Mr Bald on the Fires that take place in Collieries. 113 



formed, as to the cause of the fire. But, after many minute in- 

 vestigations, particularly by examining those who last wrought 

 in this district of the colliery, we found, that the fire had com- 

 menced not less than ten years ago ; — a circumstance peculiarly 

 singular, and which shews how very slowly this state of incan- 

 descence may go on without being discovered. Fig. 2. Plate II. 

 represents the situation of the mines where the fire is. Although 

 it was observed by some of the miners, that the snow, during 

 last winter, soon melted at this place, they never once suspected 

 that fire was the cause. 



In the roof of this nine feet coal is a very valuable argillaceous 

 ironstone, wrought by the Devon Iron Company, for their fur- 

 naces. For the working of this ironstone, they sunk a pit of 

 about three fathoms deep, at the point a, Fig. % Plate II ; 

 and, in the course of working, they laid an accumulation of mine 

 rubbish, as represented at b, by the side of the pit, and over the 

 crop of the coal. This mine-rubbish took fire, from the small 

 fires kindled by the miners upon it, and burned for some months, 

 as is commonly the case with such heaps, without the least dan- 

 ger being apprehended from it ; but it is certain that this was 

 the cause of the present very alarming fire, which is now of con- 

 siderable extent, and, if not extinguished, may extend over a 

 mile of excavated coal ; and not only so, but by making the 

 rocks red-hot, may extend to the upper beds of coal, and occa- 

 sion an excessive loss to the district. There is also a risk of it 

 burning the coal-pillars in the middle of the pit d, and rendering 

 the machinery erected upon it useless for draining the five feet 

 coal-seam, which is situated thirty-nine fathoms under the said 

 nine- feet coal. 



This very hazardous situation of matters required instant and 

 very decided action for extinguishing the fire ; and, after all cir- 

 cumstances were weighed, it was found that water could not be 

 applied, nor could it be effected by drowning, as the water would 

 never reach this part of the colliery, even although the engines 

 for draining the water were stopped. It was therefore resolved 

 to run a mine all around the burning mass, to insulate it from 

 the other parts of the colliery, and to allow the fire to exhaust 

 itself within these limits. This operation is now in progress, 

 and is represented by a plan of the colliery, Fig. 3. Plate II. 



APRIL JUNE 1828. H 



