t e cargo. Our own opinion is that such substances should not bo carried by passenger vessels at all, and that passengers or no passengers, well-protected magazines should be provided, so that the lives of officers and crews might not bo needlessly imperilled. The subject is one in which all the Australian colonies are vitally interested, and wo take leave to suggest that the respective Governments should make it their business to urge upon the Board of Trade the adoption of such regulations as will deprive the outward voyage of one of its greatest perils.