The total number of explosions here recorded is 1046, and they caused the death of 4076 persons and the injury of 2903. The causes assigned for the several explosions are very numerous, and are no doubt incorrect in many cases; but they may be generally stated as follows:
| 397 | are too uncertain to place under any heading; but of the rest |
| 145 | were from the boilers being worn out, or from corrosion, or from deteriorated plates or rivets. |
| 137 | from over pressure, from safety valves being wedged or overweighted, in some cases intentionally, or from other acts of carelessness. |
| 125 | from faulty construction of boiler or fittings, want of stays, or neglect of timely repair. |
| 119 | from collapse of internal tubes, generally from insufficient strength. |
| 114 | from shortness of water, or from scurf preventing the proper contact of the water with the plates; or from improper setting so as to expose the sides of the boiler to the flame above the water line. |
| 9 | from extraneous causes, such as effect of lightning striking down the stacks upon the boilers, or from fire in the building or explosion of gas in the flues. |
| 1046 | total number of explosions. |
The exploded boilers were of the following descriptions:—
| 232 | are not sufficiently described to place under any head; but of the rest |
| 320 | were Marine boilers of various forms. |
| 141 | were Cornish, Lancashire, or other boilers internally fired. |
| 120 | were Locomotive, or other multitubular boilers. |
| 116 | were plain Cylindrical boilers, externally fired. |
| 64 | were Balloon or haystack, wagon, Butterley, British-tube, elephant, or Trevithick boilers. |
| 29 | were Portable, agricultural, upright, or crane boilers. |
| 14 | were Heating apparatus or kitchen boilers. |
| 10 | were Upright boilers attached to puddling or mill furnaces at ironworks. |
| 1046 | total number of explosions. |
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.