369 ________ .February 13, 1914. _______________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. ________________________________________________________________________________ EXPORTS OF COAL, COKE, AHO fflAHUFACTURED FUEL FROM THE OHITED KIHGDOM During January 1912, 1913 and 1914. January, 1914. January. Russia ............................... Sweden........................... Norway.......................... Denmark...................... ........................ Germany........................ Netherlands Belgium ........................... France.............. ............................ Portugal, Azores, and Madeira........ Spain and Canaries................... Italy ............................... Austria-Hungary.................... Greece ............................. Roumania ......................... Turkey............................. Egypt (including Anglo-Egyptian Sudan) Algeria..................... ................. Portuguese West Africa............... Chile............................................... Brazil ............................. Uruguay_________........................... Argentine Republic______................ Channel Islands .................... Gibraltar........................... Malta............................... Aden and Dependences ............... British India____.’.................... Ceylon _______.............................. Other countries........................ Coal—Small. Tons. £ 13,583 59,964 64,995 64,872 213,817 55,749 78,762 532,033 23,270 58,260 90,401 5,248 5,735 2,373 1,099 22,128 26,266 322 2,708 4,971 13,679 4,706 9,770 292 412 12,844 8,256 35,100 29,956 38,836 121,690 31,299 39,333 276,483 13,446 36,711 4 ,821 3,021 3,008 1,237 1,435 11,906 13,358 524 2,603 2,774 11,573 2,249 4,735 244 280 8,347 Coal—Through- and-through (unscreened). Tons. £ 7,942 24,906 14,196 64,493 205,754 46,056 34,271 308,879 34,505 101,797 181,139 19,286 12,252 5,241 16,66) 31,438 45,922 6,544 2,900 4,740 5,359 15,805 8,767 41,926 122,673 29,743 21,540 193,744 22,672 67,899 121,537 12,638 7,202 3,150 10,958 20,319 30,172 4,140 2,018 2,844 Coal—Large. Tons. £ All coal. Quantity (tons). All coal. Value (£). 1912. 1913. 1914. 1912. 1913. 1914 2,562 6,631 9,593 1,794 4,443 6,603 3,999 2,713 217,479 201,618 138,491 116,652 133,862 25,607 65,816 394,730 73,003 182,564 519,065 48,308 28,304 720 22,460 261,616 59,086 14,367 32,176 111,083 51,552 341,091 9,469 21,144 16,323 „ 12,079 1,545 38,127 93,468 155,735 142,579 92,906 79,477 87,118 17,402 43,514 311,476 60,447 148,293 428,963 33,389 24,502 729 15,107 209,530 47,218 12,167 26,520 102,337 45,537 294,581 7,094 17,728 13,549 10,870 1,094 32,959 76,341 1 93,087 287,783 212,968 255,151 576,394 158,162 165,783 938,833 109,174 396,459 841,845 73,490 63,040 1,010 43,745 306,916 109,535 41,816 40,082 ; 131,829 I 84,745 I 279,907 13,013 22,389 31,965 25,574 3,563 14,204 98,713 226,040 305,905 215,012 259,461 668,406 202,422 197,220 1,150,552 142,590 361,473 821,387 137,555 40,831 16,772 314,420 130,731 23,827 66,004 139,911 78,351 319,409 13,273 36,794 66,616 11,153 4,773 24,376 95,051 239,004 286,488 217,682 246,017 553,433 127,412 178,849 1,235,642 130,778 345,621 790,605 72,842 46,291 8,334 40,219 315,182 131,274 20,911 35,398 118,531 56,523 354,770 12,031 32,481 35,686 12,079 1,837 38,539 110,311 i 49,324 i 161,066 I 105,085 ! 131,970 I 276,905 i 79,397 75,593 515,814 71,880 253,869 545,200 37,494 36,986 ! 557 30,010 203,220 ! 60,874 I 33,761 i 28,957 j 105,159 ! 65,389 210,687 8,445 13,780 19,722 19,777 2,156 11,138 72,301 161,499 201,915 131,667 165,071 374,009 125,809 109,824 726,508 99,777 266,591 556,366 94,140 28,984 14,470 227,207 85,242 20,846 58,598 122,457 61,414 256,031 9.385 24,622 48,653 9,318 3,398 20,025 77,077 169,350 193,484 131,629 160,239 331,481 78,444 104,387 781,708 96,565 252,903 592,321 49,048 34,712 5,116 27,500 241,755 90,748 16,307 29,062 107,784 48,311 306,154 8,888 24,420 24,887 10,870 1,338 33,239 87,401 f Anthracite 1 Steam Total-! Gas Household L Other sorts 136,546 1,019,016 51,402 43,706 114,589 95,057 517,237 31,498 27,870 68,568 307,709 734,945 152,052 193,346 473,384 93,929 133,325 2,904,656 96,366 38,008 9,450 123,476 '2,278,681 68,879 61,147 6,979 241,924 3,945,278 827,198 139,679 267,096 298,308 4,417,993 901,364 145,726 306,927 269,871 4,231,381 885,713 131,714 276,091 191,612 2,416,105 411,668 76,953 133,178 244,697 3,034,066 522,411 91,943 190,816 218,533 2,989,264 573,761 89,017 169,476 Total 1,368,259 740,230 1,194,706 760,659 3,231,805 2,539,162 5,421,175 6,070,318 5,794,770 3,229,516 4,083,933 4,040,051 Total (January 1913) 1,399,714 775,171 1,230,306 718,136 3,440,298 2,590,626 — — — — — Total (January 1912) 1,228,898 554,770 1,117,589 561,451 3,074,688 2,113,295 — — — — — — Coke Manufactured fuel — — — — — — 113,871 148,932 107,095 196,739 124,256 169,945 83,569 108,959 101,722 158,648 107,434 148,208 Total of coal, coke & manufactured fuel - — — — — — 5,683,978 6,374,152 6,088,971 3,422,044 4,344,303 4,295,693 might be a want of experience. As to readmitting after stopping off, one very valuable piece of information would be to know the composition of the atmosphere inside the stopping. Turning next to fires in the main intake or main return, witness said that if the fire was in the intake the first thing would be to get the men out as soon as possible, even in a non-fiery mine, because the products of combustion must be carried into the workings. If it were in the return, they would have to prevent men travelling or being in the return to the windward side. Causes of Fires. As to the cause of fires, witness thought the main factor was oxidation of the coal, caused by allowing air to creep along breaks in the roof, or through the goaf— not necessarily being drawn in through breaks, in the strata; it might get in through pack walls. With the great majority of gob fires in goafs there was possibly a leakage of air through the goaf. He had heard it stated more or less frequently that fires were more likely to occur if the face was allowed to stand ; but he could not say that he could verify that from personal experience. He should not say that timber had always been a primary cause of fires, but he had known cases where fire broke out at the bottom of props in Stafford- shire. He would not be surprised to hear that it was frequently found that fires occurred in connection with timber in some districts. He did not put them down to the timber, but rather to the effect of the timber in keeping the strata open at that point. He was not aware that the G-erman Royal Commission considered the ques- tion of timber was so important that they said all timber should be rendered non-inflammable before it was sent down into a mine. (To be continued}. ________________________ coal. moK ahd ekoikeerikg cwpakies. Albion Steam Coal Company Limited.—The directors’ report for the year ending December 31 last shows that the profit for the year is .£24,094 7s. 2d., which reduces the balance standing to the debit of the profit and loss account to .£8,062 3s. 6d. If the development of the new seam had proved at all equal to expectation, the profit would have been considerably higher, but, unfortunately, there has been a great scarcity of workmen throughout the year, and owing to this and other reasons the growth of output from the new seam has been seriously retarded. Birks and Lockwood Limited.—This private company has been registered, with a capital of .£4,000 in .£1 shares, to carry on the business of manufacturers, importers, and exporters of, and dealers in iron, steel, and alloys of all description, and in particular crucible cast steel, and crucible steel of all kinds, &c. First directors : S. F. Birks and W. Lockwood. Registered office: 34, Edward-street, Sheffield. Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited.—The report for 1913 states that, after payment of debenture interest, the net profit amounted to 4 £76,106, making, with £35,193 brought forward, an available total of £111,299. Preference interest absorbs £6,000, and the directors place £25,000 to depreciation, £20,000 to reserve, and recommend a final dividend and bonus on the ordinary shares, making 15 per cent, for the year, carrying forward £40,056. Bolsover Colliery Company Limited.—Final dividend of 7 per cent, on the ordinary shares, and a similar amount on the founders’ shares. Consolidated Cambrian Limited.—The directors have decided to recommend to the shareholders a final dividend of 5 per cent, on the ordinary shares, making 10 per cent, for the year, and on the preference shares at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum, for the half-year to December 31. Dalmellington Iron Company Limited.—The directors have declared an interim dividend of 2s. 6d. per share, free of tax, on the ordinary shares, payable March 1. Dunlop (James) and Co. Limited.!— For year 1913 gross profit was £68,532. Deduct general expenses, legal charges, &c., £5,097; net profit, £63,435. Balance brought forward, £10,219. There has been paid half-year’s dividend on preference at 6 per cent., £9,000. Directors propose to provide for depreciation, £24,000; reserve for contin- gencies, £5,000; pay half-year’s preference dividend at 6 per cent, to December 31, £9,000; dividend on ordinary at rate of 6 per cent, per annum, £15,000 ; and carry forward, £11,654. The dividend for 1912 was 10 per cent. Fife Coal Company Limited —The directors recommend a final dividend on the ordinary shares at the rate of 30 per cent, per annum, making 27| per cent, for the year. Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds Limited.—The directors have declared an interim dividend for the six months ended December 31 last, at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum on the ordinary shares, free of income-tax. Insoles Limited.—The directors have declared an interim dividend at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum on the ordinary shares, for the half-year ended December 31 last. Lanarkshire Steel Company Limited.—The report for the year to December 31 last states that, including £16,126 brought forward, the profit amounts to £19,188. The directors recommend that £1,500 be appropriated for directors’ fees and the preference shares dividends paid, leaving £5,109 to be carried forward. No dividend is recommended on the ordinary shares. Marbella Iron Ore Company Limited. — The directors have decided to recommend a final dividend of 6f per cent., which, with the interim dividend paid in August last, makes a return for the year of 10 per cent, and absorbs (less income tax) £7,062, and to carry forward £1,717. Mather and Platt Limited.—For the year 1913 the directors recommend a dividend on the ordinary shares of 10 per cent, per annum, with a bonus of 5 per cent., both free of income tax, less the interim dividend of 5 per cent, already paid. For each of the last four years the bonus was 2 per cent. • North Central Wagon Company Limited.—The directors have declared an interim dividend on the ordinary shares at the rate of 13 per cent, per annum. Phillips, Griffiths and Co. Limited.—This private com- pany has been registered, with a capital of £4,000 in £1 shares, to carry on the business of colliery agents,J coal exporters and merchants, and colliery proprietors, &c. First directors: W. Phillips, Phoenix-buildings, Mount Stuart-square, Cardiff; and H. D. Griffiths, Holmby House, Griffithstown, Mon. Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company Limited.—Dividend for half-year to December 31, 1913, 10 per cent, on ordinary shares (free of tax), making 20 per cent, for the year, and at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum on preference shares (less tax). South Staffordshire Mond Gas (Power and Heating) Company Limited.—The report for the year 1913 states that the profit on revenue account is £11,252, a decrease of £1,816 as compared with 1912. The gross profit was £11,252, and after adding the balance brought forward and deducting debenture and other interest, the amount avail- able for dividend was £6,014. It is proposed to pay 2s. 6d. per share on the ordinary shares for the year, and to carry forward £1,381. For 1912 5s. per share was paid. Steel Company of Scotland Limited.—A special meeting of shareholders of the Steel Company of Scotland Limited has been held in Glasgow to consider the scheme for acquiring a half-interest in the Appleby Iron Company Limited, of Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. The proposal was agreed to. It was also agreed that the capital of the company be increased by the creation of 4,000 new shares of £10 each. The suggestion that they be reduced to £1 each was to be further considered by the directors. Stowell (W.) Limited.—This private company has been registered, with a capital of £15,000 in £1 shares, to acquire the business now carried on by W. Stowell at Newcastle-on- Tyne and elsewhere, under the style of W. Stowell, and to carry on the business of coal exporters, colliery proprietors, and miners, &c. First directors: W. Stowell (managing director and chairman), W. B. Deane and W. R. Stowell, all residing at Cathedral-buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Watson (John) Limited.—The report for the year ended December 31 last states that the profit for the year amounts to £109,742, which, with the balance from last year of £33,728, makes a total of £143,470, from which falls to be deducted interim dividend paid on ordinary shares, £15,000, leaving £128,470, from which the directors have written off for depreciation £10,000, and have transferred to ordinary reserve fund £15,000, and they recommend that the balance should be appropriated as follows:—To directors’ fees, £2,000; to balance dividend of Is. per share on the ordinary shares (making, together with the interim dividend already paid, 10 per cent, for the year) and also a bonus of 3s. 6d. per share, both free of income-tax, £67,500, leaving to be carried forward £33,970. Although higher prices were obtained for the company’s products during 1913 than in 1912, these higher values have been more than absorbed by the increased rate of wages paid to the company’s workmen, the increased cost of stores and materials and the expenses incurred in carrying out the new Mines Act, 1911, and all the new orders, rules and regulations imposed by the Home Office. The effect of this new legislation will be to add a further permanent increase to the cost of production, in addition to that already incurred by the Eight Hours Act, Minimum Wage Act, National Insurance Act, local taxation and to the more recent increase in railway conveyance rates demanded by the Scotch railway companies. Wellington Coal and Tilery Company Limited.—The annual report states that the balance of profit for the year