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1230 &t)* ILeatie V* [Saturday ,
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DREADFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION. One of thos...
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THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. The Avon, with th...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Parties In Italy. By Joseph Mazzini....
by its oppression and taxes r Where could it find an intermedial body to put between itself and the rising tide of Democracy , in a land of divided property , of equality of manners , of farmed agricultultural association , which still contains some nobles , but which never had a united , a compact , arid organized nobility , playing a role in and for the nation ? How could it emancipate the country , when it nev er had the unity of the country in its hand ? and how could it obtain unity before accomp lishing the work of emancipation , from whence it only could derive a title for itself ? By w hat unforeseen combination , by what unknown power , could it break through that vicious circle , in which it incessantly lingers , decreasing and daily straitening its movements ? Perhaps by a
princely confederation , among kings of foreign origin , placed under the oppressive influence of foreign bayonets , almost all of them hated and despised by the People , mutually hating and d istrusting each other ; seeing , in the first instance , in the ascendancy of one t he ruin of the rest , and in the second in the ascendancy of the only legitimate King of Italy , "viz ., the nation , the same result ! Or would it perhaps be by a sudden rising of a man of devotion and genius , of a Napoleon of nationality , from the bosom of degenerated , effete royal races , condemned to receive an education between that of an Austrian corporal and a Jesuit ? But the Napoleon was engendered by the Ilevolution : he did not engender it .
There is no possibility for royalty in Italy to take the initiative ; it is certainly not in the hands of that sordid and groping Piedmontese monarchy , which , before it moved In 1848 , ought to have awaited the triumph of the popular barricades in Lombardy—of that monarchy Avhich , in taking the field , without any faith in success , merely purposed to gain on the ruins of Democracy a diplomatic precedent—without even understanding that , to attain the crown of Italy , it ought to have thrown into the tide of the national revolution of Italy , the diadem of Piedmont , and substituted Home for Turin . It is beginning again
its game of see-saw , in the face of the national movement it foresees ; it pursues more than ever its ambiguous tactics : viz ., the impeding , as much as possible , the Italian popular movement , and the being ever at hand to profit by it , the moment it breaks out . But it will never dare to strengthen itself , and never initiate the war of independence ; it will await the trium-ph of the popular insurrection ; it will be the dangerous and perfidious ally of the morrow , never of the eve . Now , what is a party , essentially deprived of initiative ?
Monarchy , therefore , has ceased to have any believers in Italy ; it has only men assuming to themselves the appellation of opportunists ; Republicans by throry , 1 loyalists on the ground of facts , they form for the present only—we speak without reservationthe party of fear ; the party of men without faith , devotion , and courage , who recoil from the responsibility *> f an initiative , endeavouring to justify their inaction by saying that the initiative will proceed
from the house ; of Savoy . But when once the popular initiative will gain ground and strength , they will rally . Federal ism will never go beyond opinion , repulsed , as it , is , by the nit ional sentiment , and condemning Italy , as it docs , beforehand to impotence , the instinct of the masses , the enthusiasm of the enlightened youth , the recollection of our quarrels of the middle ages , the wishes of all the provincial towns , the fear of the local nri . stocrae . ie ~ , the holy nanw'of Rome , and the consciousness of the Italian
mission , are opposed to it . ; it , only natters the prejudice of throe towns—Turin , Naples , and Florence- — the vanity of souk ; intellectual mediocrities , and the hopes of some financial influences , fi'arhig t . o disappear and vanish in the great assizes of the nation . It denies the country , without founding tin ; commune . The commune may be as much enslaved in ;' , small as in a large state ; and so much the more would it miller from the pressure o f ' t . he centre , the nearer that : centre lies to the extremities . The guaranties of the commune belong to the problem of centralisation , which has nothing in common with that of federation ; its administrative liberty will find its best nafeguard in the national political unity . Federation
can do nothing for the commune ; it , < : ; ui only introduce between those two unique terms of the great Italian tradition , commune and nation , the factitious , arbitrary , dangerous , anil anti-economical element of the province-state . By it Italy is given up to foreign influences . It . effaces the thought ol l ) ante , ol Machia velli , of Napoleon in short , that of all f ^ reat thinkers , of all the holy martyrs of the Italian cause . The consequences of it are so . strongly felt in our country , that , two months ago , the faint ; light ol federalism , which , contrary to the intention of the subscribers , pierced through the manifesto of the Franco- Spanish-1 I . aliaii committee , received a . universal , and in Home points even exaggerated reprobation .
Moreover , mi unhappy dilemma . cireuniHcribes federation , and prevents it , from hccmiiing a party . It . must either aecept , the present , division ol Italy , that , hostile , arbitrary , and abhorred conception of Vicuna , and of l , NI /> , ibemere ( ouch of which withers it , or it must iinprovirio another ; and , reHUHcitutinfj
the old rivalries of our towns , without any possible basis for tracing out " any circumscriptions , it forcibly marches towards the exclusive enthronement of independent communal municipalities , i . e ., tyranny on the one hand , and anarchy on the other . Italy is essentially republican , essentially unitarian ; she is so by all her traditions and by all her instincts ; she is so by the consciousness of the important role she feels herself called upon to perform
in the bosom of mankind , for the welfare of all ; she is so by her solidarity with Europe , who , consecrated by popular baptism , evidently marches on towards a reorganisation by great masses , almost equipotent , and associated , according to their special tendencies , for the common work—pacific development , progress in thought , and action of all for all . Such is . her programme , and you may be assured she will never deviate from it .
Such is also the programme of the national party of which I spoke at the beginning—a party , the Italian National Committee endeavours to represent . Its views are those of all the active men of our country , associated and organised for the object , the attainment of which is to restore Italy to Europe , Rome to the world ; reunite the sympathetic bonds between her and France ; strike the decisive blow at the double tyranny , spiritual and temporal , of the Pope and the Emperor , and introduce for ever into the sphere of reality , the great principle of liberty of conscience , and " the eternal progress of the human thought ; Joseph Mazzini .
1230 &T)* Ileatie V* [Saturday ,
1230 & t )* ILeatie V * [ Saturday ,
Dreadful Colliery Explosion. One Of Thos...
DREADFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION . One of those tremendous explosions which so frequently occur in the history of the coal districts took place on Saturday . The scene of the catastrophe was Rawmarsh , near Rotherham ; the time about ten minutes before six o ' clock in the morning ; at which time Mr . Silvester , the underground steward , went into the pit , as usual , to examine the state of the workings . One or two men went down with , him , and he was followed shortly afterwards by the whole body of miners employed . In what state he found the pit is not known , for he has not been seen since , and it is believed he is among those who have perished .
It appears , however , that he did not find the pit such a condition as to induce him to stop the working , for the men and boys had generally gone down , and everything seemed to be proceeding in the usual mode . To outward appearance , everything went on as usual until a few minutes before seven o ' clock . At that time , not only those near the pit , but the whole neighbourhood , were astounded and horrified by an explosion like that of a volcano . Smoke and flame burst , from the mouth of the pit in an appalling volume . Two corves which Avere being drawn out of the pit were projected upwards with volcanic force , and lodged in the gearing over the shaft . A great quantity of coals , stones , and other matter , which had been carried high into the air , fell in so dense
a shower that the persons -employed near the pit mouth were compelled to take shelter under the platform of the tipplers for loading the carts ; and it was only by this precaution that they escaped fatal injuries . The country all round the pit was blackened to m distance of three-quarters of a mile by the descent of the dust and smoke . The effect of the explosion in this respect , may be judged of from the fact that the face of a man who was standing at his cottagedoor two fields' length from tin ; pit was blackened as if he had been working in the pit itself . The report of the explosion was heard at a distance of three miles . The whole country round was filled with consternation , and crowds of persons hastened to the place .
1 . he colliery consists of two pits near together The deeper pit , of 1 ' 27 yards , works the nine-foot . seam . The other pit , 90 yards deep , works the fivefoot . seam . These two pits arc ; connected bv a shaft through the live-foot seam down to the nine footan air-furnace being connected with the shaft of the live-foot pit , so as to create an up-draught . The explosion took place in the northern part of the workings of the deeper neain , but communicated by the shalt to the upper scam . The force of the-explosion may bo judged from the fnct that the corve ascending the deeper shaft , which was loaded with l ( i cwt . of coal , was projected into the air , and the coal fell around on every side like the cindeiH from u volcano .
( iradually the dead ami the living were extricated from the pit , by the energies and courage of their fellows above ground . Forty-nine dead bodies were brought up by Sunday night , and some were Htill missing . From miles round came the relatives and fiiend . s of the dead and wounded : carrying away these , and weeping and rnvingovertho . se . Thenceno was more terrible than a battle-field , for there were friend .- ! and relatives , wives and daughters , hoiih and Hires , gathered round Liu ; remains , of all they held dear in life . On Monday morninp : a dreadful explosion of fire-damp occurred near Wi ^ an , l . uiicnuhue , l > y wliie . U thirteen liven were lost . The colliery is that , of Mr . A . I ' . Iliilliliurt . on , at . luce , near Wigun ; and the explosion took |> lar (; in what , is called the . " [)( .,. j ( ] "It , " * or " Alley Mine , " thn shaft of which , in upwards of 1 ) 00 feet deep . The work
ings are very extensive , and run south-east « nrf T west from the bottom of the shaft . Hitherto ? it ' " been so free from the explosive gas ? which fa I ^ scourge to people in this kind of employ ment th ^ u * coal-getters worked with naked caadli £ h £ ? not been an explosion of any consequence before tho , wX there have been what the colliers term « fljshes ' ^ which men have been slightly burnt . Firemen S are employed to examine the workings with lamn ? w the coal-getters are allowed to work fvery morX S on Monday morning these men proceeded down thfsffft as early as four to half-past four o ' clock in the win * They reported all safe , and at five to half-pVst fiv ? neX one hundred men and boys proceeded to work . descend ing the shaft , and proceeding to their places of deS " turn m the workings . Seventeen men proceeded to S » £ destinations in the south-east levels , and the »«»• j took the opposite direction , to a very remote paTt fmm ic
? Vi q ntV , ovo ak ~ .. » ..:.. _»_ i--i _ iL J * ""pare irorn the others . About * i x o ' clock the' report of ate IT explosion was heard , and the greatest consternation " created among the top-men and people about the surfW of the pit , who , not knowing the extent of iniu ? v in flicted , became anxious as to the best course to be dutki ,, j under the circumstances . The signal , however J 2 soon received by the engine-tenter to draw up someTf the workmen , and the greatest haste was used in extri eating them . It was ultimately ascertained that the ex plosion had occurred in the south-east workings and th'J the whole of the people in the other portions of the mine had escaped all injury except what was likely to result from the sulphur or choke-damp which succeeds these terrible
catastrophes . From the south-east levels only four persons escaped , and these were so exhausted with choke-damp that it was with difficulty they could cive any idea of what had occurred . From the account given by a boy employed as a drawer , it is probable that the explosion occurred in a bay at the face of the coal , about 16 jO feet under ground , to the south-east of the shaft This youth says he descended , with a coaler named Robert Davies , at a quarter-past five o ' clock , and soon after getting to the far end of the level , where Davies worked , he was despatched towards the shaft with a tub of coals that he had filled . He and his little brother had reached a shunt about 450 feet from where they left Davies and some other colliers and drawers , when they stopped to rest , and two other drawers joined them . They had sat talking about ten minutes when an explosion heard
was , and terrible gusts of air came past them with such force that the rails on which the carriages ran were torn up , and driven past them with great violence . A piece of iron went so close to him that it struck the edge of his ear and wounded it . Small pieces of coal were carried along by these blasts , and great numbers of these small particles struck his back with such force as to enter the skin . He started immediately after for the shaft ; but , recollecting his little brother , he turned back , and , as well as the sulphur would permit , shouted for him . His brother was suffocating almost from the sulphur , and could not reply , but laid hold of him as he was passing , and he raised the boy up and assisted him to the shaft , which they reached much exhausted . After these boys were rescued , search was made for the other workpeople , but it was near eleven o'clock before they were found , thirteen of them dead .
The Arctic Expedition. The Avon, With Th...
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION . The Avon , with the West Indian and South American mails , arrived at Southampton on Thursday . With reference to the JBehriiig Straits Arctic searching expedition , we learn that her Majesty ' s ship lhedalus , Captain Wellesley , had returned from Hehring ' s Straits as far as San Francisco , on the 22 nd > f October , after a passage of twenty-one days , on her way to join Admiral Moresby . 13 y that ship information has been received that the Plover , Commander Moore , had passed the winter ia Grantley Harbour , and was rejoined by Enterprise , Captain Collinson , C . B ., from lIontf-KonK , on July , ' $ , who , on the 10 th . proceeded northward . Hie J hedalus and Plover met at Port . Clarence towards the end of July , the former deeply laden with provisions and stores , and prepared to pass the winter in the ice , should that prove / necessary from any accident having happened to thoyPlovcr . The crew of the Plover had suffered a good deal from scurvy during the winter , but no lives were lost , and a great number of the crew were removed , and replaced by volunteers from the I ) a : dalus . We regret to state that , the JKnterpriae has been Icsp fortunate , "avinff lost two officers . These are Lieutenant J . Barnard and Mr . Whitehead , clerk in charge . Lieutenant Barnard and Mr . K . Adams , assistant-surgeon of the Enterprise , had been left at Michaelowski , the Russian trading post , in Norton Hay , in October last , for the purpose of collecting information of the missing expedition , from the llustnn " posts and from the natives inland . In pursuance of tins object , Lieutenant Barnard , with an interpreter , had gone , early in January , to a distant post , intending t » communicate , if possible , with Home of the neig hbour !!)!? chiefs . During the night the post was surrounded » y a large body of Ko-yu-Kuk Indiansseveral of whom
, at daybreak entered the principal dwelling ""' I "jj | the Russian governor . Lieutenant Barnard «» the interpreter , who were in the name house , nimio such resistance as drove the Indians out . of the lvou « They then laid siege to the post , sheltering thcnw'ivc behind wooden shields , stuck upright in the snow ; but on of them being soon afterwards shot , the whole party retired to mi Esquimaux village at . some distance , wlier they committed « reat cruelties , killing upwards ol » ' * ¦/ natives , including women nnd children . Lieuteii-i Barnard died of his wounds on the afternoon ol the < > following tin ; nttaek . Mr . Aduins , on hearing «> " » event at Michaelowski , proceeded with a number ol lij' « - siiuiH to the distant , pout ., where he saw the body « i ¦ lute companion , in which were numerous wound * , principal one heiug in the abdomen , and of mieh "" latent aiH to have proved iuevitubly fat : d . Mr . Win < lead ' H death took pluce on board the Enterprise , w »""
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 27, 1851, page 10, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27121851/page/10/
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