DURHAM AND NORTHUMBERLAND. 83

part of a cylinder, through which the atmos-pheric and consequently noxious airs of amine must pass, and frequently explode.

Mr. Buddie has stated in his pamphlet that,in case of danger, the furnace may be extin-guished, but I fear the inflammable air wouldtravel rather too quickly, as, exclusive of themen having to scramble to the furnace, a firelike that used in ventilation w 7 ould require a fullhalf-hour to be extinguished. The air in thepresent system has likewise to ascend and de-scend up one working and down another alter-nately, owing to the coal strata dipping to thesouth-east, and by this means suffering thelighter fluid or carburetted hydrogen to be per-petually seeking rents and fissures for accumu-lation.

Much destruction has been occasioned byreason of the present system of ventilationnot being able in its best state to carry off thefire-damp, which accumulates in the breaksor, as called in Staffordshire, “ pot-holes ” ofthe roof. The manner of dislodging this is notless singular than dangerous. The part whereit accumulates being previously cleared of all themen, except those employed in this hazardousservice, a' candle is fixed to a pole (this appa-ratus is called a “ fire-line ”) ; and the men,having guarded themselves as much as circum-o 2