pacious brick-arched vault, almost
the size of a railway terminus, well lighted by large glass lamps
suspended from the roof. The machinery, both steam and hydraulic,
looked in the most perfect order; the steel parts of the engine shining
like burnished silver. Trains of laden waggons were every now and then
arriving. First of all was heard a distant rumbling, with the "whirr"
of the iron rope far back in the darkness. The rumbling sound grew
louder, and at last the train came in sight. A stalwart miner, with his
lamp dimly twinkling slung at his waist, striding along holding in his
left hand the iron tongs before mentioned, and having behind him a long
train of waggons, gradually came into the light. On he went to the foot
of the shaft. Here a strong iron cage appeared, having three floors,
one above the other. In front of this was a stage, on to which the
leading waggon was run. It was then lifted by hydraulic power, until a
second stage appeared below it. On this another waggon was run, that
again rose, until a third stage was level with the tramway--the three
stages being now level with the three floors of the cage. At the same
time three hydraulic rams or arms ran out from the side of the shaft and
pushed the waggons into the cage, which immediately began ascending. It
should have been said that three empty waggons had come down in the
cage, and had in the first instance been withdrawn and placed on the
return tramway. These were at once coupled together by men stationed
there for the purpose, who had now to wait for the return of the cage
with more empty waggons to be again filled with three others from the
full train. The cage on reaching the summit of the shaft was unloaded
much in the same fashion by hydraulic power. This operation was carried
on with wonderful rapidity, so that the outputs, or amount of coal
raised, averaged from 800 to 900 tons per day.

More than a mile away from this main shaft was the engine-room which
worked the endless rope. On a platform some distance above the ground
sat the engineer, surrounded by a multitude of signals. In spite of the
tremendous noise which prevented one person hearing what another said,
the engineer attended to all his signals with the greatest accuracy, his
complicated machinery in beautiful order, and appearing perfectly at his
ease. Some idea may be formed of the vast amount of labour employed in
this mine when it is understood that the working-