PART II.

CHRONICLE

OF REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES

IN 1865.

JANUARY.

1. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.-LETTER FROM THE QUEEN.-The following letter was addressed by Her Majesty's direction to the leading railway companies which have their stations in London:

"Sir Charles Phipps has received the commands of Her Majesty the Queen to call the attention of the directors of the to the increasing number of accidents which have lately occurred upon different lines of railroad, and to express Her Majesty's warmest hope that the directors of the will carefully consider every means of guarding against these misfortunes, which are not at all the necessary accompaniments of railway travelling.

"It is not for her own safety that the Queen has wished to provide in thus calling the attention of the company to the late disasters. Her Majesty is aware that when she travels extraordinary precautions are taken, but it is on account of her family, of those travelling upon her service, and of her people generally, that she expresses the hope that the same security may be insured for all as is so carefully provided for herself.

"The Queen hopes it is unnecessary for her to recall to the recollection of the railway directors the heavy responsibility which they have assumed since they have succeeded in securing the monopoly of the means of travelling of almost the entire population of the country."

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT AT DUNDEE.-A melancholy occurrence took place at Bell-street Hall, a large concert-room situated immediately below the United Presbyterian Church (of which the Rev. Mr. Borwick is the pastor), in Bell-street, Constitution-road. The hall is well known in Dundee in connexion with certain

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concerts and other entertainments given in the place from time to time. The hall is badly constructed, so far as regards the public safety, the chief access being very dangerous. Entrance to the hall is gained by a broad flight of stairs leading down from Bellstreet into the large area beneath the church. The top of the stairs is guarded by an iron gate, and as this opens inward it is not difficult to understand the danger that must arise from a great pressure without. This evening a very large crowd of people assembled at the gate, desirous of obtaining admission to a promenade concert, which, under the title of "Springthorpe's Exhibition," had been announced as one of the attractions of New Year's evening. When the advertised hour arrived, the man in charge opened one-half of the gate for the purpose of admitting the people to the hall. On this being done, the pressure of the crowd from without was so great that the man was overpowered, and the other half of the gate was burst open. Those in the front rank were swept through the narrow opening, and forced down the stairs with great violence. Much confusion and alarm prevailed, and efforts were made to stem the strong pressure from behind. These for the time, however, proved unavailing. The people next the gate were pushed in a mass down the stairs, and those behind pressed upon them and overthrew them. Before the pressure could be stayed, a confused heap of people, several feet deep, were piled up in the small space of about six feet at the bottom of the stairs. Nearly three-quarters of an hour elapsed before these were extricated from their position, when it was found that nine young women and ten men had been crushed to death. In addition to the nineteen persons who were thus killed, a large number were more or less very seriously injured. The calamity caused immense excitement in Dundee, and great anxiety for people thought to be in the crowd. Many touching scenes took place in the identification of the bodies. The deceased evidently all belonged to the humbler classes. Three-fourths were boys and girls of twelve to eighteen. The day was, as is usual throughout Scotland, a general holiday.

4. DREADFUL COLLIERY CATASTROPHE IN WIGAN.-A colliery accident, one of the most appalling that has ever occurred in the district, took place early this morning at a pit just within the boundary of the borough of Wigan. The Douglas Bank Colliery had been in existence about a couple of years. It consists of a couple of shafts only a few dozen yards apart, both of which run through a valuable series of coal beds, one of which is the cannel. This bed lies about 500 yards from the surface, and in the shaft in which the accident occurred the sinking to this important seam had progressed so favourably that but some half-dozen yards of rubbish remained to be sent up, and the labours of the sinkers would have been ended. This heavy task had hitherto been accomplished without any occurrence calculated to cause serious annoyance or to check the progress of the work.

Between eight and nine o'clock this morning a party of a dozen men were at work in the shaft in question, when it was found necessary to blast a portion of the strata through which they were passing. Two-thirds of the workmen were hoisted to the surface, where they were joined in a few moments by their companions, as soon as they had set fire to the fuze which was to light the powder. The blasting seemed to take place in a proper manner below, and at ten minutes to nine a party of eight men were again lowered. The engineer was, however, astonished to find that the hoppet containing the men stopped in the shaft when it was still a few yards from the bottom, and he was still further surprised to notice the rope swaying to and fro in the pit. A shout down the pit elicited no response, and the alarm became general when it was found that it was impossible, even with the united strength of two engines of vast power, to move the hoppet from its position. Mr. Bryham, the manager, his sons, Mr. James Smith, and other gentlemen were promptly apprised of the acci-. dent, and hastened to the spot, where measures were soon taken to learn the true state of affairs below. This, however, was a matter of no little difficulty, for first of all a new rope had to be placed on the drum, it being found impossible to move the 500 yards then in the shaft, and it being extremely dangerous to allow it to fall to the bottom. By noon this was accomplished, and a hoppet having been attached to the new rope, the foreman of the sinkers and a couple of assistants prepared to descend the pit, to learn the fate of those below. This took nearly an hour, for as the men descended they had to fasten the old rope to the sides of the shaft, so as to prevent its jeopardizing their progress, but the tidings they brought were a little more satisfactory than the most sanguine had anticipated. They reported that the whole of the last range of brickwork-thirteen yards deep, and running entirely round the shaft, sixteen yards in diameter-had probably been loosened by the last shot, and had fallen to the bottom, burying completely the hoppet and the men in it, but a ray of hope was thrown upon the crowd of anxious watchers on the pit bank by the declaration of the foreman that voices had been heard, he believed, of three or four, and he had every expectation that in a very short time the men would be reached. Eight active workmen were at once sent down, and load after load of débris was sent up. After much exertion five dead bodies were recovered. The other men were found alive in the hoppet, not seriously injured.

13. BURNING OF THE THEATRE ROYAL, EDINBURGH.-Death of the Dean oF GUILD.-A fire broke out in the Theatre Royal at Edinburgh about four o'clock in the afternoon; and within a couple of hours the whole building was destroyed, besides the cloister and part of the main building of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. This disaster, being attended with the loss of six lives, amongst which was that of Mr. George Lorimer, the Dean of Guild, caused a deep gloom in the city of Edinburgh. The

concerts and other entertainments given in the place from time to time. The hall is badly constructed, so far as regards the public safety, the chief access being very dangerous. Entrance to the hall is gained by a broad flight of stairs leading down from Bellstreet into the large area beneath the church. The top of the stairs is guarded by an iron gate, and as this opens inward it is not difficult to understand the danger that must arise from a great pressure without. This evening a very large crowd of people assembled at the gate, desirous of obtaining admission to a promenade concert, which, under the title of "Springthorpe's Exhibition," had been announced as one of the attractions of New Year's evening. When the advertised hour arrived, the man in charge opened one-half of the gate for the purpose of admitting the people to the hall. On this being done, the pressure of the crowd from without was so great that the man was overpowered, and the other half of the gate was burst open. Those in the front rank were swept through the narrow opening, and forced down the stairs with great violence. Much confusion and alarm prevailed, and efforts were made to stem the strong pressure from behind. These for the time, however, proved unavailing. The people next the gate were pushed in a mass down the stairs, and those behind pressed upon them and overthrew them. Before the pressure could be stayed, a confused heap of people, several feet deep, were piled up in the small space of about six feet at the bottom of the stairs. Nearly three-quarters of an hour elapsed before these were extricated from their position, when it was found that nine young women and ten men had been crushed to death. In addition to the nineteen persons who were thus killed, a large number were more or less very seriously injured. The calamity caused immense excitement in Dundee, and great anxiety for people thought to be in the crowd. Many touching scenes took place in the identification of the bodies. The deceased evidently all belonged to the humbler classes. Three-fourths were boys and girls of twelve to eighteen. The day was, as is usual throughout Scotland, a general holiday.

4. DREADFUL COLLIERY CATASTROPHE IN WIGAN.-A colliery accident, one of the most appalling that has ever occurred in the district, took place early this morning at a pit just within the boundary of the borough of Wigan. The Douglas Bank Colliery had been in existence about a couple of years. It consists of a couple of shafts only a few dozen yards apart, both of which run through a valuable series of coal beds, one of which is the cannel. This bed lies about 500 yards from the surface, and in the shaft in which the accident occurred the sinking to this important seam had progressed so favourably that but some half-dozen yards of rubbish remained to be sent up, and the labours of the sinkers would have been ended. This heavy task had hitherto been accomplished without any occurrence calculated to cause serious annoyance or to check the progress of the work.

Between eight and nine o'clock this morning a party of a dozen men were at work in the shaft in question, when it was found necessary to blast a portion of the strata through which they were passing. Two-thirds of the workmen were hoisted to the surface, where they were joined in a few moments by their companions, as soon as they had set fire to the fuze which was to light the powder. The blasting seemed to take place in a proper manner below, and at ten minutes to nine a party of eight men were again lowered. The engineer was, however, astonished to find that the hoppet containing the men stopped in the shaft when it was still a few yards from the bottom, and he was still further surprised to notice the rope swaying to and fro in the pit. A shout down the pit elicited no response, and the alarm became general when it was found that it was impossible, even with the united strength of two engines of vast power, to move the hoppet from its position. Mr. Bryham, the manager, his sons, Mr. James Smith, and other gentlemen were promptly apprised of the acci-. dent, and hastened to the spot, where measures were soon taken to learn the true state of affairs below. This, however, was a matter of no little difficulty, for first of all a new rope had to be placed on the drum, it being found impossible to move the 500 yards then in the shaft, and it being extremely dangerous to allow it to fall to the bottom. By noon this was accomplished, and a hoppet having been attached to the new rope, the foreman of the sinkers and a couple of assistants prepared to descend the pit, to learn the fate of those below. This took nearly an hour, for as the men descended they had to fasten the old rope to the sides of the shaft, so as to prevent its jeopardizing their progress, but the tidings they brought were a little more satisfactory than the most sanguine had anticipated. They reported that the whole of the last range of brickwork-thirteen yards deep, and running entirely round the shaft, sixteen yards in diameter-had probably been loosened by the last shot, and had fallen to the bottom, burying completely the hoppet and the men in it, but a ray of hope was thrown upon the crowd of anxious watchers on the pit bank by the declaration of the foreman that voices had been heard, he believed, of three or four, and he had every expectation that in a very short time the men would be reached. Eight active workmen were at once sent down, and load after load of débris was sent up. After much exertion five dead bodies were recovered. The other men were found alive in the hoppet, not seriously injured.

13. BURNING OF THE THEATRE ROYAL, EDINBURGH.-DEATH OF THE DEAN OF GUILD.-A fire broke out in the Theatre Royal at Edinburgh about four o'clock in the afternoon; and within a couple of hours the whole building was destroyed, besides the cloister and part of the main building of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. This disaster, being attended with the loss of six lives, amongst which was that of Mr. George Lorimer, the Dean of Guild, caused a deep gloom in the city of Edinburgh. The