The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-16 00:00:00

THE COLLIERY ACCIDENT AT BEDS IN-

The inquest on the bodies of the five men was re-
sumed yesterday, and •gain excited • large amount of
interest.

Before any evidence was taken,
Inspector Alexander, of the Bedminster division, pro-
duced a piece of rope with iron splicing, which was brought
out of the pit on Sunday morning.
The Coroner pointed out that a rut of the iron was
broken.

GAVAZZI AT EDINBURGH.

The excitement occasioned in the metropolis by
the thundering denunciations of the co'cruptions of the
papacy by Clause, was too groat and too widespread, for
the appearance of the distinguished orator in Edinburgh
not to be attended with interest of the most intense kind.
On Wednesday night aecortlingly,when, as was announced,
he delivered here one of his fiery and vehement addresses,
the doors of the Made Hall were besieged from an early
hour by an eager multitude ; and when they were at last
thrown open, the rush awl crush was tremendous. Every
available inch of space—the reserved seats in the body of
the hall, the galleries and the orchestra, were crowded to
suffocation by a highly intelligent and respectable audience.
On the appearrnee of the Padre on the platform accompanied
by Adam Black, Esq.; J. Learmonth, ~ of Dean ; Count
Krasinski, author of the " History of the Selavonic Races;"
Signor Nicolini ; and James Grew, Esq. and Mr. Itattray
of Glasgow—the cheering wu deafening, and lasted for
several minutes. Gavarzi was in his monastic robes, dis-
played an embroidered cross on his breast and shoulder,
and altogether the print now exhibited in Edinburgh gives
an excellent idea of his general appearance. It may be con-
sidered a very remarkable circumstance, that an audience, a
very large proportion of which must have been utterly ig-
norant of the language in which they were addressed, should
not only have paid the most marked attention throughout
the oration, but appeared to be carried at times away by
the enthusiasm of the speaker—a singular proof of his
extrsordinry dramatic power.
Mr. Black having taken the chair, and delivered a brief
introductory address,

Walter Smith was re-called, and stated his belief that the I
iron splice produced was that close to which the rope broke
oa Saturday morning.
John Goldsworthy, of East street, Bedminster, twine
spinner, said he had passed his life at the trade, and he con- '
sidered himself a good and competent judge of the goodness
of ropes. Considered that produced this morning by In-
spector Alexander not to be sound. The second piece (pro-
duced yesterday) appeared to him to have been cut. Ile
yarn, as far as he could judge, was sound. Was satisfied
that the sound part did not join to the unsound part. Rad
seen a piece of the rope, and it was hie opinion that it was
not fit for the work. Found no fault with the largest of the
three pieces of rope produced. Witness had never supplied
a By tr. rolrv.an—Should consider that a fair price for that
description of rope was from 40s. to 425. per cwt. 44/. per
ton would be a full price.
Thomas Simms, of Reileliff-creseent, rope manufacturer,
had Teen fur forty years in the trade, and had made fiat
ropes for coal-pits for thirty years or more. Could see no
fault in the material of the small piece of rope produced,
hut there was an error of judgment in its construction. The
fault lay in the ropes being too large. If there had been
six or eight in the piece instead of tour the rope would have
been as strong again, and have lasted double the time. The
fault was in making the ropes so large. On looking at the
other two pieces the witness said he thought the hemp was
of the same quality ; it was all of sound material and pro-
perly twisted, but made on a wrong principle. The deeper
the pit the wider the rope should be. For a pit of 150 fa-
thoms he should have six ropes to the fiat. The rope all ap-
peared to have been made from clean Petersburg hemp, and
was worth 421. to 441. per ton. Never before heard of a
rope breaking at the splice. The witness was interrogated
as to which piece of rope he thought that the splice had
been broken from, but he could not give any decided
opinion.
By Mr. Bevan—When a rope was ordered the width
and length were generally given. Sometimes it was or-
: dercd four strands, and sometimes 'six strands. For such
a pit as this, 245 fathoms deep, a rope made on proper
principles should lsst two years. Made on the principle of
the rope produced, he should not think, if perpetually at
, work, it would last six months. The rope was not suited
for the work ;it was of too thick a description. The strata
upon the fibre was too unequal.
Mr. Edward Dunkley Reynolds, one of the proprietors of
the pit, deposed—lt was no part of his duty to superintend
the works of which Mr. Stewart had the sole management.
The machinery, working, and ropes of the pit were all di-
rected by him. Witness considered him to be responsible
for the sound state of the machinery anal the ropes. Ile
had power anal authority to rectify anything he thought
wrong, without referring to any of the proprietors. Was
not aware that he had called the attention of the proprie-
tors to the state of the rope. Had never heard from him
that it was in any way defective, nor had he heard so from
any quarter. Ile had heard that the rope was too large
and too thick for the work. Mr. l'illinger was the manager
of the pit under Mr. Stewart, and was called the " over-
man." Ile was only there by day; there was another
by night. First heard of the accident at five minutes past
four on Saturday morning. There was then about 15 ur
fathoms of rope attached to the drum. Gave directions to
Mr. Stewart to use all proper means to get the men out.
Joseph Godwin deposed that he worked at the rope-yard
of Messrs. Moore and Hewitt, Wapping, and had served
his apprenticeship to the rope trade. Was 45 years of age,
and had been seven or eight years with his present em-
ployers. On looking at the rope produced, he should say
it had not broken by fair play. It was a fourftat rope.
Could not say whether the three pieces were all of the some
rope. The smaller piece of rope was of good quality, made
of clean outahot Petersburg hemp. There was no East
Indian hemp in it. The small piece appeared to be of their
manufacture. Could not say as to the large piece ;it was
so much torn. .

Father Gavazzi came forward, and was received with
the most enthusiastic cheers. His address was divided into
three tectione' an outline of which was given in English by
Mr. Greig. He commenced by raying .that his mission
was to preach the principles of liberty in the only land
of real liberty, England—in the hope that they would b
heard and bear wholesome fruit in Italy. In Italy the
Popedom was an ancient institution; but it must—it
will fall. (Loud applause.) If the Italians are prepared
to receive reform—if they will unite themselves and use
the cry of freedom—they must ultimately obtain that re-
form they so clamorously demand. In this cause he bed
been driven from his country and front his monastic engage-
ments, and was now devoting his whole energies to its pro-
mulgation. That Italy would ultimately secure her liber-
ties he had no doubt whatever. The execrable power of
the Popedom must succumb, because we had read too
much, and seen too much, to tolerate such an anomaly.
But he regretted to see the weakness of England in respect
to the Papal Aggression Bill.. The Pope, if ho did not
watch for our ruin, watched for our discord ; and the bull
appointing bishops with English territorial titles was the
apple of discord which he had thrown amongst us. Take
care, exclaimed the Padre, or I sin notsure.that your prin-
ciples of toleration may not carry you too fur. (Cheers.)
Let there be tolerance for everything—tolerance in religion,
tolerance in politics, tolerance fur all, except tolerance
for Rome ; because Romanism is intolerance personified.
(Cheers.) The Pope must be treated in England just as
he treats the English in Rome. Cnder the Emancipa-
tion Law you have given liberty to my friends ; let it be
so. Allow the catholics the free exercise of their reli-
gious worship, but do not allow more, otherwise you will
soon be inundated with cardinals, bishops, priests, Jesuits,
and monks, and the country will again groan under the
dominion of priests—the worst of all governments. (Loud
cheers.) Let us unite together to prevent this horrible con-
summation. If the legislation of the session just closed is
rather weak and condescending, let the application of the
law, such as it is, be quick and vigorous. Rid yourselves im-
mediately of the Papal pretensions, or you will infallibly
become papists. You will be obliged to embrace the san-
guinary spectre which we will have driven out of Italy.
When we Italians have sworn to liberate ourselves from
this monstrosity, let it not be said that Cardinal Wise-
man is forging for England the chains which we have
cast from us. (Cheers.) The throne of the Pope is the
throne of a usurper ; therefore it must fall ; and may
Ged grant that it may be speedily. (Loud cheers.) The
Pope presides at the 1, atican, not as a minister of religion,
but as a spectacle of worldly pomp. He has converted the
church of Christ by his earthly vanities into a den of
thieves (spelowa). Father Gavazzi went on to illustrate
the abuses of popery, by tracing many of its superstitions
to paganism. Under the Roman emperors and consuls, he
said, we were the lords of the world; under the Pope we
are its slaves. (Cheers.) The Pope, by causing himself to
be styled " Poodle: Maximus," destroyed that equality
which Christ established among his disciples. He claims
jurisdiction over the universal church—he interprets Scrip-
ture after his own fashion—he is infallible. Was Leo the
Tenth, the atheist, infallible? Was Alexander the Sixth,
although guilty of incest, inf llible? Was John the
Twenty-fourth, although convicted of revolting crimes,
infallible ? Is l'io Nono, that bombardier of his people,
infallible? And yet they are all sant issinti. I am
willing to be friends with the whole world—even to
embrace the murderer of my brother; but with the
Jesuits, the secret police and props of the Papacy, I will
keep no term,. There are no demons on earth worse
than the so-styled company of Jesus—for the followers of
Loyola there must be no pity, no mercy. (Great cheering.)
These have invented the infallibility of the Pope. Clod
alone is infallible ; and yet, say cardinals and priests, let
the Word of God go, but not so the dictum of the Pope.
This flagrant usurpation of the Pope perfectly resembies
the der ll ; with this qnalification, however, that whereas
Lucifer said, " I will be," the Pope says, " I am " equal to
God. (Cheers.) The one was the sin of thought, an ambitious
hope—the other is an actual sin of fact. Ye Romanist bigots,
and ye Angliciste, vacillating between protestantisin and
Romanism, listen till I tell you. Who calls himself the
vicar of Christ? The Pope. Who calls himself 'leveed?
The Pope. Who calls himself God on earth ? The Pope.
According to him, we have two Gods—one in heaven,
and the other on earth—the one on earth superseding
the one in heaven, and that one being the Pope. To
our heavenly Father, as represented in the Roman catho-
lic Eucharist, the believer is required to bow with one knee
on the ground ; but to the Pope, that humble servant of the
servants of God, as he styles himself, we must bow three
times on both knees. It is • privilege only conceded to a
few favoured ones to address him erect. Let us imagine
the Apostle Peter rising from his grave in search of his sae-
cessors on earth. The poor fisherman, who was commanded
by our Saviour to go forth and preach the gospel,
with him neither shoes nor scrip, nor two garments, Viol
naturally begin his search on the banks of the Tiber,
among the boats and nets of his former profession In
earth. No, poor l'eter!—'tis time and labour loot.
Where, then, will he go to look for his succession ?
Among the poor and needy—in the prisons and in the fields.
No ; all is lost time. My good St. I'etee, if you wantto lad
your humble successor, you must look for hen in the palate
of the Vatican. You must have a ticket from the maple.
dome, for unless you have that you cannot get in—
you are a poor fisherman. Look at l'io Nono—French end
Swiss sentinels guard his gates. In the antechambers are
gensdarmes, in the waiting-room chamberlains and footmen.
The door is opened, sod there sits Pio None, clothed in
scarlet, and fine linen, laces, and jewels, and embroidery—
the fisherman's ring en his third finger, sparkling with
diamonds. Down on your knees, St. Peter, and kiss the toe
of your own successor. (Loud cheers.) He is no longer a
fisher of souls, but a ruler of bodies. He must either be a
priest or a prince; if both, he is a bad priest and a bad
prince. If a had priest, ho betrays the church of God—if
• bad prince, he betrays the liberty of the people, and he
is a tyrant. (Cheers.) But the throne which is founded
upon the trunkless heads of its subjects, and supported
by foreign bayonets, is near its fall. The blood of
the subjects of Pius cries from the ground against
him. (Cheers.) This tyrant, who has canonised despot-
ism throughout Italy, we have sworn on the altar of our
country to overthrow. The force of union is irresistible ;
let the people of England unite in the cause of my op-
pressed country, and the freedom for which we strive will
be the sooner obtained. We will have no longer a Pope-
King—because we will not have priests kings; we will only
have priests priests. And for this, which is a virtue in the
face of God, but • crime in the eyes of the Pope, Rome has'
been bombarded; and we are exiles. We hope to see the
day when all this will be checked; but you must unite with
us. Public opinion will do miracles. The French and
Austrians now support the tottering throne of the Papacy,
and have become the auxiliaries of the shameful spostat.
Meath'. But let the English assist us Italian', and gosedily
nothing will remain of the Papacy—not even its minnory.
(The Padre concluded an oration, of which the foregoing is
but an outline, amidst loud and reiterated cheering. Of
the striking effect of his declamation, it is utterly inspeedlike
to give the slightest idea.)
A vote of thanks to Father Gavazzi was then proposed
and carried unanimously ; and in acknowledging the cow
pliment he said—ln Scotland I have found the sky of !eft
—the sun of Italy—the atmosphere of Italy—the fields vilt
Italy—and in this city of Edinburgh, a town equal to the
most beautiful in Italy. I therefore have nothing to wish
for the Scotch, but I have much to wish for myself. To-
day you come to Italy as strangers and leave it as strangers,
because we slaves cannot give a reception to our friends
without raising suspicions in our tyrants. I wish he
myself that the day
.may speedily come when we can receive
our own priests as in a free country, and that we may bo
able to give you a reception and embrace, nut as friends
merely, but as brothers. (Loud cheers.)
John Learmonth, Esq., of Dean, moved a vote of
thanks to Mr. Black for hie conduct in the chair ; after
which the vast assemblage dispersed about 10 o'clock.—
' Cakdosiandlercury.

John Squires, coal miner, had lately worked at the
Malago pit. Went down to the bottom vein at between 12
and 1 o'clock on Saturday morning, just before the acci-
dent. When it happened he was at work with a man
named Henry Gage. They heard a rush of wind. They
then went to the bottom of the pit, but could neither see
nor hear anything. At the bottom of the shaft there was a
"sunk" or pound with water. it was about five feet in
depth. When they went down the pit it was nearly full of
water. Looked into this pound after the alarm of the acci-
dent, and saw that the rope was in the pound, and appa-
rently more than filled it. Witness got the crook to see if
he could discover the " bonnet," so as to know whether it
was a journey of men that had fallen. Ile searched about,
hut could not feel it. Several pieces of timber bad come
from the trunks in the shaft, and they lay upon the ropes.
About 10 o'clock some people came down from above to
assist, and brought hatchets with them and other tools.
They contrived to get every bit of rope they could out of the
pound and drew it into the branch, cutting it off into as
unequal lengths as they conveniently could when the en-
gine was drawing it up. The cart was on its bottom in the
pound, and the bonnet on the cart. All the bodies were in
the cart except that of the boy. Two of the men, Moffatt
and Pring, were over the edge of the Cart between it and
the bonnet ; they were pressed down hy the bonnet and the
rope. The boy was in the pound. Witness had worked
there about ten months. Had never noticed anything
wrong in the rope, or heard about its being wrong. Could
not say but that sometimes he was a little in fear about the
old piece of rope, but he never had any suspicion of the
new one. Never mentioned his suspicions of the old rope
to Mr. Stewart, the banksman, or to Mr. Itennolds. Had
been down the pit in the morning of the accident, which
he should not have done if he had thought there was
danger.
George Hardl deposed that after the accident he received
directions from Mr. Pillinger to go into the pit to clear
away the rope. He asked ham to go down and give assist-
auce to get the rope off the men who were killed. Pillinger
told him to take a hatchet with him, but no one directed
him to cut the rope. Cut the last new piece because it was
more ravelled in some places than in others, and it was
easier to cut in those parts. Was sure that Mr. Pillinger said
nothing to him about cutting the ravelled parts of the rope.
The lengths thus cut were uncertain, and were much more
ravelled in some parts than in others. They cut all the ra-
velled parts they could, because it was much more easy to
cut them than the sound parts. The small piece of rope
produced was found in an empty cart in the top vein. The
cart had not been used on the Saturday. It was brought
up about four o'clock on Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Robert Smart, surgeon, deposed that he had exam-
ined the body of Moffatt.* He had considerable marks of
violence about him, but, he should say, not sufficient to
cause death. Had no doubt that he died from drowning,
and that he might have recovered from the injuries caused
by the fall.
James Self, coal-miner, was at the Malago pit on the
afternoon before the accident, waiting to go down, and as
the cart came from the bottom, he saw the rope tura just
before it came to the drum. He thought there was
something the matter with the rope. Did not com-
plain of it to any one. Had he been desired to go to
the bottom of the pit he should have gone home. He
and his companions would have refused to go to the
bottom pit, because it appeared to him to be unsafe. After
they went down it hauled several carts of coal and water
for the biggest part of the night.
The Coroner said it was inescusable in the witness that,
having seen what he considered to be danger, he did not
give notice of it.
James Haddock deposed that he was a coal miner, and
had worked for the Malago Vale Company several months.
He had had a dread on his mind a long time about the old
ropes, but not about the new one. He did not complain to
any one about it. Ile would have refused to have gone to
the bottom of the pit with this rope.
Grantield, coal miner, deposed that he knew the
I rope to be bad for several weeks back, and he bad warned
his fellow-workmen of it. When they spoke of it they were
" pooh-pooli'd " about it. Ile could not say who it was
said this. They were afraid to mention it. If they did not
go down there were others who would.
Charles Howell deposed that on the day of the accident
he saw Ellis the " vanger," and said, "This is very fiat
doings, John, murdering men like this." He replied, "It
is no blame to us ; we have told them of it times enough."
Ellis, on being recalled, denied this. He said Howell
had certainly come to him and said, " Pretty singers yes
are here to have this happen ;" and he replied, " It is not
tl for want of being well watched."
William Oorland, collier, sworn, said on the morning of
the accident he went to the pit, where he saw Mr, Edward
Reynolds. He said to him, " This is a bad job ;" and he
replied it was. That they knew the rope was faulty, and
that the man that made it ought to be hung, and that the
splice had been ready three or four days.
Brookman, the smith, recalled, denied this fact.
Mr. John Walker, engineer of the Bedminsler Old
Works, was then called it being stated that he had im-
portant evidence to tender, but on examination it turned
out his evidence was simply corroborative of that white
had already been given.
The Coroner at this stage adjourned the inquiry till
to-day.

' A MAW PLEDGES HIMaELF TO SWIM FROM DOVER
TO Curls, according to a letter dated Vienna (Aug. 101,
where he is at present. He offen to stake fromsool. to 1,000 ~
against all comers, that he will do this in the month of
August or September • the money to be deposited before-
hand with a London banker. He has afreinly swam, accord-
ing to his own account, hen Vienna to Presburg, down the
Danube.

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 16, 1851.