1938-05-11 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 11, 1938.

Page

SEVENTY DEAD IN MARKHAM COLLIERY EXPLOSION

Disaster Occurs One Mile From Shaft

Doctors Work Heroically Below Ground

London, To-day.

According to latest information concerning the ex- plosions in Markham Colliery, at Duckmanton, Derbyshire, over 70 lost their lives.

It is learned that 175 men were working on the night shift when the explosion occurred. Forty

GERMAN-

ADVISERS

CANARD

Hankow, To-day.

The report that the German mi- litary advisers to the Chinese Government would shortly be re- called, is flatly denied in German circles, who have not received such information and are working as usual.-Reuter.

miners escaped with slight injuries, and 46 M. MAISKY

were admitted to hospital.

con-

Rescue teams of 100 men, strip a means of giving the public ped to the waist, risked their livesfidence that all the facts in con- in attempting to reach those trapnection, with the explosion would be ped below.

available for more active steps to As the rescuers came to the surtry and find a way of preventing face with blackened faces, others these explosions in coal mines. were ready to take their places carrying tubes of oxygen.

One of the first men rescued im- mediately volunteered to join

the rescue party.

HEROIC DOCTORS Doctors worked heroically under ground, and one, overcome by gas, was taken to hospital.

The explosion, which caused heavy falls of roof, took place mile from the bottom of the shaft. --Reuter.

COMMONS STATEMENT

London, To-day. Yesterday's colliery disaster, when an explosion of great force was followed by another two hours later, resulted in a death role of 72

worst in Britain since 1934.

Capt. Crookshank took note of the suggestion.

VICTIMS MULTILATED

Rescue parties from surrounding collieries were quickly on the scene and the work of recovery still goes

on.

LEAVING FOR RUSSIA

London, To-day.

The Soviet Ambassador, M. Ivan Maisky, will leave England for the Soviet Union at the end of this week to spend his vacation in the Caucasus.

The announcement of M. Maisky's impending departure has given. rise

KING CAROL SHOT “SCARE”. EXPLAINED

Bucharest, To-day.

A shot was fired near King Carol while he was attending an Indepen- dence Day demonstration yesterday.

Rumours of an attempt on the King's life spread as a conse- quence, but the official version of the incident is that a man in the crowd accidentally shot himself.

The King had just held a big military review and had dis- mounted from his horse and was preparing to enter his motorcar when a shot was heard.

HAND ON TRIGGER It is learned that a guard, a Secret Service man in plain clothes, had a revolver in his poc- ket with his finger on the trigger. A high police officer who was making way for the King's the guard, not knowing he was a horse to be led away, pushed back Secret Service man, and the re-

Identification has been made very difficult by the severe and extensive mutilation of the victims, caused by to various rumours and specula- volver went off, wounding the the great force of the explosion. tions. M. Maisky has not been in guard in the leg.-Reuter. British Wireless.

FEVERISH EFFORTS

London, To-day.

It is officially announced that the toll of dead in the great mining disaster at Markham, in Derbyshire, has now reached 72. This does not include those miners who are en-

and about 40 injured and was the tombed in the collapsed shaft and who are believed to have all perish- ed.

Among the injured is a miner who was the second man to reach

Meanwhile the rescue work is be- the pit top uninjured after the ex-ing continued without interruption plosion and who immediately, volun- and_with_feverish_haste.__

teered to go down with the first re-

So far the rescuers have failed, to

in

scue party and was subsequently reach the shaft containing the en- badly gassed.

tombed miners. One group of re- A statement on the disaster was scuers succeeded about midday in made in the Commons yesterday getting into telephonic communica- afternoon by the Secretary for tion with the fatal shaft but Mines, who said the explosion occur- early afternoon no further response red in the vicinity of a coal face was received so that the last hope shortly before 6 o'clock, when the of saving the trapped miners has night shift was leaving the mine.

been abandoned.-Trans-Ocean. Its force extended a long distance

SEVENTY-SEVEN DEAD along the main road.

London, Later.

ዓ

INQUIRY TO BE HELD

The toll of dead in the Derby- Captain. Crookshank informed the shire disaster has now reached 77. House that inspectors at the mine According to the latest reports, the would be joined by the Chief In-rescue brigade has been able to re- spector in the afternoon, and by a scue only a few of 50 miners en- medical inspector as soon as possible. tombed in the fatal shaft.-Trans-

"Investigation into the cause of Ocean.

the disaster is to proceed with all speed. The House will join with me in expressing our deep sympathy with the families and friends of those who have so tragically lost their lives."

Li

BRAZILIAN DEBTS

London, To-day.

The miners' representative, Mr. J. Batey, Labour Member for: Spennymoor, in associating the The Chancellor of the Exchequer Opposition with the Minister's assured the Commons in an answer words of sympathy to the bereaved, to a question that the Government made the suggestion that when the attached the greatest importance to public enquiry took place, some in-resumption of payments on Brazi- dependent person should be invited lian external debts in the curren- to preside..

cies provided for in the loan con- tracts.

PUBLIC CONFIDENCE The usual practice is for a Goy- Sir John Simon said the Govern- ernment Inspector to preside at ment had given, and would; con such enquiries, and Mr. Batey said tinue to give the fullest support to he wished to make no reflection on the the council of foreign bond-holders latter but made the suggestion as in the matter.-British Wireless,

the Soviet Union since 1986. It

is asserted that he deliberately that Government of the Britis). postponed his vacation till the per-step in Prague. secution campaign had abated.

MEDITERRANEAN ISSUE

It is also believed that M. Mais- The Mediterranean situation ky's journey is directly connected such as it presents itself after the with the recent developments of the signature of the Anglo-Italian international situation. It is re- agreement and after opening the garded as probable that he will dis-Franco-Italian parleys will pro- the bably be another subject that will cuss the Czech question with a Soviet Government since the Bri-be discussed by M. Maisky and the tish Government formally notified Soviet Government.--Trans-Ocean.

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