143 
But a further consideration of importance presents itself. 
So far as the quantity of air conveyed to a certain extent 
of workings is concerned, (and the abundance of this, pro- 
bably, would be the common idea of good ventilation), a 
limit, in most of these mines, seems to have already been 
reached. This limit arises from the inconvenience of too 
great velocity of current near the entrance, before the 
splittings take place, and in the narrower passages after- 
wards. At Jarrow, a witness says, " The candles swealed 
away." " I burnt six candles in my shift. There is more 
air goes through the Low Main (the seat of the explosion) 
than through the Bensham (the seam next above), and that 
has to do with it."* At Risca, " There were two or three, 
perhaps, working with lamps, because they could not keep 
their candles lighted for the draught."f James Padfield 
says, " You can hardly carry a candle in the wind-ways."{ 
Richard Cottle says, " I was obliged to use a lamp to keep a 
light, the wind was so strong."§ At the Oaks, John Pick- 
ford says, " I have been obliged to take my cricket to keep 
the wind off my candle."|| And Richard Hodgson, " It 
would sweal away a candle in two or three minutes any day."1[ 
Even at Darley, where the practical and scientific gentle- 
men agreed in considering the quantity of air to be but 
about a third part of what was necessary,** two witnesses 
state that the men complained of the wind swealing their 
candles, tt and their burning too many in consequence. 
Where this limit is thus already reached, we must look 
for additional security from some other source than greater 
strength of current. To attempt to compel the formation 
of new or additional shafts would be an interference of 
* Report, P. 18, Jacob Barnborough. t P. 36, Mr. Joseph Green, 
f P. 38. § P. 39. || P. 64. J P. 65. 
** Mr. Tremenheere, Darley Report, p. 1, and Mr. Smyth, p. 11. 
tt Mr. Locke, the colliery agent, and George Addy, fireman. Supplement to 
the Leeds Mercury, 3rd February, 1 849. 
VOL. III. K 2 
