Sunday morning, and had arrived at the conclusion that the cause of death consisted in the deceased having been suffocated by carbonic oxide gas, which would be but a very few minutes in its operation, although not quite instantaneous in destroying life. In accordance with this evidence, the jury found their verdict, which they accompanied with a strong recommendation that all working collieries should be supplied with at least a second shaft or outlet to afford the workmen the means of escape in case of similar obstructions occurring, and that beams of colliery engines should in future be made of malleable instead of cast metal; adding, that" the jury took occasion to notice with admiration the heroic courage of the miners and others, who at the risk of their own lives, for so many days and nights devoted their best skill and energies to rescue the unfortunate men who were lost; and that everything which human ingenuity could accomplish was done towards this humane object." -- 31.-ACCIDENTS TO LADIES BY MACHINERY. The newspapers have lately recorded the deaths of several ladies by careless approach to machinery. The Bedlington Iron Works, situated near the scene of the Hartley Colliery disaster, having been closed for a long time, had recently been taken and reopened by Messrs. Dixon and Mounsey, two gentlemen well known in connection with the iron trade of the north-eastern counties. The family of the latter had subsequently taken up their residence in Bedlington. The new firm had greatly enlarged the works, and added also some new rolling and saw mills. These new works having been opened on the 31st. January, Mr. Mounsey took his wife, with their three eldest children and some lady visitors, down to see them in full operation. Having examined the other portions of the works, the party came into the rolling and saw mills, where they saw the circular saw in full operation, and were proceeding to leave for another portion of the works. To do so they had to cross a spindle, connecting the circular saw with the engine belonging to the rolling mill by a leathern belt, and which spindle, being made of two pieces of iron, was connected together in the centre by nuts. Mrs. Mounsey had stepped over the spindle, which was flying round at a rapid rate, but the bottom of her dress was unfortunately caught by one of the bolts or nuts described. In a moment she was thrown over, and though seized hold of by Mr. Dixon who was accompanying her, her limbs and the lower part of her person were as instantaneously drawn through an aperture only six inches between the revolving spindle and the ground, literally crushing her out of all form up to her breast. She had not time to scream, for she was dead in a moment. The engine was immediately stopped, and the workmen ran from all parts of the factory to help. The ladies and children, a minute before constituting the happy group, now paralyzed with terror, were taken away as rapidly as possible, and, the spindle being unscrewed, the remains of the deceased were got out as speedily as practicable, in a condition too horrible to describe. The poor lady was the mother of six children. On the 11th February, the town of Birmingham was thrown into a state of excitement, occasioned by the frightful and melancholy death of Mrs. Stanley, the proprietress of the Stanley Saw Mills, Hesinsforth Street, which happened under the following circumstances. This unfortunate lady was in the act of stepping over a spindle in the mill when, her dress being caught, she was dragged into the machinery. Her son, who was standing close by at the time, immediately took hold of her, and prevented her being carried round by the shaft, and raised an alarm. The engine being stopped, the poor woman was extricated from her awful position. It was then found that her body was almost severed in two, and that death must have been instantaneous. On the 14th February, another similar accident occurred at Birdsall, a Wold village, a few miles from Malton. The sufferer, on this occasion, was Mrs. Hudson, the wife of Mr. Hudson, a shopkeeper at Bury thorpe, a neighbouring village, who went to Mr. Walton's farm at Birdsall, where a corn-thrashing machine was in use. In attempting to step over the "tumbling shaft," which revolves rapidly, and presents sharp angles very likely to catch and retain hold of a dress brought within its reach, Mrs. Hudson's dress was caught in this way, and was instantaneously wrapped several times round the shaft, the wearer being, of course, brought down with it, and, to the horror of all present, whirled round and round with every revolution. The machinery was stopped as quickly as possible, and when the unfortunate woman was extricated, it was found that her knees were dislocated, and that she had received many VOL. CIV. wounds and very serious injuries. A few days later, the Yorkshire Wolds were again the scene of a similar accident. As in the previous case, a thrashing-machine was at work, when Miss Charlotte Boulton, daughter of Mr. F. H. Boulton, of Acklam Lodge, the occupier of the farm, was standing near, looking at the machine at work, when the wind carrying her dress too near the 'tumbling shaft," she was drawn in and whirled round and round repeatedly. So soon as the machine could be stopped, it was found that, in addition to other serious injuries, both the young lady's legs were broken. Loss OF H.M.S. CONQUERor, 100 GUNS.-Intelligence has been received of the loss of one of the finest ships of the Royal Navy. The Conqueror, of 100 guns, was built at Devonport, and was considered a chef-d'œuvre of the constructive abilities of the Navy Office, under the superintendence of Sir Baldwin Walker. Her armament consisted of 101 guns of the most improved artillery; and her screw-engines were of 800-horse power (nominal). She was launched in 1855. When the civil war in the United States rendered it desirable that our West-India squadron should be re-inforced, the Conqueror was despatched to that station, under the command of Captain Sotheby, C.B. While at Port Royal Captain Sotheby received orders to join the squadron at Bermuda. The Conqueror accordingly sailed on the 24th of December, 1861, purposing to shape a course through Crooked Island Passage, a strait which is sufficiently wide and deep, but rendered dangerous by the strong currents which sometimes set to C the Bahama Bank. It was sup. posed that every precaution had been taken for making a safe passage; but at 5 o'clock in the morning of the 29th, the ship went upon a reef of coral rocks which surround a low island, known as Rum Cay. No warning was given of the proximity of this dangerous reef, no surf or even ripple having been visible. The ship appears, indeed, to have been drifted on to the rock by the force of a strong steady current. As the ship had grounded on an even keel, hopes were entertained that she might be got off; but this expectation was soon seen to be vain, by the appearance of water in the hold. There had been little or no wind; but soon after the ship grounded, a stormy wind sprung up which raised a great sea, and made the saving of the ship hopeless. The officers and crew, nevertheless, worked with great energy, and every means of relief which experience could suggest were used. But the action of the waves in lifting the ship made her fate hourly more certain, by grinding her bottom against the rocks. Although a few hours made it certain that the ship would never float again, the vast and wonderful fabric was by no means destroyed; the hull was fast aground, but the sides and decks were unharmed. The officers, therefore, turned their labours to landing on Rum Cay the stores and armament. On the 3rd of January, a ship hove in sight, which proved to be the sloop-of-war Bulldog. This ally gave her assistance to get the Conqueror off the reef; but as this was seen to be impracticable (at least without much more aid), she took 40 guns on board, and sailed for Nassau for further help. On the 10th, the Diadem frigate arrived; but between the 9th and 11th a very heavy sea arose, and it was then found that the Conqueror had bilged, broken her back, and would speedily break-up. Under these circumstances, all the remainder of her guns, stores, and ammunition were landed or got on board the Diadem; and as much of the machinery as was possible was afterwards saved by wreckers. Nothing, in fact, was ultimately lost but the ship herself-she, however, was the pride of the Royal Navy. STORMS AND SHIPWRECKS. During the greater part of this month a series of gales prevailed on various points of our coasts, which, in some cases, rose to the force of great storms, and occasioned fearful wrecks and loss of lives. On the western coast, during a violent gale which blew continuously for the last days of the month, the Angelo, which escaped with much damage, reports that, while passing between the Lands' End and the Bristol Channel in company with five other vessels, they were caught in a hurricane, and four of them went down, one after the other. Although the Angelo was within hearing of the cries of the despairing mariners, it was impossible to render assistance, and every man of the four crews perished. On the 25th inst. a French brig went on the rocks in Freshwater Bay. The Captain sustained himself in the surf by the ingenious contrivance of forming two large "demijohns" (glass bottles) into a lifebuoy, and was dragged ashore alive; one of his seamen was saved, the other five perished with the vessel. A very melancholy shipwreck occurred in Mount's Bay on the 22nd inst. An Italian or Austrian brig, whose name could not be ascertained, was seen on Tuesday to be embayed in this deep and dangerous spot; the next morning it was found that she had gone on a reef on the eastern side of Pelgew Cove. She heeled broadside to the breakers, and drifted up the cove on the flood tide. Standing out from the western headland is a detached rock, which rises abruptly to the height of 40 feet, and against this huge mass the vessel was forced, with her deck lying towards it. Mr. Williams, of Angrouse, the nearest farm, hastened to the spot. Fortunately he found a boat-hook, and by its means saved the life of one man. A party from Gunwalloe now came up, and, having thrown a line to two poor fellows who were on the rock, they beckoned to them to lash themselves together; but only one made fast the line to his body, and before the rope could again be lowered, his comrade was dashed by a heavy wave with such force against the cliff, as must have instantly killed him, and he was washed out and not seen afterwards. Through the gorge between the cliff and the rock the sea was now running with furious velocity, and between the black and rugged sides of this foaming channel, amid broken timber and tangled cordage, two more of the sailors were carried, and eventually saved. The vessel now began to go to pieces, and two large portions of the hull drifted away landward on the top of the tide. Just after she struck, the body of a fine little boy was washed ashore, having a night-dress on, and looking rosy and fresh. The front part of the poop had been washed away, and the infant must have been in a bassinet, which was shortly after picked up, as also a little flock mattress and quilted counterpane, with a small lace-up boot, which had not been worn. Those who found it, say that it seemed as though the poor child had just been awakened from sleep. The captain's wife was probably on board, as a chest of woman's linen was found, and a packet with several unused wedding cards. From the signs made by the rescued sailors, it is thought that 13 persous perished. These gales raged with immense fury in the Irish Channel. Near 600 vessels found shelter in Milford Haven; but three perished at the very entrance of that secure harbour. The sea ran mountains high, and overwhelmed them in a moment-they perished as they stood, with all hands, and only a bucket or two floated on shore to suggest their names. On the 25th a brig was driven waterlogged into Cardigan Bay. Seven of her crew took to the boat, which was speedily capsized, and all perished. The only survivor of the crew was a seaman, who had not courage enough to trust himself to the boat, and stuck to the wreck, whence he was taken by the Cardigan life-boat. On the 23rd the iron screwsteamer Kangaroo foundered at midnight between the Isle of Bardsey and the South Stack. Her crew took to two boats. The smaller, with six men, reached the shore in safety; but 14 persons are thought to have perished, the boat in which they had em barked having been found on the rocks. On the southern coast of Ireland there were many wrecks. On the rocks near Waterford a Bristol ship was lost, and seven persons drowned; near Dunmore a ship went to pieces, and all hands perished; a large vessel was driven on Brownstown Head; a large American ship was driven on shore at the mouth of Waterford harbour. The Crisis, of Liverpool, of 1000 tons, was wrecked upon the Arklow Bank; it is thought that one boat, with the captain, mate, and nine seamen, perished. A schooner was wrecked in Dundrum Bay. A Mr. Redmond and five brave men went out in a private boat to rescue the crew. The boat was capsized, and these six men were buffetted in the waves in danger of perishing where they went to save. Happily, they had brave friends ashore; Mr. Cunningham, the Marquess of Downshire's agent, mustered a crew and went out in a boat, and succeeded in rescuing them all. In the meanwhile the waves were washing away the crew of the schooner; and when the lifeboat arrived, only the captain remained. The gales were very severe on the Scotch coasts. The communication with the Orkney and Western Islands was so interrupted, as to occasion much inconvenience. On the 23rd inst. the Columbus, of Leith, was totally lost on a rock on North Ronaldshay. Of the crew of 13 men and two passengers, all perished but one seaman. FEBRUARY. 10. FATAL ACCIDENT IN THE WATERLOO ROAD.-At about I o'clock a lamentable accident, causing injuries more or less severe to nearly 30 people, of whom one has since died of the injuries he received, occurred in the Waterloo Road. For some days a sheriff's officer had been posted in 10 of the little houses and shops on the left side of the short row of buildings called Wellington Terrace, running from the south side of Waterloo Bridge to Stamford Street. The occupiers were tenants of a kind of middle-man, named Jeffs, a builder in the Cornwall Road; Mr. Jones, living in the vicinity, being the superior landlord. They had, it is said, in every instance paid their rents, due up to last quarter-day, to Jeffs. Jeffs, however, had not paid his rent to his landlord, and the latter put in a distress in every one of the houses held by him, to the great inconvenience and annoyance of the under-tenants. The houses there follow the incline of the roadway leading up from Stamford Street to the bridge, and in front of them there is a space, about 6 feet wide, and in some places 30 or 40 feet deep, covered over with flagstones mostly, with here and there an iron grating to ventilate and light the abyss below. It appears that "the man in possession of the house and shop there of a widow named Clayton, a blind-maker, presuming on her forbearance, had left the place to go to a neighbouring public-house for some refreshment. Her nephew, a young man, occupying apartments in the upper part of the house, taking advantage of the absence of their unwelcome guest, locked the door upon him, and when the man returned, amused himself by laughing and jeering at him from one of the |