DURHAM AND NORTHUMBERLAND. 8JT

than any other person, to innovate upon thelaws of religion and morality; and I see noreason why operations so essential to their in-terest, and the security of the mines, shouldnot be performed on proper days.

Mr. Ryans System of Ventilation.

In the beginning of May, 1816, Mr. Ryanpresented a paper to the Society of Arts, withcertificates on his system of clearing minesfrom fire-damp and foul air, and which werereferred to a committee of that honourable andlearned society.

After the subject had been under considera-tion for one night, and was adjourned to ano-ther meeting, one of the members requestedmy attendance to hear the question discussed.Through the medium of this indulgence I hadan opportunity of seeing Mr. Ryan’s systemelucidated by experiments before the Society,on models prepared for that purpose. Numerouscertificates were read by the chairman fromgentlemen of the first respectability in thecoal-trade of Staffordshire, and several lettersfrom Dr. Gray, Dr. Clanny, and Mr. Burns,members of the Society for preventing Acci-dents in the Northern Collieries.

The testimonies produced by Mr. Ryan,