The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-13 00:00:00

their clothes were minutely examined so as to give
a clue to the wearer. Some of the men ap-
peared to be in the greatest agony, but most
of them appeared to have lost all power of
expression. On the catastrophe being made
known the stewards and viewers of the
neighbouring collieries were promptly on the
ground rendering assistance and prepared to exa-
mine the workings, but it is expected that a great
deal of work will have to be done before any great
distance can be explored. In the meantime every
exertion is being made to recover the men and lads,
but it is feared that the loss of life will be very
great indeed, owing to the vast extent of the work-
ings, and it is more than likely that some consider-
able time will elapse before the extreme parts can be
reached ; much, however, will depend on the
amount of damage done, and whether the stoppings
have been entirely destroyed. Without any desire
to create alarm, we may say it was the opinion of
many of those acquainted with mining operations
that the catastrophe will be of a terrible character,
and cause a great deal of distress, probably exceed-
ing anything of the kind which has yet been known
in the district, where colliery explosions have been
by no means of rare occurrence. First will be re-
collected that in 1857, at Lundhill, by which 189
lives were lost, and those recently in December,
1862, at Edmond's Main, when 59 persons were
killed.

The Oaks Colliery, which is the property of Mr.
R. Micklethwaite, of Ardsley, and leased to Messrs.
Firth, Barber, and Co., has before been the scene
of similar catastrophes, one of which, in March,
1847, resulted in the death of 73 persons. It is
about 270 yards deep, and has been worked for a
great number of years, all improvements with re-
gard to ventilation, &c., having been introduced,
as the managing partner, Mr. Dymond, is a practi-
cal mining engineer. On leaving the ground the
scene was one of the most distracting character,
which was in no degree lessened by the gloom around.
To give additional safety to the men descending a
new rope had been put down as the old one gave
some indications of being ready to give way. The
men wi'l be continued working during the night in
relays, and no exertions will be spared in bringing
out the unfortunate men and boys, but whether
they will be brought up alive is a matter of ques-
tion. Ten of those who have been brought out
living are expected to survive. Up to half-past
seven o'clock about 32 bodies, men and boys, have
been got out, and it is expected that the number
remaining in the pit is about 363 more. One of the
last drawn up was the cupola tenter, George Tasker,
who was very little hurt, and on reaching the top
had the dead body of a cat in his hand.
The greatest excitement prevails, and the ground
continues crowded by a very large number of men,
women, and children, many of them in the expec-
tation of identifying relatives.
BARNSLEY, Wednesday, 9.30 p.m.
Mr. Willson and his party, on examining the new
level and drift, counted no fewer than 38 dead
bodies within a space of some 50 yards. All the
horses are no doubt dead. The opinion of the min-
ing engineers is that there is not a man left alive in
the colliery, so that the loss of life in all probl;bility
exceeds 300.

The explosion has not extended so far as to set
fire to the coal, so that, unlike the explosion at
Lundhill, the workings will be easily cleared and
the bodies quickly recovered.
The pit-bank is crowded, and the excitement is
great.

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE.-

—Yesterday, at Linton, in Cambridgeshire, a man named
Charles Ellis was charged on suspicion of sending a box
of:combustibles to Mr.lWilliam Ellis, his father, who lived
at Little Abing,lon. The inmates of the farm opened the
box with cautic,n, and thus prevented the catastrophe in-
tended. In the} box was a pistol, which was pointed in
such a manner that it would explode by the aid of a piece
of string if the box had been opened in the ordinary
manner. It apiteared that the accused entertained an ill-
feeling toward.:Mrs. Ellis, his mother-in-law, and some
letters he has written to her husband were produced in
verification of this statement. no was remanded.

I ILUCESTER RAMS FOR NEW ZEALAND.—Mr. J.
Borton, of Barton-house, Mallon, the " champion-breeder
of England," has sold two of his prize sheep—the winners
of the Groat Yorkshire and the Great North of England
shows—for exy?rtation to the flocks of Major Whitmore,
Now Zealand.