Ventilation of coal mines
Date
1662
Creator
Henry Oldenburg (1612 - 1677, German) , Scientific correspondent
After
Henry Power (1623 - 1668, British) , Natural philosopher
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p154r
Material
Dimensions
height (Page): 209mm
width (Page): 323mm
width (Page): 323mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Ground plan of a coal pit showing drainage, ventilation and the room and pillar method of coal extraction. With a key to the significant features of the mine.
Transcription
A. the Cole pit.
B. the Vent-pit.
CCC the Sow, it draining both pitts and heads from water
ddd the vent-head, wch runs from the Coale-pit to the vent pit under ground, and is not above 2 yards broad wth us.
eeee. The Laterall heads, wch are not above 2 yards broad after.
FFF the diagonall prickt lines is the Thurle-vent, it is a vent driven through the lateral heads.
gggggg is walls or pillars of the whole Coale-bed remaining (wch Coalebed wth us is not above 2 feet thick.) These walls or pillars of coale are always lift ungotten, and to support the roof of the pitt-heads, to hinder it from falling.
The Roof and seat is the top and bottom of the Workes, wherein they get coals, wch is about 2 foot or more the one distant from the other in our pitts.
H. Power.’
Endorsed verso: ‘Ichnography of a Cole pit. done by Mr. Power. copied by Mr Oldenburg.’
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
B. the Vent-pit.
CCC the Sow, it draining both pitts and heads from water
ddd the vent-head, wch runs from the Coale-pit to the vent pit under ground, and is not above 2 yards broad wth us.
eeee. The Laterall heads, wch are not above 2 yards broad after.
FFF the diagonall prickt lines is the Thurle-vent, it is a vent driven through the lateral heads.
gggggg is walls or pillars of the whole Coale-bed remaining (wch Coalebed wth us is not above 2 feet thick.) These walls or pillars of coale are always lift ungotten, and to support the roof of the pitt-heads, to hinder it from falling.
The Roof and seat is the top and bottom of the Workes, wherein they get coals, wch is about 2 foot or more the one distant from the other in our pitts.
H. Power.’
Endorsed verso: ‘Ichnography of a Cole pit. done by Mr. Power. copied by Mr Oldenburg.’
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
Henry Power’s observations on coal mines were read to the Royal Society and discussed in a meeting of 3 December 1662 (Birch 1:133-137 and plate 2). The corresponding version of the paper, to which this illustration belongs, appears within the Boyle Papers at RB/1/21/3/129-32 [BP/21/129-32].
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 26 November 1662, ‘Dr. Croune brought in Dr. Power’s subterraneous experiments, which were ordered to be read at the next meeting, and the amanuensis to draw large schemes thereof’ (Birch 1:130).
A meeting of the Royal Society on 3 December 1662, ‘Dr. Power’s paper of subterraneous experiments, and observations made of the damps of coal-mines, were read, and afterwards registered’. Paper reproduced in Birch 1:133-36, and refers to Sir William Gerard's pits in Lancashire (136).
Printed in Henry Power, Experimental philosophy, in three books containing new experiments microscopical, mercurial, magnetical: with some deductions, and probable hypotheses, raised from them, in avouchment and illustration of the now famous atomical hypothesis (London : Printed by T. Roycroft, for John Martin and James Allestry, 1664), p. 173.
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 26 November 1662, ‘Dr. Croune brought in Dr. Power’s subterraneous experiments, which were ordered to be read at the next meeting, and the amanuensis to draw large schemes thereof’ (Birch 1:130).
A meeting of the Royal Society on 3 December 1662, ‘Dr. Power’s paper of subterraneous experiments, and observations made of the damps of coal-mines, were read, and afterwards registered’. Paper reproduced in Birch 1:133-36, and refers to Sir William Gerard's pits in Lancashire (136).
Printed in Henry Power, Experimental philosophy, in three books containing new experiments microscopical, mercurial, magnetical: with some deductions, and probable hypotheses, raised from them, in avouchment and illustration of the now famous atomical hypothesis (London : Printed by T. Roycroft, for John Martin and James Allestry, 1664), p. 173.
Related fellows
Henry Oldenburg (1612 - 1677, German) , Scientific correspondent
Henry Power (1623 - 1668, British) , Natural philosopher
Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691, British) , Natural philosopher
Henry Power (1623 - 1668, British) , Natural philosopher
Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691, British) , Natural philosopher
Associated place