The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-03 00:00:00

C.4NTERBURY BALL.

Amongst the greatest novelties prepared for the holiday-
makers s.t this festive season of the year is a " Pantomimic
Sketch" at this A ftraotivo plaoo of amusement. It em-
braces 18 different characters, in an " introduction and
harlequinade," very cleverly played by two persons, who
are rarely off the "stage," and who, by the impetuosity
of their drollery and thorough abandonment to the
spirit of pantomime, keep the audience in a roar from
first to last. There is no scenery, but all is bustle and
action. The characters, played in rapid succession, include
a couple of embonpoint fairies—intensely musical and
terpsychorean—who open the ball with initiatory ex-
planations : the conventional plough-boy lover and his love.
sick lass; the " parient," indignant at that love, and his
soothing sister, cordial bottle in hand ; two demons front
the coal mines, who lead to the " Transformation (without
a) Scene ;" clown and pantaloon, &c. The changes of
dress are managed with astonishing rapidity, and the get-
ting up of the characters, down to every minutiae of dress
and mask, is admirable. The dialogue and songs contain
some r %tilling hits at passing follies; and both is action
and in verbal quip and crank, this little piece do resistance
contains the quintessence of a regular pantomime.
In addition to the above Mr. Morton has secured the
services of two very talented performers, who go through
a number of astonishing feats, which are a great improve-
ment upon the usual style of acrobatic entertainments.
The painful distortions are entirely done away with, and in
place of which we have some of the neatest "tricks" ever
attempted. Of course, we cannot undertake a full descrip-
tion of their entertainment, but in order to give some idea
of it, we may mention that they, while in the act of turn-
ing this summersaults, accompany themsalve s on the
violin. The applause they elicit is immense.
The operatic selections for the week are taken from " La
Figlia del Reggimento," " Norma,"," Sonnambula," and
"Martha," the principal solo parts being sustained by
Misses Russell, Tyrell, Williams, Madame Maria, Messrs.
Norbert, Bernard, and Signor Tivoli.
A great addition has lately been made to the comic de-
partment by the engagement of Mr. J. Blanchard, who bids
fair to become as great a favourite as the renowned Sam
Cowell. •

We recommend all those who wish for a cheerful and
entertaining evening's amusement to visit the Canterbury
Hall.

FRIGHTFUL COLLIERY ACCIDENT
AT ALANSTON, NEAR LEEDS.

Major Wand, of Manston, the eminent colliery proptietor,
has been kir some time past engaged in sinking a shaft on
Brown Moor, near Whitkirk, Leeds, with the object of
reaching the deep Beeston bed of coal, which lies at a
distance of 200 yards from the surface. At the bye-pit,
which is already sunk 120 yards, and which goes by the
name of the "New Odd," the sinkers have been very much
inconvenienced by the stream of water which flows into the
shaft, and renders the use of expensive pumping -engines
necessary. On Tuesday morning, a little after seven o'clock,
Robert Taylor, a man about 40 years of ago, W. Ambler, a
young man of 20, and the overman, Thomas Greenhow by
name, were on the cradle or half-moon of the bye-pit, on
their way to their work at the bottom. The engine had
only given a half -stroke when the crank broke, and the three
men were precipitated to the bottom of the shaft. The brake
was on, and would probably have the effect of keeping the
cradle exactly perpendicular in its fearful descent, but it
did not further act in the way of arresting the progress of
the men. It is thought that the brake would not bite owing
to the slipperiness of the machinery, caused by the frosty
weather. As soon as possible after the accident, " crabbs"
were got into requisition, and Greenhow, who was alive,
and had sustained himself in the water, which was live
yards in depth, by the aid of a piece of wood, was brought
to the surface about eight o'clock. He was in a very ex-
hausted condition, but will be fully recovered, having sus-
tained no severe bruises, in the course of a day or two. At
nine o'clock the bodies of Taylor and Ambler were also
brought to bank, and as they were not disagured by their
fearful fall it is thought they must have been suffocated in
the water. Taylor has left a family ; Ambler was unmar-
ried. The inquest will be held this (Thursday) morning,
at the Lion and Lamb Inn, Seacroft. Mr. Morton, the
Government Inspector of Collieries, made yesterday a full
examination of the machinery of the pit, and he will give
the result of his inspection before the coroner's jury.

The Isle of Wight mail packet, while proceeding
between Ryde and Cowes, yesterday, was struck near the
stern by a shot from the shore, where gunnery practice was
going on. The captain, fearing some serious damage was
done, prepared to lower his boats to save the passengers.
The steersman had just altered the course, or the shot
would have raked the stern and probably have killed some
of the passengers.

The steamer Pera, which will leave on Friday,
will take £154,376 in specie, of which £8,168 is gold and
the rest silver, Subjoined are the particulars, viz. :—For
Calcutta, silver, £73,490, and gold, £65 ; shangliae, silver,
£67,883; Hong Kong, silver, 4735 ; Madras, gold, X 7,103 ;
Singapore, gold, £1,000; and for Malta, silver, £lOO.