So Like Him.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 25 April 1891, Page 3

So Like Him.

■ •■ » — * One of the witnesses examined at the inquest on the Shelly Bay disaster was Mr Charles Hulke, a gentleman very well known to the young people of this district, having been master of the state school. We n:e indebted to the Tiroes for the report, which is so illustrative of the man, that his old scholars on reading it will feel as though he was present with them. Charles Hulke, headmaster of the Newfcown School, was the next witness, and being sworn stated he was a being a Fellow of the Chemical Society of London, and alsfb of one in Germany. Was acquainted with the common methods employed in laboratories, etc. Was acquainted with gun cotton. Gun cotton would, according to authorities, ignite at 343 degrees. Had experimented himself with some which would not ignite below 848 deg. Fahrenheit. Had done a little soldering in his time. A canister filled with cotton, as at Shelly Bay, and with a layer of ashes on top of the cotton, could be soldered without danger. If a bolt was so hot as to be able to ignite the cotton Sin. below the top, a man's solder would be useless, and he could not get the lid fastened on, therefore a man would not: be in any danger whatever. There would be no effect on the gun cotton by an ordinarily skilled man soldering such a tin. No matter what solder was used it would make no difference. He had made experiments and was certain of this. Witness here explained several experiments he had made, and produced quite a store of articles he had used for the purpose of testing the inflammability of gun cotton. Witness stated he was quite prepared to make up thousands of torpedos similar to the one he produced and the making of which had proved that any careful man could solder primer tins without any danger. Cross examined by Mr Jellicoe ; His first vocation in life was sucking and then he squalled. (Laughter.) Went home in 1882, and returned to the colony in 1884. Went home to study. Was teacher before he went Home, and took up the profession again on his return. Had often experimented with gun cotton. Was ifcill teacher at the Newtown School. Had made gun cotton in 1864 and $856. Was interested in science before he went Home. Had not paid a visit to Waltham Abbey. Did not think it necessary to go to Waltham Abbey. Had read scientific works on gun cotton before he went Home but could not give the name of one. Had not seen Major-General Wardell's book, nor the " Manual." Had not read any of the service books, and did not believe in them. He read scientific works. There was not the least danger to a man soldering a primer. Had seen the evidence of Lieutenant Treherne in the Times, but did not know whether What he saw was a burlesque or not. He (witness) was a practical man but Lieutenant Treherne was not. A primer, he understood, was a tin of dry gun cotton, used to explode wet gun cotton. This was what a primer was, unless Mr Jellicoe referred to a school primer. (Laughter.) Had fired dry gun cotton himself by •electricity. Had fired about Sozs in a small pepper tin. This was years ago. Mr Jellicoe here said he would like to recall and ask Captain Falconer whether he would be prepared to employ the last witness to load and solder primers. The coroner thought this question wasunnecessary and should not be put.