The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-01 00:00:00

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

This calamity appears to have been even more
dreadful than we at first announced. The number of
men in the pit at the time of the explosion was nearly
150. Only one man, it is said, has escaped alive or
uninjured. Upwards of 100 dead bodies have already
been brought to the bank. It is utterly impossible to,
describe the dreadful anguish of the surviving
relatives.

One man was found unsinged, with his cap in. his
mouth ; he had probably placed it there in order to pre-
vent the foul air getting into his mouth.
Several had their fingers closed into each other, and
pressing on their mouths.

Fifteen putters (boys and young men employed in
taking the coals from the hewers to the bottom of the
shaft) were in one lump—all clasped together. They
had their clothes on prepared to ascend. When working
they are nearly naked.

The state of the relatives beggars all description.
Each cottage had its dead father or brothers, or both.
Three men at the bottom of the shaft were saved.
The shock was so great that the roof near
theni had fallen down, and so blocked up
the passage as to stop the further progress
of the bad air. These men, thus providentially rescued,
were the first who brought the intelligence to the bank.
The explosion was not heard by those outside the pit.
The men, when asked the cause of the dreadful accident,
say that the state of the pit must have been known to
some persons ; but it does not appear that any com-
plaints had been previously made.
One lad had his bones sticking out of his thigh; many
had their bones broken, some were very much scorched..
while others to all external appearance were uninjured.
The "after damp" is generally fatal to those who escape
the immediate effect of the explosion.
The three men saved are John Thompson, waggon
wayman ; John Hall, hewer ; and Coats, putter.
These three were at the bottom of the shaft when the
explosion occurred.
An equally disastrous explosion occurred twenty
years ago at Wallsend, about four miles from Newcastle•
on-Tyne. A hundred and one perished on that occasion.
Wallsend was then under the superintendence of
the late Mr. Buddle, who was also the head viewer of
the Northumberland and Durham coal trade ; and it
strangely happens that Mr. Foster, the present head
viewer, is the practical superintendent at Haswell and
some neighbouring collieries.

MEDICAL REFORM.
THE DAY OF RETRIBUTION HAS ARRIVED.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Thank Heaven, the day of retribution has ar.
rived! The infamous persecution of Hygeista about ten
years ago by a set of paltry diplomaed and grossly ig-
norant country dcctors, is now recoiling against the
whole profession with treble force. The infamous mane
ner in which these paltry doctors imposed upon con-
fiding juries (because they lost their patients) is now
made manifest to all persons. They are all sinking to-
gether, and though they obtained by hand a temporary
triumph, they have been the means of hastening the
grand question of medical reform by fifty years. Yes,
we shall now have the grand question fairly decided by
the voice of the people. They have found out that doc-
tors have made medicine a perfect trade, and they are
determined to be no longer imposed upon. Every per-
son throughout England must now see through the
whole business. The medical trade may he considered
at an end. We will have true physicians, not parties
who, by keeping the public in ignorance of the truth,,
under the sanction of a piece of parchment, make a
trade of the miseries of the great human family! Joseph
Webb and Thomas La Mott, behold your persecutors
sinking into merited contempt!
A HYGEIST, AND AN ENEMY TO PERSECU
TION AND FRAUD.
London, Sept. 30, 1844.

Mg. BURKE'S NEW DICTIONARY OF THE LANDED
GENTRY. PART are requested to state that
Mr. Colburn, of Great Marlborough-street, has this day
published the Third Part, price los. 6d., of Mr. Burke 's
" history of the Landed Gentry ; a Genealogical and
Heraldic Dictionary of the whole of the Landed Gentry,
or Untitled Aristocracy of England, Scotland, and
Ireland," to be completed in Four Parts, forming a single
volume of 1,600 pages, beautifully printed, uniformly-
with the author's popular " Peerage and Baronetage,'
Agents—for Scotland, Messrs. Bell and Bradfute,
Edin-
burgh; for Ireland, Mr. John Cumming, Dublin. Orders
received by all Booksellers.

AMERICAN 111 EAT RIC ALB.—Mr. Macready is now
playing his principal characters in the Arch-street
Theatre, Philadelphia. He will appear at the Park in a
week or two, and having finished his engagement there,
will return, we believe, to England. It is calculated
that Mr. Macready has cleared about fifty or sixty thou-
sand dollars in this country, besides making -a great
many personal friends in the political and literary cir-
cles ; and universally, we believe, enemies in the ranks.
of his own profession. On the whole, he is a great actor ;
rather eccentric as a man ; and has justly been denomi-
nated " the last of the cocked hats." Anderson, who has
been called the " double" of Macready, has just finished
his engagement at the Park. Ire has been well received.
We doubt, however, whether he will make half the money
in this country that his great prototype has made. lie is
too much of a copyist for that, although a highly re-
spectable actor,—Neu York Paper.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PonTsatouTn, SEPT. 29.—The Flying Fish, 12, bent
sails on Friday; the squadron to which she belongs is
far from ready for sea, and is still short-handed.
The Pembroke, 72, advanced ship, was removed on
Friday from the dockyard to her moorings u p the har-
bour. She has not got her bowsprit in, butis otherwise
;toady for commission.
The Firebrand steam frigate, Captain Corry, having
had her copper cleaned, was undocked on Friday, and
hauled alongside the Dockyard jetty to ship her
guns, &c.
The Scourge, 6, steam sloop, is very rapidly progress-
ing. The shipwrights are working task work to expe-
dite her launching.
The new experimental brigs are each to enter five
more able seamen than their originally contemplated
complement (110); these however, we believe, will be in
lieu of 10 boys in each brig, who will be returned to the
Victory.
There are no visible preparations going on either in the
town or harbour for the reception of the King of the
French and squadron.
A new steamer, on the plan of Sir W. Symonds, Sur.
veyor of the Navy (who, by the nay, is currently re •
ported here to have resigned his office), is ordered for
construction for the Indian Government, in lieu of the
Memnon, which was lost near Aden last year. The fol-
lowing we believe to be her dimensions :
Feet. Inches.
200 0
36 0
21 6

Length
Breadth
Depth
_ Tonnage.-- .

Mr. Richard Blake, the Master Shipwright of this
Dockyard, has, we are informed, petitioned the Board of
Admiralty for his retirement, his health becoming tco
much impaired to admit of his longer performing his
onerous duties.

In Hurbour—The Excellent (flag-ship pro tem.),
Victory, Firebrand, Daring, Osprey, Flying Fish, Nan-
tilu3, Pantaloon, and Echo; Dwarf and Comet steamers.

In Dock—The . Prince Regent, Vindictive, Athol,
Rodney, and Scourge steam sloop, building.
At,Spithead—The Cruiser, Mutine, and Espiegle.
DEVONPORT, SEPT. 27.—The Styx, steam surveying
vessel, Captain Vidal, arrived on Saturday from Ports-
mouth, en route to the Azores.

Thu. St. George, 120, is alongside the jetty, shipping
her tanks, chain cable, &c.

The Vanguard, 80, has got her masts and bowsprit in,
and shipped her tanks, chain cable, and other stores, and
is now ready for commission, as also is the Superb, 80.
The Flora, 36, recently launched, was undocked this
day, having finished coppering, and gave place to the
Bombay, 84, to have her copper cleaned and examined.
The Stirling Castle, convict-ship, hauled off from the
dock-yard jetty on Wednesday, is ready to leave for
Portsmouth, with her establishment. _

The Raven, cutter, Lieutenant-Commander J. Stephen,
arrived from Chatham on Saturday, with the men who
navigated the Juno, 36, from Pembroke to that port, and
retu. ned the same day with supernumeraries for the
experimental brigs at the Nore.
The Rochester arrived on Sunday from Chatham, with
stores for the dockyard.
The ilamoaze arrived on Tuesday from Liverpool,
with volunteer seamen.

In Harbour—The San Josef, and Confiance steamer.
In Dosk—Bombay.
In Barnpool—The Rhadamanthus steam-vessel.
In the Sound—St. Vincent.
PROMOTIONS.

Commanders—Owen Stanley (1839), T. R. Edtn
(1836), to the rank of Captains.
Lieutenant—R. A. Oliver, to the rank of Commander.
Clerk—E. Waller, to be Paymaster and Purser.
APPOINTMENTS.

Captains—R. Arthur, C. 8., to the Ocean, and super-.
intenience of Sheerness docliyard; G. Mowbray, to the
Victory, with charge of the Portsmouth Ordinary, vice.
Arthur, to Sheerness, vice Hendersan, period of service
about to expire.

Lieutenants—B. APLeod Cockraft (acting) to the
Alert ; R. Fowke, to the Poictiers ; C. Barker, to the
Firebrand ; G. Sprigg, to the Espiegle ; L. de T. Pre-
vost, to the Pantaloon • W. K. Hall, to the Waterwitch,
vice Prevost,' Who exchanges ; S. Motrish, to be flag of
Rear.:Atlmiral Sir S. Pym, vice Polbury, promoted ; F.
H. Stanfell, to the Osprey, vice V. Baker.
Paymaster and Purser—W. C. Hillier, to the Ocean;
W. Weaver, to the Waterwitch.
Mates—E. Matu4sell, T. Brandretb, and F. Gough, to
the Excellent ; A. M'Naughten, to the Waterwitch.
Midshipmen—C. Melmoth, to the Pantaloon ; C.
Dickson, to the Firebrand.

EXCURSION TRIP TO THE NORE
IN A NEW IRON STEAMER.
On Friday morning Messrs. Ditchburn and Mare, the
constrictors of a new iron steam-vessel, whose qualities
have been highly spoken of during the past week, with a
party of friends, composed chiefly of scientific men. pro
ceeded from Blackwell for a trial trip in her to the Nure.
She slipped her moorings, and was fairly off at 43 minutes
past ten o'clock, and proceeded at a rapid rate to Grew-s-
-end, passing the Railway, the Duchess of Kent, and other
beats, which had preceded her in departure, and arriving
off the Terrace-pier at 10 minutes past 12. Just on leav-
ing Gravesend, the splendid boat the Prince of Wales was
also on the start seaward, when the new iron vessel slowed
her engines until the Prince of Wales came up to her, on
which a trial of speed took place with advantage to the
new vessel of fully a mile an hour. The new vessel
arrived at the Nore Light at forty-four minutes past
one, at which time the Prince of Wales, then at a con-
siderable distance, and drawing less water, was making
her way over the shallows. The new steamer, in going
about, plainly exhibited an intention of taking a course
round the other, but the latter worked hard, a little vary-
ing her course, to prevent the former from cutting in
between her and the land ; but the new steam-vessel
persevered, and finally accomplished her object, the
Prince of Wales returning to her right course when she
perceived the other determined to proceed : it must he
observed, however, that the Prince of Wales had a
number of passengers on board, and was in ordinary
trim, whereas the new vessel was prepared expressly for
the experiment.
The voyage back was as pleasant as the trip down.
An excellent cold collation was served to about thirty
gentlemen who were on board. Capt. Routh proposed
the healths of the builders, Messrs. Ditchburn and Mare,
and the constructors of the engines, Messrs. Seaward
and Cape!, which were drunk in bumpers, and duly ac-
knowledged by Messrs. Capel and Ditchburn, the latter
remarking how glad he was to see his friends on board,
and expressing his great gratification that so many emi-
nent men had availed themselves of the opportunity to
witness the qualities of the vessel. The healths of the
Directors of the South-Western Steam Company were
subsequently drunk.
On leaving Gravesend for Blackwell, the Meteor, con-
sidered one of the fastest steamers on the river, was
fallen in with, and the new steamer commenced a trial of
speed. The Meteor was at first outside in the middle of
the stream, and the new vessel gradually stole past her.
The Meteor now crossed her stern, and proceeded inside,
getting the assistance of the eddies, whilst her opponent
was stemming the tide. This gave the Meteor the lead
ones more ; but as she drew out, her rival headed her
again, and so: kept her position until their arrival at
Greenhithe, where the Meteor stopped, and the new
steamer laid to for her to finish the race. Some damage,
however, to the machinery—the slipping out of some
bedding, which ought to have been properly screwed
tight—caused a delay of above an hour, and the new
steamer returned afterwards to Blackwell without any
other trials. At, the top of her speed—it was proved by
the measured mile on the banks of the Thames—she
went at the rate of 14 miles ter hour against the tide.
The new boat is built for the South-Western Steam-
packet Company, to run between Southampton and
Havre, and is of the following dimensions:—
Feet. Inches.
160 0
22 0
12 9
6 0

Length
Breadth
Depth Of hold
Draught of water

She is bt-autiftilly modelled, and is substantially built.
She huts n gocd spacious saloon, and the sleeping berths
are very well and economically laid out. Iler fittimo
are remarl,:ably neat and tasteful. She will be altop,ther
a supe,dor vensel in every respect fbr the station on
which she is to be employed, end is a sp:eimeit of an im-
proved class which will doubtless be henceforth con-
structed.
The engines, the production of Messrs. Seaward and
Cape], or the Canal Ironworks, Litnehonse' are Sf a
novel kind, being formed of three open-topped cylinders,
which are partly worked by the pressure of the atmu-
sphere, and hich means it is said avery great saving
of weight and space is effected—to the extent of about
one-half over the old plan of engines. By some other
improvements in the engines, a great saving of fuel is
obtained. One of the river boats, the Sapphire, has
.engines on the same principle. These are advantages
of paramount importance. The power of the engines is
said to be equal to a pair of 65 horse-power of the ordi-
nary kind, termed beam engines ; but her actual power,
perhaps, does not come much below 140.

DF.trir OF TUE DCKE OF GRAFTON—We regret
to state that we on Sum.lay received intelligence of the
death of his Grace the Duke of Grafton, which melan-
choly event took p?ttce on the evening of the 28th, at
his Grace's sta*, Euz; ton-hall, Suffolk. The Noble Duke
was in his eighty-fifth year. George Henry Fitzroy,
fourth Duke of Grafton, county Northampton, Earl of
Arlington Ind Euston; Viscount Thetrevi and Ipswich,
Baron Arlington, of Arlington, in the county of al-
dle.ez, and Baron Sudbury, county of Suffolk, Heft -
ditary 114nger of Whitth bury Forest, Lord-Lieutenant ,
and Custos-Rotulorum of the connty of Suilblk, Vice-
Admiral of the coast of London, Recorder of Thetfiird,
Receiver-General of tho profits of the Seals in the (
Queent'a Bench and Common Pleas, the King's Game-
keeper at Newmarket, a Trustee of the Hunterian
Mtrieum, President of the Eeclectic Society of London,
was born on the 14th of January, 1760. He Married
on the 16th of November, 1784, Lady Charlotte Maria
Waldegrave, who died Ist of February, 1808, and suc-
ceeded his father on the 14th of March, 1811. His
Grace had eleven children, six of whom are still alive.
He is succeeded in his title and eitates by his Grace's
eldast son, the Est.' of Euston, now Duke of Grafton,
who was born on the 10th of February, 1790. The
father of the late Duke was Secretary for Foreign
Affairs in 1765, First Lord of the Treasury in 1776, stud
Lord Privy Seal in 1771 and 1782.

Mr. Wilson gave two of his Scottish entertain-
ments at Brighton, on Friday and Saturday, with undi-
minished attraction and success. Mr. S. Lover com-
mences a trip to the west of England, at Exeter, this
evening. The Dohler party will commence a provincial
tour, on Monday next, at Tunbridge Wells.
Mr. G. Byng, M.P., it is asserted, has given the
munificent sum of 10,000/. to his niece, the lion. Miss
Byng, on the occasion of her marriage with Mr. Tu
poll, M.P.