The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-06 00:00:00

The Worsborough Colliery Catastrophe.

There is very little to report (says the Sheffield
Independent of yesterday) in reference to the pro-
ceedings at Edmund's Main. The water is flowing
steadily into the mine from the trench connected
with the adjacent; stream, and measures are being
taken to increase the volume of water very largely,
and so expedite the tedious operation of flooding
the workings. The water was conveyed in large
pipes, laid at a depth of fourteen or fifteen feet ; but
the quantity poured into the shaft by this means
has not been found sufficient speedily to accomplish
the object in view, and men have been set to work
to reopen the trench, and when this has been done,
as much water as can possibly be diverted into the
trench will be thrown into the mine. The cupola
shaft has been rendered perfectly tight, and there
are several feet of water upon the clay puddling
above the furnace drift. In one of the up cast
shafts an aperture, closed by a sort of wooden safety
valve, has been left, in order to test the air from

time to time. A test which was made a day or two
ago showed that a great quantity of gas has been
generated in the mine. The cap of the valve was
removed for our special edification, and the impri-
soned air and gas rushed forth with the force of a
furnace blast.

It is not expected that, even with the great
volume of water that will be poured in during next
week, the water will be "roofed" for ten or twelve
days yet, and the pumping out will be a still more
tedious process. Great difficulty will, no doubt, be
experienced in emptying the dip boardgates, which
are much below the level of the other parts of the

mine,

The subscription for the relief of the sufferers
has now reached the handsome sum of £1,300.
We regret to learn that the proper distribution of
the fund has been hitherto prevented by the course
taken by the' poor-law guardians. It is alleged
that they have sought to throw the support of the
bereaved in a great measure, if not entirely, upon
the relief fund. The committee who have the super-
intendence of the fund maintain that the guardians
have nothing whatever to do with their operations,
but that they ought to relieve the sufferers as they
would any other "destitute" persons, without re-
ference to the amounts which may be granted out
of the subscriptions. At the meeting to organise
the subscription, held on the 11th of December, it
was resolved to set on foot a public subscription in
aid of the surviving sufferers, " in addition to such
parochial relief as may be granted by the authorities
of the district." The course of the committee was
thus clearly defined. On the other hand, it is
alleged that as persons cannot claim relief from the
union funds until they are entirely "destitute," as
long as the bereaved are receiving relief from the
committee they cannot be looked upon as destitute
persons, and have accordingly no legal claim. How-
ever, the guardians have granted relief to some of
the claimants, but only for a fortnight, or until
their next meeting; and the Rev. W. Banham, the
incumbent of Dale, has distributed two sums of
money which were sent to be applied for the relief
of the " immediate necessities " of the sufferers, the
fund proper being left in bank to await the course
taken by the guardians. A settlement of the ques-
tion is imperatively demanded, in order that unne-
cessary suffering may not be inflicted upon the
widows and orphans who have been so suddenly
rendered destitute.

We have great pleasure in stating that her Ma-
jesty the Queen has sent a magnificent contribution
to the fund. The Rev. Mr. Banham wrote a few
days ago to the Home Secretary, stating the case on
behalf of the sufferers, and asking him to be good
enough to lay the purport of the letter before her
Majesty. Sir G. Grey forwarded the letter to Sir
C. Phipps, who communicated with Mr. Banham,
asking to be supplied with some further information
and the list of subscriptions. The required infor-
mation was duly laid before her Majesty, and the
result was communicated in the following gratify-
ing letter :

Osborne, Dec. 27, 1862.

Sir,—l have had the honour to submit your letters to her
Majesty the Queen, and I have received the commands of
her Majesty to forward you the enclosed cheque for £lOO,
as the subscription of her Majesty towards the fund for the
relief of the widows and orphans of the sufferers by the late
colliery accident at Edmund's Main,—l have the honour to
be, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

C. B. PHIPPS.

The Rev. IV. Banham, Worsbro' Dale.
The rev. gentleman has also received the follow-

ag:—

Dear Sir,—We have much pleasure in handing you a
cheque for £2l 2s. id., which amount has been contributed
by the clerks and workmen employed by the Sheffield Coal
Company towards the Edmund's Main Colliery Explosion
Relief Fund.—Yours, &c., _ _

BROWN and JEFFCOCI.

The Augsburg Gazette states that, in spite of
reports to the contrary, Baron Sina will continue to repre-
sent King Otho as Minister Plenipotentiary at the Courts
of Berlin, Vienna, and Munich,

A phenomenon observed within the last few days
at Varages (Vac) would seem to indicate that the
recent sudden changes in the weather in the South of
France have been accompanied by some disturbance below
the surface of the earth. A fine spring, which from time
iramemori 11 had supplied the above-named village with
water, last week suddenly poured forth a stream of water
entirely black and extremely nauseous. This continued for
three days, when the water began to clear, and is now as
limpid and as sweet as ever,
BBFORE JUDGE LYNCH.—The Memphis Bulletin
e were de-
notes the operations of a band of thieves on n the State
Line-road, near that city. A company of I';ne, towards
spatched, under command of Lieut. av'
White's Station in quest of them. Throe of the gang were
captured on the 4th December near the Seven
The
citizens ofd
in the vicinity
nds.
inhitayeollected, and the file of the
men was place
They adjudged that two
ou
eir
of the prisoners, who had been recognised,into
effect,sh
Bldefo be
Before
shot.their
' The order was immediately carried
execution Lieut. Lavigne asked them what they had done
with their booty, to which they replied that it was in the
hands of their partners at Memphis. He offered them life
and freedom if they would expose their accomplices, bu
they refused. The other prisonor was taken to the military
prim& at MenaPilis,