CENTENARY OF MINER'S SAFETY LAMP.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 158, 24 March 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

CENTENARY OF MINER'S SAFETY LAMP.

HUMPHREY DAVY'S INVENTION* TO FIGHT FIRE-DAMP. Miners in the North of England recently celebrated the centenary of the introduction of the Humphrey Davy hufety lamp, which was introduced on January II), 1816. Sir Huniiiphivy Davy's invention was ically an outcome of the terrible calamity .'U Felling Colliery, Durham, on May 2">, I*l2, when 02 pitmen were killed by an explosion. The disaster aroused widespread sympathy, and th.i public clamoured for some insurance against its repetition, with the rcsullt that th • Society for the Prevention of Accidents in Coal Mines was formed. Rev. Robert Grey, then vicar of UMiopworth. was one of the first mora, '"'is and he invited Sir Humphrey Davy, as the leading scientist of the period, to give this vita! problem his attention. Davy began his experiment., in the autumn of 1815, with fine gauze as n» "explosive s'evo," as he termed it in i letter to a Wurham friend, and had perfected it by Christmas. The first safety lamp was tried by n hardy band of pioneers, in the workings of Hebburn-on-Tynp Colliery. The actual lamp then used is one of the treasure' of the Geological Museum, ■lentiyn Street, London. Prior to its introduction coal owners had -pent tens of thousands of pounds in elaborate but imsci.ent'ffic devices to eliminate the risk of explosions from fire-damp.