January 2, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 45 CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late for inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last White pages Abstracts of Contracts Open. Cairo, January 26.—Newcastle, Cardiff and anthracite coal and coke, for the Central Administration, Department of Public Health, Cairo. Forms from the Director-General, Department of Public Health, Cairo. Durban (South Aerica), January 7.—Gas Electric Plant.—Gras electric plant for that town. Specification obtained at the office of the borough electrical engineer, Municipal-buildings, Durban, on deposit of £1 Is. (return- able). Grimsby, January 5 —Steam coal for the Corporation. Forms from Mr. H. G. Whyatt, M.I.C.E., borough engineer and surveyor, 170, Victoria-street, Grimsby. Keighley, January 7.—About 40 tons of house coal (seconds) and from 150 to 200 tons of engine coal (rough slack) to the Victoria Hospital, Keighley, for the Com- mittee. Sealed and endorsed tenders to the secretary. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, Adelaide (Australia), January 6.—Steel Rails, fyc.— Supply of 1,559 tons of 41 lb. steel rails and 18 tons of steel fishplates. Specifications from the Supply and Tender Board Office, Adelaide, South Australia, at a cost of £1. Antwerp, January 26.—Cranes.—Tenders are invited by the Municipal authorities of the above city for six electric cranes for the Bassin-Canal extension.* Bargoed, January 5.—Hauling and Laying Steel Mains. —For hauling and laying about 1,860 yards of steel mains, for the Bedwellty Urban District Council (Gas Depart- ment), and about 5,136 yards of steel mains for the Water Department. Specification, Mr. Dan H. Price, engineer and surveyor to the council, Aberbargoed, upon payment of £2 2s. (returnable). Bedwellty, January 5.—Mains.—About 5,136 yards of steel mains, for the Bedwellty Urban District Council. Specifications from Mr. D. H. Price, engineer and surveyor, Aberbargoed, upon payment of a deposit of £2 2s. Brisbane (Australia), January 6.—Steel Rails, fyc.— Tenders are invited by the Queensland Government for the supply and delivery of 1,012 tons of steel rails, 10,120 pairs of fishplates, 20,300 bolts and nuts, and 218,000 dogspikes, for the Babinda Central Sugar Mill * Budleigh Salterton, January 20.—Pumps, tfc.—Erec- tion at Budleigh Salterton of two high-service pumps to deliver 101 cubic feet ;per minute, suction gas plant, and one gas engine, together with suction and delivery pipes, countershaft, pulleys, and other accessories, for the Budleigh Salterton Urban District Council. Specifications from Messrs. Strachan and Weeks, 9, Victoria-street, West- minster, London, S.W., on payment of a deposit of £2 2s. (returnable). Christiania (Norway), January 15.—Welded Pipes.— Tenders are invited for the supply of 550 m. of welded piping for the Hadeland Electric Works.* Cockermouth, January 5.— Water Main.—About 200 ft. of 3 in. diameter cast iron water main, with valve and hydrant, &c., for the Cockermouth Rural District Council. Full particulars from Mr. J. B. Wilson, A.M.I.C.E., water engineer, Grecian Villa, Cockermouth. Darlington, January 7.—Coal Store Roof.—Steel coal store roof, railway gantries, inspection chambers, &c., at the gasworks, for the Corporation. Specification on application to Mr. Frank P. Tarratt, gasworks engineer, at the Gasworks, on payment of £2 2s. (returnable). Glen (Orange Free State, South Africa), January 7. —Pumping Plant.—Complete pumping plant required in connection with the irrigation scheme at Glen, Orange Free State.* Heckington (Lincs.), January 24.—Waterworks —About 8| miles of cast iron mains and specials, 4 in. and 3 in. diameter respectively, for the Sleaford Rural District Council. Specification from the engineer, 74, South gate, Sleaford, upon payment of £2 2s. (returnable). Lithgow (Australia), January 12.—Iron and Steel — Tenders are invited by the Commonwealth Department of Defence for the supply of iron and steel for the manufac- ture of rifles at Lithgow, New South Wales, during the period ended June 30, 1916. Specification from the manager, Small Arms Factory, Lithgow, New South Wales.* London, January 27.—Rolled Steel Bar.—For 584 tons of special section rolled steel bar for magnetic brake shoes, for the London County Council. Forms from the Chief Officer, London County Council Tramways, 62, Finsbury- pavement, E.C. Manchester, January 15.—Gasholder Lift Renewal.— Complete renewal of the three lifts of the No. 6 gasholder at the Newtown gasholder station of the Rochdale-road works, for the Gas Committee of the Corporation. Specifi- cation from Mr. Frederick A. Price, superintendent, Gas Department, Town Hall, Manchester, on payment of £1 Is. (returnable). Ottawa (Canada), February 3.—Steel Pipes.—About 42 miles of welded steel pipe, 54 in. internal diameter; about 32 miles of welded steel pipe, 58 in. internal diameter; and about 11 miles welded steel pipe, 51 in. internal diameter, for the Corporation. Forms and specification from Sir Alex. Binnie, Son, and Deacon, St. Stephen's House, Victoria Embankment, London, S.W. Sheffield, January 6.—Gas Mains.—Supply of 30 in., 24 in. and 20 in. diameter steel gas mains for the Grimes- thorpe Works, for the directors of the Sheffield United Gaslight Company. Specification upon application to the engineer, Mr. J. W. Morrison, at the company's offices, Commercial-street, Sheffield. Stavanger (Norway), January 11. — Gasometer. — Tenders are invited by the Stavanger Gasworks for a gasometer of 12,000 cubic metres capacity. Tenders to “ Gasvserkets Kontor,'' Stavanger.* * Specifications, particulars, &c., may be seen at the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, 75, Basinghall-street, E.C. Toronto, January 20.—Plant.—For the Toronto City Council, a complete mechanical filtration plant, boilers, steam turbo-generator plant, and all accessories, at Toronto Island. Specification from the Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, Department of Works, City Hall, Toronto * Warrington, January 7.—Steel Pipes.—For weldless steel pipes for feeding boilers, for the Electricity and Tram- ways Committee of the Corporation. Specification on pay- ment of 1 guinea (returnable) from Mr. F. V. L. Mathias, M.I.E.E., borough electrical and tramways engineer, Howley, Warrington. Woodham Ferris (Essex), January 8.— Water Main Laying.—About 2,372 yards of 3 in. cast iron water mains, together with certain valves and hydrants, at Woodham Ferris, Essex, for the Chelmsford Rural District Council. Specifications from Mr. James Dewhirst, A.M.I.M.E., the council’s engineer, Waterloo-lane, Chelmsford. Workington, January 31.—Retort House, fyc.—Complete vertical retort house and plant designed for one million cubic feet per diem, for the Gas Committee. Particulars from Mr. H. Chamberlain, Gasworks, Workington. * Specifications, particulars, &c., may be seen at the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall-street, E.C. COAL, IROH AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES. Aldwych Iron Company Limited.—This private company has been registered, with a capital of .£500 in £1 shares, to carry on the business indicated by the title. First directors: Bertram Imrie Hellyer and Raymond S. Hellyer. Registered office, Harpur-yard, Theobald's-road, W.C. British Coalite Company Limited.—The report states that the loss entailed on the operations for the 12 months to September 30 amounts to £11,627, in comparison with £11,192 for the previous year. This sum, however, includes a reserve of £4,060 for directors' fees, together with charges for interest on loans and debentures, fees of trustees and premium on redemption of debentures (of which £15,000 have been redeemed during the year), amounting to £5,678. Apart from these items the net loss for the year amounts to £1,889. During the year a scheme for the reorganisation of the company has been prepared by the directors, and is now awaiting the sanction of the court. Burnett Brothers and Co. Limited. — This private company has been registered, with a capital of £17,500 in £10 shares, to carry on the business of colliery agents, dealers in coal, iron and other metals and minerals, colliery proprietors, and smelters, &c.; also to carry on all kinds of metallurgical operations. First directors : A. George Burnett, 11, Brentwood-road, Sheffield, and A. C. Burnett, 5, Brentwood-road, Sheffield. Canada Iron Corporation Limited.—The general outline of a scheme of reorganisation of the Canada Iron Corpora- tion Limited has been prepared, but its completion is delayed by the necessity of first dealing with certain legal technicalities in Canada. It will probably be proposed that a committee should be nominated to work out the details of the scheme and to present it to a future meeting of bond- holders. Meantime, bondholders were advised that in these circumstances it would not be possible to meet the coupon which fell due on January 1. Provision for this coupon, it is notified, will in due course be made by the scheme. Carnbeath Coal Company Limited.—The directors, after placing an adequate sum to reserve, recommend a dividend of 7| per cent, for the year. Carnforth Haematite Iron Company Limited. — The directors have paid an interim dividend of 4 per cent, actual, free of tax. Cassel Coal Company Limited.—A telegram has been received from Johannesburg stating that in view of the fact that the company is expending about £60,000 in the development and equipment of the new mine, the directors have decided to declare a reduced dividend of 5 per cent. The new mine, it is stated, is opening out well and ought to be producing coal about the end of March. For 1912 the dividend was 7| per cent. Dominion Steel Corporation Limited.—Dividend of 1 per cent, upon the ordinary shares. Inverness Railway and Coal Company Limited.—The report, covering the period of two years ended June 30,1913, states that the result of operations for the two years is a net revenue of 170,747 dols. towards the payment of interest and other charges amounting to 423,512 dols., or a deficit in the operations for the two years of 252,765 dols. Main Colliery Company Limited.—The directors have resolved to pay an interim dividend on both the ordinary and preference shares at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum. Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Company Limited.—The directors have decided to pay an interim dividend of Is. per share on the fully-paid shares, and 4 8d. per partly-paid preference share, less tax. Snercold Engineering Company Limited.—This private company has been registered, with a capital of £27,000 in £1 shares, to carry on the business indicated by the title, and that of ironfounders, toolmakers, brassfounders and iron and steel converters, &c. , also to enter into an agree- ment with the Safety Device Syndicate Limited. First directors : C. B. Charleswortb, J. C. Charlesworth, G. J. Oakey, 0. W. Wallace and A. J. Tempest. Registered office, the Snercold Engineering Works, Hampton Wick, Middlesex. Wood (Edward) and Co. Limited.—Interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum on the ordinary shares for the half-year “ended November 30. Grimsby Coal Exports.—Shipments of coal from Grimsby during the week ending Friday, 26th ult., were:—Foreign ; To Aarhus, 1,427 tans; Antwerp, 434; Copenhagen, 475; Dieppe, 314; Esbjerg, 339; Helsingborg, 1,727; Limhamn, 2,208; Ronne, 733; Stocksund, 1,056; Malmo, 1,115; Hamburg, 479; and Ystad, 1,687 : total 11,994 tons, compared with 25,148 during the corresponding week last year. There were no shipments in the coastal trade. ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 4556 (1913). An Improved Construction of the Elevator- or Bucket-chain Drums of Screens. N. Taylor, The View, Roundhay, Leeds, and H. R. Marsden Limited, Soho Foundry, Leeds.—Relates to the drums for receiving or delivering minerals, grain or other materials from or to screens, and more particularly where a chain of buckets or other receptacles are carried round such drums as the latter rotates. According to this invention, one end of the drum is provided with a flange, to which is bolted the vertical web of a cast angle iron rim. The end of the screen is bolted or screwed on to the horizontal flange of the rim. From the rim, spokes extend outwards—i.e, inside the screen to the central boss, through which the shaft carrying the screen and the drum passes. The spokes are thus inclined to the shaft, and allow ample ro nn for the portion of the shoot within the drum. The spokes, which are preferably flat or of oval section, may be set angularly or Fig-1 F/a.2, e e (f L /n screw wise with respect to the shaft, that is to both the boss and the rim, so as to have a feeding action on the material in the desired direction. The boss, spokes and rim constitute the carrier for the drum and the adjoining end of the screen; the carrier being sometimes designated the “ spider." The vertical flange of the drum, to which the vertical web of the rim is bolted, is preferably set back somewhat, so as to form a circular rebate in this end of the drum, the edge of the rim of the spider fitting in this rebate. The object of this construction is to enable the screen to be removed and replaced without disturbing the feeding or delivery drum, or alternatively to remove and replace the drum without disturbing the screen. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section showing an elevator drum and one end of a screen connected together and both supported on the shaft according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a cross- elevation of the carrier or so-called “ spider." (Three claims ) 5342 (1913). Improvements in Coke Screens. A. G. Glasgow, of 38, Victoria-street, Westminster.—The screen is formed of narrow transverse bars or strips spaced apart and presenting a stepped series of surfaces to the material flowing by gravity across them which will cause the larger pieces of coke to be continually leaping down from one bar to another throughout the length of the screen without any appreciable sliding thereover, thus shaking the breeze particles to the bottom and through the spaces. Any desired separation (up to three times the quantity separated out with similar flow when any of the usual longitudinal screens of equal size—whatever the spacing—were substi- tuted for the screen) has been obtained with a screen under 7 ft. long constructed with transverse bars or strips pre- senting flat upper surfaces about 1 in. to 1| in. wide with intervening spaces of about 1 in. to 1| in. wide, the said surfaces being inclined at an angle to the horizontal less by, say, 10 to 25 degrees than the general inclination of the screen, which may be about 40 degs. to the horizontal. The dimensions and angles may be modified. The width of the bars and their spacing may be varied to suit the material to be screened and the degree of screening desired. The upper surfaces of the bars, instead of being flat, may be somewhat convex or concave, if desired. The accompanying drawings show one construction, fig. 1 being a part longitudinal vertical section, and fig. 2 a part plan of the screen. (Two claims.) 10483 (1913). Improvements in Dams for Mines and other Places. H. Herzbruch, architect, 7, Lloydstrasse, Datteln, in Westphalia, Germany.—According to the invention a dam is constructed in the form of a solid plug made of ferro-concrete or concrete, and having a conical abutment surface which bears against the rock, thus transmitting to the latter the pressure of the water. At the side facing the open pit, tunnel, shaft or the like, a solid or hollow extension is provided which makes a close fit with the pit. In this manner the water is prevented from passing around the plugging body. Thus the softening of the soil supporting the plug is avoided, while at the same time the possibility of the water leaking past is practically excluded, owing to the greatly increased resistance. It is immaterial whether this extension is hollow or solid, although from the point of view of economy it is preferably hollow. The closure is also provided, at the side facing the water pressure, with a similar extension which in this case is hollow. This con- siderably increases the length of the path which the water must traverse from the closed pit to the open pit, and, on