The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 10, 1861.

THE CANADA EXTRADITION CASE.

The inhabitants of Toronto held a public meeting
on the 19th for the purpose of expressing sympathy
with the fugitive slave Anderson. The Mayor was
called to the chair. Resolutions in favour of the
objects of the meeting were carried enthusiastically,
and the following petition to the Governor-General
•was unanimously adopted :

" The memorial and petition of the undersigned
most respectfully showeth—
" That as inhabitants of this free British province,
and warmly attached to the British constitution,
we feel deeply concerned in any event, or act of
civil administration, by which the reputation of
our country as one whose soil cannot be polluted
with slavery, might be tarnished, or the influence
of British laws given directly or indirectly to the
upholding of a cruel oppression.
" That, alarmed by the manner in which the
rash, and, as your petitioners believe, improper act
of a local authority in Canada, in arresting and de-
taining under an alleged charge of murder in the
State of Missouri, the person of Anderson, now in
gaol in Toronto, has been affirmed by a majority
of the judges of the Queen's Bench, your peti-
tioners gladly betake themselves to your Excel-
lency as the acting head of the executive Govern-
ment, in the earnest hope that such a decision may i
not prevent your Excellency from disposing of this
case in harmony with the spirit of our laws and
the dictates of eternal justice.
" That your petitioners believe that a just as well
as liberal interpretation of the Ashburton Treaty
would exempt the accused party, Anderson, from
the range of its application ; and they are strength-
ened in this belief, not only by the authority of a
judge of long experience on the Queen's Bench '
itself, but by the opinions of eminent practical
lawyers in Canada, and by decisions in analogous
cases both in Britain and the United States ; also,
by documents extant and accessible, illustrating
the meaning of Lord Ashburton and other parties
closely connected with the arrangements of the
said treaty.
" That were the prisoner in question remanded
to a United States jury in the circumstances
alleged, and in the present state of the slave law,
the prisoner's opportunities of obtaining impartial
judgment are so small, and so diminished beyond
all that could have been foreseen by the parties to
the Ashburton Treaty—especially since the deci-
sion in what is known as the Dred Scot case,
which affirms that a coloured person hasino rights
that he can assert, or which citizens of the republic
arc bound to respect—that his rendition on the
evidence alleged would be to recognise a state of
things never contemplated by those who framed
the treaty. And your memorialists submit that
where so much as a doubt of the reading of the
treaty exists, the benefit should, as usual, but espe-
cially where such momentous interests are con-
cerned, be given to the accused ; and the case, so far
as it happily comes for preliminary judgment before
our own Government, should be decided in a large
and humane construction of the clauses of the treaty
and the acts of Parliament bearing upon it rather
than by mere technicalities.

6"llat the consequences of disposing of this cause
otherwise cannot, your memorialists hope, but
appear to your Excellency and your Government
most dangerous to the sacred interests of just
liberty, in rendering the condition of many indus-
trious residents in this province one of extreme
peril. Nothing being easier than by means of such
evidence as has been brought forward in this case
to drag them back to bondage, or subject them to
the cruel pains of a law which gives no equal pro-
tection to the slave, whether as regards life, chastity,
or religion, and thus to render (nu, happily, free
territory a hunting-ground for persons whose
crime may only have been that they dared to be
better than slaves, and defended, at the risk of their
own lives, or with possible danger to the lives of
aggressors and spoilers, their inalienable rights and
their dearest domestic relations.

" That, reposing confidence in the generous and
British-like spirit of your Excellency, and in the
belief that your memorialists plead only for what is
just and right, according to the law of nations, the
sacred demands of religion, and the true reading of
international compacts, they pray your Excellency
to release the prisoner aforesaid, and hold him not
liable to be rendered up to foreign authorities as
claimed."

At the conclusion of the meeting the Mayor said
he was exceedingly gratified at the manner in which
the whole proceedings had been conducted. He
hoped, however, that they would respect the law.
The law must be treated with respect; but if he read
the treaty and the statutes aright, Anderson would
never be given up. (Cheers.) They were met that
evening as one man, without respect to politics or
party, and he was confident that the news of such
an influential and unanimous meeting would cause a
bright ray of light to penetrate the prisoner's dark
cell. (Great cheering.)

At the Court of Queen's Bench, Toronto, on De-
cember 22, before Chief Justice Robinson, Mr.
Justice M'Lean, and Mr. Justice Burns,
Messrs. S. B. Freeman, M. C. Cameron, and
Thomas Hodgins, appeared on behalf of the fugi-
tive, John Anderson.

Mr. Freeman rose for the purpose of saying that
after consulting with his friends respecting the
case of the fugitive Anderson, they had made up
their minds to carry the case to the Court of
Error and Appeal, He (Mr. Freeman) could not
say there was no doubt of the right to do so, but he
was glad to be able to state that he had received a
communicatien from the Attorney-General upon
the subject of appeal, and he had his assurance
that the Crown was most anxious to procure the
judgment of the Court above. The Attorney-
General had gone so far as to say that any expenses
would be borne by the Government. The chief
difficulty which appeared to present itself was the
consideration of the question—were the proceed-
ings a matter of record ? Several authorities he
(Mr. Freeman) had looked at showed that the writs
of this description when returned were matters of
record. The practice of the two courts here, when
one of them gave judgment, was that the other
court would pronounce the same judgment upon the
same facts until the party went to the Court of
Error and Appeal. This was the reason why he
(Mr. Freeman) had determined not to take out a
writ of habeas corpus in the Common Pleas, for the
judges might tell him when he got there they
would follow the judgment of the Court of Queen's
Bench until reviewed by a higher court. But if
he went to the Court of Error and Appeal, and he
was told there he had no appeal, he would be in a
position to ask an independent judgment of the
Court of Common Pleas.
The Chief Justice said the Court had looked into
the statutes constituting the Court of Error and
Appeal, and after carefully considering the matter,
came to the conclusion that no appeal would lie. As
to what counsel had said with respect to the Court
of Common Pleas, the course in dealing with ordi-
nary cases was as he had stated it. But in a case
of this description he (the Chief Justice) thought
they might, expect that an independent judgment
would be given.

Mr. Freeman—l understand your lordships think
there probably is no rale under the statute for an
appeal.
The Chief Justice—l can find none.
Mr. Freeman—l suppose your lordships will
make no objection to the matter being brought
before the Court of Appeal if that Court thinks fit
to hear it
The Chief Justice—Certainly not. It would be
for counsel to consider whether they were not in the
present state of the case limited to intercourse with
the Crown. If they had in view an appeal from
this country, their object should be to prevent the
prisoner being given up. That was a matter be-
tween themselves and the Government:
Mr. Freeman intimated that he had no fear of
the prisoner being surrendered while further legal
proceedings were contemplated. The Government
was most anxious to have the judgment of the Court
of Appeal in the case.

The following extract bearing on this case, from
the speech of Lord Aberdeen in the House of Lords
in moving the Extradition of Offenders Bill on
Friday, June 30, 1843, is very interesting :
lie did not anticipate that any inconvenience
could arise from the carrying out of this treaty, ex-
cept what referred to the case of fugitive slaves,
and this was, no doubt, a subject that would re-
quire the, utmost caution on the part of those who
would have to administer the law, arising from the
now relations between the two countries. Some
people had supposed that a fugitive slave might be
given up under this treaty. This, he must say,
was a most unfounded notion. Not only was a
fugitive slave guilty of no crime In endeavour-
ing to escape from a state of bondage,
but he was entitled to the Sympathy
-
and
encouragement of all those who were ani-
mated by Christian feelings. But then it had
been said a slave running away might be accused
of theft, on the ground that the clothes he wore
were not his own, but the property of his master.
This, however, in his (the Earl of Aberdeen's)
judgment, could never be construed into a theft.
Nay, more, if a slave took a horse with him, or
seized upon a boat, or, in short, appropriated to his
use anything that was necessary to his flight, such
an act could never be held to establish an animus
furandi. Another point must be borne in mind,
namely, that if at any time a fugitive slave should
be demanded under this treaty, the demand would
not be made by any Slave State, but by the central
government at Washington, and this in itself would

be a considerable security against any improper ap-
plication. Another security would be found in the
reference which would be made to the Home Go-
vernment by the governors of colonies, in case of
any difficulty arising, when the Home Government
would of course be assisted by the best legal advice
that could be obtained. But the great security was,
that, by an express stipulation in tae treaty, it was
agreed that the article by which the two Govern-
ments bound themselves to a mutual surrender of
criminals should continue in force till one or other
of the two Governments signified its intention to
terminate it, so that whenever inconveniences arose
either Government was at liberty to put an end to
that part of the treaty, without being under the
necessity of giving any notice beforehand.

below the freezing point, and the cold is intense.
On Sunday night and Monday there were great
accumulations of snow, and the ground is now
covered to a depth of eight to ten inches, and even
more where there has been any drifting. By great
exertions the railway trains have been kept run-
ning with tolerable regularity, but this has only been
effected by means of extra engines and the employ-
ment of numbers of additional men. The country
posts are completely disorganised, and no improve-
ment can be anticipated at present, as the hard frost
has rendered travelling on ordinary roads a matter
of very great difficulty. Such a winter has not been
known in this neighbourhood for many years.
The frost at Newcastle on Monday and Tuesday
night was as intense as ever known in this district.
On Monday night a dense fog made the weather
more cold than even on Christmas Eve. A number
of passengers in the Shields steam ferry suffered
severely nom the effects of the frost and fog. They
put off from South Shields in the steamer at nine
o'clock, and no sooner had they got out into the
channel of the river than the boat was enveloped in
an impenetrable fog. The passengers and crew were
in great danger, but they fortunately got the boat
alongside a schooner, where they had to lie till five
in the morning. A number of women and children
were aboard the boat. All out-door employment is
at a standstill, and the icebound condition of the
erne aa cnhae
ws
hof e ther ry in' le' ynnoeu ht
oa
fs
work.thrown
Great n u
pmobveerr
toyf
kiuspe emr
likely
to be sustained by a large nnmber of work-
ing men's families, for there is less prospect than
ever of fresh weather. In this town and Shields, and
in Blaydon and some other places on the Tyne, the
poor are supplied with quantities' of soup three
times a-week, and the coal owners have been very
liberal in distributing coals among the unemployed.
The sea has fortunately got down, and the steam-
ships and some sailing vessels have proceeded on
their voyages. The trains from the south have
been delayed very much to-day.
During Sunday night and throughout Monday
there was a heavy and almost continuous fall of snow
at North Shields. Many of the country roads have to
a great extent been blocked up, and the coal-waggon
ways have been a good deal stopped, and the traffic
en the North-Eastern line is much impeded. The
difficulties and dangers incident to travelling in
the northwest of Northumberland last week
are described in the following communication :
" On Thursday morning the highway to Rothbury,
Glanton, Whittingham, and other townships lying
to the west of Alnwick, was a scene fit for a pain-
ter, and his easel would have exhibited some strange
sketches indeed. It was the first day that the
traffic had been opened out for carts after the late
heavy fall and tremendous drifts of snow. The
road had only then been made passable by cutting,
and the width of it no greater than to allow one
conveyance to ^get along at a time, excepting at
intervals of a few hundred yards, there were short
curves, or sidings into which one conveyance might
shunt until an approaching one from an opposite
direction passed. It was between those sidings
that the scenes we allude to took place. Cold and
bitter was the blast that blew across 'the dreary
common of Aydon Forest, through which the road
winds for nearly four miles, without a sheltering
tree, and the drivers of carts and occasional eques-
trians—both blowing their fingers and anxious to
get forward—were alike unwilling to be waiters
upon the others. Then again, after passing those
side cuttings, it was next to impossible to back any
conveyance, as of necessity one party must do, or
run tie risk of horses and cart being nearly swal-
lowed up by venturing a little to one side. Two
equestrians had a narrow escape of it, one of them
at least fairly putting spars to his horse, and gal-
loping back to the cutting which he had just des-
pised the use of. One four-wheel had two travellers,
who had just congratulated each other on their
freedom from accident so far, though the joltings
were matters for record to future generations, when
bang went one of their shafts in two places. jAfter
binding up with six or seven yards of stout rope
they got within one mile of their destination, when
the rope yielding gave too much work for the other
shaft to perform, and off it came too, in a couple of
pieces. The roads will be bad yet, probably for
some days.
The weather in the North Sea still remains in a
very boisterous condition. The wind is N.E., and
the steamships are still detained in the harbour.
The weather in:many parts of the West Riding
and in Nottinghamshire is most severe. The prin-
cipal rivers of Yorkshire have been frozen over for
some days, with the exception in some places of
the Ouse and Humber, and on both the navigation
is seriously impeded by the quantity of ice passing
down, some of them blocks from three to four feet
thick. The tributary rivers, the Don, the Derwent,
the Wharf, and the Aire, are completely closed up,
and all transit for the present is suspended. One
of the most striking instances of the severity of the
weather has been seen on the River Wharf, above
Harewood-bridge, where five rata were embedded
in the ice. It is thought that the rats were at-
tempting to cross the river, and while so doing were
frozen. The ice on the Ouse is very thick—so
thick indeed that at the end of last week a cart
passed over at Booth Ferry, near the residence of
Mr. John Wells, J.P., of Booth Ferry-house. The
ice in the Trent is of great thickness, and at But-
terwick, on the borders of Lincolnshire, pieces five
feet in thickness have often been noticed. Wild
fowl have been driven nearer the towns than for
some years past, and several wild swans have been
seen in the neighbourhood of -Wheatley hall, the
pleasant seat of Sir W. Ridley C. Cooke. Many of
the class of birds that ordinarily visit the district
in the winter season have been noticed, particularly
the fieldfare. The intensity of the frost is affecting
the plumage of the birds, and in the neighbourhood
between Pontefract and Doncaster several that have
been shot have proved quite piebald. The frost con-
tinued with much severity last (Tuesday) night.

ROYAL RUJIANE SOCIETY.

... -11' .-,r,

The annual meeting of the members of this
society was held yesterday, at the offices, Trafalgar-
square; Mr. Benjamin Bond Cabbell in the chair.
In the course of the proceedings it was mentioned
that the annual subscriptions were not enough to
pay the iceman's wages for one month of frosty
weather, so that were it not for the bounty of a
past age, the society would have to come to a stand-
still for want of funds, and that the last anniversary
festival, instead of increasing the finances of the
institution, involved a loss of more than £BO. The
following are the facts stated in the report :—The
total number of cases of drowning brought under
the notice of the society during the past year was
156, in which 187 persons were concerned. Of
these 137 were successfully treated by the medical
officers of the society, while 15 proved beyond
recovery; 27 were cases of attempted suicide, and
in 22 cases the gallant rescuers were rewarded by
the society. The general court granted 24 silver
medals, 65 bronze medals, 14 testimonials on vellum,
16 testimonials on parchment, and 72 pecuniary
rewards during the past year. The number of
bathers in the Serpentine last summer was 68,792,
and the number of casualties 27, including 5
attempts at suicide, 2 of which proved fatal. Up
to Tuesday night 112 had been rescued from
drowning in the parks during the present frost,
the number of skaters having been 396,850.
The total income of the society for the
past year, including a balance of £4lO 2s. sd.
brought forward from the accounts of the
preceding year, was £1,897 12s. 7d., and the
expenditure £1,689 12s. 2d., of which $604195. 11d.
was paid in wages to icemen, &c., leaving id hand
a balance of £2OB Os. sd. This report having been
adopted, silver medals were voted to the following
for their gallant intrepidity in saving the lives of
others :—Mr. J. Pilbrow, 3d officer Peninsular and
Oriental Company's ship Hindostan, saved the life
of Major Ormsby, who fell off the gangway into
the Hoogley, at Calcutta ; James Gant, A. 8., on
board H.M.S. Termagant, leaped into the sea and
saved Jas. Harrington, a boy who, in a fit of insa-
nity, attempted suicide ; Mr. Laurence Cluny,
midshipman on board H.M.S. Fawn, rescued an
A.B. seaman, Alfred Dray, who had fallen over-
board at sea off the Cape of Good Hope; William
Anderson, master's assistant on board the Nile,
saved on three occasions four lives under perilous
circumstances. Had the funds of the society ad-
mitted of it Mr. Anderson would have been
awarded a gold medal, Mr. J. Hawkins, acting
mate, her Majesty's ship Curacea, at Monte Video,
saved William Dowsell, who, in falling from the
rigging, fractured his leg in two places and was
perfectly helpless. Anastacio Romaldo, at Para,
in Brazil, saved John Brown, who, in a state of
intoxication, had fallen into the river, which
abounds with underrcUrrents and is exceedingly
mephitic. The particulars of this case were for-
warded from the Foreign-office by Lord John Rus-
sell, a t the request of the British residents. Mr.
Austin Cooper, of theAgincourt,saved Mr.W. Gard-
der, midshipman, of the same vessel, who fell over:
board in Hobson's-bay. DonaldUrquhart,atDornock,
N. 8., saved five persons who had been in a boat
capsized while crossing the Forth. Ensign Chute and
Private Quigley, Bth Regiment, at Spithead, saved
J. Maennys, a private belonging to the same
regiment. Rev. Dr. Dill, at Portsteward, county
Derry, saved a lunatic named Hammill, who had
leaped off the rocks into the sea. Lieut. Kennedy,
R.M., her Majesty's ship Wasp, at sea between the
Cape and the Mauritius, saved John Sier, A. 8.,
who had fallen overboard. Captain E. Hardinge,
her Majesty's ship Persian, at sea, saved a boy
who had fallen overboard. Mr..W. J. Hagen,
medical student, saved, at Banagher, Miss Matilda
Broadbent, who had flung herself of the bridge
into the Shannon ;
and Joseph
at nunslett, near Leeds, at a great risk to his own
Killgbeck: who, in

life, saved Joseph Sheldon, a boy, who had fallen
down 18 yards into a draw-well. Mr. Baker having
been elected treasurer in the room of the late Mr.
13. llawes, the proceedings were closed with a vote
of thanks to the chairman.

LIETTON COLLIERY EXPLOSION,

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, JAN. 9.

The adjourned inquest on the 23 men and lads
killed in Hetton Colliery on the 20th December,
was resumed at that village yesterday.
Dickinson, inspector of coal mines for the
Manchester district, said ho had been requested
by the Secretary of State, in conjunction with his
colleague, Mr. Dunn, to assist Mr. Atkinson, the
Government inspector of mines of this district, in
the investigation of this matter.
George Lowden, examined, said—l live at Hetton
Colliery, and am an overman. I was employed in
the West Minor Pit on the day of the explosion.
It was my duty to examine the workings before the
men commenced operations. I went down on that
day at 20 minutes past two in the morning, accom-
panied by my son, who is assistant lamp-keeper.
I had minutely examined the places where the men
were placed, and there was no gas. In coming out
of the pit I found the return all right, and free from
gas. I cannot form an opinion as to the cause of
the explosion, except that it went from the flues.
I had not seen gas for some four months before the
explosion. The ventilation was going all right at
the time of the explosion. The men were working
with Davy lamps, and not with candles. At the
time I left, the place was in such a state that I had
no fear of them working with naked candles. I
cannot say what part of the flues the explosion
commenced in.

Thomas Smith examined, said he resided at
Easington-lane, and was shifter, under Hall.
He went down the east mine pit on the evening
of the explosion, about half-past five, and ex-
amined the lamps of every man working in the
pit that night, and found all under his care per-
fect, and at that time there was no indication of
gas in that portion of the pit. I cannot say what
quantity of air circulated at the time of the
explosion, but I think the air was good. I had I
no fear at the timp the explosion took place. In
illy opinion, the explosion first made the blast
at the crossing of the north waggon-way—it is
the first place where the injury took place. I can-
not tell exactly where the gas first exploded. I
cannot form any opinion as to the cause of the ex-
plosion. It would require the explosion of a large
quantity of gas to cause so extensive an injury as I
observed. 1 cannot form an opinion as to where
the gas came from. Ido not think so large a
quantity could have accumulated from the " in-by"
working of the pit.
John Currie—l live in Easington-lane, and am a
furnace-man. When the explosion took place I
had charge of the east furnace in the east mine
pit. When I took charge there was no appearance
of gas. I had observed nothing previous to the
explosion to lead me to think there was danger. I
had a good fire on at the time, and had supplied it
with coals about five or ten minutes previous to the
explosion. After the explosion took place, the air
came back from the furnace, instead of going
through it. As soon as I found the wind I made
the best of my way to the first door coming out of
the downcast shalt. The force of explosion was
very strong before I got through the first door, bat
appeared to cease after I got past it. I can form
no opinion as to where the explosion took place.
The force of the explosion came from the direction
of the upcast shaft.
Thomas Smith recalled, said—We take in gun-
powder in quantities of about 7lbs. in two bottles.
The two men on the north waggon-way had come
up on the night of explosion. The supply from
which the men got what they needed was kept
above bank. There were about two or three lbs. in
each of the men's bottles. After I gave the men
the powder, which weighed about a pound, it was
loft in my cabin.
By Mr. Dickinson—That powder has since been
found unexploded.
Job Laverick, a master-waterman at Eppleton
Pit, and residing at Down's-lane, thought the ex-
plosion commenced at the flues.
The inquiry is still proceeding.

RISCA COLLIERY BXPLOSION.

RISCA, JAN. 9.

The official inquiry into the causes of this acci

dent commenced io-day at Risca, before Mr. Brewer,
deputy-coroner. The colliery company were repre-
sented by Mr. Llewellyn Mr. Owen, of Newport,
appear-d on behalf of the relations of several of
the sufferers. Mr. L. Brough, the Government in-
spector for the district, and Mr. Evans, the inspec-
tor for Glamorganshire, were also present.
The explopion, It will be remembered, took place
on the Ist Deeember,kill;ngl42 men and boys. All
the bodies have been recovered except one.

The first witness called was Mr. has. A, Harri-
son, the viewer and underground manager of the
Risca Colliery, who described the state of the pit
on the morning of the accident. At 6 o'clock he
had descended the pit, and had visited in turn the
different intake and return a;r courses on each side
of the pit, trying them all with his lamp. At every
trial he found the a; .r perfectl fgood. Ou the east side
he met the overman, who reported to him that all
was right, and having measured the air at the main
in-take, he ascended the pit to breakfast. According
to the measurement he then took 37,500 cubic feet of

air was entering the pit per minute. After breakfast
Mr. Harrison visited the Rock Vein Pit (another
colliery belonging to the same company), and while
there he was informed by the banker of the Black
Vein that the sulphur had fired in the pit. His
answer was, "It can't be; it couldn't happen."
Running to the top of the down-cast shaft he pro.
cured a lamp and immediately descended. His first
act was to examine the west side of the separation
doors ; they were all right; then the east side sepa-
ration doors, and they were all right also. He then
went to the top of the stope and examined the
separation doors on the first west level, and found
them all right. The regulator through the separa-
tion doors was perfectly uninjured. In the second
east level he found his own son, who was still alive.
He lifted him up so that he might catch the fresh
air, and went forward. In a very few yards he
found one or two bodies, and was soon stopped by
the " falls"—that is, the ruins which had been made
by the explosions. In attempting to penetrate into
different parts of the working he was stopped by
similar obstacles. After that he returned up the
stope and assisted in recovering bodies.
Mr. Harrison was cross examined by the Coroner
and by the Government inspector, and in answer to
questions put by them he stated that the air in the
return courses was particularly good. 37,500 cubic
feet per minute was quite sufficient air to make the
pit sweet and clean, and quite sufficient for the safe
working of the pit. Occasionally 42,000 cubic feet
per minute were passed through the pit, but the
average quantity was from 37,000 to 38,000 cubic
feet per minute. The ventilator was Struve's
aerometer, or ventilating pump with cylinder of 18
feet diameter, a six feet stroke and eight strokes
per minute. About 51,000 cubic feet per minute
ought to be produced by eight strokes a minute,
and the only way in which he could account
for the difference between that amount and
the amount actually produced was by attri-
buting it to leakage. He did not think the drag,
i. e., the resistance to the current caused by friction
(a cause suggested by the Government inspector)
had anything to do with it. The stalls and levels,
1. e., the places where the coal is worked, were
always bratticed close up to the faces, the air was
brought up within six yards of the faces, sometimes
within four yards. If a safety lamp were acci-
dentally extinguished in the pit, it would have to
be brought to the head of the stope at the bottom
of the downcast. There was no other means of
relighting them. By the 42d rule naked lights
were only to be used at the bottom of the downcast
pit, and in those level headings along which the in-
take air passes. That was on the recommendation
of Mr. Mackworth. the former Government inspec

tor, at a time when the ventilation was but 16,000
cubic feet the minute. In answer to a very pointed
question from the Government inspector, Mr.
Brough, Mr. Harrison stated most positively that
no worker had ever complained to him of danger or
shown any indisposition to go down to work. The
witness was also questioned closely by Mr. Brough
as to the expediency of establishing a supplemen-
tary furnace at the bottom of a third shaft used at
present solely for pumping, but he objected to it
on the ground that it had closed or fallen in at the
side, and that, even if it were fenced in, its effect
would be overcome by the superior power of the
ventilator, and the air would be drawn down in-
stead of drawn up. A furnace had been suggested
in place of the ventilator, and he believed it had
been tried some years ago, but the effect was only
to prodace about 10,000 cubic feet of air.
When questioned as to the possibility of increas-
ing the number of splits e., divisions of the cur-
rent of air entering the pit, so as to carry it into
different districts) on the east side, where the explo•
sion oceurred, Mr. Harrison said he did not consider
it necessary, and in consequence of the badness of
the roof and the bottom it was not possible to carry
more air courses or bridges through the first east
level. In the levels there were treble doors, two of
wood and oneof
cloth, and in the stalls the usual
wood doors: There were no self-closing doors ; all
were closed by boys, and it was a rule of the col-
liery that no man should go through a door with-
out seeing it closed after him. 43,000 cubic feet
was the largest quantity of air he had ever measured
passing through the pit sine the yentilating ma-

chine was put up ; only 15,000 or 18,000 cubic feet
had been obtained by the furnace. The size of the
downcast pit was 16 feet by 10, the seam of coal on
the east side was 8 feet by 6 feet; on the west side
it was 6 feet; the level windways and the cross
headings were 6 feet. When asked his opinion as
to the cause of the accident Mr. Harrison said he
believed it to be caused by the blower, or sudden
eruption of gas in a certain portion of the workings
(technically called the third and fourth east level),
which he pointed out on the map, and the damp
was first fired down the fourth east level, among
the rippings. Probably the first explosion would
be increased as the fire went through the working,
in consequence of more gas being set loose by the
falls of the timber. No safety lamps had yet been
found in the ruins with the gauze cover taken off,
but four had been found unlocked, and one had been
found with a pick hole through the gauze just by
the. spot where in all probability the explosion
originated. Of the 142 men who had been killed
70 died from chokedamp with signs of burning,
three had since died from burns, and three had
their skulls fractured by the falls. He did not
believe that one single man had been burned to
death. In the goaves (or exhausted and closed-up
workings) he had never seen any signs of firedamp,
though there was blackdamp. He had not the
'east suspicion that there was anything dangerous
in the state of the mine on the morning of the ac-
cident, nor should he have hesitated a moment to
go down.
Mr. Evans, the Government Inspector for Gla-
morganshire, was proceeding to put some questions
to the witness when our parcel left.