1865.] Smith on Metal Mining. 09 



and none so badly taken care of, although you imagine that you have 

 been all your life accustomed to cleanly habits. 



All these conditions produce dangers sometimes fatal. The dan- 

 gers to which workers in mines are subject, are as follows : * — 



Falling down the shaft, &c. : Uncovered winzes, sumps, and holes ; 

 rotten or broken ladders ; fatigue ; falling from the steps of man- 

 engine ; from the skip or carriage slipping off the guide ; the breaking 

 of chains and ropes ; falling through winzes not covered. 



Beams, &c. : From the falling of walls and heaps, stone or kibble ; 

 from the lifting part of the shaft not being divided from the road-way ; 

 from the rotting of wood, or decaying of props. 



Explosions : Caused by careless tamping ; hasty return after 

 lighting ; fall of rocks. 



Air : From powder, smoke, and dust of the exploded rocks ; 

 from candle smoke and bad ventilation generally ; from stagnant air 

 not lately entered. 



Water and temperature : Neglect of health and life laws ; con- 

 stant exposure to moisture, to hot air, and to cool currents. 



Heat of the mines, &c. : Long distances to walk home ; sudden 

 changes at the surface in wet clothes ; sudden irruptions of water, 

 from the old pits not well covered at the surface ; working out of 

 doors at surface work in all weathers. 



From being made to ivork in the mine too early in life. 



From bursting of boilers. 



Inquests are held after violent deaths, it is true, but the coroners 

 and the jury seem alike to be imbued with the spirit of the place, and 

 the frequent verdict of accidental death, although so far correct, neglects 

 to say that such accidents are avoidable. We require to move nearer 

 to the cause, and in most cases to make an accident itself into an 

 offence. Accidents do not occur where there are sufficient precautions. 

 Nearly all accidents are faults, amounting to crimes, arising from 

 ignorance or carelessness, whether in mines or out of them. 



We have thus referred cursorily to various points of interest con- 

 nected with the mechanical means employed in metal mining, and to 

 the immediate risks attendant thereon, as revealed by the recent 

 Report of the Mining Commissioners. To consider, in addition, the 

 equally important question of the health of miners, would occupy 

 more space than can be devoted to a single article in this Journal, 

 and we must, therefore, reserve our review of that portion of the 

 subject for another occasion. 



* See ' Report of Commissioners and Appendix.' 



