(From the Newcastle Journal)

On Thursday last a most lamentable occurrence took place at Springwell colliery, the property of the Right Hon. Lord Ravensworth and partners, near Wreckington, in the County of Durham, and about five miles from Newcastle, owing to a dreadful explosion, in the B Pit in that colliery, by which 47 individuals were instantly deprived of life, besides many who received severe fractures and contusions. This colliery is on a most extensive scale, and from its complete ventilation in every part of the workings, was admired by all those engaged in the undertaking. On the morning of the day the accident happened, it had, as usual, been examined by the under-viewer, and over-men and declared quite safe. About 8 a.m. one of the overmen observed that a collier had pricked a blower, (a hole or crevice in the roof, from which a small quantity of inflammable gas issued); he instantly ordered the person to leave that part of the mine, and on returning, two hours after, accompanied by the under viewer, he did not perceive any danger, but as a measure of precaution, ordered the safety lamp to be used instead of candles, with which the mine had been worked, owing to the extreme purity of the air. The colliery consists of two pits, A, and B, although containing but one shaft, which divides them by a strong and formidable piece of wood-work, termed a brattice. About 2 o'clock on the above day the neighbourhood was alarmed by one of those dreadful explosions so peculiar to the coal mines in this district, and the above-names brattice was dashed to pieces and many parts were thrown out of the mouth of the shaft.

As soon as the alarm subsided, parties of brave fellows volunteered to descend the mine, 126 fathoms deep, and they fortunately succeeded in rescuing several who were severely injured, and also found three dead bodies; but such was the havoc created by the explosive matter and the impure state of the mine, owing to the after damp, that they could not penetrate any considerable way into the workings, and at 7 o'clock last night, only eight of the bodies of the sufferers had been recovered, consequently 39 remain in the mine, and with them the sad secret of the catastrophe; not one person having survived to dispel the cloud of mystery that hangs over this dismal affair. Great numbers of people visited the colliery in the course of yesterday; and at 5 o'clock in the afternoon a respectable jury assembled, to hold an inquest on the body of James Oliver, a fine lad, who had been found dead in the pit, where his father at the same time lost his life.

Particulars of the Inquest

Mr. Michael Hall, of Beacon Lough, the coroner, having sworn in the jury, and observed the usual formalities on such melancholy occasions, said that, previous to any evidence being received, it was incumbent on the jury to examine the body with the greatest circumspection, in order, if possible, to trace to its source the lamentable event which had so recently occurred. The jury then proceeded to a house at some distance, where the body of the boy was decently and respectably laid out. The coverings, bandages, &c., were undone, but with the exception of a slight wound on the face, which might have been occasioned by a fall, it possessed all the muscular powers of a healthy stout lad of about 15 or 16 years of age.

The jury, having satisfied themselves, returned to the house in which they originally assembled, and

Mr. Robert Davidson, of Wreckington, surgeon, was called. He deposed as follows :— I saw the body of the deceased brought to bank (the mouth of the mine) on Thursday afternoon. He was quite dead. There were some slight bruises on the head and body, but not sufficient to cause death. I should think that cause was the breathing of the after damp. I have examined his hands and face, which are slightly burnt by the explosion in the pit.

William Stokoe was next examined. He deposed that he was an over-man in the B pit at Springwell Colliery. Went down the pit on Thursday morning, at 2 o'clock. Visited all the workings in the course of the day, and found the pit in a very good state. A man, while at work in a wall in the S. E. way, pricked a blower, which admitted inflammable air. It shot out on the man, and he was removed from the place. George Oliver (the father of the deceased) was set to watch, and observe if it grew worse ; he is still in the mine, and supposed to be dead. The men at that time were working with candles, owing to the supposed extreme safety of the pit. Mr. Dodds, the under-viewer, accompanied by witness, at a subsequent period, examined the blower, but they did not consider it of consequence ; safety lamps were, however, sent for, to be used by the workmen in the adjoining part of the mine, and Oliver was desired to remain till the lamps were brought. The explosion took place near 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The foul air was supposed to have accumulated to such a degree that all the people in that part of the pit are thought to have suffered, for some of their bodies had been found, but not near the spot where the explosion was supposed to have occurred. The witness was in the low main (another seam ten fathoms higher up) when the accident took place. At the time it knocked a brattice into the board where he was standing, and he was instantly covered with dust and rubbish. When he got out of the low main he went to bank, and remained four hours above ground ; the then descended the shaft, and was present when the body of the deceased was found in the rolley-way, lying besides the crane ; he was quite dead ; supposed the explosion and after damp the cause of death. Does not consider any one to blame for the accident.

Charles Steel is an over-man at the A pit at Springwell Colliery ; went down between 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning ; found the pit in a good state, with a strong current of air ; the air, after descending the shaft, passes through the workings of the B pit, before it enters the A pit ; no one was lost in the latter by the explosion ; heard of the accident between 2 and 3 o'clock, when at home ; he returned, and went down the A pit ; the brattice was blown out of the shaft, and he found the air very scarce, which he attributed to the destruction of the brattice; there was no damage in the A pit, and he returned to bank. Whenever any doubt occurs as to the air, safety-lamps are invariably used ; the whole of the pit was worked with candle light, except one place, which was not considered safe, and in that part the lamp was used. Repeatedly met with blowers, and then lamps were instantly order to be used by the workmen.

Joseph Sewell deposed that he was a pitmen ; went down the pit B about two o'clock on Thursday morning ; it was in a very good state, and there was plenty of air. Returned to bank before eleven o'clock, and at that time neither heard nor saw anything, except that the pit was in as good a state as when he entered it. This witness has a son in the mine, supposed to be lost.

John Liddell said that he was a pitman, and employed in Springwell Colliery ; he went down the B pit at 4 o'clock on Thursday morning ; the pit was "in a capital good state;" there was plenty of air, and every pains taken to circulate it ; was in the head waste, near the middle crane ; left the pit at about half-past one at noon (within half an hour of the explosion), and it was then in a good state ; did not see or hear anything when down to give the least suspicion of danger ; went down about 6 in the evening, and found all in confusion, every thing being blown down ; found three bodies, that of James Oliver was one of them ; penetrated to within 20 yards of the first crane. The bodies were quite dead ; Oliver's face was wounded; supposes his death to have been caused by after damp. Considers no blame attached to any one for the accident.

John Wakefield, the caller of the workmen, gave evidence to the same effect as John Liddell, as to the excellent ventilation of the mine and added that he had lost a son by the explosion.

The Coroner now stated that was all the evidence to be adduced on the present occasion. As a garbled account of the lamentable affair had been printed and hawked about Newcastle, charging an unfortunate stranger, who was represented to be a Welshman, as the cause, by taking the top off his safety lamp, he was desirous, for the exculpation of the individual thus foully charged with such a heinous offence that he should be examined for the satisfaction of the public, as well as the future safety of the poor fellow. He then called

Thomas Turner, who stated that he was at work in the A pit yesterday ; used the Davy lamp, and did not take the top off ; he never did such a thing in his life ; was aware of the report, but it was unfounded. Turner comes from Staffordshire.

[The accident having occurred in the B pit fully exculpated this poor fellow from so serious and wanton a charge.]

Mr. Hall, in a neat speech, recapitulated the evidence, and added, that under all the circumstances brought before them, the thought the verdict they should return would be accidental death, as there was no apparent means to obtain any additional information ; for if any one was to blame, they were where no evidence could be obtained, as they still remained in the mine. The jury instantly returned a verdict to the above affect.

There were only nine or ten adults that fell victims to this terrific explosion, the remainder being boys; and nearly the whole of the sufferers were natives of this district, as only two of the stranger workmen are supposed to be lost.

The accident occurred in the Hutton seam, at a depth of 126 fathoms.