The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-11 00:00:00

CAMBRIDGE, DEC. 10.

The Registrary requests that the supplicats and
certificates of terms for candidates for the Mathema-
tical Tripos and for all persons proposing to take
LL.B. degrees on Jan. 25 may be sent to him on or
before Monday, Dec. 16.
The Professor of Mineralogy gives notice that his
lectures will commence on Friday, Jan. 31. These
lectures will be given gratis on Mondays, Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 1 to 2,
in the Lecture-room at the north end of the west
wing of the New Museums.

THE FERNDALE COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

rONTYrRIDD, Monday.

The inquiry into the causes of the above explo-
sion was opened to-day by the coroner for the
county of Glamorgan, Mr. George Overton, at the
New Inn, Pontypridd. Mr. Wales, inspector for
the South Wales district, was present on behalf
of the Government, and Mr. C. H. James, of
Merthyr, appeared on behalf of the proprietors of
the colliery, Messrs. Davis and Sons. there was a
numerous attendance of mining engineers from the
district. The workmen were represented by a de-
putation from the Miners' Association of England.
The Coroner having opened the proceedings, the
examination of witnesses was proceeded with.
Richard Wise, a police-sergeant, proved the oc-
currence of the explosion, and that 178 persons
were missing, of whom 175 had been recovered
dead.

Mr. Roberts, surgeon, said he had examined all
the deceased, and found that 145 died from burning,
bruises, and suffocation, 25 from suffocation only,
ar.d fire from bruises.

Mr. David Davis, Maesyfymoen-house, Aberdare,
the principal proprietor of the colliery, the owners
of which are the firm of David Davis and Sons, said
the colliery was situated in the Rhondda Fach
Valley. The manager was John Williams, one of
the deceased, who held the appointment since
August, 1866. William Walters, the overman, was
still living. The witness gave the names of the
officers of the pit, and where they were stationed. The
lamp-man was Thomas Powell, who was assisted by
two boys ; there were also three lampmen employed,
whose duty it was to light the lamps, lock them, and
examine them on delivery to the men ; and also to
re-light them when they went out. One was sta-
tioned in each district, and two of them were
killed In the Blaenllechan and Rhondda districts.
Mr. W. Adams was the consulting viewer of the
colliery, and visited it once a month, to advise and
consult with the manager. The colliery had been
opened five years, and during that period there
had not been to his knowledge a single death from
burning. Latterly they had been working from
9,000 to 10,000 tons a month, the daily average
being about 400 tons.
William Adams, mining engineer, said he had
held the appointment of consulting engineer to the
Messrs. Davis since March last. He did not con-
sider himself a manager, but simply consulting
viewer. lie visited the colliery once a month to
consult with the resident viewers as to the de-
velopment and ventilation of collieries, and to
advise them as• to the best method of proceeding ;
but the details of ventilation, such as the distri-
bution of the air, &c., were entirely in the hands
of the resident viewers; but, if at any time upon
entering a colliery he found any place requir-
ing more ventilation or any other improvement
he (witness) suggested it, and left it for the resident
manager to act upon. lie never had anything to
do with the subordinate officers. There were two
shafts to the colliery, the down-cast being sunk to
the 4ft. coal,—a depth of 278 yards , its dimensions
are 171 t. by 12ft., giving an area of 204 ft. The
pumps extend 100 yards still lower ; but there is
is scarcely any water below that. The up-cast,
which contains the ventilating furnace, was
originally sunk to the 4ft. only ; but it had since
been sunk about 40 yards deeper to the 6ft. and
Oft. coals. Its size is 14ft. by lift., the area being
154 ft. The ventilation was carried on by a furnace
aft. by Bft., giving an area of 72ft. About 90 tons
of coal per month were consumed by the furnace.
['here was no regular record kept of the qu intity of
air sent into the pit. Witnes3 never saw any such
regular record kept, but he had seen some memo-
randa in a pocket-book which the late manager car-
ried about with him. It was his duty to measure
the air and record it.
The inquest was then adjourned.

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