The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-16 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE STEAM TRANSPORT

SPARTAN.

The following telegraphic message has been
received at the Admiralty this day from her Ma-
jesty's Consul at Marseilles :
" Wednesday.—The steamer Spartan, with 736
English soldiers, proceeding from Balakla,va to
England, was wrecked on the sth inst. on the
Island of Canes, near Tunis. All the persons on
board have been saved by the French steamer
Sphinx, and have been conveyed to Tunis. The
ship is lost."

DREADFUL COLLIERY ACCIDENT.

GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.

CARDIFF, Tuesday. This morning intelligence
reached Cardiff of a shocking catastrophe having oc-
curred at the Cummer Coal pit. The pit is situated
about three miles from Pontypridd, and belongs to the
Messrs. I nsoll.

We learn that an explosion of fire-damp was the
cause of the melancholy accident, and that at least
twenty-four lives have been lost.
At the usual hour of commencing work this morning
about 200 men descended the pit, and at 7 o'clock a
terrific explosion was heard. Fortunately a great num-
ber of the workmen were enabled to reach the surface of
the pit, and, without a moment's delay, immediate
steps were taken by those who had escaped to rescue
their fellow-workmen.

Happily a great number were rescued alive, but up to
two o'clock 24 dead bodies had been brought to the pit's
mouth. The most energetic measures were being taken
to save if possible those remaining in the pit.
At the hour at which this melancholy intelligence left
it was supposed that there were between 70 and 80 men
still in the pit.
The excitement caused by the accident is dreadful.
As the bodies of the'unfortunate sufferers were brought
up, the screams of those collected round the pit's mouth
were heartrending. Men, women, and children were to
be seen in the deepest grief lamenting either the loss of
sons, husbands, or fathers.

THE OVERLAND MAIL.—MARSEILLES, Tuesday.—
The Vectis arrived here at 7 o'clock this morning with
the Indian mails and an extra mail from China. The
despatches left for London at 9 o'clock, a.m.
Caradoc arrived at Malta on the 7th, hearing
the flag of Lord Lyons, the naval commander-in-chief
of the Mediterranean fleet, and proceeded the 9atne day
to Sebastopol.
The direction of the French post-office at Constanti-
nople issued a notice on the 3d, acquainting the public
that the postal arrangements to the Crimea by the Mes-
sageries Imperiales have been suppressed.
AIETROPOLITAN B3ARD OF WORKS.—The board sat
ilituday, and after sitting six hours to discuss the main
urainage scheme, adjourned without coming to a de-
cision.

One of the joint-stock banks is about to compete with
the Post-office for the transmission of small sums of
m ney from the provinces to the metropolis. Its terms
are 3d. for sums under 51. The Post•office charges 6d.
for sums between 2/. and 51.

It is a curious coincidence that the same engine that
brought Mr. W. S. O'Brien from Thurles to Dublin, on
the night of his arrest at that station, took him to Lime-
rick junction, on his way home, with the four o'clock
train on Thursday.
CRIOICET.—GENTLEMEN OF KENT AND SUSSEX V. ALL
ENGLAND.—This match was finished yesterday, at Lord's,
England winning by 8 wickets. The following is the
score—England : first innings, 195 ; second innings, 65.
Kent and Sussex : first innings; 91 ; second innings,
168.

The Grand Duke of Tuscany has just issued a decree
imposing a duty on dogs, for the benefit of the various
cominu ies of his states. At Florence, Leghorn, and
six other principal towns, the duty is 15fr. each, per
annum; for the secondary towns, 10fr.• for the villages,
sfr. ; and for farmers' and shepherds' dogs, 2fr.
We are sorry to learn that Mr. C. Mathews, the first
comedian of the day, and a man of the most versatile
genius, has arrived at Lancaster Castle, in custody of a
sheriff's officer. We understand he was apprehended on
Monday, after his appearance at the Preston Theatre,
and lodged in gaol the same evening.—Lancaster Guar-
dian.

THE ASSAULT ON Ms. GRAHAM. —The Mayor and
those members of the corporation composing the watch
committtee of the borough of New Windsor held a meet-
ing at the Council chamber on Monday last, when the
gross case of assault on Mr:Graham by the policeman,
Angove, was brought before the board, and the man,
who had been previously suspended, was dismissed from
the police force.
At the half-yearly meeting of the St. Kdtharine Dooks
Company, held yesterday, the report stated the gross
earnings for the past half-year at 158,0501., and the ex-
penditure, including interest, at 99,1161., leaving as net
earnings 58,9341, The available balance is stated at
142,7441., out of which a dividend at the rate of 2/ per
cent. for the half-year ending the 30th of June last was
declared.

Tne CANADIAN STEAMER.— The Canadian steam-
ship Indian will leave Liverpool to-day for Montreal and
Qa, bec, having on board Major Routledge, Colonel
Strutton, Lieutenant General Sir William Eyre, Mrs,
Eyre and child, Lieutenant-Colonel F. Thackwell,
Bart., Military Secretary, with wife and two children ;
Lieutenant St. Clair, Aide-de-Camp ; Mrs. Major Ro-
bertson, &c.

Loss OF A LIVIRPOSL STEAMER.—The following de-
ep: to'l has been received by the Liverpool underwriters :
—" Mara3illes, July 14.—(Per Telegraph).—The Spar-
tan s':eam-3hip, Milburn, from Balaklava for Daptford,
with troops, struck on the Cane Rocks on the sth inst.
at 10 p.m., and it is feared will be a total wreck.
Three steamers were sent from Malta to her aid. No
lives 1 ,i4t."

A HINT TO THE POLES.—A. Vienna paper learns from
the Russian frontiers that Prince Gortschakoff has, in a
confidential way, informed the first Polish families that
the Russian Government hopes to see them strongly
represented at Moscow during the coronation.
The Boy Jones who has just turned up again at Ply-
mouth, was sent on board a man-of•war, in the Mediter
ranean, after his continual intrusions into Buckingham
Palace. He was often in disgrace on board,but while his
ship was off Athens he had behaved well, and had leave
in cons: (pence to go on shore. He was nit long on
shore, however, before he was apprehended in Xing
0 tho's Palace.

THE CAPE FRONTIER.--We are gratified to say that,
although sinister rumours from Caffreland were current
in Cape Town on the arrival of the post, the most un-
qualified contradictions have just been given to them, by
the Governor's desire, in the House of Assembly, by the
Colonial Secretary, who read the last despatches from
the authorities in Caffreland up to the Ist of May, in-
clusive, from which it appeared that nothing whatever
bad happened to cause alarm.—South. African Commer-
cial Advertiser, May 6.
THE NATIONAL DISCOUNT COMPANY.—At an extraor-
dinary meeting of this company, held yesterday, a reso-
lution was unanimously passed to increase the capital by
1,000,007/., making a total of 2,000,0001., by an issue of
40,000 shares of 251. each. These shares are to be issued
pro rata to the shareholders at par. A sum of 1/, is to
be paid on alleturen,t, and 41. on the Ist Jaouary next.
The directors have abandoned the idea of applying any
portion of the current market premium in aid of the
company's funds.
CORONER'S INQUEST.— Yesterday afternoon Mr. Ba-
ker he!d an inquest at the London Hospital, White-
chapel road, on the body of Ellen Albon, aged 35, the
unfortunate woman that was burnt to death at the fire
that took place on Sunday last at the premises No. 22,
Rupert-street, Whitechapel. The particulars of this
distressing event appeared in this journal. The jury
returned a verdict that the deceased was burnt to death
in the fire, but how the said fire occurred there was not
sufficient evidence to prove." The proceedings then ter-
minated.

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3fratYedest
time had arrived for the septennial visit of the corpora-
tion to the Thames and Medway, and it was necessary
to make arrangements for supporting the rights and
privileges of the city of London as regarded the con-
servancy of the river. He considered they ought not to
omit any feral which had been adhered to on previous
occasions with regard to those rights and privileges,
particularly in the then condition of the city of Lender,
suljected as it had been to invasion. He thought it
would be advisable, however, to make the official visit
quietly aud economically, limiting the time to one (ley
instead of three. If the Court approved of his suggestion
he would give directions that a steamer should be got
ready for tne accommodation of the members of the cor-
poration, in such a manner as he had no doubt would be
approved. Alderman Finnic (the next in retetion for
the mayoralty) se eroded the proposition of the Lord
Mayor, and the Court unanimously acquiesced.
SINGULAR AND FATAL OCCURRENCE.—An inquest was
held before Mr. E. Cowcher, coroner, a few days ago, at
St. Peter's College, Radley, near Abingdon, on the body
of a young man, named Walter Fairey, aged about 17
years, who met with his death in the following singu-
lar and melancholy manner. It appeared that deceased
was one of the servitors in the college, and, about four
o'clock on the 3d inst., he went up to his sleeping room
with two other. 4 of the servants to dress, having finished
certain duties of the afternoon, and, being tired, all three
throw themselves on their beds, the deceased taking a
sponge in his hand to sponge himself as he lay down ;
he afterwards threw the sponge towards the wash-
hand stand, whence it bounded through thd•open win-
dow on to a skylight. The deceased, against the advice
of his fellow-servants, immediately got out of the
window to recover it, and in doing so his legs slipped
through the skylight, and in getting them back the glt S 4
cut hitu iu tae thigh, and he threw himself into the room,
and so profuse was the flow of blood from the wound,
that ho died from exhaustion in a few minutes. Mr. Mar-
tin, of Abingdon, the surgeon of the establishment, was
immediately sent far, and in his absence Mr. Baker
bast( ned to the spot, but the unfortunate young man
had ceased to live, even before the messenger had got
beyond the College bounds. From Mr. Baker's evi-
dence it appeared that the deceased sustained a cut abou t
an inch long, and rather more in deptb, which had sepa'
rated the femoral artery, an injury which the most
prompt surgical aid could hardly have prevented causing
death. There being not the slightest doubt that the
occurrence was of an accidental nature, the jury returned
a verdict accordinglyr.Oxfera Jortre Z.