The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-12-11 00:00:00

EXPLOSION AT THE SWAITHE
COLLIERY.

is I

The Times gives the following particulars of this terrible
explosion, from a Correspondent writing from Barnsley on
Monday :

The Correspondent of The Times gives the followin
additional particulars respecting this lamentable

dent :

The latest intelligence seems to justify a hope that the lois
of life from the explosion may turn out to be less than we at
,t believed. The 'number of men arid boys who went dbit,'

firs'

About half-past nine o'clock this morning a terribl,
disastrous eleplosion occurred at the Swaithe Col-
liery about three miles from Barnaley. The
inhabitants, on coming out of their houses, saw
the banks of the pit entirely enveloped in
smoke, and a rusk was at once made to the
place. The grief of the women and children was
painful to see, although the actual result of the
explosion no one could tell. The -colliery, it may
be said, is one of the largest in the district, the
seam of coal worked being the well-known Barnsley
bed, about 81t. thick. It is connected underground
with the Edmund's Main, where, it is worthy of notice,
within a couple of days of 13 years ago (Dec. 18, 1862)
a similar explosion occurred, by which 57 persons were
killed, when the whole of the working had to be
flooded, so that many of the bodies had to remain en-
tombed in the mine fer nearly a year. This, however,
is not likely to be the case at Swaithe, where the fire
was extinguished shortly after the occurrence.
It appears that abut 300 men descended the pit
about six o'clock this iMonday) morning, being a larger
number than usual for the first day of the work-
ing week. About half-past nine a loud report was heard,
and immediately the head gearing was not dis-
cernible owing to the smoke. Soon the approaches
to the colliery wP re covered by a vast mass of nsten
and women, and in a short time several mining
engineers from the collieries around were on the
spot, and they were followed by the medical men
resident in Barnsley. Mr. John Mitchell, the cer-
tificated manager, and his brother, Mr. Joseph
Mitchell, jun., were also present. After a short
consultation, Mr. John Mitchell determined to him-
self descend, and he was accompanied by a few of the
workmen. On descending, it was found that the cage,
which was at the bottom at the time of the explosion,
had bee,...-,fneged several yards up the shaft; this for a
short tai--:•`- Anrpeded prok reos, hut a ladder was obtained,
and by.',-neexeteleans the bottom was reached. It was
then found that one of the havers on, named George
Linford, residing in Worsboro Dale, had been blown
into the " sump, ' where he was firmly held by a por-
tion of the cage. By great exertions he was rescued
and sent to the surface, when-it was found he was
by no means so seriously injured as might have been
expected. The exploring party proceeded along the
mein, and found a fire at what is known as the half-
way," which is about 350 yards from the pit bottom.
Attention was then paid to the air-courses, so as to
insure sufficient ventilation, which were made good
as far as the "halLway." Between twelve and one
o'clock volunteers responded, as miners always do
on the occasion of any serious disaster in which
it is believed that there has been a loss of life.
The first batch took down with them plenty of
blankets, and the medical men were ready to give
every assistance. Previous to that, however, from
twenty to twenty-five of the men were brought
out, nearly all of them more or less burnt.
Most of them were taken to their homes in Worsboro'
Dale and Barnsley, and one or two were taken to the
Becket Hospital in that town. Up to one o'clock
only one body had been recovered, believed to be a
deputy. One of the men who were brought out, and
only slightly injured, stated that as he was making
his way to the bottom he passed a considerable num-
ber of the workmen lying on the side of the roads who
showed no signs of life, for they made no appeal-to
him.

As before stated, the Swaithe Is connected with the
Edmunds' Main Colliery, and the fbroe of the explo-
sion to a considerable extent was experienced in that
part nearest to Swaithe, some of the working places
being filled with gas. The connexion between the
two pits, however, had its advantages, for it enabled
some 30 or 40 of the men working at the point
nearest to the Edmunds' Main to make their escape
by means of that pit. On the occurrence being made
known to the men in Edmunds' Meiji they at once
left work and proceeded to Swaithe to tender their
services in rescuing the men who were alive or in re-
covering the bodies of others who might not have been
BO fortunate.

Tha proprietors of the Svraithe Main and Edmunds'
Main Collieries are Messrs. Mitchell, Bartholomew,
and Tyas, the former being acting manager. The depth
of the shaft is 240 ft., and the diameter 13ft.

It is a remarkable fact that most of the great ex-
plosions for which South Yorkshire has gained such a
fearful notoriety have occurred during the month of
December. It was in December that the great ex-
plosi(na occurred at the Oaks, by which 360 lives were
lost, and in the same month there was one at Edmunds'
Main, and another at Rawmarsh and Higham.

to work on Monday morning cannot be stated with exactnes,,
because the colliers are themselves ccntractors with their
employers, and take down as many helpers as they may
require, who are chiefly employed in pushing the " corves,'
or coal trucks, along theivorkings. Making allowapce for this
element of uncertainty, if is thought that the number of those
who were down was about 240 At the first alarm many
were rescued by the shalt of the adjoining colliery of
Edmund's Main, but in the hurry and confusion no record
of them was kept. 3 hose so rescued, however, brought up
with them 85 safety lamps; and, assuming that only 15 left
their lamps behind, 100 will be thus accounted for. The
first exploring party brought up seven corpses, and 35 sur-
vivors, of whom 11 were seriously, and most of the rest
slightly injured. The doubt as to the exact number in the
pit, and as to the exact number who escaped by way of
Edmund's Main, cannot be solved at present; but the pro-
prietors hope that the total mortality will not exceed ICO,
or that it may even be something less

On Monday morning the mine was "viewed," or Inspected,
in the ordinary way, and was pronounced to be safe, and in
good working condition. The strict observation of the Mon-
day holyday has lately been much relaxed in the district, on
account of the high rate of wages which has prevailed, and
so the men and boys who went down were more numerous
than is usual at the beginning of the week. Between nine
and ten o'clock—for there is no precise agreement about
the time—a loud explosion was heard, speedily followed by
an outpour of volumes of smoke from the mouth of
the Swaithe shaft, so that the winding gear was for a
time concealed from view. While the alarm thus
given soon attracted a great concouree of people to the pit,
it also occasioned the workmen in Edmund's Main to open
the dour of communication to which reference has been
made, and by which many fugitives at once made their
escape. These fugitives knew little or nothing about the
explosion. They had heard and felt the concussion of the
air, and they fled for their lives from the poisonous gases
which an explosion produces, and which, uuder the name of
after-damp are usually the chief sources of .danger to life
The fugitives were completely panic-stricken. Many
of them were almost, and some were entirely
naked, having divested themselves even of the scanty
covering in which they were working in order to ex-
pediate their flight. Unfortunately, they were per-
mitted to depart without being either counted or
Identified; and they hastened away to their homes.
In the meantime, not only had hundreds of the neighbour-
ing mining r opulation hurried to Swaithe, but the engineers
and officials of other collieries, the medical men of Barnsley
and the adjacent villages, and the Government Inspector of
Mines for the district, Mr. Wardell, had also proceeded
thither. After a hurried consultation, the command of an
exploring party was taken by Mr. John Mitchell, the certifl-
eaten manager of the mine, and son of one of the proprietors.
They were very cautiously lowered, but the descent of the
cage was arrested about nine feet from the bottom of the
shaft by the ruin caused by the explosion. Not
only were the timber " conductors " or guides to the
cage blown away, but the lower part of the shaft
was filled by a mass of broken corves and other
woodwork, piled there by the shock. The party reascended
to fetch a ladder, and by means of this they at last suc-
ceeded in reaching the bottom, where they found thirty or
more of the survivors, variously scorched and injured, and
in some cases completely overcome by the prospect of escape
from the death which they had been expecting every
moment. Oee of these men had been blown into the
"cutup," a hole or catchpit for water at the bottom of the
shaft, into which the cage itself does not descend. He was
wedged there, and was extricated with difficulty, but had ,
"not sustained any serious injury. One of the survivors was '
so delirious that he could scarcely be prevailed upon to
mount the ladder which gave access to the cage. Whoa all
were brought up another exploring party descended,
and prepared to creep cautiously along the workings. . . .
The explorers were divided into two parties, one under
the command of Mr. Mellor, of the Strafford Main Colliery,
the other under Mr. Wilson, of the Oaks Colliery. They
pursued different paths to meet at an appointed spot, and
they soon found the corpses of some who had been torn and
mutilated by the explosion, and of others who had died pain-
lessly from the effects of after damp. Among the latter was
one lad who had put his arms round the neck of a pony, and
they had fallen together in this position; the boy was dead,
but the pony, although both singed by the explosion and
stupefied by the gas, was stilt alive and was brought to the
surface, where it recovered. Fire was found in one of the
workings, and was promptly put out by the use of an
" extincteur." The two parties pushed their researches
as far as possible, and to an extent which involved great
danger to themselves. Except the group collected at the
bottom of the shaft they found only corpse?, and they
arrived at the certainty that no life could exist in the
parts into which they were unable to penetrate. They
endeavoured to rearrange some of the brattices and doors
which had been knocked down or displaced by the explo-
sion, so as to restore the airways; and after this had been
done Mr. John Mitchell again headed a party, and pene-
trated so far that he lost consciousness, and was rescued at
the risk of their own lives by two of those who accompanied
him. Seven of the dead bodies were brought. to the surface
by the various exploring parties on Monday night; the rest
were necessarily left to be recovered at a later period.
With regard to the cause of the explosion nothing is
known, and the voices of those who could tell have been
for ever silenced." The Barnsley coal is rich in inflammable
gas, which seems most liable to accumulate in the mines
when the barometer is low; and when this gas is present in
a certain proportion, and is exposed to a naked light, an ex-
plosion follows. . . .
The calamity has caused a great degree of feeling through-
out the whole of the surrounding district, and during Tues-
day morning the four miles of road between Barnsley
and Swaithe were thronged by people proceeding to the
scene. Many of them had come to Barnsley by the morn-
ing trains. Women were in a very small minority.
At Smaithe itself e the "bank" about the pit's mouth
was occupied by a Srowd several hundreds in number, who
were very quiet and -erderly, and just stood talking in
hushed tones with one another. They were not rewarded;
there was positively nothing for them to see; the explosion
had produced no external wreck, and the engine-house and
winding gear stood as usual, except that the wire rope
of one of the cages had been detached and made fast
In a sawing shed near the engine-house were arranged
some twenty corpses, all that had then been brought to
the surface, awaiting the inspection of the coroner's
jury, and identified in most instances by tickets
pinned to the blankets in which they were wrapped.
Here no one was admitted from mere curiosity, but only
those whose relatives were still undiscovered. About the
pit's mouth a thick layer of straw was placed for the im-
mediate reception of corpses as they were brought up, and
wicker litters or ambulance baskets were provided for
moving them from place to place. A strong body of police
was on the spot to maintain order and to keep clear the
approaches, but their services seemed to be hardly neces-
sary.

BARNSLEY, Wednesday.
Several bodies have been got out from the Swaithe
Main Colliery during the night, making in all 59. Of
these 48 have been identified, and there are crowds
of relatives anxious to recognise- the remains of their
friends.

Three of the victims who were rescued alive died this
morning.

The following additional particulars are also given :
BARNSLEY, Monday, 10 p.m.

This explosion, although not so serious as was
at first anticipated, will result in the loss of 120 lives,
assuming thaT all who are now in the pit are dead, and
of that there seems to be little doubt. From later par-
ticulars it appears that 300 safety-lamps were given out
to men and boys, but some took more than ene lamp,
and about 240 went down. When the explosion occurred .
many made their escape to the Edmunds' main shaft
and were drawn cut. Some time elapsed before ex-
ploring parties were organized. The first party was
under the control of Mr. James Wilson, underground
manager of the Oaks Collieries, and Mr. Robert Miller,
manager of the Stratford Colliery, near Barnsley. On
reaching the pit bottom the explorers found it in a
very bad state. They then turned their attention to
the return air-courses, which they found needed much
atttntion. They then proceeded along the first level
on the seuth side, and after travellinz some dis-
tance along the works came to a heavy fall and had
to return back. In returning they met with
a foot of a man, which had been blown along the
level for a considerable diAance. The party then
d'vided themselves, the band under the direc-
tion of Mr. Miller taking the law or south level,
and that under the control of Mr. Wilson the north
side towards the bottom of the engine plane. The
first parry on passing through the drift came across
five or six dead bodies and a dead pony. The band
under the direction of Mr. Wilson, on going down
the engine plane, gut two man out alive. They were
almost in7ensible, but gradually recovered and
were removed home. The two parties shortly after
met by arrangrment, and then came up to report.
Mr. Wilson reported there was some fire on the
first level to the slips, about 800 yards from the pit
bottom. He sent for the extincteur and the fire was
got out about nine o'clock. The band under the
liadership of Mr. Chapman reported that the aftAr-
damp was so powerful it was impossible for any person
to exist. Sheldon, the furnace man, and another vo-
lunteer whose name could not be ascertained were
found dead. Allen, brother of the Bottom Stewart,
states that he turned over the body of his brother
several tunes before he could recognize biol. One of
the deputies gave it as his opinion that the cause of the
explosion which occurred in the slip workings was a
sudden outburst of gas, and that in all probability a
shot was fired at the same tune. In the pockets of
two of the deceased matches were found.

The pit and its approaches during this afternoon
and evening have been crowded with anxious men,
women, and children, inquiring as to the fate of
those below. Mr. Wardel, her Majesty's Inspector of
Mines for Yorkshire, and many eminent mining
engineers arrived at the colliery and gave every assis-
tance. The work of recovering the bodies was exceed-
ingly slow, and up to nine o'clock to-night only seven
bodies had been recovered. They were laid out in the
sawing shed, under the pit hill. Several of them were
fearfully mangled, and only two were identified up to the
time of your correspondent leaving the pit. On one of
the booties, which was identified as that of James
Blackburn, of Wiltham-street, Barnsley, was found a
watch still going. The only other body identified was
that of Thomas Markey, a miner, who lived in Park.
road, Barnsley. One of the injured men, whose name

<mot
111.

-ft

was Andrew Coles, an Hungarian, was removed to the
Beckeit'sDispensary, Barnsley. He was seriously in- I THEl'aZia .FIELD CLUB CATTLE
jured and died during the evening. The following is as - '
SHOW.
correct a list of the injured men vho were rescued alive
In London. o onday, the seventy-eighth annual
as could be obtained up to a late hour to night :—John cattle show Of t, Smithfield Club Was opened at the
Brown, miner, Stairfoot ; John Pickering, Barnsley;
Agricultutzl Had. - The judges, twenty-four in num-
George Armitage, Thomas Seeker and son, John Beau- ber, altered upon their duties at nine o'clock- in the
mont, J. Lampley, J. North, and James Cross. Many
morning. There are 395 entries. The £lOO champion
of the men were members of the South Yorkshire
late for the best beast was awarded to Mr. Thomas
Miders' Association, a society which has supported the kVillis, •of Manor-house, Csaperby, Bedale, York-
widows and orphans thrown upon its funds by the sad shire.' The prize animal is a shorthorn, Bride of
explosion at the Oaks Colliery in 1866.
Windsor, aged 4 years 7 months. This animal also
took a £4O cup as the best shorthorn in the show, and
likewise receives the first prize of 2,20 and a silver
----Thalto

took
•uttrdatin-thirextTA-stock-Mi "tetfer or cow. _L—
am-
- # chappionflate f bt,ity-c4 three sheep =fell to
Mr, G. S eeti au eilt, .1-4pthill, Beds. The
250 sflver up to e ekh r orthe bestAter or ox
Nirir Iras won "1
-)Sr Mr. t. 6owei4y, ot PetTeMe-lytTric,
Luton, Beds. The £5O silver_ cup to the exhibitor of
the best heifer or cow was awarded to IVr. W. F.
Beaven, of Woodborough, Wilts.

BSERVER.

r-

DRESS OF THE PRINCE OF WALES'S SERViIi
—The native servants who have been engaged. t°
as coachmen and carriage attendants of the Prince rs
Wales in Bombay have been dressed in scarlet coatsy.
the usual shape worn by all natives alike; butw on.th,s
a
i
breast is embroidered in white the Prince of gold
feathers and motto over which the crown in
lace embroidered on crimson velvet The tassels 11.,
the coat are bound with gold lace and the wristbaig
are also similarly adorned. The topie is sing
ordinary circular shape the ghorawallas wear, mib a $
on one bide under the rim the Prince's feathers
w! an,
gold band passed on the other side. Altogether,
adaption of the dress of the native to the rr
the Royp,l livery, is happy aad successf
i ul.
the inferior class of servants are dressed in
coat without the Prince's feathers but thel
st?rt. of jockey shaped topie of scarlet, striped

1
i
17'a°11
,
,
,
. I leill 11:1
Pal(
Dee
tot(
114
21$1
Th,
meposee ee Pee
soDe oe to,
- scarlet via
se4:l in a ;ear a ti
' with let
le
• 4, de
WORK IN ARREAR.—The Gardener's gagazi3t7o
owing
says that "In many districts ground work, MI
, , has
the excessively wet weather experienced of la"`''onle
3
been very much delayed, and there will now be:dens h'iN
difficulty in bringing up the arrears. In mallYlPr: oa , rot
the beds have yet to be filled with spring des°, ated;
bulbs; fruit and ornamental trees have to be Pie.raeli
and in others the vacant querters in the kitchen
have to be trenched over, or the soil to be throw; to co
ible 01
into ridges to expose as large a surface as posB a be
the action of the weather. All this work ell°ll/ ePile,
done before winter fairly sets in. OO
ve
"MARCH OF 'REFINEMENT," 1875.-- ilia 0,1;
(behind the Age, but hungry). "Give me the msir? 4111 la
Fare, Waiter."—Head Waiter. " Beg pard°ll' .i 110 r ra
—Brown. "The Bill of Fare."—Head TV'aiter., „my e le
what, Sir? 0 !—Ah !--Yes ! "—(to Subord'n":_the tp
ti
" Chawles, bring this—this--a—Gen'leroau _
0,
Menoo I I "—PUNCH.
.30/41 4 tl
DANCING IN A MINE.—The Colorado f fe.
Id
says :—" We have attended almost every kind eumee , la
tivals, apple parings, corn shuckings, harvest te' fee hi
dances among the Mormons, public and prlveroo; 4
tivals commemorative of great events; but-tbe %ilea, o,
ing festival of all festivals, 'where juy was uncalio the lii
el
we ever did attend anywhere, was the one hen,other
111
large chamber 500 feet in from the surface of i-u'robeit 4
earth," and 800 feet in from the mouth of the.„.lSeeileeet di
tunnel, on Wednesday, October 15, 1875. " ° All lte 4
saw any public or private party so brilliant in d real Si
appointments and so full of solid enjoyment eeoese 11
41
pleasure as was the assembly in the subterfig the. 4
chamber on No. 5 lode. From the early morn %toe 4
high noon of night the road leading from Gorgborst' 4
to the Marshall tunnel was lined with carriageelooe 4
and pedestrians. It is estimated that from 800t01' k
persons visited the tunnel during the night." se t
"DOC,
THREE THOUSAND MILES ON FOOT.- ta 0° 14
Campbell, the pedestrian who is walking 7,,aenotoef 4
4
Atlantic to the Pacific on a wager, reached Dip hes 11
on the Union Pacific, on the 22nd November.,„ in the lo
already been four months on the journey. -r coftes he, 11
time he left Laramie till he got to Rollins, he E-' cola ' Si
ir
never sat down for even ten minutes. It wee °o fold
that he was afraid he might freeze, and tried 001
1k tik
shelter at station and section houses, but, 5t1P,,,,,i/
, , 0
him to be a tramp, they refused to entertain hijoule Il e
he was afraid to stop or lie down for fear be ° Soo
perish. He sends word that he will start fro° will
Francisco, on his return trip, on February 1.
recross the continent by the same route, with ato 001 i
barrow, in which will be transported his blenkead, the e
cooking apparatus. He says he expects to In"';:, 190 h
return journey from one ocean to the other
days. 1
-rr gs--1` . )
ENTIRE ABOLITION OF BETTING-oLOii.-ci .
- I
change for the Better.—Punch. be
ll'
Poon OLD MAN I—l have my doubta,a tibli,c, El
the world's growing better. It's all very well °,,ets 4
about Geneva crosses and "Don't beat-your-c Teed
associations; but what about that VicksburghlacY.
clerk who sold a lump of sole-leather, Pahl, tfeo;
fehrili
to "an old chap from back in the country,'' t
v
ing-tobacco? My heart bleeds when I ,__.,reigleoeen 11.,,,° t
old man's sufferings; and, though there u";,„v bosel' t
curdling of the milk of human kindness in "-'.' 00 L
yet, I hope your readers' hearts will bleed toolope t
they learn the story :—At the end of the sixt,h
, ~,uoieg 4
returned, looking downcast and dejected an° " oibel $
66531 e 0 •
into the store, he inquired of the clerk: oyeee, 11
that terbacker I got here the other day?"
4
"Well, that was a new brand?" " No—the flrvere,, ' e
brand." "Regular plug terbacker was it?" lois,
"Well, then, it's me; it's right here in
sadly replied the man. "1 knowed I was
• puny old, but I was allus handy on bitin' PLll:rte
I
never seed a plug afore this one that I couldn't
pieces at one chew. I sot my teeth on to this ori„a
bit and -pulled and twisted like a dog at a roocr sil, 1 t;
I've kept biting and pulling for six days, and th! cole
1!
am now, the same as the day you sold her l'eag he
"Seems to be good plug," remarked the derhyt toe
1!
smelled of the counterfeit. "She's all right; 1 oct e
that failing !" exclaimed the old man. "Poe 'Tee te I'l
some fine-cut, and I'll go home, and deed the
the boys, and get ready for the grave ! "—Co' is
Plant.
„,,_ %VW' (I
DRINK LESS WITH YOUR MEALS.—Ihe ''' jae• 1r
lag extract is cut from the first number of the 1126. 4 ' ti
keeper, a new penny weekly, which gives pronpaig
being useful and interesting: "If water it tioly
the cause of functional debility, much more oberie a
e
able is hot drink; everything taken at &high telonoko,
ture is relaxing. The teeth are injured by hot rna if t
01
the throat and stomach are debilitated by thence 'boots } e
we use tea, coffee, wine, &c., the mischieveue e'witli i 11,
are greater. Drink, then, should not be tli‘k_enteke e i 16
the food. It is better, if one is thirstY,. 1" r foer Si
draught of water thirty minutes before eating 01,00 of
hours after. Many men have relieved thereeenoele.
dyspepsia by not drinking, even water, durie_ag eetice t
No animal, except man, ever drinks in CO'"",tiegf ti
with his food. Man ought not to. Try this, dfloglit ki
and you will not wash down mechanically 'MA' -'ol' 4
to be masticated, and ensalivated, before it
lowed." 00 41
4
DEAR FRIENDS.—England and Egypt ar",, d
Shares-amis.—Fur:ell. 00 IE
SOUTH AUSTRALIA.—A return, showirigt,eo 01
progress of South Australia during the past Ire 'Ade' 4
has reached us from the Chief Secretary's office;
laide. The population has increased 13 per an' 'of 0
acreage of land sold in 1874 showed an increase_itior.
per cent. upon 1869, while the quantity under
tion had increased 56 per cent. The reventle. theft ? e tl
grown from £777,351 to £1,003,819, 29 per Ow' 'to ID 4; in
imports were 45 per cent, greater and the extroort
per cent. The total value of the import an 13.4 e
trade rose from £5,747,805 in 1869 to 28,386, tode
1874, while the tonnage of the ships 'carrYing the Tbe 41
4
grew from 333,507 to 534,550 tons, or 60 per cerlt'osAig, 64
internal development of the colony in respect te rode
&c: is remarkable, for while more road!, were 0(4 * 1,
ag 4 w
lase year by 46 percent. than in 1869, the relee le% . 4
railway showed an increase of 122 per cent. '3l wee ~,
there were 19,294 more horses, 65,645 more cattle, , k.. ii!
1,683.256 more sheep than five years before. bielik
AN ALTERNATIVE.—The Legal course whr . 4 ti
is open to England if the Khedive don't Pal '-
41
terest—Sue his Canal.—Punch. !I t
*A. TOAST TO EVERY ONE'S LIKING
• ele . '-,
'' k
probably apocryphal—though the author 0 1 I,
" historique "—is told of an army ffi
ocers'',b 0
rceiaier
France (says the Court Journal). A brother eo ood 4
li
from a neighbouring detachment having come hlTatote'r ti
a ch-ampenoise having been uncorked in his here tel .`
"Gentlemen, said the guest, raising his ease, "- le '
about to propose a toast at once patriotic(' 0! tl
0
political." A chorus of hasty ejaculations l'il
murmurs at once greeted him. I
coolly proceeded the orator, "I 'dYrinesk gteent.e„illeitil'3olsl
which—an object that—Bah! I will out wn.'m -S. '
at once. It begins with an .R and ends with 11140 )
"Capital!" whispers a young lieutenant of Berl ot,'
wit ° 11
promotion. "Re proposes the Repub/ique ',6Solv t
offending the old fogies by saying the word." r, eil
sense ! He means the .Radicale,' replies the othebir a
d, . tl
old Captain Cassel. "'Upon my word," says a tr, 0
as he lifts his glass, "our friend must Int,- of
RoyauM. "I see," cries a one-legged vet,erlaelf
Froschweiler, 'ewe drink to in Revanche." .12' ii,ter 1
the whole party drank the toast heartily, ellen 3
pretina it to his liking.
I
AN INTERESTLN G EXPERIMENT. Ceria.— boll
teresting experiments on the growth of seeds he° %via' t!'
conducted by M. Uloth. These were undertakena, toe,' '
a view to determine whether seeds could be ine d 0 '''i ,
germinate in ice, and the process may be described iii ,f
follows :—Seeds of various species were Pilot; ,i
grooves made of ice-cakes, and over the groove 40eee i '
lace other plates:of ice were laid, and the whole reni,,i tee
to a cool cellar in January, and there remained
following May. An examination then made dirl-ocii
the fact that many of the seedshad actually gernwliero
the roots penetrating into the ice. It is but n_iese to
-
that facts of this startling character should give
controversy, and so we are not surprised to learn beet
opposite views are entertained as to whence the- 00
,
needed for the process was obtained. In the °Pel teo, -
of the experimenter it was obtained, or rather libereiptP
in the growth of the roots while forcing thenaseive° -
the ice.
riiiiol
AN OLD PROPHECY REVIVED.—The
of Turkey will remind the curious of the old-rilnYieer '
prophecy which has dropped out of common re' .
tion. It is said to have been made in 1453: -
" In twice two hundred years the Bear
' The Crescent shall assail,
But if the Cock and Bull unite .
The Bear shall not prevail
But look ! in twice ten years again,
Let Islam know and fear,
The Cross shall wax—the Crescent wane,
Grow pale and disappoar."
It will be "twice ten years "next spring; from the
‘6lusion of the-Crimean War. ' le ~ ee I.„pi
GENEROUS SELF-DENIAL. —Hostess.' ~,106
ore not dancing, Mrs. Mirabel ! r -ruppog,, •-',l/1.5.
,ven up such a frivolous amusement ? 1
I- irabel (stout Lady of considerable personal attrat' „(1
0 dear, no I put —a—young men are scarce, e", T 1 4
)nl'think it's quite fair to the girls, you knoW4 , ,!''
• . -
mch. • -
l: nri tiill' .
Thit ..yEATH OF MRS. d'HILDERS. nill —ie
ledical Journal says :—" A very few worde
iecessary apropos of the painful calamity of the el' of: „
teeth of 'Mrs. Childers from the inhalatiou ore ,
:hloroform self-administered. Tiaey are the, ligl,
iceseary, that two deaths, equally sudden and le'
were recorded last week from the use of eblore 0,
solidified chloroform self-prescribed by its vee:‘,lo to 1
Medical science, in bringing these divine nareo"-000
the relief of human suffering, has conferred ,lile to ! 1
which, inestimable as it must be considered, is lied' the
preat abuse. It should never be forgotten that of
tber'
three most potent anaesthetics now known, este
nitrous mile, and chloroform, the last is by
'nog dangerous. It gives death suddenly, mysteri",,-30. ,
id often when least expected on -a priors g,,,r761109
2he medical prnctitiatrer who administers 'enlei" I, in"
either by inhalation or in the solid form as eblereietie,
curs a great responsibility, of which he is .conec tbe
Qad of which he is able to measure the extel ;r• tlie
unskilled person who indulges in these narcotics ort res
relief of pain, or as a nervous sedative, on hie °w I, tile
sponsibiity, takes an unmeasurable risk, of wh'ebocll
fatal consequences are but too often shown P.tichiefo
by sudden death; while the more subtle Iniecoioo
which they produce, though less liable to nciivideli,
etw
startling public catastrophes, are not the lee
observed by medical practitioners. The wietletice 1011
use by unskilled persons of dangerous anvisth
practice fraught with the utmost peril.