128 
at no great distance from it ; W) the smoked and blackened appearance of portions of the tin. I may add 
that I not only believe that the explosion occurred under these conditions, but also that the survivors could, 
if they chose, doubtless corroborate this conclusion. I have formed the impression that although they could 
not perhaps see what Hutcheson was doing at the moment actually preceding the explosion, they were 
aware that he was employing such means as I have described for thawing the dynamite ; it is very probable 
that they had, in the course of the afternoon, been assisting him in the operation. 
It may be useful to remark that tho operation of thawing dynamite by such means as those which 
I have suggested Hutcheson was employing is attended with the gravest risk. We have had, I regret to 
say, a large number of fatal accidents from the attempted thawing of dynamite by exposing it to direct 
contact with heated metal. So recently as the 7th December, a shocking accident occurred at Greengairs, 
near Airdrie, resulting in the deaths of two persons and the serious injury of two others, due to the 
explosion of some dynamite which w T as being thawed on a hob. And since the accident now under notice, 
another has occurred in the same county, at Cardenden, which there we know to have been due to an 
incautious attempt to thaw dynamite by the direct application of artificial heat. 
Our annual reports since tho Act came into operation contained notices of numerous accidents of this 
character, among which we may mention tho following :— 
Killed. 
Injured. 
- - 
1st May, 1876. Morrison’s Haven, Preston Pans 
1 
2 
26th Nov., 1877. Minera Mine, near Wrexham 
— 
1 
23rd Jan., 1878. Dinorwic Quarries, near Llanboris 
2 
— 
24th Jan., 1878. Slate Quarry, near Llanberis 
— 
1 
4th Dec., 1878. Letterwood, between Oban and Dalmally 
2 
— 
21st Dec., 1878. Talargoch Mine, near Rhyl 
1 
1 
9th Jan., 1879. Ilalkyn, near Flint 
29th Jan., 1879. Ouseburn, near Newcastle-on-Tyne ... 
— 
— 
— 
3 
29th Jan., 1879. Tanygrisiau, Festiniog 
— 
2 
13th Feb., 1879. Aucimashellach ... 
1 
— 
21st March, 1879. Lowliall Colliery, Ince, Wigan 
— 
3 
14th April, 1879. Praze, near Crowan 
2 
2 
19th Jan., 1880. Glencrutten Cutting, near Oban 
— 
2 
14th March, 1880. Montrose arid Arbroath Railway 
5 
1 
23rd April, 1880. Hawkesbury Colliery, Bedworth 
1 
— 
1st Dec., 1880. Great Pant-y-Pydew Mine 
— 
2 
18th Jan., 1881. Berehaven Mines Co., Cork 
2 
5 
15th Feb., 1881. Beath, near Kelty ... ... ... 
1st May, 1882. Phoenix United Mines 
— 
1 
— 
1 
2Gth Jan., 1883. Glascoed Llanbaddock, near Usk 
— 
3 
2nd March, 1883. Railway Tunnel being constructed between Ban¬ 
gor and Bethesda 
1 
2 
29th March, 1883. Southrigg Colliery, Airdrie, Lanark ... 
1 
1 
2nd April, 1883. South Phoenix Mine, Liskeard 
— 
3 
8th Nov., 1883. Plumbley Colliery, near Eckington, Derby 
1 
1 
7th Nov., 1883. Rhondda Merthyr Colliery ... 
— 
2 
7th Dec., 1883. Greengairs, near Airdrie ... 
17th Dec., 1883. Cai’deuden, Fifeshire 
2 
2 
1 
The risk from this cause is recognised and emphasized in the instructions issued by Nobel’s 
Explosives Company with their dynamite. Each package of 5 lbs. contains, inside and outside, instruc¬ 
tions (in English, Gaelic, and Welsh) with regard to the use of the explosive, and among these instructions 
appear the following :— 
“It is highly dangerous to place dynamite on or near fires, stoves, steam pipes, or any highly heated 
metal. Dynamite must uever be put into warm water to thaw or soften. It ought always to be 
put first into a water-tight vessel, and then have that vessel placed in the warm water. 
Dynamite cartridges, when frozen, may be softened without danger in wann water warming 
pans, such as the company supply for the purpose.” 
Unfortunately, this important warning is too often left unread or unheeded, and the result is tho 
numerous and often recurring accidents in thawing such as those above referred to. 
I propose considering in what manner this warning can be best and most saliently brought under the 
notice of miners and other users of this class of explosives, and meanwhile the publication of this Report 
may perhaps serve some useful end in this direction. 
It is worthy of consideration whether some charge of criminal recklessness might not be properly pre¬ 
ferred against any person who can be proved to be guilty of an act which experience and the printed 
instructions issued with tho explosive alike signalise as highly dangerous, and perhaps a conviction or two 
on such a charge would tend to attract attention to the risk, and make miners more careful. 
In the present case the man who was presumably guilty of this recklessness has paid the penalty 
with his life, which of course puts on one side any question of legal proceedings. But if it could have been 
shown that any of the survivors had placed tho dynamite in the tin, or actively assisted in establishing the 
state of things which eventuated in an explosion, it would bo worthy of consideration whether proceedings 
should not be instituted. 
I think it right to add to this Report that I have found that the Orders in Council, of 20tli April, 
1888, relating to the keeping of dynamite do not appear to liavo been enforced by the Burgh authorities in 
Dunfermline, inasmuch as it appears that persons have been keeping dynamite without having a police 
