248

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

January 30, 1914.

DH. HALDANE’S REPORT OH RESCUE
APPARATUS.

Sir,—With reference to Dr. Haldane’s report on
rescue apparatus, we notice you state the Meco is manu-
factured by the Meco Manufacturing Company, Sheffield.
We shall be glad if you will publish that same was
manufactured by the Mining Engineering Company
Limited, as there is no such company as the “ Meco
Manufacturing Company.”

Also, in your leading article you make a statement
that the injectors were found to be inadequate. There
is no statement made anywhere that the Meco injector
did not give an ample supply, and as you do not give
the actual tests of the Meco the statement is somewhat
misleading.

H. E. Jenkins, Managing Director,

The Mining Engineering Co., Ltd.
Meco Works, Moorfields, Sheffield.

January 24, 1914.

[We gladly correct the misdescription referred to by
Mr. Jenkins, which was reproduced from the report.
The second point to which he refers is also a perfectly
fair one. Dr. Haldane stated that, “ with ordinary
walking exertion the helmets of the Draeger or Meco
apparatus becomes so charged with CO2 as to cause
great distress in breathing, or even rapid disablement if
the apparatus is not working very well. The current
driven by the injector through the purifier is quite
insufficient to wash out the CO2 in the helmet.” With
the mouthpiece type, he admitted, the disadvantage was
far less marked, and if the injector was working well
there was, with ordinary exertion, no distress from CO2.
He added, however, that the injector is very liable to
get out of order, “ and is certainly a source of serious
complication and weakness.” At the same time, from a
scientific point of view, it would have been an advantage
if the details of experiments upon which conclusions are
based had been stated in a form more suitable for scrutiny
A reason for this may be found, possibly, in the desire
to test the efficiency of the apparatus, under the extreme
conditions of excitement and haste, which unfortunately
are at times associated with rescue work; and it may be
noted that several of the tests had particular reference
to fire brigade work, the conditions of which are even
more strenuous. For this purpose the appliances tested
were probably, in some cases, taken very much as they
were found. Unintentionally, no doubt, the result may
be rather unfair to the makers, who can only be
expected, up to a limited degree, to provide for the
vagaries of the human factor, and to obviate the dangers
arising from neglect and misusage.—Ed. C.G.']

THE SENGHENYDD DISASTER.

Home Office Enquiry Resumed.

The Home Office enquiry in regard to the Senghenydd
explosion was resumed at Cardiff on Tuesday, Mr. R. A. S.
Redmayne sitting as Commissioner, Mr. Evan Williams
(chairman, South Wales Coalowners’ Association), and Mr,
Robert Smillie (president, Miners’ Federation of Great
Britain), as assessors.

Mr. Edward Shaw, the manager, who had already been in
the box for 11 hours on the two days when the Commissioner
previ usly sat, was recalled. At the outset Mr. Shaw was
asked some questions in regard to the arching, which, he
said, lasted a very short time.

Mr. Trevor Lewis examined witness as to a suggestion of
Mr. Clem Edwards regarding the first plan given to the
explorers. Mr. Nicholas, however, objected to the inquest
evidence being brought in, and the Commissioner upheld
the objection. It was agreed that Mr. Greenland Davies
should be called.

The Commissioner then questioned the witness. The
latter s?»id he had not tried barrel arching, but agreed that
it was worth trying.

In reply to Mr. Smillie, witness said the arching was put
in abont eight years ago, and at the time of the explosion
witness was having it taken out as fast as he could. The
ground there was not settled now. There was a heavy
crush, and they had difficulty in keeping the road open.

The Commissioner then proceeded to deal with indications
of forces. Mr. Shaw said practically all the forces along
Kimberley were in-bye. The Commissioner put it to witness
whether he thought a second explosion might have occurred
in the Mafeking storage. Mr. Shaw did not think so, but
thought there might very likely have been a great recru-
descence of force. If the first explosion had been a weak
one, and passed over the Mafeking storage, raising a large
quantity of dust, and there had been a great recrudescence
of force, the Commissioner suggested it would have the
effect of blowing in-bye and out-bye. Witness agreed that
in all explosions they had a conflict of indications. They,
therefore, had to disregard the lighter indications, and take
those of very great force.

Witness was next cross-examined by Mr. W, Brace.

Witness could not say on which side the collars showed
most signs of burning. He did not know that Mr. Brace
had seen that they showed more heat on the outside than
the inside. The Bottanic might be a little nearer the lamp
station than the other districts. The Bottanic was more
dusty than the other districts. Witness agreed that it was
very problematical where the explosion originated, and
could at best be only based on the preponderance of
evidence.

The Commissioner at this point said he proposed to call
the experts at the end, followed only by the mines
inspectors.

Mr. Nicholas cross-examined to show that there were two
separate explosions or reports. Witness agreed that there
might be more than one report from the same explosion.
That the force of the explosion had been checked in the
No. 2 South witness attributed to the fact that stone-
dusting had taken place along the roads there.

Barometric Readings.

The reading of the barometer on the surface and the
entering of the daily readings in a book kept for the purpose
were other points raised. Mr. Shaw stated that though the
readings were daily made by the firemen, they were never
entered in any book. The practice was that the fireman
was to read the barometer.—Mr. Trevor Lewis, on behalf
of the manager, held that it was arguable on whom the
responsibility rested, and said he was prepared to deal with
the question at a later stage.—Mr. T. Richards suggested
that it was the duty of someone to read the barometer, and
also record his readings in a book.—Mr. Redmayne said that
was quite clear from the Act itself.

Mr. Clem Edwards asked if it was improbable that the
explosion should start at a point, run down one road, then
back to the point where it originated, fed by dust ? Mr,
Shaw replied that it might be possible, but when the
question was put specifically with regard to the Mafeking
district witness said it would not be possible there, because
there was no dust on the floor, though the sides and roof
might be somewhat dusty.

Mr. Nicholas raised a matter which had cropped up
earlier as to where the firemen’s report books were kept-
Right throughout the coroner’s inquest they—even the
coroner himself—proceeded on the footing that these books
were kept in the lamp station. That day they were first
informed that these firemen’s report books were taken up
the pit. He protested against that.

Mr. Shaw said he had not stated that the books were in
the lamp cabin.

The Court adjourned.

Inspection of Cavities.

On Wednesday several firemen were examined, Mr.
William Chidsey, the day fireman in the Mafeking district,
stating that he could get through his work of examination
within the statutory period of two hours from the beginning
of a shift. The Commissioner remarked that it had been
proved that the ventilation measurements were not
conducted according to the provisions of the Act. Witness
said he had had from five to eight blowers in his district,
but if a place contained 2 per cent, of explosive gas he
would mark it off, and shut it down. The blowers were
mostly in back roads and in the overhead cavities. Witness
was next cross-examined as to his examinations for over-
head cavities. When the examination had to be conducted
at a high level he used a ladder ; at other times the
lamp on a rod. There were only two places where
he had to use a stick. He could use the lamp in that
way for accumulation tests, but not for percentage tests.
He thought he could see the flame, but not a cap. The
Commissioner observed that he could not understand how
gas could be found with the lamp on a rod that height—
9 ft. In reply to Mr. Evan Williams, witness said he could
not give an instance where he had found gas in a cavity.
The Commissioner said he never would use a great rod like
that.

In reply to Mr. T. Richards, witness said he had never
measured for air. He could do so if provided with instru-
ments. He did not know the volume could be very accu-
rately measured by observing the time it took dust to go a
certain distance and taking measurements of the space. The
barometer readings had not been entered in a book because
no prescribed form was issued.

James Opey, night fireman in the Mafeking district,
denied that the hustling of traffic was part of his duties.
In reply to Mr. Edward Williams, witness said he had no
difficulty in carrying out the statutory duties.

Proceeding to examine witness, the Commissioner asked
if he had ever seen a damaged lamp since he had been a
fireman. Witness replied that he had not, and the
Commissioner, in view of the fact that the previous witness
had seen no damaged lamps in three years, expressed
surprise. He said that in view of his experience in other
places he found great difficulty in believing that three
years had gone by without there being a damaged lamp in
the Mafeking district. The management said the record
of damaged lamps should be produced.

The fireman Chidsey was now re-called to illustrate how
he would test for an accumulation of gas with a stick. The
method was criticised as impracticable by the Commissioner
and the miners’ representative, and Mr. Edward Williams
(representing the Examiners’ Association), protested

against such a system. He and those he represented felt
strongly on the point, and they disapproved of it. They
contended, too, that it was an illegal practice. It was, said
Mr. Williams, a dangerous plan.

Richard Davies, night fireman in the Aberystwyth
district, was examined at length as to the method of
discovering gas. He could not conscientiously say that by
using a 6 ft. stick he could tell whether there was 3 per
cent, or 4 per cent, of gas there.

Reference was then made to the adjournment of the
enquiry pending certain experiments at New Tredegar, and
the Commissioner offered to sit late to make up for the lost
time.

In answer to a question by Mr. Kenshole, the Commis-
sioner said he intended to call Mr. Nelson, the electrical
inspector of mines, late—not this week. He should call
Mr. Thornton also. It would be convenient if all the
experts were called the same day, and he would endeavour
to give two or three days’ notice.

The enquiry was adjourned until to-day, and it is under-
stood that after Saturday there will be no sitting until
Thursday of next week, to meet the convenience of the
miners’ representatives.

W	MIL TIME

Thursday, January 29.

The London coal trade during the past week has been
severely hampered by the prevailing strike amongst the car-
men and loaders. The difficulty was further complicated
by the stop put upon the loaded wagons labelled for certain
of the London stations, and in many cases held up at out-
of-the-way points along the route, although it was clearly
shown that the wagons were earnestly wanted at their
destination. All advertised prices have been withdrawn,
and also the colliery list prices, so that the deliveries in
nearly every case have been subjected to the daily fluctua-
tions. In many cases where householders and large
institutions have imperatively needed the supply, the only
means of getting the coal has been by sending improvised
carts and vans, motors, taxi’s, barrows, and even
perambulators, with a certain number of willing workers to
load up from the trucks in the siding, and delivering the
coal at the required destinations. On Monday last it was
very noticeable on the market how many of the younger
members of the well-known firms had been busying
themselves with loading into sacks and weighing the coal
ready for the consumers to convey to their required
destination. The unusual exertion, however, had a telling
effect in the shape of increased appetites, and unfortunately,
blisters and backache. The clerks and travellers readily,
however, co-operated with their principals in doing their
utmost to meet the present emergency. Coupled, however,
with this serious dislocation of the daily output the severe
cold weather brought in an unusual rush for orders from the
general public absolutely beyond the power of any of the
principal merchants to cope with; as the week advanced the
weather turned much milder, and better influences were at
work by which the loaders and carmen decided to resume
work, and on Wednesday’s market it was announced that
all the different depots were fully at work with their usual
complement of men, and, for the present, the difficulty was
at an end. Some six or seven of the requirements scheduled
on behalf of the men have been conceded, but the main
point—namely, the advance of Id. per ton extra to both
loaders and carmen—has been declined and the men have
unanimously decided to return to work at the old rate. The
question now arises as to bringing forward the troop of
loaded wagons stopped on route, and getting them into the
various depots and sidings ready for clearance. Many of
the large heaps on the depots have, during the interval, been
broken into, and the coal consuming weather has considerably
lessened the available quantities on hand, so that unless the
loaded wagons are brought forward quickly, a considerable
shortage in London is apparent. The seaborne market has
remained throughout, very little affected by the present-day
difficulties as the vessels have come forward with great
regularity, and none being on offer, prices are as before—
viz., 21s. 6d. for best Wall send, and 20s. 6d. for seconds.
36 vessels arrived in the Thames for Monday’s market, and
six for Wednesday’s. Bakers’ nuts and kitchener cobbles
have been most in demand, but during the whole of the
week, any kind of house coal has been strongly in demand.
Manufacturing qualities have been somewhat neglected, but
it is plainly noticeable that factories have had to fall back
almost exclusively upon the stock of fuel on hand.

Worn Messrsi DMi&ihu Famous and Co.’s Rcpoft

Friday, January 23.—There was no alteration in the sea-
borne house coal market to-day, no cargoes being on offer.
Sharlston W.E. (Yorks) 22s., Sharlston Main (Yorks)
20s. 6d; Cargoes 24.

Monday, January 26.—The demand for seaborne house
coal was very good to-day, but no cargoes pressing for sale.
Sharlston W.E. (Yorks) 22s., Sharlston Main (Yorks)
20s. 6d. Cargoes 36.

Wednesday, January 28.—There was a good demand for
seaborne house coal to-day, and two cargoes of Durham
were sold at quoted prices. Best Durham 21s. 6d., seconds
20s. 6d., Sharlston W.E. (York) 22s., Sharlston Main 20s. 6d.
Cargoes 6.

Grimsby Coal Exports. — The exports of coal from
Grimsby during the week ended Friday, 23rd inst., as
shown by the official returns, recorded a total shipment of
26,399 tons foreign and 126 tons coastal, compared with
20,630 and 169 respectively during the corresponding week
last year. DetailsForeign: To Aarhus, 1,770 tons;
Antwerp, 572 ; Carlscrona, 1,008 ; Christiania, 107 ; Copen-
hagen, 1,243 ; Dieppe, 1,035 ; Esbjerg, 1,178 ; Hamburg,
866; Helsingborg, 2,103 ; Malmo, 4,870; Nakskov, 894;
Narvik, 3,220 ; Odense, 991 ; Rotterdam, 485 ; Stockholm,
1,506 ; Vestmannaeyjer, 992 ; and Ystad, 3,559. Coastal;
To London, 96 tons ; and Southwold, 30.