The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-20 00:00:00

REDUCTION of the DUTY on TEA.
On Tuesday a deputation from the Liverpool
Association for the Reduction of the Duty on Tea met,
by previous appointment, a number of gentlemen of the
Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the Manchester
Commercial Association, at the Royal Hotel. The
Liverpool deputation consisted of Messrs. Christopher
Rawson and Henry Winch, Deputy Chairmen of the
Association; Messrs. William Rathbone, and A. Find-
lay. The gentlemen representing the Manchester
Chamber of Commerce were Mr. Thomas Be zley, Pre-
sident; Mr. Lewis Williams, and Mr. T. Boothman,
Secretary. The gentlemen appointed as a deputation
from the Manchester Commercial Association, who were
present, were Mr. James A. Turner, President; Messrs.
James Atherton, Robert Gertner, John Prei , R. J.
Fairbridge, Leopold Reiss, Smith (of the firm of Mac-
gregor and Co.), and Hugh Fleming, Secretary.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER Ra.wsoss having taken the chair,
opened the business by stating the obj• et of the visit of
the deputation to Manchester, which was to endeavour
to enlist the sympathies and co-operation of the commer-
cial community of
.Manchester in efforts making by the
Liverpool Association to obtain a redaction of the pre-
sent high impost on tea. He remarked that it was use-
less to enter into the subject in any detail, as the Man •
chester gentlemen present were, in all probability, as
wellinformed on the subject as the deputation them-
selves. The Liverpool Association was most anxious to
enlist the powerful aid of Manchester in the efforts now
being made, and the deputation would suggest the for •
mation in Manchester of an association like their own,
embracing all parties, and having for its object the re-
duction of the present heavy duties on an article of such
general consumption as tea.
Mr. BAZLEY, as president of the Chamber of Com-
merce, stated to the deputation, that the board of di-
rectors of the Chamber had had a meeting on Monday
morning; but its object was simply to appoint a deputa-
tion to meet that from Liverpool, and they had not come
to any final determination with reference to the ques-
tion, except that they were opposed to the present
high duties on tea, and the Chamber had, on
more than one occasion, proved themselves to be so.
As to forming themselves into an association, he
might state that the Chamber of Commerce would act in
that capacity only, dealing with this as with any other
purely commercial question, and certainly could not
form themselves into an association for any one parti-
cular object. He added that the board had not fully
considered the subject at their meeting of the previous
day, but they would meet again shortly, when it would
receive their further consideration.
Mr. JAMES ASPINALL TURNER, president of the
Manchester Commercial Association, said that the
council of that Association had met on the previous day,
on the subjeet of tea duties, and had appointed the par-
ties then present to represent the association at this
meeting. They had also passed a resolution, to the effect
that the association having, both by memorial and de-
putation, expressed its opinion as to the injurious effect of
the duties on tea, would still continue to take such
further steps as might be necessary ; and with this
view they resolved that a further memorial be for warded
to Government, to be followed by a deputation to Lon-
don. As to the formation of an association here similar
to that in Liverpool, he entirely concurred in the views
already stated by Mr. Baxley, and must assure the de -
putation that the Manchester Commercial Association
would hold itself aloof from any agitation on the sub-
ject ; merely taking it up as a commercial association,
dealing with a commercial question.
Some conversation ensued as to the objects of the
Liverpool Association, the evils of the high duties on tea,
and the means it was taking to awaken attention to the
subject in various mercantile and manufacturing commu-
nities. It was stated in the course of the conversation,
that the Liverpool Association had sent deputations to
Leeds and other towns in England, and also to
the principal towns of Scotland arid Ireland, with
the view of esrablishirr local a'sociations, and obtain-
ing the co-operalion of these companies in the move-
ment to be mode for the reduction of the tea duties.
The conference, which occupiA about an hour, having
terminated,
Mr. Robert Gardner was celled to the chair, and
The thanks of the Manchester deputations were voted
to Mr. Christopher Rawson, for his conduct in presiding,
or. tho motion of Mr. T. BAILEY, seconded by Mr. J. A.
TURNER.
At three o'clock yesterday afternoon the deputation
from the Liverpool Association, consisting of the gentle-
men already named, waited by appointment, on Elkanah
Armitage, Esq., the Mayor. They were received by his
worship in the Mayor's parlour, the town clerk also
being present. The deputation, having been introduced
by Mr. Thomas Bazley, president of the Manchester
Chamber of Commerce, after briefly referring to the
object of the association, stated that their object in seek-
ing this interview was to urge the Mayor to give the
sanction of his influence and assistance in any movement
which might be made for the purpose of carrying out
the object which the association had in view. It was also
stated to the Mayor, that the deputation had already had
interviews with deputations of the Chamber of Commerce
and the Commercial Association.
The MAYOR said he thought they had done quite right
in seeking interviews with these commercial bodies ; for
it they could move them, so far as Manchester was eon-
corned, they would accomplish their object. As for
himself, he should be most willing to convene a public
town's meeting on the subject, whenever a requisition
should be presented to him for that purpose by his
fellow-townsmen, as he sympathised to the fullest pos-
sible extent with the objects of the association.
The deputation thanked the Mayor for his courtesy,
and intimated that, in this movement, as had been the
case in previous movements, they should prefer following
Manchester to leading it.
The deputation then withdrew.—Manchester Guardian.

TERRIFIC EXPLOSION OF FIRE
DAMP NEAR OLDBURY.
NINETEEN LIVES LOST.
BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY NIGHT.—At an early hour
yesterday morning another of those mining explosions,
which have of late been of such frequent occurrence, and
attended with such fatal results, took place at Round's
Green New Colliery, situated at Newberry-lane, near
Oldbury, about five miles from this town. It appears
that between five and six o'clock in the morning in ques
tion some of the men at work in the mine descended
into the pit ; these were accompanied by the manager
and the " doggy," followed by others—in all twenty-
five men and boys. It was the business of the person
employed under tha manager to ascertain the state of
the ventilation, but whether he did so or not on this
occasion does not appear. A short time after the de-
scent of the teen, the manager (Mr. Holland) disco•
vered that some parts of the mine were filled with sul-
phur, and he cautioned his son not to proc:wd further
in the direction ia which the vs pour rose. The younez
man, at that moment, turned into
.3 new " gate read,"
apert from the infected atmo-phere. In less than
three minutes he was startled by the report of
an exple.ion, which, according to his own words, de-
prived him of his hearing. The candle he held in
his hind was extinguished, and he a as left in total dark-
ness, and with difficulty preserved himself from suffoca-
tion. After the lapie of a few minutes he succeeded in
groping his way to the shaft of the pit. Assi: tance was
also rendered from the surface as speedily as possible,
and on exaieining the mine the scene which presented
itself was appalling. Bodies blackened acd burn. were
scattered in all directions. Sixteen were immediately
removed up the shaft dead ; three died within an hour
afterwards, and another is not expected to survive. The
consternation which this sad accident has created in the
neighbourhood it is needless to de,eribe. Parents are
left childless, and children rendered orphans.
An inquest on the bodies of four of 'he unfortunate
seen was held this day, before George Henchliffe, E-q.,
coroner, at the Talbot Inn, Oldbury. A deep interest
was excited by the proceedings.
At the commencement of the inquiry the CORONER
observed, that with a view to public convenience, he
would classify the cases to be brought befere the jury
that morning. The same evidence would apply to each
case ; those reserved after that day's investigation would
require evidence only as to personal identity. The cases
he then intended to take were those of Joseph Troth,
Jacob Boden, John Windmill, and Samuel Boden.
The jury proceeded to view the bodies of the- four
unfortunate men above named. The cottages in which
they resided were extremely clean, but the bodies were
scorched and dreadfully disfigured.
Harriette Latimer was the first witness examined; she
said—l am a married woman, and live in Oldbury. I
knew Joseph Troth. He was a miner, and worked in
Parker's pit. I saw him brought home yesterday
morning. His body was dreadfully burnt. The witness
gave the same evidence with regard to the identity and
injuries of the two Bodens and Windmill.
Thomas Rovle—l lire at Brown's-green, and am a
banksman at Mr. Parker's coal-pit, at Newberry-lane,
Oldbury. I was there when the men went down into
the pit yesterday morning. The first men went down
about half-past five o'clock. I saw Troth, Windmill,
and the two Bodens go down about six o'clock. I saw
Holland, the " butty," go down the pit, but whether it
was before or after the four men named went down I
don't know. He generally went down with them. Joseph
Smith wan the " doggy" of the pit, and managed under
Holland. He generally went down before Holland in the
morning, and he went down before him about half an hour
yesterday morning. Five-and-twenty men went down
the pit yesterday morning. Mr. Thomas Hales was the
ground bailiff of the works. It was not his business
to attend regularly and go down the pit. A little be-
fore seven o'clock I heard a great noise, as if gunpowder
had gone off, and the fire showed itself at the top of the
pit. In consequence of seeing the flames I made an
alarm immediately, and several men came from a stone
pit adjoining. When they came we got the ropes on as
soon as we could and some men went down; and amongst
others I recollect the four persons respecting whom this
inquiry is instituted being brought up. Some of the men
who went down to assist the sufr_rers were brought up
insensible. Sixteen men wer brought up dead out of
the pit. Five others were seriously injured, and four
escaped unhurt. Three out of the five seriously injured
have died since. I can't ra y whether or not the " deggy"
took down the safety lamp yesterday morning. Some-
times he did and sometimes he did not. There are
usually safety lamps in the pit, but sometimes they are
brought up to be cleaned
Alter seine further evidence hed been gone into,
upToohetwCooaortr id. he und, r,t .od that the inquest
had been adjourned,
and other inquesetsbobt,"
at'pointed to be held the same
sfternoon at various distances,o he should adjourn the
present inquiry until to-morrwThe bodies of the unfortunate sufferers lie in three
Counties, so that there will be three separate inquests.

TEST OF THE QUALITY OF GUN Corm, m
pelouze has announced an important discovery by •
l kis laboratory pupils; it is, that when, xloidin-ewo o
has
X.l
r•c:•_ retched; ita greatest. degree of explosive power, then it is
j.. 64,,,, ennipletert Stairt;ble in ether. Hence a test of quality, and
l••,. wroof 0 t,Wketit make.—Literary Gazette.
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