The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-28 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—l shall be obliged if you would insert the
accompanying copy of my letter to the Home Sec-
retary in your journal.—l am, &c.,

KINNAIRD.

Itossie Priory, Dec. 19.

" Rossie Priory, Inehture, N. 8., Dec. 20.

"My dear Walpole,—You- have no doubt seen
what is stated to have been the cause of the fearful
accident in the Barnsley pit-..' Blasting in a pit
where the ventilation was known and admitted to
be bad.' How long is this wanton sacrifice of life to
be permitted ? Owners of pits and several managers
and underviewers have stated, to my certain know-
ledge, that a great objection to the adoption of Mr.
Ansell's indicator is, that the men would not go
down if they knew their danger. Now this danger-
ous state of things for want of sufficient ventilation
exists in many pits. It was the case, and known to
be so, in the Barnsley pit, as shown by Mr. Dy-
mond's anxiety to get a new and more direct ven-
tilating drift made quickly. Why were the men
allowed to work on till this was done ?
" The question to be ascertained is, the efficiency
or non-efficiency of Mr. Anseli's indicator : if the
former be proved, then its adoption should be en-
forced in all coal pits. Mr. C. Hodgson and others
say that the Davy lamp in the hands of an expe-
rienced man will indicate fire-damp as well as the
Ansel' indicator. This, however, is not the opinion
of other eminent practical men who have experi-
mented Fs ith both ; and, at all events, it is untrue
to state, as has been stated, that the action of
the indicator is not constant or reliable. If, on
the other hand, the indicator be a fallacy, let it
be exposed, and the question set at rest ; and
sad as the conclusion may be, the present sacrifice
of life and periodical catastrophes must be bolted
upon as unavoidable. But if theinvention is founded
iu truth—which I believe it to be, from facts which
Ido not think can be controverted—and it is not
adopted only because the mine owners do not think
it necessary for the safety of their men that they
should be warned of the existence of gas, whether
the amount be great or small, then let its general
adoption be enforced, at whatever costs.
" Why should not the Government appoint at once
a commission of practical and scientific men to in-
quire into the efficacy of the indicator ? lam satis-
fied, and so is Mr. Ansel', of what would be the
result of such an inquiry ; but of course we may be
mistaken. Surely the constant recurrence of such
fearful accidents as that of the Barnsley pit should
induce the adoption of some preventive measure. I
know well the prejudice which exists against a new
invention, and the time it takes before it comes into
general use ; but. unquestionably it should not be
allowed to work its way slowly where life is at stake,
and compulsion in that case may be fairly used. It
would be a great advantage that the inspectors
should know, when on the surface, the state of the
air in the several galleries, and if, in addition to
the Davy lamp, a small indicator was hung up where
the men were working, the most inexperienced
among them would be able to ascertain the state of
the air in that part of the pit, and thus to a great
extent this wholesale destruction of life might be
avoided. —Yours faithfully,
" KINNAI RD.
" The Right Hon. Spencer Walpole."

The practice of making presents at Christmas
having now become so universal, Messis. Parkins and
Gotto have been induced this seas on to collect in their
spacious show-rooms by far the largest assortment of
articles in England, especially adapted for Christmas pre-
sents, at extremely moderate prices, comprising portrait
albums, travelling writing cases, dressing cases, dressing
bags, despatch boxes, envelope cases, and blotting books,
card trays, work boxes, glove and trinket boxes, inkstands,
desks, stationery cabinets, purses, pocket books, pencil
cases, cigar cases, retioulos, opera glasses, scent cases,
smelling bottles, ormolu and elegantly mounted orna.
mental articles for the drawing-room, library, &c. ; bibles,
prayer-books, and Church services in every variety of typo
and binding ; in fact, an endless variety of articles to suit
every taste, purpose, and pocket. A now department for
billiard tables, bagatelle-tables, in-door croquet, and BIZ
immense variety of other winter games ; musical boxos,)
to. Parkins and Gotto, 2t and 25, Oxford-street, W.

THEATRE ROYAL DRURY-LANE.---
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. F. B. CHATTERTON.
Special Morning Performance of the Grand Pantomime
THIS DAY and TO-MORROW (Saturday), Dec. 28 and
29, 1866, and on every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
during the month of January. Children and schools at
reduced prices to the following parts of the Theatre :
First circle, dress circle, and stalls.
TO-NIGHT (Friday), Dec. 28, her Majesty's servants
will perform the Comedietta, A DAY AFTER THE
WEDDING : Messrs. Sinclair, Harcourt, J. Johnstone ;
Miss Isabel Adams and Mrs. Hodson.
After which, the Grand Drury-lane Comic Christmas
Annual, entitled NUMBER NIP; or, Harlequin and
the Gnome-Bing of the. Giant Mountain, written by
E. L. Blanchard, with gorgeous and fairy-like scenery,
designed and painted by Mr. William Beverley. Gro-
tesque masks and costumes, invented and illustrated
by Dykwynkyu. Fanciful Ballets (Procession of the
Jewel Guards, and general business of the Children, 150
in number), arranged by Mr. John Cormack, with popular
and characteristic music, selected and composed by Mr. J.
H. Tully.
Characters in the opening by Miss Lydia Thompson, Miss
E. Bodenham, Miss Hudspeth, Miss Cardonni, Miss Sey-
mour, Miss L. Wilmot, Miss E. Brougham, Madlle. Ferina
Stussey, Mrs. H. Vandenhoff, ; Mr. Tom Matthews,
Mr. C. Seyton, Mr. F. Barsby, Mr. Fitzjamos, Mr. J. Ro-
bins; Mr. E. Clifton, and Master Percy Roselle. _ The har-
lequinade includes the services of those popular pantc-
mists, Harry Boleno and Mr. C. Lauri, clowns ;_ Mr. W.
A. Barnes and Mr. J. Morris, pantaloons ; Mr. J. Cormack
and Mr. S. Saville, harlequins; Madame Boleno and Madlle.
Adele Marion, columbines. The Infant Drummer, Master
Vokius— An Irish Jig by the Smallest Irishman ever seen,
Misther Paddy'Son. The Devil's Chapeau, by Majilton
the Grotesque. A new Troupe of French Dancers, 16 in
number. Tim whole produced under the direction of Mr.
Edward Stirling.
.Prices : Private boxes, 1,2, 3,4, and 5 guineas ; stalls,
7s. ; dress circle, ss. ; first circle, 4s. • balcony seats, 3s. ;
pit, 2s. ; lower gallery, Is. ; upper gallery, 6d. Box-office
open from ten till five daily. Doors open at half-past six,
commence at seven.
The Boys of the Royal Military Asylum, with their
Band, will attend the Morning Performance of the Grand
Christmas
Pantomime on Monday, Dec. 31.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.-
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Pechter.
:

THIS EVENING, ROUGE ET NOIR. Maurice D'Arbel
(a Gambler), Mr. Fecbter ; Messrs. Emery, Evans, Moreland,
Fitzpatrick, Dalton. Reynolds, Lom ,s, Newbound, Andrews.
Anderson, Vivian, Bennett. and Edward Price; Miss Hen-
rade, Mrs. Leigh Murray, Miss Grattan, and Miss Carlotta
Leclercq.

Preceded by THE TWO POLTS. Mr. H. Widdicomb.

n OYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE,
Sole Lessee and Manager, Nlr. Geo. Vininz.

THIS EVENING, BARNABY RUDGE. Miss A Thom-
son. Mrs. Henry Vining, Mrs. Charles Horsman, and Miss
Katharine Rogers; Messrs. S. Calhaem, F. Villiers. J. G.
Shore, C. Horsman, and Mr. George Honey,
To conclude with the INVISIBLE PRINCE.

MR. SOTHERN.-THIS EVENING
in a New Comedy, " A LESSON FOR LIFE," by Tom
Taylor, Haymarket Theatre.

THEATRE ROYAL, lIAYMARKET,
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Buckstone,

_ .
THIS EVENING, A MERE CHILD, Messrs. Howe,
Gordon, White, Ize. ; Mesdames Chippendale, Fitzwilliam,
Laws, Powell, &c.

After which, A LESSON FOR LIFE. Messrs. Eothern,
Chippendale, Compton, Howe, Kendal, Gordon, Rogers,
Braid, Vincent, &a. ; Mesdames Chippendale, Moore, Wright,

Followed by JENNY LIND AT LAST. Miss lone
Burke; !dr. W. Farren, Scc.

To conclude with a GRAND BALLET DIVER'TISSE•
IdENT. lid!le. Sophia.

Commence at Seven.

rjIIIEATRE ROYAL ADELPIII
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.

THIS EVENING, Dec. 28, -at Seven, A SISTER'S
PENANCE. Miss Kate Terry, Miss Hughes, Miss Emily
Pitt ; Messrs. H. Vezin, Billington, Ashley, Eburne, Romer,
and Stephenson.
To conclude with the New Grand Burlesque of THE
MOUNTAIN DHU; or, THE KNIGHT, THE LADY,
AND THE LAKE. Messrs. J. L.I Toole (his zi,d appear-
ance since his provincial tour), Paul liedtord, Ashley, R.
Romer, and O. J. Smith ; Mrs. Alfred Mellon, Miss Furtado,
Miss Hughes, Miss Emily Pitt, &c.

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE,
New Management.

Sole Lessee, Mr. B. Webster; Manager, Mr. 11. Wigan.
THIS EVENING, LONDON ASsUI:ANCE. Messrs.
Iloraco Wigan, 11. Neville, G. Vincent, Addison, 1). Murray,
and Mr. Charles Mathews ; Miss Milly Palmer, Miss E.
Farren, and Mrs. Charles Olathe a.
After which, the successful Burlesque of FAUST AND
MARGUERI IE. Mesdames E. Fairen, Sheridan, and
AcStephens ; Messrs. G. Vincent, W. 11. Eburne, D. Murray,
c.