The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-14 00:00:00

THE VENTILATION OF MINES.

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

An interesting subject occupied the attention of
the society hat evening—the ventilation of mines. Lord
Wll/0114CLIFII presided.
Mr. BULLY, the secretary, read the paper "On ex-
plosioca of lire-damp in mines and CAtlefitS, and the
means of preventing them," by Mr. Robert Black
wood, of Kilmarnock. It commenced by describing the
general system of underground workings in mines,
and the means used fur eusuring proper ventiiation.
The means almost universally adopted was by rarefication—
a powerful furnace or cube being kept burioug at the bot-
tom of the upcast shaft, which produced au asceuding cur-
rent in the upcast shaft, the cool pure air going down the
downcast. It was of the first importance to keep up a
copious air current, and to keep it is its proper course.
There was a tendency to leakage and waste. A frequeut
cause of explosions of lire-damp was the want of attention
to the doors in the drawing reads and air cuurses; if these
doors were left open, it was fatal to the ventilation, and an
expinsion was almost ice vitaKe. Double doors, so atraeged
as never to open at the same time, were a great safe-
guard. In many mines the lives of hundreds of persons
were frequently placed in the hands of a carelese boy, whose
neglect ur Mattention might prove fatal. Another tre-
quest cause of explosions, even with a powerful ventilation,
arose from a heading or drift Lting drjven ton far in advance
of the air course. Lots of life [rum tepluseins !night b.• d:
into two clamee—death caused directly by scorching
and the violence of the explosiou, and death by eullocatiun
trout choke demo. Attie describing the exteneirtly fatal
nature of these explosions, the writer pointed out the im-
portauce of having double shafts, which wee, common in
the north of England. It was to be regretted that, when
these explosions were sj frequent, so much dependence
should still be placed un natural ventilation. The natural
current in a mice, unassisted by a furnace, woe so feeble
a. to be materadly effected by cheeps of temperature, and
the ventilation was iu some cases completely revered, sad
the %Witted air was drawn back again iut r the workings.
A contracted or othtrwise insufficient air-courre was also
the cause of much defective ventilation. A very decided
improvement was now being pretty generally adopted
in the northern districts of En_land by working
the mine in isolated districts, and splitting the
in-tako air into several distinct columns at the
bottom of the downcast 0131 r, and uppropristrng a
column to each district. By this means the faces were aired
more perfectly, each current had a muiffi shorter course to
travel, the tendency to leakage was less, and the return air
was not so much charged with fire-damp; when an explo-
sion did occur, it was generally entitled to the district in
which the gas hail been ignited. It was to la: feared, how-
ever,llthat even under the most approved syrtem of ventila•
tiou at present adopted, accidents from explerion tot fire-
damp could never be entirely averted; this must exceed the
hopes of the most sanguine ; but much might still be dune
to prevent these most disastrous accidents. At the same
time, it was both difficult and dangerous to lay down any
fixed law or system to be adhered to in vehtilating collieries
generally. This must be left to the judgment of an intelli-
gent and experienced manager; as * system that would
work satisfactorily in one mine or colliery might be wholly
impracticable in another. The method of splitting the air,
and working in districts, however, was certainly a great
step in advance, and was at present the most perfect system
of ventilation known. If carried out judiciously, and with
a rigorous discipline, ordinary caution on tit, part of the
miners would be a sufficient safeguard against explosions,
and would, if not wholly avert, at least greatly tend to
lessen, the number of such direful calamities.
. . .

Mr. VARLET gave some account of a plan which had
been proposed sonic years ago by a Mr. O'ltyan, and to
which he said the society had awarded its geld medal and
a reward of 104 guineas.
Mr. BLACKWELL, the government inspector of mines,
said that Ryan's system was not applicable to the mines of
this country. It had been too csonmen to Attribute explo-
sions in mines to secondary caused, as the carelessness of
workmen; whereas they ought to seek to remove the pri-
mary cause—the generally dangerous coudition of mines.
Till that was remedied, explosions would occur trona time
to time. When they did happeu the employCis tried to
throw the blame upon one another, and no satisfactory con-
clusion could be come to. Tiiere were two modes by which
explosions might be prevented—ventilation and the use of
the Davy lamp. The latter was not ye; ado., el iu this country
so gi acuity as it ought. Neither precaution was sufficient
alone, but there was not a single instance of an explosion
on record which might not have been prevented by the use
of both. Some mines, when first opened, were so highly
charged with gas that, however good the ventilotiou, the
most skilful coal-viewers could not prevent au explo-
sion. This had been the case at Jarrow, where a
number of lives were lost. Last summer an explosion
had occurred at a mine in S oath Wiles, which he had
visited. On a former occasion be had warned the proprie'or
of the necessity of using the Davy lamp. The warning was
not attended to, and in nine months another explosion oc-
curred, by which 65 lives were lost. Ile was glad to find
that in Northumberland, so great was the caution used,
that explosions were extremely rare. They now chiefly
occurred in Yorkshire and in South Wales. In the northern
mines the number of doors was much diminished, and a
mach less extent of the mine was opened at one time. He
bad nes hesitation in saying that onsetenth of the doors
used in some mines would be sufficient. With excellent
air-courees and large furnaces a great amount of safety was
ensured; he hoped it would be still further Increased by the
general use of the Davy lamp. Ile knew there was a pre-
judice against it among miners. There were different
kinds of lamp, and the old ones, with wire gauze, were cer-
tainly objectionable, on account of the little light they gave.
lie preferred the glass lamps, which were generally used
in Belgium; and until this was dune in this
country we should continue to have explosion..
Ile could not understand why some modification of the
Davy lamp was not generally employed. Ile believed that
all the great and fatal explosions of late years might have
been prevented by its use.
The CHAIRMAN asked Mr. Blackwell which form of the
Davy lamp he preferred, as this had been a subject of con-
troversy ?
Mr. Beaciewset. said that for a foul atmosphere, the
lamp, as left us by Sir 11. Davy, wee the best ; it was pre-
ferable as a test-lamp. Of the glass lamps, he thought the
Mueseler lamp, generally used in Belgium, was preferable.
It was a very safe lamp, and gave a strong light. The
lamp of U. Elora was also a good one. Glass lamps did
not require so much caution as the ordinary Davy lamps.
Mr. laza said he had suggested to the Northern Insti-
tute at Newcastle the importance of getting rid of the
explosive air as much as possible, by firing it by gunpowder
every twelve hours. He denied that soy kiud of lamp
would afford security ; every miner knew that.
lan BLACYWELL said he did not believe that with Davy
lamps, properly used, any explosion could take place. He
might challenge the preceding speaker to name an instance
of any such explosion having occurred. It was well known
that miners regularly employed these lamps when the
wished to explore a vitiated atmosphere, and did so with
perfect safety. lie had gone into suds atmospheres himself
with the Davy lamp, lied had no more hesitation than in
coming into that room. (Hear, hear.)
In answer to a question from a gentleman,
Mr. BLACK WELL said he did not think the electric light
was well adapted for lighting mines.
Mr. W. SMYTH, professor of mining at the Museum of
Practical Geology, said the paper which had been read re-
ferred principally to a system of ventilation which had been
in use for thirty years. Many of the difficulties it pointed
out had been entirely done away with. The great point
was to carry a sufficient body of air throughout the
passages, and that must always depend on a practical
acquaintance with the requirements of the mine.
Along with Mr. Blackwell he was surprised that
safety lamps were not more generally enforced on the
miners. In some mines en old man was stationed at a door,
not to allow any ono to pass without a safety lamp ; in
others the police regulations were less strict, and some men
might be seen with lamps, and others in the same mine,
with naked lights, although they knew the air was dan-
gerous in the neighbourhood. In ventilation, the great
difficulty was, not so much to produce a regular and power-
ful current of air, as to provide for its distribution to every
part of the mine, so that sufficient fresh air might reach
every miner to dilute the coal damp which issued from
where he was working. Ile differed from the author of
the paper as to the importance of natural ventilation. Ex-
periments instituted by Mr. Nicholas Wood had shown in
one ease that natural ventilation supplied from 10,000 to
14,000 cubic feet of air every minute. Where the natural
ventilation was good, it ought to be taken advantage of.
But in every mine much would depend on the particular
circumstances of the workings, and the ventilation must be
regulated accordingly. He rejoiced at the improvements
making in the northern mines, and hoped that they would
spread all over the country.
Mr. EDWARD Speoss, of Birmingham, gave an explana-
tion of a safety Imp which he had invented, and exhibited
a specimen. The improvement consisted in a contrivance
which extinguished the lamp the moment an attempt was '
made to open it—the great object being to prevent miners
from doing so and thereby causing accidents, lie had also
applied the self-acting extinguisher to the common Davy
lamp. All the scientific men and coulowners who bed seen
the lamp approved it; but the latter said it was too dear.
lie contended that the cost of 600 such lamps ought not to
be put in competition with the life of a single man. (Ap-
plause.) lie was anxious that the lamps should be most
thoroughly tested ; and if found to answer, ho would fore-
go all claim to soy patent right, in order that manufac-
turers might compete in producing them, and thus lead to
their general adoption. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN, in the name of the meeting, thanked
Mr. Simons for his very valuable offer. He hoped the
lamp:would soon be tested, as he desired, and generally
adopted, if it proved to be valuable. (Hear, hear.) This
discussion hied been a most interesting one. From liv-
ing in the midst of a coal and mining district,
he had taken great interest in this question, and had done
all in his power to promote greater security in mines. Four
or five years ago, he obtained a committee of the Howe of
Lords on the subject, and one result of that inquiry had
been the establishment of the government inspectorship of
mines. The consequences had been most beneficial ; 11114
he thought it desirable that there should be a larger staff of
inspectors. The difficulties of dealing with the subject were
not enly increased by the peculiar circumstances of different
I minis, but by differences be the mineral itself,--some kinds
of coal giving off infiamma le air much more rapidly than
others. It bail been supg.sted that certain precautions
should be imperative on the part of coal-owners ; this he
thought would be almost impossible. Were inspectors to
enforce specific inewures or itiventions, he feared it would
remove the reeponsibilily from the coal-owners. (Hear,
! hear.) They were the proper parties to whom to Isok fur
I security, and no info-No.6mi or interference ought to operate
to weaken that responsibility. He hoped that rho senti-
ment alluded ti by Mr. Simons rr.3 not prevalent amongst