Faraday to the editor of the Morning Chronicle   12 September 1833

Sir – Your paper of yesterday contains a letter to yourself, and another to me, from Messrs. Upton¹ and Roberts², and the latter calls upon me to give an opinion upon the comparative security of the Davy Safety Lamp and another Lamp, of which, I believe, they are the inventors and manufacturers³. Such applications are exceedingly numerous, though they are but rarely honoured by such a channel of communication as that which has been used in the present instance. In all cases the applicants think their invention the best possible, and of the utmost consequence, and it often gives me pain to be obliged to return denials to their requests; but were I to assent, I should not have one moment of time for my own concerns and investigations; so that I am forced to decline giving opinions or undertaking investigations of decision, except on the application of his Majesty’s Government or Public Bodies.

As manufacturers, Messrs. Upton and Roberts are quite right in obtaining all the information they can respecting their Safety Lamp; but they have already the experiments and opinions of Mr. Periera⁴ [sic], Mr. Partington⁵, and others; and now, I think, they should refer at once to the coal-owners. Sir Humphry Davy, in all cases, tried his lamps at the mines, putting them into the hands of the viewers and proprietors for that purpose. It is evidently the interest of the coal-owners to have the best possible Safety Lamp; and they will no doubt, for their own sakes as well as from feelings of humanity, gladly try any lamp which seems to be well founded in principle, professes to be more secure than the Davy, and is not in other respects objectionable; they are, in fact, the persons who must finally decide upon the applicability of the invention.

If the coal-owners should be unable to satisfy themselves as to the superiority of one lamp over the other, I will willingly attend to any request they may make to me to assist them with such judgment as I may be able to give in the matter; but I see not the slightest reason for my meddling with the case in its present state.

You are aware, Sir, that the safety-lamp – that monument of the powerful genius of Davy – has from first to last been a subject of controversy⁶. When it came forth I refused to interfere with the discussions concerning it, when it was very hard to refuse; and I still intend in this, as in every other instance, to avoid, if possible, having my name involved in investigations which do not originate from myself – I am, Sir, your very obedient servant | W. Faraday.

Royal Institution, Sept. 12, 1833.