112 On Coal-Mies. {Ave. 
little or no analogy to corresponding phenomena at the surface,’ 
where the power of restraining the currents of air is not within the 
guidance or governance of human agency. But even though ‘the 
discovery of such means, as shall render innocuous the whole carbu- 
reted hydrogen generated, were to be granted as unattainable, still 
the finding out a substance capable of decomposing such a propor- 
tion of it as shall bring it more within the range of human manage- 
ment, need not on that account be despaired of. “Let, then, some 
suitable encouragement be offered ; such a reward as'shall incite the 
learned in this branch of knowledge, to apply themselves sedu- 
lously to the detection of that which, while it will constitute so in- 
estimable a benefit to the public, may be of signal advantage to the 
discoverer himself. Let the coal proprietors, and all concerned in 
coal-mines, subscribe a sum by way of premium, orbind them- 
selves to pay it at any future period, to the fortunate individual who 
shall discover this great desideratum. In aid of such an‘ object, Tet 
Parliament, on behalf of humanity and of the country, vote-a cer- 
tain sum; suppose 5,000/, 10,000/., or 20,0002:, in the same 
manner as is held out to the person who shall discover the longi- 
tude; a discovery, by the way, perhaps fully as: problématical as 
the one now in contemplation. As connected very intimately with 
the accidents from fire-damp, those from choak-damp, or carbonic 
acid gas, next bespeak our attention.’ This substance, though not 
so ostensibly hostile to life, perhaps in point of fact destroys a far 
greater proportion of the miners than even the fire-damp itself. It 
is the opinion of Mr, Buddle, as we have already seen, that only 
one-fourth of the people below ground at the time the carbureted 
hydrogen ignites, suffer by the immediate effects of the blast. Those 
who survive are afterwards stifled, before the mine can be entered, 
by the inhalation of foul air; and a great part of this foul air eon- 
sists of carbonic acid gas, formed by the chemical effects of the 
explosion. In reality, therefore, the consideration of the subject 
of choak-damp, though not so immediate, is not less important 
than that of fire-damp. It need not, however, be enlarged upon 
in this place, as a similar experimental inquiry to that already sug- 
gested is requisite, and probably would lead to the detection of the 
means of preventing its formation. In truth, as the presence of a 
great part of the carbonic acid gas is a necessary consequence of the 
chemical action produced by the ignition of the carbureted hydrogen, 
the prevention of the one must infallibly obviate the generation of 
the other. ! 
Another fruitful source of fatal disasters in our collieries is water. 
By the last accident from this cause at Heaton Colliery, it is well 
known that no less than 75 men and boys lost their lives. Some of 
these were doubtless immediately drowned by. the rapid-influx of the 
water ; but others were, in all probability, doomed to one of the 
most lingering and horrible deaths of which the mind of man is 
able to form any conception. Entombed alive in the earth, ata 
depth of 500 or GOO feet; shut out from all communication with 
. 
