1872.] between Explosions in Collieries and Weather. 299 



92 of them we attribute to oscillations of the barometer, 34 to temperature, 

 while 66 are left unaccounted for by either agency. 



1870. 



The storm of January 8th caused two explosions, and the depression of 

 the 14th was followed by two others. The barometer then remained un- 

 usually high from the 16th to the 25th ; and as soon as it began to give 

 way, we have three explosions on the 27th, and two more to correspond 

 with the barometrical minimum on the 31st. 



The barometer at most stations read below 29'5ins. during the first ten 

 days of February, and we find seven accidents between the 4th and 9th ; 

 these were followed by as many more within the next few days, with a 

 high barometer and cold weather, which are therefore not referred by us 

 to either deficiency of pressure or a high temperature. One of these cost 

 thirty lives. 



Pressure was very unsteady and low at the end of February, and eight 

 accidents occurred between the 21st and 26th ; another somewhat similar 

 series is observable in the second week in March. 



On the 5th of April the daily range of the thermometer was considerable, 

 22° at Stonyhurst and 26° at Kew ; and we refer two explosions to this 

 cause. 



The sudden outbreak of hot weather on the 1 6th, and the high tempe- 

 rature of 71°'7 at Stonyhurst on the 20th of May, account for two explo- 

 sions in the adjoining coal-field on that day, with a third in the west of 

 Scotland. 



The weather was very hot from the 3rd to the 8th of June, and we find 

 three explosions on the 4th, and one each on the 6th and 8th ; then follow 

 three, which we trace to the fall of the barometer. June 19th to the 22nd 

 were also very hot days, especially in the centre and south of England ; and 

 of the six accidents reported at this time two were in the southern and 

 central coal-fields. 



In the months of July and August we have connected various explosions 

 with the high temperature then prevailing. A period of serious disturb- 

 ance existed from the 1st to the 11th of September, and we have eight ex- 

 plosions, and four more on the 13th. At the end of the month the weather 

 became very warm, and we find six explosions close to each other. 



The month of October was peculiarly stormy, and the first fall of the 

 barometer occurred on the 7th and 8th ; on the latter day we have five 

 explosions; another sudden depression on the 12th was followed by three. 

 The oscillations of the 16th and 19th had but little influence ; but on the 

 23rd the barometer again fell very low, and we find six explosions in three 

 days. 



The next serious group of accidents was about the 20th of November, 

 when we find several recorded simultaneously with a low state of the baro- 

 meter. The mercury then rose and continued very high for some days ; 



