The Express.
London, England, 1846-11-21 00:00:00

THE COAL-MINE EXPLO;
OLDBURY. NEAR BIRMINGHAM,
tero.—The inquiry into this calamitous
resumed this mording before lebrge Hind
coroner. The following letter wax read f
Secretary for the Home Department:
&r,—l am directed by Secretary Sir George 61
that his attention has been drawn to the inquest
unfortunate persons who lost their lives by the ,
Mr. Parker's colliery, at Rowley. Sir George Gre
=Von bearing on the subject, which may be well
to be found in the enclosed report on the subw.
the Ilaewell collieries, in September, 1844 ,the
Lyeß and Faradays], and Mr George Grey waft.,
whether the premattlows recommended in the mei
to have been otwerved In Mr. Parker's colitery.-4
To George Mardilife, Esq., coroner,
The first witness examined was John I
stated that on the morning on which th
place, he went down into the pit about
Smith, the " doggie," went down before hi
from the bottom of the shaft about three hi
the working, and saw Smith coming out c
with the safety lamp lighted in his hand ;
" Don't go up there," (referring to the
I left) "there is sulphur." The part in wl
was sulphur, was the crop. A short tit
witness proceeded towards the bottom el
when within three or four yards of it, t
place. He was unable to say whether the
the safety-lamp every morning.—Herber
father of two of the deceased, stated that he I
worked at the pit in which the explosion to
he was not in it on the morning of the on
seen Smith, the "doggie," try the pit stiff
repeatedly, and believed he always did i
found such a quantity of sulphur
danger, he always communicated it to
ing in the pit; he (witness) had
pit twelve months, and there had
explosion. He had assisted to dam I
work to keep out the sulphur ; sand, email
other such materials were used, but no wide
two feet thick ; all the worked-out sides
dammed out, and he believed it sufficiently
a Juror : Whenever we found sulphur
" brushed "it out. This has sometimeste
—William Clift, a miner, said, two month
the pit for two days and part of another : i
to damp, but middling clear of sulphur;
damp, and put the candle out. The this
to the pit there was a side of work where
phur. There was a head way driven oi
work, and in there was also much sulpha
land, the " batty," that I was dissatisfied
that side of the pit, because there was lull
ting worse, and I said that 1 should like t;
he (Holland) said he would take it ; he ligh
with him to the side of work of which I
Holland tried the lamp, and said
fit to work in. I then took the lamp and
found that there was a great deal of sulp
to Holland that I would not work in 1.1
would give me the pit. I told him I rho;
pit, and I put on my clothes and went as
Haynes, mine surveyor, produced a plan c
the pit. He stated that he had simerintende
the last five or six year'; in some of the
sulphur, in others not any. There had be
constructed for the purpose of sufficient
pita; and that the width of the last varied
feet in width. Headway& had also been ;
in different directions, in order to cli
The workings are on the left hand sid
gate -road ; on the right hand side, and
is an open space of from twelve to thin
leads to a body of inferior coal. The gate-;
the working up to a dam, by which the
dammed out. Witness said he had been
times, and considered it sufficient to pre'
He believed the explosion to have been
phur having congregated in a pact when
attached to the roof had broken down.
could not say with any degree of certainty
been put up in a certain part of the
the explosion would have been pr
opinion the sulphur accumulated on th
of the place where the work was goin;
it would force itself to that part and th
inferior coal would be more likely to pr.;
that of better quality. In his judgment 0
dent air-ways driven to keep the mine
One read had been driven at an capers
purpose of getting • greater body of 1111
workings. At the time the explosion tool
ings in operation were about tifty-six yar
twenty-eight in breadth ; an explosion at
pointed out on the plan would be sure to
rags.—By another Juror: He had notice
wind materially affected the workings of
moistly built with sand, brazils, and rock;
have been used for this purpose during the
a quantity of soil independent of that; I
for the walls for the sand to go betwe
dams had been put into these pita in five
aware that dams built of small coal and I
lated to produce noxious pas.—A juror sai
that means had been taken to cause a suit

to force itself through the crop, the part s
was supposed to have taken place ; m his
been bad management somewhere or othe
The examination of the witness was tl
said there had been an explosioi
about two years ago ; that 0,,e
another was much injured. He I
prevented from carrying out his view
necessary for mik.ing the pit safe, by th
inquiry was again adjourned ; Mr. Brettell
and the other persons employed to exam
intimated that it was impossible at preses
two of the dams being completely vocal
quantity of burnt sulphur consequently
mine.

• Norr.—The recommendations contained h
Commissioners do not apply in this case: the mi
ontintrr being constructed differently from th

IRELAND.

PUDLIC WORKS.—THE LONDON Cox
of the London civic companies have author
guarantee government advances on preen
to the extent of one year's rental. This
part of the great guilds. They have late]
some harsh attacks in not contributing to i
but the tenure of the companies wider wh
derivative interests of a very valuable Its
duty of relief rather on their wealthy lea.
selves, or at least apportions it. At all U.
souraging, it will not detract from the rep
companies are held by the inferior class
that they have come forward with an exp
cent in drainage and other improvemen
value goes rather to the tenant than the c
companies should follow the example of
cipated the attacks of the London Hernia
ROYAL AGRICULTVIVAL SOCIETY.-7
the Agricultural camp the Duke of Leii
are very much annoyed at the facility wi
mental rule of the society was shivered a
and a flood of new and embarrassing (It
society. The Duke of Leinster did not op
of the standing ordr, r, though his boritild
stood. As the result of the step taken hi
society in opposition to the wishes of ti
is said that the duke contemplates the
office of president, which it is proposed t
of Devon.

- •
THE LABOUR-RATE
TYRONE.—The three baronies c
and Lower Dungarvan, presented, of
15,5231., to be expended on drainiq
of a profitable character ; and at
sessions, held at Ballymoney, a rest
mously curried that the Meeting shout(
Labouchere's instructions, and preset
works. The annual rental of the bar:
poor-law, is 34,0001., on which a rate of
pound was imposed making 6,8091
LIMERICK.— ,SHANAOOLDEN.— A
on Monday, and attended by a large n
and clergy, including the Earl of Dew
Sir Yore de Vere, Hon. S. E. Spring R
M.P., Knight of Olin : and the Earl of
to the chair, his lordship said that the
have to consider would be wh
proceed according to the original
or according to Mr. Labouchere's 1
eagle said: In the resolutions w
mit for your consideration, I slo
principally to the alteration which
the law since we met last, and that a]
whereas before we thought that we skoi
to presentments similar to those usua
juries, but now we are given the site
the poor of this district on works of gr
those which were previously presented
We may take up the question of drab
the advantage being of a private charts
the properties of individuals, the leg
that the expense should not fall upon tl
on the individual proprietors. This,
conclusion—for I think it would be verj
propri:ctor, and charge the expense
benefit upon the whole barony ; and
the 'conclusion that a proprietor shoo
ref siyment of any money which shoal
(geat:' hear.) Always bearing in rail
bur object is not to benefit or advents
land—our object primarily is to obtain
people. (Hear, hear.) That, I take
but if we can do that, and at the same
worth more, give more labour, employ
ceeding years, and at the same time 11:
of the land—keeping in view that our
before, is to give employment to the fa
endeavour to give labour in that way.
first resolution that I shad propose is, t
this session shall be carried on and
letter. This letter does not exclude ti
such should be considered desirable.
the propositions respecting drainage
sideration ; and, therefore, I an
mit that an adjournment shot
such time as communications mi
the several proprietors of land.
from the Board of Works that alma&
of 16,8061. have been passed, and that
by government to the amount of slow'
works are of such a nature as will c
some time to come, therefore, I the