434 Effects of Explosion in Coal Mines. [June, 



without a moment's warning produces effects to which the wretched 

 remnants of the inhabitants of the village of Felling can but too 

 well bear testimony. That it is impossible to prevent such 

 occurrences, even by the most vigilant attention and the adoption 

 of the very best plans for ventilatioq, this pit w^uld aj)pear to be a 

 sufficient proof, as in these respects it ranks in character with the 

 best. Ought not then the removal of this small coal to become an 

 object of immediate attention ? It might indeed be worthy of ob- 

 servation, whether the bottom of the scum (the part that is left in 

 the pit) contains a greater or less proportion of this combustion, so 

 harmless in its simple state, but so capable of being converted in 

 the laboratory oven of nature into a state so pregnant with destruc- 

 tion. The coal owners say they cannot afford it. If this be the 

 case, may not means be adopted without oppression, to compel the 

 men to bear a part or all the expense attending it ? The depth they 

 are allowed to work into small coal is about nine inches, tliis in an 

 average seam in the neighbourhood of Newcastle, say five feet, 

 would require nearly one hour in seven to bring the small coal out 

 of the pit ; and might not this be sacrificed ? would it not be at- 

 tended in many respects with mutual advantage ? it would do away 

 that responsibility attached to the office of an overseer, whose 

 duty it is to compute, or rather to guess by measurement, the num- 

 ber of baskets of small coal that are thus laid to one side, (the pit- 

 men being paid so much a corve or basket,) it would prevent the 

 owners and the men alike from error or want of integrity ; it would 

 be a stimulus to the men to work the less small coal if they had to 

 pay for its being raised out of tlie pit. Thus might compulsion be 

 applied; for that it will be necessary to resort to compulsatory 

 measures I have little doubt, from the known obstinacy attending 

 ignorance in similar cases. Such measures, if carried into effect, 

 might be confined to pits that have been known to explode within 

 a given time, or new shafts within a given distance of such. Per- 

 Iraps those coal districts where similar accidents (or rather I would 

 call them melancholy occurrences) have taken place, exclusive of 

 the neiglibourhood of Newcastle, might better aflbrd to bring up 

 this small coal, from their strata being deeper. Wherever copperas 

 is manufactured there will be a danger of these explosions, and 

 this might be one grand guide for the limitations of an aot; but 

 upon these ulterior subjects I would but slightly remark, hoping' 

 that tiiese undigested hints may lead some one to a deeper in- 

 vestigation, that will ere long attain " a consummation so devoutly 

 to be wished." 



Newcastle, Feb. 1814. C. 



APPKNDIX BY THE EDITOR. 



Respecting the production of carbureted hydrogen in coal mines, 

 I am afraid tiiat little satisfactory can be offered in the present state 



