The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-12 00:00:00

EIGHT PERSONS BURNT TO DEATIL

On Wednesday last, a frightful calamity occurred, by
which a whole family were swept away, in the quiet
little village of Llanfihangel Tal-y-llyn, situate near
Llangorse Lake, and distant five miles from Brecon.
The scene of the disaster was the well-known public-
house called the Royal Oak, kept by Mr. John Morgan,
whose family consisted of his wife, his mother-in-law, a
servant-maid, and seven children, two of whom, sons,
happened to be from home at the time. Mr. Mor-
gan himself was the only individual out of nine who
escaped to tell the sad tale. He says that on
Tuesday night last, his family retired to rest
as happy and comfortable as they possibly could
be. He read a chapter in the Bible, after he
went up stairs, and then went to bed himself. He was
awakened by his wife, who slept in another bed in
the same room, between two and three o'clock on
Wednesday morning, who told him that the house was
on fire, and asked where the child was. He immediately
got up, and, at his wife's desire, got through the
window to endeavour to open the door, but before
he could do so, or alarm the neighbours, the house
was one mass of flames. He ran wildly from house to
house to get assistance ; but it was too late ; the flames
had done their work. The neighbours broke open the
shop door ; but before they could gain an entrance to
save any of the property, they were driven back by
the fire, and compelled to become inactive spectators
of the fearful devastation. As soon as the fire per-
mitted, a search was made for the missing bodies, 7 of
which were, after great difficulty, got out, but presented
a most horrid spectacle ; a mutilated and charred mass,
not to be identified as the remains of human bodies. One
body, that of an infant, could not be found. The 7 other
bodies were got out, but no one could be distinguished
from another. From the position, in which they were
found, it is thought they must have been suffocated in bed,
and, when the floor gave way, have fallen through with
the beds. There were two benefit clubs held at the
house, and in the boxes was about 601., besides books,
securities, &c., all of 'Which have been destroyed, the
only remains being some of the coins, which are so
injured by the fire as to be useless ; the greater portion,
it is thought, was melted by the intense heat. How the
fire occurred remains a mystery. Mr. Morgan's loss is
indeed great, for he was not insured ; and all his furni-
ture, shop goods, and clothes, except the shirt he had on,
were destroyed. He also received serious bodily injury
by getting out through the window; one hand and both
arms were severely cut, and his feet lacerated by running
about barefooted.
The names of the unfortunate sufferers are, Margaret
Griffiths, widow, Ann Morgan, wife of John Morgan,
and five children, named Martha, Margaret, Anh, David,
and Joseph, all under the age of 16, and Margaret
Pritchard, the servant-maid.
At the coroner's inquest, a verdict of "Accidental
death" was returned.

DESERTION FROM THE MILITIA. Yesterday three
young men, named James Bridger, James Whiting, and
Joseph Jasper, the oldest scarcely of age, were brought
before Colonel Elwood, Major Carr, Messrs. Borrer,
William Partridge, and Forster Smith, the sitting magis-
trates at the Brighton bench, on a charge of deserting
from the Royal Sussex Militia, by enlisting into the 43d
Regiment of infantry. The prisoners were natives of
Brighton, and were enrolled in the militia in October and
November last. Mr. Borrer said this was a crime that
must be put a stop to, and where the characters were
bad the magistrates had resolved to treat such cases with
the utmost severity. The crime was very prevalent all
through the kingdom. To a certain extent Bridges and
Whiting stood before the public as men of bad character,
and the bench were unanimous in awarding them the
longest imprisonment which the Mutiny Act permitted ;
they were therefore committed for six months. The
third man, Jasper, was not known to the police ; this
must be taken as a negatively good character, and he
would be committed for four months. And the prisoners
would remember that at the end .of their terms of impri-
sonment they would still belong to the 43d Regiment, if
that regiment chose to claim them.
CHILD MIIRDER.—An inquest was held by Mr. Bruges
Fry, coroner for North Somerset, at the Bladud Arms,
Lower Swainswick, near Bath, on the body of a female
child, which was discovered in a water closet at Swains-
wick-house, Upper Swainswick, which has been for the
last three months in the occupation of the Rev. W.
Jenyns, and which for the two preceding years had been
in the care of a person named Daniel Garraway and his
family. Garraway, who was examined, stated that he
did not know how the body of the child came into the
place where it was found. Anybody might have thrown
the body into the- closet without the knowledge of the
inmates of the house. The closet was in a garden sur-
rounded by a wall six feet high. None of his family, or
anyone residing in the house with him, had been
as to lead him to suspect that a child had been t
of
ill so
r
bo
Mr. C. A. Harries, surgeon, made, at thiLicieques
the jury, an internal examination of the
was in a very decomposed state, andte b deposed that which
tdhalutnghae
was satisfied from the appearance of
He
ofe
fcnol ul ladiz no
.o t say
that the child had
but
nwbaoarn a
how old it was, alive.fem al e
could not say whether or not there was any mark of
violenceon the body, owing to the advanced state of
decomposition. The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful
unknown." The
amn murder
willb y
bsoeme person or persons
investigated, we understand, by the ma-
giatrates.

MINING INTELLIGENC.B.

(From the Mining Journal of this day.)
At the commencement of the week, the mine market
opened rather dull, though inquiries were made for a
few large shares—such as United Basset, Devon
Consols, and South Tolgus. Towards the latter party
however, the business became brisker.
In the Metal Market.—Copper, Tin, and Lead, flat'
withstanding the advance, are in such extensive demand
that a further rise in all is expected.—Banta Tin is in
the same condition, and Tin-Plates realise full prices.--
Spelter has been extremely active, and holders nowask
221. per ton.—The Iron Market is without alteration,
and a very extensive business doing ; Scotch Pig is 55s*
cash, and the same price, free on board, at Glasgow.
In the Bullion Market.—Mexican and South Ameri-
can dollars, 4s. 11-12 d. per oz. Bar silver, without gold,
ss. lid. per oz. Bar gold,. 775. 9d. per oz. standard.
The sale of copper ore at Thursday's Ticketing was
3,945 tons, amounting to 27,2051.125., the average pro-
duce and standard being si, 1571. 17s. The corres-
ponding sale last month was 3,262 tons, producing
24,5751. 65., the average produce and standard bein
6i, 1521. ss.
The Laxey, Lydford Consols; East Logyas, Froncrocbs
Maesyrerwddu, Coetia Llys, Deep Level, Menlyilt
Talacre, Holywell Level, Dylife, Rhoswydol, Bryn
Fedwen, Shallee, East Shallee, Cairnsmore, Creetown•
Bryneisteddfod, and Dylifi mines, have sold lead ores
during the week.
Wheal Robins, Porkellis United, and West Towout
have sold black tin.
Balnoon Consols look remarkably well; they have now
16 men at work on the tin, which continues as rich as
ever. They sold for last month 3211. worth which was
stamped in one month by nine heads—one-half of this
being profit. They are trying to take another staol),
which will considerably increase the returns. At pre-
sent they cannot stamp the stuff as fast as it can be
broken.

Reeth Consols continue to look very well.
The Pittsburg Copper Company (Cliff Mines) has PS!
declared a dividend of $l5 per share for the presel:
year, payable in February and August, and has earned
it is stated, at least $2O.
Advices from New York describe the price of meta__Ali
as very firm, and having an upward tendency. Le'
particularly was much in demand. From Hamburg vie
hear of extensive transactions in speller: at high rates'
sellers at 211. 15s.
Twelve shares in the Blaenavon Iron and Coal Coln'
pany were sold by auction, at 151. each, by Mr. Jor.
Williams, at the Westgate-hotel, Newport, last week'
In consequence of the shares not realising the price 0'
petted, no further lots of the property were put up.
~
The recent fluctuations and depressions in the u°':
market may be regarded as the natural reaction after a,
period of excitement, during which the article had 11°t
merely been driven upwards by the legitimate dreg
stances of an increasing demand and an evidently deft'_
cient supply, but had been sustained at a very considef
able advance by the speculative principle which wag s°
prevalent up to the moment of the interference of thed'.
Bank of England in succesively raising the rate of
count to 3 per cent., at which rate it appears at present
to be stationary. n the ease of such deterioration,, of
the value of this important article of home productlr
has suffered of late other circumstances than those chieni
conducive to the decline in question necessarily ael;
Pany the movement of the market price, which, Wl' the advance was continuing or maintained, might s
be expected to occur. Where there has been extensive
speculation, as there undoubtedly has been in the 1r"
trade, a reduction in .price, or even an interval of &lett'',
tion in the market, cannot fail to be attended by collll,lo
excitement and alarm in the quarter where the art
aGasfflecgteo,
dwexcites the most interest • and accordingly
en
it has been reported that sales have be
effected at lower figures than are to be found in the
general quotations, and also that even apprehensions 70
existed as jar they eventual stability of certain par'
involved in large transactions, and compromised, it 11
assumes{ by the late alterations in the price of Seette„
Ing-irnst- It appeared that such rumours or appre'Le-;
miens were more gratuitous than warrantable, a11"0
that among the extravagancies, both of the sanginii
andb the timid, at the present critical time, maY
the
included that of attributing such danger
ed
in enterprising operations of the trade erupleY,
regulating the supply and meeting the de'
inan.d in connection with this great article of home 311"
foreign consumption. Speculation has been rife ;
the increase of the demand is enormous ; and with tre
weulidnueeedemprotsepebeet ofe a reduction of the duty on thoe:l7,;
portation of British iron into France and America, the"
from the recent tempos.veylipkaeulisheo, odvibthicabt inis the recovery
cernible,i the article of iron will inevitably parte,ra-
*th respect to the modifications of duty above 0-" ea
11,1 t may be reasonably anticipated that the alteration
in France will be extensive, and accomplished withinir;
distant period. During the week business transacted a
the iron companies has been limited to the Portland an
Blaenavon, a few shares in the latter having d been 'dill
at 151., and sales_ have been effected in the ro A
to g premium, being a fall of lon last week. lan 3
Although business in the old mining shares 110 been
go
somewhat more active than f late, yet no syraptnebinserv.
shown itself as tending towards the buoyancy "au in-
creased demand within the l
able a few weeks since.
been generally firmer for the
last few days,
orepestemed de.
rico
Owing, however, to have
iul
including Great Nugget Vein, pew ia,qa
Gold, Nouveau Monde, Ap-,u
and Yuba River. Favourable ar.l4ieNeßevibeth from
California and Australia, are shortly and anitinll%,"
looked forward to ; in the meantime holders su°
an indisposition to sell. Enquiries have been made
for -,";
for British Australian shares, on account of tr r
company having completed an arrangement I°o
the working of a valuable auriferous estate in Austra,t,
without purchase, giving the owners 15 per cent. reed
on the gold found. The shares of the Union
Mining Company were allotted on Tuesday last, Preuo
have hitherto attracted little attention. Liberty sha„,,
have been flatter, and the North American gold Inil3_blZ„
companies do not appear to be regarded so favenr'nf'a
as they were a few weeks since. The shipments of 49s
from Sydney to the Bth of September last were 19'',_rt,
ozs. ; since that date ships have sailed from that POOO.
but not arrived, carrying in the aggregate 342,792. , •
of gold. This, in addition to the Bloomer, lately
rived with 10,700 ozs., and the previous shipinen,cs9B6
the 30th of June, 1852, will make a total of 1,02%au1•
ozs. of gold, which, at the value of 41. per oz., Wu
give 4,107,9401. sterling.