DURHAM AND NORTHUMBERLAND. 213

vernment very watchful over the mining ofGreat Britain.

Nothing is wanting to prove the impossibi-lity of having any security from the presentsystem; and I have to regret that, even whileI am writing this treatise, fresh accidents oc-cur to swell the lists of calamity. The subjecthad already become too seriously injuriousto the happiness of society to be any longertrifled with; but now that we see instancesalmost every month of our fellow-creaturesbeing destroyed by subterraneous explosion,it is no longer to be endured, and necessity de-mands that something be done.

On Saturday the 28th of April, 1816, theWellington pit, near Newcastle, exploded fromthe ignition of the carburetted hydrogen gas,and raged with terrific fury through the ex-cavations to a distance of two hundred yardsin one continued flame. Luckily however thismine had two shafts, and the powerful rarefac-tion of air which was caused by the explo-sion drew a strong atmospheric current downthe Blucher pit; and by this means all exceptthirteen men escaped: these were dreadfullybruised or scorched, whereas, had it not beenthe case, every soul must have perished.

Mr. Thomas, in his “ Hints for establishing