The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-22 00:00:00

AUGUST 22, 1851.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE:

APPOINTMENTS.
Acting Assistant-Surgeons—James Long and C,
G. Wolfenden, to the Impregnable.

Assistant Surgeon—Philip W. Govett (confirmed)
to the Penelope.
Clerks-11. W. Sanders, to the Portland ; James
B. Rowling, to the Waterloo.
Gunner—W. Smith (D), confirmed.
Boatswain—W. Smith, advanced 2d class.

DEVONPORT, AnousT 20.—Commodore Lord John
Hay passed a restless night, but we are happy to state
his Lordship is better this afternoon, and may be
considered much the same as be has been the past few
days.
This morning the Lords of the Admiralty trans-
acted business at Moorsheads's Hotel. Sir Baldwin
Walker came into the yard early this morning, and
was met by Messrs. Turner and Peake, master ship-
! wright's assistants, and went on board all the ships
building and repairing. On board the Sanspareil
they stopped a long time, and minutely inspected the
machinery now being erected on board of her. Sir
Baldwin did not leave the yard till near four o'clock.
PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—Rear-Admiral Pres-
cott, C. 8., superintendent of this dockyard, is pro-
moted to the red squadron of her Majesty's fleet, and
will shift his flag from white to red at the mizen of
the Britannia, 120, Captain Yates, on Saturday
morning.
The Sprightly steam-tender, Master-Commander
G. Allen, conveyed the Port Admiral and Rear-Ad-
miral Superintendent to Cowes this morning.
Sir F. Baring, Admiral Dundas, Captain Milne,
the Hon. Mr. Cowper, Captain Hamilton, &c., went
in two carriages to the. Royal Hospital, and made an
inspection of that department, the Royal William
Victualling-yard, and the Marine Barracks. Their
Lordships give a dinner to-night at Moorshead's
Hotel.

Myrmidon was paid advance this afternoon, by Mr.
Mills, master attendant. _ _ .

Rochester, lighter, Sudwick, master, arrived this
day with stores from Portsmouth.
By the death of Vice-Admiral of the White John
Ayscouth, Vice-Admiral of the Blue Sir Thomas
Cochrane, K.C.8., becomes Vice of the White ; Rear-
Admiral of the Red Sir William Augustus Montagu,
C. 8., K.C.H., becomes Vice-Admiral of the Blue;
Rear-Admiral of the White H. Prescott, C. 8., be-
comes Rear of the Red; Rear-Admiral of the Blue
William Bowen Mends, becomes Rear of the White ;
and Captain the Right lion. Lord John Hay, C. 8.,
Commodore Superintendent of Devonport dockyard,
becomes Rear-Admiral of the Blue.

The fine ship Herefordshire, 1,500 tons, Captain
George Richardson, may be hourly expected at Leith
from Quebec, with the 79th Highlanders on board.
She sailed from Spithead for Gibraltar on the 25th of
May last, with the 13th Regiment. and arrived there
on the sth of June-11 days; sailed for Barbadoes,
with the 54th Regiment, on the 13th of June, and
arrived at that island on the 3d ofJuly-20 days ; sailed
for Quebec, with the 56th Regiment, on the 10th of
July, and reached that port on the 28th-18 days;
sailed for Leith with the 72th Highlanders on the sth
of August inst., and is expected hourly at that port,
thus accomplishing the round in the unprecedented
short period of three months.

the pit's mouth and the neighbouring village was
painful to witness. Most of the sufferers were killed
by afterdamp ; but some of the bodies were much
injured by fire and the force with which they were
thrown against the sides of the pit.
The evidence of the workmen, so far as taken before
the coroner, showed that the pit had been for some
time in a dangerous state ; but it is intimated that
there will be satisfactory evidence of a contrary
character, showing that the pit was quite safe, and
the ventilation perfect. Ia the course of the inquiry
it came out that the pit exploded about three months
ago, when two lives were lost; and again only three
weeks ago, when no one perished. An explosion
took place in the same pit twenty-three years ago,
when fourteen lives were lost.
The following evidence was among that given on
Wednesday :
Mr. Cruddace produced a plan of the underground
workings, showing the course of ventilation. The
place where the pit fired on Monday night was the
first cross pit of the Hutton seam. The upcast and
downcast shafts are from 200 to 300 yards apart.
From 28,000 to 33,000 cubic feet of air per minute
descends the downcast shaft, and is diffused over the
workings. The ventilation is by furnace. The air
splits at the bottom of the engine-bank, about 1,000
yards from the downcast shaft. Part of the air goes
direct into the part of the workings where the pit
fired, and returns by the west side over an overcast,
thence up some old wastes to a return staple, which
leads into the low main seam to the furnace. The air
travels at that part at the rate of three or four feet
per second. The air does not ventilate more than two
acres of the workings. It travels in some places 4i
yards wide, and in others only from 3 to 4 feet wide,
but where the ways are so narrow there are several
of them together, to keep up a uniform velocity.
George Charlton, back overman, said, he left the pit
on Monday afternoon, between five and six o'clock.
Had examined the pit in every working place, in-
cluding the part where she is supposed to have fired,
and left, considering her quite safe. William Hall,
who is killed, took charge of the next shift. Witness
worked with candles, and candles were generally used
in that part. Has had charge of that part about a
year and a half. There has been gas there before,
from falls. Has not known any blowers come off.
Considered it safe to work them with candles, unless
a fall should come off with the workings. Had never
known gas come off so strong from a fall as to fire the
pit. Never heard a complaint of danger from work-
ing at that part with candles. Cannot account for
the explosion.

Thomas Todd, deputy, left the pit the same time
as Charlton, and confirmed his testimony. He said
there was no danger from a blower where lamps were
used. If the explosion was caused by a blower, it
must have been where a candle was used. The men
prefer to use candles, because they give a better light.
They find their own candles. If they use Davy lamps
they are saved expense, as the owners provide lamps
and oil. Witness has never heard the men ask to be
allowed lamps in that part of the pit.

SUICIDE AND ATTEMPT TO MURDER.

The neighbourhood of Tottenham has been in a
state of the most painful excitement since Wednesday
evening, in consequence of a desperate attempt to
murder two respectable women, mother and daughter,
by a German named Carl Ragelaek, who afterwards
destroyed himself. The unfortunate deceased, who is
stated to be of highly respectable connexions in his
own country, came to England some twelve months
since with a recommendation to Mr. Broad, clerk in
a bank in Lombard-street, and has since resided with
that gentleman's family at Tottenham•hale. He is
' said to have had an attachment for Miss Broad, whose
father, however, objected to their union, chiefly on
account of the disparity of their age, the deceased
being 35 years old and the young lady only about 20 ;
added to which the deceased had on several occasions
evinced symptoms of a disordered mind. About three
months back he disappeared from home in an extra-
ordinary manner, and nothing was heard of him for a
considerable time, until at length he wrote from
Liverpool to Mr. Broad, who went to that place
and brought him back. On Wednesday, after having
been in London during the day, he returned about
eight o'clock in the evening to Tottenham, and had
scarcely entered the house when screams and cries of
" Murder" were heard, and immediately afterwards the
two women, who were alone in the house, ran out bleed-
ing from various wounds. Mr. Ryan, the railway
station-master, having entered the place, found Carl
Ragelaek lying dead in the parlour, and a dagger
covered with blood lying beside him. It appeared
that be bad attacked Miss Broad with the dagger, in-
flicting a slight stab upon her body, and a more seri-
ous wound upon her hand, with which she had endea-
voured to ward off the blow, and her mother on has-
tening to her assistance, hearing her cry out, was at-
tacked, and received a rather severe stab in the chest.
The two women then ran out, as already stated, and
fell fainting in the road, and the deceased, turning the
weapon against himself, plunged the weapon into his
abdomen five or six times, and terminated his exist-
ence in less than two minutes. Mrs. Broad and her
daughter were placed under the care of Mr. May, a
surgeon, who reported yesterday evening that they
were progressing favourably. The deceased was con-
veyed to the White Hart, near the railway station,
to await the inquest, and on stripping the body yes-
terday to place it in the coffin, a belt was found round
the waist containing upwards :of 1001. in German
money, besides 71. 17s. English in the pockets of his
clothes. The dagger with which he committed the
crimes is eight or nine inches long, with black handle,
apparently of foreign make, and it is stated that he
had another instrument of the same kind, but more
handsomely mounted, in his possession.