Phenix Gazette

AWFUL EXPLOSION.

About ten minutes before three o'clock in the afternoon of yesterday week, the inhabitants of Lancaster were dreadfully alarmed by a violent tremor of the earth, which extended from the southwestern direction to the northward- The first indication of this shock was a slight motion of the earth, which increased for about ten seconds, and terminated by a tremendous concussion, which was felt everywhere, but without the least perceptible sound. The termination of this, which was imagined to be an earthquake, struck terror in every direction; the affrighted inhabitants rushed from their habitations, and the hitherto deserted market cross was in an instant thronged by groups of alarmed and anxious men, women and children, who crowded together with that anxiety which the unexpected calamity might be supposed to produce among them. The four horses of one of the northern coaches then about to proceed to its destination, stood fast and trembled excessively, and one of the leaders fell down with every appearance of terror; and here and there cats were seen jumping and springing away with that extraordinary activity which, at any other time than this, would have caused merriment; but now every countenance sadly expressed the expectation that in a minute, the town would be included, and overwhelmed in one universal ruin.

Just before the shock came to its termination, the well tower of the Castle, which is supposed to be the most ancient part of that fortress, swayed and shook in so violent a manner that the casements were thrown to the earth. The danger apprehended subsided with the concussion, but not the fears of the people; all considered it as the effect of a convulsion of nature, and that this was but the preliminary to a more tremendous crash; that it was a shock of an earthquake no one doubted.

The shock was felt, it appears by the accounts received, Near the Shap Falls, (a range of hilly moorland) in Westmoreland, about 28 miles from Lancaster, the shock was very violently experienced, and the windows of Brougham hall, the residence of Mr Brougham, were shattered; considerable damage was also done at Kendal, Lowther Castle, at Milnthorpe, Bolton-on-the-Sands, Poulton, &c &c. The Ulverstone carriers describe the shock as very dreadful; the sands were hurled into the air in heavy showers, and horses were overthrown in several places of that dangerous tract of sand, which these poor people cross daily with peat, &c. to earn something about 2s 6d. As we have stated, every person for a distance of above 100 miles considered this a shock of an earthquake, until by the arrival of the Ulverston over Sand coach on Saturday night, the cause of this alarming sensation was correctly stated. A dogger vessel, trading coastwise from the port of Lancaster to Liverpool, called the Commerce, commanded by Captain Haddock, of Lancaster, in pursuing its voyage, laden with calicoes, was wind-bound at Poulton for some days, and only got out on Wednesday night last, and took in about ten tons of gunpowder, in bags and barrels, at Backbarrow Mills.

The ship proceeded on her voyage, heavily laden, and was off Peel Castle, on the Lancashire coast, when the accident happened. The vessel sat deeply in the water, and but indifferent way, when shortly after two o'clock in the day, one of the crew observed a smoke ascending from the main hatchway. This circumstance was communicated throughout the ship, and the tarpaulins were immediately raised, and through some crevices of the stowage a thick smoke was observed forcing its way. The captain ordered the tiers in the hold to be deluged, but in a few minutes the horrible fact of the cotton's being on fire, close to the gunpowder, was discovered, and the crew found that the fire had obtained such fearful ascendency that before it could possibly be subdued, the powder would ignite, and the ship, cargo, crew, and all, would be blown into the air. Therefore the boat was lowered instantly, and the ship being scuttled, and the water being admitted through the lower tier, the crew departed, being then about six miles from the shore. A strong easterly breeze prevailing, the ship warped round, and losing the direction of the helm, sailed before the wind for about two minutes, when a sudden thickness of smoke arising from her, announced the awful explosion.

The men say that in a few seconds after, the ship seemed lifted by her knees out of the water, and blew up momentarily afterward with a most terrible explosion. The shock they experienced they described as dreadful; their boat was lifted out of the water, and but for the circumstance of the ship being to leeward, they must have perished. They made for shore, which was lined by hundreds who had witnessed the accident from the land, and many whom were seriously bruised from being hurled to the ground by the force of the concussion produced by the explosion. The vessel was blown almost to atoms, scarcely a vestige of timbers of her cargo being recovered; & it appears from the circumstance of there being but one explosion, that the powder must have ignited in several places together.

The damage done to the houses at Peel Castle, Backbarrow, and along the immediate vicinity of the coast, is very great; several were blown down, and the mischief is generally experienced.

English paper.