The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-12 00:00:00

ANOTHER COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

Yesterday morning an alarming explosion oc-
curred at Homer-hill Colliery, near Stourbridge, the pro-
perty of Messrs. Swindell sad Evers, by which sixteen
men were very seriously injured. The colliery in ques
tion has been in operation for about two years. The coal
worked is the South Staffordshire ten yard seam, and the
pit is 135 yards deep. The "doggy," or underground
manager, examined the pit at half-pest five o'clock in the
morning, and found no traces of fire damp. The men,
forty in number, went down the pit at six o'clock,
and went to their usual stations to work. At this
time, and for an boor and a half afterwards, the pit was
perfectly clear. About half-past seven, however, a
fall from the roof in a place that had been worked out was
heard, and this was followed by a tremendous explosion.
The bulk of the men were at work on the north side of
the workings, and all who were there were knocked down,
and their lights (naked candles) were extinguished. The
force of the explosion was such that the skip was driven
half-way up the up-cast shaft, and there it at present
sticks. The men who were least injured soon recovered
from the shock of the explosion, and haring lighted Davy
lamps, went in search of those who were injured. All the
men who were suffering from burns only walked to the
bottom of the down-cut shaft ; but one or two who were
almost choked by the after-damp had to be assisted these,
whence they were taken to the surface. Blankets and
brandy from a neighbouring public-house were provided,
and every attention was paid to the sufferers, who were as
speedily as possible conveyed to their respective homes.
All of the men are seriously injured by burns ; and it is
perfectly evident that two or three of them cannot pos-
sibly live. Explosions of fire damp are a very rare occur-
rence in South Staffordshire, and at the time this explo-
sion occurred between 2,000 and 3,000 cubic feet of air
were circulating through the workings, in some places of
which the draft was so strong that the candles had to be
protected by a screen. It is considered that the fire damp
had been liberated by the fall of material from the roof
above mentioned.

SERIOUS EFFUSE'S OF AN INCOME-TAX GRIEV-
ANCE.—The rumour that Messrs. Wright, of Constitution-
hill, Dudley, had closed their works (thereby throwing out
of employ close upon 300 men) in consequence of their re-
fusal to submit to the excessive surcharges made upon
them by the commissioners of income-tax, proves to be
true. On Friday last, at the ordinary sitting of the guar-
dians of the poor, about 40 men, heretofore employed by
Messrs. Wright, applied for relief. It was pointed out to
them that relief could not be afforded until they were
destitute. So many as were in this state were told to
make application to the relieving officer, and the roses
would come before the board on Friday next. Viewed
from any point, this is a most serious question for the
town to consider. Whilst the poor rate is so high, trade
co dull, and winter approaching, it is sad to think of these
men being thrown out of employ. On the other hand,
Messrs. Wright must have suffered much at the bands of
the commissioners or surveyor before they felt constrained
to close one of the largest works in Dudley.—Birmingham
Post.
MILITARY MOVEMENTS AT WlNDSOR.—Yesterday
the Istßattalion Grenadier Guards, commanded by Colonel
Ponsonby, marched from the Sheet-street Infantry Rai-
racks, Windsor, for the purpose of engaging in outpost
drill. Detachments of troops were thrown into the vil-
lage of Clewer (about a mile from the royal borough) and
the adjacent hamlets. A line of sentries was posted from
, Clewer churchyard on the south bank of the Thames along
' the road leading to the Convalescent Hospital, forming a
complete cordon along the western suburb of Windsor,
and caused no small amount of commotion among the in-
habitants. After about throe hours' drill the various de-
tachments marched back to barracks.

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

THE ABT.WINIAN EXPEDITION.

The first meeting for the session of the above
society took place yesterday evening at Burlington-house.
Thechair was taken hySir RODERICK MUlCHlSON,presitieut
of the society.
The PRESIDENT, in opening the session of 1867, detailed
the news which had been received up to the present date
of the expedition in search of Dr. Livingstone. It had
arrived, after a prosperous voyage, at the Kengoni entrance
of the Zambesi in nine and a half Jaya from the Cape, and
after obtaining a negro crew had departed up stream on
the 27th July. He still retained his doubts as to Dr.
Livingstone's death, and hoped to have good news by
March next, when Mr. Young's party would have returned.
The next subject touched by the president was Abyssinia,
Rion the geography of which country, as ascertained
in the early expeditions of the Portuguese, a paper had
been prepared by their secretary, Mr. Clement Markham.
He (the President) would remind the meeting that twenty-
four years ago he had given the society all the information
be could collect on the subject, compiled from the re-
searches of Dr. Bete. All the latest information confirmed
the statements of the illustrious traveller, Bruce. The
government had Receded to his proposal to send scientific
men out with the Abyssinian expedition, and he was
happy to add that Mr. Markham, their secretary, had
been selected an one of the number. Mr. Blandfori would
also join the expedition from Bombay, and Lieutenant St.
John (one of their fellows) from London. From both gen-
-1 tiemen the most valuable and important scientific informa-
tion might be expected. Maps of all the routes throe&
Abyssinia had been obtatned from the topographical de-
partment, and a large and complete map of the whole
country had been compiled from a careful sifting of all
the previous documents. Until that map should be pub-
lished the maps presented by Mr. Keith Johnston and
Mr. Wyld could be referred to, as also one which had been
presented by Mr. Peterman, laying accurately down the
features of the country in which the first operations of
the expeditionary British force would take place. After
a compliment to the work of Sir Samuel Baker,
" The Nils Tributaries of Abyssinia," the President pro-
ceeded to allude to the various papers which had been sept
in on the subject of Central America, particularly the obe
which had been prepared by Mr. Collinson under the
direction of Captain Bedford Pim, IL N., and which would
throw much light on the physical geography of that region.
Mr. Whymper promised an account of his recent expedition
Ito Greenland, for which the British Association had voted
that gentleman a sum of 100/. In conclusion he congra-
tulated the meeting on the list of candidates for admigsion,
the largesteinos !talcs:nation, andwhioli included the Praha
of Rapt, she Duke of Buocleuch, and Sir Bartle Frere.
Mr. MARTIN proceeded to real the par which had
been prepared by Mr. Markham, the principalp portion of
which was devoted to the Portuguese expedition, under
Don Cristoval de Gains, in the ltith century. That ex-
pedition, consisting of only 450 musketeers and 6 pieces of
cannon, unprovided with mules or camels, succeeded in
crossing the desert and reaching the high table-land in
seven days, after which they found plenty of water ant:
provisions. The Portuguese defeated the Moorish in-
vaders of Abyssinia, but were afterwards treated with
much ingratitude by the people they bad caved. The
various Portuguese expeditions to Abyssinia bad been sent
cat under the impression that the country was the seat of
the empire of Printer John.
A warm vote of thanks war given to Mr. Markham for
his paper The The President, when putting the question,
noticed the presence of Count Lavradio, the Portuguese
minister, the descendant of the tint Governor-General of
India. Dr. Beke was then called on by the President to
give his opinion as to the different routes through Abys-
slide. (Cheers.)
Dr. Bear was understood to say that the expedition
would land at a place called Zuln, close to which, having
followed the route which he suggested, it would find
abundant water and provisions. Having given some de-
tails of his own visits to Abyssinia, 1)r. Beke came to the
conclusion that there was nothing insurmountable in the
difficulties of Abyssinian travelling. The towns were
merely camps of huts built tf mud and straw, and were
run up wherever the Emperor made a lengthened halt.
Sir H. HAWLINBOII said that the route which would be
followed by the expedition from the sea coast to Magdabi
would be round by the heads of the rivers, thus avoiding
the deep chasms and gullies which formed the chief ob-
stacles to travelling in Abyssinia. This was the course
which had been recommended by Dr. lkke, to whom they
were much indebted for hie explanations and suggestions.
With respect to climate, be believed that of Abyssinia to
be one of the most healthy in the amid, said be should not
be much surprised if at tome future day the highlands of
Ethiopia were selected as a sanatarium for India. Zula,
the place of Lending, wee so abort a distance from Magdola,
that the guns could be heard firing at the latter place from
it ; so that with respect either to climate or the facilities
of travelling he saw nothing to dread for the expedition.
(Cheers.) The political difficulties were quite another
question.
Dr. Bete said that the best proof of the healthiness
of Abyssinia was that the captives bad retained their
health throughout the whole of their captivity. He could
not reed the CYO of a single European who had died of
the climate in Abyssinia. (Chong.)
Lord HOUGHTON concurred in the observations of Sir tr.
Rawlineon as to the importance of the political aspects of
the Abyssinia question. If her Majesty's government
should not be able to show that they had exhausted all
milder means for the liberation of the captives before de-
termining on this castle expedition they would have in-
curred a heavy responribilty. He should also like to know
whether they had taken proper means to consult all the
beat authorities on the peculiarities of the country, and
those who were capable of giving them the beat advice.
(Tbe noble lord's observations did not meet the general
trent of the meeting.)
The Peksinitxr begged to inform the noble lord that be
himself and the Geographical Society bad been consulted
by her Majesty's government, and the impression was that
no expedition had ever been started, either from here or
India, in which greater previous pains had been taken to
obtain all the necessary information. (Cheers.)
Mr. H. SEYMOUR reminded the noble lord that
the cantivea themselves hail stated that their only
hope was in an expedition. (Hear, hear.) Sir K.
Napier would have the co-operation of the King of
Shea, and also that of the Pacha of Egypt, so
that if Theodorus retreated before him be would be
completely hemmed in, and would find escape impossible.
Under all the circumstances he (Mr. Seymour) had the beat
hopes of the expedition.
After some further conversation the proceedings ter-
minated.

DEATH OF THE EARL OF MORAY.—Our obituary
columns announce the death of John Stuart. twelfth Earl
of Moray, in his seventy-first year. The deceased peer
succeeded to the title on the death of his brother in 18;1,
and since coming into possession has taken no part in
public life. He served in the army from 1315 to Iter., and
was Vice-Lieutenant of Elginshire. He is succeeded by
his younger brother Archibald George, born 11410, a lieu-
tenant-colonel in the army. In the present generation we
have heard little of the Earls of Moray, bat the name is
deeply associated with the religious history of the country,
the title having been conferred in 1561 on the illustrious
Prior of St. Andrews (afterwards Regent) by his sister,
Mary Queen of Scots. While quartering on his shield the
Red Lion of Scotland, the earl commemorated the religiose
enthusiasm of his day by taking as his motto Saba per
Christi( PR Redrawtoron. Locally the name is very familiar
from the fact that a portion of the Moray estate, situated
in the north-west of Edinburgh, came to be, within the
memory of the present generation comprehended within
our civic territory. Our older citizens still remember
Moray-park, now bailt over by Moray-place, and many
handsome streets and crescents, bearing the family mime
of the house of Stuart.—Edinburgit Courant.
THE CHANCELLORSHIP or THE UNIVERSITY OP
EDINBURGH.—In the event of the possible retirement from
impaired health of Lord Brougham from the Chancellorship
of our university, it has, we learn, been resolved upon to
propose for that honour his Royal Highness the Duke of
Edinburgh. Should the choice fall on his royal highness—
of which there cannot be a doubt—it would be an appro.
priate compliment to a prince who, during his residence
among us, availed himself of the benefits of our schook,
took a lively interest in all our institution., and by his
urbanity won the admiration of the community. The
university that so recently dirt itself honour by conferring
upon Prince Alfred a degree, could not do itself greater
service than by conferring on so popular and accomplished
• prince the highest honour and greatest distinction it has
in its power to bestow. We cannot conceive anything
more likely to gratify the venerable and illustrioua peer
than his being succeeded by • prince of the blood who owes
part of his early education to the same school as
ifdiniotroA Courant.
A NOVELTY IN RATE COLLECTING.—NO less than
43 small householders were summoned before the. Pools
maghdrates on Thursday by the Longflect overseers for
eon-payment of the first rate made Fines the abolition of
the compounding system. The magistrates remarked on
the precipitancy of the overseers in issuing summonses, •
month not having elapsed since the rate was made. A few
who were in receipt of parochial relief were excused, but
for the rest they decided that the rates must be paid.
The costa of the summonses were excused. The In nch
reprobated the conduct of the assistant overseer, who hail
taken these summary measures on his own responsibility
for prompt collection by leaving at every house a card,
and requesting the rateable occupier to write en
it" the
letter' P"if he intended to pay, and the letter " 3 if
be preferred being summoned.
Deenatches were received yeeetrday at the Colo-
nialo from the Governor oLthe Bahamas.
PATENT-OFFICE MUSZUX, SOUTH KENNINOTON.
Number of visitors for the week eading Nov. 9, 1,790.
Total number since the opening of the Museum free daily
(12th May, 1858),1,199,150.