ONE of the leading causes to the great loss of lives in coal mines, is the employing of improper persons in places of serious trust, where the lives of the workmen are dependent. As interest is the pole star by which speculative men steer, I shall endeavour to point out the various interests of the coal owners and coal viewers in employing such persons.
Mr Justice Bayley (1), at the spring assizes, Durham, 1824, in alluding to the explosion of a coal mine in that county, said, he was not aware that any case would be brought before them in connexion with that event; but he mentioned it, because if those persons who had the care of such concerns dill not use proper caution (whether that want of caution arose from the use of improper lamps or from whatever other cause), in the event of death ensuing, they would be liable to the charge of manslaughter.
At the Durham spring assizes, in 1827, Mr Justice Bayley made the following remarks:
Since I came to this place, a communication has reached the (though I cannot say from whom), stating, that many deaths from negligence have lately occurred in the coal mines in this county. I have before had reason to intimate that it is the bounden duty of the owners of mines to take every possible care to prevent the occurrence of such misfortunes. If at any time the want of such precaution should be fixed upon any particular individual, he will be liable to be prosecuted for manslaughter. Every means, 1 should hope, are adopted by the owners of these mines to prevent the destruction of human life, which destruction may have, perhaps, been occasioned sometimes by negligence of those who may not have survived the event. If you should meet with any case of this kind, in which you are satisfied there had been negligence on the part of the agents in not giving the men such protection as the Davy lamp, &c., affords, it will be your duty to find a bill for manslaughter. It is probable that nothing of the kind will at present come before you. But I thought it advisable that I should touch upon the subject, because it is of the highest importance that every means should be adopted which may have the effect of preventing those serious calamities which sever so many fathers from their families, depriving them of that support which they had been accustomed to look, up to. If, gentlemen, in the course of your duty you should meet with any difficulty, I will readily render you any assistance in my power.
The employment of children of tender years in places of serious trust in the coal mines, and upon whom is made to depend the lives of the whole of the workmen, has never been accounted for to the public. I shall endeavour to point out the various interests the coal owners and coal viewers have in pursuing a system so ruinous to the workmen, so injurious to their families, and so painful to the country, especially to, the friends of humanity.
The ventilation of coal mines is conducted by numerous doors, upon the management of which depend the lives of the whole of the workmen. These doors are kept by children from five to test or eleven years of age. The hours they attend them are from twelve to fourteen, and generally in the dark. The price of their labour upon an average is ten-pence per day. To the placing of these children in situations which require men of experience, may be attributed most of the explosions that have taken place (2). Whether it is from the avarice of the coal owner, or from a dark policy of the coal viewers, or from both, I shall endeavour to skew.
Our dwelling houses bear a near resemblance to the coal mines, if we consider the front or street door an inlet for fresh air, as the downcast shaft is to the mine-the various passages, as the rolley way, air courses, &c.- the doors of the rooms, as trap doors, to which free ingress and egress must be had-the rooms, as boards-the fires, as the furnace in the mine, that ratifies the air, and causes the circulation-and the lives of ourselves and families depending upon the opening and shutting of these doors, as it is with the workmen in a coal mine, would we employ children to protect us ? Reason recoils at the idea. Or, under such circumstances, would the coal owners place themselves and families under the care of children? If they would not, can they with the Roman governor call for water, and like him say, let as wash our bands clean from the innocent blood that has been (3) or may be spilt in the coal mines by pursuing the present system?
That the coal owners have no interest beyond one penny per single chaldron in employing children in places of serious, trust, will appear by the following statement :-In 1826, the coal trade was free from restrictions from May until Christmas. In that year were shipped upon the river Tyne 802,544 double chaldrons, or 1,605,058 single chaldrons of thirty-six bushels. One penny per single chaldron amounts to the sum of L6,687. 17s. 4d. Add to this one half-penny per fother (1) for coals consumed in these districts, and which is equal to four per cent., the gross amount is L6,955. 7s. 72d. This sum would give one shilling and two-pence per clay to 448 trappers (5), which, added to the ten pence now paid by the coal owners to the trappers, would be two shillings per day (6). This may appear a large sum for trappers' labour, but as the pitman floes not work more than 266 days (7) in the year, this amounts but to one shilling and five-pence half-penny per day for subsistence, for which when at work he is employed fourteen hours, generally in the dark. This penny (8) to the consumer, when coals are delivered in London at fifty shillings per chaldron, is but the one-sixth-hundredth part of the cost.
The interest of the coal viewer is explained in few words. By keeping up a perpetual idea of danger, he acquires an ascendancy over his employer, which lie knows well how to use. No eye must look into his conduct-no one must follow his footsteps. The idea of a perpetual danger in coal mines is an exclusion to the coal owners. The employing of children in places of trust form one of those perpetual dangers which may be easily removed.
But by removing those dangers the coal viewer would lose his ascendancy over his employer, which, if ever wrung from him, be will part from with reluctance. There is an old hacknied adage with these viewers, viz.: that if they do not take the children into the mine when young they will not go when old (9). This is false in practice, and a feeble covering for darker designs. To take children into the mine and place them in serious situations of responsibility, is in justice placing the responsibility upon their employers; but this they know well how to evade.
These children of tender years in places of serious trust are not connected with the nursery for pitmen, they do not add one to the number. In corroboration of what I assert I present the following plan:
(1.) |
(2.) |
(3.) |
(4.) |
Trappers from 5 to 10 or 11 years. |
Drivers from 10 and upwards (10). |
Putters. |
Hewers, &c. |
According to the present arrangement, trappers pass on to drivers; from thence to putters, hewers, &c. Should children of tender years not be allowed to come into the mine (11) (especially in places of trust) until fit for drivers at ten, the old pitmen no longer able to wield the pick, the numerous cripples daily mutilated in the coal mines from No. 3 and No. 4, would occupy No. 1. These doors of life and death would then be attended by men of experience, parents would then become the guardians of their children, the lives of the workmen and the property of the owners would be secured, and the whole cost no more than one penny per chaldron.
As the halfpenny per fother may be collected at the pit heap, the following is a plan for collecting the penny per children (free from expense), which may he done at the fitting offices as follows: -
The owners of the ship----to A. B. Dr.
TO 112 1/2 chaldrons of Endwell coals at 24s. |
£135 |
0 |
0 |
To spoutage, keel dues, &c. |
3 |
5 |
0 |
Paid lights, &c. |
5 |
5 |
0 |
Mercy money on ditto |
0 |
18 |
19 |
|
£147 |
11 |
9 |
Thus the coal owner (12) would immediately indemnify himself. This penny maybe carried forward and charged upon the cargo when sold. As it is in the contemplation of the friends of humanity to stay, as far as they can, the destroying and mutilating of men in the coal mines, the following is their prospectus for a coal wharf in London, with a copy of one of their intended bills of delivery :
ROYAL GEORGE COAL WHARF, WESTMINSTER.
Christian Philanthropist, Dr. to James Fairtrader and Co.
To 10 chaldrons of best Endwell coals, Pool measure, warranted free from blood stains (13) at 50s. |
£25 |
0 |
0 |
To metage and shooting ditto |
0 |
15 |
0 |
Mercy penny on ditto |
0 |
0 |
10 |
|
£25 |
15 |
10 |
It is the determination of the proprietors to prohibit from this wharf all coals from the collieries where these scenes of destruction take place. The public will be supplied with the best coals, warranted free from blood stains, for the small advance of one penny per chaldron (as mercy money) to indemnify the coal owners for employing proper persons.
All that this long neglected class of men pray for is-First, that the mines be daily and carefully examined by the viewers, previous to the entrance of the workmen upon their various occupations. Second, that proper persons be appointed to all places of trust whereon their lives are dependant. Third, that an investigation be made into the lamps (commonly called Safety Lamps) by men of science not interested in the coal trade, and that such evidence may be heard as may be brought forward by those who may have been witnesses of those fatal catastrophes (11), and whom Providence has been pleased to spare to give testimony. Fourth, that in future all lamps shall be locked, and that the viewers or conductors of coal mines (under whatever name they may assume) may be held responsible for the due performance of locking the lamps. Fifth, that the physicians ( 15) be consulted how far men in a deteriorated atmosphere may work with safety to their health; and Lastly, but not least, that, when loss of life takes place, the juries maybe taken from persons not connected with the coal mines directly or indirectly, nor employed directly or indirectly under the coal owners, but that they may be taken, as special juries (16), from the better informed inhabitants resident in the towns, feeling a confidence that when the conductors of coal mines can no longer evade the laws, these catastrophies will cease.
I conclude this letter with a quotation from Sir Robt. Ker Porter's Travels in Georgia, Persia, Armenia, &c., vol. 2nd, page 525:
“ The tyrant Shaw Aga Mahomud Khan doomed the inhabitants of a village (17) to the loss of the organs of vision, and pleasing himself with counting the filmy heap. His faithful minister, who had long regarded his master's repeated acts of violence and cruelty with secret horror, now hoping to make some impression on his conscience, seizing the opportunity, suddenly said-Does not your majesty think it possible that God may one day not be pleased with this ?"
May God one day not be pleased with England for suffering these cruelties in the coal mines!!!
(1.) The laws relating to coal mines, as laid down by Mr Serjeant Marshall and Mr Justice Bayley, is all that is required for the security of the coal miners. In theory they are master pieces of philanthrophy and human wisdom; if once reduced into practice by the powerful arm of authority, they will prevent the recurrence of these calamities.
(2.) It is not the numbers that have been lost in the coal mines by explosions that we feel surprised at; our surprise is, that the numbers are not greater. On the Tyne alone, are nearly four hundred of these doors of life and death in the hands of children, and nearly four thousand lives (including the trappers) depending upon them: when the air of the mine is in a deteriorated state, any neglect of these doors is attended with fatal consequences.
(3.) Several of the coal owners as capitalists alone may be unacquainted with coal mining, but leave the whole to the management of their viewers: if they feel in their own mind exonerated from the past, they cannot plead innocent of any future calamities that may occur.
(4.) The advance of one halfpenny per fother (a cart of coals) consumed in these districts has been proposed to great numbers of the inhabitants, and there is but one opinion, (that is), we will cheerfully pay a penny, two-pence, or any price, so that the coals we consume may trot be stained with the blood of the workmen; but do not let this be a pretext for any serious rise.
(5.) To give employment to the aged pitmen, and to the numerous cripples, at this price, would be highly honorable to the community, as well as to the proprietors of collieries, and a solace to them under their sufferings. They will secure the lives of the workmen-they will protect the property of their employers- it will be benevolently erecting an hospital for the aged and for the unfortunate. Should the foundation stone be laid by the hands of the authorities, or under their superintendence, it will stand for ever, and the corroding hand of avarice will not affect it. These children of tender years would receive that education fitting them for the various situations in which Providence may place them-the parochial rates would be lessened, and those tender and endearing ties which unite families in one soft bond of amity and love no longer broken. This long ill-used class of men look up to the authorities of the kingdom for an amelioration of their condition: They beseech his Majesty to consider them as his children, and that they may receive that protection which is common to Englishmen. The materials raised by their hands are daily in his presence. May they never appear before him stained with their blood To the authorities of the kingdom they pray for enquiry into their past and present situation, and to grant them protection in future-and as in duty bound will ever pray.
(6.) Liberality in paying trappers would secure the best and most steady workmen, but should the griping hand of avarice seize any part of it, it will soon degenerate into the present system.
(7.) There is a laudable custom in the coal mines at Christmas of inspecting the engines, furnaces, and other works of collieries, for which a fortnight is required; this is 12 days, Sundays 52, pay Sundays 25; allow for casualities 10 days, which deducted from 365, leaves 266 working days. During the late and present restriction pitmen do not work more than two hundred days in the year. In some of the collieries they are bound not to be employed more than four days a week; in others they are not bound, consequently their employers are under no obligation to give any certain employment.
(s.) Since it has been demonstrated that one penny per chaldron will replace the children with proper persons, such is the public contempt of the avarice of the coal owners, and indignation at the conduct of the colliery viewers, that this penny is named the pitiless penny, the life penny, the b-d penny, the Nero penny, &c. &c. The children as they pass to and from their work are named, ETERNITY TRAPS for pitmen, the coal owners PENNYWORTH OF HUMAN MISERY, VIEWERS' LAMBS OF SACRIFICE, &c., names which have now gone abroad and can never be withdrawn until the children are withdrawn from all places of trust whereon depend the lives of the workmen.
(9.) There are numbers of pitmen now working in the coal mines that did not enter them until manhood, and still continue to work in them. If ten thousand men were wanted tomorrow for the coal mines, (GIVE BREAD FOR LABOUR) they will immediately be had: but the bread of pitmen is hard with little kitchen* to it.
* Kitchen is a provincial word for milk, broths, &c.
(10.) Drivers exceed the trappers in number by 10 or 15 per cent.
(11.) The present infernal system in conducting coal mines would then be reversed, parents would then have the charge of their children.
(12.) The coal owners cannot feel hurt at an appeal to the public, they have ever had the opportunity of placing proper persons in charge of the workmen's lives: The well known answer from the coal owners, whenever an appeal is made to them in behalf of these unfortunate men, is, APPLY TO THE VIEWERS, and state what you have to say to them. If the viewer deem you worthy an answer, (which is seldom,) it is commonly LACONIC, Go.
(13.) Two coloured prints, distinguishing the blood-stained coal from the mineral stain, will shortly be laid before the public.
(14.) One of the leading causes to these catastrophies is, the principal viewers engaging in the management of numerous collieries, eight or ten at one time, and many miles distant from each other: If the visitation of these viewers is weekly, it is considered attentive; if monthly, it is not (nor must be) considered neglectful. Seconds in command imitate their superiors, and the management of the mines, in active operation, is wholly left to the overmen and their deputies. This ill regulated system, which sever so many husbands from their wives, parents from their children, and children from their parents, calls loudly for investigation from the authorities of the kingdom. But viewers get coals and coals get money.
(15.) 441 found a slight head-ach produced by breathing, for a few minutes, an explosive mixture of fire damp and air; and if merely the health of the miners be considered, the fire damp ought always to be kept far below the point of its explosive mixture."- Davy on Flame, Page 39.
(16.) When the loss of more than one life takes place at one time in coal mines, and by the same cause, it should then be a special jury case. To common special juries upon every individual loss of life that may take place in and about the coal mines, would be attended with serious inconvenience.
(17.) Pitmen live in villages.
The coal owners' pennyworth of human misery, or viewers' fete, next.
A LOOKER ON.
No. 5.