The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-19 00:00:00

THIS FERNDALE COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

The progress made by the exploring parties since
oar last report has been exceedingly slow and tedious. On
Wednesday about midnight it was believed that • lame
number would be got oat before the morning, and in the
contractor's heading of the Rhondda district • batch had
been got at and prepared for removal to the bottom of the
shaft, when unfortunately two heavy falls took place and
interrupted the work. In consequence of the frequent
°eminence of falls the engineers, concluding that no more
persons would be found alive, determined to abandon the
method hitherto Tangled, of merely driving
through and over the falls for the purpose of genial=
bodies, and from that time forth to clear the fall' as they
went, We believe that this course is now being adopted,
and the remit is that the bodies are reoovered verb slowly.
Some of those who have been down the pit think
that it will be quite another fortnight before all are
out. Several homes have bees exhumed from the
falls and brought up ; and another horse has
been recovered alive, but thoroughly exhausted. Those
who have been found are in such an advanced state of de-
composition that the bodies cannot be brought to bank,
and the coffins are sent down into the pit. Identification
in most cases is absolutely imposMble. Of the 21 who
Zb•• t out living but badly injured on the day of
ereex i
on, another, Thomas Davies, has died. He was
• carpenter, and worked in the stable in which it is said
the explosion originated. But on this point • piece of in-
timation has reached us from an authentic source which
we think goes • good way towards showing that the stable
was not the maws of explosion; the gas gauges were
blown, not away from the stable, but towards it. Of the
insured brought up some were in a state of suspended
animation., and it may interest medical gentlemen to know
that the doctors passed over Dr. Marshall Hall's method
for restoring respiration, and adopted Sylvester's system
of artificial respiration, which was successful in each cue,
and the men are now doing well. We are glad to find that
the number of widows and orphans which the terrible
calamity has thrown upon the world is very
much smaller than wee at Bret computed. From
a house to house visit which has been made,
for the purpose of distributing relief, it appears
that, exclusive of the late manager's family, there
are 63 widows and 125 children. Since Thursday last the
bodies have been recovered in twos and threes at long in.
servals and it is beyond human knowledge in the present
state of things to say when the whole of the victims will
be got out. The baguet will be opened on the 24th inst.
The story of the stolen watch, which appeased in our im-
pression on Friday, has, we are glad to report, been ex-
plained. The lieratyr Express, in its report of the
disaster,says :—" The report of the stolen watch, we
rejoice to say, has been explained, and the explanation is
painfully interesting. A body, which had been identified
from its face, was taken to the house of its friends, but
while being undressed a watch was discovered upon it.
The people of the house knew that their relative had no
watch, and on examining the clothes • piece was found on
the knee of the trousers which was not on the knee of the
trousers of the young man belonging to that house. It
was therefore concluded that they had brought hone the
wrong body, and this turned out to be the case. It arose
through mistaken identity ; there has been no watch stolen
from anybody."

ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION OF THE LIVERPOOL
Cover or PAIIBaOZ.—Mr. Hardy, the Home Sesstary, In
answer to a deputation from the United Associatious of
Liverpool on this subject, has promised to communioate
with Mr. Graves, M.P., before the appointment of a new
judge is made, in order that some arrangement may be
made as to Admiralty business.
A MODEST JURYMAN.—Yesterday at the Old
Bailey, one of the persons who was summoned to serve on
the petty Mu, upon his name being called, handed op a
note to the Common Se east, in which be stated that be
had lame convicted of felony and sentenced to six months'
imprisonment, and he, therefore, did not moulder himself
aSt person to try others. The excuse was at owe ad-
mitted, and the party was told that be was relieved from
the duty of attending as a juror.
THE ALTON MURDIR.—The omimilaion for the
Hampshire winter gaol delivery will be opened at the
Castle of Winchester on Saturday, the 30th inst. Baker,
the lawyer's clerk, who stands committed for the murder
of Fanny Adams, at Alton, wader aircumskusees of patellar
atrocity, will be tried at these wises. The presiding
judge as the cameos will be Mr. Justice Mellor.
- The Moniker, the official journal of the French
Empire, is henceforth to be represented in the United
Kingdom, the Colonies, and America, by Messrs. J. M.
Johnson and Soma, of Castle-street, Holborn, the Conoco-
domains of the Paris Eahibition Ce•alogue•
An ingenious mode of robbery has been lately
practised in various districts in Logician. A girl, respect-
ably dressed and shoat 15 years, calls with a companion
about dusk at a particular house, and asks for " the man-
gling clothes." The call is made on the day and about the
time the garments, ks., intended for mangling are usually
given out, and limy have in many Ulstermen been handed
over without lissilatioa, sad have been heard of so mere.
Citvirrat PALACE. Owl SHILLING DAT.—
MONDAY, Nov. 18.—Adraisioes on payment, 499; ditto
by semis tickets, 819, Tonal visitors, 1,318.
ROYAL FREI HOSPITAL, GRAII*S-lIIN-ROAD. —The
number of pate ate relieved at this hospital during the
week maw Nov. 16 was 3,138, et which 1,039 were new
ans.

________---,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION POR THE PROMOTION
OP SOCIAL SCIZECIL

The first meeting of the department of jurisprn.
dense and amendment of the law for the melon 1867-61
took place yesterday evening at Adam-street, Adelphl„
The chair was taken by Sir Truvrau Queen's Advo.
rate. The address from the standing committee of the
department, which was read by Mr. Morley, alluded to the
several pieces of legialation of last session of parliament.
and complained of the slipshod way in which so many acts
of parliament were prepared. It next quote.l approvingly
Mr. Justice O'Hagan's opinion in favour of a codificataon
of the law, the appointment of amistant barristers as in
Ireland, and of a public prosecutor. The probable results
of the Reform Act were then glanced at, and a regret ex.
that the paramount importance of that measure
Crcluseti parliament to throw over many measures of
very high importance. The remainder of the address was
occupied principally with a series of extracts from the
proceedings of the Social Science Association at Belfast,
and an enumeration of measures of legal reform which hid
been introduced, but had not become law, during the page
session of parliament. In conclusion, the address strongly
recommended the attention of the members to the subject
of martial law, with a view to its c)mplete and early reef
sion. In the brief discussion which followed, Mr. Edgar
expressed himself hostile to any interference with martial
law. In his opinion, the recent charge of the Chief Jos.
tire exhausted the subject. With respect to the Master
and Servants Act, he gave it his hearty approval as em.
bodying the same recommendations which year after year
had been given by that association. The great feature of
the act was to equalise master and servant in the eye of
the law. It was no longer the law that the waster should
have a criminal remedy, and the servant only a civil one, in
similar cues.

Mr. CHISHOLM Alessi made a few observations
respecting the act for the repeal of obsolete statutes which
had past last session, and which was called the longest act
ever passed by parliament. He contended generally that
the labours of last session had been completely forestalled
by those of the statute board in 1864, and that the
" longest act" in fact embodied only a third of the sub.
jects which had been digested and arranged by the board,
Further he contended that the repealing clauses of that
statute were imperfect, inasmuch as they revived the
principle of the obsolete and repealed statutes. For
these reasons he could not accord an unqualified panegyric
to the act of last session.

Mr. Cuaruis CLARKE contendad that the act of last
session was as complete a repeal as could have been
effected consistently with the interests of justice.
Mr. GEORGE HARRIS complained of the irregular
manner in which bills were prepared for parliament, and
recommended the appointment of • revising officer
by the House of Commons. From private sources
of information he had reason to believe that the royal
speech of this day would contain a copious programme
of legal reforms, especially as regarded the question of
bribery at elections. Mr. Edward Webster urged imam.
diets attention to the real property laws, as well as those
of entail and primogeniture, which were sure to be brought
prominently before the public by the operation of the late
reform act. The new electors would be anxious to acquire
property in land, and would, therefore, not improbably
agitate against the laws to which he had alluded. Hs
must confess that his hopes of the new parliament were by
no means over sanguine. (Hear, hear.) He Was she
anxious to see the enormous wealth of the Inns of Coon
applied to the purposes of legal education. The mods
in which these wealthy institutions prepared candidates
for the bar was absolutely ridiculous.
Mr. Howar.t, would have wished to see more attention
paid by the association to the law of partnership. The
French law of partnership might with great advantage be
introduced into this country.
Sir EARDLEY WILMOT noticed, amongst other subjects,
the unsatisfactory state of the criminal law. In sonic
eases the recommendations to mercy of juries were corn.
pletely disregarded; in others the most atrocious mini.
nals were let off without rhyme or reason. He alluded
particularly to the case of a man named Scott, who was
tried at Birmingham for murder, and sentenced to death.
That man had been reprieved nobody could tell why,
although • most atrocious criminal, and one who gloried
in his criMe. _ _

Mr. ROBERT STTART was most anxious for the appoint.
went of a public prosecutor.
Mr. SETTORD pointed out that the appointment of a
public prosecutor would have a great effect in preventing
such exhibitions of perjury as had recently been seen in
cases got up by the polios. Aa a matter of fact, there
were no prosecutions for perjury except those which was,
instituted by individuals. With • public prosecutor, all
important cams of perimy would be prosecuted.
After • few observations from the PRZAIDECT on the
importance of considering the laws of bankruptcy and of
partnership, and the othee subjects which bad been touched
on in the course of the diaossiou , the address was adopted,
and the sitting terminated with the usual vote of thanks.

QuEszurrowx, Nov. 18.—The Cunard extra
steamship Heck from New York arrived here at 11.15
p.m. to-day with 132 paseengen. She landed 45 of them
and despatches, and proceeded at 11.30 p.m. for Liverpool.
—Reek'''. Telegram.

RErszearcranorr or TnirivOßD.—A vacancy ham
suddenly occurred in the ropmentation of Thetford, Mr.
A. H. Haring having announced his intention to retire.
Lord F. Fitzroy is can the electors in the liberal
interest ; and yesterday the lard Advocate of Scot'and
announced his intention to contest the seat. The Lord
Advocate was to sddress a meeting of the electors yester-
day evening. Lord F. Fitzroy represented the borough
from 1863 to 1865. _ _

Tare Nzw MAIL CONTRACTS. —At length the
terms of a. new contract for the conveyance of the India
and China mails have been imaged with the Peninsular
and Oriental Company ; and the new service, which will
oome into operation in February next, will be organised on
a basis which in most respects must be considered very
satisfactory. The contract is for • longer period than the
previous one (which was for seven years), and its terms are
considerably higher. On these two points we are unable
to give more precise information at present, it being con-
sidered inexpedient to publish full details until they are
submitted to parliament at the approaching session. The
Marseilles route will still be adhered to, and between that
port and Alexandria there will be a weekly direct line of
steamers in conjunction with • weekly line between Suez
and Bombay. The Bombay mails will be made up in
London each Friday evening, and the service abroad will
be arranged with a view to ensure the delivery of the
homeward mails in London on Monday morning. There
will be • fortnightly service between Suez and Calcutta
and China, connecting at Galle, as as present ; and the
mails for these places will be despatched with every alter-
nate Bombay mail. In like manner the homeward China
and Calcutta mail will be timed to reach Suez simultane-
ously with every alternate Bombay steamer. In short, the
China mail in future will be • fathightly one, instead of
twice in the calendar month ; it will be despatched every
alternate Friday, and delivered here, all circumstances
being favourable, every alternate Monday. On this side of
the isthmus the whole systemwill consist of a weekly vessel
between Marseilles and Alexandria direct, with another
to and from Southampton, touching gst Malta se at pre
sent. It will be observed that no conWact has been mule
for • line between Brindisi and Alexandria ; as the port of
Brindisi could not be substituted entirely for Marseilles
an extra service has been decided against, on the Wan of
outlay. The Australian mail will be once in every four
weeks, joining the China steamer at Gallo, as at present.
The advantages of the scheme are obvious. The uncertain
intervals between the making up of the mails, owing
to the difference in the lengths of the months
and the intervention of Sundays, disappear in favour
of • system of regularity and fixed days. The
partial amalgamation of the two services cannot fail to
have • favourable effect in promoting thermal punctuality
in the delivery of the inward mails. The days selected for
despatch and arrival are beyond doubt the most suitable
ones. And it is satisfactory to know that the new era are
are about to enter upon is • permanent and not as eNperi•
mental one. It will be observed that the existing slue"
of one line between Buss and Calcutta, and another
between Bombay and China—with transhipment at Gallo
—ls still to be retained, instead of giving place to the
direct trunk line from Sues to Hong Kong that we he"
always advocated. We must, however, rest content with
this arrangement for the present, as the outlay involved by
the direct line is more than the Post-office will sanction.
We are assured, however, that the boat from Calcutta will
always be despatched in time to avoid the yowl*
bility of detention to the China mail. It will
be seen that the new service, however satisfactory i 2
itself, will not harmonies with the French line at all
indeed, if the Messageries steamers continued to be ila
spatched on the 19th of the month, probably in most eases
the facilities at present offered by the French mail will be
absolutely nullified. We imagine, however, that the
French company will find it expedient to make a correspond-
log alteration by despatching their vessels on a given JAY
in every fourth week, so as to bring their departure mid-
way between two of the P. and 0. mails. We trust some
suet arrangement as this will be urged by our own govern-
ment on that of Frame. We may add that Satunkiy is the
day fixed for both arrival and departure of the south-
iunpton steamers, and that the duration of stay at Siert
pore, and the question of calling at Penang, are soil
andecided.—Loadon and China Triegraph.
Early on Saturday morning, the employA,
opening the extensive retail grocery department of the
Baeup Co-operative Stores, which are situate on the
ground door, found the place piled up with broken ilea-
imagery, earthenware, bacon, broken timber, a hire
quantity of bags of dour in all directions, parcels 0§
groceries mingled in confusion with heavy wring"'
machines and such like articles. It appeared that dung
Friday night the store-room, which is above the grocer/
and general shop, had fallen? in consequence of the grel
quantity of goods stored in it. The building was eras"
in 18§i2. The damage will be considerable.
THE ROYAL HOSPITAL FOB DISEASES OP TO
CHS.r,„Cuirrris-soh.piAo.—taThduring enumbzre
pasto f pe 2 izetsk
,unodunerwalnawt•
.eutv
920, of which 75 were new cases.
'the most wholesome breakfast is made of DV
BASEr's Zavanxe• C 110001.4111 PORDIM, to Uns of It CT!,
fa ; to cups, 34. ad.: 48 espy es ; 228 cups, SOL . 576 curl'. ,;
It ts mare delicious, sad Downg than th..."
concentrated beet. Alto adapted to rear Infanta with.—Da Bared
and Co., 77, Ssetut-qewhaat, W., Loadon—ithveinssluem§