332 
PROCEEDINGS, 1859 — 1870. 
At the succeeding meeting, Mr. Richard Carter, C.E., made 
some observations on colliery ventilation, in whicli he enunciated the 
principles which form the subject of a paper previously referred to. 
The principle of direct ascending ventilation was then being pursued 
by several colliery proprietors, and had justified the representations 
as to its perfect and economical application which he had ventured 
to make. Mr. W. R. Milner of Wakefield, gave the results of 
investigations he had made as to the relation of explosions in coal 
pits, and the state of the barometer at or preceding the time of the 
explosion, the result of which showed that of 79 explosions, 59 took 
place when the barometer was lower than it had been 24 hours pre- 
viously, and 20 when it was higher ; 60 when the barometer was 
lower than it had been 48 hours previously, and 19 when it was 
higher ; 44 of the explosions occurred when the barometer stood 
lower on the day of the explosion than the mean of the month in 
which the explosion occurred. The result clearly indicated that a 
slight difference in barometric pressure produced the escape of the gas, 
either from the coal or old workings, which had so frequently been 
attended with fatal results. 
Mr. Jepson read a paper on Water Springs and their relation to 
Manufactures, in which he indicated the most probable situations 
from which water could be obtained by wells. Incidentally, he 
remarked on the foolishness of contaminating the rivers with refuse 
water, and thus depriving everyone on the stream below of the use of 
it. One cannot help speculating as to the advantage which would be 
deri ved by mam vfacturing towns and commercial districts, if some of the 
money which has been expended on erecting reservoirs and preserving 
drainage areas for the supply of pure water, had been expended in 
conducting the refuse water from those places to the sea, and using 
the pure water from the streams for manufacturing and domestic 
purposes. 
In May, 1861, a communication was made by the assistant 
Secretary of the Society, Mr. Denny, suggesting the introduction of 
the silk-worm into the AYest Riding. Attempts had been made to 
introduce the common silk-worm {Bomhyx mort) into England which 
had failed. Now there was a second species from Assam {Bomhyx 
