The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-28 00:00:00

ABERDARE COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

The inquest on the bodies of the eight' unfortunate
men killed by the recent explosion in the new Duffryn
colliery at Aberdare, has at length been brought to a
close. We have the melancholy task of adding that
since our last report one more victim has been added to
the sufferers, making in all nine persons killed, and
seven seriously wounded.
In addition to the evidence given in our last report we
have to add some further p irticulars elicited from Mr.
Thomas Williams, the chief underground manager and
viewer of Mr. Powell's collieries at Aberdare, and who
had arranged the plan of the workings in the new col-
liery, subject to Mr. Powell's supervision. Mr. Powell
described the nature of the colliery and the means of
ventilation afforded. lie stated that there were two
shafts at the new Duffeyn colliery, one being employed
for pumping exclusively, and one for winding—the
pumping shaft being the upcast and the winding shaft
the downcast. The sectional area of the pumping shaft
is 9 feet by 13, and 168 yards deep; that of the winding
shaft is 13 feet six inches by 19 feet, and 165 yards deep.
The pumping shaft is partially occupied by pit work and
scaffolds. Previous to the accident, the winding shaft was
divided, for about 100 yards from the bottom, by a 9-inch
brick partition. A t the time of the explosion the means
employed for keeping up a circulation of air in the
colliery was by placing a "lamp " at the bottom of the
pumping shaft. A lamp is a large basket, about 18
inches in diameter, which is kept continually full of
burning coal. The area of the " downcast" would be
upwards of 200 square feet, and the " upcast" nearly 100
square feet as they existed at the time of the explosion.
The area of some of the air ,passages in the pit itself is
not more than 25 square feet, and the whole of the air
circulating in the pit would be confined to one of those
passages. Mr. Williams explained that the whole of the
single air current circulating through the pit has to pass
by the waggon-road to the face of each stall, along the
face of that stall, and then to return by the side of the
" goaf " or " gob," as it is called, by a single air " thirl-
ing" to the next stall; so that if any casualty happens
in any of the waggon-roads, in any of the stalls, or at
the face of the stalls, or to the airway between the "gob"
and the deep pillar, the whole of the ventilation of the
colliery is liable to be intercepted. Mr. Williams, how-
ever, had not known this to be the case. He added, as
to the effects of the accident, that the brick partition
already described is blown down, with the exception of
from eight to ten yards, and about thirty-five yards at
the top not affected. The mortar in the part blown
down had not had time to set. Before the accident it
was contemplated to make air courses, and it was in-
tended to have a steam jet. Mr. Powell was desirous to
employ the best means of ventilation for his mines,
without regard to cost.
Mr. Blackwell, the Government Inspector, expressed
his belief that it was Mr. Powell's wish to ventilate his
collieries efficiently. The witness further stat'd that at
the time of the accident there was but one air course,
but it was contemplated to divide the air. He was
aware that in the infancy of a colliery blowers" (the
cause 9f the explosion) were more likely to be found than