288 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
powder grains leading under the door to the stock of powder in the 
building. 
The strenuous exertions of the Government inspectors during the 
last few years have already resulted in a considerable amelioration of 
this lamentable condition of things, although the existing state of the 
law affords them little power to enforce simple regulations which are 
vital to the safety of the people employed, and often of the neighbour¬ 
hood ; but scant regard being but too frequently paid to the position 
of even extensive stores or magazines with reference to contiguous 
habitations. 
The fearful explosion which occurred at a gunpowder merchant's 
magazines at Erith, containing 51 tons of powder, in October, 1864, 
and the explosion at Liverpool, in the same year, of the ship Lottie 
Sleigh," laden with 11£ tons of powder (through the accidental spilling 
and ignition of some paraffin oil), directed public attention at that time 
to the existing laws relating to explosives just as forcibly as did the 
recent explosion in London, and their very defective condition was 
then, as now, apparent. No steps have been taken since that time, in 
the way of legislation, to afford the public greater protection from 
dangers arising out of the storage and transport of gunpowder, or to 
bring the doings of powder makers and consumers more under legal 
control, although the Government did in 1865 contemplate for a time 
the enactment of new laws relating to explosives. 
Very considerable alarm was felt then, as lately again, at the possi¬ 
bility of most calamitous disasters arising out of the collection of very 
large stores of gunpowder, by powder merchants as well as by the 
Government, in particular localities—some of them in close proximity 
to populous districts. In some instances, representations to the Home 
Office, which were followed by efficient inspection, made at the instance 
of Government by Colonel Boxer, led to the closing of extensive mer¬ 
chants' magazines existing in objectionable positions, or to a considerable 
reduction in the amount of powder stored in them; but it does not 
appear that any substantial improvement occurred in the extent to 
which precautions vital to the safety of the magazines were observed 
or attempted to be carried out by persons in charge of them. 
The subdivision of the reserves of gunpowder, which it is the duty 
of the Government to maintain to as great an extent as is compatible 
with efficient arrangements of inspection and with the exigencies of the 
service in time of war, is unquestionably most advisable. It is ad¬ 
mitted to be desirable that the magnitude of depots of powder at some 
of the principal establishments should be reduced in extent, and in 
some instances extensive depots which existed in close proximity to 
towns have been removed or reduced to insignificant proportions. It 
must be borne in mind, however, that the possibility of the explosion of 
magazines, where powder is simply stored as a reserve, emanates almost 
exclusively from causes external to the depots themselves; and that as 
long as these are situated at such distances from habitations as will 
secure them against fire reaching any part, the precautions adopted by 
Government to guard against accidents from electric discharges, and 
against the possibility of any danger arising within the establishments 
