EXPLOSION OF A TON OF DYNAMITE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6492, 17 December 1881, Page 3

EXPLOSION OF A TON OF DYNAMITE.

A quantity of dynamite which wan considered to ho in a dangerous condition, owing to its having leaked from the cases in which it was packed, was exploded in Bobson’s Bay on Deo 8, under the superintendence of Messrs J. Cosmo Newbery and B. L. J. Ellery. On the Friday preceding, says the Age, forty-six cases were placed in the hold of the powder bulk, on pieces of sailcloth, covered with a quantity of bran, for the purpose of absorbing the fluid nitro glycerine which was issuing from the cases. The hulk was then towed to Laverton Bay, whore she was moored for the night. About eleven o’clock on Saturday Messrs Newbery and Ellery proceeded in the steam launch of the Cerberus, with a few assistants and the necessary material, to tbo scone of operations. At first it was intended to fire the stuff in detachments, but owing to the great ri«k incurred in handling such a dangerous compound it was finally do* temined to explode it nil together. The work of taking the dynamite out of the hold and lowering it into the water was one which was fraught with great danger, owing to the necessity existing for the most delicate manipulation of the oases. This was however, successfully aocomplhhed under the superintendence of Mr Newbery, and the whole of the 46 oases were safely deposited together in 80 feet of water. The powder hulk was then towed away, and a buoy E laced to mark the spot. At about, alf-past three all the arrangements were completed. A quantity of gun cotton was placed on the top ot the dynamite, and when the steam launch was at a distance of 800 yards away, the exploding charge and firing cable were lowered down. Three or four attempts were made to explode the stuff, but from some unexplained cause they were fruitless. Eventually, abut 6 p.m. an unusually carefully prepared charge wae loweied, and a most successful explosion ensued. The first result was the upheaval of an immense area of solid water. The real explosion, which was a most magnificent spectacle, occurred almost simultaneously. It took tbo form of tbo uplifting of an enormous compact column of water to the height of 300 feet, capped by snow-white spray, the lighter portion* of which, drifting fo leeward, caused a beautiful rainbow to be visible for a considerable time. The whole surface of the Bay for a considerable dist ance was rendered densely muddy, and cover?d with foam. The explosion of so large a quantity as a ton of dynamite caused some Utile anxiety as to the result, but tbo shock felt by those on board the launch and whale boat, the former of which was only 250 yard* distant, was comparatively slight. Large quantities of small fish which were either killed or stunned by the explosion were immediately seised by flecks of sea gulls who were attracted to tbo feast.