164

COAL MINES OF.

ing upon the moral polity of the country, andthe social happiness of the community.

Several pamphlets have at different timesappeared upon the very important subject ofcoal mines, most of them suggesting the pro-priety of parliamentary interference, and con-taining more or less a great variety of argu-ments upon the various theories of the gases.But it does not appear that any of them en-tered fully upon the historical relations of mi-ning, or sufficiently expatiated on the extentof explosions, or the danger to be feared fromoverwhelming inundations.

Referring to Dr. Dewar’s Answer to Dr. Trot-ter, published in 1 805, “ On Destroying the Fireand Choak Damp in Coal Mines ; ” * when hespeaks of explosions being only occasional ac-cidents, not more frequent than in other ha-zardous employments, it is presumed that heor any other writer, who then entertained asimilar opinion, would not now review theextent of these accidents without offering somebetter stimulus for the discovery of preventives,than the theory of their being necessary occur-rences.

And, carrying the reference still further,* See his Answer, p. 9.