The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-11 00:00:00

SUFFOLK.

An adjourned Quarter Session for the eastern
division of the county was held at Ipswich on Satur-
day —Mr. C. Austin in the chair. After a good deal
of discussion the following resolutions were adopted:—
" That, subject. to the provisions of the Order in
Council, no stock be permitted to enter the eastern
division of the county without the order of two
magistrates at Petty Sessions within the union into
which they are imported.
" That in any union in which the justices acting
in Petty Sessions therein shall certify that no cattle
plague has appeared for one month then last pass,
and which union shall, by notice published in one or
more of the county papers, be declared free from
cattle plague, cattle shall be allowed to circulate,
but that no stock be brought into or sent out of such
union without the order of such justices as aforesaid.

" That in any union which has not been certified
as free from cattle plague, as aforesaid, no stock be
permitted to be removed upon a public road from any
occupation without the order of two justices at
Petty Sessions.
" That all fairs, markets, and repository sales of
stock be prohibited.
" That stock be permitted, under the order of
two justices at Petty Sessions, to be taken to any
place for immediate slaughter—that is to say, not
exceeding three days, but that no stock be permitted
to return alive from such place; and, further, that
no restriction in this rule be held to apply to any
union which shall have been certified as free from
cattle plague under the second rule.
" That no stock be permitted to enter any union
from any other union within the county without the
order of two justices in Petty Sessions acting in the
union from which such stock is sent.

" That no offal or hides be removed in any in-
fected union without the order of two justices.
" That no cattle shall, under any circumstances,
be driven upon any public highway or road between
the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
" That every person driving any cattle along any
highway or public road shall, if required to do so,
show his licence to any justice of the peace or police
officer in uniform.

" For the purpose of breeding, cows and swine
may be sent off the premises of the owner to a bull
or boar, provided that the owner of the animals so
sent shall procure from the guardians of the parish
a certificate stating that the animals on the sender's
premises are free from disease, and before bringing
them home again he shall procure a similar certifi-
cate from the guardians of the parish into which
they have been sent, certifying that the cattle
among which they have been are also free from
disease.
"That the word 'stock' shall include all sorts
of cattle, sheep, swine, and pigs.

" That the order be in force until the Ist of March.

" That the mayors of boroughs shall be invited to
co-operate in carrying out these orders."
At the Bury division of the Suffolk Quarter Ses-
sions on Tuesday, the Clerk of the Peace read a
letter, which he had received from the Home Secre-
tary with reference to the cattle plague, appointing
the magistrates in Quarter Sessions the local
authority in place of the Petty Sessions. A com-
mittee, consisting of the Marquis of Bristol, Major
Parker, M.P., Mr. E. Green, M.P., Mr. B. B. H.
Rodwell,.Mr. J. H. Heigham, Mr. P. Huddleston,
and Mr. F. M. Wilson, were appointed to consider
the subject, and to prepare resolutions, more or less
similar to those adopted in other counties. This
committee proceeded to the discussion of the ques-
tion yesterday. Some cattle attacked at Mr. George
Denny's, at Battisford, 17 in namber, are all dead
with the exception of one. Mr. Denny is not in-
sured.

The disease still appears in a more or less viru-
lent form at various villages round Liverpool,
especially at Garston, Roby, Huyton, and Bootle,
and it has made its appearance where every possible
precaution has been taken against it.

The Gethin Colliery Explosion.

MERTHYR, Jan. 10.

After the despatch of yesterday's parcel, William
Davis, under-viewer of Nos. 1 and 2, Gethin Pits,
said—At the time of the explosion I was in No. 1 pit.
I am under Mr. Moody, and act for him in superin-
tending the works when he is absent and looking
after the ventilation. I sometimes try the air with
the anemometer, which the overman carries. I have
no means of taking the air myself, but I assist. I
was told of the explosion, and I went from No. 1 pit
through the old works to the yard vein, then along
the crossing to the four-foot, got into the carriage,
and went down the shaft, to the nine-foot vein. I
went on along the upper level to the face where
Eynon had been before me ; did not observe how the
doors were blown in the upper level after I had
been to the face of the upper level I went down
Joseph Rees's heading, and when I had got to the
middle level I met Eynon aiid others ; on this Wed-
nesday I noticed the doors on Joseph Rees's head-
ing—the first below the middle was blown up-
wards, and the next below it was driven down ;
there was a stopping in the mouth of the stall on the
east side between those two doors, and which
appeared to be blown to the east ; there was none
there on the Monday previous, and if it was
there it was put out without my knowledge ; on the
Monday previous, after I heard there was gas in
Vavasour Rees's stall, Moody, Beddoe, and myself
went there, and saw the foreman of the stall. The
fire mark was not fixed firmly, and Beddoe held the
light while I nailed up a firm fire mark, upon which
I wrote (on the cross timbers) " Tau Fire" in chalk,
as described in the sketch produced ; it was in Vava-
sour Rees's stall. Moody, Beddoe, and myself were
present on the occasion. I gave directions to Bed-
doe, in the presence of Moody, to contract the wind-
way between the two stalls on the opposite side of
the heading, so as to reduce the windway on the right
side, and force more air into Vavasour Rees's
and have the gas out from there. That was on the
Monday previous to the explosion. Beddoe did not
follow my directions. It was about 9 o'clock, and
I told him to remove the gas that night after the
men had come out. Beddoe promised to do so, but
he did not, as when I went there on Tuesday at two
I found the gas in Vavasour Rees's stall the same as
on the Monday. Beddoe was not there, and on
looking for him I found he had gone to Cyfartha on
business. I stopped Rees on the Monday and found
him another place. I saw the notice up on the Tues-
day. They were firing shots in some parts of the
works, after the notice "Tau Fire" was put up; it is
not my duty to point out where they were to use shots
and where they were not ; after I found Beddoe
was not them I went home. I did nothing myself.

Next day I saw Beddoc in the lamp-room at about
ten minutes to seven o'clock, and asked him how
things were in the pit, and he told me the place was
all right except Vavasour Ree's stall, which was the
same as on Monday. I asked him when he was
going to get the gas from that shill, and ho replied,
" I settled with Rees Price last night to head down
from the double parting to Vavasour Rees's stall.
Beddoc had not been in after I went home on Tues-
day evening. It was his duty to stop at the top of
the pit till the fireman came up. On Wednesday
morning I told Beddoe not to head down the double
partings, because there was a month's work for the
back man in the pit and a boy to do that work. I
told him he must have the gas from there that
night, the day of the explosion. Ire !did not give
any answer ; but when he got out of the lamp-room
he told me to come and meet Mr. Moody at ten
o'clock to put a point in Thomas MOrgan's airway.
Mr. Moody said he had told Beddoe to meet him,
and Beddoe took it on himself to tell witness he
wanted to meet him (witness) ; but such was not so.
I saw Mr. Moody on Wednesday last. I forgot to tell
him about the gas in-Vavasour Rees's stall on the
previous day. I did not know whether Beddoe had
not removed it during the previous night I met
Moody that morning before I saw Beddoe. That
was the last time I saw Beddoe alive. I did not
take any steps except stopping Vavasour Rees from
working in his stall. - I did not think there was any
danger in firing shots in the parts where the gas
was in the stall, because the fresh air came through
that district before it approached Vavasour Rees's
stall.

The inquest was adjourned till the following
morning.

This morning the examination of Wm. Davies,
underviewer, was resumed—Griffith Morgan's body
was found at the extreme end of the upper level
where he was working, that of John James a few
yards nearer the pit, and Rees Davies, a boy, near
the middle level door. David Beddoe, the over-
viewer, would in the course of his duty be in various
parts of the pit the same day. There was a strange
man in the pit named Morris, who only began work
in Gethin the day before. He was employed by
Beddoe, and his body was found by that of his em-
ployer. The door boy, David Luke, was found at
his post, and carried out. Thomas Morris walked
out by himself, but died the next day. Eight or
nine of the men were more or less burnt. Witness
described the position in which the bodies were
found of other sufferers, some burnt, others suffo-
cated. Two men who had worked in a dip heading
managed to escape: Witness believed the gas ex-
ploded in Vavasour Rees's stall.

The Coroner remarked that he had it in evidence
that Rees worked in this stall to the end of the week
preceding the explosion.
Examination continued—The fire, I believe, must
then have gone down and up Joseph Rees's heading
without affecting the intermediate stalls between,
and the five men who were working in them met
the after damp in trying to escape, and were killed.
The witness had deposed to the position where
others were found, when the foreman said he wished
the question put to Mr. Moody, whose duty it was
to clear the gas away from Vasavour Rees's stall ?
The Coroner said it was a most important point,
but he would rather it were reserved and put in its
place.
Witness continued—Sixty men were working in
the part where the explosion took place, on the east
side ; 35 were killed and 10 or 11 injured. The men
who escaped worked in the dip heading below the
lower level, and to the rise of the upper level.
Those who worked in this level were suffocated.
He believed that the reason the men were suffocated
was that the explosion blew down the doors of the
bays in No. 1 and 2 heading, and so prevented
the fresh air returning. I have held my present
situation eight months, but received no train-
ing for it. Was five months overman in the
same pit. Am self-educated, and can read and write.
Parted with Bcddoe on Wednesday morning, the
day of the explosion. Was in the pit on Monday,
and saw no stopping in the opening of the stall on
the east side of Joseph Rees's heading. Originally
that opening was the mouth of the stall. Saw the
remains of a stopping there on Wednesday. It was
made of rubbish, and appeared to have been blown
down. Could not say who put it, but thought it
must have been Beddoe. laid not see the air mea-
sured since it was changed, nor did any one under
me report that it was done. Moody, Beynor, my-
self, and two firemen were present when the air was
changed at half-past four on Saturday afternoon,
and the reason we changed it was to send fresh air
into the colliers in the upper level to allow them to
blast. The air before then came through the old
works. Have not read anything on mining. Have
not seen any other colliery except those in the dis-
trict. Worked in Aberdare before coming here.
Mr. Brough—Out of the fryingpan into the fire.
The Coroner—What restriction or rule have you
about blasting. Can any man do it?
Mr. Plows objected to the question. It had been
stated in evidence that one man was specially ap-
pointed for that duty.
The Coroner—Yes, for pulling the trigger ; but
what I want to know is, can any collier get a
blast ?

The Witness—There is a man named Peters,
whose duty it is to fire. If any collier wishes to
have a blast he prepares the hole, and then goes for
Peters, who having examined the place with his
lamp fires the shot.
Mr. Wales—Do the colliers fire shots in fetching
back the pillars?
The Witness—He was not aware when the air
was changed that there was gas in Vavasour Rees's
stall. Beddoe first told him of it, and he sent him
to Mr. Moody. He brought no message, but Mr.
Moody came down upon Monday morning. Wit-
ness examined the pit with a safety lamp. He went
in five or six yards, and found gas about seven feet
high. At the face it was about two feet from the
top. There was a hole at the top, from which stones
had fallen, and he should think there were 20 to 21
yards of gas there, extending to the face. The stall
is 8 feet high and 28 yards long. There had been a
fall in the cross hole, but he did not know when,
and hence the accumulation of gas between Rees's
stall and the one adjoining. This y
was the only
way h. -
is stall
way the air had to pass. Had been in a
week or so before, but then there was no fall or
indication of gas. Twice before he had stopped
Vevasour Rees from working there, on account
gfertohme r
taol
18 in the cross holes.
and bottom. There
are three fiuemen to look after the furnaces, and
it is Beddoe's duty to look after them. He had
gone on the day of the explosion to the furnace.
Cannot say that the fluemen did • their duty, but
on Wednesday the air was all •
right.
By the Foreman—He ex •
ammed the gas on Tues-
day, to see if there was any increase of gas, and
found it exactly the
same. Witness
did not see
Mr. Moody on Tuesday evening. It was too far,
after six o'clock
in
the evening, to go six miles
there and back
• Had given every instruction to
Beddoe that day, Wand thought every step needed
would be carried out. Had no business to put
men in the cross hole to see to the fall there.

Foreman—How do you think the gas was fired ?
Witness—By Beddoe in Vavasour Rees's pit.
Mr. Wales—Was there a danger signal up there
before the explosion ?
Witness—Yes, because it was not in work, but
an abandoned heading. Did not try for gas, so
could not say positively whether there was gas or
not. The alteration on Saturday would affect that.
The danger signal in Vavasour Rees's stall was
found blown on the opposite side of the heading.
The inquiry was then adjourned.

M. EMILE AUGIER read a new comedy of his
composition a few evenings back to a select party at the
resiclonoo of Prince Napoleon.

ELECTION or A COMMON COUNCILMAN'.

CIIEAP WARD.

In consequence of the death of Mr. John Stewart,
who represented the ward of Cheap in the Court of
Common Council for several years, and whose re-
election took place so recently as St. Thomas's-day
last, the Lord Mayor issued his precept to the free-
men inhabitants to choose his successor. The nomi-
nation took place on Tuesday, when no less than
three candidates appeared, viz., Mr. henry B. Wild
(firm of Reeves and Co.), 113, Cheapside; Mr. Wm.
Wright, of the Oldiiewry ; and Mr. W. W. Wilson,
of 103, Cheapside, when the show of hands being
declredin favour of Mr. Wild, apoll was demanded
on behalf of Mr. Wright, Mr. Wilson withdrawing
from the contest.

Yesterday morning, at 10 o'clock, Mr. Alderman
Allen again took the chair at the Guildhall Tavern,
Gresham-street, and immediately afterwards the
polling commenced, continuing throughout the day
very sluggishly, and with frequent alternations for
and against either party. By 2 p.m., however,
Mr. Wild's majority had risen considerably, and at
the close of the books it was found that the numbers
stood thus :
For Mr. Wild
For Mr. Wright 49
Majority for Mr. Wild
The announcement of the numbers having been
made by the Alderman,

Mr. WILD, the successful candidate, amidst the
cheering of his supporters, returned thanks for the
honour done him by his fellow-citizens, whom he
promised faithfully to serve in his new capacity as
councilman.

Mr. WRIGHT also returned thanks to the electors
who had voted for him, promising upon a future oc-
casion to again solicit their suffrages.
Finally thanks were given by acclamation to the
worthy alderman for his urbanity and patience dur-
ing the protracted proceedings, and the wardmote
was dissolved by proclamation in the customary
manner, much laughter being caused by the quaint
terms in which the electors were discharged from
their duties.