. to use them. Mention has already been made of one man using a stone for breaking up a frozen cartridge of gelignite; in another case, a newly appointed agent when asked to show the warming pan for thawing explosives containing nitro-glycerine, produced a ladle for melting lead; while another foreman having a warming pan admitted that he did not know how to use it. Those having to handle or use explosives would do well to take to heart some of the words of caution issued by the late Major J. P. Cundill, R.A., formerly one of His Majesty's Inspectors of Explosives :— 1. The function of an explosive is to explode. Remember this in dealing with them. 2. If an explosive is described as safe under all circumstances, do not treat it as some people treat a big dog and try how much it will stand. Under these circumstances both explosive and dog are apt to bite. Prefer to see the truth of such assertions tested by the manufacturer or his agent rather than by yourself. 3. There is no explosive within my knowledge in practical use which when exploded in a confined space does not give off noxious or deleterious gases. 4. Do not expect the same class of explosive to do every variety of work. Different classes have their different functions, just as a chisel and a gimlet are both useful tools but will not do each other's work. 5. In using an explosive with which special instructions, e.g. (as to thawing dynamite), are issued, it is wiser to read them before an accident happens than to have to refer to them after the accident to see if they are not, after all, issued for some good reason and meant to be studied.* Steam Boilers.-Very frequent complaints of neglect to examine and report the condition of boilers have had to be made, and in two cases prosecutions were instituted and convicticns obtained. It is a very serious matter to neglect the statutory obligations which are certainly not onerous. One thorough examination inside and out, once every 14 months, the report to be preserved for inspection at any time, is all the law requires. Boilers, as they are sometimes placed without cover or protection from the weather, are liable to rapid deterioration and to become a danger to those who have to attend to them; the best course is to insure them with a good Insurance Company, who will undertake to put them through a thorough examination by an expert at least once during the statutory period. Guard for Slate-dressing Machines.-Mr. Morris Llewelyn Williams, who is a fitter at the Penyrorsedd slate quarry, has invented a neat and effective guard for the Greaves' slatedressing machine. One of the guards has been on trial at the quarry for some time, and is said not to hinder the work, while it certainly adds to the safety of the persons using the machine. The guard, which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, can be adjusted to any height. Notice of Accidents Act, 1906.-See page 17. Fossil Remains.-On account of a remarkable find of Reptilian footprints, the Higher Bebington sandstone quarry, at Storeton, Cheshire, has been the resort of a great number of geologists and others interested in science during the year. From time to time, what are known to geologists as Cheirotheroid, Rhynchosauroid, and Chelonoid footprints had been discovered at this quarry, but since the present owner introduced a stone channelling machine, much more work is being done, and the slabs are got out with less breakage. The quarry, which is worked in the Keuper sandstone, has a vertical face of about 130 feet, and at two horizons about half way down the face occur two thin beds of marl on which the interesting footprints are found, and casts of them occur on the layer of sandstone immediately overlying the marl. Photographs of the face of the quarry and of some of the footprints are reproduced in Figs. 4 and 5. APPENDIX I.-LIST OF FATAL ACCIDENTS. LIST of FATAL ACCIDENTS in MINES under the COAL MINES REGULATION ACTS, in the LIVERPOOL and North Wales DistriCT, during the year 1906. Inquiry made and inquest attended. He was engaged barring a shunt with the fireman; when a portion of the side fell Inspection made and inquest attended. He was in the act of holing the coal when a piece of coal came off the face capping a Inspection made and inquest attended. Whilst wedging the top coal down, more came thau he expected, coming away from a Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased was in the act of clearing some dirt away at the coal face when a portion of Inquiry made. While he was in the act of holing the coal, he got his head cut by a small piece of dirt or coal falling; he kept Inspection made and inquest attended. While he was engaged clearing dirt, in a roadway near the face, a large fall of dirt and coal came away from a step, side of roadway, knocking out the timber, and fatally injuring deceased. (Wales.) Lancashire. Wynnstay Collieries Arthur Thompson, Inspection made and inquest attended. When in the act of pushing his tub along the level, a portion of top coal rolled off from Co. Broughton & Plas 18, Hutcher. Robert Davies, 45, the upper side of roadway, capping three props, and fatally injuring deceased. Inspection made and inquest attended. While he was holing under the coal, a triangular piece of coal rolled upon him off the Inspection made and inquest attended. He expired While he was passing along the coal face, which had not been advanced for some days, Sutton Heath and John W. Hilton, 27, 31, Feb. 2 Wynnstay, W. Y. Craig & Sons Vauxhall Colliery 25, 40, Collier. J. & R. Stone ... Lancashire. Worsley Mesnes Colliery Co. Collins Green Colliery Co. Richard Evans & Co. Ackers, Whitley & J Scowcroft & Co. 59, William Healey, Timber-drawer. 32, 35, Collier Henry Gorstrey, 36, Dataller. Inspection made and inquest attended. When they were about finishing clearing away some coal at the face after a shot a large Inspection made and inquest attended. While getting coal under a portion of the roof, which had been weighting and broken Inspection made. He appears to have been loosening some props at the foot, with a hammer, in order to blow the roof down, Inspection made. He was said to have been chipping preparatory to setting additional props, nearer the face (which the fireman Inquiry made and inquest attended. Deceased and another person were engaged in drawing props out from the waste, with the Inspection made and inquest attended. The Contractors were about to do some ripping of roof, in a roadway; and went under Inspection made and inquest attended. He went to assist the drawers to lift a tub on the rails, when the tub caught against a Inspection made and inquest attended. When setting a jack prop under a running bar, he appeared to have disturbed the other supports; as the running bar, and three other bars fell, with some dirt upon the deceased. Inspection made and inquest attended. When engaged packing on the lower side of roadway, a fall of roof occurred from some Inspection made and inquest attended. He was engaged taking out old bars at the junction of two roadways, in order to get Inspection made and inquest attended. When ripping roof a large stone fell upon him, as he was getting dirt from under it. Inspection made. He was engaged drawing a prop from under the roof, after having set a chock, when a stone fell and caught him. If he had used the gablock and chain, his life would most probably have been saved. Inspection made and inquest attended. He was about to fill a tub of coal at the face, when a stone fell from a pot hole in the roof crushing deceased against the tub. The road was propped on each side, and at the inquiry it was recommended that it should be barred. Inspection made and inquest attended. He was about to put a new prop under a bar, in the main haulage road, and had been advised by the contractor to set a middle leg; but when removing a little dirt away, the bar fell with the roof above, and he was fatally injured. Inspection made and inquest attended. He was knocking a prop under a bar, in the main haulage road, when the roof came down upon him, capping the bar and three other props. Inspection made and inquest attended. When in the act of packing up the mouth of an old roadway leading off one of the main Inspection made and inquest attended. He was engaged working a pillar back, with the loose end against an old road, when Inspection made and inquest attended. roof running with the coal face. Inspection made and inquest attended. He was engaged at the long wall face when a stone fell upon him from a slip in the While he was engaged packing at the face, a fall of top coal occurred, capping two Inspection made and inquest attended He was wedging a piece of coal off the face when some clod and roof fell from a slip Inspection made and inquest attended When his partner was getting some roof down with an iron bar in the brow, deceased Inspection made and inquest attended. He was pushing an empty tub along the level, when a portion of roof coal fell upon him Inspection made and inquest attended. They were engaged ripping the roof down to the rock, and after knocking out a bar Inspection made and inquest attended. He was assisting the repairer to clear a fall of roof in the airway (where two bars had Inspection made and inquest attended. He was engaged clearing a small fall of dirt in a roadway, when some more roof gave way upon him. The roadway was propped on each side, but not barred. Inspection made and inquest attended. A fall of roof occurred upon the deceased, coming from between two slips in a roadway, capping a bar and two other props. The fireman stated he had examined the place twice that shift, and had considered it safe. Inspection made and inquest attended. A new winder when learning how to use the engine (when the regular man was present with him), in lowering the empty hoppit let it run past the holding up place, and it ran fast into the bottom alighting on the deceased, who was fatally injured. The sinkers should have been withdrawn whilst these lessons were being given. Machinery. Inspection made and inquest attended. Deceased when descending the (Fau) upcast shaft, which was boarded on each side near the top of pit, appeared to have had his elbow outside the cage when it got severely crushed against the sheeting boards of the air-lock. He expired after undergoing an operation, August 27th, 1906, |