8 REPORT ON THE RELATION BETWEEN 



Explosions in March 1852. 



Mar. 22, Albion Colliery. 

 „ 23, Bavlevfield Colliery. 



Mar. 13, Blackleyhurst Colliery. 

 „ 15, Coate's'Park, Alfretou. 

 „ 18, Ince Hall Colliery, Wigan. 



During the whole of February, with one exception, the barometer ranges 

 hif^h. It is also unusually high in the first week of March. The fall of 

 ab'out half an inch before the 11th, together with the contemporaneous rise 

 of the nocturnal temperature, may have liberated a sufficient quantity of the 

 accumulated gas to produce the explosions of the 13th, 15th, and 18th. 

 The predominant agent, however, is unmistakeable on the 22nd and 23rd. 

 A letter in the 'Times' of the 24th, signed P. P. B. M. (Byam Martin?), 

 Dorchester, describes the approach to Britain on those days of a cyclone, 

 which veered from S.W. to N.E. Its arrival caused an extreme increase of 

 temperature over the whole island. The Manchester curves rise to 45° at 

 night, and 62° in the day, on the 22nd ; and at Perth the thermometer was 

 61° on the 23rd. At Nottingham, the maxima readings are 61°'5 on the 

 21st, 71°-5 on the 22nd, 70° on the 23rd, and 49°-5 on the 24th. The tem- 

 perature was therefore 10°, or an inch of vertical space, higher than shown 

 by the Manchester curve on the 22nd. The wind on the 22nd and 23rd was 

 S.W., and then veered to N.E. This is a striking instance of the effect of 

 a cyclone in impeding the ventilation of mines by augmenting the external 

 temperature. 



Explosions in April 1852. 



April 16, Ince Hall Colliery, Wigan. 



„ 23, Norleyhall Colliery, \Vigan. 



„ 28, Dukinfield Colliery, Cheshire. 



April 3, Smithfold Colliery. 

 „ 11, Yewtree Colliery. 

 „ 13, Hulton CoUiery. 



Barometric agency is manifested in the explosions of the 3rd and 28th of 

 April. In the other cases, the thermal lines show the predisposing cause. 

 A hard gale blew from S.E. and E. on the 22nd and 23rd, and from W.S.W. 

 on the 28th, shifting to E.N.E. on the 29th. 



May 6, Hebburn (twenty-two killed). 

 „ 10, Aberdare (sixty-five killed). 

 „ 11, Hyde and Gerard's Bridge Colliery. 



Explosions in May 1852. 



May 20, Preston (thirty-four killed). 

 „ 28, Preston (four burnt). 

 „ 28, Birket Park Colliery. 

 „ 29, Broad Oak Colliery. 



The West Indian steamship 'Medway' arrived at Southampton on the 8th 

 of May, having been overtaken by strong easterly gales (the northern margin 

 of a West Indian cyclone) on the 3rd and 4th. The barometric curve shows 

 this cyclone to have passed over England between the 6th and 22nd of May. 

 The curve shows also the consequent rise of temperature at Manchester. At 

 Nottingham this rise was equally remarkable, the maximum readings there 

 having been 55° on the 5th, 65°'6 on the 6th, and 74° on the 7th of May. 

 On the 9th, 10th, and 11th there was very stormy weather at sea from the 

 S.W., shifting to N.W. on the 14th. 



Another cyclone reached Europe at the end of May, which seems to have 

 been more felt on the continent than in England. There were violent storms 

 of hail, lightning, &c. on the 29th at Amsterdam, Caen, Leipsic, &c., and 

 great loss from the ensuing inundations at Cette, &c. in the South of France. 



Explosions in June 1852. 



June 14, Bilston Collier> yfive killed, seven- 1 June 28, Sankey Brook Colliery, 

 teen burnt )> | 



