352 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [November t, 1889. 
matches. When you find the nest put a lighted match 
to the tow and kerosine and the nest and its in 
mates are gone in no time.— Yours, W. 
PLUMBAGO : THE DANGERS ATTENDING 
THE MINING INDUS I'idES OF GEYL >N. 
Dear Sir, — In civilized countries, all m'ning 
operaiions are carried out under cer a n Laws and 
Regulations, as it was found that the mascara and 
owners of mines were in the habit ot considering 
their pockets much more than the lives of thosy 
who helped to enrich them. This was only done 
however ocfore the crying injuries to which un- 
fortunate men, women and children were suffering 
under was made public. In this country in the 
year of grace 1889, the health of thousands is being 
sacrificed in the mines of Geylon, owing to the 
callous neglect of those in authority. There are a 
few pits in Ceylon where great depth (compara- 
tively) has been reached, where the heat must be 
almost unbearable, with no arrangement for 
ventilation, and where blasting operations are 
carried out. Anyone who has been in an ordinary 
open cutting a few feet deep where blasting has 
had to be resorted to, must know how the smell of 
the powder hangs about the place for long after 
wards. What must it be in a mine where there is 
only one shaft? if those in authority (by which 
ws mean every individual of the Legislative Council) 
could realize how many unfortunates are being 
daily slowly poisoned in the mines of Ceylon, they 
would surely make some endeavour to mitigate the 
evil. It must be pretty generally known how in- 
jurious carbonic anhydride (commonly known as 
carbonic acid) is even when mixed with a large 
prop irtion of pura air, but the injury it mu3t be 
dci. g to the unfortunate Ceylon miners with only 
one shaft for ventilation can be easier imagined 
than described. Owing to the sp. grav. of this gas 
(it being so much heavier than :tir) it hangs about 
the mine, and the fact that those working have 
for a time left off work does not tend to purify 
the air. Moreover the carbonic anhydride from the 
lungs of the miners is supplemented by that formed 
from the combustion of the gunpowder to say noth- 
thing of the po'assium sulphide and sulphate formed 
when gunpowder is used in blasting operations. 
This want of ventilation however is only one of 
the many evils that the Sinhalese miner has to 
suffer, and which coubi be easily remedied by legis- 
lation and the appointment of a Government In- 
spector of Mines. With two shafts, a large fire at 
the bottom of one would be quite sufficient to 
create a good draught, or what might be even more 
suitable for a Cejlon mine, a good circular fan 
driven by steam or hand power would clear tb r mine 
of all foul gases in a very short time, an i vhere 
there are not many workmen, the fan need not 
be kept continually going. Another very good 
reason for the Government insisting on two shafts, 
or an adit and shaft, is the necessity for having 
more than one place of escape in the event of an 
accident, should an adit and shaft be decided on 
instead of upcast and down-cast shafts, some special 
means of ventilation should be resorted to whei 
the pit is sunk lower than the adit. Another source 
of danger to the minsr in Ceylon is the rough ladder 
made of bamboos or common *ood, with steps far 
apart and tied with coir or jungle rope. Considering 
the lubric nature of plumbago, safe ladders should be 
insisted on. The timbering of mines shouli be well 
watched and care taken that the lives of miners are 
not risked to save the proprietors a few rupees. 
As regards explosives, regulations should be laid 
down tuch as are in use at Home. For instances 
exploaivoa may not bo stored in a mine. They 
aiay not be taken into the mine except in case 
containing not more than 4 lb., and a workman 
may not havf more than one such case in any 
oue place. Iron and steel prickers, stemmers, and 
tamping rods, may not be used, and a shot thr-.r, hus 
missed may not be unrammed. Cartridges for biazing 
may not be made in a private house , they must 
be bought ready made, or manufactured in a work- 
shop in connection with but detached from the 
store. The store must not be situated in a mine 
or quarry woere peraons are employed ; or within 
a certain distance (tbs exact distance depending 
upon fie quantity ol explosive for which it is 
license 1 ; but 200 yards is the maximum, and 
should houses, &c, be subsequently built within 
the prescribed zone, the store must be removed) 
of houses, workshops, railways, roads, fires, etc. 
It must be substantially built of brick, stone, or 
concrete ; or be excavated in solid rock, earth, 
or mine refuse not liable to ignition ; and so 
made and closed as to prevent unauthorised 
persons from having access. There must be no 
exposed iron, steel, or grit in the building. Nothing 
may be kept in the store but the explosive and the 
necessary implements, which must be made of 
copper, wood, or brass. Lightning conductor re- 
quited, unless the store be underground or licensed 
for less than 1,000 lb. of gunpowder, &c, &c, &c. 
In this country surrounded as we are by careless 
natives ignorant of the danger they are incurring by 
having powder or other explosives and inflammable 
substances about them, or if not ignorant too lazy 
to take the necessary precautions, we cannot be too 
particular in our laws relating to them. At present I 
think if the Police Inspectors were to take the 
trouble to find out, they would discover that a great 
many natives have much more powder and kerosine 
oil in their shops than they have any right to by tbe 
existing laws. It should however be borne in mind 
by those in authority that it is not sufficient to pass 
laws but they should see that those laws are carried 
out, and any mining inspector that may be ap- 
pointed should have authority to search where he 
has any suspicion of explosives being concealed. 
As regards the strength of materials, a rule of 
thumb is that usually followed out in Ceylon, and 
till some respousiole person is placed in authority, 
such is likely to continue. 
It seems almost incredible that~in a comparatively 
civilized country like Ceylon, that a few men with 
a little money should be allowed to subject a large 
number of their fellow creatures to sudden death 
or slow poisoning without the slightest attempt 
being made by Government to relieve the unfortu- 
nate sufferers. 
We have very stringent laws enacted with reference 
to the health of our imported labourers, whilst the 
lives of the natives of Ceylon are being daily 
sacrificed far want of mining laws. We would 
not of course advise any very sudden measures 
being taken, or the plumbago industry would to 
a certainty be paralyzed. 
Let a Mining Inspector with tact be employed, 
who must be in a position to insist on his orders 
being carried out, and use his power at first with 
leniency, and then it will be seen that plumbago min- 
ing can be carried out with as little loss of life as any 
other mining industries in other parts of the world. 
In this letter I will not touch upon the very 
wasteful system adopted by the natives in working 
plumbago i: ines, as my present remarks are more 
especially directed at calling attention to the health 
and eafety of the miners, but I hope the day is 
not far off when we shall find that the out-put 
of most plumbago mines are doubled and trebled 
and in many eases probably increased much more 
than this by the judicious use of machinery and 
ventilation.— Yours faithfully, GRAPHITE. 
