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

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING SU N 7 DECEMBER 16, 1850.

PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE
EFFECT OF MUTUAL ASSURANCE.
A. Policy opened wills the SCOTTISH WIDOWS' FUND LIFE
AsiURANCE SOCIET i in any year from 1815 to 1810 inclusive,
had a Vested Bonus at Ist January, 1846, of 84 per cent.. 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 Menaber, 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 Ist 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 BONU4 OF UPWARDS OF FORTY-SEVEN PER CENT.
In like manner a Policy opened in the year 1840 had a Vested
Bonus at let 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 01 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 OFFIOE, 4, ROYAL EXCHANGE BUILDINGS.
• HUGH M'KEAN, Agent.

SIR FRANCIS B. HEAD'S NEW WORK
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 Women lii War-6. How to Defend Great Britain.
John Murray, Albemarle-street.

THACKERAY'S CHRISTMAS BOOK,
THE KICKLEBURYS on the RHINE
will be published immediately, by Smith, Elder, and Co., 65

Combat

GRAND SALON DE DANSE,
ROYAL ADELAIDE GALLERY, STRAND.
OPEN FOR THE SEASON.
Lessee—Mr. Thomas Bartlett Simpson, Albion Tavern, Great
Russell-street, Covent-garden.
Mr. SIMPSON, anxious to have the best Band in London, has re-
tained the valuable talent of the leading Artists engaged during the
past season at Cremorne Gardens, including the most eminent
Performers from her Majesty's Theatre, the Royal Italian Opera,
and the Philharmonic Concerts.
BORINI'S BAND.
VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL CONCERT.
Comprising Selections from the most celebrated Composers, and
Solos by fl•st-rate Artists,
Overture, " Les Dlamans de Is Couronne," Auber.
Song, " The Chamois Hunter," Miss G. Hodson I .. Ballinger.
Comic Duett, " Love and Jealousy," Miss G. Hodgson
and Mr. J. W. Sharp.
Comm Song, " Useful Knowledge," (with a Burlesqae
Collegiate Speech) Mr. J. W. Sharp .. Farmer.
Polka, "Laura Bell" (First Time) • • • • • . Bohai.
REPERTOIRE OF MUSIQUE DE DANSE,
THIS EVENING, Dec. 16.
1. Polka Alice •• -• J. Atrann
2. Quadrille.. Irish Donnybrook - .• .. O'Brien
3. Waltz • • Souvenir du Rhin .. • • J. Strauss
4. Polka .. Charlotten j.. • • • • Labitzky
5. Quadrille .. Le Rol d'Yvetot • • • • • • Bode.
6. Schottische Hungarian • • • • • . D'Albert
7. Polka ... Eclipse .. • • • • • • Ecenig
EL Quadrille.. All Nations .. • • • • Borinl
9. Waltz .. Fleur de Marie • • • • .. Boslsio
10. Polka • . Laura Bell . • • • .. Been'
1. Quadrille.. Le Bonhomme .. • . Tolbecque
12. Galop • • Queen's Galop .. • • • • D'Albert
To the votaries of Terpsichore remarks on the excellence of
Borini's Band, after the experience of its Orchestral Triumphs at
Cremorne, would be superfluous.
Solos and Concerted Pieces will be performed during the evening.
Borini's Latest Compositions—The Adelaide Polka, Waltzes to
various popular Irish Melodies, Galop d'lndustrie, New Quadrille of
all Nations.
The Grand salon, Refreshment, and Ante-rooms have undergone
considerable alterations and improvements.
Doors open at Half-past Seven o'clock. Admission One Shilling.

Market 23s to 32i; salted 24,s to 32s per cwt ; calf skins
3id to 3id per lb. Potatoes, white 7hd to 10d; Minions
10d to 12d. Guano—Peruvian, 11/ 10s; Ichaboe, 8' to 9110 s
per ton. Tar—Archangel, 19s per barrel.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, DEC. 14.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market was more active to-day,
and prices for every description of Stock have improved.
Caledonians closed at 104—Great Western, Whole Shares,
78M —Ditto, New 17/. Shares, 81 dis. Midland Stock,
484.
LIVERPOOL, Dzo. 14.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The share market was very firm to-
day at the quotations. The transactions were as follow:
Caledonian, 101,4—Chester and Holyhead, 16M —Ditto, Pre-
ference, guaranteed 514 per cent., 134—Edinburgh, P.
and D. (late E. and N.), 7—Great Western, 771,4 —Lanca-
shire, and Yorkshire, Consol., 584—Ditto, Fifths, 7 1-16 dis.
—Leeds and Thirsk, 14%—London and North-Western, 127
—Ditto, New Quarters, 414 p.— Manchester, Sheffield. and
Lincolnshire, Preference, 10 9-16—Midland, 4814—Ditto,
Halves, 194 dis.—North British, BN—South-Eastern and
Dover, 224—Sheffield, R. B. and G. N. Div., 3/1 p.—York,
Newcastle, and Berwick, Preference (unpaid up), 3% dis.
—York and North Midland, 24—Cork and Bandon, 1534—
Dublin and Belfast Junction, 22M dis.—Newry and War-
renpoint, 4141—Rouen and Havre, 10%.
BIRMINGHAM, DEC. 14.
_ _

STOCK Examatfoa.—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 47%,
sellers 491,E—North Staffordshire, buyers 8 sellers 8 dis.
—South Staffordshire, buyers 8/.. 6s. 3d., sellers 34,s dis.—
Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A), buyers 64, sellers, 6U
dis.—Shropshire Union, buyers 31/s, sellers 3 dis.

[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 explosion
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 dour), 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
cutting 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, men 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 durst 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.