The Express.
London, England, 1863-09-02 00:00:00

(Stamped, Id. Additional.)

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

(nom WM °wit warns.)

NgWCASTLE, TOMDAT.

Previous to the opening of the Sections this
morning • large number of visitors assembled at the Old
Castle of the town, in order to see the antiquities it con-
lair. The party were conducted over every part of the
building by Dr. Bruce, than whom no permit is more com-
petent to give an account of the castle and of the curiosi•
ties which it contains. There is perhaps no castle in Eng.
land so well fitted to convey to the modern mind an idea of ,
the military genius of the Norman era. It we embeds the
modern innovations which have been made, the castle ap-
pears to have been built with the single object of providing
for military defence, and all the other purposes of
life would seem to have been secrified to this idle.
Dr. Bruce. who lectured as he ran through the old keep,
explained from • military point of view its structure and
the design of each part. Commencing with the gate ha
conducted the visitors through the audience chamber, the
King's chamber, the gallery, the commandant's chamber,
the dungeon, do. A part of the meths is now used es a
museum of antiquities, *tad 'several very interesting
Roman mina found le the mighbourhaml were milted out.
The most interesting of these was whims the stem relied
'by • Roman husband to his, wile, as (Mem jhere was no
stain—for she was mac Mid mama As the hour of 11
approached the party dispersed and spread themselves over
the different sectioes which sowbejlea4tol. 7;lkm! era
several Interesting papers to be rend today, table preemie
of Profaner Owen and Sir C. Lyell has given s new
impetus to the meetings el the meociatioa. I
mentioned by telegraph yesterday that at the meet.
isa of the general immolates, Sir C. Lyon wee aa-
pounced as the president of the association for the mom*
year, and that Bath was selected as the place of its meeting.
Mr. George Griffith read invitations from Bath, Nottiog-
hain, and Dundee, which were backed up by a number of
memorials from various inSuestial bodies in connexion with
the respective towns. Mr. Tire, M.P., for Both, advocated
the shims of that city, to visit which place an invitatim
bad been sent to the ansociatiosi for three suocestive yeme.
Mr. Beater, the Mayor of Both, and Mr. C. Moor, also ad-
vocated the claims of that town. Mr. Paget, M.P., and the
Mayor of Nottingham advocated the claims of that locality,
whilst those of Dundee were supported by the Provost, Lord
Kinnaird, and Sir J. Ogilvie, M.P. The het mined teen
was selected by • preponderatieg majority.
The following ere the officers appointed for the Bath
meeting :—President : Sir Charles LyelL `lee-Presidnits
Lord Portman, Marquis of Bath, Wm. Tito, Req., M.P.,
Arthur Way, Fiq , M.P., William Senders, Esq., I, 0.8.,
Lord Nelson, and T. H. Dickinson, Esq. Local Secretaries :
Charles Moo, Esq., C. C. Davis. Esq., the Rev. W. W.
Winwood. Treasurer : Thos. Gin, Esq. The meeting was
axed for September, but the day foe its commencement will
be • subject for future discussion.
Yesterday 1 forwarded you en amount of • visit paid by
sundry members of the association to the depths of the
Mookwearmouth Mies, near Sunderland, and hinted at a
few of the dangers to which penoos exposed themselves
whose inquiring minds led them to undertake such
explorations. I was not aware at the time of
writing my account of the visit that at au ad-
joining mine one of those casualties to which I stated we
were exposed in making the descent had actually coonamd,
by the breaking of the chains soil leaving the tubs with the
eostente—fortunately in this case it was coal, and not '
Mamas beings—to fall to the bottom of the shaft. It ap.
pears that about one o'clock yesterday the pit was working
as usual, the engine was in motion, mid was drawing to '
bank one iron cage containing four tubs of male and lower.
leg another empty one, wheu, owing to a balsam' weight
giving way,. the ropes broke, and both site of tuba fell to
the bottom. The eogioe, on being released from its load,
was set iv motion with increased velocity, and one of
the wire ropes wee drawn upwards with such violence
as to cause injuries to the machinery on the bank,
which prevented in.mediate resumption of operations.
Thus both tube were lying at the shaft foot, and even the
peowialon of new mei could have does no good at the
time in coesequeme of the injury to the 'grim. At the
wackier' at the time there were about 200 mon and boys,
who soon became acquainted with what had occurred, and
flocked to the bottom of the shaft by which they were not
slow to perceive they could not hope for a considerable time
to reach daylight. Under the guidance of one of their
number who knew the workings thoroughly they sought •
perms to the shaft of Seghill Colliery, which is about
three miles distant, and though constantly exposed to danger
from disturbing stoppings and other causes, they steadily
made their way from where, if they had been obliged to
stay longer, they must have run a much greater chalice of
losing their lives. The story of the mope is short : themes
persevered with difficulties, and with good guidauce had got
through half of the distance between Burradm cad their
destination, where they were met by Mr. Reodall,viewer,of
Seghill, with • party. Their way thenceforward wee chard
the most serious obstacles, end they reached Seghill about
four o'clock, and were taken to bask without one of the num-
ber having sustained an injury, Fancy the horror of the
scientific party if • similar amilent had occurred at the pit
which they favoured with a visit. In that case there were
no underground workings which would °oviduct to other
mines, and where there was no escape from premature in.
eremitic.n in that hot and fiery mine, or suffocation from
want of air. The shaft which was flooded a short time
since, nod which is now used se an amok might probably
have been reached, but the shock to the nervous system
would have been somewhat considerable had the little party
been made aware of the predicament in which they were
placed. Fortunately, in the case of the Burradoe Mine,
them or four days will suffice to set the machinery again in
working order; but no doubt the occurrence will have •
somewhat deterring effect upon other persons who may
have envied the successful sod daring exploits of their
con/rem in connexion with the Monkwearmouth Mine, and
lied made up their minds to take ea early opportunity of
descending some ether of the collieries in the neighbourhood.