440 The OLjeclions to sinking more Pits, obviated. 



had occasion, to notice and investigate similar defects in the 

 Colliery management of places, very distant from these districts, 

 and where the lives of the Men have been dreadfully endangered, 

 by long-extended inclined planes of works and hollows, rising up 

 into Grounds, wherein no pits were sunk (even where vast re- 

 servoirs of water in old works were actually underviined), and in 

 which cases, it is next to impossible to preserve from accidents, 

 the artificial current of air, whicli must be so many times carried 

 vp the slope a?id down it again, for airing all the diiferont parts 

 of the works, so that finally this heated and lighter part of the air, 

 shall descend to the lowest part of the work, in order to enter 

 the bottom of the deep up-cast Pit, to make its escape: nor is it 

 possible to prevent the Men being sometimes shut into the upper 

 works, for a time in hourly dread of being drowned, and after- 

 M'ards of being suffocated or starved to death !. 



The objections or didiculties that I have heard stated or seen 

 with regard to sinking more Pits, have been of three kinds: 1st, 

 the expense of such extra pits; 2d, the danger of letting down 

 water i'rom the upjjer strata or Measures by each of such Pits ; 

 and 3d, the Occupiers of the Land, either on the score of profit 

 or pleasure, objecting to the breaking of the sitrjace. 



I propose to say something on each of these heads : and. 



First, as to the expense of sinking Pits, it is usual in most 

 districts to sink two Pits in the "deep of the intended works, the 

 Engine-pit and its Bye or Draiuing-pit ; and by help of them 

 to drive two parallel Gates up the slope to the extent of the pro- 

 posed works, and there to sink an up-cast or air-pit, which al- 

 ways remaining open (except in extreme cases of deficient draft) 

 and being sometimes furnished with ladders, provides the sure or 

 ready means of escape, in ca^e of such a catastrophe as has be- 

 fallen several Collieries v.-ithin my knowledge, besides the recent 

 and more severe one at Heaton. 



In such very deep works as those near Shields, it certainly 

 is of the utmost importance to the profitableness of the concern, 

 to save the very serious expense of sinking a Pit, whenever it 

 can with safety be omitted, and the making of one Wit serve in the 

 deep, when divided by Boarding, for the preliminary operations 

 of runniug out the Level-Gates and the Rise- Gales to the Air- 

 Pit, to be sunk at the top of the works (unless the old Engine or 

 drawing Pit there, can be had for such purpose), and afterwards to 

 serve for the descent of air and for the Pumping and Drawing of 

 Coah, seems allowable : — if I should be told, that the profits of 

 these very deep Collieries, would not pay for such extra Pits, I 

 should answer, that this can only have arisen, from one or more 

 of four things; viz. 1st, these Pits had been opened before their 



proper 



