194 THE FIRE-DAMP'S FAMILY CIRCLE. 



length, in 1812, a dreadful explosion occurred in the Felling 

 pit. The desolation was greater than the records of any 

 previous case could match, though exceeded by the fire- 

 damp annals of late years. Coal owners stood aghast ; and 

 miners, though proverbially reckless, were prevailed upon with 

 difficulty to expose themselves to dangers unparalleled by 

 any civil occupation, and scarcely matched by the contin- 

 gencies of war. A local society was formed under the 

 auspices of Sir Ralph Milbanke, having for its object an 

 investigation of the conditions under which the fire-damp 

 originates, and a provision of means for controlling it. 



Up to the period in question, the only general means 

 adopted for obtaining light in passages charged with fire- 

 damp was the steel-mill. Its character of being an instru- 

 ment universally safe was destroyed, as will be presently 

 made apparent, so early as 1783; nevertheless the amount of 

 protection afforded by the steel-mill in dangerous workings 

 was so considerable, that not until the year 1825 was it finally 

 abandoned. 



The Wallsend collieries had been wrought without the 

 occurrence of any fatal accident from fire-damp, until 1783. 

 In that year the shafts of two original pits having become 

 embarrassed with rubbish, they had to be cleared out. Fire- 

 damp, like other evil things, lurks in dilapidated places. 

 Healthful ventilation of a coal-mine, in order and active, 

 is uncongenial to the fire-damp's nature. It lingers in aban- 

 doned cavities, in goafs and culs-de-sac, into which the venti- 

 lative current is unable to penetrate. The Wallsend shafts 

 and their offset branches became so infested, that no light, 

 other than steel-mill glimmering, was thought desirable to be 

 employed. To the safe keeping of the steel-mill, however, 

 did the miners commit themselves, without fear or hesitation. 

 Clearing operations were begun. Explosion followed explo- 

 sion ; and many lives were lost. Miners would not believe at 

 first that the steel-mill had been treacherous. It was de- 



