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practical purposes, deceptive and fallacious. Thanks to the 
more spirited enterprise and philanthropy of some of the 
proprietors of collieries even in our own district, the mists of 
prejudice have begun to be dissipated by the energy and 
liberality of a wise intelligence. The principle of direct 
ascending ventilation is now being pursued — and enough has 
been already demonstrated to justify the representations of 
its perfect and economical application. 
It may perhaps require a little further experience — and 
certainly more application — than the writer has been able to 
bring to bear upon the present paper, to illustrate in detail 
the various and important advantages which such a principle 
of ventilation is calculated to secure, as against the one so 
generally found in practice. These, however, he is happy to 
think, are within the prospect of an early future. The most 
interesting opportunities have been placed at his command, 
especially by Messrs. Craik and Co., whose extensive colliery 
works in this locality, are now being made to exhibit a 
conclusive test of the whole case ; and to their most 
ready and polite courtesy the writer is greatly indebted, 
for the confidence with which he has been able to bring 
this important subject again under the notice of the West 
Riding Geological and Polytechnic Society. It is only 
by efforts of this kind that the public mind can ever be 
adequately informed on such questions ; and until the 
maxims of a sounder philosophy are forced upon the 
system, it is to be feared that an active and increasing 
principle of commercial and competitive enterprise will 
hesitate but little to reflect upon the improvement and 
changes which are requisite to be introduced into our systems 
of colliery working, in order to their being harmonized 
with the deductions of a correct science, and the safety and 
preservation of the lives and limbs of our industrious and 
pity-deserving colliery population. 
