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NDAY SERVICES.

CHURCHES.

UABON.

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PAIN.

PRUSSIA.

THE UNITED STATES.

PERSIA.

FRANCE.

PORTUGAL.

ITHE MAYOR AT CHAPEL.

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- CORN.

CATTLE.

CANADA.

CAPE COAST CASTLE.

THE LATIj FIRE AT LLANEFYDD.

AMUSING BREACH OF PROMISE…

(general.

FEARFUL CALAMITY AT SEA.¡

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DREADFUL COLLI .ELY EXPLOSION.

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DREADFUL COLLI .ELY EXPLOSION. SEVENTEEN LIVFS LOST. On Thursday week, about, a score colliers de- scended the Bigiial Hill Old Pit, at Audlev, New- castle-under-Lyine, belonging to Mr Price Wood, to work..The pit has been considered a safe one A to work. It is an old sinking, and had been m worked out to the depth of about 100 yards, fl Lately there has be" a second sinking made, and the shaft was worked down to a depth of about 80 W yards, to the Bath-irst coai. The work of getting coal has been going on satisfactorily since. The pit has bten officially inspected within the last fortnight, and was considered to be in good con- dition. On descending the pit on lhursiay morning, the colliers proceeded to work as usual with naked lights. About half-past eleven o'clock a fearful expio-iou occurred, and sin ke and dirt and, some say, flame blew up the shaft, at once iudicatiug that death and destruction were making havoc below. The alarm which was raised speedily brought help from all directions, and the ill news, which travelled fast through tue locality, caused anxious forebodings. A descent of the pit was made by some explorers as soon as wa, practicable. and before a long time ha-1 expired two dea: col- liers were brought to the surface. The work of exploration much impeded by the after-damp, and it was night before the whole of the dead were got out, for much attention had to be ..iven to restore ventilation. Only two men were found alive; they were seriousiy hurt, and how they e:c tped death seems a miracle. It was found that the list of dead were seventeen. Several horses, which were in close proximity to the office or one of the butties in the pit, were killed, while the butty himself escaped with severe injuries. The inquest was opened on Saturday morning before Mr Booth, corouer for North Staffordshire. Mr Wynne, Governmeut Inspector of Mines, and Air Gilroy, sub-iuspector, were present.—The Coroner briefly spoke of the disastrous nature of the explosion, ana intimated that he proposed to take evidence ot identification of the bodies, and otner evidence which would be sufficient to justify an adjouruieut until a subsequent day, when a full investigation into the circumstances of the calamitous affair would be made. George Fryer, underlooker, stated that 011 the morning of the explosion lie went to work before tne colliers descended, and he found a tittle gas. which he cleared away. He examined the place where the explosion occurred and found a little gas. The nearest working place to that was 18 yards off. Tne seam han bee; worked four or five years, and was considered a safe one for the men to work in. The men were in the habit cf working with naked lights.—Daniel Itiley, butty collier, said that he was engaged at work in another seam of the mine. On tie west side of the eiijht-feet coal there was a little gas, but no men worked there. The men generally worked with naked lights, except when gas was observable, and then they used lamps. The 11 Bathurst" scam was con sidered the safest part of the pit to work. After evidence of identification of the dead bad been taken, the inquest was adj urtied.

3&aruct$,

MISCELLAN ';.r-

THE INQUEST.