The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-29 00:00:00

EXPLOSION of an ENGINE BOILER-
Another of those terrific explosions which have of
late disgraced this locality took place on Sunday night
last at the colliery known by the name of the Deep
Pit, and in the occupation of the Sheffield Coal Com-
pany. This pit is situate about two miles from the
town, on the right side of the road to Eckington, and
is one of those from which the colliers turned out a.
few months since. A number of the old hands in-
tended to go to work again at this pit, and it appears
that a number of others were determined to pre-
vent it. It is supposed, therefore, that to carry
this determination into effect, the destruction
of the boiler and steam-engine was accord-
ingly resolved on. The pit was guarded by an
old watchman, named William Prince, who, on the
night of the explosion, evidently thought that the
better part of valour was discretion, for on seeing
some men pass the hut in which he was watching.
about a quarter before eleven o'clock on Sunday
night, he remained perfectly quiet till the explosion
was over, and the incendiaries had decamped. The
boiler, which stands about three feet from the ground
and 30 yards from the pit mouth, was raised on brick-
work, the base of the erection being about three feet
in thickness, gradually diminishing in an upward
direction, till the upper part of it formed a cap of
only one brick thick. This brickwork was about 60
feet in circumference at the base, and with the
boiler would consequently be about seven yards in
diameter, presenting a degree of solidity that no
ordinary power could shake. The explosion was heard
many miles off, in the direction of Eckington, the
wind at the time being in the west. On this occa-
,ion the chief movers in the act have been caught in
their own trap; for, not being aware that the embers
under the boiler where then smouldering, they intro-
duced the cask of gunpowder, and by some means it
ignited while they were close to the door of the flue.
[he effect on one misguided man named Bolden was
terrific. He reached the door of his sister, who keeps
the Norfolk Arms at the Manor, about twelve o'clock,
and who but from his voice and dress would not
have known him. His face and hands presented a
spectacle truly pitiable to behold. The face was like
one large black cinder, the hair entirely singed
from off the head, and the eyes, though not lost,
fearfully swollen and burnt round the lids. Both
hands were in a similar state, and the left side
was also much injured. How he got to his sister's
house, is a mystery; but the probability is, that some
of his less injured companions assisted him to the
door, and then left him, that they themselves might
not be recognised. Surgical assistance was obtained
as speedily as possible, and every means adopted to
relieve his sufferings, which must have been excru-
ciating. On being let into the house, he merely
observed that he was dying, and immediately after-
wards became almost speechless, only articulating at
times something that could not be understood.
Information having reached the police, one of the
officers was left to take the legal charge of the unhappy
man, till further steps was resolved upon. Portions of
hats, caps, and coats were found near the boiler,
all much burnt by gunpowder. Parts of some wooden
hoops and staves were also found, indicating sufficient
to prove that the cask containing the gunpowder was
capable of holding about fifty pounds. The state
of the hats and caps were also enough to show that
the heads that wore them are in no enviable con-
dition. The whole of the metal work surrounding
the stove door was forced away, and more 'or less
broken. The fire grate was much damaged, and the
stone plate shattered. A poker, nearly an inch thick,
which had apparently been used to force the barrel of
gunpowder under the boiler was broken off, about two
feet from the lower end. The steam chest whichwas about
ten yards from the boiler, but connected by an iron
tube, was also forced off, and the boiler itself had been
driven six inches from its original position. A frag-
ment of one of the caps that had been blown off by
the explosion was picked up about 50 yards distant
from it. A brick wall, directly facing the flue door,
was partly knocked down, and the roof of a small
shed adjoining nearly carried away. The chimney
connected with the boiler was slightly shaken, and in-
deed the whole of the works surrounding it partook
of the violent effects of the explosion. Boulden is
about 28 years of age, and it is said that his father,
who was a collier, once received a similar injury from
an accident—Sheffield Iris.

ARMY AND PRIZE MONEY.—By an account just
issued, it appears that the balance of unclaimed prize
money is 18,7151. 10s, 01d., with the following memo-
randum attached :—" Although the balance upon the
account appears to be as above stated, yet there is, in
the Three per Cent. Consols, 100,000/. stock, and in the
Bank of England, to the account of the Paymaster-
General, 15,638/. 17s. 9d., which arises from the invest-
ments having been made in the earlier periods, when
the funds were very low, and from the amount sold
thereout from time to time having been when the price's
of stock were considerably higher ; thus accounting for
the difference between the balance as stated and the pre-
sent amount of the army prize fund in the Three per
Cent. Consuls, and the money of the Bank of England."
IlEArair or Sin WM. FOLLETT.—We are happy
to learn from the very best authority, that our distin-
guished and valued representative, Sir W. W. Follett,
has, since his departure for the Continent, considerably
improved in health.— Western Luminary.
OFFICIAL RESIDENCES AND ALLOWANCES.—The
Commissioners of the Customs have issued directions to
the collectors and controllers at the several ports of the
kingdom, to prepare and transmit with the least possible
delay, the following return, so far as the same relates to
their respective ports, viz.—a return of all public officers
who are in the enjoyment, at the public expense, of re-
sidences detached from their respective offices, or who
are in the receipt of allowances in lieu of official resi-
dences, specifying their respective names and official de-
signations, and the amount of the allowance in each case.
THE SUSPENSION FOOT-BRIDGE AT HUNGERFORD.
—The second suspending-chain has been carried over
the river, and yesterday workmen commenced levelling
the points on each side preparatory to proceeding to
hang the footway. The work, however, will yet occupy
at least two months. A portion of the work is carried
on in apparently a dangerous manner, the iron cables
being for a considerable distance out of reach, and the
workmen have to walk at a dizzy height above the
water solely on the suspending-chains. This has hi- '
therto been accomplished with great fearlessness and
safety, although the chains are on a slope.
THE MOORS.—The grouse on the Muirkirk moors
have been more plentiful this year than usual, but very
wild ; yet good guns have averaged about ten brace
each. On Cairntable moors, being the highest in Ayr-
shire, one old gentleman, nearly seventy years of age,
and who has now shot on fifty twelfths of August, bagged
twelve brace • and on the same moors the crack shot in

that quarter killed his sixteen brace. The last is the
greatest number that we have heard of being killed by
one gun in Ayrshire this season.—Correspondent of flux
Ayr Observer.

PREPARATIONS roil WAR (?)—Frequent commit•
nications are being made by the Government to the
several departments at this port, on the subject of the
store and state of the materials necessary in case of any
emergency which may require sudden equipmene.
Orders have been issued for the entry of seamen for
general service, a step only taken in the expectation of
more than the ordinary demand. One hundred able
seamen are also ordered to be entered in the dock-yard,
as labourers, at 2s. 6d. per diem ; petty officers to act as
leading men, at 3s. 6d. per day. They are to be entered
on the express understanding that they are to join any
ship when required, and at a moment's notice. This is
in accordance with a plan suggested by Sir Charles
Napier, in the House of Commons, but one not likely to
be very successful—good seamen will scarcely. be founi
willing to take the labourer's broom ; and indifferent
characters may at most times be bad without forming any
such nursery. It is to be regretted also that the Go.
vernment should feel it necessary, as a matter of eco-
nomy, we suppose, to discharge labourers to make room
for the increase to the number of seamen employed.
Seventy-five of the former are ordered to be dismissed as
seamen offer for entry. Many of these men hare been im
the dockyard for several years, and very naturally an.
ticipated being eventually placed on the establishment._..
Devonport Telegraph.
PROBABLE DURATION OF TIIE SUPPLY OF COAL
IN GREAT BRlTAlN.—Although the present known coal
fields of Great Britain contain, perhaps, sufficient coal to
supply her wants for 2,000 or 3,000 years to come, it is
a very erroneous basis of calculation to assume that tie
whole is at our disposal. Under the present system, in
the finest description of coal of the northern field, there
is even, in its extraction, a loss of 36i per cent. The
views of theoretical geologists, without allowing for
waste, would lead to the most incorrect practical concl
sions : while Conybeare, Lardner, and others, would
make our coal resources sufficient for 1,500 or 2,000
years, Professor Sedgwick and Dr. Buckland, allowing
for loss in working, calculated from practical experience,
are convinced that 400 years will leave little more than,
the name of our best seams. Of forty-five feet of co 1
in a section of all the coal strata, in one of the best pits
of the Tyne, not thirty feet are workable. In the north,
coal cannot be extracted at a profit, if less than two fees
eight inches. In the western part of Wall's End, the
Bensham seam is considered unworkable at two feet ten
inches, though there are times when it is worked at
twenty inches. The thinnest seam worked in Yorkshire
is thirteen inches, in North Lancashire twenty inches,
in the Northumberland and Durham districts two feet
six inches, and in St. Lawrence two feet nine inches.
Most of the thin seams above are worked for local con!.

sumption, and cannot hear the expense of transit and-
competition for manufacturing and commercial purpos.v.
Already the Tyne portion of the northern coal fie/d
begins to feel the difficulties of exhaustion in the finer
description of coal ; and that of the Wear and Tees
(less worked than it) has the advantage, in commercial
competition, of from nine to ten per cent in price....

Mining Journal.
Hors.—The first pocket of hops of the growth of
the present year was yesterday consigned to Messrs.
Horton and Hart, High-street, Borough, for sale. Is
has realised 9L 12s. per cwt. It was from Birling,
Mid-Kent.
" MORE HONOURED IN THE BREACH THAN 111
THE OBSERVANCE."—The papers have been talking about
the breach of faith the French committed by firb-,1
against Tangiers. This is the only breach, at all even' s •
their firing made.—Punch.

FREE TRADE,—For the last few days excellent • F
American beef and pork have been selling in this toad
(Douglas) at 3d. per pound. This is one of the many
benefits of free trade,—Mona's Herald.