January 24, 1913.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

189

The next witness was Mr. Thomas Taylor, vice-
chairman of the Northumberland Coalowners’ Associa-
tion. He said that at present there was no board in
that county. His experience was that agreements had
been invariably carried out, but there was a grave
departure in 1910, when the Eight Hours Act came into
operation. His association was of opinion that unions
entering into agreements or bound by awards should be
made pecuniarily responsible for damages caused by
them or their members who required other conditions of
employment. He did not see why the question of
compensation for breaking contracts should not be
addressed to an independent chairman. The compensa-
tion should be more than a nominal penalty. He was
not at the present time in favour of the statutory
enforcement of agreements. His idea was that agree-
ments should be made by consent. A fund could be
established, both sides paying into it, and payment to
be made from it when an agreement was broken.

Mr. T. E. Jobling, a Northumberland coalowner, also
gave evidence.

On Wednesday, Mr. Adam Nimmo, chairman of the
Scottish Coal Trade Conciliation Board and president
of the Lanarkshire Coalmasters’ Association, was the
only witness examined. The witness said that, generally
speaking, agreements had been carried out. There had
been no serious rupture between employers and workmen
in Scotland since 1894 until the national coal strike of
last year. Mr Nimmo suggested that under the rules
governing the Board of Conciliation provision should be
made for bringing the parties to any dispute arising
within the scope of the Board face to face at a com-
paratively early date after the question at issue
had arisen. They should further provide for an adjourn-
ment so as to secure time for full deliberation by both
parties upon all the facts and circumstances involved.
If agreement is ultimately not reached by mutual
consent, provision should be made for referring
the question, within prescribed limits, to an
arbiter, and in the meantime no stoppage of work by the
workmen and no lock-out by the employers should take
place. The witness was strongly in favour of provision
being made for a party failing or refusing to carry out
the award being liable to the party willing to carry it
out. He further suggested that, previous to an arbitra-
tion, both employers’ and workmen’s organisations
should put up a substantial sum as a guarantee of good
faith that the agreement entered into would be carried
out; £20,000, he thought, would not be sufficient. In
answer to other questions, the witness said he would be
in favour of compulsory arbitration “ within certain
limits.”

The Iron Steel, and Engineering Trades.

The annual council meeting of the Cleveland and
Durham Blastfurnacemen’s and Cokemen’s Association
was held at Middlesbrough, on the 16th inst. The most
important discussion was on the executive committee’s
report of the meeting of the Cleveland Ironmasters’
Association regarding the claim made for extra payment
for week-end work. Eventually a resolution was
unanimously adopted protesting against the ironmasters’
refusal to concede the claim, and instructing the
secretary to ask the iromasters to meet the district
council of the men on the matter. The resolution
authorised the officials to press the claim.

The Board of Trade announce that, the term of office
of the Trade Board for Hammered and Dollied and
Tommied Chain Making constituted on January 1,1910,
having expired, meetings will be held, under their
supervision, at the Workers’ Institute, Cradley Heath,
on Monday next for the election of representatives of
employers and workers to a new Trade Board.

__________________________

OBITUARY*

The death occurred last week of Mr. Willliam Walmsley,
head of the firm of Messrs. William Walmsley and Co.,
coal merchants, of Stockport, Reddish and Droylsden. The
deceased, who was 63 years of age, had not enjoyed good
health for some years, and he had a seizure about two
months ago, from which he failed to recover. He was widely
known and much respected.

The interment took placeJ recently of Mr? William
Patterson, of Victoria-place, Darlington. Deceased, who
was 68 years of age, gained considerable fame some years
ago by inventing a miners* safety lamp, which obtained a
first-class certificate and silver medal at Newcastle Exhibi-
tion in 1887. The lamp had an enormous sale, and was
used by over 90,000 miners working in the Northumberland,
Durham and South Wales coalfields. Mr. Patterson
started life as a trapper boy at Messrs. Stobart's collieries
at Etherley, and afterwards removed to the fitting shops
of Messrs. Abbot and Sons, Gateshead. Later he was
appointed northern district manager for Messrs. Wheeler
and Wilson, sewing machine makers. He was a member of
the Institution of Mining Engineers, and frequently gave
papers dealing with the problem of gas in mines, lamps and
lighting. Mr. Patterson leaves a widow, two sons and two
daughters to mourn his loss.

GOHTIHEHTAL MiHIHC HUTES.

Belgium.

Manufacturing coals are in very heavy demand. Among
the qualities in which the greatest scarcity exists are small
hard coals and coking smalls. The new cokeworks at
Antwerp and Terneuzen are, it is stated, negotiating con-
tracts in England to cover a period of five years, the
aggregate required amounting to a million tons. House
coals are relatively less active,- and business is principally
confined to secondary sorts and nuts and cobbles.

The Journal du Congo states that according to a report of
the engineer-in-chief of the Geomine, a Belgian company
engaged in prospecting in the Congo, the existence of seven
to eight horizontal seams easily workable and outcropping
on the surface has been revealed in a region which the rail-
way now being constructed will traverse. The thickness of
the seams, where ascertained, is stated to be at least 2 m.,
and the coal is claimed to be of as good a quality as that
obtained from the Wankie Colliery.

The returns of export and import for the complete year
are now available and are given in the following table:—

Imports.	Exports.

1911.	1912?	^"1911.	1912^

Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons.

Coal ........ 7,326,563 ... 8,119,956 ... 5,169,523 ... 5,064,286
Coke ...... 691,837 ... 957,743 ... 1,026,921 ... 1,014,796

Briquettes ... 383,224 ... 435,887 ... 530,118 ... 623,355
The chief feature of the imports is the increased entries of
German fuel, which amounted to 4,647,492 tons of coal,
850,803 tons of coke, and 407,203 tons of briquettes, increases
of 503,651 tons, 227,669 tons and 39,019 tons respectively.

___________________________

France.

The French coal trade is exceptionally active, and the
collieries are not anxious to contract far ahead. German
competition has abated considerably of late.

On December 31, 1912, 78 of the total of 89 blastfurnaces
in the Longwy and Eastern districts were in blast, with a
total capacity of 10,414 tons per day, as against 9,107 tons
on December 31,1911, when 73 furnaces were in blast.

The following shows the imports and exports of coal in
the first eleven months of last year:—

Imports.	Exports.

1911.	1912.	19U.	1912?

Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.

Coal ............. 14,862,400...14,492,900...1,194,693...1,873,019

Coke ............. 2,129,300... 2,516,100... 161,187... 188,074
Briquettes ...... 1,049,400... 1,025,200... 110,747... 180,585

In the eleven months 8,132,100 tons of coal were imported
from the United Kingdom, as against 8,328,300 tons in the
corresponding period of last year, 3,194,600 tons from
Belgium (3,854,300 tons), and 2,934,600 tons from Germany
(2,737,200 tons). For the month of November the imports
were as follow :—Coal, 1,482,700 tons (1,379,300 tons; coke,
239,200 tons (197,100 tons) ; briquettes, 97,700 tons (105,900
tons. From Great Britain 321,600 tons of coal were
imported, as against 768,600 tons’; from Belgium 924,600
tons, as against 356,100 tons; and from Germany 221,000 tons,
as against 239,000 tons. Exports in November amounted
to:—Coal, 271,042 tons (132,592 tons) ; coke, 24,430 tons
(27,133 tons); briquettes, 13,637 tons (8,869 tons).

Germany.

Ruhr Coal Market.—The shortage of railway wagons is
now almost at an end, the full supply being available on
most days, so that the new year is beginning under very
favourable! auspices. The demand seems to be increasing
instead of flagging as was feared in some quarters, the best
proof being afforded by the fact that the ironmasters have
notified the Coal Syndicate that their requirements for the
half-year commencing on April 1 will be exceptionally
large. The demand for coking coal, which can now hardly
be raised in sufficient amount, is growing with the increased
activity of the ironworks, and will tax the resources of the
pits to the utmost. Other industrial buyers are making
increased enquiry for fuel, and it seems probable that
difficulty will be experienced in filling their orders, in view of
the augmented consumption of coal by the cokeries. Taking
all things into consideration, the situation may be regarded
as highly promising. Exports continue on a very large
scale, and the remote home districts are also coming more
and more into the market. The competition of English
coal is hardly felt, though the imports are increasing.
Supplies to South Germany are now going forward with
greater regularity, but are still insufficient to meet the
demand promptly, and the moderate stocks there have to be
still further drawn upon. The coke market maintains its
healthy tone, blastfurnace and foundry coke being in special
request.

New Colliery on the Lower Rhine.—Under the aegis of the
banking firm of S. Bleichrdder, a company has acquired the
Humboldt coal concession in the districts of Mors and
Geldern, with the intention of putting down a double shaft,
the work to be commenced during the present year.

Coal Market in Upper Silesia.—Prospects for the coming
season are highly favourable, an important factor being the
situation of the iron industry, the fuel requirements of which
are expected to increase rather than diminish, the works
being well booked with orders for some months ahead. The
volume of traffic in other industrial coals has also increased
considerably. Difficulty is being found in satisfying

the demands of the coke manufacturers, gas coals are
selling in larger quantity, and the cold weather has stimu-
lated enquiries for house coal. Dealers have practically
no stocks left, these having been absorbed during the period
of shortage in the supply of railway wagons. In this latter
respect, things have now improved considerably, though
delays in delivery cannot yet be prevented. The situation
of the coke market is also very good, the demands of the
ironworks increasing continuously, so that blastfurnace
coke cannot be produced in sufficient quantity to satisfy the
demand; in fact, the works have occasionally to go on short
time from this cause. Foundry coke and all other grades
are also the subject of active enquiry, and the output is
almost completely absorbed.

Miners' Wages in Prussia for the Third Quarter of 1912.—
In Upper Silesia the hewers (forming 48’3 per cent, of the
total staff) earned 4’29 marks per shift; other underground
workers (17 per cent.), 4 marks; surfacemen (24*4 per cent.)*
3 29 marks; young persons (males) under 16 (5’4 per cent.),
122 marks; women (4*9 per cent.), 1*29 marks. Lower
Silesia: Hewers (48’5 per cent.), 3 69 marks; other under-
ground workers (26’9 per cent.), 3’54 marks; surfacemen
(27'4 per cent.), 3T9 marks; young persons (2 8 per cent.)>
1’31 marks; women (1’3 per cent.), 1’60 mark. Dortmund
district: Hewers (50*6 per cent.), 6*12 marks; other under-
ground workers (26*5 per cent.), 4*35 marks; surfacemen
(19 1 per cent.), 4*17 marks ; young persons (3’8 per cent.),
1‘42 mark. Saar district: Hewers (49 2 per cent.), 4 82
marks; other underground workers (27’9 per cent.), 3’88
marks; surfacemen (20 per cent.), 3*61 marks; young
persons (2*9 per cent.), 1*41 marks. Aachen : Hewers, (56 6
per cent.), 5'54 marks; other underground workers (16*4
per cent.), 4*67 marks; surfacemen (231 per cent.), 3*95
marks; young persons (3*9 per cent.), 1*58 marks.

Official Coal Prices on the Essen Exchange.—Gas and
open-burning coals: Through-and-through gas coal, 12-14
marks per ton, ex pit; open-burning gas coal, through-and-
through, 11*50-12*50 marks ; through-and-through open-
burning coal, 11-11 *50 marks; largecoal, 13*50-15marks; semi-
screened, 13-14marks; washed nuts,I./IL, 13*75-14*50 marks;
III., 13*75-14 mks.; IV., 13-13*75 mks.; nuts slack, 0-20/30 mm.
8*25-9*25 marks; 0-50/60 mm, 9*85-10*50 marks; slack,
6 75-9*75 marks. Bituminous'coals : Through-and-through,
11*25-12 marks; best mixed, 12 50-13 marks; large, 13*50-14
marks; washed nuts, I./-IL, 13*75-14*50 marks; III.,
13*75-14*50 marks; IV., 13-13*75 marks; coking coal,
12*25-13 marks. Lean coals: Through - and - through,
10 50-12 marks; mixed, 11*75-12*75 marks; improved,
12*75-14*25 marks, according to proportion of large;
large, 13*25-15*75 marks ; washed nuts, I./IL 15*25-18*50
marks; III., 16-19*50 marks ; IV., 11*50-13*75 marks;
anthracite nuts, I., 20 - 21*50 marks ; II., 21*50 - 25*50
marks, through-and-through slack 9 50-10 50 marks, slack
below 10 mm. 6 25-9 marks. Coke : Blast-furnace coke
15*50-17*50 marks, foundry coke 18-20 marks, broken coke I.
and II. 20-23 marks. Briquettes, 11-14 25 marks, according
to quality.	____________________________

Home Office Prosecution at Pontypridd.—A sequel to the
Trane pit shaft explosion at Gilfach Goch was heard at
Pontypridd on Wednesday, when Messrs. Leonard W.
Llewelyn, chief agent, Llewelyn White, and David Davies,
assistant agent at the colliery, were summoned at the
instance of the Home Office for failing to produce adequate
ventilation in the shaft. Mr. Ivor Vachell, for the Home
Office, stated that when the Britannic Coal Company
acquired the property in 1911 they increased the depth of
the pit from 320 yards to 462 yards. The shaft, which was
bricked, passed through a total thickness of coal of 24 ft. 5 in.
The shaft was ventilated by means of a 24 in. pipe, which
went down from the surface. When the inspector of mines
visited the place in January of last year the pipe was in
position, and the shaft appeared to be properly and well venti-
lated. In April a scaffolding was erected about 27 ft. from
the surface for the purpose of making a fan drift. It was
alleged that while this work was being done the ventilating
pipe was disconnected below the platform on which the men
were working. The staging was circular in form, and there
was a space of about 2 in. between it and the side of the
shaft. Mr. Vachell submitted that nothing more dangerous
could be thought of than practically to close up the shaft
by means of this staging. An explosion occurred which
resulted in the death of four men and injury to three others.
Mr. Dyer Lewis, H.M. inspector of mines, considered the
staging should have been built around the pipe so as
not to interfere with the ventilation. He admitted that
the shaft was full of water 80 yards up from the
bottom, but if the pipe had been disconnected above
the level of the upper seams it would have taken the gases
away, which had percolated through the water. During
the sinking operations the ventilation, no doubt, was very
good. Evidence was given as to the cause of the accident,
in the course of which reference was made to men having
been seen smoking. Upon a legal point the summons
against Mr. David Davies, the sub-agent, was withdrawn.
Mr. Leonard Llewelyn gave evidence in support of the
theory that the accident occurred below the landing of the
No. 3 seam in the shaft, and that from there up the
ventilation was ample and sufficient. About 5,000
cubic feet of . air travelled through the No. 8
workings, and a portion of that air ventilated the
shaft. Mr. David Hannah, agent to Messrs. D. Davis and
Sons, said that with the quantity of air coming up from
the No. 3 workings he did not think the ventilating pipe in
the shaft was necessary. He would have adopted the same
course in similar circumstances. The Stipendiary stopped
the case, intimating that the conclusion the Bench had
come to was that with the constant current of air coming
from the No. 3 seam, there was an adequate amount of
ventilation at the place where the men were working in the
shaft. He therefore found in favour of the defendants^
dismissing the summonses with 20 guineas costs.