Oil the Venlihdion of Coal- Mines. 83 



more than a temporary relief*. Tlie disease is too powerfully 

 malignant to be cured by quackery. Ptemove the cause, and 

 you at once defeat explosion : jierfect ventilation will remove 

 the cause, and perfect ventilation can be obtained by way- 

 going work: but never by pillar work. All persons con- 

 versant with the subject of working coal, well know that ex- 

 plosion is the effect of the accumulation oi'Jbid air,- and that 

 these accumulations arise irom the very im}ierfect state of 

 ventilation which pillar work is capable of admitting, — imper- 

 fect indeed, for, inde]iendently of the numerous mechanical ob- 

 structions it has to encounter, '■'- a space of five hundred yards 

 squay-e having the current of air passing up and doiim its work- 

 ings would recpiire the ventilating medi^im to traverse eighteen 

 jniles. The different methods hitherto used of propelling the 

 air through a mine appear to have been miserably defective'^ 

 Notwithstanding this strong evidence, a noted viewer " con- 

 siders the system as beyond, impivveineiit." That it is capable 

 of improvement is evident from the statement I forwarded to 



* We are al\vays willing to admit correction or reproof, wlien our cor- 

 respondents show that we deserve it ; but we think our Friend to the Pit- 

 men is ratlier hasty with us. There is nothing in our note by which he ought 

 to infer that Mr. Rule called the change of direction of currents in shaft 

 an inexplicable p/ia-nomeiion, or that he did more than describe a fact about 

 which he says nothing as to difficulty of finding a cause— indeed he states it 

 quite as clearly as our Friend does. 



As to o;;r ()|)inion respecting ventilation, we beg leave to retain it until 

 proof comes to the contrary; and our Correspondent will recollect that 

 the assertion merely of an advocate for a particular system is not usually 

 esteemed decisive evidence. 



In applying our observation it will also appear, doubtless, upon a little 

 consideration, that we meant it for collieries as they usually are, and not fur 

 ail possible modes in which they may or might be v,'orked. Now, the com- 

 munication states expressly that in all England, only between 20 and 30 col- 

 lieries are worked upon the way-going plan, and these may therefore fairly 

 be considered as at present unconnnon. 



If the advantages of this mode are as great as our Correspondent seems 

 to think, and upon which, at present, we do not mean to venture an opi- 

 nion, it is certainly much to be desired that it should l)e fidly understood 

 and discussed ; and we should be glad to see that it attracts the notice of 

 competent persons. 



We are not disj.')i;ed to criticize strictly the comnnmications sent to us; 

 but we 'hoidd be glad if, in papers of this sort, the writers would recollect 

 that technical words used only in particular districts do not correctly ex- 

 plain matters to those who are unaci|uainte(i with them, and that provincial 

 weights or measures should be accompanied by their e<|uivalents more ge- 

 nerally known. 'I'lie pajjcr above may require some translation in this way 

 for our coal friends in the south ; ami we caTuiot entirely ivssent to all the 

 statements it onfains. — We think that pillar work is not so absolutely in- 

 capable of ventilation as om- friend asbcrts ; but we pnl)lisli his letter as we 

 receive it, anfl take all his expressions in good part, as they imply nt any 

 rate "real zeal for what he supposes to be very im|i<irtant. 



J. T. 

 Vol. (il. N'o. 2'.n. .Jan. 1F!'J.'5. E you; 



