slavery in the british mines.

in proceeding to speak more particularly of the various forms of british slavery, we will begin with labour in the mines—the horrors of which became known to the world through reports made to parliament in the summer of 1840. pressed by the fear of general execration, parliament appointed a commission of inquiry, which, after a thorough examination of all the mines in the united kingdom, made a voluminous report. so shocking were the accounts of labour in the mines given by this commission, that the delicate nerves of several perfumed lords were grievously pained, and they denounced the commissioners as being guilty of exaggeration. nevertheless, the evidence adduced by the officers was unimpeachable, and their statements were generally received as plain truth.

coal getter at work.

the mining industry of the kingdom is divided into two distinct branches—that of the coal and iron mines, and that of the mines of tin, copper, lead, and zinc. the "coal measures," as the geological formations comprising the strata of coal are designated, are variously dispersed in the middle, northern, and western [pg 29] portions of south britain, and in a broad belt of country which traverses the centre of scotland, from the shores of ayrshire to those of the firth of forth. there are, also, some coal-tracts in ireland, but they are of comparatively small importance. in all these districts, the coal is found in beds, interstratified for the most part with various qualities of gritstone and shale, in which, in some of the districts, occur layers of ironstone, generally thin, but sometimes forming large masses, as in the forest of dean. when the surface of the coal country is mountainous and intersected by deep ravines, as in south wales, the mineral deposites are approached by holes driven into the sides of the hills; but the common access to them is by vertical shafts, or well-holes, from the bottoms of which horizontal roadways are extended in long and confined passages through the coal strata, to bring all that is hewn to the "pit's eye," or bottom of the shaft, for winding up. it is requisite to have more than one shaft in the same workings; but where the coal lies so deep that the sinking of a distinct shaft requires an enormous outlay of capital, only one large shaft is sunk; and this is divided by wooden partitions, or brattices, into several distinct channels. there must always be one shaft or channel, called the "downcast pit," for the air to descend; and another, called the "upcast pit," for the return draught to ascend. the apparatus for lowering and drawing up is generally in [pg 30] the upcast shaft. this is either a steam-engine, a horse-gin, or a hand-crank. the thickness of the seams that are wrought varies from the eighteen-inch seams of the lancashire and yorkshire hills, to the ten-yard coal of south staffordshire. but two, three, and four feet are the more common thicknesses of the beds that are wrought. when there is a good roof, or hard rock immediately over the coal, with a tolerably solid floor beneath it, thin coal-seams can be worked with advantage, because the outlay of capital for propping is then very limited; but the very hardness of the contiguous strata would require an outlay almost as great to make the roadways of a proper height for human beings of any age to work in.

by the evidence collected under the commission, it is proved that there are coal-mines at present at work in which some passages are so small, that even the youngest children cannot move along them without crawling on their hands and feet, in which constrained position they drag the loaded carriages after them; and yet, as it is impossible by any outlay compatible with a profitable return, to render such coal-mines fit for human beings to work in, they never will be placed in such a condition, and, consequently, they never can be worked without this child slavery! when the roads are six feet high and upward, there is not only ample space for carrying on the general operations of the mine, but the coals can be drawn direct from the workings to the [pg 31] foot of the shaft by the largest horses; and when the main roads are four feet and a half high, the coals may be conveyed to the foot of the shaft by ponies or asses. but when the main ways are under four feet, the coals can only be conveyed by children. yet, in many mines, the main gates are only from twenty-four to thirty inches high. in this case, even the youngest children must work in a bent position of the body. when the inclination of the strata causes all the workings out of the main ways to be on inclined plains, the young labourers are not only almost worked to death, but exposed to severe accidents in descending the plains with their loads, out of one level into another. in many of the mines, there is such a want of drainage and ventilation, that fatal diseases are contracted by the miners.

according to the report of the parliamentary commission, about one-third of the persons employed in the coal-mines were under eighteen years of age, and much more than one-third of this number were under thirteen years of age. when the proprietor employs the whole of the hands, not only will his general overseer be a respectable person, but his underlookers will be taken from the more honest, intelligent, and industrious of the labouring colliers. elsewhere, the rulers in pits are such as the rudest class is likely to produce. the great body of the children and young persons are, however, of the families of the adult work-people employed in the pits, or belong to the poor population of [pg 32] the neighbourhood. but, in some districts, there are numerous defenceless creatures who pass the whole of their youth in the most abject slavery, into which they are thrown chiefly by parish authorities, under the name of apprenticeship. said the parliamentary commissioners in their report—

"there is one mode of engaging the labour of children and young persons in coal-mines, peculiar to a few districts, which deserves particular notice, viz. that by apprenticeship. the district in which the practice of employing apprentices is most in use, is south staffordshire; it was formerly common in shropshire, but is now discontinued; it is still common in yorkshire, lancashire, and the west of scotland; in all the other districts, it appears to be unknown. in staffordshire, the sub-commissioner states that the number of children and young persons working in the mines as apprentices is exceedingly numerous; that these apprentices are paupers or orphans, and are wholly in the power of the butties; [1] that such is the demand for this class of children by the butties, that there are scarcely any boys in the union workhouses of walsall, wolverhampton, dudley, and stourbridge; that these boys are sent on trial to the butties between the ages of eight and nine, and at nine are bound as apprentices for twelve years, that is, to the age of twenty-one years complete; that, notwithstanding this long apprenticeship, there is nothing whatever in the coal-mines to learn beyond a little dexterity, readily acquired by short practice; and that even in the mines of cornwall, where much skill and judgment is required, there are no apprentices, while, in the coal-mines of south staffordshire, the orphan whom necessity has driven into a workhouse, is made to labour in the mines until the age of twenty-one, solely for the benefit of another."

thomas moorhouse, a collier boy, who was brought [pg 33] to the notice of the parliamentary commissioners, said—

"i don't know how old i am; father is dead; i am a chance child; mother is dead also; i don't know how long she has been dead; 'tis better na three years; i began to hurry [2] when i was nine years old for william greenwood; i was apprenticed to him till i should be twenty-one; my mother apprenticed me; i lived with greenwood; i don't know how long it was, but it was a goodish while; he was bound to find me in victuals and drink and clothes; i never had enough; he gave me some old clothes to wear, which he bought at the rag-shop; the overseers gave him a sovereign to buy clothes with, but he never laid it out; the overseers bound me out with mother's consent from the township of southowram; i ran away from him because he lost my indentures, for he served me very bad; he stuck a pick into me twice."

here the boy was made to strip, and the commissioner, mr. symonds, found a large cicatrix likely to have been occasioned by such an instrument, which must have passed through the glutei muscles, and have stopped only short of the hip-joint. there were twenty other wounds, occasioned by hurrying in low workings, upon and around the spinous processes of the vertebr?, from the sacrum upward. the boy continued—

"he used to hit me with the belt, and mawl or sledge, and fling coals at me. he served me so bad that i left him, and went about to see if i could get a job. i used to sleep in the cabins upon the pit's bank, and in the old pits that had done working. i laid upon the shale all night. i used to get what i could to eat. i ate for a long time the candles that i found in the pits that the colliers left over night. i had nothing else to eat. i looked about for work, and begged of the people a bit. i got to [pg 34] bradford after a while, and had a job there for a month while a collier's lad was poorly. when he came back, i was obliged to leave."

another case was related by mr. kennedy, one of the commissioners. a boy, named edward kershaw, had been apprenticed by the overseers of castleton to a collier of the name of robert brierly, residing at balsgate, who worked in a pit in the vicinity of rooley moor. the boy was examined, and from twenty-four to twenty-six wounds were found upon his body. his posteriors and loins were beaten to a jelly; his head, which was almost cleared of hair on the scalp, had the marks of many old wounds upon it which had healed up. one of the bones in one arm was broken below the elbow, and, from appearances, seemed to have been so for some time. the boy, on being brought before the magistrates, was unable either to sit or stand, and was placed on the floor of the office, laid on his side on a small cradle-bed. it appears from the evidence, that the boy's arm had been broken by a blow with an iron rail, and the fracture had never been set, and that he had been kept at work for several weeks with his arm in the condition above described. it further appeared in evidence, and was admitted by brierly, that he had been in the habit of beating the boy with a flat piece of wood, in which a nail was driven and projected about half an inch. the blows had been inflicted with such violence that they penetrated the skin, and caused the [pg 35] wounds above mentioned. the body of the boy presented all the marks of emaciation. this brutal master had kept the boy at work as a wagoner until he was no longer of any use, and then sent him home in a cart to his mother, who was a poor widow, residing in church lane, rochdale. and yet it is said that a slave cannot breathe the air of england!

the want of instruction, and the seclusion from the rest of the world, which is common to the colliers, give them a sad pre-eminence over every other class of labourers, in ignorance and callousness; and when they are made masters, what can be expected? in all cases of apprenticeship, the children are bound till they attain the age of twenty-one years. if the master dies before the apprentice attains the age of twenty-one years, the apprentice is equally bound as the servant of his deceased master's heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns. in fact, the apprentice is part of the deceased master's goods and chattels!

but, to speak more particularly of the labour of the children:—the employment of the adult collier is almost exclusively in the "getting" of the coal from its natural resting-place, of which there are various methods, according to the nature of the seams and the habits of the several districts. that of the children and young persons consists principally either in tending the air-doors where the coal-carriages must pass through openings, the immediately subsequent stoppage of which [pg 36] is necessary to preserve the ventilation in its proper channels, or in the conveyance of the coal from the bays or recesses in which it is hewn, along the subterranean roadways, to the bottom of the pit-shaft; a distance varying from absolute contiguity even to miles, in the great coal-fields of the north of england, where the depth requires that the same expensive shaft shall serve for the excavation of a large tract of coal. the earliest employment of children in the pits is generally to open and shut the doors, upon the proper custody of which the ventilation and safety of the whole mine depends. these little workmen are called "trappers." of the manner in which they pass their earlier days, dr. mitchell, a distinguished englishman, has given a very interesting sketch, which deserves to be quoted here entire:—

"the little trapper, of eight years of age, lies quiet in bed. it is now between two and three in the morning, and his mother shakes him and desires him to rise, and tells him that his father has an hour ago gone off to the pit. he turns on his side, rubs his eyes, and gets up, and comes to the blazing fire and puts on his clothes. his coffee, such as it is, stands by the side of the fire, and bread is laid down for him. the fortnight is now well advanced, the money all spent, and butter, bacon, and other luxurious accompaniments of bread, are not to be had at breakfast till next pay-day supply the means. he then fills his tin bottle with coffee and takes a lump of bread, sets out for the pit, into which he goes down in the cage, and walking along the horse-way for upward of a mile, he reaches the barrow-way, over which the young men and boys push the trams with the tubs on rails to the flats, where the barrow-way and horse-way meet, and [pg 37] where the tubs are transferred to rolleys or carriages drawn by horses.

thrusters and trapper.

"he knows his place of work. it is inside one of the doors called trap-doors, which is in the barrow-way, for the purpose of forcing the stream of air which passes in its long, many-miled course from the down-shaft to the up-shaft of the pit; but which door must be opened whenever men or boys, with or without carriages, may wish to pass through. he seats himself in a little hole, about the size of a common fireplace, and with the string in his hand; and all his work is to pull that string when he has to open the door, and when man or boy has passed through, then to allow the door to shut of itself. here it is his duty to sit, and be attentive, and pull his string promptly as any one approaches. he may not stir above a dozen steps with safety from his charge, lest he should be found neglecting his duty, and suffer for the same.

"he sits solitary by himself, and has no one to talk to him; for in the pit the whole of the people, men and boys, are as busy as if they were in a sea-fight. he, however, sees now and then the putters urging forward their trams through his gate, and derives some consolation from the glimmer of the little candle of about 40 to the pound, which is fixed on their trams. for he himself has no light. his hours, except at such times, are passed in total darkness. for the first week of his service in the pit his father had allowed him candles to light one after another, but the expense of three halfpence a day was so extravagant expenditure out of tenpence, the boy's daily wages, that his father, of course, withdrew the allowance the second week, all except one or two candles in the morning, and the week after the allowance was altogether taken away; and now, except a neighbour kinder than his father now and then drop him a candle as he passes, the boy has no light of his own.

"thus hour after hour passes away; but what are hours to him, seated in darkness, in the bowels of the earth? he knows nothing of the ascending or descending sun. hunger, however, though silent and unseen, acts upon him, and he betakes to his bottle of coffee and slice of bread; and, if desirous, he may have [pg 38] the luxury of softening it in a portion of water in the pit, which is brought down for man and beast.

"in this state of sepulchral existence, an insidious enemy gains upon him. his eyes are shut, and his ears fail to announce the approach of a tram. a deputy overman comes along, and a smart cut of his yardwand at once punishes the culprit and recalls him to his duty; and happy was it for him that he fell into the hands of the deputy overman, rather than one of the putters; for his fist would have inflicted a severer pain. the deputy overman moreover consoles him by telling him that it was for his good that he punished him; and reminds him of boys, well known to both, who, when asleep, had fallen down, and some had been severely wounded, and others killed. the little trapper believes that he is to blame, and makes no complaint, for he dreads being discharged; and he knows that his discharge would be attended with the loss of wages, and bring upon him the indignation of his father, more terrible to endure than the momentary vengeance of the deputy and the putters all taken together.

"such is the day-work of the little trapper in the barrow-way.

"at last, the joyful sound of 'loose, loose,' reaches his ears. the news of its being four o'clock, and of the order, 'loose, loose,' having been shouted down the shaft, is by systematic arrangement sent for many miles in all directions round the farthest extremities of the pit. the trapper waits until the last putter passes with his tram, and then he follows and pursues his journey to the foot of the shaft, and takes an opportunity of getting into the cage and going up when he can. by five o'clock he may probably get home. here he finds a warm dinner, baked potatoes, and broiled bacon lying above them. he eats heartily at the warm fire, and sits a little after. he dare not go out to play with other boys, for the more he plays the more he is sure to sleep the next day in the pit. he, therefore, remains at home, until, feeling drowsy, he then repeats the prayer taught by our blessed lord, takes off his clothes, is thoroughly washed in hot water by his mother, and is laid in his bed."

hurrier and thruster.

the evidence of the parliamentary commissioners [pg 39] proves that dr. mitchell has given the life of the young trapper a somewhat softened colouring. mr. scriven states that the children employed in this way become almost idiotic from the long, dark, solitary confinement. many of them never see the light of day during the winter season, except on sundays.

the loaded corves drawn by the hurriers weigh from two to five hundred-weight. these carriages are mounted upon four cast-iron wheels of five inches in diameter, there being, in general, no rails from the headings to the main gates. the children have to drag these carriages through passages in some cases not more than from sixteen to twenty inches in height. of course, to accomplish this, the young children must crawl on their hands and feet. to render their labour the more easy, the sub-commissioner states that they buckle round their naked person a broad leather strap, to which is attached in front a ring and about four feet of chain, terminating in a hook. as soon as they enter the main gates, they detach the harness from the corve, change their position by getting behind it, and become "thrusters." the carriage is then placed upon the rail, a candle is stuck fast by a piece of wet clay, and away they run with amazing swiftness to the shaft, pushing the loads with their heads and hands. the younger children thrust in pairs.

"after trapping," says the report of the commissioners, "the next labour in the ascending scale to which the children are put, is [pg 40] 'thrutching,' or thrusting, which consists in being helper to a 'drawer,' or 'wagoner,' who is master, or 'butty,' over the 'thrutcher,' in some pits, the thrutcher has his head protected by a thick cap, and he will keep on his trousers and clogs; but in others, he works nearly naked. the size of the loads which he has to thrutch varies with the thickness of the seam; and with the size, varies his butty's method of proceeding, which is either as a drawer or a wagoner. the drawers are those who use the belt and chain. their labour consists in loading, with the coals hewn down by the 'getter,' an oblong tub without wheels, and dragging this tub on its sledge bottom by means of a girdle of rough leather passing round the body, and a chain of iron attached to that girdle in front, and hooked to the sledge. the drawer has, with the aid of his thrutcher, to sledge the tub in this manner from the place of getting to the mainway, generally down, though sometimes up, a brow or incline of the same steepness as the inclination of the strata; in descending which he goes to the front of his tub, where his light is fixed, and, turning his face to it, regulates its motion down the hill, as, proceeding back foremost, he pulls it along by his belt. when he gets to the mainway, which will be at various distances not exceeding forty or fifty yards from his loading-place, he has to leave this tub upon a low truck running on small iron wheels, and then to go and fetch a second, which will complete its load, and with these two to join with his thrutcher in pushing it along the iron railway to the pit bottom to have the tubs successively hooked on to the drawing-rope. returning with his tubs empty, he leaves the mainway, first with one, and then with the other tub, to get them loaded, dragging them up the 'brow' by his belt and chain, the latter of which he now passes between his legs, so as to pull, face foremost, on all fours. in the thin seams, this labour has to be performed in bays, leading from the place of getting to the mainways, of scarcely more than twenty inches in height, and in mainways of only two feet six inches, and three feet high, for the seam itself will only be eighteen inches thick.

"wagoning is a form of drawing which comes into use with the more extensive employment of railways in the thicker seams [pg 41]. the tubs here used are large, and all mounted on wheels. from the place of getting, the loads are pushed by the wagoners with hands and heads to the bottom of the pit along the levels; and where they have to descend from one level into another, this is generally done by a cut at right angles directly with the dip, down the 'brow' which it makes. here there is a winch or pinion for jigging the wagons down the incline, with a jigger at the top and a hooker-on at the bottom of the plane, where it is such as to require these. the jiggers and the hookers-on are children of twelve or thirteen. sometimes the descent from one line of level into another is by a diagonal cutting at a small angle from the levels, called a slant, down which the wagoners can, and do, in some instances, take their wagons without jigging, by their own manual labour; and a very rough process it is, owing to the impetus which so great a weight acquires, notwithstanding the scotching of the wheels."

mr. kennedy thus describes the position of the children, in the combined drawing and thrutching:—

"the child in front is harnessed by his belt or chain to the wagon; the two boys behind are assisting in pushing it forward. their heads, it will be observed, are brought down to a level with the wagon, and the body almost in the horizontal position. this is done partly to avoid striking the roof, and partly to gain the advantage of the muscular action, which is greatest in that position. it will be observed, the boy in front goes on his hands and feet: in that manner, the whole weight of his body is, in fact, supported by the chain attached to the wagon and his feet, and, consequently, his power of drawing is greater than it would be if he crawled on his knees. these boys, by constantly pushing against the wagons, occasionally rub off the hair from the crowns of their heads so much as to make them almost bald."

in derbyshire, some of the pits are altogether worked by boys. the seams are so thin, that several have only a two-feet headway to all the workings. the boy [pg 42] who gets the coal, lies on his side while at work. the coal is then loaded in a barrow, or tub, and drawn along the bank to the pit mouth by boys from eight to twelve years of age, on all fours, with a dog-belt and chain, the passages being very often an inch or two thick in black mud, and neither ironed nor wooded. in mr. barnes's pit, these boys have to drag the barrows with one hundred-weight of coal or slack, sixty times a day, sixty yards, and the empty barrows back, without once straightening their backs, unless they choose to stand under the shaft and run the risk of having their heads broken by coal falling.

in some of the mines, the space of the workings is so small that the adult colliers are compelled to carry on their operations in a stooping posture; and, in others, they are obliged to work lying their whole length along the uneven floor, and supporting their heads upon a board or short crutch. in these low, dark, heated, and dismal chambers, they work perfectly naked. in many of the thin-seam mines, the labour of "getting" coal, so severe for adults, was found by the commissioners to be put upon children from nine to twelve years of age.

if the employment of boys in such a way be, as a miner said to the commissioners, "barbarity, barbarity," what are we to think of the slavery of female children in the same abyss of darkness? how shall we express our feelings upon learning that females, in the years [pg 43] of opening womanhood, are engaged in the same occupations as their male companions, in circumstances repugnant to the crudest sense of decency? yet we have unimpeachable evidence that, at the time of the investigations of the commissioners, females were thus employed; and there is reason to believe that this is still the case.

coal getter.

the commissioners found females employed like the males in the labours of the mines in districts of yorkshire and lancashire, in the east of scotland, and in wales. in great numbers of the pits visited, the men were working in a state of entire nakedness, and were assisted by females of all ages, from girls of six years old to women of twenty-one—these females being themselves quite naked down to the waist. mr. thomas pearce says that in the west riding of yorkshire—

"the girls hurry with a belt and chain, as well as thrust. there are as many girls as boys employed about here. one of the most disgusting sights i have ever seen, was that of young females, dressed like boys in trousers, crawling on all fours, with belts around their waists and chains passing between their legs, at day-pits at thurshelf bank, and in many small pits near holmfirth and new mills. it exists also in several other places."

in the neighbourhood of halifax, it is stated that there is no distinction whatever between the boys and girls in their coming up the shaft and going down; in their mode of hurrying or thrusting; in the weight of corves; in the distance they are hurried; in wages or [pg 44] dress; that the girls associate and labour with men who are in a state of nakedness, and that they have themselves no other garment than a ragged shift, or, in the absence of that, a pair of broken trousers, to cover their persons.

here are specimens of the evidence taken by the commissioners:—

"susan pitchforth, aged eleven, elland: 'i have worked in this pit going two years. i have one sister going of fourteen, and she works with me in the pit. i am a thruster.'

"'this child,' said the sub-commissioner, 'stood shivering before me from cold. the rags that hung about her waist were once called a shift, which was as black as the coal she thrust, and saturated with water—the drippings of the roof and shaft. during my examination of her, the banksman, whom i had left in the pit, came to the public-house and wanted to take her away, because, as he expressed himself, it was not decent that she should be exposed to us.'

"patience kershaw, aged seventeen: 'i hurry in the clothes i have now got on, (trousers and ragged jacket;) the bald place upon my head is made by thrusting the corves; the getters i work for are naked except their caps; they pull off their clothes; all the men are naked.'

"mary barrett, aged fourteen: 'i work always without stockings, or shoes, or trousers; i wear nothing but my shift; i have to go up to the headings with the men; they are all naked there; i am got well used to that, and don't care much about it; i was afraid at first, and did not like it.'"

in the lancashire coal-fields lying to the north and west of manchester, females are regularly employed in underground labour; and the brutal policy of the men, and the abasement of the women, is well described by some of the witnesses examined by mr. kennedy.

"peter gaskill, collier, at mr. lancaster's, near worsley: [pg 45] 'prefers women to boys as drawers; they are better to manage, and keep the time better; they will fight and shriek and do every thing but let anybody pass them; and they never get to be coal-getters—that is another good thing.'

girl with coal cart in thin seam.

"betty harris, aged thirty-seven, drawer in a coal-pit, little bolton: 'i have a belt round my waist and a chain passing between my legs, and i go on my hands and feet. the road is very steep, and we have to hold by a rope, and when there is no rope, by any thing we can catch hold of. there are six women and about six boys and girls in the pit i work in; it is very hard work for a woman. the pit is very wet where i work, and the water comes over our clog-tops always, and i have seen it up to my thighs; it rains in at the roof terribly; my clothes are wet through almost all day long. i never was ill in my life but when i was lying-in. my cousin looks after my children in the daytime. i am very tired when i get home at night; i fall asleep sometimes before i get washed. i am not so strong as i was, and cannot stand my work so well as i used to do. i have drawn till i have had the skin off me. the belt and chain is worse when we are in the family-way. my feller (husband) has beaten me many a time for not being ready. i were not used to it at first, and he had little patience; i have known many a man beat his drawer.'

"mary glover, aged thirty-eight, at messrs. foster's, ringley bridge: 'i went into a coal-pit when i was seven years old, and began by being a drawer. i never worked much in the pit when i was in the family-way, but since i have gave up having children, i have begun again a bit. i wear a shift and a pair of trousers when at work. i always will have a good pair of trousers. i have had many a twopence given me by the boatmen on the canal to show my breeches. i never saw women work naked, but i have seen men work without breeches in the neighbourhood of bolton. i remember seeing a man who worked stark naked.'"

in the east of scotland, the business of the females is to remove the coals from the hewer who has picked them from the wall-face, and placing them either on [pg 46] their backs, which they invariably do when working in edge-seams, or in little carts when on levels, to carry them to the main road, where they are conveyed to the pit bottom, where, being emptied into the ascending basket of the shaft, they are wound by machinery to the pit's mouth, where they lie heaped for further distribution. mr. franks, an englishman, says of this barbarous toil—

"now when the nature of this horrible labour is taken into consideration; its extreme severity; its regular duration of from twelve to fourteen hours daily; the damp, heated, and unwholesome atmosphere of a coal-mine, and the tender age and sex of the workers, a picture is presented of deadly physical oppression and systematic slavery, of which i conscientiously believe no one unacquainted with such facts would credit the existence in the british dominions."

the loads of coal carried on the backs of females vary in weight from three-quarters of a hundred-weight to three hundred-weight. in working edge-seams, or highly inclined beds, the load must be borne to the surface, or to the pit-bottom, up winding stairs, or a succession of steep ladders. the disgrace of this peculiar form of oppression is said to be confined to scotland, "where, until nearly the close of the last century, the colliers remained in a state of legal bondage, and formed a degraded caste, apart from all humanizing influences and sympathy." from all accounts, they are not much improved in condition at the present time.

[pg 47]

a sub-commissioner thus describes a female child's labour in a scottish mine, and gives some of the evidence he obtained:—

"she has first to descend a nine-ladder pit to the first rest, even to which a shaft is sunk, to draw up the baskets or tubs of coals filled by the bearers; she then takes her creel (a basket formed to the back, not unlike a cockle-shell, flattened toward the back of the neck, so as to allow lumps of coal to rest on the back of the neck and shoulders,) and pursues her journey to the wall-face, or, as it is called here, the room of work. she then lays down her basket, into which the coal is rolled, and it is frequently more than one man can do to lift the burden on her back. the tugs or straps are placed over the forehead, and the body bent in a semicircular form, in order to stiffen the arch. large lumps of coal are then placed on the neck, and she then commences her journey with her burden to the bottom, first hanging her lamp to the cloth crossing her head. in this girl's case, she has first to travel about fourteen fathoms (eighty-four feet) from wall-face to the first ladder, which is eighteen feet high; leaving the first ladder, she proceeds along the main road, probably three feet six inches to four feet six inches high, to the second ladder, eighteen feet high; so on to the third and fourth ladders, till she reaches the pit-bottom, where she casts her load, varying from one hundred-weight to one hundred-weight and a half, in the tub. this one journey is designated a rake; the height ascended, and the distance along the roads added together, exceed the height of st. paul's cathedral; and it not unfrequently happens that the tugs break, and the load falls upon those females who are following. however incredible it may be, yet i have taken the evidence of fathers who have ruptured themselves from straining to lift coal on their children's backs.

"janet cumming, eleven years old, bears coals: 'i gang with the women at five, and come up with the women at five at night; work all night on fridays, and come away at twelve in the day. i carry the large bits of coal from the wall-face to the pit-bottom, and the small pieces called chows in a creel. the weight is [pg 48] usually a hundred-weight, does not know how many pounds there are in a hundred-weight, but it is some weight to carry; it takes three journeys to fill a tub of four hundred-weight. the distance varies, as the work is not always on the same wall; sometimes one hundred and fifty fathoms, whiles two hundred and fifty fathoms. the roof is very low; i have to bend my back and legs, and the water comes frequently up to the calves of my legs. has no liking for the work; father makes me like it. never got hurt, but often obliged to scramble out of the pit when bad air was in.'

"william hunter, mining oversman, arniston colliery: 'i have been twenty years in the works of robert dundas, esq., and had much experience in the manner of drawing coal, as well as the habits and practices of the collier people. until the last eight months, women and lasses were wrought below in these works, when mr. alexander maxton, our manager, issued an order to exclude them from going below, having some months prior given intimation of the same. women always did the lifting or heavy part of the work, and neither they nor the children were treated like human beings, nor are they where they are employed. females submit to work in places where no man or even lad could be got to labour in; they work in bad roads, up to their knees in water, in a posture nearly double; they are below till the last hour of pregnancy; they have swelled haunches and ankles, and are prematurely brought to the grave, or, what is worse, lingering existence. many of the daughters of the miners are now at respectable service. i have two who are in families at leith, and who are much delighted with the change.'

"robert bald, esq., the eminent coal-viewer, states that, 'in surveying the workings of an extensive colliery under ground, a married woman came forward, groaning under an excessive weight of coals, trembling in every nerve, and almost unable to keep her knees from sinking under her. on coming up, she said, in a plaintive and melancholy voice, "oh, sir, this is sore, sore, sore work. i wish to god that the first woman who tried to bear coals had broke her back, and none would have tried it again."

[pg 49]

the boxes or carriages employed in putting are of two kinds—the hutchie and the slype; the hutchie being an oblong, square-sided box with four wheels, which usually runs on a rail; and the slype a wood-framed box, curved and shod with iron at the bottom, holding from two and a quarter to five hundred-weight of coal, adapted to the seams through which it is dragged. the lad or lass is harnessed over the shoulders and back with a strong leathern girth, which, behind, is furnished with an iron-hook, which is attached to a chain fastened to the coal-cart or slype. the dresses of these girls are made of coarse hempen stuff, fitting close to the figures; the coverings to their heads are made of the same material. little or no flannel is used, and their clothing, being of an absorbent nature, frequently gets completely saturated shortly after descending the pit. we quote more of the evidence obtained by the commissioners. it scarcely needs any comment:—

"margaret hipps, seventeen years old, putter, stoney rigg colliery, stirlingshire: 'my employment, after reaching the wall-face, is to fill my bagie, or slype, with two and a half to three hundred-weight of coal. i then hook it on to my chain and drag it through the seam, which is twenty-six to twenty-eight inches high, till i get to the main road—a good distance, probably two hundred to four hundred yards. the pavement i drag over is wet, and i am obliged at all times to crawl on hands and feet with my bagie hung to the chain and ropes. it is sad sweating and sore fatiguing work, and frequently maims the women.'

"sub-commissioner: 'it is almost incredible that human beings can submit to such employment, crawling on hands and knees, harnessed like horses, over soft, slushy floors, more difficult than [pg 50] dragging the same weights through our lowest common sewers, and more difficult in consequence of the inclination, which is frequently one in three to one in six.'

"agnes moffatt, seventeen years old, coal-bearer: 'began working at ten years of age; father took sister and i down; he gets our wages. i fill five baskets; the weight is more than twenty-two hundred-weight; it takes me twenty journeys. the work is o'er sair for females. it is no uncommon for women to lose their burden, and drop off the ladder down the dyke below; margaret mcneil did a few weeks since, and injured both legs. when the tugs which pass over the forehead break, which they frequently do, it is very dangerous to be under with a load.'

"margaret jacques, seventeen years of age, coal-bearer: 'i have been seven years at coal-bearing; it is horrible sore work; it was not my choice, but we do our parents' will. i make thirty rakes a day, with two hundred-weight of coal on my creel. it is a guid distance i journey, and very dangerous on parts of the road. the distance fast increases as the coals are cut down.'

"helen reid, sixteen years old, coal-bearer: 'i have wrought five years in the mines in this part; my employment is carrying coal. am frequently worked from four in the morning until six at night. i work night-work week about, (alternate weeks.) i then go down at two in the day, and come up at four and six in the morning. i can carry near two hundred-weight on my back. i do not like the work. two years since the pit closed upon thirteen of us, and we were two days without food or light; nearly one day we were up to our chins in water. at last we got to an old shaft, to which we picked our way, and were heard by people watching above. two months ago, i was filling the tubs at the pit bottom, when the gig clicked too early, and the hook caught me by my pit-clothes—the people did not hear my shrieks—my hand had fast grappled the chain, and the great height of the shaft caused me to lose my courage, and i swooned. the banksman could scarcely remove my hand—the deadly grasp saved my life.'

"margaret drysdale, fifteen years old, coal-putter: 'i don't like the work, but mother is dead, and father brought me down; [pg 51] i had no choice. the lasses will tell you that they all like the work fine, as they think you are going to take them out of the pits. my employment is to draw the carts. i have harness, or draw-ropes on, like the horses, and pull the carts. large carts hold seven hundred-weight and a half, the smaller five hundred-weight and a half. the roads are wet, and i have to draw the work about one hundred fathoms.'

"katherine logan, sixteen years old, coal-putter: 'began to work at coal-carrying more than five years since; works in harness now; draw backward with face to tubs; the ropes and chains go under my pit-clothes; it is o'er sair work, especially where we crawl.'

"janet duncan, seventeen years old, coal-putter: 'works at putting, and was a coal-bearer at hen-muir pit and new pencaitland. the carts i push contain three hundred-weight of coal, being a load and a half; it is very severe work, especially when we have to stay before the tubs, on the braes, to prevent them coming down too fast; they frequently run too quick, and knock us down; when they run over fast, we fly off the roads and let them go, or we should be crushed. mary peacock was severely crushed a fortnight since; is gradually recovering. i have wrought above in harvest time; it is the only other work that ever i tried my hand at, and having harvested for three seasons, am able to say that the hardest daylight work is infinitely superior to the best of coal-work.'

"jane wood, wife of james wood, formerly a coal-drawer and bearer: 'worked below more than thirty years. i have two daughters below, who really hate the employment, and often prayed to leave, but we canna do well without them just now. the severe work causes women much trouble; they frequently have premature births. jenny mcdonald, a neighbour, was laid idle six months; and william king's wife lately died from miscarriage, and a vast of women suffer from similar causes.'

"margaret boxter, fifty years old, coal-hewer: 'i hew the coal; have done so since my husband failed in his breath; he has been off work twelve years. i have a son, daughter, and niece working with me below, and we have sore work to get maintenance. [pg 52] i go down early to hew the coal for my girls to draw; my son hews also. the work is not fit for women, and men could prevent it were they to labour more regular; indeed, men about this place don't wish wives to work in mines, but the masters seem to encourage it—at any rate, the masters never interfere to prevent it.'"

"the different kinds of work to which females are put in south wales, are described in the following evidence:—

"henrietta frankland, eleven years old, drammer: 'when well, i draw the drams, (carts,) which contain four to five hundred-weight of coal, from the heads to the main road; i make forty-eight to fifty journeys; sister, who is two years older, works also at dramming; the work is very hard, and the long hours before the pay-day fatigue us much. the mine is wet where we work, as the water passes through the roof, and the workings are only thirty to thirty-three inches high.'

"mary reed, twelve years old, air-door keeper: 'been five years in the plymouth mine. never leaves till the last dram (cart) is drawn past by the horse. works from six till four or five at night. has run home very hungry; runs along the level or hangs on a cart as it passes. does not like the work in the dark; would not mind the daylight work.'

"hannah bowen, sixteen years old, windlass-woman: 'been down two years; it is good hard work; work from seven in the morning till three or four in the afternoon at hauling the windlass. can draw up four hundred loads of one hundred-weight and a half to four hundred-weight each.'

"ann thomas, sixteen years old, windlass-woman: 'finds the work very hard; two women always work the windlass below ground. we wind up eight hundred loads. men do not like the winding, it is too hard work for them.'"

the commissioners ascertained that when the work-people were in full employment, the regular hours for children and young persons were rarely less than eleven; more often they were twelve; in some districts, [pg 53] they are thirteen; and, in one district, they are generally fourteen and upward. in derbyshire, south of chesterfield, from thirteen to sixteen hours are considered a day's work. of the exhausting effects of such labour for so long a time, we shall scarcely need any particular evidence. but one boy, named john bostock, told the commissioners that he had often been made to work until he was so tired as to lie down on his road home until twelve o'clock, when his mother had come and led him home; and that he had sometimes been so tired that he could not eat his dinner, but had been beaten and made to work until night. many other cases are recorded:—

"john rawson, collier, aged forty: 'i work at mr. sorby's pit, handsworth. i think the children are worked overmuch sometimes.'—report, no. 81, p. 243, 1. 25.

"peter waring, collier, billingby: 'i never should like my children to go in. they are not beaten; it is the work that hurts them; it is mere slavery, and nothing but it.'—ibid. no. 125, p. 256, 1. 6.

"john hargreave, collier, thorpe's colliery: 'hurrying is heavy work for children. they ought not to work till they are twelve years old, and then put two together for heavy corves.'—ibid. no. 130, p. 256, 1. 44.

"mr. timothy marshall, collier, aged thirty-five, darton: 'i think the hurrying is what hurts girls, and it is too hard work for their strength; i think that children cannot be educated after they once get to work in pits; they are both tired and even disinclined to learn when they have done work.'—ibid. no. 141, p. 262, 1. 39.

"a collier at mr. travis's pit: 'the children get but little schooling; six or seven out of nine or ten know nothing. they [pg 54] never go to night-schools, except some odd ones. when the children get home, they cannot go to school, for they have to be up so early in the morning—soon after four—and they cannot do without rest.'—ibid. no. 94, p. 246, 1. 33.

"mr. george armitage, aged thirty-six, formerly collier at silkstone, now teacher at hayland school: 'little can be learnt merely on sundays, and they are too tired as well as indisposed to go to night-schools. i am decidedly of opinion that when trade is good, the work of hurriers is generally continuous; but when there are two together, perhaps the little one will have a rest while the big one is filling or riddling.'—ibid., no. 138, p. 261, 1. 24.

"william firth, between six and seven years old, deal wood pit, flockton: 'i hurry with my sister. i don't like to be in pit. i was crying to go out this morning. it tires me a good deal.'—ibid. no. 218, p. 282, 1. 11.

"john wright, hurrier in thorpe's colliery: 'i shall be nine years old next whitsuntide. it tires me much. it tires my arms. i have been two years in the pit, and have been hurrying all the time. it tries the small of my arms.'—ibid. no. 129, p. 256, 1. 31.

"daniel dunchfield: 'i am going in ten; i am more tired in the forenoon than at night; it makes my back ache; i work all day the same as the other boys; i rest me when i go home at night; i never go to play at night; i get my supper and go to bed.'—ibid. no. 63, p. 238, 1. 32.

"george glossop, aged twelve: 'i help to fill and hurry, and am always tired at night when i've done.'—ibid. no. 50, p. 236, 1. 21.

"martin stanley: 'i tram by myself, and find it very hard work. it tires me in my legs and shoulders every day.'—ibid. no. 69, p. 240, 1. 27.

"charles hoyle: 'i was thirteen last january. i work in the thin coal-pit. i find it very hard work. we work at night one week, and in the day the other. it tires me very much sometimes. it tires us most in the legs, especially when we have to go on our hands and feet. i fill as well as hurry.'—ibid. no. 78, p. 242, 1. 41.

[pg 55]

"jonathan clayton, thirteen and a half years old, soap work colliery, sheffield: 'hurrying is very hard work; when i got home at night, i was knocked up.'—ibid. no. 6, p. 227, 1. 48.

"andrew roger, aged seventeen years: 'i work for my father, who is an undertaker. i get, and have been getting two years. i find it very hard work indeed; it tires me very much; i can hardly get washed of a night till nine o'clock, i am so tired.'—ibid. no. 60, p. 237, 1. 49.

["'this witness,' says the sub-commissioner, 'when examined in the evening after his work was over, ached so much that he could not stand upright.']—ibid. s. 109; app. pt. i. p. 181.

"joseph reynard, aged nineteen, mr. stancliffe's pit, mirfield: 'i began hurrying when i was nine; i get now; i cannot hurry, because one leg is shorter than the other. i have had my hip bad since i was fifteen. i am very tired at nights. i worked in a wet place to-day. i have worked in places as wet as i have been in to-day.'

["'i examined joseph reynard; he has several large abscesses in his thigh, from hip-joint disease. the thigh-bone is dislocated from the same cause; the leg is about three inches shorter; two or three of the abscesses are now discharging. no appearance of puberty from all the examinations i made. i should not think him more than eleven or twelve years of age, except from his teeth. i think him quite unfit to follow any occupation, much less the one he now occupies.

signed, "'u. bradbury, surgeon.']

"'this case,' says the sub-commissioner, 'is one reflecting the deepest discredit on his employers.'—symons, evidence, no. 272; app. pt. i. p. 298, 1. 29.

"elizabeth eggley, sixteen years old: 'i find my work very much too hard for me. i hurry alone. it tires me in my arms and back most. i am sure it is very hard work, and tires us very much; it is too hard work for girls to do. we sometimes go to sleep before we get to bed.'—ibid. no. 114, p. 252, 1. 44.

"ann wilson, aged ten and a half years, messrs. smith's colliery: 'sometimes the work tires us when we have a good bit [pg 56] to do; it tires we in my back. i hurry by myself. i push with my head.'—ibid. no. 229, p. 224, 1. 12.

"elizabeth day, hurrier, messrs. hopwood's pit, barnsley: 'it is very hard work for us all. it is harder work than we ought to do, a deal. i have been lamed in my back, and strained in my back.'—ibid. no. 80, p. 244, 1. 33.

"mary shaw: 'i am nineteen years old. i hurry in the pit you were in to-day. i have ever been much tired with my work.'—ibid. no. 123, p. 249, 1. 38.

"ann eggley, hurrier in messrs. thorpe's colliery: 'the work is far too hard for me; the sweat runs off me all over sometimes. i am very tired at night. sometimes when we get home at night, we have not power to wash us, and then we go to bed. sometimes we fall asleep in the chair. father said last night it was both a shame and a disgrace for girls to work as we do, but there was nought else for us to do. the girls are always tired.'—ibid. no. 113, p. 252, 1. 17.

"elizabeth coats: 'i hurry with my brother. it tires me a great deal, and tires my back and arms.'—ibid. no. 115, p. 252, 1. 59.

"elizabeth ibbitson, at mr. harrison's pit, gomersel: 'i don't like being at pit; i push the corf with my head, and it hurts me, and is sore.'—ibid. no. 266, p. 292, 1. 17.

"margaret gomley, lindley moor, aged nine: 'am very tired.'—scriven, evidence, no. 9; app. pt. ii. p. 103, 1. 34.

"james mitchell, aged twelve, messrs. holt and hebblewaite's: 'i am very tired when i get home; it is enough to tire a horse; and stooping so much makes it bad.'—ibid. no. 2, p. 101, 1. 32.

"william whittaker, aged sixteen, mr. rawson's colliery: 'i am always very tired when i go home.'—ibid. no. 13, p. 104, 1. 55.

"george wilkinson, aged thirteen, low moor: 'are you tired now? nay. were you tired then? yea. what makes the difference? i can hurry a deal better now.'—w. r. wood, esq., evidence, no. 18, app. pt. ii. p. h 11, 1. 30.

"john stevenson, aged fourteen, low moor: 'has worked in a coal-pit eight years; went in at six years old; used to rue to go in; does not rue now; it was very hard when he went in, and [pg 57] "i were nobbud a right little one." was not strong enough when he first went; had better have been a little bigger; used to be very tired; did not when he first went. i waur ill tired.'—ibid. no. 15, p. h 10, 1. 39.

"jabez scott, aged fifteen, bowling iron works: 'work is very hard; sleeps well sometimes; sometimes is very ill tired and cannot sleep so well.'—ibid. no. 38, p. h 10, 1. 29.

"william sharpe, esq., f. r. s., surgeon, bradford, states: 'that he has for twenty years professionally attended at the low moor iron works; that there are occasionally cases of deformity, and also bad cases of scrofula, apparently induced by the boys being too early sent into the pits, by their working beyond their strength, by their constant stooping, and by occasionally working in water.'"—ibid. no. 60, p. h 27, 1. 45.

the statements of the children, as will be seen, are confirmed by the evidence of the adult work-people, in which we also find some further developments:—

"william fletcher, aged thirty-three, collier, west hallam: 'considers the collier's life a very hard one both for man and boy, the latter full as hard as the former.'—report, no. 37, p. 279, 1. 17.

"john beasley, collier, aged forty-nine, shipley: 'he has known instances where the children have been so overcome with the work, as to cause them to go off in a decline; he has seen those who could not get home without their father's assistance, and have fallen asleep before they could be got to bed; has known children of six years old sent to the pit, but thinks there are none at shipley under seven or eight; it is his opinion a boy is too weak to stand the hours, even to drive between, until he is eight or nine years old; the boys go down at six in the morning, and has known them kept down until nine or ten, until they are almost ready to exhaust; the children and young persons work the same hours as the men; the children are obliged to work in the night if the wagon-road is out of repair, or the water coming on them; it happens sometimes two or three times in the week; [pg 58] they then go down at six p.m. to six a.m., and have from ten minutes to half an hour allowed for supper, according to the work they have to do; they mostly ask the children who have been at work the previous day to go down with them, but seldom have to oblige them; when he was a boy, he has worked for thirty-six hours running many a time, and many more besides himself have done so.'—ibid. no. 40, p. 274, 1. 23.

"william wardle, aged forty, eastwood: 'there is no doubt colliers are much harder worked than labourers; indeed, it is the hardest work under heaven.'—ibid. no. 84, p. 287, 1. 51.

"samuel richards, aged forty, awsworth: 'there are sunday-schools when they will go; but when boys have been beaten, knocked about, and covered with sludge all the week, they want to be in bed to rest all day on sunday.'—ibid. no. 166, p. 307, 1. 58.

"william sellers, operative, aged twenty-two, butterley company: 'when he first worked in the pit, he has been so tired that he slept as he walked.'—ibid. no. 222, p. 319, 1. 35.

"william knighton, aged twenty-four, denby: 'he remembers "mony" a time he has dropped asleep with the meat in his mouth through fatigue; it is those butties—they are the very devil; they impose upon them in one way, then in another.'—ibid. no. 314, p. 334, 1. 42.

"—— ——, engine-man, babbington: 'has, when working whole days, often seen the children lie down on the pit-bank and go to sleep, they were so tired.'—ibid. no. 137, p. 300, 1. 10.

"john attenborough, schoolmaster, greasley: 'has observed that the collier children are more tired and dull than the others, but equally anxious to learn.'—ibid. no. 153, p. 304, 1. 122.

"ann birkin: 'is mother to thomas and jacob, who work in messrs. fenton's pits; they have been so tired after a whole day's work, that she has at times had to wash them and lift them into bed.'—ibid. no. 81, p. 285, 1. 59.

"hannah neale, butterley park: 'they come home so tired that they become stiff, and can hardly get to bed; constantine, the one ten years old, formerly worked in the same pit as his brothers, but about a half a year since his toe was cut off by the [pg 59] bind falling; notwithstanding this, the loader made him work until the end of the day, although in the greatest pain. he was out of work more than four months owing to this accident.'—ibid. no. 237, p. 320, 1. 51.

"ellen wagstaff, watnall: 'has five children, three at trough lane and two at willow lane, greasley; one at trough lane is eighteen, one fourteen, one thirteen years of age; and those at willow lane are sixteen and nineteen; they are variously employed; the youngest was not seven years old when he first went to the pits. the whole have worked since they were seven or seven and a half; they have worked from six to eight; from six to two for half days, no meal-time in half days; she has known them when at full work so tired when they first worked, that you could not hear them speak, and they fell asleep before they could eat their suppers; it has grieved her to the heart to see them.'—ibid. no. 104, p. 292, 1. 18.

"ann wilson, underwood: 'is stepmother to matthew wilson and mother to richard clarke. has heard what they have said, and believes it to be true; has known them when they work whole days they have come home so tired and dirty, that they could scarcely be prevented lying down on the ashes by the fireside, and could not take their clothes off; has had to do it for them, and take them to the brook and wash them, and has sat up most of the night to get their clothes dry. the next morning they have gone to work like bears to the stake.'—ibid. no. 112, p. 294, 1. 5.

"hannah brixton, babbington: 'the butties slave them past any thing. has frequently had them drop asleep as soon as they have got in the house, and complain of their legs and arms aching very bad.'—ibid. no. 149, p. 302, 1. 44.

"michael wilkins: 'never has a mind for his victuals; never feels himself hungry.'

"john charlton: 'thinks the stythe makes him bad so that he cannot eat his bait, and often brings it all home with him again, or eats very little of it.'

"michael richardson: 'he never has much appetite; and the dust often blacks his victuals. is always dry and thirsty.'

[pg 60]

"william beaney: 'has thrown up his victuals often when he came home; thinks the bad air made him do this.'

"john thompson: 'often throws up his food.'

"thomas newton: 'threw up his victuals last night when he came home. never does so down in the pit, but often does when he comes home.'

"moses clerk: 'throws up his victuals nearly every day at home and down in the pit.'

"thomas martin: 'many times feels sick, and feels headache, and throws up his food. was well before he went down in the pit.'

"thomas fawcett: 'many a night falls sick; and he many times throws up his meat when he is in bed. sometimes feels bad and sick in the morning.'

"george alder: 'has been unwell of late with the hard work. has felt very sick and weak all this last week.' (looks very pale and unwell.)

"john charlton: 'often obliged to give over. has been off five days in the last month. each of these days was down in the pit and obliged to come up again.'

"john laverick and others: 'many times they fell sick down in the pit. sometimes they have the heart-burn; sometimes they force up their meat again. some boys are off a week from being sick; occasionally they feel pains.'

"six trappers: 'sometimes they feel sick upon going to work in the morning. sometimes bring up their breakfasts from their stomachs again. different boys at different times do this.'

"george short: 'it is bad air where he is, and makes him bad; makes small spots come out upon him, (small pimples,) which he thinks is from the air, and he takes physic to stop them. his head works very often, and he feels sickish sometimes.'

"nichol hudderson: 'the pit makes him sick. has been very bad in his health ever since he went down in the pit. was very healthy before. the heat makes him sick. the sulphur rising up the shaft as he goes down makes his head work. often so sick that he cannot eat when he gets up, at least he [pg 61] cannot eat very much. about a half a year since, a boy named john huggins was very sick down in the pit, and wanted to come up, but the keeper would not let him ride, (come up,) and he died of fever one week afterward.'

["the father of this lad and his brother fully corroborate this statement, and the father says the doctor told him that if he (the boy) had not been kept in the pit, he might have been, perhaps, saved. this boy never had any thing the matter with him before he went down into the pit."—leifchild, evidences, nos. 156, 169, 270, 83, 110, 142, 143, 374, 194, 364, 135, 100, 101; app. pt. i. p. 582 et seq. see also the statement of witnesses, nos. 315, 327, 351, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 365, 377, 381, 382, 384, 403, 434, 454, 455, 457, 464, 465, 466.]

similar statements are made by all classes of witnesses in some other districts. thus, in shropshire:—

"a surgeon who did not wish his name to be published: 'they are subject to hypertrophy of the heart, no doubt laying the foundation of such disease at the early age of from eight to thirteen years.'—mitchell, evidence, no. 45; app. pt. i. p. 81, 1. 16.

"mr. michael thomas sadler, surgeon, barnsley: 'i have found diseases of the heart in adult colliers, which it struck me arose from violent exertion. i know of no trade about here where the work is harder.'—symons, evidence, no. 139; app. pt. i. p. 261, 1. 36.

"mr. pearson, surgeon to the dispensary, wigan: 'they are very subject to diseases of the heart.'—kennedy, report, 1. 304; app. pt. ii. p. 189.

"dr. william thompson, edinburgh: 'workers in coal-mines are exceedingly liable to suffer from irregular action, and ultimately organic diseases of the heart.'—franks, evidence, app. pt. i. p. 409.

"scott alison, m. d., east lothian: 'i found diseases of the heart very common among colliers at all ages, from boyhood up to old age. the most common of them were inflammation of that organ, and of its covering, the pericardium, simple enlargement [pg 62] or hypertrophy, contraction of the auriculo-ventricular communications, and of the commencement of the aorta. these symptoms were well marked, attended for the most part with increase of the heart's action, the force of its contraction being sensibly augmented, and, in many cases, especially those of hypertrophy, much and preternaturally extended over the chest.'—ibid. p. 417.

"mr. thomas batten, surgeon, coleford: 'a boy about thirteen years of age, in the parkend pits, died of h?morrhagia purpurea, (a suffusion of blood under the cuticle,) brought on by too much exertion of the muscles and whole frame.'—waring, evidence, no. 36; app. pt. ii. p. 24, 1. 21.

to this list of diseases arising from great muscular exertion, must be added rupture:—

"dr. farell, sheffield: 'many of them are ruptured; nor is this by any means uncommon among lads—arising, in all probability, from over-exertion.'—symons, evidence, no. 47, app. pt. i. p. 286, 1. 2.

"mr. pearson, surgeon to the dispensary, wigan: 'colliers are often ruptured, and they often come to me for advice.'—kennedy, report, 1. 304; app. pt. ii. p. 189.

"andrew grey: 'severe ruptures occasioned by lifting coal. many are ruptured on both sides. i am, and suffer severely, and a vast number of men here are also.'—franks, evidence, no. 147; app. pt. i. p. 463, 1. 61.

but employment in the coal-mines produces another series of diseases incomparably more painful and fatal, partly referable to excessive muscular exertion, and partly to the state of the place of work—that is, to the foul air from imperfect ventilation, and the wetness from inefficient drainage. of the diseases of the lungs produced by employment in the mines, asthma is the most frequent.

[pg 63]

"mr. william hartell baylis: 'the working of the mines brings on asthma.'—mitchell, evidence, no. 7; app. pt. i. p. 65, 1. 31.

"a surgeon who does not wish his name to be published: 'most colliers, at the age of thirty, become asthmatic. there are few attain that age without having the respiratory apparatus disordered.'—ibid. no. 45, p. 81, 1. 15.

"mr. george marcy, clerk of the wellington union: 'many applications are made from miners for relief on account of sickness, and chiefly from asthmatic complaints, when arrived at an advanced age. at forty, perhaps, the generality suffer much from asthma. those who have applied have been first to the medical officer, who has confirmed what they said.'—ibid. no. 46, p. 81, 1. 44.

"'i met with very few colliers above forty years of age, who, if they had not a confirmed asthmatic disease, were not suffering from difficult breathing.'—fellows, report, s. 57; app. pt. ii. p. 256.

"ph?be gilbert, watnall, messrs. barber and walker: 'she thinks they are much subject to asthma. her first husband, who died aged 57, was unable to work for seven years on that account.'—fellows, evidence, no. 105; app. pt. ii. p. 256.

"william wardle, collier, forty years of age, eastwood: 'there are some who are asthmatical, and many go double.'—ibid. no. 84, p. 287, 1. 40.

"mr. henry hemmingway, surgeon, dewsbury: 'when children are working where carbonic acid gas prevails, they are rendered more liable to affections of the brain and lungs. this acid prevents the blood from its proper decarbonization as it passes from the heart to the lungs. it does not get properly quit of the carbon.'—symons, evidence, no. 221; app. pt. i. p. 282, 1. 38.

"mr. uriah bradbury, surgeon, mirfield: 'they suffer from asthma.'—ibid. no. 199, p. 278, 1. 58.

"mr. j. b. greenwood, surgeon, cleckheaton: 'the cases which have come before me professionally have been chiefly affections of the chest and asthma, owing to the damp underfoot, and also to the dust which arises from the working of the coal.'—ibid. no. 200, p. 279, 1. 8.

[pg 64]

"j. ibetson, collier, aged fifty-three, birkenshaw: 'i have suffered from asthma, and am regularly knocked up. a collier cannot stand the work regularly. he must stop now and then, or he will be mashed up before any time.'—ibid. no. 267, p. 292, 1. 42.

"joseph barker, collier, aged forty-three, windybank pit: 'i have a wife and two children; one of them is twenty-two years old; he is mashed up, (that is, he is asthmatical,) he has been as good a worker as ever worked in a skin.'—scriven, evidence, no. 14; app. pt. ii. p. 104, 1. 60.

"mr. george canney, surgeon, bishop aukland: 'do the children suffer from early employment in the pits?' yes, seven and eight is a very early age, and the constitution must suffer in consequence. it is injurious to be kept in one position so long, and in the dark. they go to bed when they come home, and enjoy very little air. i think there is more than the usual proportion of pulmonary complaints.'—mitchell, evidence, no. 97; app. pt. i. p. 154, 1. 2.

"mr. headlam, physician, newcastle: 'diseases of respiration are more common among pit-men than among others, distinctly referable to the air in which they work. the air contains a great proportion of carbonic gas, and carburetted hydrogen. these diseases of the respiratory organs arise from the breathing of these gases, principally of the carbonic acid gas.—leifchild, evidence, no. 499; app. pt. i. p. 67, 1. 11.

"mr. heath, of newcastle, surgeon: 'more than usually liable to asthma; mostly between thirty and forty years of age. a person always working in the broken would be more liable to asthma. asthma is of very slow growth, and it is difficult to say when it begins. custom and habit will not diminish the evil effects, but will diminish the sensibility to these evils.'—ibid. no. 497, p. 665, 1. 10-14.

"matthew blackburn, driver, fifteen years of age, heaton colliery: 'has felt shortness of breath. helps up sometimes, but is bound to drive. cannot help up sometimes for shortness of breath. his legs often work, (ache;) his shoulders work sometimes. working in a wet place.'—ibid. no. 27, p. 573, 1. 34.

[pg 65]

"dr. s. scott alison, east lothian: 'between the twentieth and thirtieth year the colliers decline in bodily vigour, and become more and more spare; the difficulty of breathing progresses, and they find themselves very desirous of some remission from their labour. this period is fruitful in acute diseases, such as fever, inflammation of the lungs, pleura, and many other ailments, the product of over-exertion, exposure to cold and wet, violence, insufficient clothing, intemperance, and foul air. for the first few years chronic bronchitis is usually found alone, and unaccompanied by disease of the body or lungs. the patient suffers more or less difficulty of breathing, which is affected by changes of the weather, and by variations in the weight of the atmosphere. he coughs frequently, and the expectoration is composed, for the most part, of white frothy and yellowish mucous fluid, occasionally containing blackish particles of carbon, the result of the combustion of the lamp, and also of minute coal-dust. at first, and indeed for several years, the patient, for the most part, does not suffer much in his general health, eating heartily, and retaining his muscular strength in consequence. the disease is rarely, if ever, entirely cured; and if the collier be not carried off by some other lesion in the mean time, this disease ultimately deprives him of life by a slow and lingering process. the difficulty of breathing becomes more or less permanent, the expectoration becomes very abundant, effusions of water take place in the chest, the feet swell, and the urine is secreted in small quantity; the general health gradually breaks up, and the patient, after reaching premature old age, slips into the grave at a comparatively early period, with perfect willingness on his part, and no surprise on that of his family and friends.'—franks, evidence, app. pt. i. p. 412, 415, appendix a.

"john duncan, aged fifty-nine, hewer, pencaitland: 'mining has caused my breath to be affected, and i am, like many other colliers, obliged to hang upon my children for existence. the want of proper ventilation in the pits is the chief cause. no part requires more looking to than east lothian; the men die off like rotten sheep.'—ibid. no. 150, p. 464, 1. 28.

"george hogg, thirty-two years of age, coal-hewer, pencaitland: [pg 66] 'unable to labour much now, as am fashed with bad breath; the air below is very bad; until lately no ventilation existed.'—ibid. no. 153, p. 406, 1. 46. see also witnesses, nos. 4, 36, 53, 131, 152, 155, 175, 275, 277, &c.: 'the confined air and dust in which they work is apt to render them asthmatic, as well as to unfit them for labour at an earlier period of life than is the case in other employments.'—tancred, report, s. 99, app. pt. i. p. 345.

"dr. adams, glasgow: 'amongst colliers, bronchitis or asthma is very prevalent among the older hands.'—tancred, evidence, no. 9; app. pt. i. p. 361, 1. 44.

"mr. peter williams, surgeon, holiwell, north wales: 'the chief diseases to which they are liable are those of the bronchi?. miners and colliers, by the age of forty, generally become affected by chronic bronchitis, and commonly before the age of sixty fall martyrs to the disease. the workmen are, for the most part, very healthy and hardy, until the symptoms of affections of the bronchial tubes show themselves.'—h. h. jones, evidence, no. 95; app. pt. ii. p. 407, 1. 8.

"jeremiah bradley, underground agent, plaskynaston: 'the men are apt to get a tightness of breath, and become unfit for the pits, even before sixty.'—ibid. no. 30, p. 383, 1. 8.

"amongst colliers in south wales the diseases most prevalent are the chronic diseases of the respiratory organs, especially asthma and bronchitis.'—franks, report, s. 64; app. pt. ii. p. 484.

"david davis, contractor, gilvachvargoed colliery, glamorganshire: 'i am of opinion that miners are sooner disabled and off work than other mechanics, for they suffer from shortness of breath long before they are off work. shortness of breath may be said to commence from forty to fifty years of age.'—franks, evidence, no. 178; app. pt. ii. p. 533, 1. 32.

"richard andrews, overseer, llancyach, glamorganshire: 'the miners about here are very subject to asthmatic complaints.'—ibid. no. 152; p. 529, 1. 7.

"mr. frederick evans, clerk and accountant for the dowlais collieries, monmouthshire: 'asthma is a prevalent disease [pg 67] among colliers.'—r. w. jones, evidence, no. 121; app. pt. ii. p. 646, 1. 48.

"mr. david mushet, forest of dean: 'the men generally become asthmatic from fifty to fifty-five years of age.'—waring, evidence, no. 37; app. pt. ii. p. 25, 1. 3.

"'asthmatic and other bronchial affections are common among the older colliers and miners.'—waring, report, s. 72; app. pt. ii. p. 6.

"mr. w. brice, clerk, coal barton and vobster collieries, north somersetshire: 'the work requires the full vigour of a man, and they are apt, at this place, to get asthmatical from the gas and foul air.'—stewart, evidence, no. 7; app. pt. ii. p. 50, 1. 49.

"james beacham, coal-breaker, writhlington, near radstock: 'many of the miners suffer from "tight breath."'—ibid. no. 32; p. 56, 1. 31."

of that disease which is peculiar to colliers, called "black spittle," much evidence is given by many medical witnesses and others:—

"mr. cooper, surgeon, of bilston, gives the following account of this malady when it appears in its mildest form: 'frequently it occurs that colliers appear at the offices of medical men, complaining of symptoms of general debility, which appear to arise from inhalation of certain gases in the mines, (probably an excess of carbonic.) these patients present a pallid appearance, are affected with headache, (without febrile symptoms,) and constriction of the chest; to which may be added dark bronchial expectoration and deficient appetite. gentle aperients, mild stomachics, and rest from labour above ground, restore them in a week or so, and they are perhaps visited at intervals with a relapse, if the state of the atmosphere or the ill ventilation of the mine favour the development of deleterious gas.'—mitchell, evidence, no. 3; app. pt. i. p. 62, 1. 48."

in other districts this disease assumes a much more formidable character:—

[pg 68]

"dr. thompson, of edinburgh, states that, 'the workmen in coal mines occasionally die of an affection of the lungs, accompanied with the expectoration of a large quantity of matter of a deep black colour, this kind of expectoration continuing long after they have, from choice or illness, abandoned their subterranean employment; and the lungs of such persons are found, on examination after death, to be most deeply impregnated with black matter. this black deposition may occur to a very considerable extent in the lungs of workers in coal-mines, without being accompanied with any black expectoration, or any other phenomena of active disease, and may come to light only after death has been occasioned by causes of a different nature, as by external injuries.'—franks, appendix a, no. 1; app. pt. i. p. 409.

"dr. s. scott alison: 'spurious melanosis, or "black spit" of colliers, is a disease of pretty frequent occurrence among the older colliers, and among those men who have been employed in cutting and blasting stone dykes in the collieries. the symptoms are emaciation of the whole body, constant shortness and quickness of breath, occasional stitches in the sides, quick pulse, usually upward of one hundred in the minute, hacking cough day and night, attended by a copious expectoration, for the most part perfectly black, and very much the same as thick blacking in colour and consistence, but occasionally yellowish and mucous, or white and frothy; respiration is cavernous in some parts, and dull in others; a wheezing noise is heard in the bronchial passages, from the presence of an inordinate quantity of fluid; the muscles of respiration become very prominent, the neck is shortened, the chest being drawn up, the nostrils are dilated, and the countenance is of an anxious aspect. the strength gradually wasting, the collier, who has hitherto continued at his employment, finds that he is unable to work six days in the week, and goes under ground perhaps only two or three days in that time; in the course of time, he finds an occasional half-day's employment as much as he can manage, and when only a few weeks' or months' journey from the grave, ultimately takes a final leave of his labour. this disease is never cured, and if the unhappy [pg 69] victim of an unwholesome occupation is not hurried off by some more acute disease, or by violence, it invariably ends in the death of the sufferer. several colliers have died of this disease under my care.'—ibid. appendix a, no. 2; app. pt. i. p. 415, 416.

"dr. makellar, pencaitland, east lothian: 'the most serious and fatal disease which i have been called to treat, connected with colliers, is a carbonaceous infiltration into the substance of the lungs. it is a disease which has long been overlooked, on account of the unwillingness which formerly existed among that class of people to allow examination of the body after death; but of late such a prejudice has in a great measure been removed. from the nature of pencaitland coal-works, the seams of coal being thin when compared with other coal-pits, mining operations are carried on with difficulty, and, in such a situation, there is a deficiency in the supply of atmospheric gas, thereby causing difficulty in breathing, and, consequently, the inhalation of the carbon which the lungs in exhalation throw off, and also any carbonaceous substance floating in this impure atmosphere. i consider the pulmonary diseases of coal-miners to be excited chiefly by two causes, viz. first, by running stone-mines with the use of gunpowder; and, secondly, coal-mining in an atmosphere charged with lamp-smoke and the carbon exhaled from the lungs. all who are engaged at coal-pits here, are either employed as coal or stone miners; and the peculiar disease to which both parties are liable varies considerably according to the employment.'—ibid. appendix a, no. 3, p. 422. see also witnesses nos. 7, 44, 112, 144, 146. for a full account of this disease, see reports of drs. alison, makellar, and reid, in the appendix to the sub-commissioner's report for the east of scotland."

dr. makellar gives the following remarkable evidence as to the efficacy of ventilation in obviating the production of this disease:—

"the only effectual remedy for this disease is a free admission of pure air, and to be so applied as to remove the confined smoke, [pg 70] both as to stone-mining and coal-mining, and also the introduction of some other mode of lighting such pits than by oil. i know many coal-pits where there is no black-spit, nor was it ever known, and, on examination, i find that there is and ever has been in them a free circulation of air. for example, the penstone coal-works, which join pencaitland, has ever been free of this disease; but many of the penstone colliers, on coming to work at pencaitland pit, have been seized with, and died of, this disease. penstone has always good air, while it is quite the contrary at pencaitland.'—ibid. appendix a, no. 3; app. pt. i. p. 422."

other diseases, produced by employment in coal-mines, less fatal, but scarcely less painful, are rheumatism and inflammation of the joints.

mr. william hartell baylis states that working in the cold and wet often brings on rheumatism. "more suffer from this than from any other complaint." [3] asthma and rheumatism, which are so prevalent in other districts, are very rare in warwickshire and leicestershire. [4] but, in derbyshire, "rheumatism is very general. i believe you will scarcely meet a collier, and ask him what he thinks of the weather, but he will in reply say, 'why, his back or shoulders have or have not pained him as much as usual.'" [5]

george tweddell, surgeon, houghton-le-spring, south durham, says, in answer to the question—are miners much subject to rheumatism?—"not particularly so. our mines are dry; but there is one mine which is wet, where the men often complain of rheumatism." [6]

[pg 71]

similar evidence is given by the medical and other witnesses in all other districts. wherever the mines are not properly drained, and are, therefore, wet and cold, the work-people are invariably afflicted with rheumatism, and with painful diseases of the glands.

the sub-commissioner for the forest of dean gives the following account of a painful disease of the joints common in that district:—

"'the men employed in cutting down the coal are subject to inflammation of the burs?, both in the knees and elbows, from the constant pressure and friction on these joints in their working postures. when the seams are several feet thick, they begin by kneeling and cutting away the exterior portion of the base. they proceed undermining till they are obliged to lie down on their sides, in order to work beneath the mass as far as the arm can urge the pick, for the purpose of bringing down a good head of coal. in this last posture the elbow forms a pivot, resting on the ground, on which the arm of the workman oscillates as he plies his sharp pick. it is easy to comprehend how this action, combined with the pressure, should affect the delicate cellular membrane of this joint, and bring on the disease indicated. the thin seams of coal are necessarily altogether worked in a horizontal posture.'—waring, report, s. 63-66; app. pt. ii. p. 5, 6.

"twenty boys at the walker colliery: 'the twenty witnesses, when examined collectively, say, that the way is so very dirty, and the pit so warm, that the lads often get tired very soon.'—leifchild, evidence, no. 291; app. pt. i. p. 627, 1. 661.

"nineteen boys examined together, of various ages, of whom the spokesman was william holt, seventeen years old, putter: 'the bad air when they were whiles working in the broken, makes them sick. has felt weak like in his legs at those times. was weary like. has gone on working, but very slowly. many a one has had to come home before having a fair start, from bad air and hard work. hours are too long. would sooner work less hours and get less money.'—ibid. no. 300; p. 629, 1. 1.

[pg 72]

"twenty-three witnesses assembled state: 'that their work is too hard for them, and they feel sore tired; that some of them constantly throw up their meat from their stomachs; that their heads often work, (ache;) the back sometimes; and the legs feel weak.'—ibid. no. 354; p. 639, 1. 18.

"john wilkinson, aged thirteen, piercy main colliery: 'was in for a double shift about five weeks ago, and fell asleep about one o'clock p.m., as he was going to lift the limmers off to join the rolleys together, and got himself lamed by the horse turning about and jamming one of his fingers. split his finger. was off a week from this accident. sometimes feels sick down in the pit; felt so once or twice last fortnight. whiles his head works, (aches,) and he has pains in his legs, as if they were weak. feels pains in his knees. thinks the work is hard for foals, more so than for others.'—ibid. no. 60; p. 579, 1. 22.

"john middlemas: 'sometimes, but very rarely, they work double shift; that is, they go down at four o'clock a.m. and do not come up until four o'clock p.m. in the day after that, thus stopping down thirty-six hours, without coming up, sometimes; and sometimes they come up for half an hour, and then go down again. another worked for twenty-four hours last week, and never came up at all. another has stopped down thirty-six hours, without coming up at all, twice during the last year. when working this double shift they go to bed directly they come home.'—ibid. no. 98; p. 588, 1. 42.

"michael turner, helper-up, aged fourteen and a half, gosforth colliery: 'mostly he puts up hill the full corves. many times the skin is rubbed off his back and off his feet. his head works (aches) very often, almost every week. his legs work so sometimes that he can hardly trail them. is at hard work now, shoving rolleys and hoisting the crane; the former is the hardest work. his back works very often, so that he has sometimes to sit down for half a minute or so.'—ibid. no. 145; p. 598, 1. 58.

"george short, aged nearly sixteen: 'hoists a crane. his head works very often, and he feels sickish sometimes, and drowsy sometimes, especially if he sits down. has always been [pg 73] drowsy since he went there. twice he has worked three shifts following, of twelve hours each shift; never came up at all during the thirty-six hours; was sleepy, but had no time to sleep. has many times worked double shift of nineteen hours, and he does this now nearly every pay friday night. a vast of boys work in this shift, ten or eleven, or sometimes more. the boys are very tired and sleepy.'—ibid. no. 191; p. 606, 1. 41.

"john maffin, sixteen years old, putter, gosforth colliery: 'was strong before he went down pits, but is not so now, from being overhard wrought, and among bad air.'—ibid. no. 141; p. 598, 1. 2.

"robert hall, seventeen years old, half marrow, felling colliery: 'the work of putting makes his arms weak, and his legs work all the day; makes his back work. is putting to the dip now in a heavy place. each one takes his turn to use the "soams," (the drawing-straps;) one pulls with them, and the other shoves behind. both are equally hard. if it is a very heavy place there are helpers-up, but not so many as they want. has known one sore strained by putting.'

"john peel, aged thirteen: 'is now off from this. is healthy in general, but is now and then off from this work.'—ibid. no. 325; p. 634, 1. 11.

"michael richardson, fifteen years old, putter, st. lawrence main colliery: 'about three quarters of a year since he wrought double shift every other night; or, rather, he worked three times in eleven days for thirty-six hours at a time, without coming up the pit. about six months ago he worked three shifts following, of twelve hours each shift, and never stopped work more than a few minutes now and then, or came up the pit till he was done. there was now and then some night-work to do, and the overman asked him to stop, and he could not say no, or else he (the overman) would have frowned on him, and stopped him, perhaps, of some helpers-up. thinks the hours for lads ought to be shortened, and does not know whether it would not be better even if their wages were less.'—ibid. no. 270; p. 623, 1. 32.

"james glass, eighteen years old, putter, walbottle: 'puts a tram by himself. has no helper-up, and no assistance. mostly [pg 74] puts a full tram up. is putting from a distance now. mostly the trams are put up by one person. was off work the week before last three days, by being sick. was then putting in the night shift, and had to go home and give over. could not work. his head works nearly every day. he is always hitting his head against stone roofs. his arms work very often. has to stoop a good deal. the weight of his body lies upon his arms when he is putting. the skin is rubbed off his back very often.'—ibid. no. 244; p. 619, 1. 27.

"mr. james anderson, a home missionary, residing in easington lane, hetton-le-hole, in reply to queries proposed, handed in the following written evidence: 'the boys go too soon to work: i have seen boys at work not six years of age, and though their work is not hard, still they have long hours, so that when they come home they are quite spent. i have often seen them lying on the floor, fast asleep. then they often fall asleep in the pit, and have been killed. not long ago a boy fell asleep, lay down on the way, and the wagons killed him. another boy was killed; it was supposed he had fallen asleep when driving his wagon, and fallen off, and was killed.'—ibid. no. 446; p. 655, 1. 62."

the children employed in the mines and collieries are distinguished by a remarkable muscular development, which, however, is unhealthy, as it is premature, obtained at the expense of other parts of the body, and of but short duration. the muscles of the arms and the back become very large and full.

with the great muscular development, there is commonly a proportionate diminution of stature. all classes of witnesses state that colliers, as a body—children, young persons, and adults—are stunted in growth. there are only two exceptions to this in great britain, namely, warwickshire and leicestershire. it is to be inferred from the statements of the sub-commissioner [pg 75] for ireland, that that country forms a third exception for the united kingdom. of the uniformity of the statements as to the small stature and the stunted growth of the colliers in all other districts, the following may be regarded as examples:—

in shropshire, the miners, as a body, are of small stature; this is abundantly obvious even to a casual observer, and there are many instances of men never exceeding the size of boys. [7] andrew blake, m. d., states of the colliers in derbyshire, that he has observed that many of them are not so tall as their neighbours in other employments; this, in a degree, he considers is owing to their being worked so young. [8] in the west riding of yorkshire, also, there is in stature an "appreciable difference in colliers' children, manifest at all ages after they have been three years constantly in the pits; there is little malformation, but, as mr. eliss, a surgeon constantly attending them, admits, they are somewhat stunted in growth and expanded in width." [9]

"mr. henry hemmingway, surgeon, dewsbury: 'i am quite sure that the rule is that the children in coal-pits are of a lower stature than others.'—symons, evidence, no. 221; app. pt. i. p. 282, 1. 47.

"mr. thomas rayner, surgeon, bristall: 'i account for the stunted growth from the stooping position, which makes them grow laterally, and prevents the cartilaginous substances from expanding.'—ibid. no. 268, p. 292, 1. 52.

[pg 76]

"henry moorhouse, surgeon, huddersfield: 'i may state, from my own personal examination of many of them, that they are much less in stature, in proportion to their ages, than those working in mills.'—ibid. no. 273, p. 293, 1. 49.

"mr. jos. ellison, bristall: 'the employment of children decidedly stunts their growth.'—ibid. no. 249, p. 288, 1. 8."

mr. symons, in appendix to p. 212 of his report, has given in detail the names, ages, and measurement, both in stature and in girth of breast, of a great number of farm and of colliery children of both ages respectively. by taking the first ten collier boys, and the first ten farm boys, of ages between twelve and fourteen, we find that the former measured in the aggregate forty-four feet six inches in height, and two hundred and seventy-four and a half inches around the breast; while the farm boys measured forty-seven feet in height, and two hundred and seventy-two inches round the breast. by taking the ten first collier girls and farm girls, respectively between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, we find that the ten collier girls measured forty-six feet four inches in height, and two hundred and ninety-three and a half inches round the breast; while the ten farm girls measured fifty feet five inches in height, and two hundred and ninety-seven inches round the breast; so that in the girls there is a difference in the height of those employed on farms, compared with those employed in collieries, of eight and a half per cent. in favour of the former; while between the colliery and farm boys of a somewhat [pg 77] younger age, and before any long period had been spent in the collieries, the difference appears to be five and a half per cent. in favour of the farm children.

in like manner, of sixty children employed as hurriers in the neighbourhood of halifax, at the average ages of ten years and nine months, mr. scriven states that the average measurement in height was three feet eleven inches and three-tenths, and, in circumference, three feet two inches; while of fifty-one children of the same age employed on farms, the measurement in height was four feet three inches, the circumference being the same in both, namely, two feet three inches. in like manner, of fifty young persons of the average of fourteen years and eleven months, the measurement in height was four feet five inches, and in circumference two feet three inches; while of forty-nine young persons employed on farms, of the average of fifteen years and six months, the measurement in height was four feet ten inches and eight-elevenths, and, in circumference, two feet three inches, being a difference of nearly six inches in height in favour of the agricultural labourers.

in the district of bradford and leeds, there is "in stature an appreciable difference, from about the age at which children begin to work, between children employed in mines and children of the same age and station in the neighbourhood not so employed; and this [pg 78] shortness of stature is generally, though to a less degree, visible in the adult." [10]

in lancashire, the sub-commissioner reports that—"it appeared to him that the average of the colliers are considerably shorter in stature than the agricultural labourers." [11] the evidence collected by the other gentlemen in this district is to the same effect. mr. pearson, surgeon to the dispensary, wigan, states, with regard to the physical condition of the children and young persons employed in coal-mining, as compared with that of children in other employments, that they are smaller and have a stunted appearance, which he attributes to their being employed too early in life. [12] and mr. richard ashton, relieving-officer of the blackburn district, describes the colliers as "a low race, and their appearance is rather decrepit." [13] though some remarkable exceptions have been seen in the counties of warwick and leicester, the colliers, as a race of men, in some districts, and in durham among the rest, are not of large stature. [14] george canney, medical [pg 79] practitioner, bishop aukland, states, "that they are less in weight and bulk than the generality of men." [15]

of the collier boys of durham and northumberland, the sub-commissioner reports that an inspection of more than a thousand of these boys convinced him that "as a class, (with many individual exceptions,) their stature must be considered as diminutive." [16] mr. nicholas wood, viewer of killingworth, &c., states "that there is a very general diminution of stature among pit-men." [17] mr. heath, of newcastle, surgeon to killingworth, gosforth, and coxlodge collieries, "thinks the confinement of children for twelve hours in a pit is not consistent with ordinary health; the stature is rather diminished, and there is an absence of colour; they are shortened in stature." [18] and j. brown, m. d., sunderland, states "that they are generally stunted in stature, thin and swarthy." [19]

of the collier population in cumberland, it is stated that "they are in appearance quite as stunted in growth, and present much the same physical phenomena as those of yorkshire, comparing, of course, those following similar branches of the work." [20] thomas [pg 80] mitchell, surgeon, whitehaven, says, "their stature is partly decreased." [21]

of the deteriorated physical condition of the collier population in the east of scotland, as shown, among other indications, by diminished stature, dr. s. scott alison states that "many of the infants in a collier community are thin, skinny, and wasted, and indicate, by their contracted features and sickly, dirty-white or faint-yellowish aspect, their early participation in a deteriorated physical condition. from the age of infancy up to the seventh or eighth year, much sickliness and general imperfection of physical development is observable. the physical condition of the boys and girls engaged in the collieries is much inferior to that of children of the same age engaged in farming operations, in most other trades, or who remain at home unemployed. the children are, upon the whole, prejudicially affected to a material extent in their growth and development. many of them are short for their years." [22]

in south wales, "the testimony of medical gentlemen, and of managers and overseers of various works, in which large numbers of children as well as adults are employed, proves that the physical health and strength of children and young persons is deteriorated by their employment at the early ages and in the works [pg 81] before enumerated." [23] mr. jonathan isaacs, agent of the top hill colliery:—"i have noticed that the children of miners, who are sent to work, do not grow as they ought to do; they get pale in their looks, are weak in their limbs, and any one can distinguish a collier's child from the children of other working people."[24] mr. p. kirkhouse, oversman to the cyfarthfa collieries and ironstone mines, on this point observes—"the infantine ages at which children are employed cranks (stunts) their growth, and injures their constitution."[25] john russell, surgeon to the dowlais iron works:—"in stature, i believe a difference to exist in the male youth from twelve to sixteen, employed in the mines and collieries, compared with those engaged in other works, the former being somewhat stunted; and this difference (under some form or other) seems still perceptible in the adult miners and colliers."[26]

a crippled gait, often connected with positive deformity, is one of the frequent results of slaving in the mines.

in derbyshire, the children who have worked in the collieries from a very early age are stated to be bow-legged.[27]

[pg 82]

in the west riding of yorkshire, "after they are turned forty-five or fifty, they walk home from their work almost like cripples; stiffly stalking along, often leaning on sticks, bearing the visible evidences in their frame and gait of overstrained muscles and over-taxed strength. where the lowness of the gates induces a very bent posture, i have observed an inward curvature of the spine; and chicken-breasted children are very common among those who work in low, thin coal-mines."[28] mr. uriah bradbury, surgeon, mirfield:—"their knees never stand straight, like other people's."[29] mr. henry hemmingway, surgeon, dewsbury:—"may be distinguished among crowds of people, by the bending of the spinal column."[30] mr. william sharp, surgeon, bradford:—"there are occasionally cases of deformity." [31]

in lancashire district, john bagley, about thirty-nine years of age, collier, mrs. lancaster's, patricroft, states, that "the women drawing in the pits are generally crooked. can tell any woman who has been in the pits. they are rarely, if ever, so straight as other women who stop above ground." [32] mr. william gaulter, surgeon, of over darwen, says—"has practised as a [pg 83] surgeon twenty-four years in this neighbourhood. those who work in collieries at an early age, when they arrive at maturity are not generally so robust as those who work elsewhere. they are frequently crooked, (not distorted,) bow-legged, and stooping."[33] betty duxberry, whose children work in the pits, asserts that "colliers are all crooked and short-legged, not like other men who work above ground; but they were always colliers, and always will be. this young boy turns his feet out and his knees together; drawing puts them out of shape." [34]

evidence collected in durham and northumberland, shows that the underground labour produces similar effects in that district.

mr. nicholas wood, viewer of killingworth, hetton, and other collieries:—"the children are perhaps a little ill-formed, and the majority of them pale, and not robust. men working in low seams are bent double and bow-legged very often." [35] j. brown, m. d. and j. p., sunderland:—"they labour more frequently than other classes of the community under deformity of the lower limbs, especially that variety of it described as being 'in-kneed.' this i should ascribe to yielding of the ligaments, owing to long standing in the [pg 84] mines in a constrained and awkward position."[36] mr. thomas greenshaw, surgeon, walker colliery:—"their persons are apt to be somewhat curved and cramped. as they advance in life, their knees and back frequently exhibit a curved appearance, from constant bending at their work." [37] mr. w. morrison, surgeon of pelaw house, chester le street, countess of durham's collieries:—"the 'outward man' distinguishes a pit-man from any other operative. his stature is diminished, his figure disproportionate and misshapen; his legs being much bowed; his chest protruding, (the thoracic region being unequally developed.) his countenance is not less striking than his figure—his cheeks being generally hollow, his brow over-hanging, his cheek-bones high, his forehead low and retreating. nor is his appearance healthful—his habit is tainted with scrofula. i have seen agricultural labourers, blacksmiths, carpenters, and even those among the wan and distressed-looking weavers of nottinghamshire, to whom the term 'jolly' might not be inaptly applied; but i never saw a 'jolly-looking' pit-man. as the germ of this physical degeneration may be formed in the youthful days of the pit-man, it is desirable to look for its cause." [38]

[pg 85]

ruptures, rheumatism, diseases of the heart and of other organs, the results of over-exertion in unhealthy places, are common among the persons employed in the mines, as many intelligent persons testified before the commissioners.

an employment often pursued under circumstances which bring with them so many and such formidable diseases, must prematurely exhaust the strength of ordinary constitutions; and the evidence collected in almost all the districts proves that too often the collier is a disabled man, with the marks of old age upon him, while other men have scarcely passed beyond their prime.

the evidence shows that in south staffordshire and shropshire, many colliers are incapable of following their occupation after they are forty years of age; others continue their work up to fifty, which is stated by several witnesses to be about the general average. mr. marcy, clerk to the wellington union, salop, states, that "at about forty the greater part of the colliers may be considered as disabled, and regular old men—as much as some are at eighty." [39]

even in warwickshire and leicestershire, in which their physical condition is better than in any other districts, mr. michael parker, ground bailiff of the smithson collieries, states that "some of the men are [pg 86] knocked up at forty-five and fifty, and that fifty may be the average; which early exhaustion of the physical strength he attributes to the severe labour and bad air." [40] mr. dalby, surgeon of the union of ashby-de-la-zouch, says—"the work in the pit is very laborious, and some are unable for it as early as fifty, others at forty-five, and some at sixty; i should say the greater part at forty-five." [41] and mr. davenport, clerk of the union of ashby-de-la-zouch, gives a higher average, and says that "a collier may wear from sixty-five to seventy, while an agricultural labourer may wear from seventy to seventy-five." [42]

of derbyshire the sub-commissioner reports—"i have not perceived that look of premature old age so general amongst colliers, until they are forty years of age, excepting in the loaders, who evidently appear so at twenty-eight or thirty, and this i think must arise from the hardness of their labour, in having such great weights to lift, and breathing a worse atmosphere than any other in the pit." [43] phoebe gilbert states—"the loaders are, as the saying is, 'old men before they are young ones.'" [44] dr. blake says—"he has also noticed that when a collier has worked from a child, [pg 87] and becomes forty, he looks much older than those of the same age above ground." [45]

in yorkshire "the collier of fifty is usually an aged man; he looks overstrained and stiffened by labour."[46] "but whilst both the child and the adult miner appear to enjoy excellent health, and to be remarkably free from disease, it nevertheless appears that their labour, at least that of the adult miner, is, in its general result, and in the extent to which it is pursued, of a character more severe than the constitution is properly able to bear. it is rare that a collier is able to follow his calling beyond the age of from forty to fifty, and then, unless he be fortunate enough to obtain some easier occupation, he sinks into a state of helpless dependence. better habits with regard to temperance might diminish, but would not remove, this evil; and the existence of this fact, in despite of the general healthiness of the collier population, gives rise to the question whether, apart from all considerations of mental and moral improvement, a fatal mistake is not committed in employing children of tender years to the extent that their strength will bear, instead of giving opportunity, by short hours of labour, for the fuller and more perfect physical development which would [pg 88] better fit them to go through the severe labour of their after-life." [47]

in the coal-fields of north durham and northumberland, dr. elliott states "that premature old age in appearance is common; men of thirty-five or forty years may often be taken for ten years older than they really are." [48] mr. thomas greenhow, surgeon, walker colliery, north durham, says "they have an aged aspect somewhat early in life." [49] of the effect of employment in the coal-mines of the east of scotland, in producing an early and irreparable deterioration of the physical condition, the sub-commissioner thus reports: "in a state of society such as has been described, the condition of the children may be easily imagined, and its baneful influence on the health cannot well be exaggerated; and i am informed by very competent authorities, that six months labour in the mines is sufficient to effect a very visible change in the physical condition of the children; and indeed it is scarcely possible to conceive of circumstances more calculated to sow the seeds of future disease, and, to borrow the language of the instructions, to prevent the organs from being fully developed, to enfeeble and disorder their functions, and to subject the whole system to injury which cannot be repaired at any subsequent stage of [pg 89] life." [50] in the west of scotland, dr. thompson, ayr, says—"a collier at fifty generally has the appearance of a man ten years older than he is." [51]

the sub-committee for north wales reports—"they fail in health and strength early in life. at thirty a miner begins to look wan and emaciated, and so does a collier at forty; while the farming labourer continues robust and hearty." [52] john jones, relieving officer for the holywell district, states—"though the children and young persons employed in these works are healthy, still it is observable that they soon get to look old, and they often become asthmatic before they are forty."[53]

in the forest of dean, mr. thomas marsh, surgeon, states that "colliers usually become old men at fifty to fifty-five years of age." [54] in north somersetshire, william brice, clerk and manager, says "there are very few at work who are above fifty years of age."[55]

early death is the natural consequence of the premature decrepitude thus described to those whom ever-imminent casualities have not brought to the grave during the years of their vigour. the medical evidence shows that even in south staffordshire and shropshire, [pg 90] comparatively few miners attain their fifty-first year. in warwickshire and leicestershire it is not uncommon for the men to follow their occupation ten years longer; but all classes of witnesses in the other districts uniformly state that it is rare to see an old collier.

in derbyshire, william wardle "does not think colliers live as long as those above ground; very few live to be sixty." [56]

in yorkshire, "colliers have harder work than any other class of workmen, and the length of time they work, as well as the intense exertion they undergo, added to the frequent unhealthiness of the atmosphere, decidedly tend to shorten their lives." [57] mr. henry hemmingway, surgeon, dewsbury, states—"i only knew one old collier." [58] mr. thomas rayner, surgeon, bristall, says—"i have had twenty-seven years' practice, and i know of no old colliers—their extreme term of life is from fifty-six to sixty years of age."[59] in lancashire, states mr. kennedy, "it appeared to me that the number of aged men was much smaller than in other occupations."[60]

after stating that the colliers of south durham are a strong and healthy race, dr. mitchell adds—"the [pg 91] work, however, is laborious and exhausting; and the colliers, though healthy, are not long-lived." [61] john wetherell hays, clerk of the union, durham, states, "that the colliers are not long-lived; that they live well, and live fast." [62] and george canney, medical practitioner, bishop auckland, says "they are generally short-lived." [63]

the sub-commissioner for the east of scotland reports, that after a careful consideration of all the sources of information which could assist him in the object of his inquiry, he arrives at the following conclusion:—"that the labour in the coal-mines in the lothian and river forth districts of scotland is most severe, and that its severity is in many cases increased by the want of proper attention to the economy of mining operations; whence those operations, as at present carried on, are extremely unwholesome, and productive of diseases which have a manifest tendency to shorten life."[64] mr. walter jarvie, manager to mr. cadell, of banton, states that "in the small village of banton there are nearly forty widows; and as the children work always on parents' behalf, it prevents them having recourse to the kirk-session for relief." [65] elsper thompson says, [pg 92] "most of the men begin to complain at thirty to thirty-five years of age, and drop off before they get the length of forty." [66] henry naysmith, sixty-five years of age, collier, who says he has wrought upward of fifty years, adds that "he has been off work nearly ten years, and is much afflicted with shortness of breath: it is the bane of the colliers, and few men live to my age." [67]

in north wales, it is said that "few colliers come to the age of sixty, and but still fewer miners. this i believe to be the fact, though i met with many, both miners and colliers, who had attained the age of sixty; yet they were few compared with the number employed in these branches of industry." [68] mr. john jones, relieving-officer for the holywell district, "thinks they are not as long-lived as agriculturists." [69] james jones, overman, cyfarthfa works, states "that the colliers are generally very healthy and strong up to the age of forty or fifty; they then often have a difficulty of breathing, and they die at younger ages than agricultural labourers or handicraftsmen." [70] mr. john hughes, assistant underground agent, says "they do not appear to live long after fifty or sixty years old." [71]

[pg 93]

in south wales, the sub-commissioner reports that he "has not been able to ascertain, for want of sufficient data, the average duration of a collier's life in the counties either of glamorgan or monmouth, but it is admitted that such average duration is less than that of a common labourer. in the county of pembroke, however, mr. james bowen, surgeon, narbeth, in that county, informs me—"the average life of a collier is about forty; they rarely attain forty-five years of age; and in the entire population of begelly and east williamson, being 1163, forming, strictly speaking, a mining population, there are not six colliers of sixty years of age."

the rev. richard buckby, rector of begelly, in answer to one of the queries in the educational paper of the central board, writes—"the foul air of the mines seriously affects the lungs of the children and young persons employed therein, and shortens the term of life. in a population of one thousand, there are not six colliers sixty years of age."

there are certain minor evils connected with employment in the worst class of coal-mines, which, though not perhaps very serious, are nevertheless sources of much suffering, such as irritation of the head, feet, back, and skin, together with occasional strains. "the upper parts of their head are always denuded of hair; their scalps are also thickened and inflamed, sometimes taking on the appearance tinea capitis, from the pressure [pg 94] and friction which they undergo in the act of pushing the corves forward, although they are mostly defended by a padded cap." [72] "it is no uncommon thing to see the hurriers bald, owing to pushing the corves up steep board gates, with their heads." [73]

mr. alexander muir, surgeon: "are there any peculiar diseases to which colliers are subject? no, excepting that the hurriers are occasionally affected by a formation of matter upon the forehead, in consequence of pushing the wagons with their head. to what extent is such formation of matter injurious to the general health? it produces considerable local irritation. when the matter is allowed to escape, it heals as perfectly as before. do you conceive this use of the head to be a necessary or unnecessary part of their occupation? i should think it not necessary. does it arise from any deficiency of strength, the head being used to supply the place of the arms? i should think it does." [74] david swallow, collier, east moor: "the hair is very often worn off bald, and the part is swollen so that sometimes it is like a bulb filled with spongy matter; so very bad after they have done their day's work that they cannot bear it touching." [75] william holt: "some thrutched with their heads, because [pg 95] they cannot thrutch enough with their hands alone. thrutching with their heads makes a gathering in the head, and makes them very ill." [76]

in running continually over uneven ground, without shoes or stockings, particles of dirt, coal, and stone get between the toes, and are prolific sources of irritation and lameness, of which they often complain; the skin covering the balls of the toes and heels becomes thickened and horny, occasioning a good deal of pain and pustular gathering." [77] james mitchell: "i have hurt my feet often; sometimes the coals cut them, and they run matter, and the corves run over them when i stand agate; i an't not always aware of their coming." [78] selina ambler: "i many times hurt my feet and legs with the coals and scale in gate; sometimes we run corve over them; my feet have many a time been blooded." [79] mrs. carr: "has known many foals laid off with sore backs, especially last year and the year before, when the putting was said to be very heavy in the flatworth pit. some foals had to lay off a day or two, to get their backs healed, before they could go to work again." [80] william jakes: "his back is often skinned; is now sore and all red, from holding on or [pg 96] back against the corf." [81] george faction: "in some places he bends quite double, and rubs his back so as to bring the skin off, and whiles to make it bleed, and whiles he is off work from these things." [82] mr. james probert, surgeon: "chronic pain in the back is a very common complaint among colliers, arising from overstrained tendonous muscles, and it is the source of much discomfort to the colliers." [83] mr. william dodd, surgeon: "as to the 'boils,' when a fresh man comes to the colliery he generally becomes affected by these 'boils,' most probably from the heat in the first instance, and subsequently they are aggravated by the salt water." [84] james johnson: "sometimes when among the salt water, the heat, etc., brings out boils about the size of a hen's egg upon him, about his legs and thighs, and under his arms sometimes. a vast of boys, men, and all, have these boils at times. these boils perhaps last a fortnight before they get ripe, and then they burst. a great white thing follows, and is called a 'tanner'." [85] dr. adams, glasgow: "an eruption on the skin is very prevalent among colliers." [86] william mackenzie: "had about twenty boils on his back at [pg 97] one time, about two years since. these lasted about three months. he was kept off work about a week. if he touched them against any thing they were like death to him. but few of the boys have so many at a time; many of the boys get two or three at a time. the boys take physic to bring them all out; then they get rid of them for some time. if the salt water falls on any part of them that is scotched, it burns into the flesh like; it is like red rust. it almost blinds the boys if it gets into their eyes." [87]

accidents of a fatal nature are of frightful frequency in the mines. in one year there were three hundred and forty-nine deaths by violence in the coal-mines of england alone. of the persons thus killed, fifty-eight were under thirteen years of age; sixty-two under eighteen, and the remainder over eighteen. one of the most frequent causes of accidents is the want of superintendence to see the security of the machinery for letting down and bringing up the work-people, and the restriction of the number of persons who ascend or descend at the same time. the commissioners observed at elland two hurriers, named ann ambler and william dyson, cross-lapped upon a clutch-iron, drawn up by a woman. as soon as they arrived at the top the handle was made fast by a bolt. the [pg 98] woman then grasped a hand of both at the same time, and by main force brought them to land.

from all the evidence adduced, the commissioners came to the following conclusions:—

"in regard to coal-mines—

"that instances occur in which children are taken into these mines to work as early as four years of age, sometimes at five, and between five and six; not unfrequently between six and seven, and often from seven to eight; while from eight to nine is the ordinary age at which employment in these mines commences.

"that a very large proportion of the persons employed in carrying on the work of these mines is under thirteen years of age; and a still larger proportion between thirteen and eighteen.

"that in several districts female children begin to work in these mines at the same early ages as the males.

"that the great body of the children and young persons employed in these mines are of the families of the adult work-people engaged in the pits, or belong to the poorest population in the neighbourhood, and are hired and paid in some districts by the work-people, but in others by the proprietors or contractors.

"that there are in some districts, also, a small number of parish apprentices, who are bound to serve their masters until twenty-one years of age, in an employment in which there is nothing deserving the name of skill to be acquired, under circumstances of frequent ill-treatment, and under the oppressive condition that they shall receive only food and clothing, while their free companions may be obtaining a man's wages.

"that, in many instances, much that skill and capital can effect to render the place of work unoppressive and healthy and safe, is done, often with complete success, as far as regards the healthfulness and comfort of the mines; but that to render them perfectly safe does not appear to be practicable by any means yet known; while, in great numbers of instances, their condition in regard both to ventilation and drainage is lamentably defective.

[pg 99]

"that the nature of the employment which is assigned to the youngest children—generally that of 'trapping'—requires that they should be in the pit as soon as the work of the day commences, and, according to the present system, that they should not leave the pit before the work of the day is at an end.

"that although this employment scarcely deserves the name of labour, yet, as the children engaged in it are commonly excluded from light, and are always without companions, it would, were it not for the passing and repassing of the coal-carriages, amount to solitary confinement of the worst sort.

"that in those districts where the seams of coal are so thick that horses go direct to the workings, or in which the side passages from the workings to the horseways are not of any great length, the lights in the main way render the situation of the children comparatively less cheerless, dull, and stupefying; but that in some districts they are in solitude and darkness during the whole time they are in the pit; and, according to their own account, many of them never see the light of day for weeks together during the greater part of the winter season, except on those days in the week when work is not going on, and on the sundays.

"that, at different ages from six years old and upward, the hard work of pushing and dragging the carriages of coal from the workings to the main ways, or to the foot of the shaft, begins; a labour which all classes of witnesses concur in stating requires the unremitting exertion of all the physical power which the young workers possess.

"that, in the districts in which females are taken down into the coal-mines, both sexes are employed together in precisely the same kind of labour, and work for the same number of hours; that the girls and boys, and the young men and young women, and even married women and women with child, commonly work almost naked, and the men, in many mines, quite naked; and that all classes of witnesses bear testimony to the demoralizing influence of the employment of females under ground.

"that, in the east of scotland, a much larger proportion of children and young persons are employed in these mines than in [pg 100] any other districts, many of whom are girls; and that the chief part of their labour consists in carrying the coal on their backs up steep ladders.

"that, when the work-people are in full employment, the regular hours of work for children and young persons are rarely less than eleven, more often they are twelve; in some districts they are thirteen, and in one district they are generally fourteen and upward.

"that, in the great majority of these mines, night-work is a part of the ordinary system of labour, more or less regularly carried on according to the demand for coals, and one which the whole body of evidence shows to act most injuriously both on the physical and moral condition of the work-people, and more especially on that of the children and young persons.

"that the labour performed daily for this number of hours, though it cannot strictly be said to be continuous, because, from the nature of the employment, intervals of a few minutes necessarily occur during which the muscles are not in active exertion, is, nevertheless, generally uninterrupted by any regular time set apart for rest or refreshment; what food is taken in the pit being eaten as best it may while the labour continues.

"that in all well-regulated mines, in which in general the hours of work are the shortest, and in some few of which from half an hour to an hour is regularly set apart for meals, little or no fatigue is complained of after an ordinary day's work, when the children are ten years old and upward; but in other instances great complaint is made of the feeling of fatigue, and the work-people are never without this feeling, often in an extremely painful degree.

"that in many cases the children and young persons have little cause of complaint in regard to the treatment they receive from the persons of authority in the mine, or from the colliers; but that in general the younger children are roughly used by their older companions, while in many mines the conduct of the adult colliers to the children and adult persons who assist them is harsh and cruel; the persons in authority in these mines, who must be cognizant of this ill-usage, never interfering to prevent [pg 101] it, and some of them distinctly stating that they do not conceive that they have any right to do so.

"that, with some exceptions, little interest is taken by the coal-owners in the children or young persons employed in their works after the daily labour is over; at least, little is done to afford them the means of enjoying innocent amusement and healthful recreation.

"that in all the coal fields accidents of a fearful nature are extremely frequent; and that the returns made to our own queries, as well as the registry tables, prove that, of the work-people who perish by such accidents, the proportion of children and young persons sometimes equals and rarely falls much below that of adults.

"that one of the most frequent causes of accidents in these mines is the want of superintendence by overlookers or otherwise, to see to the security of the machinery for letting down and bringing up the work-people, the restriction of the number of persons that ascend and descend at a time, the state of the mine as to the quantity of noxious gas in it, the efficiency of the ventilation, the exactness with which the air-door keepers perform their duty, the places into which it is safe or unsafe to go with a naked lighted candle, the security of the proppings to uphold the roof, &c.

"that another frequent cause of fatal accidents is the almost universal practice of intrusting the closing of the air-doors to very young children.

"that there are many mines in which the most ordinary precautions to guard against accidents are neglected, and in which no money appears to be expended with a view to secure the safety, much less the comfort, of the work-people.

"there are, moreover, two practices, peculiar to a few districts, which deserve the highest reprobation, namely,—first, the practice, not unknown in some of the smaller mines in yorkshire, and common in lancashire, in employing ropes that are unsafe for letting down and drawing up the work-people; and second, the practice occasionally met with in yorkshire, and common in derbyshire and lancashire, of employing boys at the steam-engines for letting down and drawing up the work-people."—first report, conclusions, p. 255-257.

[pg 102]

well, what did the british government do when the heart-rending report of the commissioners was received? it felt the necessity of a show of legislative interference. lord ashley introduced a bill into the house of commons, having for its object the amelioration of the condition of the mining women and children. much discussion occurred. the bill passed the house of commons, and was taken to the house of lords, the high court of british oppression. some lords advocated the measure, whereupon lord londonderry and some others spoke of them as "bitten with a humanity mania." modifications were made in the bill to suit the pockets of the luxurious proprietors, and then it was grumblingly adopted. what did the bill provide? that no child under ten years of age, and no woman or girl, of any age, should be allowed to work in a mine. now, children may be ten years of age, and above that, and yet they are still tender little creatures. the majority of the sufferers who came to the notice of the commissioners were above ten years of age! in that point, at least, the bill was worse than a nullity—it was a base deceit, pouring balm, but not upon the wound!

the same bill provided that no females should be allowed to work in the mines. but then the females were driven to the mines by the dread of starvation. soon after the passage of the bill, petitions from the mining districts were sent to parliament, praying that females might be allowed to work in the mines. the [pg 103] petitioners had no means of getting bread. if they had, they would never have been in the mines at all. the horrors of labour in the mines were consequences of the general slavery. well, there were many proprietors of mines in parliament, and their influence was sufficient to nullify the law in practice. there is good authority for believing that the disgusting slavery of the british mines has been ameliorated only to a very limited extent.