The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-12-12 00:00:00

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was used in the of iron. In the year 1713
a party of merchants eganto smelt iron with it
Since then the use of coal in different manufac-
tures had increased enormously, and in the year
1854 the average production might be taken at
50,500,700 tons per annum. Some few years ago
a cry was raised throughout the country to the
effect that our coal-fields were being rapidly ex-
hausted, and that two centuries hence, it was
probable there would be none left. But it was not
until Sir William Armstrong drew attention to the
rapidly increasing consumption of coal all over the
world, that real alarm began to be felt upon the
subject. It had been calculated that the whole uf !
the coal available for use amounted to eighteen
thousand million tons, and that it would last 212
years. A writer in the Core/ill Magazinc,however,
said there were seven billion tons of coal available
for the human race, and the supply would last
over 3,600 years. Thus different opinions were
broached, until at length a Royal Commission was
appointed to enquire into the whole subject of our
coal supply. They dil to, and the Commissioners
arrived at the conclusion that there were forty-six
, thousand four hundred millions of tons of coal
which might be gettable for use. It used to be
I thought that below a certain depth the heat would
be so great that it would be impossible for miners
to work, but it was now ascertained that at the
depth of 127 yards the heat was 50 degrees Fah-
renheit, and that below that depth the heat rather
decreased than otherwise. A large proportion of
the coal in the northern coalfield lies under the
sea, and, of course, in cases like that, the tempe-
rature was still lower. We annually raise eight
I times the amount of fuel that the growing timber
of this country would produce. There are in the
united kingdom about 3,000 separate collieries.
Staffordshire has 320 of these within its limits.
lie then turned to the subject of coal mining, and
said that at first it was dug from the surface, and
when the coal got too low for that, quarrying was
then resorted to. In India this was at present
done. Next bell pits were sunk—pits widening
downwards from the mouth. At last the seams of
coal became too deep for this process, and circular
pits of small dimensions were sunk, and a small
windlass was provided, and the coal wound up in
baskets or in buckets. In the year 1769 rails were
first put, then chains were used, and, lastly, steam
engines. They then had to work according to
what was known as "the boardand pillar system,"
which was now in use in the North of England.
It was customary to begin working within a rea-
sonable distance—say 50 yards—of the pit shaft,
leaving large portions of coal, as pillars to support
the roof, until the extreme limits of the mine were
reached. The last of these pillars was then "got,'
and the superincumbent earth allowed to fall into
its place, then the succeeding one was taken, and
so on, until the mouth of the mine was reached.
This was considered to be the safest method of
getting coal. The plan formerly in use in this
district was "the square" system. A collier's
" stint" or day's work was usually six feet by four
feet, and a square of six feet of coal was left
standing in the middle of each space; and this was
left as a pillar, and termed the "Man of War." It
was eventually taken away, but it served its pur-
pose for the time being. The thick coal was ten
yards in thickness, and was divided into different
layers of various qualities. The lecturer then gave
the different names by which the coal was known
to colliers, and then described "the damp" anti
"choke damp," the two agencies that were so
fatal to colliers. The first of these was a carbonate
of hydrogen, more commonly known as sulphur.
This was not injurious to health, when not in com-
bustion. "Choke damp" consisted of carbonic
acid gas. Water has the power of absorbinglarge
quantities of carbonic acid gas, and in times past
was frequently used to expel choke damp from
mines. With reference to fire damp, a different
method ;had to be adopted. In the year 1816
in the neighbourhood of Brierley Hill, a coal pit
was rendered unworkable through the presence of
large quantities of fire damp. An Irishman
named John Ryan appeared upon the scene and
offered to free the mines from fire damp for a stipu.
lal ad sum. He did this by producing a series of
explosions, at great personal risk, and the colliers
were so struck with his daring hardihood that they
at once fixed upon him the soubriquet, "Hell fire
Jack." This process, considerably modified, so as
to render it more sale, was that used at the pre.
tent day for the same purpose. The lecture, which
was a very interesting one, was illustrated by nu-
merous diagrams.
Mr. A. Freer proposed a vote of thanks to the
lecturer, and regretted that there were so few of
the young men connected with the association
present to hear the lecture.
Mr. Collis having responded to the vote of
thanks, the meeting separated.