SG On the Geology of Northumberland and Durham, 



deep western declivities of the mountain limestone. We cross 

 it in proceeding to Penrith, a few miles beyond which we meet 

 with the mountains of slate, porjjhyry, gray wacke, hornstone, 

 &c. marked E, that surround Ullswater and Keswick, The 

 highest of these mountains, Sea-fell, is 3166 feet above the level 

 of the sea. The summit is hornstone schistus. . Further west 

 we meet with siliceous sandstone maiked F ; and lastly, the Cum- 

 berland coal strata bordering the Irisii channel G. 



The limits of the present letter will not allow me to enter in- 

 to the subject of the explosions in coal mines : but 1 think it 

 proper to add, that I perfectly agree with what Dr. Thomson 

 has said respecting the management of these mines, and the too 

 great apathy shown by many of the jn-oprietors to the waste of 

 human life which annually takes place. I was informed that in 

 two years six hundred persons were destroyed in the different 

 coal mines of Tyne and Wear. By one explosion ninety-two 

 persons were killed in the mines of Mr. Brandling in 1812; and 

 the very week before the first meeting of the Society for preventing 

 Accidents in Mines, twenty-three men and boys lost their lives 

 in a pit belonging to Sir Ralph Milbank. At the request of the 

 latter, and of the Rev. Dr. Grey of Sunderland, I attended that 

 meeting. But I saw with regret, that the good intentions and 

 exertions of the gentlemen most active in its establishment were 

 viewed with jealousy by some of the coal agents and proprietors, 

 as interfering with the rights of private property and tending 

 to alarm the workmen. By the request of one proprietor the 

 number of lives destroyed was erased from the resolutions, for 

 fear of giving offence. 1 took the liberty of observing " that if 

 all had Ijeen done which circumstances permitted, to prevent 

 these fatal accidents, no one could be offended by a plain state- 

 men;; of facts : and in order to meet the difficulty fairly, and in- 

 terest the public in promoting the object of the Society, it was 

 necessary that the nature and extent of the evil should be fully 

 made known." To render the mines seciue would be attended 

 with additional expense and lal)our ; but the evil is of such mag- 

 nitude, that, if a retnedy be not applied, it will claim the serious 

 attention of the Legislature. 



I am, sir, 



Yours, &c, 



13, Tavjatock-^trctt, Bedford-square, RoBJERT BaKEWELL. 



J;i;i. ,V, 1815. 



xvni. Oh- 



