The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY

shaft to the mine in which they worked
had trapped them in a living tomb, shutting
them out from the reach of all timely aid—
after a result so appalling as this, the inhu-
manity of the wretched single-shaft system will
require no further illustration. And now, quite as
conclusively demonstrative of the folly and
cruelty of the system of allowing mills and other
the like establishments to be worked with un-
guarded machinery, comes this hideous casualty
occurring on Friday afternoon, a few miles
from Morpeth, in the extensive iron-
works in Bedlington—ironworks formerly be-
longing to Messrs. LONORIDGE, but about three
months since transferred from that firm to the pre-
sent owners, Messrs. MOUNSEY and DIXON, late of
Monkwearmouth. The Rev. SIDNEY SMITH used
to say that the most effectual means perhaps for
getting rid of the system of locking the railway
carriage doors upon a journey, would be the burning
ing of a Bishop in one of those conveyances ! Here it
is the sudden death, under the most frightful cir-
cumstances, of the wife of the head partner in one of
the great "Houses" in the iron trade of the North,
that proves, in a way nobody can now mis-
apprehend for an instant, the cruelty and the
folly of allowing powerful and complicated
pieces of machinery to be worked in our
manufactories, without the whirling wheels and
the whizzing straps and bands being effectually
screened from the passer by !
On Saturday we gave a brief account of the
accident, so far as the particulars had then come
to our knowledge. The more detailed description
of this horrible casualty, given elsewhere in our
impression of this evening, will show more dis-
tinctly how easily the whole accident might have
been guarded against—how by a very trifling pre-
caution it might have been rendered absolutely im-
possible. The partners, on Friday afternoon, it will
be observed, were conducting a group of ladies over
the establishment, then in full operation. Among
these ladies there was Mrs. MOUNSEY, the wife of
the head partner, and accompanying that unfor-
tunate lady, now deceased, there were three of her
children. " About ten minutes," says the
account of the reporter, " after four in
the afternoon, the party, after examining the
other portion of the works, proceeded to the new
mills to witness the process of sawing iron with the
circular saw. After doing so they proceeded to
cross a spindle connecting the saw with the engine
that drove it, and which also drove the machinery in
the rolling mill. Mr. DIXON and Mrs. MOUNSEY
were first to go over this spindle, Mr. MOUNSEY
remaining a little behind to assist over the young
people. Mrs. MOUNSEY had stepped over it, but
unfortunately her dress had not cleared one of the
bolts or nuts at a joint in the spindle. The conse-
quence was, that she was thrown over, and in the
twinkling of an eye she was dragged underneath the
spindle by the whirling of the machinery—the spindle
only stands six inches from the ground ; she was
drawn in up to her breast, and her limbs and the
lower parts of her body were literally crushed to
atoms, and life was extinct in a few seconds." The
words italicised by us in the above sufficiently hor-
rible description, point to the very folly, cruelty, and
parsimony that there has been so often before
such miserable reason to inveigh against. Here
was the " circular saw" (for the "sawing of iron")
revolving with dreadful velocity—here was the
" spindle connecting the saw with the engine that
drove it," and that also drove the machinery in
the rolling mill—and a party of ladies and children
were being 0-)nducted through the machinery in
such a direction that they were compelled, in
order to make their way, to step over the
dreadful spindle. One of the bolts or nuts
in that very spindle which the first of the
ladies (Mrs. MOUNSEY) is stepping over, has
but to catch in the skirt of her dress—and, in an
instant, in the presence of her husband and of
three of her children, and of the friends
who were accompanying her, in the twinkling of an
eye she dies a death of the most appalling character.
In that single throb of the pendulum her body up
to the breast is crushed into a horrible spectacle.
The machinery is stopped immediately. But the
horror ht 6 already been accomplished. That the
poor lady thus destroyed was the mother of a young
family and at the moment of her death even was
enciente—these particulars can only be regarded as
enhancing the angaish caused by the catastrophe
a catastrophe in itself sufficiently appalling.
Upon first hearing the simple fact of the accident,
the general supposition will have been
that it was attributable to the prevailing
fashion, the expansive birdcage petticoats, the
steel hoops, or the crinoline. Nothing of the kind,
however, is it in the present instance—the lady
being a Quakeress, the whole family of the
MOUNSEYS, in other words, being of the Society of
Friends. It is not the crinoline, therefore, that
we have here to protest against —it is the old
story, merely, of the unguarded machinery. Poor
factory girls have often before now, while engaged in
cleaning the machinery at the cotton mills, for ex-
ample, been caught up by a strap or a spindle, and
draggee, among the whirling maze of machinery and
so destroyed, But now that a lady visitor to the
ironworks at Bedlington, and that lady visitor the
wife of the head partner of the firm owning the
establishment, has been destroyed in her turn, in like
manner, we may hope at last that the Legislature
will take measures during the approaching Session
to guard against the possible recurrence of any
similar accidents.

Attention should be drawn to the prospectus put
forth by a new Railway Company, the Turin and
Savona Railway Company, with a branch to Acqui,
destined, we are satisfied, to aid very considerably
in the development of the fortunes of Italy. The
Trunk Line between Turin and Savona will tend
directly to bring France and Italy into more
complete and direct communication with
each other, both socially and commercially. The
capital set down for the construction of the main
line is thus announced—Shares, £BOO,OOO ; subven-
tions (or free gift from Government and Com-
munes), £480,000; obligations, £760,000 ; total,
£2,040,000. The board of direction, moreover, is
very remarkable—having for its president Signor
RATAZZI, the President of the Chamber of Deputies ;
for its vice-president Signor PALEOCAPA, senator,
late Minister of Public Works ; and for its Council
of Administration in Turin Signor BOMBRINI,
director of the National Bank, Turin, and
six members of the Chamber of Deputits.
Ns to the Board of Direction in London, the names
there upon the list will bu recognised more familarly
—and afford themselves every one of them a
guarantee as to the validity of the whole enterprize.
The distance from Turin to Savona is set down at
90 miles, and the length of the branch line to Acqui
at 30 miles, making the whole distance to be laid
down and traversed just 120 miles altogether. And
the real cost of laying down these 120 miles of railway,
ninety from Turin to Savona, and thirty for
the branch line to Acqui, has already been calcu-
lated at the rate, every expense included, namely,
4, purchase of land, stations, rolling stock, and all
incidental expenses, together with payment of in-
terest at 6 per cent. on the capital during
construction," of £2,408,000, " being at the

rate of £20,000 per mile over the entire
distance." But then, it is added, that "as
the subventions of £480,000 will come in aid
of this amount, the real cost of the railway to the
shareholders is virtually reduced to £16,000 per
mile." No such unreasonable cost after all. The
whole scheme looks propitiously for those who care
to embark in it. And most propitious are the
auguries it gives to the increasing commerce, and
the advancing civilisation of the Roman peninsula.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge,
with Colonel the Hon. James Macdonald, Captain the Hon.
J. R. Drummond, R.N., Colonel Clifton, and Colonel Tyr-
what, concluded the shooting season by a day's sport in
Richmond Park, on Saturday. Upwards of 40) head of
game fell to the five guns. _

_
The Duke of Rutland is expected in town to mor-
row or "Wednesday from Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire.
The Duke of Montrose is expected to arrive at
his residence in Belgrave-square to-morrow evening, from
his seat in Scotland, for the meeting of Parliament.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury have
been entertaining a succession of visitors at Savernake,
Marlborough, during the past week. His lordship is ex-
pected in town in a few days.

Maria Marchioness of Ailesbnry has returned to
her residence in Hertford-street from visiting the Marquis
and Marchioness of Ailesbury at Savernake Forest, Marl-
borough.

The Earl of Clarendon will come to town on
Wednesday from the Grove, near Watford.
The Earl and Countess of Durham have arrived
in Grosvenor-square, from their seat in Durham. The
noble earl and countess contemplate a visit to the Continent
at the end of the month.

The Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of
Commons and Lady Charlotte Denison will arrive at tho
right honl gentleman's official residence at the New Palace,
Westminster, to-morrow, from Ossington, Notts.
Lord and Lady Ashburton have been entertaining
a succession of visitors at The Grange, Hants.
Lord Herbert of Lea has left Florence on her
way to Nice. Her ladyship's younger sons, the Hon.
Reginal and Sidney Herbert leave Belgrave-square to-day
for Folkestone, on their way to join her ladyship.
The Countess Dowager of Jersey and Lady
Harriet Ponsonby have left Berkeley-square for Middleton
Park, Oxon.
Sir John and Lady Kirkland have left Brighton
for their seat in Surrey.
Sir Frederick Johnstone has arrived in town from
his seat in Scotland.

MINES AND PRISONS.—In consequence of the
resignation of Sir John Kincaid some modifications and re-
ductions will be made in the duties of the inspectors of pri-
sons and of the inspectors of Mines. There used to be four
inspectors of prisons and four inspectors of mines and col-
lieries. These were reduced on death or resignation to
three. On the resignation of IN4. Leonard Horner, Sir
John Kincaid took the mining district of Scotland in addi-
tion to the prisons of that part of the United Kingdom, at
an additional remuneration of £2OO a-year, instead of the
full salary, which was saved. The place of inspector of
mines will not be filled up, the present remaining inspec-
tors, Mr. Baker and Mr. Redgrave, having consented to
divide the duties between them. The inspectorship of
prisons will be modified in consequence of the large increase
of reformatories having added considerably to the duties to
be performed.--Observer.

SOUTHAMPTON, Saturday. The Hamburg-
American Company's screw steamship Teutonia, Captain
Taube, sailed hence at 10 30 a.m. to-day for New York,
after taking in 400 tons of cargo at this port. She had up-
wards of 110 passengers from Hamburg, Havre, and South-
ampton, 18,000 f. in specie from Havre, and 1,500 tons of
cargo. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamship
Valetta, Captain J. C. Almond, left to-day for Marseilles,
to resume her station between that port and Alexandria,
relieving the Massilia, which will come home to refit.
THE RIVAL AMERICAN VESSELS AT SOUTH-
AMPTON.—SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 2.—The Federal war
steamer Tuscarora, since she left Southampton Water, has
been lying at the mouth of the Lymington River in the
Solent, for the purpose, no doubt, of being as near as pos-
sible the telegraph station at Hurst Castle, to hear tidings
of the movements of the Confederate war steamer Nashville.
On Saturday afternoon the royal mail steamer Tyne met
the Tuscarora outside the Needles, steaming to the west-
ward. She passed close to the Tyne. A pilot reported
that she had been round the Isle of Wight. She was ex-
pected to return to Yarmouth Roads to-day. The Nash-
ville is apparently preparing to leave Southampton. She
has moved from her position near the graving docks to near
the dock entrance. Attempts have been made to put fire-
arms on board of her, by the crew taking on beard one or
two rifles at a time, but they wore seized by the customs.
The captain of the Nashville has, it is said, determined to
fight the Tuscarora, and sink his ship in the attempt rather
than surrender.
A notice has been issued of the proposed Inter-
national Supplementary Exhibition Company, to be erected
in immediate proximity to the Great Exhibition building,
for the purpose of affording space for the surplus products
for which it is impossible to obtain room at the latter, and
also to furnish opportunities for the sale of the articles dis-
played at either place. The building is to bo completed for
opening on the 15th of May, and it is hoped that arrange-
ments may be effected for the gratuitous admission of all
visitors from the Great Exhibition. The charge for space
will be 12s. per square foot for the floor and 6s. for the
walls, being less than one-half of the annual rental of the

London bazaars, and the period will be from the 15th May
to the end of October. The design and supervision of the
structure will be by Sir Joseph Paxton, and the trustees
are Sir Robert Carden, Alderman Finnis, and Mr. William
Jackson, M.P. The company, before taking any steps, as-
certained that the project would not be objected to by the
Royal Commissioners of the Great Exhibition, and the
spirit in which it will be conducted will be that of making
it an agreeable and useful auxiliary.
LETTS'S POST-OFFICE OFFICIAL MONTHLY
DIRECTOR FOR JANUARY, 1862, is a decided improvement

upon its predecessors, and really a great acquisition to mer-
chants, brokers, postmasters, and all who have heavy cor-
respondence passing through their hands. There is always
much convenience in obtaining this class of information on

a sheet, and hence the advantage of the abovo over the
Government manuals. But on the present occasion the

publishers have so reconstructed the original form as to
introduce (in addition to all the old matter) several tables

of immense value, especially to the corresponding clerk
when pressed for time, viz. of the sums to be paid on letters

at from I oz. up to B±sz., and on books, &c., from 4oz. up
to 20oz. The contents, however, will best explain the pre-
tensions of this broadside to public favour, and are as fol-
low :—Mails, daily despatch to all parts of the world, with
average return mails due in England ; period of transit ;
letter postage from toz. to 81oz. by quarter ounces ; book
postage from 4oz. to 20oz. ; fees for registered letters ;
newspaper, &c., postage ; packets sailed and arrived last
month ; ships advertised to sail ; ships arrived last month ;
a postal almanack for the month, indicating what day va-
rious mails will be made up, what are expected, and other
general information, concluding with a complete list of all
the cities throughout the world to which our mails aro de-
spatched. Price Is. per copy, or Bs. for a twelvemonth's
subscription. Letts, Son, and Co., Royal Exchange, Lon-
don, and all booksellers.
THE DEATH-RATE OF OUR MINING POPULATION.
—Persons accustomed to believe that the greatest of the
miner's perils consist in explosions, will probably be sur-
prised to hear that in every coal-producing locality but one
this kind of catastrophe is little more than half as terrible
as the other. Notwithstanding the wholesale nature of the
slaughter which frequently attends an explosion, and the
large number of blackened corpses even a small disaster
from fire will leave within the recesses of a mine, the effects
of these violent occurrences are far less deadly in the long
run than those of the apparently unimportant, because more
subtle, agency of falls. For every death by the former

means we raise 257,000 tons, while 170,000 tons only are
got out with the same amount of mortality from falls.
No matter how large a number of victims ono or two ex-
plosions—such as Lundhill or Risca—may occasionally im-
molate, this less generally known, but constantly active
destroyer soon restores the balance of mortality, only tem-
porarily disturbed by the more appalling, though, in reality,
less fearful calamity.—Once a Week.
EMBEZZLEMENT By A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER.
—At the Police Office at Birmingham, on Friday, Thomas
Willcox, an agent for Messrs. Bateson and Co., woollen
merchants, of Leeds, was brought up on a remand, charged
with embezzling sums of money amounting to upwards of
£1,500, the property of his employers. It appeared that
the prisoner, on a recent occasion, admitted that he had
falsified his accounts for a period of five years ; and that,
finding himself in arrear, he had taken to betting on horse
races with a view to extricate himself, but had by so doing
made matters much worse. Evidence was put in of ac-
counts received by the prisoner from tradesmen in Dudley
and other places which had not been entered as paid. Tho
result w,is that he was committed for trial at the assizes.
The tenders for 40,00,000 rupees in bills of ex-
change on India were opened.to-day in presence of a mem-
ber of the Council of India and the Governor and Deputy •
Governor of the Bank. Tho official minimum declared
was, for bills on Calcutta ls. 11d., and on Madras and
Bombay 2s. The whole amount has been taken. All Cal-
cutta tenders above the' minimum will be allotted in full,
and those at the minimum will receive about 60 per cent.
of their tender. Bombay tenders above the minimum will
be allotted in full, and those at the minimum rate will re-
ceive about 11 per cent, Madras tenders at the minimum
rate will be allotted in full,
FORTIFICATIONS AT TENBY.—The proposed erec-
tions at St. Catherine's-rock for the defence of Tenby have
been retarded in consequence of the contractors whose ten-
ders had been accepted having thrown up their contracts.
The other contractors have in consequence been invited to
send in fresh tenders, and the works will be pushed on with
the utmost promptitude.