MR. WILLIS, South Durham, Westmoreland, and Cleveland District.

MR. DICKINSON, North and East Lancashire, and Ireland.

MR. T. EVANS, Midland District.

MR. WYNNE, North Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Shropshire.

MR. BROUGH, South-western District.

MR. BAKER, South Staffordshire and Worcestershire.

MR. WALES, South Wales.

MR. MOORE, Scotland, East.

MR. ALEXANDER, Scotland, West.

MR. SOUTHERN, Northumberland, North Durham, and Cumberland.

MR. WARDELL, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

MR. BELL, West Lancashire and North Wales.

DR. C. LE NEVE FOSTER, Cornwall, Devonshire, and part of Somersetshire.
MR. T. F. EVANS, Anglesey, Brecon, Cardigan, etc.

Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY GEORGE EDWARD EYRE AND WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE,
PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

FOR HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE.

1874.

Year 1873.

Summaries of the Reports of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Mines under the Coal Mines Regulation Act.

THE Reports are each made separately to the Right Honourable R. A. Cross, M.P., Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department.

The following are four Summaries of the Reports for each of the twelve districts under the Coal Mines Regulation Act:—

1st. A summary by which it appears that in the aggregate 512,199 persons were employed in and about the coal, fireclay, ironstone, and oil shale mines of Great Britain, and 1,950 in Ireland, being a total of 514,149 persons in Great Britain and Ireland, exclusive of those employed at the other mines, which are classed under the Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act. The numbers and ages of the persons employed underground are distinguished from those employed aboveground in nine out of the twelve districts, and in the other three districts the persons underground are separated approximately from those aboveground. The total of persons employed thus separated shows that in Great Britain 406,599 were underground, and 105,600 aboveground, and in Ireland 1,209 underground, and 741 aboveground.

2nd. A summary of the mining produce, given either in districts or counties. By this it appears that in the aggregate 128,544,400 tons of coal, 1,738,491 tons of fireclay, 12,094,827 tons of ironstone, and 524,095 tons of oil shale were produced from the mines in Great Britain; and 135,731 tons of coal, and 3,702 tons of fireclay from the mines in Ireland.

3rd. A summary of fatal accidents and lives lost in and about the mines, showing that at the mines classed under the Coal Mines Regulation Act in Great Britain (the Coal Mines Act not being in operation in Ireland until 1874) the fatal accidents amounted to 973, and the deaths (some of the accidents causing more than one death) amounted to 1,069. Of these, 902 of the accidents and 994 of the deaths were at coal and fireclay mines, nearly all being at coal mines. Amongst the fireclay mines now comprised by the Act there are some where coal is not wrought, which were not previously comprised, but the number is small and does not materially affect a comparison of the present accidents and deaths with those reported for previous years. As compared with those of the preceding year the accidents in 1873 are an increase of 8, but the deaths are a decrease of 66.

4th. A summary showing the proportion which the accidents and deaths bear to the persons employed, and mineral wrought. By this it appears that on the average in 1873 in Great Britain there was at all the mines under the Coal Mines Act one fatal accident amongst every 526 persons employed in and about the mines, and one death by accident amongst every 479 persons; also that 146,867 tons of mineral were got for each fatal accident, and 133,677 tons for each death by accident. In the preceding year the fatal accidents and deaths at the coal and comprised fireclay mines were more numerous in proportion, being one accident and one death respectively amongst the lesser numbers of 468 and 394 persons employed, and for the lesser quantities of 138,024 and 116,409 tons of mineral wrought. The oil shale mines are all newly comprised, and so are likewise the ironstone mines of Cleveland, &c., and numerous blackband ironstone mines, so that no comparison can be made with previous years as to these mines.