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_Tremendous Explosion_.--January 4, 1649, a parish feast was held at
the Rose tavern, in Tower-street, where 70 barrels of gunpowder took
fire and destroyed 60 houses; all the persons assembled were killed
and mangled in a shocking manner, except the mistress of the tavern,
who was found sitting upright in the bar, and a drawer standing
without it, with a pot in his hand; both being suffocated with smoke
and dust.
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_Value of Steam Packets_.--A steam packet of 100 horse power, equipped
as it ought to be, will probably cost about 20,000_l._; expenditure of
fuel, at the rate of one-half chaldron of coals per hour, wages and
victualling, per month, 250_l._; tonnage duty, lights, pilotage, and
port charges, 200_l._ per annum; insurance, 100_l._ per month; small
repairs and winter expenses, about 500_l_. Besides which, being
calculated to last only ten years, the owners should be able to lay by
a sinking fund, or reserve of 2,000_l._ per annum, and 1,500_l._ for a
new set of boilers during that time, making altogether the sailing
expenses of such a vessel about 1,000_l._ per month.
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