THE DOTEREL DISASTER AND FENIANISM.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 180, 30 July 1881, Page 4

THE DOTEREL DISASTER AND FENIANISM.

JEh&~ Lob4ob correspond ent of the" 2?Jg. .Twnes&TikeB ;— ',* A rigid inqaiif, is-to be; madei into this extraordinary affa|r, : yand ; divers are J busy. WamifliDg t^'lifeijK, JEhiej yeuryivpi's have come, alid t£e ; cpffitaßndeE has made : bia jeport/ SotbiDg^-lioweTC^ ba^te^ii^ig-

covered as yet to throw the slightest real light on tfce matter. Various hypotheses have been started, such as a stray torpedo left by the Chilians, or spontaneous combustion in the coalbunkers. Commander Evans favors the notion of a boiler explosion ; but, inasmuch, as no one appears to have seen any steam between the two catastrophes, this suggestion seems scarcely tenable, and Bome incline to the idea of an infernal machine, though there is Bot seemingly the barest probability of it. The engineer was, however, under arrest at the time for drunkenness. I scarcely know whether the story from America, of O'Donovan Eoesa'e vaunt that the explosion was the work of Fenians, is worthy of notice. People here are inclined to repudiate it .as an empty boast, but unfortunately it ig well known, a3 I have in former letters, that a large number of American Irish are over here, and as they work a good deal at the docks and coaling stations, nothing would be easier than for them to throw -an infernal machine into the bunker, which wquld lie and dp its deadly work at an unexpected moment, when the ehip was Bailing steadily on its course. Meanwhile, just as thia letter is going, news comeg of a most determined attempt to blow up. the Town Hall at Liverpool, an imposing structure well-known to many, and much .prized by the townspeople. Tim; dastardly attempt was. made at four O7cloek.in.the morning, and nearly succeeded. Nothing but; the providential proximity of two policemen rendered . it , futile. The suspicious movements of the two men concerned ihifi attracted their attention, and accordingly when the bomb was put upon the steps they sußhed forward, and one of them most ; courageously flung ifcinto the road, where ifc exploded with great force, shattering a number of windows. Meanwhile, the delinquents made off, but were hotly pursued, and both finally captured, one having hidden in a barge; from whence he was only unearthed after a prolonged search. It is believed that the, shell was fileld with dynamite. Both men were armed with revolvers, and as papers were found on them it is hoped that some light may be thrown on the organisation with which they were no doubt connected. A report is current of a determined attempt on the part of two, or three hundred men, at a very early h, our on the 12 ih, to attack the prison in which the prisoners are confined, but an early intimation enabled the Governor to be prepared, and accordingly warders > armed with carbine?, were posted at various points, on seeing which the invading army turned tail and fled. Unfortunately, this ia not the first attempt of its kind in other parts of England, and unless the Executive take stern measures. with those caught in the act, the public .will be apt to resent their indifference.