The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-10 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 10, 1861.

NAVAL AND MILITARY.

A hall K•LTV, JAN. 9. —PR)(7TION't AND AP-
rowno:s r 4. —Lieutenant J. E. M. WiLion, to the Im•
pregnable.
surgeon W. H. Wooda, to the Trident.
Engineer R. C. Reynolds, promoted to the rook of chief
engineer, and appointed to the Cumberland, for (ho-go of
the machinery of the ilalao:a.
• 'lerk R. C. Webb, to the Royal Albert.
Naval Cadet L. W. Sewell, to the Trafalgar.

CHATHAM, iAlf. 9.
In consequence of the immense quantity of float-
ing ice in the Medway the greatest difficulty has been
experienced the whole of the day in communicating with
the varimi, vessels of war in harbour, the different boats'
crews having to force their way through the broken frag-
ments of ies which base accumulated along the side of the
river near the dockyard and Gun-wharf. The government
steamers have been scarcely able to reach the railway pier
at Strood owing to the muses of floating ice through which
they had to fusee their way.

Last week we mentioned that an Isle of Wight
packet was fired into between Portsmouth and Cowes by
persous engaged in gunnery practice. In consequence of
this the government hese prohibited arum between Porte-
mouth aail Southampton Water. It appears that young
cams, for the sake of frolic, have repeatedly, when en-
- in gunnery practice, tried bow near they could fire to
tie Isle of Wight packets without hitting them.
•

VOLUNTEER PRESENTATION.—One of the first and
most energetic supporters of the volunteer movement was
Lieut.-Colonel King, for many months captain of the 2n4
Cheshire Corps, whose headquarters are at Claughtou, near
Birkenhead. In connexion with his recent promotion, the
members of the corps intend to present Colonel King, on
Saturday next, with a handsome ,'peryne, manufactured by
Mourc Elkingtoc and Co.
CB ktn's 110ertTA I. RIFLE VOLI7 NTEERs. —A
meeting was held last evening in the great hall of Christ's
Hospital, to take into consideration the measures to be
soplied for the extension of the volunteer movement in
omuctioa with the above corps. Major-General White
task Ike &air, and said the object of the meaiiag was to
Wines members to enrol themselves. the corps had re-
ceived great support from the Duke of Cambridge and the
governor of the school, and the facilities afforded were
very great. They had the use of the butts at Beau-
fort. House, and also those at Caterhant. He
hoped nothing would prevent many of them join-
ing, without distinction of age, rank, or title. Hs
un Mr. Foster White, treasurer of M. Bartholomew's
Hospital, who, in moving the first resolution, said that as
boys they had stood shoulder to shoulder in the school, and
it would be a most gratifying thing to see them so stand in
the ranks in defence of their country. Mr. W. Gilpin,
imaginer of Christ's Hospital, briefly seoonded, and am
pressed his gratification at seeing the Old Blass meeting
together for such a purpose. The resolution was then put
and carried turaniniously—" That this meeting, fully
recognising the expediency of the volunteer move-
ment, most cordially approves of and supports the
Christ's Hospital Rifle Volunteers." Mr. Highton moved,
and the Rev. Mr. Gurney seconded, the next resolution—
" That this meeting urges all gentlemen who have been
connected with the foundation of Christ's Hospital to enrol
themselves at once as members of the Volunteer Corm"
Thi- was carried, as sou also another to the effect that only
gentlemen educated at and connected with the (Sty
Foundation Schools, TU.. Charterhouse, Merchant Tarrors',
St. Paul's, City of London, and Mercers' Schools, be e Tay
to join the movement already originated by Christ's foss
pita. Captain Citrtwright, of the Christ's Hospital Volun-
teen, said that he desired to direct attention to the position
in which his corps was at present placed. They had been
by Lord Rail: u a division of the South
sh=it Corps, and his Captain Cartwright's) object in
rib* was to suggest that other public schools should
form thenwelvcs into similar corps, when he knew they
would be gladly accepted by the South MidUesex as a
divisional corps, and go on until they were strong enough
to form a brigade of their owe, and he might say that the
expense of the uniform was 711. 3e. lid., which included all
costs and charge. ; it was the contract price, and was ex•
ceedingly servweable, warm, and comfortable.

THI PZLV'U'Z .OOLLIIRT 111PLOSION IN
sours WALES.
INQUEST ON THE BODIES.
RIBCA, WEDNESDAY Erman.
After various delays, rendered necessary in con-
sequence of the difficulty in recovering the bodice of the un-
fortunate men who lee their lives by the fearful explosion
which took place in the Black Vein Pit, belonging to the
Rica Coal and Iron Company, on Saturday, the Ist of
December last, Mr. W. H. Brewer, the deputy-coroner
for the district, this morning resumed the inquiry with
the view of bringing it to • conclusion. The jury
assembled about twelve o'clock in the clubroom at the
Albert Avon, but for want of room the proceedings were
afterwards adjourned to the British School-room. Witnesses
were ordered out of the room during the evidence.
The total number of deaths has been 142, 139 of whisk
occurred in the pit, and. three "above ground," from the
effects of. injuries received by the explosion. The body et'
one man only now remain, underground, and active
measures are being adopted to recover it.
The inquiry excited much interest in the neighbourhood,
and award those present were Mr. Lionel Brough,
_thel
government inspector of mire for the district ; Mr.
putts, the reneger of the Rica Coal sad bee Company ;
Mr. tale n, his solicitor ; sad Mr. Owes, el Newport.
who for the relatives and (erode of some of the
d. Many of the workmen and friends of the de-
ceased were also present in the inquest-room. IA plan of
the underground workings was laid on the table to facilitate
the inquiry.)
The first witness called was
Charles Anderson Harrison, who said—l am general
viewer of the whole of the Rises Colliery. On the Ist of
December, • little after six o'clock in the morning, I de-
scended .No. 1 Black Vein Pit, and examined the " in-take
air" with my lamp, and found • good air going. I then
went through the double doors to the east side return
and found the return air good. I then proceeded up
the east rennet, to what we call the mountain
side crossheadi% where the west return meets the east
return and examined. I their proceeded up the return to the
east pit, and found all was right. I returned back again
down the west aide of the shaft, and came through the
two serration doors on the west side to the pit. I then
emend the pit to the east side, and there I met the over-
awe, Evan Beddow. I asked him how all was going on
this morning, and he said " all is right." I then measured
the air in the main " in-tske," sad then came out of the
pit with my son. The quantity of air when I measured was
37,600 cubic feet per minute. After I came up the pit I
went to breakfast, and then went to the Hock Vein
Pit to examine the workings there,. and my
son descended the Black Vein Pit again. A man
Lamed Coker came to me at the Rock Vein Pit,
and told me that the sulphur had gone off in the Black
Vein Pit, and I immediately came down to the Black
Vein Pit, saying to Coker " I can't believe it."
I tossed off my coat and trousers, got • lamp, and de-
wended the pit immediately, and went to the wen side
separation dome, which I found all right. I then ran to
the oast side separation doom, and found them all right. I
then went to the top of the slope, where I met • man who
told me that two men had gone into the first east. I then
' went to examine the separation doors at 'the first west, and
having totted them all right went to the regulator, which I
also food right. I then went down to the second east,
where I found my own son. He was alive. I lifted him
up so that he could get fresh wind, and then I left him. 1
next found David Jenkins, three or four yards off, lead.
Then I came upon Geom. Lewis and Lewis Thome, alive;
and afterwards William Thomas, a " dukey" man, as be is
called on the books. I went to the second week and found
the two doors gone. 1 got the duel put up
to throw the wind further down. As soon as that
was dose, I directed some of the men to p In
there, and I ian down to the third west over the mall fall,
till I got up to tho big fall. I tried to get over but I could
not, there being no room. I then went round and endea-
voured to get into the fourth east, but could not, bemire
of another fall. I then came up the slope again to the
second east, and went along there to try to get down the
return to the fourth east, but could not, because of folk
I came 7bthe dope once more, and sent throe men
the old tto see about • roan and boy who were
there. ey were both brought down, and f then
down the slope again and related in getting the bodies out.
When I went round the pit in the morning I found the air
particularly good, cooing from each side in the returns.
By. the Jury—The amount of air was sufficieet is my
opini.on, We sometimes have .re air going, sod two or
three months ago we had 42, ei feet going. Our venti-
lator would have to go about 64 strokes per minute to pro-
duce the amount of air that was in the pit on the morning
of the explaion.
By Mr. Brough—l produce the certified copy of rules
and a map of the colliery. Our means of ventilation are by
machinery. The diameter of each cylinder is 15 feet 6 inches,
working on a 6 feet stroke. It will go 8 strokes per ini-
tiate, which should produce 48,868 cubic feet per minute.
We generally get from 37,000 to 38,000 cubic feet of air per
minute. That is a difference of 10,000 to 11,000 feet, and
is caused by leakage in the ram of the machinery. I
don't think any of the difference is caused by the " dreg"
on the east side. Some weeks or months since never a man
complained to me of danger and refused to go in. The
faces of the levels, headings, and stalls were always bene-
ficed right up within 6 yards of the face. The men lit
their lamps when blown out by ally chance at the
dope. We had naked lights in the stops, accord-
ing to the special rules laid down by government.
The rule that applies to this is number 42 in our
book, and is sanctioned by the Secretary of State.
There could not have been • supplementary furnace for
ventilation in the Hill Pit, because that pit is nearly run
together, and the air would have baffled the furnace. A
furnace was suggested at the bottom of the present up-cast
pit by myself when Mr. Dobson was our consulting viewer.
We talked the matter over, but he decided in favour of the
machine, as able to produce more wind. As Mr. Dobson
had bad great experience in machine ventilation, I gave
way to his recommendation, although I had never seen any
machine ventilation myself. This machine ventilation was
Mr. Dobson. proposal, not mine. I did not consider it
eecereary to have more splits on the east side, because
it would not be possible to put in crossway, by reason of
the bad top sod "pricking" bottom. Crossings and air
bridges could not have been put in. I did intend to shut
np the east side workings, at the recommendation of Mr.
Brough ; and the day on which the accident happened was
the last they would have been worked. I fixed on
that particular day, because we had other places to put the
men who had been working there. The Black Veto Pit
would not have been ventilated better by means of a
furnace at the present pumping pit. We tried it many
years ago, but we could not get a sufficient amount of
ar. It only produced 10,000 feet of air. The diameter of
the pumping pit is 9 feet. We bid two wood doors and •
cloth door in the headings, and there were sheets between
the double doors and the cross headings. We bad re
frame doors in the stalls, which were opened by door-boys,
one of whom went with each " haulyer." We did not
depend upon self-dosing door —that was the rearm we
had the boys there ; and by ride 25 every perms peeing
through • door must shut it after him. The largest
quantity of air I ever measured before the explosion was
42,000 feet ; but since the accident I have measured
43,000. Before the introduction of the ventilator we venti-
lated by a furnace at the bottom of the Hill Pit, and
then we got from 15,000 to 18,000 feet. There has not been
a single explosion, fatal or otherwise, except the present
one, in the Black Vein Pit, during the four years and three
months that I have been there. The size of the downcast
pit is 16 feet by 10 feet, and the ventilating pit is the same
size. 59 feet is the sectional area of the smallest ion of
the stnpe, and the cross headings are 6 feet by 7 feet, the
levels being the same, as are also the level winclways. The
spout boles are 6 feet by 4 feet. lam the reeponsible ma.
pager of the underground workings, hut I have to consult
with the manner when there is anything particular to be
done in the pit. (In the east eiders coal runs about Bft. Sin.
thick, and on the west side it is about lift The air was
good on Friday night, the 30th November. There is • night
overman, whose duty it is to examine the workings and
report to me, or to the day overman. Wm. Ilsrri h, and
two other surviving firemen, can testily to the slate of
the pit on the mores of Deoetnber 1. I do not
doubt that • new pit, 280 yards deep, would be an im-
provement to the colliery, as it would enable us to
get male in lager quantities and cheaper, and
no doubt it would elm improve the ventilation.
A " blower" in Sage's stall on the morning of the explo.
soon was no doubt the cause of the accumulation of gas. I
think the pit fired down between the third and fourth east.
I have not found any lamps with the gauze off. There are
thirty-three lamps to find vet. We have found four lamps
unlocked, all good—not bulged or smashed. There is no
doubt that the explosion was caused by an accident to a
lamp, or by a naked light being ewes& We feted one
lamp with a mandrel hole in it. The four unlocked Loge
were not found at the suspected place of exploeion, but in
the first east level. The one with the mandrel hole was
found in No. 4 eroereading of No. 4 east level, near the
body of Richard dimities. It was his owe lamp, as will be
sworn to by the Impair.
By the Jury—William Thomas found this lamp. A
policeman was directed to fetch all the lampsfound since the
explosion.
By Mr. Brough-1 dos% think one man was burnt to
death. I saw most of them as they were brought up. I
should think all in the third and second west were killed
by the falls, aed about 70 died (from after-damp. have
tried for firedamp upon the "gob.," but have only die-
covered blackilamp.
You had no suspicion of danger on the morning of the
explosion I
Witness—Not the slightest. I would just as soon have
gone in the pit to sleep as in my own bed. Ido believe •
" blower" would have occasioned the accumulation al pa
I saw no occasion that morning to remove all the men, boys,
sod hones out of the pit. We had enough ventilation thee
morning for ordinary eurposes to satisfy the fint gral
rale, and I believe had the lamps held good, theean