COAL AND COLLIERY EXPLOSIONS. 
367 
now earned in the coal trade, means ruin to the small proprietor, 
and no interest on capital to the large. 
That no further compulsory power can he added by legislation 
to the powers already existing, provided they were carried out, 
appears to be a fact ; but unfortunately this, with the present 
staff of inspectors, is not possible, for though the senior officer 
tells us he travelled no less than 15,695 miles last year, and 
was occupied 318 days in the execution of his duties, the 
districts given to those gentlemen are so vast, that Mr. Hall, 
in his evidence on the Haydock Explosion, which occurred in 
his district, tells us, he cannot pay his routine visit to any 
colliery under an interval of six years. 
