The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-20 00:00:00

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—(This Day.)

LONDON, Feb. 20.—Wind this day, S.W.—Light, with
fine weather,
Thant, bFazeyb—. rla9t.h_erefaoignagy
siiaritathfeognnrirngi;ed_
H.M.S. Bulldog, from Sheerness; H.M.S. Vixen, Wool-
wich, and left for Devonport.
Cape of Good
PLYMOUTH,
HFepe. 19. Wind S.—Sailed, b Portia, for the
o.
FALMOUTH, Feb. 19.—Wind variable. Sailed—solen
Miller, for Newport and Norfolk.
GRAVESEND, Feb. 20.—Wind S.W.—Sailed—John
Wade, for Hong Kong.
DEAL, Feb. 20.—Wind S.S.W
OFF MOUNT'S BAY, Feb 19.—Pride of the Ocean, Anna.
BEAUMARIS, Feb. 19.—Wind N.E.—Sailed—Euretta,
for Calcutta.
OFF PENZANCE.—Bartica, Madras and Cape of Good
Hop a.
QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 18.—A barque, with bust figure-
head a' .d quai tor gallery, no name on stern, was Pas"►
waterlogged and abandoned, ou 13th January.

-
The European commission appointed7o report on the
practicability of navigating the Danube from Isalt
treebal
to kthe Black Sea is pursuing ,its object with
activity.

, -
FEARFUL COLLIERY 7610.1
4 _ , <
LEY, THU • A •
12 o'clock th• ;
at the Lund-.
mite from the cobwg s

nomefoanlr/iegin. p 1
t, 8.L13.1\
A few minutes after
explosion. took place
situated about half a
station. on the South Yorks.u.
which is about 220 yards deep, belongs to Tayi,
and Co., and is workei by separate shifts of men
n•gbt and day. The day workers, to the number
e.nAatnld2Bol,,lllese, descendedir22of
t:
them,
6 wo'hcloockresthi
dies
came up to dinner, the re'st remaining
to partake of that meal in the pit. Shortly after-
wards a fearful explosion occurred which shook the
ground for a great distance around, and the frame
in which the corves descend was blown up the shaft
and lodged in the gearing above the pit-mouth.
Numbers of menfrom neighbouring collieries flocked
to render assistance, and up to 7 o'clock 16 men
had been drawn up alive, some of them most
seriously injured; this left 142 men remaining in
the pit to almost certain death. The interior of
the pit was set on fire by the explosion, and the
flames having spread with such rapidity as, it is
feared, to 'cutoff all chance of reaching that part
of the pit where the 142 men are supposed to be.
Some idea of the fearful nature of the fire maybe
gathered when we state that the flames ascending
up the air-shaft, 220
yards deep, reach more than
20 yards above the top, illuminating the country
for a distance around. Telegraphic messages have
been sent to Sheffield and this place for a number
of fire-engines, some of which have n,ow arrived.
,The cause of the explosion is as yet involved in
mystery. The overlooker states that when he went
round the pit before the day men descended this
morning all was then perfectly safe.

To THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE
EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY

COMPANY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,—The Report issued to the Pro-
prietary, for the six months last passed, presents a gratifying
contrast to those issued of late years at the semi-Annual
Meeting. iThe sections relating to Locomotives, Season Tickets,
and Free Passes evince a spirit of determined economy ; there.
solution to increase Locomotive and Rolling Stock out of Re-
venue,' instead of charging them to Capital Account, being
particularly deserving of yourcommendation. In like manner
it has been resolved to rescind, or to renew, the agreement
with the North of Europe Company relative to cattle, by
which our company was bound to convey that description of
Property at ruinously low rates. The report, after alluding
to certain expensive law suits amicably and reasonably settled,
and certain minor
.points of cab discipline left to their own
proper development, expresses the very proper resolution of
entering into no arrangements except of a remunerative
kind. This very proper business-like way of managing
the company is, however, applied in reference to
another company, of which I hopejto know somewhat—
viz., the London, Harwich, and Continental Steam-Packet
Company, 44, Moorgate-street. lam given to understand
that, unlike the grasping policy of the North of Europe, the
Directors of this Company only seek to aid, and be aided by,
the great Eastern Counties Railway proprietary, upon the
usual fair basis of pro-ratio division of expenses and profits.
The natural capabilities of Harwich are such that under a
dne development it must become the Southampton or Liver-
pool of the East Coast, a distinction which only one port in
that extensive seaboard can claim with her, viz., Grimsby.
Surely the apathy which a long course of mismanagement
has produced will cease to paralyse our energies to the ex-
tent of letting slip this glorious prize from our grasp. Steam.
ship Companies have no expensive land to purchase the right
of way through, no expense of rails, no long bills for sur-
veys, and other preliminary phlebotomy. Hence one hun-
dred thousand pounds is even a large capital for a
Company, though it only expresses one hundred share-
holders of 1,0001. each, or 500 of 2001. each. Such an
amount might readily be raised out of our own pro-
prietary, thereby enabling the marine company
to contract, or at least tender, for the conveyance of the
mails for the whole of the North of Europe and India (via
Trieste), in preference to the present tempestuous routes by
Calais and Dover, with their concomitant drawbacks of sands,
and breaks of rail whenever they reach the Rhine. For these
services the Post-office pay the South-Eastern Steam-packet
Company 10,500/. per annum. Suppose 7,0001. or 8,0001.
thereof directed into this new route ? This implies not only
a dividend to that amount per cent. on the Steam-ship Com-
pany's shares, but the carriage of the mail matter on the
Eastern Counties Railway. Apart from this, the comparative
smoothness of the sea passage from Harwich, owing to its
being above the various currents that beset the straits, the
ready communication from Harwich to all England without
passing through London, and the direct and unbroken lines of
rail from Rotterdam to Cologne and the Rhine, indicate this as
the certain route for at least a fair proportion of the
autumnal tourists, while all travellers to places east of the
Rhine, and all the overland mails and passengers to India must
eventually adopt this line, wherever time and comfort of
unbroken rail communication are an object. With respect to
the commercial prospects of the Company my information is
not so certain, for the facts enumerated above are patent to
any man who will take up a map of Europe, on which the
Railways opened since last October are properly marked. The
steady increase, however, of the trade of this country with
Northern Germany and Denmark, through the ports of Harlin-
gen, Embden, Bremen, Hamburg, and Terming, point to a pro-
bably great increase of remuneration to the Eastern Counties
proprietary, if a properly remunerative scale be fixed as be-
tween the two Companies. Let each and all of us, therefore,
aid as far as we can in the development of this great feeder
of our line, and we may hope, without being at all accused
of being too sanguine, to see our shares once again at par or
premium, as so noble a property ought to be.
A SHAREHOLDER IN BOTH COMPANIES.

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LA NE,
Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith.
Acting Manager, Mr. C. Mathews. Stage Manager, Mr. R
Roxby. Scenic Artist, Mr. W. Beverley.
The eminent Comedian, Mr. Charles Mathews, every evening.
Great Success of the Grand Christmas Pantomime, the
most magnificent ever produced on the English stage.
THIS EVENING, her Majesty's Servants will perform an
entirely new three-act Drama, entitled
THE BLACK BOOK.

Characters by Mr. C. Mathews, A. Younge, G. Honey, Mr.
Vincent, Mr. Tilbury, Mr. Lingham ; Misses Cleveland and
U. Oliver, and Mrs. Selby.

After which will be produced
SEE, SAW, MARGERY DAW ;
Or, Harlequin Holiday, and tho,lsland of Ups and Downs,

The reduced prices as follows, varying throughout the
house to suit every one :—Galleries, ed. and ls. ; Second
Circle of Boxes, Is. ed. ; Pit, 2s. ; First Circle of Boxes,
2s. 6d. ; Dress Boxes, 3s. ; Stalls, Es. ; Private Boxes,
10s. 6d., I'. Is., 1/. lls. 6d., and 2/. 2s.

pO.YAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
THIS EVENING will be performed
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.
After which, a now grand Christmas Pantomime, called
ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP;
or, Harlequin and the Genii of the Ring, Harlequin, Mr.
Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Huline ; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo ; Co-
lumbine, Miss C. Adams,

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Lessee, Mr. C. Dillon.
THIS EVENING, will bo performed a new play, in
five acts, by Westland Marston, Esq., entitled A LIE'S
RANSOM. Lord Reyesdale,• Mr. C. Dillon ; Bancroft, Mr.
Stuart ; Itevesdale, Mrs. C. Dillon,
To be followed by
CONRAD AND MEDORA;
or, Harlequin Corsair and the Little Fairy at the Bottom of
the Sea; The burlesque opening by W. Brough, Esq.,
ounded upon the ballet of Le Corsair, as produced at Her
Majesty's Theatre. The harlequinade upon things in gene-
ral. The new and magnificent scenery painted by Mr. F.
Fenton.

Conrail (the Corsair)
Birbarto (his lieutenant)
Med ora
Clowns

Miss Woo7gar
Mr. J. L. Toole
\lrs. Charles Dillon
Mr. Tom Matthews and
.111. r. IT. Marshall
The box-ofnee open datly, from 11 to 5, under the super-
ntendence of Mr.. Chatterton, jun.
Carriages conveying parties 13 the Private Boxes to set
down at the State entrance in Buileigh-street.

HEA TRE ROYAL, ADELPIII.
Lessee—Mr. Ben. Webster.

THIS EVENING, will be performed OUR GAL, Caro.
Inc: Morton, Mrs, Barney Williams,
After which, A NIGHT AT NOTTING-HILL, in which
Mr. Wright and Pal Bedford will appear.
Followed by the new and original comic drama, called
BARNEY THE BARON. Barney O'Toole, Mr. Barney
Williams.
To conclude with