The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-12 00:00:00

STRANGE POINT IN DIVORCE LAW.

A point of considerable interest arose during the hearing
of the cause of " Buckmaster v. Buckmaster," on Friday,
in the Divorce Court. The wife prayed for a dissolution of
marriage, on tle ground of adultery and desertion. The
facts of the case were curious. The respondent, a
miller's son, clandestinely married the appellant,
who was a servant ; but, owing to the opposition
of his parents, only lived with her for a
short time. He had formerly been attached to a girl
named Bunker, and on the part of the petitioner it was
alleged was now living with her. The petitioner had
accepted £lOO not to " molest" the respondent ; but had
subsequently filed a petition for restitution of conjugal
rights ; but the citation could not be served on
the respondent, who, it was alleged, was at
that time in Australia with Mary Bunker.—
Lord Penzance said he had great doubts if the desertion
could be made out, and referred to the case of "Fitzgerald
v. Fitzgerald." If two parties were married one day, and
then rued their bargain, and the wife accepted a certain
sum to go away—in fact to dissolve their marriage—it
would be strange if she had the right afterwards to
petition, or make one of her grounds desertion. He
(the learned judge) would look into the law on the
subject.—Mr. Inderwick, for the petitioner, alleged that
when his client accepted the £lOO she was not aware that
her husband was living with Bunker, and had since then
endeavoured to get a restitution of conjugal rights.

THE EXPLOSION AT THE FERNDALE

COLLIERY.

Details are given in the local papers of the explosion at
the Ferndale Colliery, which we reported on Friday. The
first rumours of the catastrophe were, as now appears,
exaggerated, and instead of 120 lives being lost,
the number is given cr. between 70 and 80. Ferndale is
described as being a wild and picturesque spot in Rhondda
Vale. The colliery belongs to Messrs. Davis and Sons,
extensive colliery proprietors.

The story of the explosion is much like those which have
so often been repeated concerning other explosions.
Between six and seven o'clock on Thursday morning, the
colliers, of whom GOO are generally employed in the pit,
had descended to commence their daily avocation. About
half-an-hour afterwards a vibration of the earth, followed
by a faint report, was perceptible to those stationed at the
mouth of the pit. Almost simultaneously with these signs
a dense volume of black dust issued from the mouth
of the "downcast" shaft, and it was immediately known
by those on the bank that another calamity had visited
the pit. Mr. Bedlington, the general manager, and Mr.
David Rees, the local manager, were instantly summoned,
and very few minutes elapsed before they were on the
spot. They were joined by a number of the other officials
connected with the works, and the news having spread as
such news will, thousands of men, women, and children
from all the neighbourhood round flocked to the scene.
The excitement was intense, not only in the locality, but
throughout the whole district.
It must be understood that the Ferndale Colliery com-
prises three separate workings, known respectively as the
Duffryn, the Rhonnda, and the Blaenllecha headings.
These. all radiate from one shaft and are on
one level. It was in the Duffryn heading
that the present explosion took place. This working was
uninjured in the great explosion which took place in 1867.
From accounts received from some of those who were in
the working, it is gathered that out of the 400 men who
went down, there were from 130 to 140 in the Duffryn side,
and of these about 60 made good their escape. The
Duffryn heading runs in a south-westerly course, towards
the Ehondda Vale. The workings have extended about
three-quarters of a mile. It is not known at what point
the explosion took place, but it is supposed to have been
towards the centre ; and it is conjectured that the cause
was the falling of a portion of the roof, and an irruption of
highly inflammable gas. The men nearest the shaft, which
is 280 yards deep, escaped, but those towards the othez
end were, unfortunately, cut off by the after-damp. An
exploring party was promptly organised. The first party
descended a little before eight o'clock, and by half-past nine
ten bodies were brought to the bank. These presented no
appearance of having been burnt, but apparently had
suffered from the effects of the after-damp. Relief parties
were told off to continue the search, and bodies continued
to be brought up till between twelve and one o'clock, at
which hour forty-five bodies had been recovered. Many
of these were shockingly burned. In one or two cases the
features of the poor fellows weze so charred as to be
almost wholly unrecognisable.
No certain cause is given for the accident. The Cambria
Daily :Leader says positively that as soon as the
men reached the Duffyrn district, a large fall of the
roof occurred about half-way into the district, thereby
occasioning a large escape of gas, which, finding its way
into the workings, was, by some means not yet known,
ignited. This, however, leaves the matter as uncertain
as ever, and, from the failure!of the inquiry made hitherto,
there seems to be little clia.ca of having any positive
reason assigned.
A list of 44 dead recovered is given, but this is stated to
be incomplete, and the searching is yet going on. It is
noticeable that most of the men injured were killed. There
are very few who were hurt by the explosion and escaped.
The inquest before the coroner will be formally opened
at Pontypridd to-day, after which the jury will proceed
to view the bodies, and a correct list of the deceased will
he given.
An incident of arrant heartlessness is reported, that of a
man who, while rendering some assistance in the recovery
of the bodies, observed a watch in the clothing of one of
the bodies, and endeavoured to secure it for his own use.
He had no sooner, however, got to the pit's bank than
he was surrounded by a mob who chased him to the
bank of the river, some distance away, where they
overtook him, threw him in the water, cut his head
against the stones, and would doubtless have " finished'
him, had it not been for the timely interference of the
police, who at once took the heartless wretch into custody
and locked him in the police-station.
The latest telegrams report the fatalities at nearly 80.

A Parliamentary return of Life Assurance Com-
panies registered since 1844 shows 262 such companies,
with a nominal capital of £60,057,500; £28,578,601 is sub•
scribed for, and £3,166,633 is paid up. Of these companies
10 have amalgamated with others, the business of 34 has
been transferred to others, and 152 have been wound up, or
are supposed to have ceased business.
SHIPWRECKED MARINERS' SOCIETY.—The 30th
annual meeting of the friends and supporters of this
society was held on Friday, under the presidency of th,
Duke of Marlborough, in Burdett Hall, Limehouse, From
the report read by the secretary it appeared that 10,884
shipwrecked persons, widows, and orphans, had been
relieved during the past year. The gross income was
£22,445. In the Belvedere Institution there were sixty-
eight poor old seamen, and thirty-six had received out
pensions. The meeting was addressed by Captain Maude,
Rev. Dr. Cumming, Rev. Dr. Smith, and other gentlemen
in support of the claims of the society.
A HUGE BLOW-Ur.—On Thursday, at the
extensive lime quarries of Messrs. Briggs, situated at
Salthill, near Clitheroe, one of the largest blasting opera
tions ever attempted .in that part of the country was
successfully brought to a conclusion. At Salthill there is
a perpendicular face of mountain limestone 60 feet in
height. A tunnel, 23 yards in length, had been bored in
the face, and 60 cwt. of powder well walled in at the
upper end. Three fuses were lighted at 2.20 p.m., and at
2.54 a mass of at least 50,000 tons of solid limestone was
lifted perpendicularly a height of 30 or 4) yards. So truly
was the vertical movement effected that not a single stone
was thrown to the distance of more than 80 yards. The
huge mass went up together into the air, and, though
crumbling in the descent, fell well together. Most of
those present were scientific men.
LLW AND THE CHURCH.—The Dublin corre-
spondent of the Times writes :—" The Court of Exchequer
on Friday witnessed, perhaps for the last time, the obser-
vance of a quaint custom which, in the light of coming
changes, seems more strange. It is the service rendered
every year by Christ Church Cathedral for the pro-
perty which it holds in frank almoigne.' Tho
Rev. Mr. Finlayson, vicar choral, and several of
the choristers attended in their surplice; and get-
ting upon the table of the court, while all present,
including the members of the Bench—all, with one
exception, Roman Catholics—reverently stood, they sang
a hymn with excellent effect as a musical performance.
The vicar choral then stood at the side bar and read the
concluding prayers of the morning service of the Esta-
blished Church, the boys singing the responses. Before
the Reformation the custom was to celebrate mass in the
courts on the first and last days of all the Terms in
homage for the lands, but at the time of the Reformation
the Protestant service was substituted. The court
certified that it was duly rendered.