590 THE EDINBURGH GAZETTE, AUGUST 10, 1877.

FOREIGN OFFICE, August 4, 1S77. CHARLES BAYNHAM, Collier, Brithwynydd Colliery, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Joao Pinnock as Consul at Sierra Leone for RICHARD HOPKINS, Collier, Ynishir Colliery, His Majesty the King of Portugal and the Rhondda Valley, South Wales. Algarves. RICHARD HOWELLS, Overman, Tynewydd Colliery, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. CHARLES OATRIDGE, Collier, Tynewydd Colliery, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. WHITEHALL, August G, 1877. JOHN WILLIAMS, Collier, Pontypridd Colliery, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. The Queen has been graciously pleased to con- fer the ' Albert Medal of the First Class' on— ROBEHT WILLIAMS, Collier, Dinas Isaf Colliery, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. DANIEL THOMAS, Colliery Proprietor, Brith- EDWARD DAVID, Collier, Havod Colliery, wynydd, Rhondda Valley, South "Wales; Rhoudda Valley, South Wales. WILLIAM BEITH, Mechanical Engineer, of WILLIAM MORGAN, Collier, Havod Colliery, Harris's Navigation Colliery, Quakers' Yard, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. South Wales; DAVID REES, Fireman, Tynewydd Colliery, ISAAC PRIDE, Collier, Llwyncelyn Colliery, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. Rhondda Valley, South Wales ; REES THOMAS, Collier, Tynewydd Colliery, JOHN WILLIAM HOVTELL, Collier, Yuishir Rhondda Valley, South Wales. Colliery, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. The following is an account of the services in The following is an account of the services in respect of which the decoration has been con- respect of which the decoration has been con- ferred :— ferred :— On the llth of April, the Tynewydd Colliery, On the llth of April, the Tynewydd Colliery, situate near Porth, in the Rhoudda Valley, South situate near Porth, in the Rhouclda Valley, South Wales, was inundated with water from the old Wales, was inuudated with water from the old workings of the adjoining Cymmer Colliery. At workings of the adjoining Cymmer Colliery. At the time of the inundation there were fourteen the time of the inundation there were fourteen men in the pit, of whom four were unfortunately men in the pit, of whom four were unfortunately drowned, and one killed by compressed air, leaving drowned, and one killed by compressed air, leaving nine men imprisoned by the water; of this number nine men imprisoned by the water; of this number four were released after eighteen hours' imprison- four were released after eighteen hours' imprison- ment, and five after nine days' imprisonment. It ment, and five after nine days' imprii>onfflent. It was in effecting the release of these latter five that \vas in effecting the release of these latter five that those distinguised services were rendered which those distinguished services were rendered which the conferring of the ' Albert Medal of the Second the conferring of the ' Albert Medal of the First Class' is intended to recognise. Class' is intended to recognise. During the five days from April the 16th to The rescuing operations consisted in driving April the 20th, the above-named eleven men were through the barrier of coal thirty-eight yards in at various times engaged in cutting through the length, which intervened between the imprisoned barrier of coal separating them from the five im- men and the rescuers, and kept back a large prisoned men, and while exposing their own lives quantity of water and compressed air. This task to the great danger which would have resulted was commenced on Monday, April the 16th, and from an outburst of compressed air and water, and was carried on until Thursday, April the 19tb, to the danger which actually existed from the without any great amount of danger being incurred presence of large quantities of inflammable gas, by the rescuers; but about one o'clock P.M. on that continued to perform their work until the five day, when only a few yards of barrier remained, men were safely rescued. the danger from an irruption of water, gas, and compressed air was so great as to cause the colliers to falter. It was at this juncture that the above-mentioned four men volunteered to resume the rescuing operations, the danger of which had WHITEHALL, August 6, 1877. been greatly increased by an outburst of inflamm- able gas under great pressure, and in such quantities The Queen has been graciously pleased to con- as to extinguish the Davy lamps which were being fer the ' Albert Medal of the Second Class' on— used. The danger from gas continued at intervals DAVID DAVIES, Colliery Owner, Penrhiwfer, until half-past three on the following morning, and Rhondda Valley, South Wales. from that time the above four men, at great peril to their own lives, continued the rescuing operations THOMAS JONES, Colliery Owner, Ynishir, until three o'clock P.M., when the five imprisoned Rhondda Valley, South Wales. men were safely released. EDMUND THOMAS, Colliery Owner, Llwyncelyn, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. JAMES THOMAS, Colliery Owner and Manager, Tynewydd, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. THOMAS THOMAS, Colliery Manager, Ynishir, WHITEHALL, August 6, 1877. Rhondda Valley, South Wales. The Queen has been graciously pleased to con- THOMAS GETRYCH DAVIES, Colliery Manager, fer the ' Albert Medal of the Second Class' on— Tylacoch, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. GEORGE ABLETT, Collier, Tynewydd Colliery, DAVID EVANS, Colliery Manager, Ferndale, Rhondda Valley, South Wales. Rhondda Valley, South Wales.