casualty was held before the Wreck Commissioner, assisted by Commander Visconti, R.N., and Captain Jones, and the Court were of opinion that the explosion was due to gas arising from the coal in the after-hold having been allowed to accumulate in the empty spaces which were left in the after parts of the 'tween-decks and lower-hold, and to this gas having become ignited probably by a live coal or spark from the funnel, and that the accumulation of gas was due to the coal having been trimmed so close to the deck as to prevent a free current of air passing over the surface. The Court considered that the owners were not to blame as they had given their superintending engineer instructions to take all necessary measures for ventilating the cargo, and that if blame did attach to anyone it was to the superintending engineer for not seeing that the cargo was properly trimmed, and that a clear space was left for the air to pass over the surface of the coal.

"STREONSHALK," of Whitby. Official Number, 78,863,

The Streonshalk is an iron screw steamship of 1,022 tons net and 1,588 tons gross register. On the 5th of April, 1879, she commenced to take in a cargo of coal at Newport, and on the 10th she left that port bound for Savona. Her cargo consisted of 1,695 tons of newly wrought coal, which is stated to have been obtained from the Newport Abercarne Black Vein Steam Coal Colliery. This coal is semi-bituminous, and has all the properties of the ordinary South Wales coal, giving off, when newly wrought or broken, a considerable quantity of explosive gas. 338 tons of the cargo were stowed in the fore-hold, about 600 tons in the main-hold, and the remainder (757 tons) in the after-hold. The mainhold was quite full, but in the fore-hold the coal was sloped away forward, and in the after-hold it was sloped away aft, for the purpose of trimming the vessel, thus leaving empty spaces in the fore part of the fore-hold and in the after part of the afterhold, the empty space in the after-hold being sufficient to contain from five to six waggon loads more of coal. The coal was trimmed from the centre into the wings, leaving a manhole or passage down the centre from end to end for the purpose of facilitating the escape of the gas. In each hold there were two ventilating pipes or tubes, each about 9 inches in diameter, and fitted with cowls, the one being in the fore part and the other in the after part of the hold. These tubes just pierced the upper deck, and stood about 4 or 5 feet above it. In addition to the tubes there were to each hold two pairs of ventilating bits, with orifices of from 3 to 4 inches

across.

At 6 p.m. on the 12th the wind shifted, and it having commenced to blow, the hatches were battened down and the ventilating bits were closed. It also appears that the ventilating tubes had been

shut from the time of leaving Newport, and that the cowls had been stowed away. There was therefore no way in which the gas which might be given off from the coal in the after-hold could escape except through the grating in the floor of the store-room; and as the hatchway over the store-room and the ventilating bits were closed, such gas would pass from the store-room through the door into the spare berth, and from thence into the saloon. On the morning of the 13th, when the Streonshalk was about 60 miles from Cape Finisterre, an explosion occurred in the after part of the vessel, which completely destroyed the cabin and carried away the deck above, at the same time seriously injuring the master, the master's wife, the first mate, and steward.

An Inquiry into the circumstances attending the explosion was held before the Wreck Commissioner, assisted by Commander Forster, R.N., and Captain Sceales. The Court were of opinion that the explosion was caused by the gas escaping from the after-hold into the store-room through a grating in the floor which was the only means of escape left open, and thence through the door in the cabin bulkhead into the spare berth, and thence into the saloon where a fire was burning, by which most probably the gas was ignited; that the master was not justified in neglecting to ship the ventilating cowls, and in closing the ventilating bits when the hatches were battened down, but they returned to him his certificate.

"COLUMBINE," of Hull. Official Number, 56,230.

This vessel (a screw steamer of 498 tons register) on the evening of February 6th, 1880, commenced to load a cargo of coal at Cardiff. The following evening the cargo had all been taken in. The mainhold was filled with large steam coal from Messrs. Waynes' pits. The fore-hold was partly filled with small coal, the screenings of the steam coal referred to, and it was trimmed so as to leave a passage under the hatchway, the coal sloping forward. The after-hold was also partly filled with screenings, which were trimmed so as to form a heap of coal which filled up the hatchway, and across the vessel, but of which the two ends sloped fore-and-aft, leaving a large space at each end of the hold. The Columbine had four ventilators in the main-hold, but no means existed for ventilating the fore or after-holds except the hatchways.

On the morning of the 9th February, the Columbine left the Bute Docks, and the explosion occurred when she was off Penarth Head. The whole of the main-deck from the steerage cabins aft with the poop deck above it was lifted and displaced, the captain's cabin being wrecked, the deck beams broken, and the bulkhead bulged. The second mate was either blown or fell overboard and was picked up, an able seaman who was in the 'tween-decks was killed, and the second engineer was severely scorched and burnt. An Inquiry was

held into the circumstances attending the explosion, and the Court found that the master of the Columbine was to blame in allowing empty spaces in the after-hold, especially having regard to the fact that no ventilation was provided, except by the hatchways; and also for not seeing that the cargo was properly stowed and trimmed; and his certificate was suspended for three months. Adverting to the simple and inexpensive means of coal cargo ventilation recommended by the Royal Commission, the Court, finding from the evidence of some of the witnesses that it is still very rare to find other than hatchway ventilation in most of the steamers employed in carrying coal cargoes from Cardiff, were strongly of opinion that legislation is urgently required to compel owners of vessels carrying coal cargoes to provide proper ventilation for such cargoes. The master of the Columbine had been furnished with a copy of the "Official Caution," but is stated not to have read it until after the explosion occurred.

"GREECE," of Liverpool. Official Number, 45,170.

The Greece is an iron screw steamer of 3,242 tons net register. She had sailed from London for New York with a general cargo, and at the time the explosion occurred was lying at the Eagle Dock, Hoboken, New Jersey. Her bunker coal (originally consisting of 1,252 tons) was obtained from the Cyfartha Collieries, and being semi-anthracite coal was of a very gaseous nature, and required free surface ventilation. Of the bunker coal 413 tons were stowed in the midships in the lower-hold, beneath the orlop-deck, which deck was also partly filled with cargo. Above this another batch of coal was stowed upon the steerage or 'tween-decks. The ventilation of the lower main-hold had been entirely overlooked or neg lected when the vessel was loaded, although this hold is stated to have been properly ventilated on previous voyages. When the Greece arrived at Hoboken, and while the vessel was being hauled alongside the wharf, four stevedore's men rushed on board, and after removing the hatches of the orlop-deck went into the mainhold with a lamp, which was subsequently found in the upper-deck smashed to pieces, thus clearly indicating the cause of the disaster. The Court of Inquiry were of opinion that the casualty was due to the stevedore's men taking a light into the hold, without the knowledge of the officers of the Greece, and that the gas had accumulated owing to the absence of ventilation in the No. 3 lower-hold. From the evidence adduced at the Inquiry it appeared that the Greece had been loaded and coaled under the supervision of the Marine Superintendent of the National Steamship Company, and that the captain had practically no knowledge of the nature of the cargo or ventilation of the holds when he took command of the ship. Three of the stevedore's men were killed.

R

on.

"UGANDA," of Penzance. Official Number, 47,152.

The Uganda, a schooner of 138 tons, left Swansea on March 13th, 1880, bound to Plymouth, with a cargo of 228 tons of anthracite coal. Seventy tons of her cargo consisted of small screenings and the remainder was large coal. The vessel had only one hold and the cargo was trimmed from the forecastle bulkhead to the cabin bulkhead aft, sloping at each end to three or four feet from the deck beams, but there was not less than four inches space at any part beneath the beams. She had three hatchways and two ventilators of 5 inches diameter fitted with cowls, one at the extreme after part of the hold and the other abreast the foremast on the port-side. On leaving port the main-hatch was battened down, and about eleven hours afterwards the fore-and-after hatches were put At 8 p.m. the master left the deck, and the mate, who was on the watch, went into the forecastle to attend to a fire which was burning there, and as he was returning up the forecastle ladder an explosion took place which threw him back stunned on the forecastle floor. The main-deck was blown up, the raised quarter-deck shattered and the hatches blown off. An Inquiry was held into the circumstances attending the explosion, and the Court found that the ventilators, although they might have ensured sufficient surface ventilation in calm weather, were not properly trimmed, one being altogether unshipped, and the cowl of the other being fixed to the flange by oxidation. The explosion was attributed to a rapid accumulation of sulphuretted hodrogen gas, which, owing to defective ventilation, found its way through the forecastle bulkhead to the forecastle fire and there became ignited.

The master of the Uganda, who had been expressly cautioned as to the dangerous nature of his cargo, both by the shippers and by the officers of the Board of Trade, was severely censured for his neglect in respect of the condition of the ventilators, but as he was uncertifi cated the Court could not deal with his case effectually. The vessel left port with a cargo of freshly wrought fiery coal (the subject of special cautions), the hatches were battened down, one ventilator was unshipped, the cowl of the other was immovable, and under the feet of the crew was a mass of gas producing coal almost hermetically sealed. The Court, in drawing attention to these facts, reminded masters that if they undertake to carry cargoes of a dangerous character they are bound to use all proper available means for ensuring the safety of their crews, and if they neglect to do so a grave and even criminal responsibility rests upon them.

"HORSEGUARDS," of Leith. Official Number, 65,774.

At 2 p.m. on the 12th of August, 1880, this vessel, a screw steamer of 909 tons, commenced to load a cargo of Ocean Steam Coal at Penarth Dock, and at 11 p.m. on the 13th an explosion occurred in her No. 3 hold. The Horseguards has five holds, which

are divided by bulkheads. The lower part of hold No. 3, called the tank hold, is used, when the vessel is light, as a water ballast tank, and is separated from the upper part, forming No. 3 hold, by an iron covering or deck pierced by a hatchway 7 feet 6 inches in diameter, and by a man-hole 18 inches by 15 inches, which, with a 4-inch pipe carried up to the 'tween-decks, was the only means of ventilation. No 3 hold was ventilated by 7-inch pipes, carried about 4 feet above the upper-deck, and fitted with cowls. At the time of shipment the coal was newly wrought and was in a condition to throw off a large quantity of explosive gas. The day of the 13th had been very sultry and the night was excessively hot. At 11 p.m. the explosion occurred in No. 3 hold where the trimmers, who used naked lights, were employed.

A Formal Investigation into the circumstances attending the explosion was held at Cardiff, and the Court were of opinion that the gas which had accumulated over the surface of the coal in the tank in the lower part of No. 3 hold had found its way through the interstices of the coal which blocked up the hatchway and man-hole in the top of the tank, and coming in contact with one of the naked lights used by the trimmers, had exploded, at the same time firing the gas in the tank below. The Court were further of opinion that the ventilation of the tank was imperfect, and that when naked lights are used in the trimming of coal cargoes their use should be accompanied by great attention to ventilation. Since the explosion referred to the owners of the Horseguards have provided additional means of ventilating their vessel, including two 6-inch ventilators in the lower tank.

"LLANISHEN," of Cardiff. Official Number, 72,520.

In September, 1880, this vessel, a screw steamer of 676 tons, took in a cargo of steam coal at Cardiff. Tho cargo, which consisted of 1,242 tons (exclusive of 167 tons for the bunkers) was raised in the Rhondda, Aberdare, and Merthyr Valleys, and consisted of 535 tons of large coal, the remainder being small.

The Llanishen had two ventilators in the fore-hold, one in the main-hold, and two in the after-hold. The engineers' mess-room, where the explosion took place, was divided from the after-hold by a single wooden bulkhead, evidently not air-tight, and the only means of ventilation it possessed was a flange fitted in the deck, through which the stove pipe was carried. The flange was fitted with a cap on the outside to prevent rain, &c., from going below, and on the under side was further protected by a piece of wood buttoned to the deck. There was therefore absolutely no ventilation of the mess-room except the companion and two screw ports. The fore part of the after-hold was filled with coal up to the coamings of the hatchway, which was closed, and the wings on each side are also stated to have been filled "tight up." At 10 p.m. on the day after the loading was completed