454 On Safely -lamps, &c. 



1 had imagined that this lamp would have held precedence of 

 all others, and that there existed no necessity of making a pa- 

 rade about any other, or raising np a rival. I see, liowever, that 

 Dr. Mnrray's safe-lamp forms a promijient article in the last 

 number of Dr. Thomson's Annals of Philosophy ;-^whether the 

 merit of priority rests with Dr. Murray or ivitk me, let the fol- 

 lowing extract from the little volume I published, and quoted by 

 Mr. Hudson, decide : see page 154. 



*' An air-tight lamp being formed — a pipe might supply it 

 from the mine itself, the orifice of the tube receiving the supply 

 from the stratum of air conligvntis to the floor, — the carburetted 

 hydrogen being lighter and ascending would occupy the t/pper 

 part, and thus eould not enter the tube." 



This is conclusive on the subject, — My Elements of Chemical 

 Science was published .June 1815, consequently^c^ months be- 

 fore Dr. Murray's paper on the subject appeared and was read 

 before the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Whatever merit then may 

 attach to priority in suggesting the structure of an air-tight 

 lamp, to be fed by a flexible tube from the floor of the mine, 

 founded on the specific levity of the ascending carburetted hy- 

 drogen, I must eliiim as mi/ nmiisputed right. But really, sir, I 

 5ee no use in multiplying safety- lamps, which cannot in their 

 " best estate" compete for a moment with the one introduced 

 by Sir H. Davy: by this " sublimely simple" invention, these im- 

 perfect projections are happily superseded; and for my owrt part, 

 I should have consigned the suggestion of mv mind to forgetful - 

 ncss, had it not been elicited from me l>v Dr. M.'s persisting in 

 claiming an exclusive title to this structure ; and but for this, mv 

 present statement would have never been. I may again detail 

 to you my plans for getting rid of the fire and choke damps of 

 mines, which has been honoured with two votes of thanks from 

 *' the Society for preventing Accidents in Coal-mines." — That 

 of the fire-damp will refjuire a plate for its better ap])rehcnsion. 



If my fseble iaijours in the cause of huniauitv should be di- 

 rectly or indirectly serviceable, it will delight me to reflect, that 

 at least part of the duties of social and civil life has been ful- 

 filled in uie. 



I am, with much respect, sir, 

 Your very obedient and most humble servant, 

 Suiry Ihstitution, Dec. 12, 1816. J. MURRAV. 



To Mr, Tilloch, 



Sir, — Sir Humphry Davy's claims to a priority of invention 

 in the safety-lamp being established by the unanimous suffrages 



of 



