624 
The escape is constant and never ceasing for one moment, 
and so should be the antidote. 
To prove that such is the case, we quote the fact, 
that in a mine which had stood for a few weeks and was 
allowed to be immersed in water ; when the water was 
lowered in the shaft to a certain point, the gas rolled 
through the column of water in such force that an eye- 
witness declared it was like packs of wool rolling up, or 
like the fury of the waves of the sea in a storm, almost in- 
stantly filling the open space in the shaft with inflammable gas. 
This clearly proves that though man may be supine, the 
enemy is at work, and to this constant emission of gas under 
great force or pressure, we repeat, we fear we must look 
for the true cause of most, if not all, the explosions which 
occur in mines. But it is to be lamented that in all cases 
where the sacrifice of life has been great we have been left 
to conjecture as to the immediate cause of accumulation and 
ignition, as the only parties who could have solved the 
problem have invariably been cut off and have perished with 
their unfortunate companions in toil. It is true, therefore, 
that it is difficult to discover and establish absolutely and 
beyond a doubt the true source and issue of gas when 
explosion ensues, as no living witnesses remain to affirm 
the fact. From this cause, certainly, a degree of obscurity 
hangs over the immediate cause of these events, but the 
preponderance of evidence, we think, is greatly in favour 
of the opinion here expressed. From what has been already 
stated, we think there can be no doubt that these appalling 
calamities suggest the necessity that something more must 
be done to avert them ; and presuming that either want of 
air or an improper distribution of it, or both, are the primary 
cause of explosions, it will be proper to inquire from what 
that want arises, and we incline to the opinion that the 
mode of laying out collieries has a great influence on the 
