The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-23
= U r o p z .
GLEANINGs FROM FOREIGN FILES.

GLEANINGs FROM FOREIGN FILES.
On Saturday the Deutsch land, a trans-atlan-
tic steamship arrived at New York, bringing
mail dates to August TO- From these we take
the following items:-
shabby Royalty.
The news that the cost of the Duke of Edin-
burghs presents had been defraved by the Brit
ish Parliament has given great offense in Aus
tralia The Duke has certainly not added to his
popularity in the colony by his demand for
$500. The Melbourne Argus says the proceed
ing is looked upon as the very reverse of
princely. and those few individuals who received
any souvenirs from his Royal Highness regard
them now in n very different light from that in
which they were first received. In the Legisla-
tive Assembly of Victoria notice of motion has
been given for the appointment of a committee
to inquire into and report upon the presents
made by the Prince while in Victoria, with n
view of placing sum upon the estimates to re-
coup the British Parliament the money thus eX-
pended in Victoria by his Royal Highness.
Spanish Superstition.
An Engshman in Spain has nearly lost his
life in consequence of the superstition of the
people. Lorca is thriving commercial town
of twenty thousand inhabitants. The citizens
of Lorca believe firmly in the existence of wiz
ards, who prowl about at night to hunt for little
children, whom they devour, rcserving the fat
to grease the wires OF that satanic invention.
the electric telegraph. An English gentleman,
q stranger in the place. whose personal peculi-
arties of pale face and a long white beard,
unluCkily for him, were identical with the ira
ditional appearance of the LOrca wizards, took
a walk in the fields one moonlight evening. 1t
was rumored that awizard was actually at work
and very shortly crowd of fanatics, armed
with cudges, surrounded and attacked him.
Had it not been for the interference of the local
authorities, who had great difficulty in saving
him, the so-called wizard would have paid for
his white beard with his life.
The English Cotton Trade.
The state of the Preston trade becomes more
and more serious. Another large failure has
occurred, that of Mr.. Ogle. This is the sixth
| stoppage in the Preston district within as many
weeks, bringing to a stand about $4,000 spin
| dies, and from 25C0 to 1000 LOOMS and throwing
| out of employment nearly 2000 operatives in the
! various branches of the trade, including those
| who are called "Odd hands" There are now
| nearly half a million spindles, and from 5000 to
! 5000 looms standing idle in Preston alone. Emf
! grafton goes on apacc. Many weavers receive
! passes" from their relatives on the other side
OF the Atlantic, the cost of these beng paid by
! the American employers, on the understanding
| that the sum is to be refunded in working
These emigrants are among the best of the
| wOrkmen.
| Another Terrible COIliery Explosion.
The North German Correspondent publishes
| the following report of this disaster, OF which
we have an outline by the cabe:-
| We regret to have to report one OF the most
| terrible and melancholy accidents that have
| happened in Germany for many years. The col
! liers of the Burg coliery in the Plauenschen
! Grund, near Dresden, assembled as usual for
! prayers on the morning of the I'd of August, and
| afterwards dispersed to their work. In a short
| time a terrible explosion occurred. At about a
| quarter to o'clock thick column of smoke
! seen to issue from the mouth OF the Segen Gottes
| shaft This was followed in ten minutes space by
| similar one fl ON the Hoffnl IS shaft. Num-
| bers of workmen, together with the wives and
families of those that were below, assembled
| around the various entrances to the mine, but
| the smoke and vapOrs frustrated ali attempts to
| enter for some hours. After nine o'clock it was
| at last found possible to descend. Three dead
| bodies were lying near the mouth of the pit,
| and their condition, as well the state of the
| cars, which were broken into mere heap of
! fragments, bore witness to the force of the eX-
plOsOn. This renders it highly improbable that
any of the 1876 men who were engaged in the
two shafts should still survive, with the eXcep-
ton of two or three who were close to the mouth
| of the pit. Their death must have been almost
! instantaneous, and many of the bodies are so
disfgured that they cannot be recognized. Some
are much charred and burned. IL is calculated
that at least 32l cOlliers perished, two-thirds of
whom had families dependent upon them.
No blame is attributed to the arrangements in
the mine, but it is supposed that the heat of the
weather prevented the foul air escaping by its
usual channels and that it therefore collected
! in the passages no longer used and was ignited
! by the carelessness of one of the unfortunate
colliers. The warmth and sultriness of the eX-
| tcrnal air may have also prevented the workmen
! from noticing the oppressive character of the
atmosphere in the shafts. But few bodies have
as yet been recovered, as the ventilation of the
mine has not been restored and, since competent
authorities declare it to be utterly impossible
that any of the unfortunate sufferers should
| have survived the shock and the foul air. it is
| considered wise not to risk any more lives.