It Is The Same Now That It Was A Century Ago

A peculiar fact was lately pointed out by the president of the Manchester, England, Geological society, namely, that although much has been done to improve the operation of coal cutting, the coliier's piek remains exactly what it has been for the past century, and as to eoal-cutting mechanisms, not a single machine of the kind is at work in the Manchester district today. As to the motive power and the three methods of driving, viz., steam, compressed air and electricity, the president considered steam to be impracticable, but much was to be said in favor of compressed air as to being safe as welï as helping to cool and ventílate the workings, but the loss in transmlssion is very great; on the other hand eléctrica! transmission involves a loss of not more than flve per cent., and now that the difflculty from sparking has been overeóme, it must be regarded as the motive power of the future. A novel machine combining these two forces has been introduced; it has, in a word, thf advantages of compressed air, while the actual motive power is eleetricity- the mechanlsm is, briefly stated, a cutter-bar drill and an electric motor connected by suitable gearing, and In doing lts work only the minimum of dust Vu produced.