2 The late Dr. Turner's Chemical Examination of the 



that the gases within the mine v.ere in a more rare state than 

 in mv laboratorj'. 



As one of the principal objects of the inquiry was to deter- 

 mine in how far the gas of different mines varied in chemical 

 constitution, it was material to multiply as much as possible 

 the samples of gas submitted to examination. The number of 

 samples actually received and examined by me amounted to 

 twelve. The result of this analysis will be given in a tabular 

 form at the close of this communication. The general con- 

 clusion dcducible from them is, that the essential and sole in- 

 flammable material of fire-damp, as formerly found by Dr. 

 Henry and Sir Humphry Davy, is the light carburetted hy- 



cate with tlie committee of the coal trade to ask their valuable co-opera- 

 tion and assistance ; for this purpose he addressed the following letter to 

 Robert William Brandling, Esq., the chairman. 

 Copy. 



"Newcastle, January 9th, 18.3G. 



«« Sir,— I beg leave respectfully to state, that at the last meeting of the 

 Natural History Society, after the reading of a pajier on the gas of mines, 

 it was resolved that the Society should do all in its power to promote an 

 investigation into the nature of the gas evolved in our different collieries, 

 for the° purpose of ascertaining if any other, and what gas, occurs besides 

 the common carburetted hydrogen, it having been stated in evidence be- 

 fore the late Parliamentary Committee, that free hydrogen and olefiant 

 gas are both to be found in the mines of Wales. I was directed by the 

 Society to bring the matter before the Committee of the Coal Trade, and 

 request their valuable co-operation and assistance in obtaining an exten- 

 sive analysis by one of the first chemists of the day, so as at once to set 

 at rest the question as to the nature of coal gas spontaneously evolved 

 in this district. Dr. Turner was named as the person best fitted for the 

 task, not only from his great skill as an analyst, but from his extensive 

 knowledge as a geologist, and the attention he has paid to the chemistry 

 of nature, so to speak. 



"Tills investigation will not be an expensive one, and it was thought, 

 from the deep importance of the question as connected with the safety- 

 lamp, that the Coal Trade would have no objections to join the Society 

 in the cost. The Society are anxious that this investigation should be 

 made speedily, as they are about going to press with a conclusion of the 

 second volume of their Transactions, where they would wish this to ap- 

 pear as forming an appropriate Appendix to the many valuable papers in 

 the work connected wich our local geology and mining. If the Com- 

 mittee of the Coal Trade agree to give their assistance in this matter, the 

 Society will furnish them with any number of copies of the results of the 

 investigation they may require ; and, individually, I most respectfully beg 

 to offer my personal services in collecting the specimens of gas, and ma- 

 king such arrangements as will secure their conveyance to London un- 

 adulterated. " I have the honour to be, &c. &c. 



" WiLLiAiM HuTTON, Secretary. 



" To Robert William Brandling, Esq." 



The Coal Trade Committee immediately adopted the suggestion, and 

 appointed John Buddie, George Johnson, and Nicholas Wood,Esqrs., to 

 make the necessary arrangements for collecting the specimens of gas. 



