GORRIMAL-BALGOWNIE COLLIERIES. 205 



hand worked. The holing- pick has a straight head, 18in. 

 long, with diamond points, which is wedged to a 2ft. 6in. 

 handle. Monobel is the explosive used, the shots being fired 

 by means of electricity. 



At Balgownie there are two Cornish boilers, and one 

 multitubular locomotive type of boiler, which deliver steam at 

 6011). pressure. The feed water is injected into the boilers by 

 exhaust steam, assisted by a little live steam. The feed water 

 becomes heated to about 200deg. F., and about one-eighth of 

 its bulk is condensed steam. They have lately erected a small 

 Green's economiser. 



One hundred and thirty-eight chains from the main Bal- 

 gownie tunnel, an air shaft, 972ft. above the sea, has been 

 started on the top of the hill, in the water catchment area. 

 This shaft, which is 14ft. in diameter in the clear, will have 

 to be sunk 850ft. in order to reach the coal being worked. 

 The shaft is lined with 9iii. brickwork, all laid as stretchers, 

 the space between the brickwork and the rock being filled 

 with ashes. The bricks for the lining are made on the spot. 

 The shaft is temporarily lined with boards, kept in place with 

 iron rings, which are wedged in position, and suspended from 

 each other by hooks. When the shaft has been sunk about 

 6(j)ft. below the former section, a series of two-inch iron pins 

 are fixed in holes drilled for them round the shaft, and a 

 wooden curb is placed on them, which serves as a foundation 

 for the brickwork. These curbs are left in, and are not re- 

 moved when the next section of walling comes up from below. 

 The brickwork is done from a cradle suspended from two guide 

 ropes. The cradle weighs about two tons, and serves as a 

 weight to keep the guide ropes taut. The bottom of each 

 guide rope has a socket fastened to it, and this is connected to 

 the cradle by a bridle chain fastened to two eyebolts, which 

 pass through the woodwork of the cradle. This cradle is left 

 in the shaft all the time, a 7ft. square hole in the centre 

 allowing the bucket to pass through. The bucket has a run- 

 ner or cross-head above it, which slides up and down on the 

 guide ropes ; this prevents the bucket from getting an undue 

 swing on it. 



Three feeders of water were struck while sinking. Below 

 each, the brickwork was shorn back, and a garland inserted, 

 consisting of a wooden curb, with sheet iron in front. A pipe 

 from this leads to a lodgment cut in the rock. The first lodg- 

 ment is 141ft. from the surface; the second, 256ft.; and the 

 third 438ft. The second lodgment is 33ft. long by 9ft. wide, 

 and 6ft. high. A brick dam is built about 5ft. high, which 

 consists of two 9in. walls curved slightly inwards, between 

 which clay is packed. The inner wall prevents the clay from 

 being washed away. The clay, for its part, is impervious 



