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

EXPLOSIONS IN COAL MINES.

The following are the more important portions of the
report of the gases and explosions in collivri( s, by
Sir Henry T. De la Beebe and Dr. Lyon Playfair (just
presented to Parliament by command of her Majesty).

SIR HENRY T. DE LA DEERE AND DR. LYON PLAYFAIR

TO VISCOUNT CANNING

Museum of Economic Geology, June 1, 1846.
My Lord—Rev-in.; in conformity with the instruc-
tions contained in the Earl of Lincoln's letter of the 27th
August, 1845, directed our attention to the composition
of the gases evolved from coal beds, to the mode of ven-
tilating collieries, and to the subject of xp'osions in
them generally, we have the honour to submit the fol-
lowing statement for consideration.
The general result of our examination is, that the
only inflammable constituent present in the explo-
sive gas of collieries is carburetted hydrogen or the
damp ; there is not a trace of olefiant gas, end only
in one out of the eight gases analysed is there
hydrogen. It follows from the previous analyses
that the issue of fire damp into the atmosphere of it
mine must deteriorate the air by adding an undue pro-
portion of nitrogen gas: in one case this gas amounts to
twenty-one per cent. During an explosion the oxygen
nece,sary to the respiration of the workers is removed
by uniting with the carbon of the fire damp, and thus
producing carbonic acid, a gas most fatal to anient 1 life.
This carbonic acid, mixed with the residual nitrogen of
the atmosphere, and that present in the explosive gas
itself, forms what is termed after-damp, which produces
effects more fatal even than those arising from the explo-
sion. It often happens that after an explosion a sufficient
quantity of oxygen remains to support the respiration
of those who SIM iVC its effects, were it not fur the pre-
set.ce of carbonic acid. This gas when present in no
greater proportion than one or two per cent., is capable
of producing the most injurious effects. It his therefore
been sugges.ed that cheap mixtures made of substances
capable of absorbing carbonic acid, such as glauber salts
and lime, would prove useful to those who try to aid the
sufferers after the explosion. Such a mixture, placed in
a coarse bag and applied to the mouth, wou:d effectually
absorb the carbonic acid and prevent it exercising an in-
jurious effect on the respiration. Certainly the want of
some such precaution in the case of the Jarrow explosion
caused the death of a very meritorious man, Jacob Dilly,
the overman of the pit.
An explosion is, however, generally attended with
much more complex results than those described as at-
tending the comoustion of carburettcd hydrogen. The
amount of fire damp which may be at first ignited may
be trivial, and yet produce the most disastrous effects.
From its lightness it accumulates at. the upper part of
the passages, and diffuses with considerable difficulty,
often acting as a train, and communicating the explosion
to the p, nt-up reservoirs of gas in the goals. It is thus
that in almost all accounts of explosions two are gene-
rally described as taking place ; the first local and at the
seat of the explosion ; the second more general, and
aided by an accumulation of foul gas in other tarts of
the pit.
In 1835 a Select Committee of the House of Commons
was appointed to inquire " into the nature, cause, and
extent of those lamentable catastrophes from explosions
hich have occurred in the mines of Great Britain, with
the view of ascertaining and suggesting the means of
preventing the recurrence of similar fatal accidents."
The Committee were enabled to ascertain that during
the twenty-five years preceding these inquiries, 2,070
persons had perished from colliery explosions ; and
they considered this number much underrated. During
the last ten years the rate of loss of lite from this cause
has certainly not diminished. The experience of the
past year has shown that considerably more than 100
persons have been known to have thus perished.
It has so unfortunately happened that during the
few months we have been engaged upon this inquiry
two explosions, one at Jarrow, in Durham, and the other
at Risca, in Monmouthshire, have together deprived
seventy-six persons of their lives, forty-one having
perished at the former, and thirty-five at the latter.
As much doubt has la en thrown upon the real
safety of the Davy lamp, it is but justice to the
memory of Sir Humphry Davy to state that he was
perfectly aware that, if a proper mixture of
fire damp and common air were thrown against
tho lamp with sufficient force to project the flame
upon the gauze cylinder, it might communicate with the
flame, and eau:e explosion. Mr. Buddle, in his evidence
(Report of Committee of 1835, No. 2,226 and 2,227);
clearly shows this to have been the case. He mentions
an experiment at Morton West pit, where a very power-
ful blower from the shaft was tried IN ith the lamp, when
the flame passed and the blower was fired. Sir Hunaphre
Davy then, addressing Lord Durham and many other
persons who were present, said, " Now, gentlemen, you
see the nature of the danger to which you are exposed
in using the lamp, and I caution you to guard against it
in the manner I have shown you. This is to show the
only case in which the lamp will explode ; and I caution
and warn you not to use it in any such case when you
can avoid it without using the, shield." The shield re-
commended was one of tin, inside the cylinder, to pre-
sent a current of " fire damp" from acting on the flame.
Mr. Buddle stated before the committee that in the lamps
used in the collieries under his management the shield
passed from one-half to two-thirds round the inside of
the cylinder, and, being bright, reflected the light to
such an extent as to be more advantageous than a
glass cylinder inside that of Wire gauze, a contrivance
often recommended to obviate the risk of currents of
fire damp.
Without desiring, in the slightest degree, to cast un-
necessary doubt on the safety of the Davy lamp, Sines
we consider its cautious use an immense boon to coal
mining, and believe that much additional security is ob-
tained by the proper use of the original Davy, or of its
improvements, it can scarcely be denied that far more
care in the use of safety lamps is needed than is cos
moely emploe ed. Although shields or glass cylinder
are used in some localities, they are never employed in
others ; and the bare single cylinder of wire gauze, net
always properly manufactured, is the only form in which
the Davy lamp is known. And it should be observed,
that with a few local exceptions, the Davy lamp is that
commonly employed. Numerous modifications, and in
some cases improvements, of the safety lamp have been
made ; but, either from the expense, or want of sim-
plicity in management, have never como generally
into use.
It has been at various times proposed, during the last
eight years, to employ electricity as a means of
lighting collieries. The electricity, streaming be-
tween two charcoal points from a Grove's or
Bunsen's battery, affords a light of much beauty.
and perfectly safe, if completely surrounded by
glass, but capable of igniting an explosive mixture if ex-
posed. Protessor Grove has constructed a lamp on this
principle, which he kindly prepared for ue and which
we have examined in action. It consisted of a box, con-
taining four galvanic cells, and the light was obtained
by the passage of electricity between two coils of plati-
num wire. These were surrounded with glass vessels:
the inner one for the purpose of isolation, the exterior
one being fll!ed with water, so as to destroy the light
should the inner glass vessel be broken. The light 4iven
out was rather more than that of a minor's candle. This,
certainly, is a safe lamp, but in its present state, still
unfitted for the purpose of the collier as at pre cot ar-
ranged. The acids, sulphuric and nitric, render the
lamp so inconveniently heavy, that both han6s must be
used in carrying it; besides, from not being covered, the
spilling of these corrosive liquids on the persons of the
miners could scarcely be avoided. The water in the ex
terior vessel soon becomes heated, aid ultimately boils,
and the light only lasts in proper strength for two or
three hours. There must, therefore, be considerable
modification in this lamp before it can be rendered avail-
able for ordinary mining purposes, which we may readily
expect. from the acknowledged talent of its inventor.
Great improvements were introduced in the ventila-
tion of collieries in many districts, when the course of
air was quickened by means of a furnace established
near the bottom of the upcast shaft, or through that
which the foul air passes outwards, and more particu-
larly when, in the north of England, instead of per-
mitting the air introduced by the downcast shaft to pass
slowly and imperfectly along a course of twenty or thirty
mites of passages, it was split or divided into separate
courses, from two to six miles in length. Those, how-
ever, who may possess an extended acquaintance with

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our collieries in different parts of the country cannot but
e aware, that as a whole their general ventilation is very
imperfect, good as it may be in some collieries, particu-
lariy in certain districts.
When it is considered that coals are worked in the
United Kingdom under every variety of condition—from
levels driven into mountain sides to pits sunk to great
depths through masses Of superincumbent rocks—in
beds ranging from a vertical to a horizontal position,
and even contorted and bent—sometimes traversed by
faults, at others free from them—the beds near the Su r -
face in one place, and ranging beneath mountains in
another—in fact, under a great variety of geological con-
ditions, it is not difficult to see that many plans which
hare been suggested for tire working of collieries, good
as they may be for some loceilities, would be inapplicable
generally, and would indeed fail, except under the con-
dition fitted for them.
So various are the conditicxns under which collieries
are or can be worked in the United Kingdom, Mat we
would suggest for coasideraticm, if legislative measures
should be deemed advisable, and an extension cf the
principle which regulates tine employment of women
and children in our miner, aria the labour in our fac-
tories, be thought good, Oast effective discretionary
powers should be veste d in. properly-qualified persons,
appointed in convenient 'list riots, so that the needful ad-
justments to conditions i nal be effected, awl no binge
system be attempted inapt lit :able to our collieries as a
whole. _ _

Any general system or legislation for 'conditions so
different could only be pro du ctive of failure or cf Nu-
rious consequences, both tti owners and workers ; but a
local exarnikation and inqu ix y, with power to at just to
special conditions would, we s pprehend, remove the diffi-
cuiths which the I.,:gislaturel has felt in dealing with
interests so important.

Jealous as the coahowners 3 would properly be of any
undue intermeddling with th tic collieries, it may never-
theless be true that a judieic is system of supt rintend-
ena. in a district, by which . the proper ventilation of
collieries, efficient knowledge tin the part of subordinate
agents, and proper punishmet IV; for foolhardiness or care-
lessness on the part of the colliers may be secured,
would be a great advantage ,to ten individually and
collectively, and be the savin, ty,f. only of IL es, hut of
much captal, securing them, in the ease of accidents,
from many an unjust occu,aii, 4.. for negl,ct.
On the other hand. carert. I but not overt:tied:fling
'-rvision would afford corrad E rice to the collier. Pro-
-,ins being appointed ato superintendents (and, if
it deficiencies woe i% I soon become apparent,
the conseque a ce), he would feel that
-f the ex ii -ding knowledge of de
or, lcular conditions under

Op,
per per..
improper, ti,..
and their remora.
he has the advantage -
day brouglit hear upon ths,

' far better informed
some dibtrkets the working; euiner is ould receive atten-
upon the general principles •vv.ll.qlA Sll turd be would feel
tion than may be commonly oupotOPt