LANCASHIRE, CHESHIRE, AND NORTH WALES. 77 



whole of the collieries of Great Britain, as ascertained for 

 1851 and 1852, averaged 985 per annum. The total output 

 of coals is not correctly known, but it may be stated at not 

 less than 54,000,000 tons; the average loss of life, therefore, 

 at this estimate, for the whole of Great Britain, is 1 life for 

 54,822 tons of coal. In previous years the mortality was 

 probably greater, many improvements as to the health and 

 safety of the miner having been introduced into collieries by 

 the passing of the act for the inspection of coal mines in 

 1850. Our leading collieries, so far as I can judge, are at 

 present in advance of continental coal mines. A large 

 proportion, however, have many evident defects which admit 

 of being removed ; and doubtless some proportion of the 

 appalling list of casualties may be classed as preventible 

 accidents, which it is to be hoped may shortly be dealt 

 with accordingly. 



Funds for relief in sickness are seldom carried on in con- 

 nexion with the collieries of this district; the workmen ap- 

 parently preferring the entire management of such affairs in 

 their own hands. Benefit societies amongst the workmen are 

 numerous; and most workmen belong to one or more of them. 

 In cases where sick funds exist in connexion with the colliery, 

 and joining is optional, few of the men are said to join. In 

 one case an old-established fund was brought to a forced con- 

 clusion by a strike in 1845, the weekly stoppage for the fund 

 being objected to as a violation of the " Truck Act." 



Funds for relief in case of accident are more numerous; 

 and at most collieries medical attendance on accidents is pro- 

 vided either gratuitously by the colliery owner, or by a small 

 weekly stoppage from the workman's wages. Medical attend- 

 ance in ordinary sickness is provided by the colliers themselves 

 or in connexion with their benefit societies. 



Considering the numbers engaged in the coal trade of this 

 district, the education of the collier's children deserves special 

 attention. Colliers, as a body, are perhaps less alive than 



