The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-12 00:00:00

COLLIERY ACCIDENT AND LOSS OF TWELVE
LIVES.

Another explosion, causing the death of twelve
men, and serious injuries to several others, has occurred at
the Green Pit, belonging to the New British Iron Company,
at Rabin. The pit, which is situate on the right hand
side of the Great Western Railway, approaching Ruabou,
and about half a mile from the station, is one of the most
extensive in North Wales. The works have only been in
operation some three or four years, and this is the second
fatal explosion which has taken place there within a few
months. On Wednesday morning, when the accident
occurred, some two hundred men or more were em.
payed in working the .pit, which is three hundred and
forty.five yards deep. In the south side, however, where
the explosion took place, only twenty men were eog.tged,
and of that number twelve are dead, three are so seriously
injured that their recovery is doubtful, and three others
are suffering severely from the effects of the explosion.
About eleven o'clock on Wednesday morning • loud
explosion wan heard in the south aide of the pit,
and it was soon discovered that the " stoppinp,"
or sir ways, had been blown down, and that some
' difficulty would most likely be experienced in reach-
ing the unfortunate men who were engaged in that part
of the workings. The manager of the pit, Mr. Gray, was
not present at the time, but be wee immediately seat
for, and lost no time in taking the necesiery raps to rescue
the men, or recover their bodies. A temporary arrangement
was at fist provided to remedy the defective "stoppage,.
but masons were also employed to reset the brickwork with
all possible speed. In consequence of the presence of fire-
damp, considerable difficulty was at first experienced in
getting at the men, but Mr. Gray, assisted by Mr. Wynn
Kenrick and others, acted so promptly and energetically
that the men were rescued, and all the bodies recovered, in
the course of the afternoon. Some of the bodies were
very much burnt and discoloured. The appearance of
others seemed to point to suffocation as the canes of
death. The mouth of the pit presented a very sorrowful
spectacle. The relatives and friends of the unfortunate
men, as well as many of the inhabitants of the surrounding
neighbourhood, assembled to witness the melancholy work of
bringing the bodies to bank. The crowd collected was not
so numerous, however, as might have been expected from
the serious nature of the calamity. Several of the
men have left wives and famihes, of course uopronded
for, in accordance with the improvident habits of the
miners. In one house are lying three dead bodies,
two brothers and a cousin, while another brother is amongst
those who are injured, though not, it is hoped, very seri.
ously. Of the other injured men, two are brotbera•in.law.
On Wednesday afternoon nine men were brought up dead;
three others were so seriously injured that they have since
died.

AB soon as the news of this terrible calamity
reached Wynnstay, Indy Wynn caused inquiries
to be made respecting the sufferers and the waste
of the widows and orphans, and Mr. Jonathan
Jones, of Cefn Mawr. visited every house where
any of the dead or injured lay, and sent a report to
her ladyship. The cause of the accident is at present an.
known. It is surmbed, however, that Harrison, the fire•
man, incautiously fired a blast with his lantern, and thus
caused the fire damp to ignite. Harrison is at present too
ill to make any statement, and it is feared that he will not
recover, though the accounts yesterday morning were more
favourable. The inquest was opened at the Courthouse,
'Wilma, yesterday morning, but after the jury had viewed
the bodies it was adjourned.

WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.)

SATURDAY, DEcrxml 12, 8 LK.

163. 1111
60 6
Abeettes•
2152 /21 0
Leith .76 HI
Shields 20.06 65, 3
icerhorough 1190 51, S
oreeueastle 110.00 11 1
Galway
Valenti&
Cape Clear '30.36 45: 1
Geminate, n 1
Liverpool 30.0+-61. 1
Holyhead 30.13 611 0
Pembroke 10.20 611 1
Penzance . —10.41 60. 1
Bred
1:0:1ent 130.39 50 0
Rochefort 90.4764' 1
Plymouth !30.34 61 1
Weymouth 610.86 60 1
Portsmouth _10.24 60
London 10.14 41 2
Dover 10.16 61,
Yarmouth 30.01 Off 1
Heligoland

Y.l X.;

W.N.W.
W.N.W.
W.
N.W.
W.
W.N.W.

s lo
7.5 [B7
IS
4.5 It
8 6 86
4 ens
6 s u

I
e le6l
b awl
e 0.19
e
e—
o .4.110

W.B.W.

0 o.osi

PROBLBLZ

MEDAL otl THE MONDAY.
W. to N. and to K., Nona-Iron. N.W. to N.E., fresh to
strong to fresh, some moderate, with some
fall la places. fall
W.N.W. to N. N.E., brier COASTS. W.N.W. to N.N.F..,aso.
strong to moderate, dente, ape.
generally Sue.
Aa next above. 1101:1111COASTL As next above.
similar to above. 100ra4Liss. N.N.W. to g N.E.,
moderate to light,

Bite.
North-Itatt=Calthytess to Ltacat. West=Dosseist to Corn-
wall Bosth=English Cbi and Biscay Bay Coasts. South-
Basit=Sttalt of Done to Ltitoolaahlre and Hollgolautd.

(FROY LAST NIGHT'S GAZITTE.)

At the Court at Windsor, the Bth day of Decem-
ber, 1863. Present, the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty in
Council. This day his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
was, by her Majesty's command, introduced into the Privy
Council, where bra Royal Highness took his place at the
upper end of the board.
At the Court at Windsor, the Bth day of Decem-
ber, 186.3. Present, the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
in Council. This day the Right Hon. Sir William Gibsou
Craig, Harvest, the Lod Clerk Register and Keeper of the
Signet in Sootlaod, was, by her Majesty's corm:mind, sworn
of her Majesty's Most Hoer. Privy Council, and took his
place at the board accordingly.
WAR-OFFICE, DEC. 11.—The Queen has been
graciously pleased to give orders f aoiotroeat of
eorge Frederick Edmoustone, or the
latepp Deutenant.
GGovernor of the north-waster° provinces of Bengal, to be an
ordinary member of the civil division of the secondclasa, or
Knights Commanders of the Most Honourable Order of the
Bath ; and of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Robert West
Hervey, of the Bombay Staff Corte, sometime General
Superintendent for toe suppression of Thuggee and Dimity.
to be an ordinary member of the civil division of the third
class, or companions of the said most honourable order.
FOREIGN-OEI'NT, DEC. o.—Tire Queen has been
graciously pleased to appoint Philip Wodebouse Currie,
Esq., of the Foreign-office, to he an acting second secretary
in her Majesty's diplomatic service while employed abroad.
The Quo, bas also been graciously pleased to appoint
Thomas Henry Sanderson, Faq., of the Foreign-office, to be
an acting third secretary in her Majesty's diplomatic service
while employed abroad.
Fonmos-orrica, Da:. tl.—The Queen has been
pleased to approve of Mr. Francis S. Dutton as consul in
Australia for his Majesty the King of Wartemberg.
DOWNING-STREET DFA:. Ill.—The Queen has been
pleased to appoint Thomas William Kinder, EN., to be
Master et the Mint for the colony of Hong Kong.
THE PRINCE OF WALES' COUNcIL CHAMBER,
BECEINGBAM-GATT, DEC. 10. —The names of those who have
been nominated by the council of his Royal Highness the
Primo of Wales to serve the office of sheriff of the county
of Cornwall :—John Michael Williams, of Caerharca Castle,
Req. ; Thomas Simon Bohai_ mof Penalvern, Esq. ; Day
Perry Le Grace, of Trereiffe, Et-I.

DEATH OF THE WIFE OF THE. BISHOP OF CH 1-
CHlt.sTEß.—it is with deep regret that we announce the
death of Mrs. Cilbert, the wife of the beloved Bishop of
Chichester. The melancholy event occurred at die palace,
on Thursday morning last, at ten miouten to 12 o'clock, in
the pretence of the bishop and the greater portion of her
family. Mrs. Gilbert was 64 years of age. Her lose will,
indeed, be severely felt by her devoted husband and children
and a very large circle of friewls. The poor will also have
cause to lamest the loss of • truly sympathising and gene-
rous friend.—Serrey Standen!.
THE BISHOP OF KOCH F....TER.—This right rev.
prelate has issued a pastoral circular to the rural deeps of
his diocese on the importance of instructing the laity with
reference to the authenticity and inspiration of Holy Scrip-
ture and the solid grounds of Christian faith. His lordship
reran to the sceptical objections and perverse criticisms
pat forth of late, and although be considers that there at-
tacks on the truth have materially failed in their intended
effect, he considers that they are calculated to direct atten-
tion to a department of practical instruction which has
boo mach over looked. Special Lent lectures ere migrated
by hie lordship as likely to prove an effective memos 's( coun-
teracting error.
THE ALLEGED CONFEDERATE STEAMER PANIPERo.
—On Thursday the collector of customs at Glasgow received
instruction s from the Lord Advocate of Scotland to seize
the screw steamer Pamper*. under the Foreign Enlistment
Act (.59th George 111., cap. 69). The Tampons was recently
launched from the ship-building yard of Mears. Thonisow,
sear Glasgow, and was being fitted out in the harbour. In
consequence, however, of communications to government,
her Majesty's gunboat Goldlitioli arrived in the Clyde
about three weeks ago, for the purpose of preveetieg the
Tenet going to sea. Meanwhile the procurator fiscal of the
Sheriffs' Court has bees busy taking precognitions in the
case, cod the seizure of the vessel appears to be the result.