ON THE LOCAL MANUFACTURE OF LEAD, ETC, 721 
districts, which, until half a century ago, were in many places almost in- 
accessible except on ponies, it is not surprising that few details of local 
history of an authentic and detailed character exist, or that we have only 
meagre traces of a secluded district, and of a people shut out in a great 
measure by their occupation even from the few dwellers on the surface of 
their own remote dales. 
The earliest method of working lead-mines appears to have been by shaft, 
by following the surface-indications of ore downwards. The driving of 
levels for drainage in Dean Forest was of later orign, and probably so in the 
other mining districts of the kingdom. The work was drawn to the surface 
in kibbles, or small tubs, and some of the smaller pits on the basset of 
inferior beds of coal yet present what probably was the appearance of a 
respectable mine in the infancy of such operations. The general use of 
levels or galleries large enough to admit of horses travelling in them is said 
to have been introduced into the lead-mining districts by Sir Walter Calverly 
Blackett, about 120 years ago, but the example was not, as we believe, 
followed for many years by other mine-owners. Cast-iron rails, instead of 
wood, were first used in Nent Force Level. Tin pipes were first used for 
ventilation by Low, Carlisle, and Co., at Tyne Bottom Mine. Mr. Stagg 
introduced iron pipes at Rampgill, and Mr. Dickinson first used lead pipes 
for the purpose of ventilation in the Nent Force Level. Any of these 
materials were an improvement on the wooden boxes, which rapidly decayed, 
and so rendered the air impure, and which moreover could with difficulty 
be kept water-tight. 
The quantity of lead ore raised in this Northern district and smelted in 
the different mills, in 1861, according to Hunt’s ‘Mineral Statistics,’ was 
as follows :— 
Lead Ore. Lead. Silver. 
tons. tons. Oz. 
Durham and Northumberland ............ 19,536 +. 15,252 «. 78,265 
Beran) xis cc csins skied. case os soeicveds 63324. ps0 pm ASOI4S | buen 6375105 
PERI GPOIANG (0,5. cineca sesiencensieed ences doe, 20392 padeas EES OG jatal aceite KA: 
BMERARIPO. cainuahcsisynsestap css cscecssceccsseseee 0, SOL. ton MENU ORs tLEe QORO 
371053 27,645 140,244 
Lead Ore, Lead, and Silver the produce of Cumberland for 10 years ended 1862. 
Lead Ore. Lead. Silver. 
Year. tons. ewt. tons. cwt. oz. 
TS G24 niente wees’ S54 TOW TT). pu.wiveeacne S70), LS beennaewens 52,893 
TIGR omsca cau. S5543 IO eo neiey to 5,619 50,000 
GAs Beccsceves Q;S90,1S  ” cceseqree 6,662) 16% fecnecaate 42,020 
MBG GLY actecan ss Qi 6270 1 ZU AE CPAs TES 7 BE ERBS a oo 2,879 
TS 5G! TD weastiecs 7eQikl. tase easaa. se 5:321. 1 51,931 
BGT) SF Seacstnsye GiAGOW Ol maseass eae A A ON axsineaten 43,460 
TOR so he escn'as FT, 2A 5014s = onvetecce S20 kA eee ccievs 43,721 
EBGQ  uteseencs FALOOe eh eiveemands 5,250 14 39,406 
MOUG Petecencee OAT IO! eset ees RsIZONA 7 Mts. 32,806 
WS6E 8.08. Sen BOSSA OM fl Jean. kis A OTAGISVTfile--fedie-< 37,115 
BS G2H rercacosmchsMineTel 731i BSiciy esenedses '§ 2:4 Teg LOR oe ateo sh vs 41,911 
Lead Ore, Lead, and Silver the produce of Durham and Northumberland 
for the 10 years ended 1862. 
TOGZ  Jessenetees TSO ACh fot! dace ce hess RSTO SA aa ELS 191,736* 
Sigg) ot..eetenes mg28y zONi Peete DS OATS rhaneterisestsct 140,000* 
BS Faber aatoo as DO3 20 Tien wh dusje cajun 16,669) 28 0 tots -scess 78,577 
TB 5 Sina fanoint ows 22 1O7e OE. Clatateceae TO,209°1Qe ascccecse’ | 7 SUAS 
EO. ssnernens ZAAZG. 7, casievesas T7674 UK) | cccsccees 79,924 
* The Westmoreland silver is included in these quantities. 
1863. oA 
