The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-08-07 00:00:00

NINES AND MINERALS.

A Blue Book has just been issued containing mining
and mineral statistics of the United Kingdom and
Ireland, including lists of mines and mineral works,
for 1885. The book, which is a bulky one, includes
a large number of tables, and gives a vast amount of
information in regard to the mineral resources and
trade of the country. It has been prepared by her
Majesty's Inspector of Mines by direction of the
Home Secretary. During the year the aggregate
number of persons employed in and about the whole
of the mines in the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland amounted to 561,676. Of these
520,632 were employed under the Coal Mines
Regulation Act, and 410,44 under the Metal-
liferous Mines Regulation Act. The total num-
ber of fatal accidents was 866, and the total num-
ber of deaths occasioned thereby, 1214; showing a
decrease, compared with the totals for the preceding
year, of 51 in the number of fatal accidents, and an
increase of 216 in the number of lives lost. On an
average, there was one fatal accident to every 648
persons employed, and one death by accident to every
462 persons employed. The average for the 10 years,
1874 to 1883, is one fatal accident to every 5`.'4 per-
sons employed, and one death by accident to every
458 persons employed. The proportion of fatal acci-
dents to the number of persons employed is, there-
fore, lower than the average of the last 10 years, and
the death-rate is also lower. In and about the
mines classed under the Coal Mines Regulation Act
the proportion of accidents and deaths to the number
of persons employed and the quantity of mineral
wrought, shows that on the average during the year
there was one fatal accident to every 645 persons
employed, and one death by accident to every 452
persons employed; and that for each fatal accident
214,651 tons of mineral were wrought and for each
death by accident 150,629 tons. During the preceding
year there was the smaller number of 633 persons
employed for one fatal accident, and the larger
number of 552 persons employed for every death by
accident, and for each fatal accident the smaller
quantity of 202,633 tons was wrought, and for each
death by accident the larger quantity of 185,639 tons.
The number of persons employed in and about the
mines under the Coal Mines Act was 520,632. Of
these 424,191 were employed underground, and
96,441 (of whom 4303 were females) above ground;
thus showing, as compared with the preceding year,
an increase of 256 persons. The fatal accidents
during the year amounted to 807, and the deaths occa-
sioned thereby to 1150, being a decrease, when com-
pared with the summary of the preceding year, of 56
in the number of fatal accidents, and an increase of 208
in the number of lives lost. In mines classed under
the Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act in Great
Britain and Ireland the fatals accidents during 1885
amounted to 59 and the deaths to 64. Of these, 58
deaths occurred under ground and six above ground.
There were 41,044 persons employed in and about the
mines under this Act, being a decrease of 3076
persons compared with the preceding year. Of those
employed in Great Britain 24,393 were under ground,
and 15,861 above ground, and in Ireland 509 under
ground and 281 above ground. It appears that during
the year there was one fatal accident to every 695
persons employed in and about the whole of the mines,
and one death to every 641 persons employed. In the
preceding year there was a proportion of one accident
to 817 persons and one death to 787 persons.