The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-06 00:00:00

THE WORSBOROUGH COLLIERY CATASTROPHE.

There in very little to report (says the Sheffield
Ksdrpendenl of yesterday) in reference to the proceedings
at Edmund's Main. The water is flowing steadily into the
mine from the trench connected with the adjacent stream.
and measures are being taken to increase the volume of
water very Inanely, and so expedite the tedious operation of
flooding the workings. The water wee conveyed in large
pipes, laid at a depth of fourteen or fifteen feet ; but the
quantity poured into theshaft by this means has mot bees
found sufficient speedily to accomplish the ohne:Ain view, and
men have been set to work to reopen the trendy sad when
this has been done, as much water as can poinaliy be di-
verted into the trench will be thrown into the mine.
The cupola shaft has been rendered perfectly air tight,
and there are several feet of water epos the clay pud-
dling above the furnace drift. In one of the up-cast shafts
an aperture, closed by a sort of wooden safety video, has
been left, in order to test the air from time to time. A
test which was made a day or two ago showed th►t a great
quantity of gas has been generated in the miss. The imp
tithe valve was removed for our special edification, and the
imprisoned air and gas rushed forth with the force of • f ur-
mos blast.

It is not expected that even with the great volume of
water that will be poured in during next week the water
will be " roofed" for ten or twelve days yet, and the
pumping out will be a still more tedious process. Great
difficulty will no doubt be experienced in emptying the
dip boantates, which are much below the level of the
other parte of the mine.
The subscription for the relief of the sufferers has now
reached the handsome sum of 1.3001. We regret to learn
that the proper distnbution of the fund has been hitherto
prevented by the course taken by the poar.law guardians.
It is alleged that they have sought to throw the support of
the bereaved in a greet measure, if sot entirely, upon the
relief fund. The committee who have the superintendence
of the fund maintain that the guardians have nothing what-
ever to do with their operations, but that they ought to
relieve the sufferers as they would any other " destitute"
persona, without reference to the amounts which may
be granted out of the subscriptions. At the meeticg
to °resales the subscription, held on the 11th of Do:em-
ber, it was resolved to set on foot a public subscription
in aid of the surviving sufferers, "in addition to such
parochial relief as may be granted by the authorities of the
district." The course of the committee was thus clearly dr
fined. On the other band, it is alleged that as persons
moot claim relief from the union funds until they are en-
tirely " destitute," as long u the bereaved are receiving re-
lief from the committee they cannot be looked upon as
destitute persons, and have accordingly no legal claim. How-
ever, the guardians have granted relief to some of the claim-
ants, but only for a fortnight., or until their next meeting;
and the Rev. W. Benham, the incumbent of the Dale, has
distributed two sums of money which were sent to be
applied for the relief of the "immediate necessities" of
the sufferers, the fund proper being left in bank to
await the course taken by the guardians, A settlement of
the question Is iutperativolv demauded, in order that unne-
cessary sutferiog may not 1343 inflicted upon the widowesod
orphans who have been so suddenly rendered destitute.
We have great pleasure in stating that her Majesty the
Queen has sent a munificent contribution to the fund. The
Rev. Mr. Benham wrote a few days ago to the Home &ere-
fairy, stating the case on behalf of the sufferers. and asking
him to be good enough to lay the purport of the letter before
her Majesty. Sir George Grey forwarded the letter to Sir
Charles Phipps, who communicated with Mr. Benham, ask-
ing to be supplied with some further information and the list
of subscripttons. The required information was duly laid before
her Majesty, and the result was communicated to the fol.
lowing gratifying letter :
"Osborne. Dec. 27, Ilt2. '
. .

"Sir,-1 have had the honour to submit your letters to
her Majesty the Queen, and I have received the commands
of her Majesty to forward you the enclosed cheque for
100 f., as the euhecription of her Majesty towards the fund
for the relief of the widows and orphans of the sufferers by
the late colliery accident at Edmund's Maim-1 have the
honour to be, sir, your most obedient humble servant,
"0. B. PIiIPPS.
"Rev. W. Benham, Worshro' Dale."
The rev. gentlemen has also received the foll3wing :
"Dear &r,—We have much pleasure in hand*/ you a
cheque for 211. 2s. Id., which amount has be contributed
clerks sod workmen employed by the Stiedield Coal
Xmpaay towards the Edmund's Maio Colliery Kiploios
Maid band,—lwo, le., "BsowN mid Jurcocig."