DURHAM AND NORTHUMBERLAND. 1*75

the pursuit of experiments : and it now affordsme much gratification that the intermediatetime has been almost exclusively occupied infurthering a question so materially connectedwith humanity.

On the 7th of December, 1815 , a paperfrom Dr. Clanny, containing an account of ourexperiments with his lamp was read beforethe Royal Society, and published in Thomson’sAnnals for May, 1816. After referring to hisformer paper, and briefly describing the nu-merous accidents which had occurred in col-lieries since that period, Dr. Clanny proceedsto state: et About four years ago I constructeda small lamp of strong glass, the bottom ofwhich was shut, with the exception of a smallopening to admit the tube from the bellows,for throwing in the necessary quantity of airto support the combustion of the candle withinthe lamp.

“ I found that it safely insulated the candle;but I was soon told that it would never answerfor the purpose intended; that frequently largepieces fell from the roof which would destroythe lamp ; and as the candle would therebycome in contact with the mass of inflammableair of the mine, an explosion would occur asa matter of course. I also found that valves