The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-04 00:00:00

TEE NEW BATHS AND WASH-HOUSES FOR

LAMBETH.

This new and ralselde establishment, in the West-
minster-road, is so fee edspletei that the two lame swim-
c:Ain
ming bathe wen °sold to the Mi. on Saturday last.
They are the neon enteesive in d, and as they are
supplied witlitephi weber flowing, and as the
egoist of visitors bee den y studied, the inha-
bitants of Landed pod*, is by far the seat exten-
sive in the naetrepaillem deeiet. may now crogretnlate
dissolves upon thepussessies ofedvaateges FLAW to dies
previously enjoyed by sibs parishes in Landon, who bad
taken the India this imgersens sanitary movement. TIN
Archbishop of Canteriney mid the Bishop of Winchester
have taken great interest hi the undertaking, which enjoys
also the personal support of many of the large manufac-
turing and building firms in the neighbourhood, snoop
whom stand prominent, Melees. Mandalay, Baker, Myers,
Peto, Orient', Haward, Nixon, and others. The possession
of good swimming baths is an advantage not usually en-
joyed by the frequentenof baths and wash-houses, and will
doubtless tend much to the popularity of the Lambeth in-
stitution. Another excellent and thoughtful feature pecu-
liar to it is the establishment of an infant school in connec-
tion with the laundries, where children will be taken care
of during the time the mothers are occupied in the wash-
houses; it having been found that the disinclination of the
parents to leave young children at home unattsded has
often prevented the poorer class' fres availing themselves
of the facilities Abided by institutions like the present.
The peculiar adaptation of the situation has enabled this
public improvement to be carried out at a oat which, it is
expected, will, considering the advantages attained, be
much below that of any similar establishment.

TEE HARROW ANNIVERSARY DINNER.—Lord
Palmerston presided on Saturday at the Thatched House
Tavern, at the Harrow Anniversary Dinner, which wee
most numerously attended by noblemen and gentlemen
Quested at Harrow.
FIRE AND 81111 WRECK.—Letters brought by the
Melbourne and other mail steamer., announce the loss of
three English ships, two by fire, and the other, from Ade-
laide, on a reef of rocks some hundred miles westward of
the Cape of Good Hope. The latter was attended with
lamentably fatal results. The vessel was the Barbara
Gordon, belonging to Swansea, bound to London, with a
cargo, consisting of 181 bales of wool, 100 tons of copper,
and other articles. She had on board the fullowinp passen-
gers ;—Mr. and Mrs. Radish, and son, of Liverpool ; Mrs.
Hay, belonging to Yorkshire ; and Mr.. Dalton, of Wan.-
worth. On the night of the 6th of April last she got upon
• reef near Cape St. Agulhas, arising, it was °resumed, from
a strong current carrying her ashore. Her boats were car-
ried away the same night, by seas which swept the
decks. Some ten hours afterwards the Captain, finding the
weather was moderating, had a raft formed, in order to
reach the shore. In the first attempt, the mate and four of
the crew succeeded in, gaining the land. On the second,
however, when the passengers got on it the heavy sea cap-
sized it, and the whole of them perished, in view of the
master and remainder of the crew, who were unable to
render them the least possible aid. In the course of the
succeeding day the vessel became • total wreck. She was
fully insured. The other ships were the Alciope, Captain
Lewis, master, in the Hist India trade, bound to Liverpool,
and the Gondar. The former was from Calcutta, and when
in lat. 11 N., long. 88 E., she was struck by lightning,
which set fire to the cargo, and became quickly in flames.
The crew escaped by means of the boats, which were picked
up by the brig Geneva. The destruction of the Gondar
took place at Charlestown, on the 18th of last month, while
she was loading. She had on board at the time 1,800 bales
of cotton, and 373 bomb •f resin. The crew all escaped.

COLLIERY EXPLOSION AT OLDHAM.
SEVENTEEN LIVES LOST.

• -
A dreadful explosion of fire damp occurred on
Friday afternoon at • coal mine in Oldham, belonging to
fI
Mr. Butterworth, called the Bent Grange Colliery, by
which 17 lien have been sacrificed. It will probably be
recollected by many of the readers of the Ezras that
we gave an account of en explosion in this same mice in
October, 18.10, by. which 16 lives were sacrificed. Tara Bent
Grange Colliery is situate in that part of Oldham known as
Nur:h Moor. Up to the time of the explosion in October,
1850, it only consisted of one shaft, which served both for
ventilation and the draught of coal, but since then a second
has been sunk within tin yards of the other, as a venti-
lating shaft wale., the original shaft be ing used for raising
the coal, and as the &ion-cast for air. The bed of coal,
called the Riley Mine coal, is at a depth of 222
yards, and ventilation is promoted by a steam jet inserted
into the downcast shah. The dip of Via coal is, we under-
stand, about 1 in 6, and the means of ventilation are the
natural passages of air along the coupe a cut for it on the
blunt, regulated by stoppages at proper places, and next an
increased draught up the up-cast, caused by the jet of
steam; and these means, so far as a e caa learn, were in
foil operation when the explosion took place. The nutniwe
of persons working in the mine was 61 at the time of the
occurrence, of whom 42 were colliers and 19 waggoners.
They had been at work from before six in the morning,
and at half past four o'clock they would have left work for
the day. No anal weak in the pit at night, except the
labourers, who aro employeal in repairing the roads, and
performing other duties necessary for the free progress of
the colliers when they assemble in the morning. All pro-
ended fairly during the day, except that there was a slight
delay for want of tubs nr eome.hing of the kind, a little
after noon, and this will to some extent account for the
small number of burnt:is kilted, for they had many of them
left the places where tl.e coal was heing got. and were
either on their road to the upcast shaft, or had gut there
when the explosion occurred; and colliers were mostly in
their "boles," and were exposed either to the actual
blast, or to thee qually fatal effects of the choke damp, to
which, anthill, most of them seem to have fallen victims.
The underlooker of the mine, whose name is Robinson,
nye he was on the " pit-brow " when the explosion tuck
piece. Ile heard a loud report, and at first thought the
boiler which works the engine connected with the colliery
was blown out of its place. Shortly afterwards, however,
he observed sparks and dust come up to the top of the
downcast shaft, and at once concluded that an explosion had
taken place. Directly afterwards be heard the bell ring
from the bottom of the pit, and a cage of coal, which
ass attached to the rope, was wound up. The cage
was then let down again, and the men who had escaped
were brought up, by thirteen or fourteen at a time.
Those brought up were chiefly boys and young men,
who had been working about the shaft and in the roads.
Robinson, accompanied by William and J. Butterworth'
and E. Davies, then went down the pit, but before they did
so, their employer, who resides at Hsgate, Royton, was sent
tor. On getting to the bottom of the pit, after Robin-
son had proceeded about 140 yards from the shaft, he
found a waggoner named Nathaniel Gall, lying upon his
back, badly burned, with a waggon on the top of him, but
the man was not dead. After he had forwarded Oil to the
shaft of the pit, he went forward 300 yards, and found
Samuel Butterworth, of Roytonstreet, collier; and, after
handing him over to assistants, thinking he heard groans
from another man, he still prosecuted his search, and found
Richard Crookson, who was lying about ten yards from the
place where Butterworth had been found. On going still
higher up, he found John Butterworth, of Edge-lane' an
old man, who was nearly exhausted, and whose life would
doubtless have been lost had he not been found and con-
veyed out of the pit. In the course of his progress he
passed over numerous dead bodice, but left them to assist
the living, so long as there was the hope of finding any
without risking too much the lives of his assistants,
who, like himself, became much exhausted by. the stifling
sulphur which always succeeds these explosions. After
this, the nun who had lost their lives by the sad accident
were wound up to the top of the shaft, but the whole of the
bodies were not recovered until about half-past 11 o'clock.
On examining the pit, he found the stoppiegs were blown
down very much, about two hundred yards from the shaft
in a down-brow level, about 30 yards out of the main
level, and from the evident marks of fire he discovered
there, and observing that the body of Whew Wild, which
was lying there, had every iota of clothing burned off him,
he concluded that it was in this locality the explosion took
place. He was only enabled to identify Wild by a gathering
which he had on his heel, and which he had lent him • pin to
prick. Oa Thursday some men were employed in mending the
roads in this particular part of the pit, and he (Robinson)
had warned William Jones, John Williamson, and a wag-
goner named Wild, who would have to work there the
' next morning, not to go into that place without the greatest
care, as the sheet which directed the current of air had been
down nearly the whole of the night. Jones and William-
son, singularly enough, escaped with their lives, although
they were only about forty yards from the plain where the
explosion is supposed to have taken plan, as the current
of firedamp took the contrary direction to that in which
they were standing. The air in the mine has generally been
considered good, and the colliers often worked with their
lamp tops off. A collier who escaped, states that at the time of
the explosion he was working in a " place " about 600 yard'
from the mouth of the pit, and along with him ware Emanuel
Tomlinson, Jas. Orindwood, Sam.Chougb, Thos. Meadow-
croft and Joseph Williamson, and in the nest elan to them
a man named Richard Lane was working. As soon as they I
heard the report occasioned by the explosion they all I
started to make the best of their way to the mouth of the
pit. They were nearly suffocated in their passage, and had
to pass over several bodies, and on getting to the shaft
they gave the signal, and were all wound up. About six
or eight yards from where they had been employed two
drawers, aged 15 and 13 respectively, named Brierley and
Samuel Wild, were working ; but, having been overcome,
had fallen down, and were shortly afterwards rescued by
an elder brother, named Abraham, who had been employed
near to the shaft. There was no air stirring much that
morning. They had • good main roof, and he only knew
of one fault in the pit. He had had his own lamp top off
that morning, but he had seen others with their lamp tops
off. The overlooker aamethuss censured them for so doing ' •
sometimes he did not, and sometimes he pulled his own off.
Sergeant Parker, of the Oldham police, made provision for
medical aid by calling in the assistance as tasty as possible
of four surgeons.
The following are the names of the person who were
taken oat of the pit dead, and who have died since :
William Fitton, aged 35, collier, Edge-lane ; left a wife
and five children.

.. ...-. ......---.
Robert Mellor, aged 60, collier, Royton; wife, and two
children. _ _ -- - --- - -- - - --- ---

Robert Heaton, aged 34, collier, badly burned, Middle-
ton ; left a wife and three children. He had a brother
killed at the last explosion.
John Jones, aged 30, collier, Red Tom Nook, badly
burned ; left a wife and child.
William Wild, harrier, single man, aged 23, of Royton.
Samuel Ashworth, collier, Shaw-hill, aged 30 ; left a
wife and ilveshildna.
Mlkaash armed► wilier, aged 28,
esd
smd—Willdren. collier, aged 34, Royten; left a wife
MMus Smith collier, aged 28, Haggate; married, bat
mi=es. =omen was a noted wrestler.
imalaw, collier, single man, aged 20, North
Mew, badly boned.
dams =macaw, father to Henry, aged 45; left a wife
and feat eildlimm
Robert Creassa, collier, Boyton, aged 30 ; left a wife
and three claims.

; wife

Jowph Jaekeen, single man. He had Ives down the
mine tome Orooksam, and had formerly worked in the pit.
He has been lately working in a briek.mott, at Broadway,
and resided at Coldhurst...
. .

George Whittaker, collier, single men, aged 21.
Samuel Ogdea, collier, Higgicshaw, left a wife and the

Luke Brierly, aged 18.
Nathaniel Gill, 30, keying a widow and one child. The
two last colliers were taken out alive, but died on Saturday
morning.
Besides these, nearly 20 colliers are more or less injured.
Amongst the more serious cues are those of Robert Mellor,
Joseph Rallsworth, Edward Butterworth, Samuel Wild,
and Richard Crookson.
It was about 11 o'clock at night before the whole of the
bodies were taken out, from which it will be seen that the
air righted itself sooner than is often the cue. On
Saturday the ventilation was again in such good order
that it was said a stranger would not hem supposed any-
thing to have been wrong. It is mid Wild had been cau-
tioned before the accident, but was seen approaching the
plies where the explosion occurred with an uncovered
lamp in his waggon shortly before the event took place.
Au inquest was opened on Saturday, but only for the
identification of the bodies.
FATAL COLLIERY ACCIDENTS.—We regret to re-
.

cord two more accidents of a fatal character in coal mines.
The more serious one was that which took place on Friday
from an explosion of fire damp at the Bowling company's
work., Toftsbaw Bottoms, near Bradford. It appears that
a number of men were at work as usual when some of them
going into a part of the pit where there was a quantity of
foul air, an explosion took place, attended with all its fear-
ful mosequences. On searching the pit the bodies of two
boys coned respectively William Lee and Thomas °snide
muse Mad dead, the one from having been so seriously
dishes and burnt, and the other from exhaustion and
suffocation. Three men who were working in that
part of the pit where the explosion occurred were also seri-
ously injured, but under skilful medical treatment they are
progressing favourably. Another casualty occurred at the I
Park Pits, Worsbrough, within a abort time of that which
took plus at Blamer on Thursday in this week. The de-
ceased, whom name is George Earrsbaw, was working in the
pit as usual, when a quantity of coal fell upon him, and
killed him on the spot. •

MILFORD HAVEN FORTIFICATIONS.—The fort at the
western extremity of the dockyard tsar undergone extensive
alterations and repairs, preparatory to the mounting it with
much heavier artillery than formerly. The embrasures
have been widened in order to allow 32-pounders to be
placed there in lieu of the old 21-pounders, many of which
guns a short time ago were found to be utterly unfit for
service. All these guns will be fitted with new traversing
carriages, and at the angles 63-pounders are to be placed.
The other fortifications in the haven are being proceeded
with. Thorn Island, at the mouth, is being fortified under
the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Victor, lt.E., and,
when completed, will be garrisoned with a company of
artillery. A heavy battery is also to he erected at Dale
Point, on the northern shore of the entrance, which will
cross its fire with the other defences at the entrance. All
the heavy artillery will be mounted on traversing carriages.

IRELAND.

Drzuw, JULY 2.
THE CLARE ELECTION.

The liberals of Clare have had a signal triumph—
' a triumph not the less to be prized for having been
in some measure unexpected; for it must be confessed
that the apathy evinced by the people up to the very
eve of the election, and the number of split votes
which it was feared that landlord intimidation would
obtain fur the town candidate, offered but too much
mason to anticipate a different result. The friends
of Colonel Vandeleur surpassed all their former
efforts in their canvass on this occasion, and the
energy with which they laboured was exhibited in
1 the majority which they obtained, for their candi-
date the first day; but the popular electors isere
aroused by those very exertions to a sense of their
own duty, and they have certainly done their county '
honour by the lesson which they have given both to
tory landlords and liberal electors over all Ireland.
I take the following account of the final close of the
poll last evening from tho correspondence of the
Freeman :
At nine o'clock this evening the final returns were re-
ceived from the polling districts, and nothing could well
elect d the frantic joy of the people when the anticipations
of victory were confirmed. The following is the gran pull:
Fi-reerald 1,350
O'Brien 1,374
Vandeleur
Majuri:y for O'Brien over Vendeleur 77
7.1 uority for Fitzgerald over Vandeleur 63
The mtsiority for O'Brien at the last election was hut two,
and the result of the present is a practical answer toColoael
Vandeleur's charges of priestly interference and intimida-
tion. The people were addressed from the platform by the
Rev. Mr. Lynch, Rev. Mr. Quade, Sir John Fitzgerald, Mr.
Carey, and other friends of the popular interest. At the
hour I despatch the messenger (eleven o'clock), the excite-
ment and enthusiasm continued unabated. The hill tops'
throughout the country are lighted up in rejoicings.
The following account, from the same source, of
some of the proceedings which characterised the
election, may surprise English readers who entertain
old constitutional notions about freedom of election :

ENNIO, }allay EVIINIXII—This morning rather
strange spectacle presented itself to those who have been ac-
customed to something in the shape of the constitutional
privilege of freedom of election. At an early hour a cordon
of police was drawn across the passages leading to the court-
house—some at a distance from the polling place of nearly
a quarter of a mile—beyond which the populace were not
allowed to pass; and even those whose business impera-
tively demanded an attendance at the court-house had to
use persuasion, and in many cases threats, before permitted
to pass the boundary. The restriction, however, extended
only to those who were recognised as friends and support°, s
of the liberal candidates, all others were allowed to pass
freely. Remonstrances against the course adopted by the
authorities wen made without effect, aad formal protests
were handed to the High Sheriff, who said that he acted on
the requisition of a number of magistrates; but in the
course of the day the rigour of the military cordon was re-
laxed, and the people were allowed pretty freely to approach
the polling booths, and with what result has just been seen.
An adherent of colonel Vandeleur, while riding
away from Six-mile-bridge, on Thursday evening,
was hooted, and it appears pelted with mud, by some
boys and women outside the village, when he unfor-
tunately fired a pistol among the group, and shot a
boy in the mouth, breaking hie jaw bone, and inflict-
ing such a wound as is expected to prove fatal. This
occurrence, in such a place, was unfortunate for the
tory party, as it served to exasperate the peasantry
the more effectually against them.
SLIGO.

The contest in Sligo will be a desperate one; and
in such a neck and neck race as in all probability it
will prove to be, it is impossible to speak with any
certainty beforehand of the result.

It is still uncertain whether Mr. Lalor will per-
severe in his opposition to Mr. Daniel O'Connell, in
Tralee. That Mr. T. Fitzgerald will do so is pro-.
bable enough, but he will scarcely find more than his
proposer and seconder to support him. On the
whole, Mr. O'Connell's return is regarded as certain