The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-14 00:00:00

far more secure from danger than he now does, if aaglisd
that the state was not neglectful of his safety.
Though several collieries in particular districts poi'
seas good plans and sections of their workings, and 1121
inspection of such plans and sections affords a 'lel':
the system of ventilation and general mode of wail
adopted, this is far trout being the case generally, 01
has been much regretted alike by the enlighted coal:
owners and by the public. The importance of cove;
plans and sections has been prominently pointed oaf
both by the Committee of the House of Commons iTh
1835, and in the report of the South Shields Cominittrs
of 1843; indeed, the necessity of them is sufficiently
obvious.

Should the suggestion of a system of judicious ins Per
tiun be deemed worthy of consideration, the ream
access to proper plus and sections of collieries, brought
up to given times, would necessarily form a part Of e'll4
general syt.tem of regulations. If correct (and power
ascertain that they were so would be essential), the!
would at once disclose the system of working and vent':
la.tion adopted, and, with information respecting
police regulations, and au account of the kind of Hth
v
O"
employed, would at once afford a general view of the
mode of conducting any particular colliery, arid of the
adjUstmeat of the workings to conditions.
It being considered that safety lamps, properly usecl'
do effect much security in the working of coal, and that
in so many cases explosions do take place when they are
n.tt. employed, it has often been suggested that the Le;
gislature should com.rel the general use of safety lateP
in coal mines. But, on the other hand, there are moray
collieries in which tire damp 11.ver appears, and it woo,'
justly be considered a hardship in such cases to compel
precauti la altogether unnecessary.
We would suggest that it could not be considered eli'
just for the Legislature to compel the use of safety istK"
in all fiery collieries; and, in the present state of tbe
law of property, it Ent7it even be prudent to ast,lll)3e
that all collieries in districts where explosions have bee°
fr. fluent are fiery, putting the onus probandi that the)
are not upon the owners of such cAlierie., it proved t°
the satisfaction of inspectors that no reit-.na.ble danger
was to be apprehended in their collieries, lice.:•se 1011;ti,,
be given or them to work with naked candles, this
cense ceasing at short periods. but being renewat of
ascertaining that the condition of the mine hat P
altered.
Careful investigations into the causes of explosiono ?if .
collieries, only part of which arrest public attention
their magnitude, api.tear to have led to the very genet%
conclusion that the condition of our collieries is o°6'
unequal. While in some localities there is so , little 1,0,
improve that it becomes subject of regret that such
esatnples should more generally be followed, in Other.
it becomes a matter of surprise how the works can bes:
peirmitted to remain in so defective a state, seeing this
thle owners themselves suffer much lost; thereby. 1-7.lweof
such a. state of things, and considering the number e
vituable lives annually lest by colliery explosions, the
continued risk to which so many are daily exposed:ft:o
national injury sustained by the imprudent and cure', 0.
mode of extracting coal in many localities one often te ,
oppressively aho by the parties engaged in colliery ori,
culations, and that the workings for coal must be Lot
justed to local conditions, we are led to consider tligi
these evils might be at least mitigated by the care,
and judicious inspection of convenient districts by _ „v
pttent persons, the necessary funds to be raised Si
such districts by a very slight impost, not even exee;_f
ins one farthing on each ton of coal raised in it ;
,and of
atihoawtntehres cwauonseidofbehusmli
betheliecvoe
akneitybenaenfidtetdheblynteare.sytise*
considered legislative measure of this kind.
We have, &c.,
H. T. LE LA BECU
LYON PLAYFAIE.