1865.] Smith on Metal Mining. 63 



expense of sinking to great depths is so great, that the additional 

 amount for an engine appears but slightly to increase the capital re- 

 quired, whilst it enlarges the income, according to the evidence. 



As to the constant attention, it certainly is not less than is re- 

 quired on ladders, although perhaps a dreamy person may forget his 

 way, and at any rate the man-engine of Warocque removes much, per- 

 haps all, this difficulty. The speed is less than that of the skip, 

 although greater than the ladder. 



Stemples. — Opinions generally are, we think, against them, and 

 to us the practice of using them for a great depth seems inhuman. A 

 man goes up with his arms and legs stretched violently out, and a 

 black gulf yawns below ; under him and in the gulf his son goes also, 

 hanging partly by a rope by which his father supports him. Some 

 advocates are found even for this. 



Ladders occupy much of the time where the mine is deep. At 

 260 fathoms about an hour and a-half is occupied in going up, and 

 about half as much in going down. The men are anxious to arrive at 

 the top, and strain themselves to the utmost. The young run up 

 for a few years only. Their time is paid for as labour in some 

 cases, but not apparently in all.* A miner says, " They do not care 

 much for forty or fifty fathoms unless the air is bad, but they feel 

 the climbing of ten fathoms in bad air." " To come up 300 fathoms, 

 it being very hot down, is a tolerably tidy day's work itself," says 

 Captain Rutter. M. Dunstan says, " I have known men in West 

 Cornwall who died on the ladders. They have come up to the top of 

 the ladder, and then dropped down suddenly from disease of the heart 

 brought on by climbing." Mr. Christopher Childs and others consider 

 that climbing in bad air, not climbing per se, is hurtful. 



From a comparison of the amount of work thus performed, with 

 the results of climbing in the open air, as practised in other trades, 

 it would appear that the actual climbing of the ladders, if per- 

 formed with moderate speed, and not so long continued as to hurry 

 the circulation and respiration injuriously, would be no further 

 grievance than that of wasting time and imposing needless toil ; 

 with the important exception, indeed, of exposing the men to great 

 danger of catching cold after being overheated by such great exertion. 

 But either speed or long continuance at one time of such exertion will 

 increase the exhaustion at a very rapid rate. Horses may be driven 

 gently twenty miles a day without injury, but they will soon be worn 

 down if driven too quickly half the distance. As every coachman 

 knows, it is the pace that kills, it is not exertion but over-exertion 

 that does the mischief. The captains of mines, who climb as much 

 or more,- than the men, do not suffer, because they do not climb so 

 much at one time, and because they have not other hard work to do 

 as well. They seldom climb from a great depth at once, but break 

 the toil, stopping to examine the different levels on their ascent, and 

 they therefore suffer far less from overstraining of the lungs, and 

 over-exercise of the heart, than miners, who climb the whole depth 

 without cessation. 



* See No. 2,SiO and 19,529 questions. 



