The inhabitants of Dartford and its neighbourhood were thrown into
great alarm on Friday last week, by a violent explosion at the powder-mills. Men, women, and children, were in an instant seen running from all directions towards the seat of the catastrophe, each family fearing they had lost a relative. It was at first reported that two men were killed ; then, that none had perished, but that several were dangeously injured. It was soon ascertained that no lives were lost, but that three persons were slightly wounded by being struck with pieces of the building ; and one man, named Bonnet, dreadfully burnt—his clothes having taken fire, which was extinguished by one of his fellow-work- men throwing buckets of water over him. The accident is accounted for in this way—During the hour appropriated for dinner (from twelve till one) several of the workmen were amusing themselves in the meadow where the steam-engine mills are situated, when one of the men struck the ball they were playing with, which was covered over with netting, within which, no doubt, some gravel and dirt had col- lected, directly into the mill. It rolled under one of the stones (weighing five tons) and so much friction was produced, that about 601bs weight of powder exploded, just as Bonnet was entering the mill after the ball, which was found compressed nearly flat. Had the wind been in a contrary direction, two or three other mills would pro- bably have exploded in succession.
Two prize-fights took place near Andover, on Tuesday. One of the parties, named Noon, died shortly after fighting. The Morning _Herald, in reference to this disgraceful affair, says the fight
...... " was actually got lip by a Member of Parliament, and was attended by a number of Lords and Gentlemen, whose names we are in possession of. The fight took place on a spot called Hurstbourn Common, four miles from Andover, on the Newbury road, and is represented to have been attended by not less than 10,000 spectators. An inquest on the body of Noon, the victim of this atrocious onset, was taken on Wednesday, before the Coroner for the borough of Andover ; when a verdict of "Manslaughter" was returned against all the surviving parties, but unfortunately not including the titled getters-up and abettors of the affray. The parties assembled at Andover as early as this day sennight ; and, though their intentions were well known, and were not carried into effect till Tuesday, no other steps were taken to prevent the fight, than a precaution on the part of the Borough Magistrates, that it should not take place within their .jurisdicti nr."
On Thursday sennight, a party of gentlemen from Wolverhampton went to Chillington to fish, leaving their horses at a public-house at
C'odsall, In bettith. Three of the horses were afterwards removed from the stable and left in an adjoining shed, where sonic cuttings of a yew- tree had been deposited, part of which had been incautiously left with some straw ; and two of the horses eating it. died in a quarter of an hour after they were discovered to be ill. Legal proceedings are about to be commenced to recover the value of them from the landlord.— Wolverhampton chronicle.
Mr. Powell, who shot himself last week at Dover, in consequence, as it has been supposed, of hearing of the death of his son at Ascot, had the affliction of losing all his sons, five in number, in the course of a year.
The Dean and Chapter of Exeter, in new paving and beautifying their ancient cathedral, found last week the leaden coffin of Bishop Bitten, who died in 1307. Near the bones of the finger, was discovered a sapphire ring set in gold ; iii the centre of which is engraved a hand, with the two forefingers extended in the attitude of benediction.— Exeter Gazelle.
The small-pox is now very prevalent in Huddersfield.—Leeds Times.
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