The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-29 00:00:00

TILE JAPANESE EMBASSY.

A telegraphic message sent from Newcastle-on- I
Tyne on Tuesday evening stated that the Japanese
Ambassadors had visited North Seaton Colliery oe
that day. Some few additional particulars may be
interesting. North Seaton Colliery is situate 14
miles north-east of Newcastle, quite upon the coast
of Northumberland. It belongs to Messrs, Cookson,
Strakers, Taylors, and Co., and the coal is the
well 'known steam coal, " Straker's West Hartley."
The depth of the shaft is 125 fathoms, and the pit is
single-shafted and bratticed. The diameter of the
shaft is 15 feet 6 inches. The pumping engine has
a 76-inch cylinder, and a stroke of eight feet. The
pumping beam is constructed of malleable iron on
the tubular principle, and is protected by a martin.
gale. The colliery works 1,000 tons of coal per day,
and employs 520 men and boys, 320 of whom are
hewers. As already stated, the Embassy with their
suite left Newcastle on Tuesday morning, in com-
pany with the mayor and sheriff of the town and
other authorities, and proceeded by special engine I
on the Blyth and Tyne Railway to the colliery,'
being joined at Percy Main by Mr. G. B. Foster,
Mr. T. E. Foster, and other gentlemen connected
with the mine. On arriving at the pit mouth, a
light, thin, watery vapour could be observed coming
whirling up the shaft, the Ambassadors standing
by and watching its emission with inquiring
looks. One of them stepped forward and peered
down the dark and gloomy-looking shaft, and when
the cage came to bank some curiosity was expressed
whether they would follow the example of the
late Emperor Nicholas of Russia, who, when in this
country with the Allies, was taken to Wallsend Pit
with the intention of descending and examining the
operations of coal-mining, but on being brought to
the brink, and looking down the yawning chasm
at his feet, gave up all idea of going down, declar-
ing that it was too much like the entrance to the
infernal regions for him to adventure. In this
instance the chief Ambassador proved the bolder
man, for he, with five of his suite, accompanied
by Mr. Wort, who bad charge of the party, Mr.
Macdonald remaining with the two other Ambas-
sadors above ground, got into the cage, and de-
scended into the mine,
The ordinary operations of the pit were stopped
while the party was down. The bottom of the shaft
presented the appearance of a lofty cavern, with
drafts branching off into the workings. The pro-
gress of the party was rapid and comfortable, the
height of the seam being such that at no part of
their course were they compelled to assume any
other than a slightly stooping position. Mr. G. B.
Foster conducted the Ambassador to the face of the
workings, where a man was hewing, and the process
preparatory to blasting was explained through his
interpreter. Having expressed a desire to see the
Effects of a blast he was taken to another board,
where a shot was nearly ready for firing. The
charge was placed in the drill hole by the hewers
and the party having retired and sheltered them-
selves in another drift, it was fired, and the dull
sound of the explosion reverberated through the
mind. The Ambassador was immediately brought
forward byMr. Foster towards the spot. He glanced
around at the huge fragments of coal which had
been displaced, which he examined by the light of
the lamp which he carried in his hand, in common

with his attendants. Several fragments of the coal

were taken away by them. The whole party then
returned along the intake air-course, by which they
had come, and they examined the stables and other
parts of the mine with great care. On their return
to the bottom of the shaft, and while awaiting the
descent of the cage in which they were to ascend,
the atmosphere being rather warm, the Japanese
began to fan themselves with great industry, to the
astonishment of the pit lads, R ho stood around with
wonder-struck countenances. The cage ascended the
shaft slowly, to give the Ambassador an opportu-
nity of examining the shaft in his ascent. The pump-
ing engine and other machinery were afterwards
closely examined aboveground, and before leaving
the collierythe partywere entertained at luncheon by
the owners. Their journeyfrom Newcastle to Carlisle
on Tuesday evening attracted large crowds to the
wayside stations. Before leaving the North the
Ambassadors expressed themselves much pleased
with their visit,

They passed through Carlisle on Tuesday even-
ing, on their way from Newcastle. On arriving at
the station, the saloon and first-class carriage in
which they and their suite travelled were detached,
and drawn along a branch line by a special engine
to the Citadel station, where they remained a few
minutes without alighting, and proceeded to Liver-
pool
by the evening mail. They arrived in Liver-
pool at about half-past 12 o'clock on Tuesday night.
They were met at the Lime-street railway station by
the Mayor (Mr. R. Hutchison), and conveyed in his
state carriage to the Adelphi Hotel, where a suite
of apartments had been secured for their reception.
Yesterday morning, at 10 o'clock, they were waited
on by the Mayor, upon whose invitation they went
to Liverpool, accompanied by Captain Englefield
and several other gentlemen, and proceeded from
the Adelphi to the great landing-stage, where they
embarked on board the Royal Mail steam tender
Satellite, and made an excursion on the river. They
were accompanied by the Chairman of the Mersey
Docks Board, and a considerable number of the
members. The Satellite had been placed at the dis-
posal of the Mayor by Mr. Charles M'lver for the
occasion, and he also accompanied the party. From
the landing stage they steamed down to the Canada
dock, where they landed, and proceeded on foot to
view the great deck gates, 100 feet wide, which are
worked by hydraulic pow er, and which were opened
and shut in the presence of the Ambassadors, who
seemed much pleased with the celerity of motion and
the effect of the ponderous gates. From the Canada
deck they went to the Huskisson and Sandon docks,
and also to the Sandon graving docks, with all of
which, particularly the latter, they expressed obvious
satisfaction andevinced no small amount of curiosity.
Re-embarking on the Satellite, they passed upwards
and across to the Birkenhead side, where they
landed at the Woodside landing stage, and visited
Messrs. Laird's ship-building and engineering
works. Here they spent a considerable time in
inspecting some of the complicated and powerful
machinery employed by those gentlemen. From
their inquisitiveness and remarks it appeared that
they took considerable interest in mechanical ar-
rangements and mechanical appliances. Leavinr,
Mt ssrs. Laird's works, they proceeded in the steam
tender to the Conway School frigate, where they
lay alongside for a brief period, but did not go on
board. They then steamed up to her Majesty's
ship Majestic, and went on board, remaining _
for a
considerable time, and carefully and minutely in-
specting the arrangements of the vessel.
On leaving the Majestic they were saluted with
19 guns. They then steamed direct to the Hercu-
laneum Pier ; but, the tide having fallen during
their stay on board the Majestic, they had to pro-
ceed about a quarter of a mile further up, and

landed at the slip, thus causing them a considerable
amount of extra walking before they reached the
Mersey Steel and Ironworks, where a sumptuous
collation was prepared for them. They were re-
ceived by Mr. George Henry Horsfall and Colonel
Clay, and conducted to the luncheon-room of the
new establishment. After luncheon they examined
the works, and were evidently both surprised and
delighted with what they se w there. They were
first shown the forging of a portion of the stern
frame of the armour-plated frig Ito Agincourt. This
ponderous mass of wrought iron was in course of
construction under one of the immense steam ham-
mers, of which there are six or seven in this esta-
blishment, besides a vast number of minor ones.
The framework of this stern is indeed a mighty

w( rk, which, when completed, will weigh
between
40 and 50 tons. The rolling of the iron plates also
attracted much of their attention, and when shown
some of the armour-plates 53 inches in thickness,
43 feet in breadth, and 14 feet long, their admira-
tion seemed to be excessive. From the rolling mills
at the upper works they were conducted to the
lower, or older works. Here they were shown the
proass of turning and boring immense masses of
wrought iron, and seemed to be much interested in
the processes, and also much gratified by watching
them.
From the Mersey Steel and Iron Works the
Orientals proceeded to the steamer, and in it Were

taken to the landing-stage, whence they were
taken on 'Change, where they were loudly cheered.
They were then conducted to the Free L brary and
St. George's-hall, and in the evening were enter-
tained at a banquet in the Town-hall ziiven by the
Mayor in honour of their visit.