Scenes And Incidents From The Life Of A Practical Miner
With A Treatise On The Ventilation Of Coal Mines

was with reluctance they went back to point out where the danger was, motioning to a north holeing five pillar back from the face of the whole working places; one of them stepped in, and as lie proceeded towards the door his lamp filled with the flame of hydrogen gas. Now, to a man possessed of scientific knowledge in the system of mining, this was positive proof that there was no return passage for the air to the north and west of this holeing, for Nature never erred; and if there had been any, there would have been a continual pressure on the south side of this door from the scale at the foot, and when the door itself was open, at the bottom, as it frequently would be, then such would be the increased pressure on the south side of the door in this north holeing, with the passage open and free, that every one acquainted with the system of mining, even slightly, must see the impossibility of hydrogen gas lodging there. But the utility of this return passage being destroyed, then this north holeing became a vent, an outlet from the large goaf, and this was the cause of the explo- sion, which did not occur until some weeks after this visit of inspection by the two officials, and yet there had been nothing done to remove the danger or protect the men and secure their safety. But I have often said, many years ago, that all explosions of gas in coal mines can be prevented, and you will ask me to prove my assertion. Fellow workmen: the laws of Nature are my authority; twenty years’ practice in coal mines afforded me an opportunity of endeavouring to understand them, and my success in dealing with cases of frightful diffi- culty and danger have given me confidence to speak to you so positively; I therefore formally assert that no explosion could occur in a pit con- structed with two separate shafts whose ventilation T should myself superintend. When an accident occurs, many of you conclude imme- diately that the owners and chief agent are to blame for the consequences; this, in my opinion, ought not to be, as the person to blame is frequently one who has sprung from your own body of workmen. I will show you how: Suppose an overman or master wasteman dies, or loses his situation, you know how the men flock to the chief agent, each professing to be sufficiently conversant with the science, and in every way qualified for the undertaking. The chief agent has a choice of perhaps a dozen or more; he fixes on one, appoints him, and confides in his man; and if ho prove, to be one of the right sort, then all is well; but if not, who is to blame—the master or the man? Now, I say the man, because he has imposed on the master by false pretensions. And this principle is very common with you, arising from a spirit of envy. Yon cannot endure tlie idea of your neighbour’s preferment, yet you know as well as I do that there is not mon; than one common coal hewer in a hundred that possesses the necessary qualifications for those highly responsible situa- tions. Yet how ready men are to accept them at all risks, regardless of the future and consequent results in thus perilling the safety of their fellow workmen in the mine. To guard against evils such as these, I would particularly recommend all aspirants, young in years, to gather honey in the summer of life, for it is not enough to wish for knowledge without due application to its resources, nor for perfection without practice and experience.