TERRIBLE DISASTER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2922, 7 April 1891, Page 3

TERRIBLE DISASTER.

MEN BLOWN TO ATOMS. (BV KLfcUTHIC TiaUiKAI'H, — C •il'YKNiin. , .j Syuxey, April '.). A IKUIUIiLt; disaster oceurrcd thi-i evening near Middle , Head to a detachment from Ih'j Torpedo Corps and sappers. The first mine, which contained one hundred pounds of guucottoii, was stiecessfully laid, anil the boat hauied oil' to prepare to lire it, when by some means tho free end of the wiro attached. (.0 the second mine, consisting of fifty pounds of gun cotton, which \vus hanging over the side of tho boat, yot connected with tho eleetrio uiachiue.

Tho result was a terrible explosion, and a huge column of blackish water, in which were seen fragments of tho boat and of the bodies of the unfortunate men, rose high in the air. A relief party wiis lit onbe sent out, and found that four men had bwn literally blown to shreds, all that was remaining of them being email particles of lle-h. All tin , ut.Lurs \vi:rc Ladiy injured, and on lx>ing r'scu'J'l wiv swil to tho Sydney .lli>.si>iliil. iSycnkv-, April 1. 'I'he sLcl'll part of the torpedo eutter was completely blown away, but tho survivors managed to keep afloat with theus.sislanci! of the remaining part of the bout. SyijXEY, Ajiril •">. As only scattered fragments of flesh were recovered of those killed in tlm gun cotton disaster ib was impossible to idunlify them, and consequently no inquest nb held. The n-iuaiiis were placed in one coffin, inirl buried to-day in the Wnverley C'eiifter)', in the presnnee of a trt'incnilous assijinbiiiuv, 1 fis Kxccllency the Governor and three thousand troops attended the funeral. 'The injured men are recovering, and thouyh several of them are stone d-.'af it is hoped tho afflictions iu only temporary.