4?

®ttE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

January 2, 1914

require a skilled attendant. It consists of a three-stage
air compressor, the air being drawn through a purifier
and compressed to about 200 atmospheres. After pass-
ing through another purifier, it goes to the liquefier and
expansion engine, and is then drawn off and stored in
vacuum bottles. The weight of the dress, including a
full charge of 10 lb. of liquid air, is about 30 lb., and the
load becomes lighter as the task proceeds.

The Midlands.

The Alexandra Colliery, Wyken, recently purchased
from Sir A. B. Markham, M.P., by the Warwickshire
Coal Company Limited, is to be closed, as the coalseams
are nearly exhausted. The minerals have been worked
in the Wyken district for probably 100 years. The Old
Main pit, the forerunner of the Alexandra, had a long
and useful life; but it ceased work between 20 and 30
years ago. The proprietors in those days were the
Wyken Colliery Company, in which a large interest
was held by members of the Whittem family. For
upwards of 20 years the Alexandra Colliery has pursued a
more or less prosperous career, and in its closing days
has changed hands on two occasions. When ownership
was vested in Sir Arthur Markham he acquired the right
to work the neighbouring Craven Colliery in conjunction
with the Alexandra. The former was originally one of
the smallest collieries in the country, the nearest to the
metropolitan market, but handicapped by its having
neither railway nor canal connection. Its market was
only a landsale, and eventually it closed its doors. Sir
Arthur Markham secured the rights to reopen the
Craven pit, and so well was the work accomplished that
developments have led to its being one of the most
prosperous and successful undertakings in the district.
Only a few months ago it was taken over, along with its
neighbour, the Victoria, by the Warwickshire Coal
Company Limited, and it is hoped that its career may
be prolonged until the new colliery at Keresley is an
accomplished fact. All the machinery and plant from
the Alexandra pit has been removed to the Craven
Colliery, where further extensions are contemplated
which it is believed will give places to the whole of the
Alexandra hands.

Steps are being taken to commence the working of
ironstone in the neighbourhood of Pilton, Rutlandshire.
Mr. C. H. Woods, owner of a large extent of farm land,
has been approached by the Staveley Iron Company,
and negotiations which have been taking place are
expected to result in a commencement of mining early
this year. The probable output is estimated at as
much as 2,000,000 tons per annum.

After a lapse of more than thirty years men are now
able to re-enter some of the workings of the M.id-Can-
nock Colliery, Cannock. The water has been pumped
out as far down as the first level, 250 ft. from the sur-
face. The workings are said to be in as good a condition
as when the pit was closed down. Preparations are being
made for the installation on the level referred to of a
powerful electrical plant for clearing more rapidly the
mine of water.

Scotland.

At a meeting of the West of Scotland branch of the
Association of Mining Electrical Engineers an interest-
ing discussion took place on a paper contributed by
Mr. J. P. C. Kivlen on “The Specifying and Buying of
Mining Electrical Plant.” Mr. W. A. Wilson (British
Insulated and He!sby Cables Limited) said it was
suggested in the paper that cable-makers should manu-
facture a concentric cable made up .with twin or multiple
cores. As far as he was aware there was no manu-
facturing difficulty to prevent this being done, and if
the demand justified it such a cable would doubtless be
available. He feared, however, that the much enhanced
price due to the high cost of manufacture,.especially of
small quantities, would nullify any technical advantage
it might have.

On his appointment as manager to the Raploch Coal
Company Limited, Larkhall, Mr. R. L. Waugh has been
presented by the officials and workmen of the Quarter
Colliery, Hamilton, with a well-filled purse of sovereigns.

Having exhausted the limit permitted by the Crown
for undersea working, Carriden Coal Company have re-
solved to close down their pit on the foreshore opposite
Carriden Glebe, near Bo’ness, at the end of the year.
The shafts were placed below low-water mark in order
to win coal underlying the Firth of Forth belonging to
Crown, and the colliery has been going for ten years.
By the stoppage 80 men will be thrown idle.

The Carriden Company are engaged at present sink-
ing shafts to the east of Bo’ness Dock, on the south side
of the Firth of Forth, belonging to the Crown. No. 1
shaft has already been sunk to the desired depth of 75
fathoms, and the working seams cut are Parrot, 6 ft.,
main coal, and smithy. The latter in the lowest seam
worked in the district. Good progress is being made
with No. 2 shaft, and the cylinders are expected to
touch the rockhead shortly.

A public enquiry under the Fatal Accidents Inquiry
(Scotland) Act, 1895, and the Fatal Accidents and
Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act, 1906, will be
held in the Justiciary Buildings, Glasgow, on January 7,
in regard to the deaths of the 22 miners who perished
in the disaster which occurred at the Cadder Colliery
on Sunday, August 3. The enquiry was advertised to
take place on August 26, but it was subsequently
delayed owing to the decision of the Home Office to
hold an investigation of the disaster. The report of the
latter has since been issued.

It is stated that the Admiralty will shortly establish
an oil station at Blackness, on the Firth of Forth.

At a recent meeting of the Scottish Branch of the
National Association of Colliery Managers held in
Dunfermline, Mr. C. C. Reid. Cowdenbeath, presiding,
an interesting discussion took place on a paper

dealing with “ The Prevention of Accidents from Falls
of Roof and Sides.” Mr. J. Wilson, Alloa, in opening
the discussion, said that remedial measures on the pit
head were of no use. Mr. John Irvine, Dysart, remarked
that he did not consider a prop was of any use at all
underground unless it had a satisfactory lid on the top.
Mr. W. Clark, Rosebank, favoured the idea of introduc-
ing into the supplementary classes at day schools a
course of instruction on proper methods of timbering.
Mr. David Beveridge, Kelty, observed that what was
wrong with existing legislation was that the miners
themselves would not feel that they had any responsi-
bility whatever for their own safety. Managers might
post as many rules or instructions on the pithead as
they cared, but the plain fact of the matter was that not
one miner in a. hundred even looked at them. The
branch president said his views on the subject entirely
coincided with those expressed by Mr. Beveridge.
Messrs. Watt (Shieldhill), Spalding (Donibristle), Gray
(Lochgelly), Pro van (Hill of Beath) and London (sub-
inspector of mines) also took part in the discussion.

At a meeting of the East of Scotland branch of the
Association of Mining Electrical Engineers, held in
Dunfermline on the same day, a paper on “Electric
Winding ” was read by Mr. J. Gillespie, of the
Pumpherston Oil Company, Mid-Calder. In the course
of his paper, Mr. Gillespie gave a detailed description of
the winding gears at Cobbinshaw pit, Tarbrax, and
Briech pit, belonging to the Pumpherston Oil Company.

An interesting point was raised in Cupar Sheriff
Court, when proceedings under the Coal Mines Regula-
tions were taken against James Webster, miner, for
alleged improper propping. Accused was engaged in
the underground workings of the Wellsgreen Colliery,
when the mine inspector and under-manager came across
him working at a place where there was no props for a
distance of 16 ft. The prosecution contended that under
the Mine Order he was bound to have had props erected
at a maximum distance of 5 ft. apart. Objection to the
complaint was taken on technical grounds, and it was
also argued on behalf of the defence that the custom in
Fife mines was not to erect all the props at once, but just
as the miner worked along in his working place. Sheriff
Armour-Hannay sustained the technical objection, and
the complaint was dismissed.

Ken 5.

Good news comes to hand this week from Snowdown
Colliery, where, sinking in No. 3 pit, a splendid seam of
coal, 3 ft. in thickness, has been uncovered at a depth of
1,898 ft. from the surface, or about 300 ft. below the
Beresford 5 ft. 4 in. seam which is being worked at
Snowdown. The 3 ft. seam is stated to be clean and free
from dirt bands. Recently a 9 in. seam was struck in
the same pit, and this on analysis proved to contain 2'15
per cent, of ash. Good progress is being made with the
working of the coal from Til manstone and Snowdown
collieries.

Some interesting particulars have just been made
public with reference to the borings put down by the
Anglo-Westphalian Company. According to these par-
ticulars the Chislet borehole has passed through 48 ft.
of coal, of which 26 ft. is workable, the roof and floor
being of such a nature as to make the conditions of
working favourable and economical. With reference to
another borehole the coal measures were entered at
1,100 ft. Two seams of coal were met with and all the
measures correspond with Chislet. The bore, met at
about 1,360 ft. with a fissure which from that point
on carried away the flush water in the borehole,
which was subjected to cementing four times,
but without success, and as no coal can be proved
without flush water in the hole, this boring had to be
abandoned and another boring in the vicinity is in
contemplation. In regard to another boring, at 1,370 ft.
an unfavourable change took place, and the hole was
continued to a depth of 2,405 ft., where it had to be dis-
continued, as the evidence obtained showed that this
borehole had reached the coal measures on the edge of
a bank running east and west. It is claimed that if this
boring had been put down a little more to the south the
whole of the coals met with at Chislet would have been
met with here. Still another boring is alluded to, which,
it is stated, passed through the chalk measures at a
depth of 1,150 ft., when the coal measures were met with,
these continuing to a depth of 1,360 ft. without work-
able coal being met with. At 1,300 ft. the measures were
nearly perpendicular, and were not favourable in their
character. The hole was continued to 1,960 ft., when it
was deemed advisable to discontinue. Although the
above particulars are of a most interesting character,
some comment has been made by the fact that only the
name of one boring (Chislet) has been mentioned.

The Ebbsfleet Coal Syndicate state that in their
Lydden Valley boring five seams have been found of
workable thickness, aggregating 20 ft. 8 in. The top
seam is about 416 yards from the surface, the lowest
being about 530 ft. from the surface.

The area acquired by the Betteshanger Boring Com-
pany Limited comes to about 10,000 acres, including
sea coal. The boring on their property was commenced
on February 3, 1913, and discontinued on December 11,
1913, this period including a delay of three months,
caused by an accident to the boring tools in July . The
company are now considering the way in which their
area can be turned to account. To this end the directors
have instructed two leading coalmining engineers to
report on the property.

The latest company to be formed in connection with
the coalfield is the Kentol Syndicate, which has been
formed for the manufacture of smokeless fuel.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Ten thousand wagons short! That is the prospect
depicted for Soath Wales with the advent of the new
year: “ There or thereabouts,” due to the fact that

dead-buffer stock must cease henceforward to be used,
on the running lines, owing to new requirements by the
Board of Trade. Many of the older form of wagons
have been converted, many new ones have been ordered,
but the scarcity exists, and will make itself seriously
felt within the next few days. Demand has been so
great in one direction that hiring terms have risen
50 per cent., and hirers are declining short terms, being
willing to let their rolling stock only for three years, as
against the traders’ request for three, six, or 12 months.
A seven-year term, even, is reported. A large propor-
tion of the new orders plac°d are for 12-ton wagons,
instead of the familar 10-tonners, and the price of the
former is as high as £75, or even more. Since December
opened, the orders placed have exceeded those booked
previously during four or five months, and the expecta-
tion is that the heavy immediate demand will bring
foreign makers, the German especially, into the market
with complete wagons at lower prices.

The total amount of all the funds raised in aid of the
Senghenydd sufferers is £112,000.

Speaking at Newport on Christmas Day, Mr. W.
Blow, shipowner and coal exporter, voiced the opinion
of many observers when referring to the business
outlook. He said that Cardiff, Barry, and Penarth
would not be able to cope with the growth of trade;
and as soon as the deep-water entrance was ready at
Newport (about the middle of the new year) there would
begin a large increase in their trade.

Port Talbot total trade for 1913 is estimated at
2,880,000 tons, an increase of nearly 400,000. In 1900,
the whole of the trade was under 550,000. The belt
elevator will be ready for loading coal within the next
few days; and it is intended to erect two others. As
previously stated, the directors project considerable
improvements in the undertaking, entailing heavy outlay
of capital.

From the new Glyncorrwg Colliery the first train load
of coal was sent off last week amid general rejoicings
locally. The property covers between 600 and 700 acres
on the Dunraven estate, and is owned by Messrs. Fisher,
Renwick and Co., development work having been in
progress for about twelve months. Mr. George Renwick,
Newcastle, is chairman, and the local directors are
Mr.W. H. and Mr. George Renwick. An output of 200 to
300 tons per day will, it is expected, be reached shortly.

Parliamentary Committees will again hear very much
of South Wales next session, for 1914 promises to be
quite up to the average in furnishing day employment
for M.P.’s, who, as a body, are still so unwise as to con-
tinue their business at night when most other business
men get to bed. It will not be so lively a session as that
famous one wherein more than a dozen important Bills
came forward, including the project of a new main line ,
to London (promoted by the Barry interest, which
secured good coal trade concessions from the Great
Western Railway when the scheme was abandoned),
yet it will still show the immense and rapid development
of the district. These Bills are, of course, in addition to
the public work which the Local Government Board
sanctions under Provisional Orders.

The Cardiff Company will not repeat its effort to
secure higher rates in the dock, as to which so strenuous
a conflict was waged in both Houses last year, the
Commons Committee reversing the decision of the
Lords, and thus rejecting the proposal. This year
the company seek, chiefly, extensions of time for
carrying out authorised works.—Abertillery Water
Board, which has waterworks under construction, seeks
power to make an additional reservoir, the assigned
reason being that the population within the limits of
supply has increased, and is increasing more rapidly
than was anticipated at the time of promoting their
original Bill in 1910.—The Rhymney and Aber Gas and
Water Company, in their Bill, desire authorisation to
increase their capital by over 50 per cent., there being
need for both gas ’and water additions to their plant “ to
meet the rapid demands of the district,” which includes
the new colliery areas of Powell-Duffryn at Pengam,
and also of Bed was.—The Great Western Company’s
Bill will enable them to extend their quadruple line for
long sections between Cardiff and Port Talbot, to
construct a new line in the Neath Valley, provide
additional accommodation in sidings, &c., around Port
Talbot, extend the railway in Pontardulais district, and
make many other improvements, quite a large number
of new bridges having to be built.—The Alexandra Dock
Company (Newport), the Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Company, the Rhymney Railway Company, and several
other interests also apply for Parliamentary approval
of their projects of development.

In this connection should be mentioned the heavy
and costly work undertaken, and now practically
completed, by the Rhymney Railway Company, for
dealing with the coal traffic to Cardiff Docks. Close
upon 8 miles of new running line and sidings have been
constructed just south of the Caerphilly Tunnel; and
owing to the position on the hill slope, it was necessary
to excavate and carry away about 700,000 tons of
material: this having been utilised in widening the long
embankment towards Cardiff, in widenings at Ystrad
Mynach, and in the works at the large new station for
Caerphilly. The extensions now provide three running
lines from the tunnel to Cardiff, four receiving-sidings
with two nests of gravitation sorting-sidings, a shunting
spur, and the excavation of land for “ empties ” sidings.
Land has also been acquired for providing other sidings
to a total length of 5 miles, hereafter.

Barry Company’s five new tips are advancing in
construction. These will add to the shipping power by
11 million tons per annum.

Barry shipments for 1913 will prove another record,
the estimate being that they will exceed eleven millions
of tons, which compares with the previous highest of
10,089,174 in 1909.