I860.] Smith on Metal Mining. 59 



with their soaps. Optically, they are interesting in not being exceeded 

 even by sulphate of quinine in the fluorescent phenomena they 

 present. 



One development more is alone required to complete our indebted- 

 ness to these distilled products of bituminous fermentation. It re- 

 mains to bore for gas to light great cities. In China this has already 

 been done, and never-failing supplies are said to have been secured 

 from wells three thousand feet deep. In one case, too, in the State of 

 New York has the same result been reached. There must be prodi- 

 gious supplies of oil and carburetted hydrogen locked up somewhere 

 to the east of the great coal-fields of America. It should be remem- 

 bered that, under a large part of the sixty thousand square miles where 

 these deposits exist, only anthracite is found, the volatile matter 

 having escaped. 



ON METAL MINING. 

 By Dr. E. Angus Smith, F.K.S. 



On our first visit to a mining district, we passed near a manufactory of 

 blasting-powder. In a day or two an explosion occurred in it ; much 

 of it was destroyed ; tw r o or three persons were killed — young girls, if 

 we remember well. There were only few persons at the works at the 

 time. The neighbours informed us that the manufacturer had dis- 

 covered a safe mode of making the powder, and that this was the third 

 explosion that had taken place in two years ! We did not inquire into 

 the truth of these latter statements ; as to the first, the newspapers 

 gave the half-forgotten details. 



We entered a mine, one of the higher class, and descended in a 

 skip with a mining captain, who certainly inspired respect and confi- 

 dence. We arrived below safely, and again rose in safety. The 

 motion was remarkably easy, or rather quite imperceptible. We sank 

 a thousand feet in three or four minutes ; but we could not forget that 

 our heads were uncovered, and that the slightest fall from the top or 

 sides w T as sure destruction to us. Next day or nearly so the rope or 

 chain, we do not know which, of a similar and neighbouring skip 

 broke, and two men, packed together as we had been, were dashed to 

 the bottom. 



Our skip had a safety-catch. Had the one which fell ? We can- 

 not say. We entered Botallack mine. This journey was made in a 

 char-a-banc of iron, which rolled down an inclined plane ; and whilst 

 we lay swathed in white flannel, and with candles in our hands, rushed 

 through the hardest rocks, against which we were in constant danger 

 of striking by the mere act of holding up our heads. Our candle 

 went out, and we were left nearly in darkness. Captain James retained 

 his light, but it was only enough to show how dark and hard-looking 

 the projecting rocks were that threatened us as we rolled rapidly down 

 under the sea. Y\e came up safely ; the patent catch was in order. 



