The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-22 00:00:00

the shaft, and who was standing near Mr. Forster,
then whispered to him that they had distinctly
heard jowls yesterday. Mr. Forster repeated the
statement.

" Some confusion then arose, in the course of
which one of the men restored order by stating
aloud that the managers had done all in their power
under the circumstances. They had granted them
a deputation, and they had reason to be satisfied
if they would promise to let them have a report
every two hours, although he still thought they
had reason to be dissatisfied, because they had not
got definite information sooner.
" Mr. Foster—' You do not wish a deputation to
go down every two hours r—A general reply of
No, no,' and statements to the effect that a report
only was wanted, were made.
"Mr. Foster—' Well, now, my lads, you shall
have every word that we know. I will tell you
whatever I hear. It is quite possible they may get
the hole up in an hour, and it is possible it may be
longer, or it may be less. I think there is no fear
if there is no stythe. But I will tell the truth; I
have great fear there is some stythe.' He hoped
they were now satisfied."
On reaching the pit this morning again at 5
o'clock, I found every one at bank in the greatest
excitement—as Mr. William Coulson, the master
sinker's son, Richard Wilson, Richard Pickup,
John Liddell, and Matthew Dodds, sinkers, had
just been taken out of the shaft, suffering from the
effects of gas, Wilson apparently dying. They were
immediately attended to by the medical men, and
have happily all recovered. As already indicated
by the extract made above, " stythe" had come up
from below as loose stones fell from among the tim-
ber, and some of the men came to bank slightly
suffering from it;in the early part of the morning.
The sinkers, however, wrought with a will during
the night, and a considerable quantity of loose stone
was removed from among the timber and sent up to
the high seam, The working parties had forced
their way down to the clackhead pump, and they
found it so firm that about 5 o'clock, the men whose
names are given, had got of their "loops," and were
standing, clearing away the rubbish ; indeed, had
driven below it, and found a hollow space beneath.
Everything gave a cheering prospect that the yard
seam might be soon reached, and the sufferers, if
alive, rescued at last, when there was a sudden and
heavy fall of loose stones from among the timbers,
and an immediate emission of gas. The men were
overpowered by it ; but they had strength left to
rap to their " marrows" in the high seam. They
at once were lowered to them in " corves," and on
reaching the platform they found the men nearly
unconscious. They got them into the " corves," and
were wound up to bank, and were brought up not a
minute too soon, as the relieving party were being
seriously affected by the gas. They describe it as
coming up through the timber like blue smoke. The
men who went to the rescue of their companions
were James Muter, George Pace, George Graham,
and John Henderson. Mutes had a most miraculous
escape from death on Sunday while working in
the shaft. He was below in the debris at the time
of the heavy fall of stone. He was surrounded by
it, but not struck by it, and there was just space
enough left for him to be drawn through by the gin.
The gas by which the four sinkers nearly lost their
lives is very fatal to life. It is not found in the
workings of-the mines in this district as exuding
from the natural coal in the seam. But the furnace
generates it among other gas. It is denominated
carbonic oxide. It is a light, volatile gas, and would
' in the opinion of viewers, find its way into the shaft.
The men lost below were heard to "jowl" in the
shaft at 1 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, and it is cer-
tain that they have not been heard since. Down to
and a little beyond that hour this gas would, to
some extent, find its way out of the shaft through
the interstices of the timber choking up the shaft;
but late in the afternoon, it will be remembered,
there was a heavy fall of stone, which would fill it
up, and it is feared would almost hermetically seal
up the shaft. Mr. Atkinson, the Government In-
epnotor of Mines, who has been here several days,
furnishes me with the following note :
"The furnace generates, among other gases, a
very deadly one, carbonic oxide. This gas, owing to
the blocking up of the shaft, has accumulated in the
yard coal in the immediate neighbourhood of the
shaft, and sufficiently accounts for the men being
prevented from approaching the shaft to signal for
so long a time—they have possibly retreated from
this enemy into the workings, where they may have
lived in the comparatively pure air of the mine.
Some, however, have in all probability been de-
stroyed in their attempts to approach the shaft, or
in their anxiety! to remain in its vicinity."
Mr. Telford, Mr. G. Foster, and some other gen-
tlemen of great practical experience also agree with
Mr. Atkinson that some of the men, indeed the
great body of them, may still be alive in the yard
seam. The following experiment, however, has sub-
sequently been tried :—A cat was lowered down the
shaft in a basket from the upper seam 24 fathoms,
and was kept there half an hour, when brought up
it was stupid, and it has since died. An npcast and
downcast shaft exists between bank and the high
seam by means of a staple. From thence workmen
will be occupied nearly all day in making a similar
down and up-cast to the yard seam by means of a
cloth brattice. The depth is from 50 to 60 yards ;it
is to be feared it will be a tedious undertaking.

NORTH SHIELDS, JAN, 21, 8 P.M,

A quantity of prepared canvass has been brought
to the pit from the neighbouring collieries. It is
anticipated that the brattice in the shaft will be
completed to-morrow morning. A fan-blast is also
being erected in connexion with the furnace. It is
quite possible, however, that to-morrow will be far
advaneed before operations are resumed to remove
the obstructions, as they cannot go on until the
shaft is made safe and the gas has been removed.
An inquest has been held to-day on the men killed in
the shaft. Evidence was taken only of the beam
breaking and falling, the larger issue of the cause
being left until the other men have been found in the
pit. Mr. Carr and the various viewers still hold to
the opinion that a stronger body of men in the pit
may be alive. The carbonic oxide is supposed to be
local. It has not found its way into the yard seam.
The air in the pit consists of many millions of gallons,
and is supposed to be comparatively pure. 1,500
gallons of water flow into the seam per minute, and
dislodge 1,500 gallons of air, which must find its way
out through the staple leading into the yard seam.
Eminent medical men are of opinion that, though
nearly entering on the seventh day of their impti-
sonment, strong men with tolerable air and water
may hold out some time yet. A large concourse of
pitmen about the colliery are inclined to be riotous.
Respectably dressed persons are allowed to go tothe
pit's mouth, but working men are excluded, except
those persons who are engaged in the operations.
The men are calm, but there is a good deal of agita-
tion for a double shaft movement. The pitmen
thought of knocking off work at adjoining collieries
out of respect to the buried men. They were ad-
vised, as a more prudent course, to keep to their
work and give assistance to the families of the
buried men, and the advice has been adopted. A
meeting of the principal mining engineers in the
coal trade was held here this afternoon ; they ap-
prove the arrangements adopted in the shaft under
the altered circumstances.

FOREIGN MAIL PACKET LIST.