92 Observations on the Advantages arising from 



pure atmosphere, that he would do in any other situation with 

 a canrile. 



There has been much quibbling about the perfect safety of the 

 wire-gauze lamp. I scarcely know how the words perfect safety 

 can apply to any invention for the preservation ol human life ; 

 but when we have seen some hundreds of the wire-gauze lamps 

 in daily use for several months past, in all varieties of esj)losive 

 mixture, in the most dangerous mines of this country, without 

 the slightest accident occurring, it seems only reasonable to in- 

 i'or, that ihey aj)proximate as nearly to perfect safety as any thing 

 of human contrivance or manufacture can be expected to do. 



It would, however, be quite unreasonable to expect that acci- 

 dents are never to happen, where the wire-gauze lamps are used; 

 for it must always be remembered, that, setting aside the chance 

 of their being damaged by some of the casualties incidental to 

 coal mining, they are to be intrusted to the management of a 

 body of men amongst whom negligent individuals will be found, 

 who may use damaged lamps, or expose the naked flame to the 

 fire-damp, in spite of the utmost vigilance of the overmen and 

 inspectors of the mines. Instances of great negligence have oc- 

 x;urred, fortunately without any ill consequences — always with the 

 dismissal of the offender from his employment ; but it would be 

 absurd to condemn the lamp, or even to quibble upon its want of 

 safety, on this account. 



Independent of the principle of safety from explosion, which 

 the wire-gauze afi'ords, I do not hesitate to assert its superiority 

 over every other medium which has yet been contrived for emit- 

 ting light in safety-lamps, inasmuch as its flexibility enabies it to 

 sustain very great violence. This I say of the common gauze, 

 which has hitherto been used. Tire twilled gauze, which Sir H. 

 has lately adopted, is of such strength as in a great measure to 

 obviate every objection on tiie score of weakness, or liability to 

 be damaged. It is a substance which unites the great advan- 

 tages of durability, and transmitting sufficient light. Of the 

 wire-gauze lamp, therefore, whether v.ith plain or twilled 

 gauze, my decided opinion is, that it so greatly excels all other 

 lamps which I have hitherto seen, with respect to safety, con- 

 venience, and light, that I should not think myself justified 

 in using any of them while I possess the highly superior advan- 

 tages of it. 1 do not wish to speak invidiously of the labours of 

 other men, but would have it understood, that I have been in- 

 fluenced in my conduct in this aifair by rational and disinterested 

 motives ; and (when the responsibility I am under is duly con- 

 sidered) no one can certainly disbelieve me when 1 say, by con- 

 scientious and moral considerations. 



Both safety apertures and tubes occurred to Sir H, Davy, in 



