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

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS.

EXPLOSIONS IN COAL MINES.
The following are the more important portions of the
report of the gases and explosions in collieries, by
Sir Henry T. De la Beebe and Dr. Lyon Play fair (just
presented to Parliament by command of her Majesty).
SIR HENRY T. DE LA RECUR AND DR. LYON PLAYFAIR
TO VISCOUNT CANNING.
Museum of Economic Geology, June 1, 1846.
My Lord—Having 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, arid to the subject of explosions 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 if trace of ()latent gas, and only
in one out of' the eight gases analysed is there
hydrogen. It follows from the previous analyses
that the issue of fira damp into the atmosphere of a
mine must deteriorate the air by addirg en 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 animal life.
This carbonic acid, mixed with the residual nitrogen of
the atmosphel re 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-
sien. It often happens that after an explosion a sufficient
gnantity of oxygen remains to support the repiratiun
of those who sury lye its effects, were it not for the pre-
sence 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 has therefore
been sueges:ed :hat cheap mixture* made of substances
capable of absorbing carbonic acid, such as glauber salts
and lime, would prove useful to those who try to aid tee
sufferers after the explosion. Such a mixture-, placed in
a coarse bag and applied to the mouth, would effectually
absorb the carbonic acid and prevent it exercising ait 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 Ditty,
the overman of the pit.
An explosion is, however, generally attended with
much more complex-results than those described as at-
tending the combustion of earburetted hydrogen. The
amount of fire &Map which may be at first ignited may
be trivial, and yet produce the most disastrous effgts.
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 pint-up reservoirs of gas in
.the gears. 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 parts 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
which 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
e•Ye I the last ten years the rate of loss of life 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.
••
e paya It has so unfortunately happened that during the
• • 4 few months we have been engaged upon this inquiry
ent
•• ' two explosions, one at Jarrow, in Durham, and the other
es at Risca, in Monmouthshire, have together deprived
seventy-six persons of their lives, forty-one having
'AID. perished at the former, and thirty-five at the latter.
As much doubt has been thrown upon the real
. 10150
safety of the Davy lamp, it is but justice to the
in 2 memory of Sir Humphry Davy to state that he was
..425. perfectly aware that, if a proper mixture of
.. to
21 fire damp and common air were thrown against
..
2
the lamp with sufficient force to project the flame
2 upon the getize cylinder, it might communicate with the
n's) 2 flame, and caa,e explosion. 'Mr. Buddle, in his evidence
(Report of Committee of 1835, No. 2,226 and 2,227),
141. I clearly shows this to have been the case. lie mention,
toe an experiment at Morton West pit, where a very power-
,. 1. 61. ful blower from the shaft was tried with the lamp, when
p. 2.
•6/,
the flame passed end the blower was fired. Sir Humphry
••
•
Davy then. addressing Lord Durham and many- other
. • persons who were present, said, " Now, gentlemen, you
see the nature of the daeger 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 ou
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 oneehalf 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
•• •• •• •• t glass cylieder inside that of wire gauze, a contrivance
- awn recommended to obviate the risk of currents ot
fire damp.
Without desiring, in the slightest degree, to cast un-
necessary doubt on the safety of the Davy lump, sine,
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 oft inal Davy, or of it,
improvements, it can scarcely be denied that far more
care in the use of safety lamps is needed than is era.-
...a, [nobly employed. Although shields or glass cylinder:*
••'• •• •• • • 8% are used in some localities, they are never emploj vd in
•• •••• • • • 24 others ; an] the bare single cylinder of eke gauze, n
•..•• •• 256 I always properly manufactured, is the only form in w'h'ich
' ' the Day) lamp is known. And it should he obsess, d,
that with a few local exceptions, the Day) lamp is that
commonly employed. Numerous tuedi6cations. and in
some eases itnprovemeht,,ot the safly limp have been
made ; but, either from the expense, or want of
1234 plicity in management, have never come generally
15% into use.
3 It has been at various times proposed, during the last
14 eight years, to employ electricity as a means of
• e lighting collieries. The electricity, streaming be-
tween two charcoal points from a Glove'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. Professor Grove has constructed a lamp on this
principle, which ho kindly prepared for us, and which
we have examined in action. It consisted of a box, con-
taming four galvanic cells, and the light, was obtained
. •• •• •• - - by the passage of electricity between two coils of plati-
- 2 .... i . •,* num wire. These were surrounded with glass vessels:
nee
' the inner one for the purpose of isolation, the exterior
one being filled with water, so as to destroy the light
should the inner glass vessel be broken. The light given
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; ent ar-
rerged. The acids, sulphuric and nitric, render the
lamp so inconveniently heavy, that both hands 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 avoided. The water in the ex
terior vessel soon becomes heated, at d ultimately boils,
and the light only lasts in proper strength tor two or
three hours. There must, therefore, be considerable
modification in this lamp before it can be rendered avail-
able for ordinary mining purpo,es, which we may readily
expect, from the acknoaludged talent of its inventor.
Great improvement* 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 if twenty or thirty
uli:es 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
our collieries in different p. rrs of the country cannot but
be aware, that as a whole th(-ir generai ventilation is very
imperfect, good as it may be in some collieries, partieu-
lariy in certain districts.
When it is considered -that coals are worked in the
United Kingdom under every satiety ofcoedition—front•
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 ever contorted and bent—sometimes traversed by
faults, at others free from them—the beds near the stir-
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
have been suggested for the working of collieries: good
FEATIFITL ACCIDENT ON BOARD THE FALCON.—At as they may be for some localities, would be inapplicable
half-past ten o'clock on Sunday night, as the Falcon steamer generally, and would indeed fail, excel), under the con-
heavily laden with passengers fore and aft, passed from claim!, fitted for them.
under the centre arch of Blackfriars-bridge, on her return So various are the conditions under which collieries
train Gravesend, her half chimney, which the men were are or can tic worked in the United Kingdom, that we
raising after she had passed the bridge, gave way with a would suggest for consideration, if legislative measures
great crash. Fortunately, however, it retained its horizontal should be deemed advieible, and an extension cf the
position fur a minute befOre it fell with another crash, over
Principle -
the side of the vessel. The scene consequent upon the first • • inwhich regulates the
our mines, and the labour in our fac•
employment of women
crash was truly frightful; men, women, and children rushed, and. childrenes, .
be thought good, that effective discretionary
amidst the most lii,;tittul screams, to either end of the vessel, tort
while numbers were knocked down by the first rush. The powers should be vested in properly-qualified persons,
chimney hanging over and threatening them with instant appointed in convenient districts, so that the needful ad-
death—the darkness of the night added not a little to the justments to conditions may be effected, an' no singe
terrors of the scene. A few ladies fainted, and others had system be attempted inapplicable to our collieries as a
their dresses somewhat tarnished by the soot and smoke, whole.
Any general system of legislation for conditions so
which we are happy to say constituted the result of an
accident which threatened fearful consequences. The acci- different _could only be productive of failure or of Nu.
dent arose from the hinges of the chimney giving way.
Hods consequences, both to owners and workers; but a
COMMERCIAL VALUE OF INSECTS.—The importance' .
ation and inquiry, with power to aejust to
of insects, commercially speaking, is scarcely ever
of. Great Britain does not pay less than a million of dollars special conditions would, we apprehend, remove the diffi-
annually for the dried carcase:4of the tiny insect, the cochi- culties which the Legislature has felt in dealing with
neal; and another Indian insect, guns shellac, is scarcely less interests so' important. •
valuable. More than a million and a half of human Veins Jealous as the coal-owners should properly be of any
derive their sole support from the culture and manufacture undue intermeddling with their collieries, it may never-
of silk; and the silkworm alone createe-an-annual circulate theless be true that a judicious system of sup,rintend-
ence in a district, by which the proper ventilation of
never-
on medium of nearly two hundred act ot dollars. Half
collieries, efficient knowledge on the part of subordinate
a million of dollars is annually spent in England alone for
foreign honey; at least 10,000 cwt. of wax is imported into ,
aeents, and proper
that country every year. Then there are the gall-nuts of punishment for foolhardiness or care-
commerce, used for dyeing and making ink, &c.; while thesness on the part of the colliers may be secured,
le-e.
cantharides, or Spanish fly, is an absolute iudispensable in would be a great Advantage to them individually and
materia medica.—Boston Transcript. collectively, and be the saving not only of lies, but of
ELOPEMENT OF A YouNG ENGLISH LADY OF -RANK r much capital, securing them, in the ease of accidents,
FROM BOHI.OGUE.—The Paris police was very busy at the from many an unjust accusation for neglect.
late; end of the week, endeavouring to discover a young On the other hand, careful but not overmeddling
co pie who had left Boulogne two days before. The young supervision would aff ird confidence to the collier. Pr o-
ladv, who is a minor, and very beautiful, belongs to a family
iplelr_perrsuns ping
_appeihted as superintendents (and, if
of rank,—the lover is a French nobleman of' fertune. They
have been very closely followed by the two brothers of the ante, r• r, their deficiencies would soon become apparent
their ) •
c, consequence),
knoyvi.ed.g-e of tlie
young lady, but hitherto it has been impossible to discovereine vat the (..(i eq ), he would feel that
I. he has the edvaritaeeo. the eete. eg
them, afrhough it is pretty well ascertained that they are in
liciaartieulitr conditions under
f day brought to liverwort
or near Paris.. They are precludtelby.the enactments of the
from being. legally married without the consent ;
French law which the colliery in which he labours is worked.. In
of their friends, and the young lady being under age the ' some districts the working collier is far better -informed
gentleman is amenable 0 criminal law. A warrant 11837 upon the general principles which should receive atten-
loud against the= • tioa thou way be obatinpuly ouppesed, sucl he weal fog

CITY, QUAI?TER TO THREE.
The Cotton-market at Liverpool yesterday was steady. '
Sales, 6,000 bales, 500 being fur export and 1,500 on specu-
tion. The finer descriptions were scarcest. Shares were
rather drooping.
Perhaps no visit made by Ibrahim Pacha will tend more
to advance the mercantile intercourse between this country
and Egypt than that of Saturday, when not only the Royal
Exchange, but Lloyd's Coffee and' Underwriting-house
were honoured by the presence of the intelligent
individual just named. Mr. G. R. Robinson, the
Chairman of Lloyd's, had, through the inter-
preter of the Pacha, very many questions put to
him respecting the mode in which the business of this vast
establishment was conducted. and we are told that the
Egyptian Prince was astonished at the ready manner in
which lines of from 1,0001. to 5.000/. or more were taken upon
a sea risk. From what fell from the Paths, there
is no doubt but that vast improvements are in-
tended in conducting the Custom-house arrangements of
the p,rts of Egyp!, and also that as tar as pos-ible every en-
courat_ement will be given to promote the commerce t:tween
the two countries.

There has ten pretty general satisfaction expressed at the
course which Lord John Russell has announced it as being
his intention to pursue upon the subject of the sugar ditties,
as by providing for a short continuance of the present duty,
and
,yet announcing his plan for the future, the injurious
consequence of a sudden cl ange will be averted, and at the
same time, uncertainty will be remove'.
It appears from an official return, that the number of
ships employed in the timber trade with the North Ameri-
can colonies, was, in 1841, 1,643, of 681,147 tons, and em-
ploying 22,894 men. In 1845, the numbers were 2,086 ships,
771,370 tons, and 29,191 men. This shows thereforeagrati-
fving incress,
The progress of fiscal reform has necessitated the production
of another "Ca Atints Book og.' Rates," w hieh from its extremely
compact size, and, aly.,ve all its correctness, when so many
loosely coliated tables are being brought out, mill pari-
cularly aeceptable to those engaged in mercantile pursuits.
Mr. Hume, in a communication upon the sabject of the
tariff a year or two ago, very appropriately remarked,
that our tariff had indeed hen brought. into a small compass,
but that he exi.ected to see it hilt the size yet. How com-
plieely velitiA are that gentleman's opinions, let any one
at. the last tables, and judge for himself.
The English Securities have been quiet again to-
day, and a trA3 in favour of buyers, the Ais-
count to be settled next Friday being the
main influencing cause. Consols have realised 953/4 to
96 for present transfer, and 95% to 96 for time. Exchequer
Bills have been at I Is. to 15s. premium. • The New Tine, -
and-a• Quarter ver Cents. have realised 97% to
97%. Bank Stock is firm at 208 to 209.
The Foreign Securities have heon very inactive, we may
say, totally neglected. Spanish Five per Cents. are 24% 3/4.
Dutch Two-and• a-11 ilf per Cents. are 5994.
Shares are still rather heavy.

BUITINiI FUNDS.

ONE CLOKIN,
O'CI.0( li. PRICE.;
(Link Stock .. .. .. . . .. .. 208 259 VS
Three pc: Cent. Reduced Annuities .. .. 96141,i 116
Three per Cent. Consols Annuities .. .. 95% 96 95% 95%
New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent. Anns. :a% N.% i. 7%
Long Annuities, Expire ran. 5, IS6O .. 10 516 1-16 10%
Ditto. 30 years, Oct. 10, 1859 .. 1014 1014
Ditto, 30 years, Jan. 5, 1860 .. .. 10 1-16 NI 1014.
India Bonds, 1,0001. .. .. .. .. .. .
Dltto, under 1,0001. .. .. .. .. 22 22
Consols for Opening .. .. .. .. 95% 115%
Exchequer Bills. I%d. 1 14. d.
1,0001... .. .... 15 11 pm. 15
Ditto. Small .... 11 15 pm. 15

ONE
O'CLOCK.

FOREIGN FUNDS.
Chilton Bonds, 6 per Cent .
Peruvian Bond+. 6 per Cent. ..
Portuguese Four per Cent
Ditto, for the Account ..
Spanish Bonds, 5 per Cent .. 24%
Ditto, for the Account 24%,
Ditto, Missive Bonds .. 5%
Ditto, Three per Cent .. •• ••
Ditto, for the Account ..
Venezuela Bonds, 2 per Cent ..
Dividends on the abeve payable in London.
French Itentes, 5 per Cent .. f. —c.
Eschatige •. —f. —op
Dutch Two-and-a-llalt per Cent .. 544
Ditto. 4 per Cent. Certificates .. 94%

CLOSIN(;

38%
47
46%
24%
24%
5%

121 f. 25c
25f. 70c.
59%
94%

BUSINESS
CLOSING
PAID. DONE AT
PRICES.
ONE O'CLOCK.
Aberdeen.. .. .. .. .. .. 15 .... 98% ........ 8%
ILnnitigham and Gloucester.. ..100 .... .•••• • • • • • 129 yQ
Birmingham and Oxiord Junction 2 .... 4% 4 4%.... 3%
Buckinghamshire .. .. .. .. 425. .... % di5..... • • % dis.
CAlecionian 8%
Ditto, Extension .. .. .. 2%.... 1 ........ 1%
Cornwall and Central Devon .. 2% .. .. .......... 4)ki
Derby and Crewe .. .. .. .. 2%.... 6% .......... 6.,4,
Direct Manchester (Remington's) 2%.... %. .... /4
Direct Northern .. .. .. .. 2 .... 1 .. _....... 1
Dublin and Galway .. .. •
..
. 4 .• • • 1 •• • • ... • • 14
.. ... . ,

PRICES OF
RAILWAY SHARES.

Eastern Counties .. 141. M 5..... 24c 4 . . . . .. .
Ditto New .. 101. 165..... 8% p
Do l'erpet., 5 per Cent. No. I. 61. I3s. 411.
Ditto, ditto, .. .. No. 2. 61. 13s. 40. 314 p
Ditto, York Extension 105..... 2
Edinburgh and Glasgow .. 50 .... 72% •• • •
Great North 01 England • . —lOO •• • •• • • —
Ditto, New .. • • 5 .... 58 • • .... „
15158
Great Western• •85 • • ..151 ..
11011 and Selby .. • • 50 •• .. 109
Ditto. Half 4Lares .• .. 15 .... 39 .... • •
Leeds an 4 Bradford • • • • .. 26 ...... •• • • 66
Leicester al ni .11ed!ord 225..... % dia..... % dis.
Liverp.. !Manch.. & Newc. Juliet. 2%
Lowto7. . • • 100 ....227
Ditto, Quarters . .. 2 .... 3U
London and Blackwell .. 16/. 13s. 4d. ..... 9%
Ditto, New _ .. 3 .... 5%.......... 5%
London and Brighton .• 50 •• • •••• • • • • 65.4
Ditto ditto Fin tie .. 30 .... 42% ...... •• • • 42%
London and Croydon • . • • 13/. 155.9 d.• •23 ...... •• • • 23%
Loi.dtal and South• Western • • 411. 6s. 10d..• 79
Ditto, New .. • • .. • • 174
lairolon it:nl York .. .. • • • • 2y4• • • • 1 ••••• • • • • • 1
Londonderry and Coleraine .. 10 2%
.Nlatichester and Leeds .. • • 82 .... ••
Ditto, Quarters
Ditto, Fifths •.. • • .. 3 .... 11 %•• • . .• • 11%
Ditto Extension 428. .... 2% p......•• 2% p
Manchester and Birmingham .. 40 . 84% 84 •• •• • • 84
Ditto, Quarter Shares (11) • • 4 .... —.-•••• • • • • 13%,
Manchester, Buxton, & Matlock 425..... 34 7 p % p
.. —lOO —.1.51 .... •• .. 150%
Ditto, New . .. 21 .... 39% . . 39%
Newcastle and Darlington Juliet. 25 .......
Ditto, New • I .... 1044 11 .....11
Newcastle and Berwick .. 15 •••• 2614 % ..... 26%
Norfolk .. • . • • .. 20 26% •• •• 24%
Ditto, Halt Shares .• - 841
Ditto, Tenths .. .• • • • • 2 .... 2%
North British . • .. • • 22% . .......... 30%
Ditto, Carlisle Extension .. 114.... 2% ... 2%
North Kent and Direct Dover • • 2% ..........
North Statfordshire .. • • • • 425..... 3% %14 p.... p
111C0111011d • . .. 10 .... 1744 •
71chortet:%&!..timCrT
and jurrn.
ing.
harn. 120 128•Xhi 128%5,,
Somersetahire Midland .. 2%.... 1 • • ........ 1
South Midland .. • • • • 42. •• •• 14 R 018• ••• • • 14 ills
South Eastern and Dovor 33%.... 4234
No. 2. 10 .... 15% ....... 15%
3
No. 4. 2% .... 3
SouthsvvaDeloot:7:
tr:Ni veivegas(
t(udid:no. 65.8 d.)
4252. .
211
1/4% 2
Widicach and S,. Ives .. • • 2 .... 2%
York mid North 31idland h 0 ....100 100
Ditto. Extension • • .. .. 15 .... 35 .. •• • ..... 35
Do. E. and W. Biding Exton.. • 1 •• • • 1334% • • ...... 133

24.4
8% 1,

FOREIGN RAILWAYS.
[lord., Toul., St Cette (Mackenzie) 2 •.
Ditto, ditto (Espelete) .. 2 .... 114
Dutch Rhenish ....
Jamaica South Midland Junction 1 ....„ „
Louvain and Jemeppe 5 .
Luxembourg
Lyons and Avignon .. • . .. 2 .... „
Naintu and Liege • • .. •• 6 .... 3%
Northern of France Constitutedr. 5 „
Orleans aud Vierzen .. 10 .... 14%
Paris and Lyons Constituted .. 5 .........„
Paris and Strasbourg Constituted 5 .... 41,9 .
Rouen. and I lavre .. 20 .... 281 28 ......
Sambre and Meuse .. .. 8 .... 41.", ..........

14i
2%
1%
3%
134,
14