The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-24 00:00:00

MAJORITY-NOES, 112.

Adair, R. Shafto Greene, John Osborne, Ralph
Anderson, Arthur Guest, Sir John Parker, John
Armstrong, Sir A. Hallyburton, Lord Pattison, J.
Baines, M. T. Hanmer, Sir J. Pearson, Charles
Barkly, Henry Hardcastle, J. A. Peel, Sir Robert
Barnard, E. G. Hastie, Alexander Pendarves, Edward
Bernal, Ralph Hayes, Sir E. Perfect, Robert
Blackstone, W. S. Hayter, W. G. Pigott, Francis
Bouverie, E. P. Henry, Alexander Pilkington, James
Brotherton, Joseph Herbert, Sidney Pugh, David
Brown, 11. Hervey, Lord A. Ricardo, Osman
Burke, Sir Thomas Heywood, James Richards, Richard
Buxton, Sir E. llindley, C. Robartes, T. J.
Callaghan, D. Hood, Sir Alexander Romilly, Sir John
Campbell, W.' F. Ilorsman, Edward Sadleir, John
Chaplin, W. J. Hutt, William , Simeon, John
Clerk Sir G. : Keogh, William Smith, John A.
Cobden, R. King, P. J. Smith, J. Benjamin
Cochrane, A. Langston, J. H. Smythe, G.
Cockburn, Alex. Lemon, Sir Charles Somerton, Viscount
Corbally, M. E. Lincoln, Earl of Spearman, 11. J.
Corry, H. Lindsay, Colonel Stanton, W. H.
Davie, Sir H, Lushington, C. Strickland, Sir G.
D'Eyncourt, T. Mangles, R. D. Stuart, Lord Dudley
Drumlanrig, Vis. Marsh,ll, J. G. Thlcknesse, Ralph
Duncan, George Marshall, W.. Thompson, Colonel
Duncuft, John Martin, John Thornely, T.
Dunne, Francis P. Martin, Samuel Trelawny, J. S.
Estcourt, J. B. B. Matheson, Colonel Villiers, Charles
Evans, John Milner, W. M. Wawn, J. T.
Evans, William Molesworth, Sir W. Williamson, Sir H.
Fagan, William Monsell, William Wood, W. P.
Fagan, James Morris, David Wyvill, Marmaduke
Fordyce, A. I). Mostyn, E. M. Young, Sir John
Frewen, C. 11. Mowatt, Francis
Gladstone, W. E. Norreys, Lord
Glyn, George Carr Norreys, Sir D.
Graham, Sir James Nugent, Lord
Greenall, Gilbert Ogle, S. C.

TELLERS.
Hume, Joseph
Bennet, Philip

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.
ELEVEN LIVES LOST.
We regret that it has become our melancholy duty to
record another of those shocking catastrophes which
have recently become of too frequent occurrence among
the works in this district. A peculiarity of this lament-
able disaster, as of many ethers which it has been our
painful duty to notice, is, that the immediate cause of
the distressing event which has thus resulted in a fearful
sacrifice of human life, is, to a very considerable extent,
shrouded iu uncertainty. Not one of the poor fellows
who were descending the pit at the time of the accident,
was left to tell the frightful tale; therefore, no investiga-
tion nor inquiry would enable us to fix exactly upon the
orgin of the mischief. The scene of this awful accident
was a pit known as No. 6, Black Vein Iron Stone Pit,
at the Victoria Ironworks, and the particulars, gleaned
from inquiries on the spot, and so far as can at present
be ascertained, are as follow:
On Wednesday morning last, between seven and eight
o'clock, when a considerable number of the men em-
ployed at the works had assembled at the mouth of the
pit, preparatory to descending to commence their work,
and after a company or two had descended, eleven men
got into the bucket for the purpose of being let down
into the pit. It should be here explained that in the
operation of lowering and raising the buckets in this
shaft, which is termed a balance-pit, the weight in the
descending bucket is so adjusted as to raise to the sur-
face another bucket, on the other side of the pit, so that
any alteration in the weight of one of these buckets in
the passage up or down, would cause the other to as-
cend or descend with proportionately increased velocity.
When the eleven men in question had descended
to some depth from the surface (it is sup-
posed more than half way to the bottom), the
chain attached to the bucket in which they were
descending, began to run down the shaft with greatly-
augmented rapidity, and continued to move with in-
creasing velocity, until the unfortunate wen were preci-
pitated to the bottom with a tremendous crash. The
chain on the other side of the pit, which moved upwards
with a rapidity proportionate to the increased speed of
the descending bucket, soon brought to the surface the
crosspieces only, by which the ascending bucket had
been attached to the chain—thus leaving behind the
huge bucket, with its contents, and the balance chain at
the bottom of it, which, as a minute investigation of the
pit, atter the accident, painfully disclosed, must have de-
scended with terrific violence upon the poor fellows who
had just gone down, and who, it is supposed, were
thrown by the violence of the concussion, out of one
bucket just in time to be crushed to atoms by the de-
scent of the other. They were, of course, killed on the
spot. No others were injured.
From the above details, then, it will be seen that the
accident must have arisen from the separation, by some
unknown cause, of the crosspieces from the ascending
bucket ; and not, as we think sense have supposed, from
the breaking of the chain ; this point, indeed, seems
placedibeyond a doubt by the circumstance of the cross-
pieces having been brought up by the ascending chain,
and smashed to pieces by the violent contact with the
whim-frame above the mouth of the pit.
It is a somewhat striking circumstance, and one which
seems to mark this fearful occurrence with a strange fa-
tality, that the same buckets and chains were constantly
being used to raise much greater weights than were now
attached to them, and had been found to work satisfac-
torily and with perfect safety. The pit is 85 yards deep
and was, we are informed, iu proper working condition,
as far as could be ascertained, at the time of the accident.
The unfortunate individuals who lost their lives by
this sad event were—
William Owen, aged 18, unmarried.
James Davis, aged 39, leaving a widow and two chil-
dren.
Emanuel Stamen, aged 27, leaving a widow.
Isaac Williams, aged 23, unmarried.
John Harris, aged 47, leaving a widow and four chil-
dren.

David Thomas, aged 29, leaving a widow and two
children.
Richard Edwards, aged 26, unmarried.
James Phelps, aged 29, unmarried.
Richard Williams, aged 27, unmarried.
John Morgan, aged 32. lett a widow.
Hubert Chivers, aged 13.
We are informed upon undoubted authority that the
greatest consideration has been shown by the Victoria
Company for the suffering and destitute relatives of the
deceased ; and every kindness has been evinced towards
them. Temporary provision has been made for their
immediate necessities, preparatory to some step being
taken for their permanent relief. The expenses incident
to the interment of the unfortunate men will be defrayed
by the company; and on our visit to the spot, we found
John Fraser, Esq., as the representative of the company,
giving directions that every proper provision should be
promptly made for the bereaved friends of the poor fel-
lows who lost their lives.
We cannot close our hurried sketch of this distressing
occurrence, without expressing our sense of the courtesy
and promptitude with which every needful assistance
and information were afforded to us at the scene of the
accident, by James Beaumont, Esq., the manager of the
works; and it is equally creditable to the company, as it
will doubtless prove satisfactory to the public, that a
disposition was shown by the manager and the agents at
the works, to give every facility for laying the facts of
the case before the public, through the medium of the
press.

An inquest will be held on the bodies of the unfortu-
nate deceased, this day (Friday).—Monmouthshire