The Express.
London, England, 1847-07-05 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

ANOTHER COAL-PIT EXPLOPION.—On Thursday morning
last, an explosion took place that will, it is feared, result in
the deaths of two men. It occurred in a pit belonging to
A. T. Haliburton, Esq , adjoining the North Union Railway,
in Wigan, known as the No. '2 pit. At the time of the ex-
plosion taking place, four men were io the pit, engaged io
sinking lower down to a bed of coal galled the Arley Mice.
It appears the men, on account of the quantity of damp in
the pit, carried on their works without the use of lights; and,
in blasting, came to the top of the shaft and fired the train, by
a process called "ringing it," each explosion of which caused
the damp also to be fired. A shot was laid on Tuesday last;
and it would seem, from some part of the train being fewer-
feet, the main body of powder was not, ignited, the damp
alone being fired with part of the train. The men, on
Thursday morning, were at work with the boring-rods again,
and, at the time of the explosion, it is supposed they were
boring through the powder laid for blasting on Tuesday,
from the friction of which the powder was fired, and the
explosion produced. It is also supposed, in the blowing up
of the rocks, the damp would also be fired. Two men,
named Winstanley and Morgan, were takes out very se-
rioney injured, with, it is feared, very little hopes of their
recovery ; but the other two, who were at the time behind
a tub of water, escaped apparently unhurt. Winetanley is a
married man, with four children, and resides at Pemberton.
Morgan, a single man, resides in &holes, Wigan.
DIATIAUCTIVE FIRM AT HALIFAX.—A destructive fire
oocured at Halifax on Thursday evening, at the mill of
Meters. James Akroyd and Son, at Bowling Dike. The fire
originated in the garret, which was used fur reeling purpmes,
and was first discovered a little after nine o'clock, and in the
short space of little more than an hour the whole was in
flames. The mill is entirely gutted, and we understand
contained from 70 to 100 spinning and drawing frames.
One of the engines was preserved entire that was detached
from the mill. The other is considerably damaged. The
property is partly covered by insurance. It is almost im-
possible to estimate the amount of damage, which is thought
cannot be less than 30,0001. The number of bands thus
thrown out of empl tyment met be very considerable.

AT A Patna-Floor. —At the police court, at
Cbanda•-house on Saturday, two men named Maurice Perry
and Samuel Crawlty, were committed by the county magis-
trates for the wilful murder of one of the liathAmpton
police, under circumstances of great brutality. On Monday
last, early in the evening, two navigators employed in the
neighbourhood, on the Wilts and Somerset Railway, had •
quarrel, and, failing to settle it by means of words, adjourned
to an adjoining field, at Bathampton, to fight it out; the
prisoners and two others acting as seconds. An organised
ring woo formed and a large mob collected, when, after a
few rounds, John Bailey (the deceased) and another police-
man forced their way between the combatants and de-
sired them to desist fighting and disperse. The pri-
soners immediately pushed the officers back, where they
held them, the men still fighting. The constables
again attempted to interfere, when they were instantly
knocked down, the prisoners kicking them unmercifully
about the head and body. Bailey almost immediately ex-
pired. Several witnesses clearly identified the prisoners as
the parties who committed the outrage, Crawley being de-
scribed as holding the unfortunate man down by kneeling
on his chest, whilst Perry kicked him about the head and
stomach. The deceased told them on entering the ring
that he wu a police constable and was bound to put
a stop to the disturbance. Tho prisoners, who made
no defence were committed to the county gaol, on the
capital charge. A verdict of " Wilful murder" had been
returned at the coroner's inquest, held on Friday. The
deceased constable has left a wife and large family.—
It appears that the brutal practice of prize-fighting is again
becoming frequent in some parts of the country. The Le 4e
Mercury of Saturday says ' We should not allude to such
an exhibition, but to make one observation. A prize fight
took place on Wednesday, on Baildon Moor, between Don-
nelly, of Manchester, and Askey, of Birninshau, when,
after 32 rounds, occupying one hour and eight saismiss, the
latter proved the victor. Now, although this light, and the
place where it occurred, was known some time previous, foe
a constable of Baildon or anywhere else interfered. Of lap
several prize fights have taken place unmolested by the
authorities on Bandon Moor. We call the attention of the
magistracy of the district to the culpable neglect of the con-
I 'tabular,. Above 1,000 pumas were present, most of them

the lowest operatives, whom it would have beseeated better
to have ben at their work."
DEVONSHIRE.

THE FOOD RIOTERS WERE TRIED at the county and city
sessions, Exeter, last week. At the county sessions alone
there were 180 prisoners is the calendar, the aversive number
on such occasious being about 100. Many of the rioters
pleaded guilty. The sentanoes were various, the majority
being short terms et imprisonment.