At this high temperature, the expansion of the air will develop great force, which acting on the dust at rest, will whirl it into the air current, and this will be continued so long as there is a sufficient quantity of coal dust and air to feed the flame. JOHN FORMAN. * * * * * To J. Wilson, Esq., Secretary to the Royal Commission on Explosions from Coal Dust in Mines. Dear Sir,--In October 1871 an explosion occurred at Seaham Colliery, and my attention was called to it; and, after considering all the circumstances of the case, I eventually came to the conclusion that the shot fired by the two Simpsons ignited the coal dust and caused the explosion. In September 1880 another explosion took place at Seaham Colliery. I went down the pit in the evening of the day of the explosion with Mr Stratton (the manager) and other Mining Engineers, and I remained at Seaham Colliery for 12 months, until the last body was found, and was, during that time, down the pit almost every day as an explorer. I also attended the inquest and gave evidence. I was satisfied from what I saw that the shot fired by Simpson and Brown ignited the coal dust and caused the explosion. In February 1882 an explosion occurred at Trimdon Grange Colliery. I went down the pit and attended the inquest, and from what I saw and heard I concluded that the explosion was caused by a flushed kitty or straw at Maitland's shot firing a small quantity of fire-damp, which ignited the coal dust and caused the explosion. In April 1882 an explosion occurred at West Stanley Colliery. I attended the inquest, and from what I could learn the shot fired by the two men (Douglas and Hutchinson) ignited a small portion of fire-damp, which fired the coal dust, and brought on an explosion. In March 1885 an explosion happened at Usworth Colliery. I attended the inquest, and came to an opinion that the shot fired by the two men, named Brown, ignited the coal dust, which produced an explosion. In December 1886 an explosion occurred at Elemore Colliery. I went down the pit and attended the inquest. I was satisfied, in my mind, that the shot fired by the three men (Johnson, Appleby and Luke) ignited the coal dust, thereby causing the explosion.--Yours, etc. JOHN FORMAN. _December 1886._ INDEX A Accountants, 128, 164, 314 Aftermath of 1892 strike, 245 Agents' districts, 23-24 Alteration of the "First Caller," 59, 337 Amicability in disputes, 340 Arbitration, Deputies', 170 -- earliest, 33 -- first general, 85, 103 -- second, 109 -- third, 113 -- fourth, 118 -- owners refuse, 152 -- working hours, 169 Armstrong, W., 103, 109 Attempts to form Union, 6 Average, county, 162 -- theoretical and real, 147 Award, 1879, _pro tem_., 157 -- J. R. Lyn's, 220 Awards, Lord Davey's, 1895, 267-269 Award, Lord Davey's, 1902, 319 B