The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-13 00:00:00

THE

ANOTHER COLLIERY ACCIDENT.—LOSS
OE TWENTY-SEVEN LIVES.
PEMBREY, SOUTH WALES, MAY 11.-A. melancholy
accident happened last night. by which 27 colliers were
drowned. It appears tint about midnight the stock
waters of some ancient workings broke into Mr. Wat-
ney's great anthracite colliery, in the vale of Gwend-
raetb, from which only one man escaped. Being near
the bottom of the pit at the time, he was carried upon
the surface of the water to the top of the pit, a distance
of upwards of 500 feet. The water rapidly rose to the
surface of the pit, and overflowed into the valley below.
Had the accident happened in the daytime, more than
five times the number now lost would have perished.
The water will be got out again by the great pumping-
engines in a short time.

Yesterday
COLLIERY EXPLOSION
c nthet w
e NEAR
unfortunateAß lY iGA N.
the inquest
col-
liers,i killed on the 23d ult., by an explosion at Norley-
iil Colliery, near Wigan, was resumed, at Pemberton.
Ma.
r. Driffield, the coroner, advised the second wljourn-
ment of the inquiry ou the 3d inst., from a desire to have
as witnesses two colliers named John and James Ather-
ton, who had been badly burnt by the explosion, but
were in a fair way of recovery. John Atherton, collier,
who did not appear to be wholly recovered from the
burns he had received, said he was a son of Jaurck
Atherton, fireman in the pit. Went down the pit on the
morning of the explosion at five o'clock. Worked near
the sink, but James Atherton and another collier
worked beyond him, and nearer to the sink. The wit-
ness having hero been cautioned by the coroner, that he
eves not obliged to answer the next question, was
asked whether on the day of the explosion he worked
with his lamp closed or open? He replied that he
worked with it closed all that day. He sometiome-
Imes
worked with a candle, but not on that day. He s
times worked with the top off his lamp. He had given
over working with candles because lamps were as cheap.
lie could do as much work with a lamp as with a candle
when the top was off. Had worked with his lamp open
on the day before the explosion, but had not opened it
that day because he had not much work to do, Had
never heard a caution to work with their lamps closed
1 after a fall of the roof. When he first saw the
the explosion it was coming from towards James
Atherton's place, and not from Greenall's. Never saw
any stopping or brattice in the " cut-through." Ha
ld
d
fired a shot (or blasted the coal) that morning, but cou
not say if James Atherton had fired any shot in the after-
noon, near the time of the explosion. Did not know the
number of his lamp that day, and should not know his
own lamp if it was shown him. They used gunpowder
there—all the colliers did.—(The inquest was proceed-
log when our report left.)

THE CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
and the ENGINEERS' STRIKE.
Last night a meeting of trades delegates took place
at the Bell Inn, Old Bailey, to hear a report from a de-
putation which had, according to appointment, waited
upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer, at his official
residence in Downing-street, on Saturday last, to call
his attention to the recent conduct of employers of ope-
rative engineers in attempting to subvert the law, which
allows the combination of workmen for the regulation of
wages and the hours of labour.—Mr. J. Pettie, secretary
to the Trades' Conference, had been courteously received
by Mr. Disraeli, to whom it was stated that they waited
on him as a leading Minister of a Cabinet which had
professed its wish to protect as far as possible the inte-
rests of British industry, and to do justice to all parties.
They had pointed out to the attention of the Right Hon.
Gentleman the advantages connected with the existence of
trades societies, the Act of Parliament which gave them a
legal existence, and the mode in which they conceived
the master engineers to have subverted that Act, by re-
quiring men in their employment formally to renounce
all connexion with trade societies, by signing a declara-
tion to that effect, a copy of which was supplied by the
deputation. The deputation stated, further, that intense
anxiety was felt throughout the trades societies of the
country generally in reference to this matter, it being
feared that the " declaration" might be adopted by
employers in other trades, so as to strike at the exist-
ence of trade societies at large. The deputation, in con-
clusioe, laid before the Chancellor of the Exchequer a
copy of a petition which i 3 about to be presented to the
House of Commons, praying for inquiry into the conduct
of the master engineers, to which they requested the
support of the Right Hon. Gentleman, with his col-
leagues in the Government, and in the House of Com-
mons. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reply, ad-
mitted that the conduct of the master engineers was sub-
versive of the spirit of the law, and that the deputation,
in their petition, had adopted the right course of proce-
dure, as he himself should have proposed something of
the kind. He would give the petition his most serious
attention, and when presented to the House consider it
both as a Member of the House and a Minister; for the
deputation were right in supposing that he and his col-
, leagues in the Government intended to protect the inte-
rests of the British workmen, and to do justice to all
classes. The report was received without discussion.

—_-_ -
THE NICARAGUAN QUESTION.
PHILADEPRIA, MAY I.—The ditfiJulties with regard
to Nicarrgua, and the proper understanding of the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty, are last approaching a close, it
is believed. Mr. Webster and Mr. Crompton, the
British Minister, have had several conferences lately,
and with every disposition to bring about an adjustment.
As far as the United States and England are concerned,
there is reason to believe that already all the diffioulties
in the way of a satisfactory settlement (if any existed)
have been removed. The fact that Mr. Kum our
Charge to Nicaragua, has at length succeeded in finding,
a Government there to which to deliver his credentials,
will also facilitate the settlement.
Mr. Wyke, British Consul-General to Nicaragua, and
probably accredited to other states of Central America,
is now in this city.
The success which has attended the enterprise of Mr.
"Vanderbelt,in crossing the isthmus of Nicaragua, gives
to this question an increased interest and importance.