156

COAL MINES OF

CHAPTER XIII.

Necessity of Encouraging Improvement.—TheProgress of New Systems.—Bad Effects ofdelaying the Adoption of Plans beneficialto Mankind.—Opinion of Dr. Thomson.

In a very short space of time the society waspresented with the nearest-possible approxima-tion to rendering the inflammable air innox-ious in the presence of lights, in Dr. Clanny’sinsulated lamp ; * and, although the number-less causes before enumerated have preventedthe benefits of this invention ( from beingreaped by the persons most interested in itsadoption, it is still to be hoped that, im-proved by additional securities, and enhancedas it is by the approbation of eminent philo-sophers, and by absolute experiments in. situ-ations of the greatest danger, this excellentlamp (or others if equally secure) will be ge-nerally introduced in the coal mines of GreatBritain.

Government would do well to the security

* See page 112.