COLLIERY ON FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 329, 16 October 1908, Page 7

COLLIERY ON FIRE.

, ■' — » in Prussia: V (or IBLEQBiPH—raESS ASSOCIATION—CorTRIGH'C.) Berlin, October 14. A fire is raging in a colliory in Silesia, the southernmost province of Prussia. It is feared a hundred miners have been killed.' • ' MINERS SAFE. (Rec. October 15, 10.15 p.m.) Berlin, October 15. . The miners are safe, .having ascended by another shaft. ' WEATHER AND COLLIERY MISHAPS. The recent colliery acoidents at Home have inspired tho "Daily Mail" to give some attention to the theory that there is a close connection between mini explosions and the state of tho weather. Writing on August 20 the "Daily Mail" says: "More especially has it been noticed that, whon tho barometer, after having stood at a high level during many days, commences to fall rapidly, disastrous accidcnts in mines are most likely to occur. "During the past few days there have been very violent changes in the atmospheric pressure, and it is.highly probable that these have been a predisposing cause of the recent accidents in the north. It has been in this part of the country that tho most rapid changes in the barometer have ocourred, amounting to as much as l.dflin. within a few days. "As regards underground gases, and also water, the surface of the earth acts very like the lid of- a kettle. The removal of overhead pressuro gives the terrestrial lid a tendency to rise, this lifting of the forces that tend to keep it down having a consequent effect on the imprisoned rases. A fall in tho barometer of an inch ana a half has, thoroforo, great possibilities as regards causing explosions and fires in colleries and mines. A similar lifting of the atmospheric pressuro is a predisposing cause of earthquakes and volcanoes. ' "A comparison of tho statistics that refer to accidents in colleries and mines with those that refer to the weathor suggests also that tho variations in atmospheric tomperaturo and humidity have also disastrous effects as regards explosions. Tho ventilation of a mino is especially liable to be affected by_ changes in temperature, a point long recognised by colliery managers. "Changes in humidity play even a more active part. Tho finely-divided coal dust, that, conjointly with tho well-known firedamp, is so fruitful a source' of disaslor, is in particular liable to dangerous transformations when tho atmospliorio hiunidity changes rapidly. During the past few days these variations in humidity have boon obvious, and it is likely that they, too, have played a dangerous part ill producing tho recent disasters."