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Clement Le Neve Foster, Metalliferous Mines Inspector for Wales & the Isle of Man et al (amongst other claims to fame) wrote on the subject of iron supports for the Halkyn Drainage Tunnel in 1887. He also wrote of the use of steel supports in his Annual Report of 1891, advocating their use in the Foxdale Mine. Being unable to procure the necessary frames in the UK he sent the order to the Compagnie des Forges de Denain et Anzin, in the north of France., having witnessed "excellent examples of such frames at the Paris Exhibition of 1889". He describes the use of the steel frames and adjacent sets of Irish larch and Norway timber, which proved inferior to the steel supports. He was of the opinion that whilst twice the cost of timber frames they would last twice as long and 'are undoubtedly superior in the score of economy, to say nothing of the many other advantages". Peter Challis %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%