The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-16 00:00:00

PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE
EFFECT OF MUTUAL ASSURANCE. •
A Policy opened with the SCOTTISH. WIDOWS' FUND LIFE
AS'iURANCE SOCIET f in any year from 1815 to 1810, inclusive,
had a Yes' ed Bonus at Ist January, 1846, of 84 per ednt.. and in
the event of such Policy emerging after payment of,the present
year's Premium, there would be paid to the Representatives.of the
Deceased Member, in addition to the original Insurance,
A BONUS OF UPWARDS OF NINETY-NINE PER CENT.,
Or very nearly
DOUBLE THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT OF ASSURANCE.
In like manner a Policy opened in the year 1830, had a Vested
Bonus at let January, 1846, of upwards of 36 per cent., and in
the event of a Member's death after the • payment of the present
year's Premium, his Representatives would receive, in addition to
the original Insurance,
A BONUS OF UPWARDS OF FORTY-SEVEN. PER CENT.
In like manner a Policy opened in the year 1840 had a Vested
Bonus at Ist January, 1846, of upwards of 14 p.,r cent., and in the
event of the Member's death after payment of the present year's
Premium, his Representatives would receive, in addition to the
original Assurance,
A BONUS OF UPWARDS OF TWENTY-THREE PER CENT.
The Capital of the Scottish Widows' Fund Life Assurance Society
exceeds
TWO MILLIONS TWO HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND
POUNDS,
Which is the Sole Property of the Members of the Society.
N.B. No Member is entitled to participate in the Profits of the So-
ciety. unless the Policy be of five years' standing. The books of the
Society close for the current year on the 31st December, and policies
effected before that time have the advantage of a full years' standing
over those delayed beyond it.
Head Office, Edinburgh, 5, St. Andrew-square.
JOHN MACKENZIE, Manager.
LONDON OFFICE, 4, ROYAL EXCHANGE BUILDINGS.
HUGH M`KEAN, Agent.

SIR FRANCIS B. HEAD'S NEW WORK,
kJ Dedicated to the Women of England, is composed of Descrip-
tive Sketches, viz.:—
' I. Military Warfare-2. Naval Warfare-3. The Invasion of
England-4. The Capture of London by a French Army-5. The
Treatment of WomeninN Ayboewmatorietetfreene.
Defend Great Britain.
John Murray,i‘

Market 23e to 32e; salted 24s to 32e per cwt ; calf skins
34d to 3id per lb. Potatoes, white lid to 10d; Minions
10d to 12d. Guano—Peruvian, 11/ 10s; lchaboe, 81 to 91108
per ton. Tar—Archangel, 191 per barrel.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, DEc. 14.
STOOK EXCHANGE.—The market was more active to-day,
and prices for every description of Stock have improved.
Caledonians closed at 1014—Great Western, Whole Shares,
7814 —Ditto, New 17/. Shares, 27f3 dis. Midland Stock,
LIVERPOOL, DEc. 14.
STOCK EKCHAIST/K.—The share market was very firm to-
day at the quotations. The transactions were as follow:
Caledonian, 101/s—Chester and Holyhead, 1614—Ditto, Pre-
ference, guaranteed 51v per cent., 131,4—Edinburgh, P.
and D. (late E. and N.), 7—Great Western. 771:, —Lanca-
shire, and Yorkshire, Consol., 581,4—Ditto, Fifths, 7 1-16 dis.
—Leeds and Thirak, 14% London and North-Western, 127
—Ditto, New Quarters, 414 p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire, Preference, 10 9-16—Midland, 483/—Ditto,
Halves, 1914 dis.—North British, BN—South-Eastern and
Dover, 221—Sheffield, R. B. and G. N. Div., :% p.—York,
Newcastle, and Berwick, Preference (unpaid up), 3% dis.
—York and North Midland, 24—Cork and Bandon, 153%
Dublin and Belfast Junction, 221 dis.—Newry and War-
renpoint, 414—Rouen and Havre, 10%.
BIRMINGHAM, DEC. 14.
_

STOCK EXCHANGIL—The share market was again unusually
good to-day, and prices generally advanced. The following
were among the closing prices:—London and North-
Western, buyers 126, sellers 127—Midland, buyers 473/,
sellers 4814—North Staffordshire, buyers 8,4, sellers 8 dis.
—South Staffordshire, buyers Si., 6s. 3d., sellers 31/, dis.—
Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A), buyers 6 L 4, sellers, 6
dis.—Shropshire Union, buyers Ws, sellers 3 dis.

THE LATE BOILER EXPLOSION.
The coroner's inquest upon the bodies of the ten
persons killed by the boiler explosion at Messrs.
Firth's woollen manufactory, Lilly-lane
Mill, I3ali-
fax, which was recorded in The Sun at the period of
the calamity, was brought to a close on Friday even-
ing last. A great mass of evidence was adduced, the
general tenor of which was, that Mr. Samuel Firth,
if not other of the partners, was aware that the ex-
ploded boiler was unsafe for use, and yet that it was
kept working at intervals up to the time of the explo-
sion. Once or twice previous to the explosion the
steam was turned off and the engine stopped while
Firth and the engine-tenter tinkered at the boiler,
which was constantly leaking; and on the day before
the boiler burst Firth ordered the young people out of
the engine-house (where they had been accustomed
to warm themselves), telling them that " they were to
get away as fast as they could, lest the boiler should
burst." The young people naturally became alarmed,
and one of them (Lavinia Carter) attempted to leave
the mill, but was ordered back by Samuel Firth,
and shortly after her resuming work the explo-
sion took place. This, however, was not the most
serious part of the evidence against Samuel Firth.
Mr. Thomas Wood, cotton-spinner, Sowerby- bridge,
stated that two days before the explosion he met Sa-
muel Firth in Bradford Cloth-hall, when Samuel said
—referring to the explosion at Messrs. Wand's Brad-
ford mill—" We had a good deal of bother about en-
gineering this week. Oar old engine is poorly, and
I have had to look after the man a good deal, lest he
should get his pressure too strong on the boiler. I
am afraid there will be a blow up at our place, but
we must run on till Christmas." The most important
evidence given during: the inquiry was that of Mr.
William Fairburn, the eminent civil engineer and
machinist, of Manchester, who had been sent for by
the mayor and magistrates of Halifax to view Messrs.
Firth's-boilers and report thereon. His evidence is
important, not only as showing how the accident
occurred, but as suggesting a precaution against these
dreadful catastrophes in future. Mr. Fairburn put in
a written report of considerable length, of which the
following are the chief points :
" The comparative saving which is effected by the
judicious application of high-pressure steam in its
expansive action upon steam-engines, and when due
care is taken that the vessels within which it is con-
fined are calculated to resist with perfect security the
forces by which they may be assailed, does not admit
of doubt. I think it is equally for the general benefit
of the country and the extension of our manufactures
that every facility should be given for its introduction,
and I take this opportunity publicly to state that in
my opinion it may be accomplished with perfect
safety and with greatly-increased economy in the
consumption and employment of the most valuable
mineral production this country possesses. The dan-
ger does not consist in the intensity of pressure to
which the steam may be raised, but entirely upon the
character and construction of the vessel which contains
the dangerous element, When contained within the
narrow limits of a well-constructed locomotive boiler
it is perfectly harmless; but if it be attempted to en-
close a volume of similar density in an ordinary
boiler of extended capacity, you incur the almost
certain result of a catastrophe such as we have so very
recently been called upon to deplore. Such it appears
to me was the position in which the public were
placed with respect to the boilers of Lilly-lane Mill.
They were worked (especially two of them) in a very
unsafe condition; and I have no hesitation in stating
that they were unequal to the pressure to which
they were exposed. Insecure to begin with, they
were rendered immeasurably more so from the absence
of proper safety valves—an outlet of only three inches
diameter, which was common to all the three, being
scarcely worthy of the name. From every inquiry
there is no evidence to show at what pressure the valve
was weighted, or whether or not it was ever in a
working condition. lam not aware what may be the
practice in this or other parts of Yorkshire ; but I
cannot sufficiently condemn a system of construction
which limits the means of escape, and exposes both
life and property to the most imminent peril. The
boilers at Lilly-lane Mill were of such magnitude,
and the plates of which they were composed so ex-
tremely thin, that I should have considered them at
any time very precarious. Assuming all the parts to
be perfect—which is, however, doubtful—we shall
find that 121 b. on the square-inch was, although
sufficient to distort the form, totally inadequate to
effect the rupture of the boiler. Taking the tensile
strength of the material, and the joints of which the
boiler was composed, it was equal, under a more judi-
cious distribution, to ten times that pressure ; but un-
fortunately the extreme thinness of the plates, and the
want of sufficient stays, caused the flat ends to
bulge outwards, which, under the influence of
a variable force, created a slow but certain
strain upon the angle-iron, which ultimately de-
stroyed its texture, and rupture ensued. The
boilers were originally supplied with water by self-
acting jackheads or columns of water at the usual
height of 12 or 14 feet. These, it appears, were
taken down some years since, when the new end of
the mill was built over the boilers, and valves or cocks
worked by hand substituted for them. Now, the
hand-feed, direct from the pump, in well-constructed
cylindrical boilers, with double safety valves, may be
perfectly safe ; but in this case, when the steam escape
was so insufficient, they were very injudicious, and,
in fact, the removal of the jackheads did away with
almost the only security that the boilers originally
possessed. Before the engine is again started I would
earnestly recommend that the boiler next the engine-
house be discontinued and destroyed, and that the
other boiler with hemispherical ends be removed from
under the mill, if it is possible to do so. Having
made these statements it now becomes my duty to
state, for the information of the authorities of Halifax ,
and the public generally, what I consider the most
feasible means for averting, or at least diminishing
the number of these frightful accidents arising from
boiler explosions. It appears to me that a legislative '
interference in the construction of boilers or machi-
nery of any kind is exceedingly objectionable, and
should not be resorted to but in cases of urgent neces-
sity; yet I do not clearly perceive how local regu-
lations, however good and judicious in them-
selves, would answer the purpose, unless under
the control and sanction of the law. I appre-
hend the assistance of Parliament would be re-
quired to carry out the principles I would suggest, as
follow:-1st. That after a certain date boilers should
not be allowed to be placed under buildings where
people are employed, and that those now in that posi-
tion be as speedily removed as possible. 2d. That
boilers of a waggon shape should not be worked at a
pressure exceeding 10Ib. on the square ineh. 3d.
That after a certain date every new boiler should be
proved up to not more than one-third its bursting
pressure, and to three times its intended working
pressure. Lastly, That every boiler should be fitted
with two safety valves, one to be self acting and be-
yond the reach of the engine-tenter, or any other
person but one to whom the duty of examination
should be expressly intrusted."
After the evidence had been closed, the coroner
(Mr. G. Dyson) having summed up, the jury re-
tired, and after being in consultation for upwards of
three hours, returned with a verdict of " Man-
slaughter against Samuel Firth, one of the pro-
prietors of the mill, and Joseph Helliwell, the en-
gine-tenter," and the coroner proceeded to make out
their committal to York Castle for trial at the
assizes.

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MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS.—Mr. Erasmus Wilson
has been appointed chairman of the sectional committee for
the exhibition of surgical instruments at the forthcoming
display of tha industry of all nations. Dr. Stevenson Bush-
nan has been elected senior physician to the Metropolitan
Free Hospital. Mr. R. A. Stafford has been appointed by
the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons to deliver the
annual oration in memory of John Hunter, the founder of
the muse= bearing his name.

LONDON, MONDAY EVE INC SUN 7 DECEMBER 16, 1850.

[PRICE SD.

FEARFUL EXPLOSION AT ABERDARE.

This parish has been again the scene of a colliery
explosion. It is scarcely 12 months since 52 lives
were lost in one pit, and three years before that 28,
and now 13 are severely burnt, three actually killed,
and several of the wounded not expected to survive.
All this, it is frightful to think of, has occurred in
three neighbouring pits within a very few hundred
yards of each other, and two of them belonging to the
same owner. had not the most strenuous exertions
been made, every one of the survivors in the last ac-
cident must have been suffocated—that is, from 30 to
40 human beings. The character of the explosicn
was such, that the partition wall dividing the air-pit
was shattered in every direction, and a large portion
of the lower part fell in, thus choking up the mouth
of the pit and falling on one of the carriages which
convey the men up and down, then at the bottom of
the pit. The contractor by whom the pit was
worked happened to be one of the unfortunate
men below. The only responsible person at
the mouth of the pit at this time was the engineer,
that is, the man who works the engine.
Thinking, most rashly, that he could lift the carriage
at the bottom, with all the superincumbent weight of
the fallen partition, in a pit of 167 yards deep, he set
the engine at work ; and the natural consequence
was, the engine was broken and totally disabled, thus
eutting off from the poor men below the best hope
they had of being extricated. The only remedy now
was to send a bucket down the pumping pit. This
bucket took nearly one hour to go down ; such was
the character of the only machinery at hand after the
reckless folly of the engineer. It was after midnight
before the last man (a corpse) was got up. Two more
are missing, but they will most probably be found to-
day. They are supposed to be lying under a portion
of the roof which has fallen in. This pit had not been in
work more than six months, which makes an investiga-
tion into the method of its working the more necessary,
as all new pits are generally clean and free from gas. It
is to be hoped the Government will lose no time in send-
ing down one of the three new inspectors, as that part of
this parish has become now sadly notorious for these
accidents. In a small way, more or less, me❑ are
continually being burnt in them. The public hear
only of these more fearful explosions. The daring
bravery of the poor men who risked their lives on
behalf of their fellow-creatures can never be too
highly praised. Such was the escape of gas from the
mouth of the pit that no one thirst go with a naked
candle near it. It was to be seen issuing like smoke
from a chimney ; yet it was through this perilous at-
mosphere, holding a Davy lamp, that they dared to
descend, in the most dangerous manner even in the
purest atmosphere, with the means of assistance and
the word of comfort to the ill-fated sufferers below.
The appearance of those burnt, when brought up to
the mouth of the pit, was frightful to the last degree.
Their skins were hanging in shreds about them. We
have seen many burnt, but seldom any more fear-
fully. The wailing of the women and the shrieks of
the children, as well as the whole scene, in the gleam-
ing fires lighted around, must be imagined as a pic-
ture of horror which can never be described.