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a tendency to produce greater care and caution among 
miners. Mr. Morton, in conclusion, directed attention to an 
apparatus contrived by Mr. W. S. Ward, of Leeds, which he 
thought might be used for giving light in fiery mines, or in 
operations with the diving belL The apparatus consists of 
a small gasholder, containing a compressed mixture of coal 
gas and Oxygen. To this is attached one of Hemmmg's 
safety tubes and a common jet, at the point of which is 
placed a ball of quick lime. The kindled flame of gas 
being directed upon the lime ball, a brilliant light is pro- 
duced, and as the light is covered with a glass jar, the flame 
is rendered safe by being completely insulated or cut off 
from the external atmosphere. 
Tlie Chairman said that when they considered the danger 
to which our fellow creatures who work in mines are exposed 
from that noxious vapour, the fire damp, they must all see 
the importance of the subject to which Mr. Morton had 
called their attention. If all the other discoveries of Sir 
Humphrey Davy were forgotten, the invention of the safety 
lamp alone would be sufficient to hand down his name to 
posterity, as one of the greatest benefactors of the human 
race. The subject was one of vital importance, and it was 
one of the objects of this Society to suggest improvements 
in this or other inventions. He was glad to observe that his 
friend, Mr. Sykes Ward, had turned his attention to the 
subject, and he hoped they would live to see the day when 
great improvements would be effected. 
Mr. W. Sykes Ward said that he should scarcely have 
placed under the notice of the meeting so rude an appara- 
tus as that on the table, but from its intimate connection 
with the subject which Mr. Morton had just brought before 
them. He did not propose it as a substitute for the safety 
lamp, for the apparatus was quite imperfect, and too com- 
plex in its construction ; he had merely brought it to show 
the effect of a light produced without any communication 
with atmospheric air. He could not recommend it as a 
safety lamp, because it was too complex to be put into the 
hands of a miner ; it might, however, be a step in advance, 
and its production on this occasion might lead to further 
improvements. He did not claim any thing new in it, 
except the modification of a principle. The hydro-oxygen 
blow pipe had been long known, but that was liable to 
explosion, for want of a safe means of bringing the gas to 
operate upon the lime. One learned professor had pro- 
posed to pass the gas through oil, but that did not answer, 
