Spain is strangely unfortunate with dynamite. Just foul- days before
the outrage at Barcelona, one of her cities, San- tander, was nearly destroyed by a dynamite explosion. A vessel employed to deliver eases of the terrible substance at the different ports of the coast had just landed the stock intended for Santander when she took fire. As the rest of the cargo was petroleum, the fire could not be checked, the boilers burst, and the shattered iron exploded the immense stock, 1,700 cases, of dynamite on board, destroying the vessel and a steam launch with forty seamen in her, which had gone to her assistance. Crowds of the spectators who had gathered to witness the fire from the quay, including the civil Governor, were blown into the sea, crowds more were blown to pieces, the houses caught fire, and as the people were too paralysed with terror to act effectively, entire streets were burnt to the ground. It is admitted that a thousand persons perished, and that estimate is probably below the truth. The direct loss of property will not, it is said, exceed a million; but Santander, which is a pleasure resort as well as a commercial port, will be deserted for years to come. It ia noteworthy that the inhabitants could neither improvise fire brigades nor organise companies to arrest the thieves who, the moment the explosion was over began to plunder the town. All the respectables could think of was to telegraph to Madrid for soldiers, and order was only restored by officials from the capital.
