still more so the colliery explosion at Edmund’s Main, near Barnsley, on the 8th of December, when 60 miners lost their lives. It was thus a year of fearful colliery accidents, and one that too truly realised, both the prediction in Raphael’s Prophetic Messenger, and the hieroglyphic in Orion’s British Almanack. One of the most prominent features of the latter was the representation of a coal-pit accident and a number of dead bodies drawn up from the same. Reflecting upon the first of these dire calamities, the St. Leonards Gazette, of February 8th had the following article under the headin(sic) of
“The Nation’s Woe and the Nation’s Benevolence.”
Saddened by the reflection of the great calamity that had befallen the nation in the loss of the beloved Prince Consort, we ventured on some gloomy forebodings that England was destined to witness the present year dawning upon her in mood and manner the reverse of happy. It was no mere sentiment that we sought at that time to give expression to, but a deep-rooted feeling that England would be smitten still more with the rod of affliction. And with that feeling was associated the belief that, if called upon to exercise its benevolence, the nation at large, and our own locality in particular, would not be lacking therein; that even in the depth of our sorrow the flood-gates of charity would remain open, and that the fountain of sympathy with distressed humanity would flow as freely as ever. Recent events prove that our surmises were correct in all respects; for, no sooner was it known that the country’s help was needed for the bereaved and distressed survivors at Hartley than, with praiseworthy alacrity that help was forthcoming. We alluded, last week, to the part which Hastings and St. Leonards took in the matter, and to the fact that the prompt and united energies of a few benevolent persons had resulted in a collection of £440 [afterwards augmented to £461]. The person thus acting as as collectors did so in a sort of private capacity, but as will be seen by the proceeding of the Town Council at their last meeting, the plan was not only sanctioned by the Mayor and his colleagues, but that a need of praise was also accorded the collectors for their energetic action. How different was the conduct of the Mayor of Yarmouth, who, as our readers are aware, refused to assist in the raising of a national fund for the bereaved families at Hartley, upon the ground that such funds were misapplied, the recipients of the relief enriched, and the wealthy owners of the coal mines saved from an expense which they alone ought to bear when such calamities occurred. Happily for the sufferers and for the honour of England such sordid and contemptible sentiments are rarely met with, and when they are, their effect is comparitively(sic) harmless. At any rate they have proved so in this instance, for it appears from careful estimates made by competent persons that nearly £50,000 will be raised for the sufferers by the terrible -
