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transit, it would ignite continuously the pit gas as it issued 
from a batswing burner for one minute twenty-five seconds, 
the same bar was then immediately applied to a batswing 
burner supplied with ordinary manufactured coal gas, which 
it continued to light for one minute and twenty seconds longer; 
this showing that the pit gas required a greater degree of 
heat to fire it than coal gas. It would likewise readily 
ignite at glowing charcoal, also at red hot wire gauze when 
played upon on a particular point for some seconds. 
Thus I think we have succeeded in establishing the 
foregoing facts, and calling attention to them ; which, I 
trust, will be of service to the miner, as well as to the 
scientific world. I am of opinion that a safety lamp worthy 
of the name has yet to be invented. There are certainly no 
lack of labourers in the field, but the work yet remains to be 
done. 
Scarcely ever before in the South Yorkshire Coal Field 
was the benefit of the Stephenson lamp of such signal service 
as proved to be the case a week ago at the Stafford Main 
Colliery, near Barnsley. It appears that about half-past six 
o'clock, a large portion of some old breaks had fallen, and 
given off a very large quantity of gas, which was driven 
down the north side of the pit, extinguishing all the lamps 
in its course for a distance of about 400 yards. Within less 
than an hour all the men, numbering over 300, were deposited 
safely at the pit bank, and in a short time the alarm which 
had been suddenly raised abated. The seam of coal being 
worked is the Silkstone, the shaft being about 243 yards 
deep. 
A defective lamp or a naked light,* there cannot be the 
slightest doubt, would have hurried into eternity the great 
body of the miners in the pit. The colliery itself is one that 
has the reputation of being very well ventilated, no expense 
being spared for that purpose by the proprietors. 
