458 



Miscellaneous. 



manner : — A gallery is opened in the bed of coal itself, \\ archine in 

 height. After having penetrated into it several vershoks, a cross 

 beam is fixed in the roof, by the two ends being let into the walls 

 of the rock ; having advanced another archine, a fresh joist is fixed, 

 which is bound to the first by beams placed lengthwise above them. 

 These beams having a distance between them of a quarter of an ar- 

 chene, are covered with brush-wood made into fascines ; when this 

 work is finished, they continue to advance within the thickness of the 

 bed, and following its directions. 



The floor of the gallery is in like manner fitted with cross beams 

 placed near together ; the gallery is thus pushed on until the want 

 of air renders it necessary to put a stop to the work. Below this 

 gallery a second is opened, to continue the working of the coal. 



The only difference in the process of working the vertical and the 

 horizontal beds of coal is, that in the first the galleries are not only 

 timbered above and below, but also on their side walls. 



The coal taken out is put into baskets, placed upon sledges, which 

 are raised to the surface by manual labour ; one basket may contain 

 about three pouds of coal, and one man can raise to the surface about 

 eight in a day ; he generally receives at the rate of 30 copecks per 

 basket. The water which accumulates in the mines is emptied by 

 means of small casks, brought up in the same manner. 



If the local circumstances are very favourable, adits for letting out 

 the water are driven ; but as they are very expensive, they are very 

 seldom had recourse to ; at least if the irruption of the water becomes 

 too considerable, it often happens that the works are altogether 

 abandoned. 



The only instruments used by the Chinese in working the coal are 

 the pickaxe, the pick, and the hammer. They cut a groove with 

 the pickaxe, and place in it the pick, which is struck upon with the 

 hammer; it is by this means that fragments of coal, weighing from 

 two to three pouds are detached. 



The number of workmen differs much in the Chinese collieries, for few 

 among them make their agreement for a work of any long duration ; for 

 the most part they never come until the period when they have finished 

 their labour in the fields. The pickers of coal receive about \\ rouble 

 for half a-day's work, and the overseers for the day about 3§ roubles, 

 and their nourishment besides. 



At the place where it is worked, at Lao-Gao-Shan, the coal is sold 

 for GO copecks per poud : its carriage through the mountains on the 

 backs of mules to Mem- Toon- Goon, distant 30 li, where are situated 



