The Jury's verdict on the bodies of the men killed
by the ex- plosion in the Grand Junction Canal on October 2nd was given on Monday, and was to the effect that the men in question were killed, by the explosion, and that the said explosion was due to "the ignition of the vapour of benzoline by fire or light in the cabin .of the Tilbury '; that in the stowage or transport of the cargo the Grand Junction Canal Company omitted proper precautions, and -were guilty of gross negligence. We further say that the existing statutory laws are entirely inadequate to secure the public safety in these matters." The chemical evidence went to show that very inflammable and exceedingly volatile vapour comes off from benzoline at even a very low temperature, and would come out through wood or a cork, glass alone being sufficient to keep it in.
When there is enough such vapour in the air to constitute one part in seven, or perhaps even one in ten, it will explode on touching a flame ; and the fire in the cabin of the 'Tilbury' probably caused its explosion, the flame immediately spreading, a course, to the hold containing the gunpowder. It was admitted that this property of benzoline was not generally known ; but a company carrying compounds so explosive and dangerous should, we think, be required to take scientific advice on the precautions _requisite for such a freight, —and this the Grand Junction Canal Company evidently had not done. They have, however, given out that since Wednesday week they have ceased to carry gunpowder altogether.
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