CHAP. VII. 



THE DAVY LAMP CONTROVERSY. 



117 



THE COVER, 



THE LAMP. 



STEPHENSON'S SAFETY-LAMP. 



of a few days, and experimentally tested in the Killing- 

 worth pit like the previous lamps, on the 30th of 

 November, by which time neither Stephenson nor 

 Wood had heard of Sir Humphry Davy's experiments, 

 nor of the lamp which that gentleman proposed to 

 construct. 



An angry controversy afterwards took place as to 

 the respective merits of George Stephenson and Sir 

 Humphry Davy in respect of the invention of the safety- 

 lamp. A committee was formed on both sides, and 

 the facts were stated in various ways. It is perfectly 

 clear, however, that Stephenson had ascertained the fact 

 that flame will not pass through tubes of a certain dia- 

 meter the principle on which the safety-lamp is con- 

 structed before Sir Humphry Davy had formed any 

 definite idea on the subject, or invented the model lamp 

 afterwards exhibited by him before the Royal Society. 

 Mr. Stephenson had actually constructed a lamp on 

 such a principle, and proved its safety, before Sir 

 Humphry had communicated his views to any indi- 



