Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-12-04

Northumberland The shallowest pit is 80 feet deep, and
lowest 2sO feet perpendicular Of which the shaft alone
cost about $3.50, 600.
At Notwithstanding the boring commenced in 1926,
and had reached in 1885 low 1880 feet passing through
but single available seam, at depth Of l57s feet and
Decd other looked for under 1900 deep. In
working this shaft about $780, 900 had been expended
In the Alfred pitt at Jarrow, there is 30-horse
engine, erected depth OF 7e feet below the surface, and
used raising the Goals shaft which unes with the work
ngs carried out 270 feet deeper STILL At this profound depth
another engine draws the Goals up inclined plane that lies
coincident with the dip of the strata.
Al the Swan Banks coliery, Halifax the q hard
band coal seam, feet three inches thick 442 feet Deep
and the " soft bed COAL foot five inches thick worked
s2 feet below the surface
The foregoing about the average value Of the coal beds
in England. The thickest is that called the " Ten
Yard Vein Dudley This, however, as the case in
all very thick BEDS is difficult work. The coal is tender
the roof firm, and only about onethrd of the coal
be taken out Besides, thus far, machinery has been
found in deiachng blocks OF coal from the Where the
ordinary pick is insufficient, gunpowder used and, wher-
ever this required Days safety lamp would be superuous
The worked at the least expense five eight
feet thick of the average depth and thickness of the coal
England have precise data II is safe, however, cs
mate the depth between 600 and 700 feet and the thickness
from TO 80 feet.
The Of reaching and working these mines enormous
cheap labor and capital only could sustain it. Where else
but in England would capitalist pesevere for years and
expend haa million of dollars without any return the udg
ment of :" coal viewer" geoogsf
The labor and of raising the coal from such depths
slgnt Wnen win TO
niate the mines Drainage is sometimes effected by ads
or drifts. The Cornish adit for example, extends its ram-
cations about 26 600 fathoms and empes into Falmouth
harbor. The adt of the Duke of Bdgewaters mines at
Worsey is prodgious work, about thirty miles long and
navgabe for barges. But generally, the taken from
the mines by the OF the engine For this purpose
the South Heon" coery has three engines of 100 horse
power each and of 800 horse power the latter the
beam contains 81 $40 pounds Of ron makes fifteen strokes
per minute and raises 500 pounds of each stroke
The cost Of this engine 100000 And yet coal pnes
often nundated and sometimes thereby rendered useless
The process of ventla,ing the mines complicated and
costly, and imperfect that the mines entirely safe
from the deadly effects of the fire and choke Damp After the
awful tragedies at the Pitt Mines strange that
should risk similar catastrophe but, in England, life as
cheap capital or labor.
cannot without extending this paper to great length
enumeate all the important obstacles in the way of the
English collier, but cannot omit reference to "dykes."
"Dykes, says Mr.. Coneybeae, g are endless
Of difficulty and expense to the coal owner thu the
out of their level lat Cackmansre 1890 eet filling the
mines with water and fire damp And yet Prof BuckIand
thanks God for placing these faults" for without
them, says he, the mines could not be drained by the
powers OF the most approved machinery"
The Stotosen Of England atfrhue her and
power her coal fields, and Paiaments have anxousy IN
CURED of the and geoog whether the supply would
last two three thousand years longer They may tme
hear of vast beds of the mineral of superior purity
without fault !; which is found by drifts and not shafts
which require artificial of drainage ventilation
in whose veins life is safe and labor rksome and which
underles soil of unsurpassed fertility and they may
her the fate of Thebes Athens and RSme and reflect that
amount OF capital pepondeance of power long sustain
city State when competing with superior natural advan
tages elsewhere. 8.
NOVEMBER l, lS47.