Accidents through Farm Machine?-}/. 
357 
engineering knowledge to tell him that an arrangement is 
unsafe. The labourer has neither qualification. It would evi- 
dently be to the interest of all three parties that machines should 
be safe. 
Now, in the manufacturing districts of the North two insti- 
tutions ! are already established for the prevention of acci- 
dents by steam-machinery. The system of factory inspection 
lias existed with most beneficial results for more than twenty 
years. The Government inspectors have the power of directing 
the fencing off and other means for the safe usage of machinery. 
Emboldened by the example of the Government in this direction, 
the shrewd Manchester men, at the suggestion of Dr. Fairbairn, 
organized about seven years ago a system for the periodical 
inspection of steam-boilers. The Manchester Association is one 
of the most beneficial institutions of the country. Not merely 
has it saved many lives, but also much property, by teaching the 
proper management of the boilers and engines, and the saving 
of fuel. Every one of these skilled inspectors is, in fact, an 
instructor of steam-engineering. Could not these two systems 
be combined, under Government supervision, in the agricultural 
districts? The greater area of country covered by agricultural 
operations is of course a difficulty ; but the agricultural shows 
collect machinery together, and, at least, the right of public exhi- 
bition should be refused to notoriously unsafe arrangements. 
These remarks but slightly skim over a portion of an important 
subject. In these latter days, science has taught capital to utilize 
the great forces of nature ; but has capital yet learnt a due regard 
for the safety of human labour ? According to a Blue-book, pub- 
lished a few months ago, no less than one thousand two hundred 
and thirty-eight lives were lost in English coal and ironstone mines 
during the year 1862. Non-fatal and merely disabling accidents 
are not given. The miners are now clamouring for a greater 
number of government inspectors. The last published returns 
from the Inspectors of Factories give a total amount of one thousand 
five hundred and ninety-nine accidents reported for the six 
months previous to the 31st October, 1863. Thirty-six of these 
ended in death. Sir J. Elphinstone showed the other day to the 
House of Commons that nearly one thousand English lives were 
lost at sea in 1862 ; and it has been at last found necessary to 
subject the anchors and chain cables of merchant-vessels to 
an official test. According to the necessarily imperfect returns 
from the Manchester Association for the Prevention of Boiler 
Explosions, seventy-six people were killed and eighty injured 
last year by the explosions of steam-boilers in England. This 
death-roll could be yet lengthened by many unrecorded disasters. 
But the fallen are soon forgotten ; the ranks of labour quickly 
