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18. The condition of the roof above the goaf and long-wall workings of the Pit Narrow Board District on February 15th and 16th is also to be noticed. On the 15th a hewer, named Connor, whose work place was at the second pillar north of the Second South way (see Plan "C"), was withdrawn from work by the deputy on account of "a stone." A "bad place" in the roof near "Richardson's place," four pillars or about 50 yards further south, was noticed on the same day, and a miner named Dormand, who worked in the pillar next to that of Connor, was detained by the deputy on the morning of the 16th in order that a "bad stone" might be secured. The state of the roof in the neighbourhood of the Second South was described by a fore-shift deputy as being "rather bad," and so reported to the back-shift deputy. Due precautions appear to have been taken to secure by props or chocks the parts observed to be dangerous, and in one instance the propped stone was so found after the explosion, but it is evident that for a considerable distance extending along the Pit Narrow Board working the condition of the roof on the 15th and 16th was such as to attract notice, and to necessitate warnings to the men engaged in that part of the mine.

19. At mid-day on the 16th February, therefore, the conditions of atmosphere and temperature may be taken to have reached a dangerous point, while the condition of the strata forming the roof of the long-wall workings, as well as of the goaf behind, was likewise dangerous, and a fall of a considerable portion of its surface might be expected to force into the working places any accumulation of gas which might hover in the hollows of the roof.

20. The explosion took place at 2.40 p.m. on the afternoon of the 16th, during the "after" or "back" shift. At that time there were in the Harvey Seam 64 hewers, 5 deputies, and 25 boys, making a total of 94 persons. Every man and boy at work at the time in the Pit Narrow Board and Headways Districts was killed. The men in the Cross-out District felt a sudden shock and compression of the air, and they, as well as the men working on the south side of the shaft, made their way successfully through the advancing after-damp to the bottom of the shaft, when they were rescued. No time appears to have been lost in the work of rescue, and, as speedily as arrangements could be made to restore ventilation, exploring parties were at work. The result of their observations and investigation as detailed in the evidence fixes beyond all doubt the locality in which the explosion originated. Briefly summarised, the leading facts ascertained are as follows :–

(a.) Area of the Explosion. — With the exception of the further end of the Cross-cut district and the workings south of the shaft, the force of the explosion appears to have pervaded the whole of the pit. At the face of the workings in the Pit Narrow Board District the indications of burning were most distinct and concentrated, but at places far distant from the Pit Narrow Board, notably at the south-west corner of the Headways District, at the landing half way down the Headways way, and at the several angles of the ways where the ventilation was split, the bodies found exhibited marks of burning so severe as to have been in some instances a possible cause of death. The marks of violence, although most numerous in the Pit Narrow Board, were not less distinct in other and distant districts. The after-damp left victims scattered from end to end of the mine.

(b.) Locality of Explosion. — An examination of the props supporting the roof above the long-wall face of the Pit Narrow Board District showed that an explosion must have taken place at or nearly opposite to the southern extremity of the "Second South" way. The props to the eastward of that spot were thickly coated on their western side with the coke of coal dust, while this "coking" was found on the eastern side of the props and chocks which lay to the west.

(c.) Causes of Death. — The evidence of the medical witnesses by whom the bodies had been examined was very clear and full as to the cause of death in every case, and was important as further indicating the spot where the explosion originated. In the Pit Narrow Board District, for a short distance east, west, and north of the "Second South" way, no less than 11 bodies were found with injuries which left no doubt that death had resulted from burning alone. Only one other body in the pit presented the same appearance, namely, that of Maitland, which was found near his place at the end of the Headways Narrow Board workings and in close proximity to a burnt brattice cloth. In the other instances, where marks of burning were found on the bodies, it was stated by the medical experts that the immediate cause of death was either violence or after-damp. The colours in which the names are printed in plans "B," "C," and "D," indicate the causes of death in every case.

(d.) Lamps. — The lamps of the men who were killed were found at or near the places of their work. The lamps of all the men who had died from the effects of burning in the Pit Narrow Board District were, by the coroner's direction, examined and tested in the presence of a skilled representative of the miners and of the colliery owners. They were Davy lamps of the ordinary pattern, with shields. Not one lamp was found to be defective.

(e.) Position of the Bodies. — The bodies of the men were nearly all found at or near their regular working places. It was, however, proved that the bodies of three hewers, Hyde, Smith, and Hunter, were found, not in the working face, but in the "Second South" way, where they lay one after the other prone on their faces, the heads in an out-bye direction. Hyde and Smith had worked at the first pillar to the west and Hunter at the second pillar to the east of the "Second South." Their lamps were found in the working places. These facts pointed to the conclusion that some premonitory alarm had occurred before the actual explosion, and that the three men had endeavoured to escape.

(f.) Shot Firing. — The rules of the colliery with regard to shot-firing appear to have been strict, and to have been observed with fidelity. The deputies alone were permitted to fire shots, and it was not alleged or suggested that the explosion was caused by any disregard of this rule on the part of the men. Careful enquiry was made respecting the time and circumstances of the shots fired during the two days preceding and on the morning of the explosion, so far as they could be traced, but the evidence failed to shown that, with a single exception, when special leave was given by the overman, any were fired during the hours of actual working. The mode of firing cartridges adopted in the pit as by "kitties" or straws containing the fuse. An unexploded cartridge was found during the day after the accident by an exploring party. It was standing "stemmed" ready for firing in Maitland's place at the end of the Headways Narrow Board, and near to the spot where Maitland's body was found badly burnt (see Plans "B" and "D"). A brattice cloth which regulated the return ventilation in the immediate neighbourhood of the same place was found burnt down during a considerable portion of its length. Maitland's place being near to the "point of leakage" of the Headways goaf, and some loose statements having been made respecting the supposed finding of a "flushed kitty" near the spot, it became necessary to take the evidence on this point with care, and Mr. Wilkinson, a member of the executive of the Durham Miners' Association, who had been one of the exploring party, was examined on the point. His evidence was in the following words :– "I said to Mr. Wilson," (one of the exploring party), "'Have you been in Maitland's place?' He said 'Yes, but there is nothing in the face.' Bell went in too, and Bell says, 'There is a flushed kitty.' 'Well,' I said, 'we will broach the subject to him, and see what he says about it.' Mr. Wilson said, 'Did not thou say there had been a flushed kitty in there, Bell?' 'Well,' he said, 'I did not say there had been a flushed kitty, there might have been a flushed kitty.' "

Two theories as to the cause of the disaster were put forward during the inquiry.

21. Mr. Nicholas Wilkinson, the witness to whose evidence allusion has been already made, and who, as a pitman of 34 years' experience, had taken an active and praiseworthy part in the exploration and search after the accident, expressed an opinion that there were two explanations, "that the first explosion commenced with the 'flushed kitty' at Maitland's place" [see, however, Mr. Wilkinson's own evidence as to the statement with reference to the supposed "flushed kitty," ante], that it then "made its way down the return on the edge of the goaf, gathering as it went," making its way to the intake of the Headways District. In Mr. Wilkinson's opinion this first explanation, which was not in itself "a serious explosion," went round from the Headways flat to the Pit Narrow Board goaf "somehow," and drove the gas from that goaf on to the men's lamps, and that for that reason, and not because of a fall of goaf or roof, the men in the Narrow Board workings left their lamps. The second and destructive explosion was, according to Mr. Wilkinson's theory, caused by the lamps on to which the gas from the goaf had been so forced. The flaw in Mr. Wilkinson's theory is indicated by his expression "somehow" in describing the transit of the blast from the Headways District to the Pit Narrow Board goaf. The first explosion, which was "not serious," must have blown out three sets of stoppings, and crossed at nearly a right angle the main intake of the Cross-cut an d three return air-passages on its way from the main intake of the Headways to the Narrow Board goaf. Mr. Wilkinson admitted that he had not examined the stoppings north of the Headways flat, and his theory remained unsupported by direct evidence on this point. How the explosion went into the Cross-cut goaf he was "not prepared to say."

22. In this theory Mr. Bell and Mr. Willis, Her Majesty's Inspectors, did not concur. Mr. Bell pointed out, first, that if there had been two explosions there would naturally be an interval of time between them, and the men in the Cross-cut District must have felt two shocks, whereas it was in evidence that but one was felt; and, secondly, that the natural cause of the first explosion would have been "to face the wind." Mr. Bell "could not see why the blast should leave the rolley way" and go through return air-passages, "when the fresh air was coming in to meet it. It would naturally have followed the air and gone to the shaft as an outlet."

23. In the opinion of Mr. Bell and the other scientific witnesses-there was but one explosion, namely, at the working face of the Pit Narrow Board, nearly opposite the Second South way, and the blast from this explosion rushed through the whole pit. In the Cross-cut District, which was a cul de sac, it was repelled by the "cushion" of air at the end, and it made its way partly up the shaft and partly through the doors of the passage leading into the Kelloe pit. These doors were blown out, and the after-damp which followed the explosion caused the death of six persons in the Kelloe mine. Mr. Bell thought that the blast might have obtained "a little assistance" from an escape of gas at the leakage point of the Headways Narrow Board, it would not be what he would call an explosion," but "it would be sufficient to account for the burning at Maitland's corner."

24. With regard to the cause of the explosion, Mr. Bell, Mr. Willis, and the other scientific witnesses, were agreed that the normal velocity of ventilation in the Pit Narrow Board working face would not be sufficient to drive the gas through the flame of the Davy lamp. The ordinary velocity in the longwall working places would probably not exceed three to four feet per second, and it would take about 7½ feet per second to send the flame through the Davy lamp. In Mr. Bell's opinion the explosion was to be accounted for by a fall in the goaf, or what might be called a 'squeeze,' which would bring "the gas down with sufficient force to increase its velocity. The force of gas coming down, added to the normal force of the wind, would increase the force up to the point that would drive it through the gauze of the lamp." Mr. Bell added that, in his own experience, when watching deputies drawing timber, he had had his lamp blown out by the force of a fall of roof, a fact which satisfied him that "the force of a fall would be sufficient to blow the gas through the gauze."

25. Mr. Willis expressed his full concurrence with the opinion of Mr. Bell respecting the cause of the explosion.

26. There is no room for doubt that the explosion had its origin in the Pit Narrow Board District, and that it was caused by the diffusion of a sudden "squeeze" or outburst of gas forced, with accompanying dust, towards the working face by a heavy fall of roof over the northern edge of the Pit Narrow Board goaf, and driven out with a velocity which sent the flame through a miner's lamp.

27. Assuming that this theory is correct — as I submit it is wholly consistent with the ascertained facts — the result of this inquiry is a further proof, if further proof were needed, that the Davy lamp affords no security whatever against the occurrence of grave disasters of a similar kind, and that its employment in dusty mines during long-wall working operations, carried on under conditions of ventilation and roof formation similar to those prevailing in Trimdon Grange Colliery, ought to be absolutely prohibited.

28. The recommendations appended by the jury to their verdict, although they have no immediate bearing upon the cause of the explosion, are in themselves not unworthy of attention.

29. The suggestion that a general report book, containing a digest of all the report books of all the subordinate officials, should be entered up daily and kept in the manager's office, is, in my opinion, excellent; and the observance of a rule to that effect might, with great advantage, be enforced. It was proved during the inquiry that report books, which by the special rules were required to be entered up daily, were kept by subordinate officials, who, though excellent pitmen, could neither read nor write. In- one instance the entries were made by the hand of the schoolmistress.

30. Although the cause of the explosion could not be traced to "shot firing," it was proved during the inquiry that shots had been fired in working places where, in Mr. Bell's opinion, powder should not have been used and that these were of the nature of the "blown out" or "cannon" shots mentioned by Her Majesty's Commissioners in their Preliminary Report* as having apparently become "more frequent since the use of cartridges instead of loose powder was made compulsory by Act of Parliament," and as constituting "an especial danger" in pillar working or in the long-wall face.

31. In conclusion, I have to report that the Trimdon Grange Colliery Explosion does not appear to me to be a case in which any prosecution should be instituted.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient humble servant,

T. W. SNAGGE.

To the Right Honourable

Sir W. Vernon Harcourt, M.P.,

Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department.

* Preliminary Report of Her Majesty's Commissioners appointed to inquire into Accidents in Mines. 1881. p. xiii.