The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-02-26 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS.

It affords us extreme pleasure to lay before our readers the
following proof that the agriculturists of England are be-
stirring themselves for the protection of their rights.
At meetings held at the Union Hotel, Cockspur-street,
on Tuesday, the 19th, and Wednesday, the 20th instant,
his Grace the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, in the
chair;

Proposed by H. Broadwood, Esq., M.P., seconded by W.
Bagge, Esq., M.P., and resolved unanimously, " That it is
the decided opinion of this meeting, that associations for the
protection of the agricultural interests should be established
in, and extended through, all the rural districts in the united
kingdom without delay."
Proposed by G. S. Harcourt, Esq., M.P., seconded by
W. Bonsey, Esq., and resolved unanimously, " That appli-
cation be made to members of parliament representing coun-
ties and boroughs in rural districts, requesting them to co-
operate with this meeting in their endeavours to carry into
effect the purposes of the first resolution."

Proposed by S. Wells, Esq., ; seconded by E. Horwood,
Esq., and " Resolved unanimously,—That the result on Mr.
Villier's motion, although highly satisfactory, affords no
grounds for the landed interests to slacken in their exertions
to counteract the persevering endeavours of their opponents."
Proposed by W. Hayward, Esq. ; seconded by R. Pulver,
gsq., and " Resolved unanimously,—That the different as-
sociations be requested to appoint deputations to meet here
on Thursday next, the 28th instant, at two o'clock precisely,
to concert such measures as may then be considered neces-
sary."
Union Hotel, Cockspur-street, Feb. 21.

We trust that the landowners and farmers of England will,
in every county and district, respond to this appeal. Never
were the interests of agriculture, at any previous period, ex-
posed to perils so imminent. Never before, most fortu-
nately, however, was there presented so noble an opportunity
as now exists, of placing the rights of English landowners,
farmers, and labourers on a permanently-secure basis. Let
the agriculturists muster in their strength on the 28th, and the
result will not long be doubtful. —Morning Herald.

A HISTORY
OF THE MOST REMARKABLE EXTREMITIES OF COLD
WITHIN A SPACE OF A THOUSAND YEARS.

In A. D. 401, the Black Sea was entirely frozen over.
In 462, the Danube was frozen so that Theadmare marched
on the ice to Swabia to avenge his brother's death.
In 762, the cold was so intense that the straits of Darda-
nelles and the Black Sea were entirely frozen over. The
snow in some places drifted to the depth of 50 feet, and the
ice was heaped in such quantities in the cities, as to cause the
walls to fall down.
In 860, the Adriatic was entirely frozen over.
In 891, and also in 893, the vines were killed by frost, and
the cattle died in their stalls.
In 991, the winter lasted very long, and was extremely
severe. Every thing was frozen, and famine and pestilence
closed the year.
In 1067, the cold was so intense that most of the travellers
in Germany were frozen to death on the roads.
In 1133, it was excessively cold in Italy ; the Po was frozen
from Cremona to the sea ; the heaps of snow rendered the
roads impassable ; the wine casks burst, and trees split by
the frost, with an immense noise.
In 1216, the river Po froze to the depth of 15 ells, and
wine also burst the casks.
In 1234, a pine forest was killed by the frost at Ravenna.
In 1236, the frost was most intense in Scotland and the
Categat was frozen between Norway and Jutllnd.
In 1232, the houses in Austria were buried with snow.
In 1292, the Rhine was frozen, and in Germany 600
peasants were employed to clear the way for the Austrian
army.
In 1344, all the rivers in Italy were frozen over.
In 1584, the winter was so severe that the Rhine and
Scheldt were frozen, and even the sea at Venice.
In 1468, the winter was so severe in Flanders, that the
wine was cut with hatchets to be distributed to the soldiery.
In 1670, the frost was very intense in England and Den-
mark, both the Little and Great Belt were frozen over.
In 1684, many forest trees, and even the oaks in England
were split with frost.
In 1692, the cold was so excessive that the starved wolves
entered Vienna and attacked both men and cattle.
The cold of 1640 was scarcely inferior to that of 1692, and
the Zuyder Dee was entirely frozen over,
In 1776, much snow fell, and the Danube bore ice five feet
thick-below Vienna.

EXPLOSION OF FIRE DAMP-TWENTY-THREE

LIVES LOST:

It is this week our lot to record one of those painful dis-
asters, which are unfortunately, of too frequent occurrence
in all mining districts—namely, an explosion of fire damp, by
which the lives of- no less than 23 of our fellow-creatures
have been sacrificed.
The explosion took place in the " William Pit,", ahout two
o'clock yesterday morning (Monday); at 'the distance of about
a mile and a half from the foot of the shaft, in the direction
of Parton ; and at that early hour only a small portion of the
workmen engaged in the night-shaft had entered the mine,
otherwise the consequences might have been of a much more
serious nature. It appears that on Saturday night the chief-
overman examined minutely that division of the , mine in
which the explosion took place, and not the least symptom
of fire damp was perceptible. On Monday morning Topping,
the overman, had examined all parts of the mine where the
Men were to be employed, save that in which the accident
took place, and finding all safe, and the mine in its usual
state of purity, the men were consequently set to work. On
proceeding to the spot where the explosion happened, a
youth, named Kennedy, had imprudently followed the over-
man with an exposed light; and the former not having had
any cause to apprehend a change in the state of the mine, or
danger even of the most remote kind, had suffered the boy
to follow him, and hence the sad consequences which have
ensued.

It seldom happens, in accidents of this nature, that their
origin can be satisfactorily ascertained, and in 19 cases out of
every 20 their originators are amongst the number who perish.
In this instance it is otherwise, as both the overman and the
youth have been spared, and hence the certainty with which
we are enabled to speak on this point. The cause of the foul
state of that portion of the workings where the explosion
occurred has been satisfactorily ascertained to have arisen
from a sudden eruption in the pavement of the mine, some-
time between leaving work on Saturday night and returning
on Monday morning, and the quantity of tire dam thus set
at liberty from a small substrutum of coal was so great, as to
render a considerable area of the adjoining workings ex-
plosive. On Topping entering this place, followed by the
youth with his unprotected light, the mine was instantly
fired ; but the blast proceeding in the opposite direstion to
that by which they had approached the hidden danger, both
escaped with their lives, though not without being much, yet
not, perhaps, dangerously burnt. Of the twenty-three who
perished, all, with the exception of two or three, who had
evidently been burnt to death, died from suffocation, caused
by after-damp.
The moment this sad occurrence was known to have taken
place, every means were used to restore the ventilation of the
mine, that the scene of destruction might be approached.
Some time necessarily elapsed before this could be accom-
plished, and several of the stewards and others engaged in
this dangerous employment were frequently brought to the
pit mouth, from the unwholesome state of the atmosphere
below, in a state of complete exhaustion. At six o'clock
yesterday evening, the last body was discovered and brought
up ; it was that of a boy named Joseph Clark.
It was a mournful and heart-rending spectacle to witness
the removal of the bodies as they were taken through the
streets in carts to their respective homes, followed by sorrow-
ing relatives and crowds of people, many of whom hid no
other object than the mere gratification of an idle cuiiosity.—
Cumberland Pacquet. - . .