To Dr. Faraday.
Sir – As you occupy a high situation in the scientific world, and were the pupil and friend of Sir H. Davy, we shall not render you so ill a compliment as to apologise for addressing you publicly on the subject of his safety lamp.
An opinion has long prevailed that this lamp, when perfect in its construction and material, is safe under every exposure to the action of the fire damp of coal mines. From the result of a series of experiments, conducted by Mr. Pereira3, Mr. Partington4, and several other scientific gentlemen, it appears that this opinion of its safety is erroneous, and, therefore, under many circumstances, not of rare occurrence in coal mines, a reliance on it is dangerous.
In a small pamphlet now before the public5, which we had the honour of addressing to you at the Royal Institution, these experiments are fully detailed. As you are presumed to have had more opportunities than any other person, except Sir H. Davy, of witnessing the tests to which this lamp has been subjected, it has, since the late destructive explosion at the Springwell Colliery6, and the publication of our pamphlet, been a matter of surprise that you have neither contradicted or confirmed a statement, the purport of which is, a positive denial of its safety.
This statement is of too serious a nature to remain longer a matter of doubt; it is a strict relation of facts or not; and, as it points out either the true cause of many fatal accidents, or creates an unjust distrust of the safety of the Davy Lamps, the public mind ought to be satisfied of its truth, or convinced of its error.
We rest assured, Sir, that feelings of humanity, as well as a sense of public duty, will direct your immediate attention to a subject, important to the safety of a numerous and industrious class of the community, and essential to the protection of a great source of national wealth.
Waiting your reply, | We remain, Sir, your obedient servants | Upton & Roberts.
66, Basinghall-street, Sept 10, 1833.
Please cite as “Faraday0679b,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday0679b