A magisterial inquiry into the cireumstances surrounding a explosion on board the steamer Nerite was concluded at Hongkong on Saturday last, The evidence showed that two Chinese were killed by the explosion.
Mr. F. Browne, Government Analyst, stated that he made an inspection of the scene of the explosion. He found there was a paint locker on the tween decks, six feet below the hatchway. Witness thought the explosion was probably brought about by Lo Ti, one of the deceased. There was much inflammable matter in the room—about thirty open tins of paints. Having accidentally started the fire Lo Ti probably harried to get out and overturned something. The heavy inflammable gases in the room would roll out of the room and fall into the hold, and when they became mixed with the air an explosion would follow.
The Court—You think this paint locker is in a dangerous position?—A paint locker should be shut off from all other rooms. Then if a fire occurs it does not affect any place.
The jury found that the two men had died from asphyxia caused by an explosion, the result of " fire in the paint root.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.