A strange accident occurred in Fukuoka on the Ist instant, Over a hundred men of the 24th Regiment of Infantry had been ordered to, proceed to Formosa and, owing to the prevalence of cholera in the Fukuoka prefecture, they were not allowed to sleep in thei own barracks after returning from a visit to their homes, but were quarantined in the old castle of the dino or chief of Fukuoka, a picturesque and uninhabited building somewhat advanced on the road to decay. On the of ter noon of the day on which they moved into this old ruin, the men were taking a nap when suddenly a tremendous explosion shook the house, and when the sleepers awoke with a start they found themselves enveloped in flames. They had. no great difficulty in getting out, but five of them lost. their lives in the explosion and about forty were more or less seriously injured, in fact some of those that had been in the building at the time of the explosion escaped unscath was aftervaris ascertained th: accident was due to the accidental of some gunpowder, which seems w have ed under the ancient castle, proing the ¢ of thie Tt is now recall the Government soldiers who had entrench-el themselves in the ancient castle had been wont to declare th: would be blown sky" hi; in carrying the There is. still, however, mystery about this incident, for no on knows how the powder came to explode, and it seems strange that the parties who buried the powder did no:.aiterw: again, and that powder been so lows un not have become doup and unfit. for use. Te is further reporied that during the ims that were conducted after the it was ascertained that powder buried not only under the castle floor but_in the grounds round about. The soldiers have consequently been removed to safe distance.
Stored up Dynamite. thing of explosives, " Japanese paper quantity of dynunite enough to was latly discovered the loof on the Suwa employ there in order that he may tunity of blowing up the ubier, whom he hire). present the 27ch, and on the arrival left about charge of an of anchor for home on the 2h, on the 3rd inst,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.