The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-26 00:00:00

TIIE ME.RTHY .R COLLIERYEXPLOSION

MERTHYR, MONDAY, FEB. 24.
The jury summoned by the coroner for inquiry
into the cause of this terrible calamity, from the
high intelligence and respectability of those com-
posing it, gives to public feeling here a guarantee
that the investigation will be a searching one, and
that the verdict will not only be impartial, but such
as will promote the interest which the public have
in arriving at a truthful conclusion in inquiries of
kind.

The Coroner (Mr. 0 verton), in addressing thejury,
stated that after viewing the bodies he intended
adjourning further proceedings in the inquiry to
Tuesday, March 4. Some parties:might be disposed
to think an adjournment over so long a period un-
necessary ; but, looking to the importance of the
inquiry, he was of opinion that the ends of the in-
quest would be best promoted by the course he
suggested, as it would enable the proper parties to
clear away the workings in which the calamity had
occurred, and to put it into a proper state for the
Government Inspector to examine it more minutely
than he had hitherto had an opportunity of doing.
The excitement in the public mind naturally con-
sequent on so terrible a catastrophe as this would
by that time be, at least to some extent, allayed,
and that would have advantages of a very obvious
character in an investigation of this kind. The
friends of the unfortunate men also would be better
able by this delay to take measures for watching
the proceedings than if they were to. be called upon
proposed
underto d os
o t h. e
All, prostration caused by to them to do
this terrible blow
therefore,
he
now was to view the bodies, and they would then
adjourn to the time he had named.
The jury, after being for some hours occupied in
this duty, owing to the number and distance from
a
each other of tFe residences of the deceased work-
men,djourned.

A. similar inquiry was initiated under the same
coroner at the village of Penrhiw, about three miles
from Merthyr, where some of the sufferers resided.
In this case the coroner adjourned the inquest till
the inquiry at Merthyr shall have terminated.
As to the cause of this melancholy accident, not
an event has turned up to clear away the mystery
that hung over it on the very day of its occurrence,
and little hope is entertained that this uncertainty
will be overcome, at least until the inquest. In the
meantime, the Government Inspector, Mr. Evans,
is engaged in a scrutinising investigation of the
state of the works in which the explosion occurred,
and much towards explaining the cause of the acci-
dent is expected from his labours as soon as the re-
moval of the ruins will enable him to prosecute his
inquiries. Of mere opinions we may mention, as
specimens of the many that are offered as to the
cause, a " blower of coal," or an evolution of gas
arising from greater superincumbent pressure of the
rock, which sometimes takes place in the progress
of ,working onward ; a fall in the air-ways, and the
consequent accumulation of gas, which, on being
brought into communication with a light, would
give rise to an explosion; insufficient air supply in
proportion to the extension of the workings; or
the " gobbey," or accumulation of small coal, on the
floor of the level. Till the evidence that will be
given at the inquest gives some corroboration of
some one of these views they must all be treated
as mere conjectures; It is right, however, to add
that by practical colliers the accident is regarded
as being, to use the words of one of them, "very
unaccountable," the pit being looked upon as a
" safe " one, the only explosion that occurred in it
being about 10 years since, and that unattended
with loss of life, while the workings are communi-
cated with by no less that three pits—a pumping
and two winding pits, besides an air flue. It is
even said that complaints have been made by the
workmen that an excess of air has rendered the
workings too cold for them to pursue their daily
labours with comfort.
_ _

Of the 47 men who have perished on this occa-
sion, 21 have died from burns, and 26 from suffo.
cation by choke-damp. They leave 21 widows and
57 children, of whom six only are able to work.
Three widows are near their confinement, while
t
six widowed mothers are deprived ofietrheeasruepipnocri-
of sons on whom they deperided,
dents in
darkthis
cataloguepie picture which
to the give a deeperT
wceo colouring
such as that of a case in which the sufferers are a
thfleaths which record,
father and son, and in another in which the wi-
dowed mother sees the two sons by whom she was
supported brought home dead together. The
descent to the works to recover the bodies, we
are informed, revealed objects more terrible, at least
in narrative, in the placid sleep induced by the
choke-damp than those of acute but necessarily
brief suffering from the explosion. In most cases
those who died from suffocation appeared to have
passed away unconsciously. One unfortunate man
was found in a stiffened state, overcome by death
in the act of conveying a piece of bread to his
mouth ; another with his hand on the small box
containing victuals which the collier carries sus-
pended on his side, as though he were about to add
to the portion of cheese found in his mouth a piece
of bread. The bodies of some of those who were
burnt were found blackened and otherwise dis-
figured, while the carrying away of doors, the
destruction of waggons, and the breaking up of
portions of the road and roofs of the level attested
the destructive force which marked the progress of
the explosion.
The burial of the victims by this terriblte
catas-
trophe took place by arrangement
simul-
taneously on Saturday afternoon.
mournful was witnessed by the oldestosPinhabitant
principal
Nalinoesctacle so
of Merthyr as this. The shopinthe
closed. The
streets were more or less partiallyend_
large Cyfarthfa Ironworks suspended operations at
them
mgsiPve the thousands of
an opportunity of
an early hour of the day
ttho
workmen employed in
their fellows to their last
assisting in carrying
r3dspimhe.
for the several men killed
resting place. The coffins Messrs. Crawshay,
towards
were provided by
different burial places which the relatives or friends
the various funerals began to move t
of the deceased had selected as the place of inter-
ment. It was Georgetown, in the immediate vici-
nity of the Cyfarthfa works, that contributed the
greater number of victims to this catastrophe, and
at the hour referred to almost every street, as well
as the surrounding district, contributed its funeral
procession. Twelve coffins, each accompanied by
several hundreds of mourners, amounting in the
aggregate to some thousands, formed one vast
mournful procession to the Cefn Cemetery ; while
several groups, two or three in succession, defiled to
other burial places in the town or neighbourhood.
Among the "Welsh the practice of singing in the
funeral procession is common, and the effect on this
occasion of several hundred voices singing the
mournful strains of the funeral hymn as they
approached from the distance was solemn and
striking.

The screw steam sloop Peterel, 11, just put into
commission at Devonport by Commander Watson,
will have a complement of 130 caters and min.
She was placed yesterday in Keyham Steamyard
for the purpose of being coppered.
It is reported at Devonport that the damage
recently done by the collision of the Great Eastern
at Milford with the screw steam coastguard ship
Blenheim, 60, is so extensive, that she will have to
go round to that arsenal to be repaired.
The following appointments were made at the
Admiralty on Monday :—Lieut. G. W. J. Aldhatn,
John Gray, engineer, and R. E, Denison, first class,
and John Pardie, second claim, neers, to
'the Peterel. Capt. I. P. LUC-0 4+appointed to the
command of her Majesty's _ship Brisk; the 'room
of Capt. De Horsey, who relinquishes the command
from impaired health. Yesterday
,:--Lieut. E. H.
.:Veseyj_to compla.a.tharliAPPAwr 14ee-. ThI4I?Y:LPr-thi-r.
moted to Commander; Lieut. 'J. W. East, tolhe
Impregnable ; Lieut. R. Adams, to the Dauntlefi
E. G. L. Street, master, to the Orestes. Geo. Ross
Devitt is nominated to a naval cadetship; Peter
Colquhoun and James M'Millard, acting second
class assist.-engineers, to the Cumberland, as super-
numeraries; and Robert H. Hansell, assist.-pay-
master, to the Dauntless.