IT is a stubborn and grievous fact that the loss of life by explosions in coal-mines has risen in the last decade, although the number of explosions has fallen. This points clearly to some essential defect in the remedies adopted. The remedies in use apply apparently to one class of explosions only, hence the decrease in the number of explosions. But, unhappily, there are many to which they do not apply, and those the worst; hence the larger number of lives lost. Some research, which has much engaged me of late, and which I hope soon to make public, has led to the conclusion that possibly the reason of this is about to be, or is even already, detected.