Page:UK Parliamentary White Paper Cmd 1704.pdf/5

 The Court having heard these four witnesses decided to adjourn until after the trial of Knowles and Chadwick on a charge of manslaughter at the forthcoming Assizes at Stafford, so that they might not be prejudiced in their defence.

The Court, however, from the evidence already given, finds:—

That Captain Rogers properly gave delivery of the ammunition to Major Bapty, because the latter had informed him that he had sold the .22 ammunition to a company which was already engaged in breaking down ammunition under Home Office supervision. That Major Bapty was justified in selling to the Premier Aluminium Casting Company, Ltd., because he knew that that company was already engaged in similar work under Home Office supervision. That Major Bapty had reason to believe that "Knowles, c/o Yates & Co., Ltd., Tipton," was a branch of the Premier Aluminium Casting Company, Ltd. That the Premier Aluminium Casting Company, Ltd., ought not to have ordered the ammunition to be delivered to Knowles, c/o Yates & Co., Ltd., Tipton, for the purpose of breaking down without first seeing that the premises conformed to the instructions which they themselves had received from the Explosives Department of the Home Office.

The Court will, on the completion of the formal investigation, report fully on the circumstances and causes of the explosion.

I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, S. FLEMING Lieut.-Colonel.

7th June, 1922.

(B 3—270)Q Wt.7557—C50 875 7/22 H & S, Ltd. G 3.