The explosion on board the Thunderer ' is declared by
the {Committee of Inquiry to be thus explained :—" That the gun, having missed fire when loaded with a battering charge, was again loaded with a full charge, and fired with both of the charges and the projectiles in the gun at the same time." This explanation is almost more difficult to believe than any of the previously suggested explanations, though as the Committee give their explanation without any sign of doubt, we suppose they have sufficient evidence. If it be true, the blunder probably took place thus :—The guns are loaded, not in the turrets, but on the main-deck. When a gun is fired, the muzzle is depressed, so that it points down to the main-deck. If one of the guns missed fire, the captain of the turret may possibly have had both his guns depressed into the loading position, intending that the one which had gone off should be reloaded, but that the one which had not gone off should have the charge rammed home. Then those who loaded from the deck may have supposed that both guns had gone off,— of one they would have heard the explosion,—atd reloaded both, without proper communication with the captain of the timet. If this be the explanation, certainly the negligence was very gross. But it is none the less a kind of explanation which re- lieves our fears for the future, as negligence so gross may easily be avoided.
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