The cavity in the roof near the face of the East going bord has already been described, and it can only be surmised that before the stone, an account of which has already been given, came away, the space above must have been full of gas in a state of great pressure. There can be no doubt that there was a considerable amount of gas in the coal, especially in this part of the mine. Gas had been found at this very point, and the hissing and bubbling noises already described clearly showed that it existed in some quantities. There had never, however, been sufficient to cause any alarm, either to the men or to the officials of the mine. Directly the stone came away, there would be a sudden rush of gas down from the cavity and along the passage towards the point where the two men are supposed to have been sitting, not far from the entrance to the bord, with their lamps probably on the ground by their side. This view was put forward, as already stated, by the owner, and supported by the mining engineer and other experienced witnesses from collieries in the neighbourhood. It was adopted by the inspectors of mines, and although the men were at first disposed to put forward a differed explanation, as the inquiry proceeded they practically came round to the same view.

So far as the evidence goes there is only one possible explanation of the manner in which the gas was fired, viz., that it was at one of the two lamps which were in the immediate neighbourhood of the point from which the gas escaped. There was no evidence to show that any other light or means of ignition were within reach of the gas; no matches, pipes, or tobacco were found on the men or in the mine, and no naked lights were allowed, or were shown to have been, anywhere in this neighbourhood. It is true a shot was fired at a time which could not have been long before the explosion, but it was at some distance from this particular point, and, as already stated, the evidence shows that it was fired before the explosion took place. No other shot was fired that night. A sudden escape of a large quantity of gas under great pressure in a narrow passage would of itself produce a velocity, which, in addition to the current of ventilation up and down the bord on either side of the brattice, would be a source of great danger were the air sufficiently charged with explosive gas, and coming in contact with a Clanny lamp, would account for the firing of the gas. It was suggested as another possible explanation that the men, on becoming aware of their danger, might have caught up their lamps, and by running out have caused by the rapidity of their movements or by a sudden jerk the flame of the lamp to pass through the gauze, and so tire the gas. Either explanation is consistent with the state of the lamps when found, and with the general condition of the place. A Clanny lamp, in good condition, and perfectly put together, is not free from danger in current of 7 or 8 feet per second, while with a greater velocity there is considerable danger. Any slight imperfection in the fitting of the different parts of the lamp, would materially increase the danger of an explosion, and considering the manner in which the lamps are examined daily by the lamp man, while the men are waiting to get to their work, and that the safety of the mine may depend on the lamp which happens to be in the least secure condition, no trouble should be spared in securing the most perfect form of lamp, notwithstanding objection felt by the men, and in providing for the thorough and careful examination of each one before it is taken into the workings.