methods of lighting the mines without producing its explosion. 1 1 
I tried several experiments on the burning of a flame in 
atmospheres containing fire-damp. I inclosed a taper in a 
little close lantern, having a small aperture below and a 
larger one above, of such size that the taper burnt with a 
flame a little below its natural size. I placed this lantern, the 
taper being lighted, on a stand under a large glass receiver 
standing in water, having a curved tube containing a little 
water, adapted to its top to confine the air, and which was of 
such a capacity as to enable the candle to burn for some 
minutes; I then rapidly threw a quantity of fire-damp into the 
receiver from a bladder, so as to make the atmosphere in it 
explosive. As the fire-damp mixed with the air, the flame 
of the taper gradually enlarged, till it half filled the lantern ; 
it then rapidly diminished, and was suddenly extinguished 
without the slightest explosion. I examined the air of the 
receiver after the experiment, and found it highly explo- 
sive. 
• * 
I tried similar experiments, throwing in mixtures of air and 
fire-damp, some containing the maximum, and others the 
minimum of fire-damp necessary for explosion, and always 
with the same satisfactory results. The flame considerably 
increased, and was soon extinguished. 
I introduced a lighted lantern to w T hich air was supplied by 
two glass tubes of To °f an inch in diameter and half an inch 
long, into a large jar containing an explosive mixture of 1 
part of fire-damp and 10 parts of air; the taper burnt at first 
with a feeble light, the flame soon became enlarged, and was 
then extinguished. I repeated these experiments several 
times, and with a perfect constancy of result 
It is evident, then, that to prevent explosions in coal mines, 
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