SAFETY-LAMPS. 203 



any experiments on the Davy lamp with a view of ascertain- 

 ing what force is necessary to compel the passage of flame 

 through the gauze, Mr. Buddie replied by giving a condensed 

 history of Davy's lamp, of the first trials made with it, and of 

 the part taken by Davy in pointing out the conditions of 

 danger. 



6 1 have not performed the experiments by myself,' said 

 he, * but in company with Sir Humphrey Davy, and I am 

 very happy to have this opportunity of doing justice to the 

 memory of my lamented friend on this particular point. The 

 lamentable accidents which, prior to the year 1815, had oc- 

 curred in our neighbourhood naturally directed the attention 

 of all humane persons to the subject. Sir Humphrey Davy 

 was introduced to me by the late Bishop of Bristol, and he 

 called upon me at the Wallsend colliery one day to inquire 

 into the nature and cause of this lamentable catastrophe. I 

 explained to him, as well as I was able, the nature of our 

 fiery mines, and that the great desideratum was a light that 

 could be safely used in an explosive mixture. I had not the 

 slightest idea of ever seeing the thing accomplished. 



' After a great deal of conversation with Sir Humphrey 

 Davy, and his making himself perfectly acquainted with the 

 nature of our mines and what we wanted, just as we were 

 parting he looked at me, and said, " I think I can do some- 

 thing for you.'' Thinking it was too much ever to be achieved, 

 I gave him a look of incredulity ; at the moment it was be- 

 yond my comprehension. However, smiling, he said, "Do 

 not despair; I think I can do something for you in a very 

 short time." 



'I should think, to the best of my recollection, within 

 fourteen days he wrote to me to say that he flattered himself 

 he had done the thing ; that he had made a discovery which 

 would answer my object namely, the procuring a safe light 

 in an explosive mixture. In a few days he sent me down two 

 of the Davy lamps as nearly as possible like that before the 



