That in passing. My immediate purpose is to point out that such disasters as that of 1905 or 1910, destroying over 100 lives at a single blow, barely disturb the average loss of life in coal-mines, so great is the yearly loss.

DEATHS FROM ACCIDENTS AND EXPLOSIONS
IN COAL-MINES, 1851-1908

1851 to 190054,322
19011,131
19021,053
19031,097
19041,049
1905945
19061,040
19071,136
19081,116
Total, 58 years62,889
Average per annum1,083

Loss of life in getting coal is not a spasmodic thing for occasional tears; it is a day by day matter. The public at large is stricken with horror by such a disaster as Whitehaven. Miners' widows are made every day by trifling accidents of which the public never hears. It is bad that 133 men have been buried and burned off the coast of Cumberland in 1910; it is worse that from 1,000 to 1,500 men will have perished in our coal-mines between January 1 and December 31, 1910.

And what of the maimings? Under the Mines Acts, notification of accidents in mines and quarries is also compulsory. Three classes of accidents are distinguished under the Acts: (1) Fatal accidents; (2) injuries from special causes, viz. explosions of gas, accidents in the use of explosives, and boiler explosions; (3) other injuries not of a "serious" character, no definition being given of serious personal injury. When death occurs from a case already reported as an injury, a further notification is required.

In 1908, the casualties in British mines and quarries were as follows:

MINES AND QUARRIES, 1908

KilledInjured. (Cases of Disablement for more than 7 days).
Coal and Metalliferous Mines—
1. Underground Accidents:-
(a) Explosions128139
(b) Falls of ground60352,579
(c) Shaft accidents901,010
(d) Miscellaneous37378,489
2. Surface accidents15111,041
1,345143,258
Quarries924,809
1,347148,067

(The above table gives fuller particulars than that on page 120 of "Riches and Poverty," edition 1905; the latter gave particulars of "serious" accidents only.)