58 Ohscrvatimis on Wire-gavxe Sqfeii/'lampsfor Miners. 



It is not necessary that I should enlarge upon the national ad' 

 vantages which must necessarily result from an invention calcu- 

 lated to prolong our supply of mineral coal, because I think them 

 obvious to every reflecting mind ; but 1 cannot conclude without 

 expressing my highest sentiments of admiration for those talents 

 which have developed the properties and controlled the power of 

 one of the most dangerous elements which human enterprise has 

 hitherto had to encounter. 



I have the honour to be, &;c. &c. 

 To Sir H. Davy. John Buddle. 



Extract of a Letter from Mr. Peile to Sir H. Davy. 



Colliery Ofiice, Whitehaven, Gth July, 1816. 



I TAKE the liberty of adding a further statement on your invalu- 

 able safe-lamps, in the Whitehaven collieries belonging to the 

 earl of Lonsdale, since the first application of them in February 

 last. 



With us, the general use of the lamps in consequence of the 

 good state of our ventilation is confined to leading workings, or 

 trial drifts ; and in two of these, lately going on in one of the 

 pits unusually infected with fire-damp, and which previously were 

 lighted by means of steel-mills, we applied the lamps with great 

 confidence and security. 



In May last in these drifts an extraordinary discharge of fire- 

 damp burst from the pavement of the mine, and the ventilation 

 being at that time unavoidably obstructed, the atmosphere be- 

 came so cliarged with fire-damp as to be nearly throughout an 

 explosive mixture. In this situation we derived the unspeakable 

 benefit of light from the lamps, and, notwithstanding the explo- 

 sive state of the mixture, with the most perfect safety. 



In several other places in the collieries the lamps are used with 

 the same confidence : yet the discharge of fire-damp being mo- 

 derate, they are not much exposed to explosive mixtures. 



In all tlie workings showing the least appearance of fire-damp, 

 the niiners are supplied with lamps, and are particularly cau- 

 tioned to use them on first entering when beginning to work, 

 where, being satisfied of security, they occasionally resort to can- 

 dles afterwards. This application of the lamp,alone, is of the 

 greatest utility, and prevents many slight explosions, and the 

 miners from being burned ; besides superseding the necessity of 

 depending on the judgement or discrimination of any individual 

 to prove the existence of the fire-damp, as in the old method, by 

 the candle flame. 



From the repeated proofs made with the lamps, we cannot too 

 strongly express our confidence in their security. 



By experiment^ a pint of oil, value six-pence, will about sup- 

 ply 



