The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-02 00:00:00

TELLERS.
G.bson, Thomas
Ewart, W.

122.
Manners, I.ord C.
Maunsell, 'l'. P
Meynell, 11.
Noel, W. M.
Norreys. Lord
Packe, C. W.
Palo er, Robert
Palmer, G.
Parker, M. E. N.
Parker, R. T.
\Plumptre, J. P.
Polhill, F.
Pringle, A.
Rae, sir William
licc larrdcsl, 1
l W.
Rolleston, Colonel
Round, ohn
Ruslibrooke, Colonel
Sandon, Lord
.haw, Frederick
Sheppard, Thomas
Shirley, J. E.
Sinclair, Sir Geerge
Stanley, E.
Stormont, Lord
Teigntnouth, Lord
Tnoinas, Colonel
Thompson, Ald.
Th,rnhill, George
Vere, Sir C. B.
Vernier, W.
Vivian. J. E.
Waddington, 11. S.
Welby, G. Earle
Wodohouse, K
Wood, Captain
Young, John

TELLERS.
Sibthorp, Colonel
Baggy, W.

COAL PVC EXPLOSION at SOUTH
SHIELDS.—GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.

(From the Tyne Pilot.)
A most dreadful and lamentable explosion, attended
with a vast sacrifice of human life, occurred at the St.
Hilda's Colliery, the property of Messrs. W. and J.
Bundling (from which are procured the coals known by
the name of the " St. Hilda's Walls-end "), this (Friday)
morning. The first notice of the explosion given at the
mouth of the pit was about a quarter to nine o'clock, when
the banksman was alarmed-by seeing the smoke from the
pit-furnace, mixed with fragments of small coals, ascend-
ing the down cast shaft. A short time after the men and
boys, to the number of about one hundred, were brought
to the mouth of the pit; but the only thing they could tell
was that an explosion had taken place in what is called the
west working of the pit. Many of these were nearly ex-
hausted from the effects of the choke-damp, but those who
were sufficiently well again, in a short time descended the
pit, accompanied by some other of the men who had not
been down, for the purpose of making what exertions they
possibly could fur the rescue of the men and boys who
were left behind. However, none were found alive ; and
about eleven o'clock the bodies of the sufferers began to be

brought to the bank.
As the pit is situated almost in the centre of the town,
the inhabitants felt the full force of the dreadful event, and
the groups and crowds that were collected together, and
gathered about the scene of the explosion, seemed deeply
to feel this sudden and awful stroke of death occurring at
their own doors, and coming home to the firesides and

families of some of them.
As we approached the pit the solemn spectacle was ex-
tremely touching and solemn. Mothers waiting for their
children, children for their parents, relatives for those
who should no more appear in life before them, and mul-
titudes of sympathising spectators who were either silent
or spoke in whispers, While occasionaily the cart convey-
ing one of the corpses and vainly filled with straw, as if
to soften the couch of death, passed through the shudder-
ing crowds—all this presented a scene which no words
can pourtray, but which no eye that beheld it could see
without tears.
Entering the colliery yard the awful interest of the
scene increased. It would have been cruel to have ex-
cluded the agitated and anxious relatives of those whose
fate was not vet known, and miserable groups of men,
women, and children, waited with all the inexpressible
agony of such doubt depicted on their countenances, for
the moment that should tell them they were orphans,
widows, cr childless.
One by one the sufferers were brought out from the
shaft, presenting in their relaxed frames, dull eyes and
features in which life seemed still lingering, objects of
deep interest. As they were carried by their comrades
down to the carts which were in waiting to convey them
away, they were recognized by a brother, a wife, or a child ;
and the terrible agony that was exhibited it is impossible to
describe. The most earnest and unremitting exertions
were made by the medical men present, but generally in
vain ; not one instance having occurred, we believe, in
which inflation of the lungs was successfully resorted to.
The judicious application of the proper remedies were,
however, we have reason to believe, useful, in some cases
which might otherwise have terminated fatally.
The bodies of the sufferers were not much burnt or mu-
tilated, as is generally supposed. The hair in many in-
stances was singed and the skin here and there blackened ;
but in other respects the bodies presented no unusual
and
ap-
pearance. The simultaneous nature of the explosion,