The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-23 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

The sixth season of Mr. Kean's management came to
a close last night with the greatest eclat. The house
was crowded in every part—so much so, indeed, that a
great number were refused admission, not a single place
being vacant soon after the performance commenced.
The entertainment comprised the farce of " Music bath
Charms" and "The Winter's Tale," the last and by no
means least successful of the gorgeous Shakesperian
"revivals." After the play, which was even performed
with more than the accustomed spirit by every one con-
cerned, and heartily enjoyed by a more than usually
enthustas:ic audience, Mr. Kean was unanimously
called before the footlights. When the applause that
greeted him from all sides of the house had subsided he
addressed the house as follows

" Ladies and Gentlemen,—ln obeying your summons
permit me to take the opportunity of expressing my deep
sense of gratitude for the constant favour with which you
have received my efforts since I first entered upon manage-
ment—a favour which has enabled me to present some of
the most beautiful creations of the greatest of all poets
with a success unprecedented in the annals of the drama.
Such results convert the most hazardous risk into
triumphant certainty, and convince me that I am right in
endeavouring to render every production on this stage as
nearly as possible a correct embodiment of what is real,
picturesque, and true. We have now reached the last night
of our season, and the 103 d representation of ' The Win-
ter's Tale,' but I can scarcely say 'Farewell,' since in a few
days 1 hope once more to bid you welcome. On Monday
week, Sept. 1, this theatre will reopen with a revival of
Sheridan's play of Pizarro,' with the same attention to
details which has accompanied the whole of the previous
series of historical illustrations. In the meantime, ladies
and gentlemen, on the part of Mrs. Kean and myself, I
beg to tender you our respectful thanks, and to assure you
of our earnest and continued zeal in your service."

This short speech was followed by the most renuin•
demonstrations of approval. A loud call was then raised
for Mrs. Kean, who was led on by her husband, and ap-
plauded by the whole audience. There is every reason
to believe that the season just expred has been one of
extraordinary prosperity. The uninterrupted run of
"The Winter's Tale" for 102 nights—the style and mag-
nitude of the representation considered—is probably
without example.

THE LATE FATAL COLLIERY ACCIDENT

IN SOUTII WALES.

PONTYPRIDD, AUG. 22.

The protracted inquiry into the cause of the late die-
estrous explosion of fire-damp at the Cymmer
in Glamorganshire, has at length been brought to a close.
Tho greatest interest in the investigation ap pears to
have been taken by the colliers of the district, who at-
tended the inquest in large bodies day by day. Many
of the owners and managers of the numerous coal-mines
in South 'Wales have also been present, and several
legal gentlemen have attended to watch the proceedings
on behalf of the proprietor of the colliery and of the
friends of the deceased.

The evidence having been completed at midday yes•
tertlay, it was agreed to adjourn for a short time, and
then to proceed with the summing up. The Court re•
sunned shortly after 2 o'clock, and

The Coroner at onca proceeded to sum up. He pointed
out to the jury the importance of the investigation, and
the chief questiou which they were called upon to de-
cide. In the first place, it was left to them to eay
whether the unfortunate deceased had died through as
accidental explosion of fire-damp, or whether the ex-
plosion which had terminated so fatally had been occa-
sioned by the carelessness or negligence of any person
or persons intrusted with the control and management
of the pit. If they were of opinion that the explosion
was one of those unforeseen casualties which neces-
sarily attended all mining operations, however serious
the consequence might have been, it would be their duty
to return a verdict of accidental death ; but if they be-
lieved that it had arisen from the careessness and neg-
ligence of the owner, manager, overman, or firemen, or
any other person having duties to perform in the mine,
it would be their duty to find a verdict of manslaughter,
in order that the matter might be investigated elsewhere,
and the supposed offenders tried for the offence. In
order to enable the jury to arrive at a proper decision,
he thought it necessary to impress upon them the fact
that, as a point of law, if any man took upon himself an
office or duty requiring skill and care, and yet by care.
lessness or negligence permitted an accident to occur lsy
which a death ensued, such person would be guilty of
manslaughter. He then called attention to the rules of
the Cymmer Pit, by the first of which the duties of the
manager were defined. Those duties required him to
take the responsible charge of the mine and works, and
the direction of all persons employed in or about them.
Full power was given to him, and he was required to
carry out whatever he might consider necessary for
safety, and for rendering effective the general and
special rules. He was also to take care that there was
a sufficient number of competent agents to superintend
the mine, machinery, and workmen, and it was his
duty to see that they clearly understood, and were
attentive to their respective duties. In addition, it
was his duty to lay out the ventilation of the mine,
to make due provision for removing all noxious gases, to
take especial care that the general rules were attended
to, and to see that the workmen were made acquainted
with them by causing them to be read over when desir-
able. It would now be for the jury to say bow far the
duties thus defined in the rules had been performed by
the manager. The coroner here read the mules which
referred to the overmen, deputies, and other undergrouni
agents, together with those affecting the workmen
themselves, and then proceeded to comment upon the
fae,ts of the case and the nature of the evidence. He
believed that the evidence very strongly affected several
of the persons holding responsible positions in the col-
liery. It was, however, for the jury to say how tar the
duties of those persons were distinctly defined, and whs.
ther or not they had been violated.
Before the conclusion of the summing up Mr. James,
the solicitor for the proprietor of the colliery, handed in
the following document, which may, be considered the
defence of the persons intrusted with the management
of the mine :

" The manager maintains that he had a right to per-
form the duties of the first special rule by what he be-
lieved to be proper agents.
" Morgan Rowlands maintains that, on finding gas in
a stall of a morning, all he had to do was to act under
rule 14 (requiriug that cross timbers indicating danger
should be put up). David Jones had already done so.
lie also contends that the 20th rule (the rule requiring
the overman to report to the manager, and the deputy
to the overman, all accidents, dangers, or defects which
oocur in the mine) does not apply to merely finding gas
in a stall of a morning, but only to such dangers as
threatened some large district of the work of sufficient
importance to render it necessary that the head manager
should know.
" Rowland Rowlands maintains that, not being in-
formed of the danger, there has been no rule broken by
him."

The jury retired for the purpose of considering their
verdict at a quarter past three o'clock, and returned at
half-past four.
The Foreman said—Seventeen of the jury are of opi-
nion that the explosion in the Old Pit at Uymmer, which
occurred on the 15th of July, whereby Thomas Lewis and
113 other men lost their liveß, was caused by the negli-
gence of Jabez Thomas, the manager, Rowland Row-
lands, the overman, and Morgan Rowlands, David Jones,
and William Thomas, the firemen. They therefore
found a verdict against those persons of manslaughter.
['The dissentient juryman was said to be now a fire-
man in the pit in which the explosion occurred.]
The Coroner said he did not see how the jury could
have come to any other conclusion.
Mr. Owen, on behalf of the working colliers, thanked

the Coroner and Mr. Poulden, the Government assessor,
for the pains which they bad taken in conducting the
investigation, and this protracted inquiry was then
brought to a close.

TEE FATAL COLLISION OFF THE NOR-
THUMBERLAND COAST.

We stated last week that oa the morning of the

11th inst. a French brig, La Henriette, of Bayonne,
had been run down by the bark Clontarf, of London,
off the Northumberland coast, and sunk with six of
her crew. The subject has since been inquired into
by the mayor and magistrates of Sunderland, acting
under the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act of
1854. The French Consul was in attendance. M.
Vincent Devillie, the master of La Henriette, was ex-
amined upon oath. He stated that his vessel left Havre
for Blyth in ballast on the Ist of August, and on the
morning of the 11th, while off Tynemouth, he was upon
the deck keeping watch ; the wind was south-east, the
night dark and hazy, when be saw a light on the lar-
board side of the vessel by the mainmast. This was
between one and two o'clock. He had then a light
banging at the bowsprit. At the same time he saw the
light he had his maintopsail and fore and aft main-
sail set, and he was steering east-north-east. bane.
diately after seeing the light he altered his course.
He lulled a little, so as to pass ahead of the vessel
from which he saw the light. Nothing occurred on
board his vessel—no alteration, or anything, until he
saw a vessel looming through the darkness, about a cable's
length from his own vessel. He called out to the men
on board the approaching vessel, which was then on the
larboard side of his mainmast, "Port helm." He called
out in French " Laissez arriver." He heard no reply.
He luffed as much as he could to clear his vessel, but is
five minutes the vessels came together. The vessel,
which proved to be the Clontarf, came stem on, and his
ship was cut down to the water's edge, and in about ten
minutes went down. His crew, of six persons, were
drowned. His vessel went down under the bows of the
barque. None of her crew offered to render assistance.
The barque was a great height out of the water, which
rendered it difficult for him and the mate to save them-
selves. He got bold of the bowsprit rigging of the barque,
and about ten minutes elapsed before his mate, who had
got on board the barque, threw him a rope and he was
hauled on board. The master of the barque spoke in
English to him, but no efforts were made to get out the
boats to attempt to save any of his crew. He never saw
the barque on his weather bow. If the barque had ported
her helm when he first shouted she would have cleared his
vessel. When be first saw the barque and ported his helm
the ship came to the wild and his sails shook. The
same rule hclds in France and England, that ships on
the starboard tack hold on their course. The mate,
Pierre Chanjour, corroborated the master's evidence.
He said had a boat been lowered from the Clontarf
among the broken wreck some of those that were
drowned might have been saved. There would have
been no danger in lowering a boat. He spoke to Mr.
Aubin, a midshipman, immediately after he got on
board the barque, about putting out a boat to save the
drowning men, but he said that there would be dan-
ger in doing so. The barque carried away the brig's
mainmast, and cut her down to the water's edge.
Mr. John Allen, master of the Clontarf, gave his
version of the unfortunate occurrence. He said they
were off Blyth on the morning of the 11th, and he
was on deck, standing near the mainmast, when his
chief officer told him a light had been seen. The wind
was about south-east, but variable. They were lying
about south-west-by-south, and he went forward, but
could not see a light. Within about two or three
seconds some one called out that there was a ship
ahead, and he immediately ordered the helm to be put
hard-a-port. He heard a cry of " A•hoy I" from the
other vessel. The stem of the barque struck the vessel
abreast the mainmast, and she went down in aboutd three
minutes. As soon as the vessels struck. hberordered the
hovea itno fora eaborclustelf4
forebrace to be let go. He let
and their ship came dead to. e
badi one down. D' 'redly
or 17 minutes, after the vesselg
to
after the collision he ordered theboat be got ready,
go the
but it was not lowered, and none of his crew were sent
off. He saw nothing to save. There were volunteers
on board, but their lives would have been endangered.
' The wind was blowing fresh. Jones, the North sea
aid, "If you allow those men to go in the boat
you ,
wills
sacrifice their lives." It was a dark night--
pilot
snore dark than hazy. Robert Richard Frost, an ap.
prentice, Stormey Thompson, a Sunderland pilot, and
John Valentine Jones, a North Sea pilot, gave similar
evidence to Mr. Allen. A report from the magistrates,
with such evidence as they may deem necessary, will be
sent to the Bard of Trade for their decision on the case.
The proceedings were taken at the instance of Captain
Heard, R.N., the inspecting officer of the Coast Guard
in the district.