The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-09 00:00:00

.FLAX COTTON.

We have several times called attention to the im-
portant discovery which has recently been made in
the United States for preparing flax by so cheap
and rapid a method that it can be put in the mar-
ket at a far less price than short fibred or upland
cotton. We learn from one of our exchanges that
at a special meeting of the " Rhode Island Society
for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry," held
on the 12th July, at Providence, the subject was
brought forward and a premium of five hundred
dollars (£102) was offered for prepared flax cotton,
to be exhibited at the fair in that city on the 11th
of September next. The society had previously
offered premiums, both for the beat and second best
bales of prepared flax cotton, of not less than
fifty pounds each, without qualifications.
The nasdditional)
The premium now offered (w
economical substitute for cotton.this nd," says our con-
has reference strictly, to itsprianc“tTichaal
tufiseaxamsaayn
be so prepared as to haveab
abundantly proved by what
temporary, " has been.
age, viz., the sub-
stitution saalrmeaeddyirbeecetinednownln
raesfnulrtthineresnleigehft
tphreoggrreeassteisnt
achievements of this progressive.fibrous,femrattheeriaela,ttwehnicehf
tchanebe grown
Southern
upon .
stitutiNonorothf
Northern n soil
States, for which we are now,ifeotretruensatt2e,ly, alto-
gether too dependent for our own
If the insane rebellion teaches the Northern peo-
ple nothing else, it will warn them not to depend
upon so treacherous and unreliable a race as the
cotton " chivalry" have proved to be. It will also
turn the attention of the English manufacturers
toward some other portion of the globe for the
supplies to feed their voracious mills. If half that
is predicted of the benefits of flax-cotton be true
it will eventually supersede the main product of
slave labour, and give the South an opportunity to
apply the test of kingship to the idol which they
have elevated upon the necks of four millions of
negroes, and with which they have crushed out
the rights of more than that number of their own
race. Great is King Cotton, but the end of his
reign must come. The sooner it is over now the
better for the race he has ruled over and for
Christendom—London American.

Yesterday afternoon a fearful coal-pit accident
occurred at the Summerlee coal-pit, situated on the
farm of Dykehead, about three miles from Henrilion,
belongingof 4
to
oMessrs.hfatorns in depth, fl ra
WilsonandCoi The pit is
upwards
morning, about
mornin
about half-past 4 o'clock, at least 45 men
descended the shaft for the purpose of commencing
work. All went right till about 1 o'clock in the
afternoon, when smoke was observed issuing from
the shaft. Such an unusual occurrence excited great
alarm, which speedily resolved into a panic: among
the workers' families. Scarcely had 10 minutes
elapsed from the time the smoke was first discovered
when flames made their appearance, rolling up the
bratticing of the shaft, and igniting the frame-work
at the pit head. An alarm was instantly raised,
and a messenger despatched to Hamilton for the
fire engine. Meanwhile the dames raged with in-
tense fury, and in a brief space of time the ponder-
ous head gearing was reduced to a heap of ashes.
About 2 o'clock the Hamilton fire engine arrived,
and began to play with effect upon the burning
bratticing, and at 4 o'clock the fire engine from
Hamilton Palace arrived, and was at once med, to
play on the burning mass. By 3 o'clock the fire
was almost extinguished, and workmen went entre-
ectically to work to erect temporary pulleys, so
that an effort might be made to gain access to the
unfortunate workmen who were underground.
The work was quickly effected, and a temporary
hutch sent down. The gratifying intelligence
was soon heard from the month of one of the sur-
vivors, who called out to raise the hutch, which
was speedily done, and he was landed in safety.
The however, could give no account of
the sad poor man,sacicatasophe, and only said that others of his
fellow-workmen were alive. Previeas to the
working of the pulle..ss being accomplished Mr.
W. G. Simpson, one of the partners of Dundas,
Simpson, ana Co., whose colliery workings imme-
diately adjoin those of the Summerlee Company,
was in attendance and gave directions for the
driving of a mine from his workings through a
distance of GO yards into the waste of the Summer-
lee Pit. The work was speedily begun, it being
thought probable that the charred bratticing might
crumble to atoms, and block up the bottom of the
pit in which the accident occurred. Although the
pulleys, as we have said, were happily got into
working order without loss of time, nevertheless the
driving of the mine was energetically proceeded
with, so that if the working of the pulleys failed
no effort might be wanting to rescue the poor
miners. After 5 o'clock smoke still ascended from
the shaft, but still hutch after hutch brought up the
poor miners who were the least fatigued, and at 7
o'clock 13 men had been raison() the surface. At
this juncture a brave fellow named Andrew Hun-
ter, an ironstone miner, volunteered to descend the
shaft, and he was immediately lowered. At this
time it was evident that those below were too weak
to fix themselves in the hutches, and it was hbso-
lutely necessary that some fresh men should go down
and assist the helpless. After Hunter had baen
down some time he signalled to be drawn up, and
was accordingly brought to the surface. He
stated that alone and without a light he could
do nothing, but with lamps and assistance he ex-
pressed his willingness to go down again. , Davy
lamps were immediately procured, and Hunter and
another miner named Fleming descended, and in a
very short time an exhausted miner was raised to
the surface. The two brave fellows remained below
in the horrid choke-damp atmosphere for a consi-
denble time and rescued several helpless men,
after which they were hauled up themselves almost
fainting. Other volunteer workmen followed, and
up till half-past 9 o'clock 28 workmen were rescued.
As the evening advanced the men who were brought
up in a faint, exhausted, or insensible state, and
one poor fellow, named Macleod Nelson, 41 years of
age, expired. Dr. Wm. Weir, Larkhall, and Dr.
Wm. Naismith, Hamilton, were on the spot, and
rendered valuable service in attending the poor
men ; and in this work, we are happy to say,
they were ably assisted by Mr. James Alston Dykes,
Procurator-Fiscal, Hamilton, who was formerly a
medical student. Later in the evening, Dr. Lennox,
Hamilton, and Dr. Goff, Bothwell, arrived, and
attended the sufferers. The accident, so far as can
be ascertained, was caused by the "cube," a fur-
nace which is used for causing the foul air to
ascend one shaft, while the pure air descends
another. The bratticing, or wooden lining of the
shaft, must have become overheated from the fire
in the cube, and ignited. Some idea of the fury of
the flames may be gatheired from the fact that at
Motherwell—a distance of two miles—they were
observed, and appeared to be raging to a height of
were working at a considerable distance from the
bottom of the shaft, and none of the survivors can
account for the sad occurrence. From the appear-
ance of the men who were brought out about 9
o'clock last night, it is to be feared that those
who were still in the pit must soon succumb to
the choke-damp which filled it. Every effort was
made for the rescue of the poor men, and Mr.
Walter Neilson, of the Summerlee Iron Company,
Mr. W. Neilson, of Mossend Ironworks, and Mr.
William Moncreath, mining engineer, Coatbridge,
were on the spot, and rendered every assistance
in their power. The scene at th• pit head was
most heartrending—wives lamenting for their
husbands and sons, sisters for their brothers, and
children for their fathers. As each poor fellow,
in a state of insensibility, was carried on a
stretcher past the crowd—which numbered about
1,000 persons—the face of the unfortunate man
was recognised by some one, and a shriek fol-
lowed, which was most melancholy to hear. Still,
to the. credit of the poor relatives of the entombed
men, be it said, they were wonderfully patient
under their heavy trial, and many of them ren-
dered valuable aid to the doctors and the sufferers.
But every one worked with a will, and none
more so than Superintendent David Dewar, of
the county police, who, on receiving information
of the accident, proceeded to the spot with a body
of police, who kept admirable order. Captain
M'Kay, chief constable, and Superintendent Chris-
tison were also in attendance.—Glasgow Herald.

THIS DABS MARKETS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

a s quoted
were
Fresh up to-day the supply of English wheat was small.
Good and fine qualities moved off steadily at full quotations,
but inferior samples were a dull inquiry, and prices
with difficulty supported. New Talavera wheat was
at 68s. to 725. per quarter.

The show of foreign wheat was large. Generally speak-
ing, importers were firm, in consequence of a fair demand
on French account, mostly for American samples. In the
quotations very little change took place.
Floating cargoes of grain were in steady, but by no means
active request at full currencies.
The barley trade was in a sluggish state at barely late
rates for old qualities.

New malting was worth 335. to 445. per quarter. Malt
was steady in price,
but the business doing in it was limited.
Good and fine oats realised former prices, but inferior
parcels were rather cheaper,
The show of both beans and peas was small, and the
trade ruled firm at full quotations. New grey peas sold at
from 385. to 40s. per quarter.
Good and fine marks of flour moved off steadily at full
prices ; but inferior parcels were a slow sale.

ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats.
0
1,830 ( 120 1 1,540 I 80 1 140
Irish..
F0reign........ 27,290 2,430 12,320 / 250 gaokl
23,630 bas.