Summarizing the position of mechanical science, as applied to the coal
mining industry in this country, Mr. Brown observed that there was a
general awakening to the necessity of adopting, in the newer and
deeper mines, more economical appliances. It was true it would be
impracticable, and probably unwise, to alter much of the existing
machinery, but, by the adoption of the best known types of electrical
plant, and air compression in our new and deep mines, the consumption
of coal per horse power would be reduced, and the extra expense, due
to natural causes, of producing minerals from greater depths would be
substantially lessened. The consumption of coal at the collieries of
Great Britain alone probably exceeded 10,000,000 tons per annum, and
the consumption per horse power was probably not less than 6 lb. of
coal, and it was not unreasonable to assume that, by the adoption of
more efficient machinery than was at present in general use, at least
one-half of the coal consumed could be saved. There was, therefore, in
the mines of Great Britain alone a wide and lucrative field for the
inventive ingenuity of mechanical engineers in economizing fuel, and
especially in the successful application of new methods for dealing
with underground haulage, in the inner workings of our collieries,
more especially in South Wales, where the number of horses still
employed was very large.