464

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

Eebkuam 27, 1914.

Eskmeals ; the proper amount of carbon dioxide which
would have to be added to ordinary air to extinguish
fires could be ascertained, and the effect of this
atmosphere on’men could be noted. If the gallery
were to be charged with firedamp at its most explosive
point and then the proper quantity of carbon dioxide
added, men could enter the gallery with naked acetylene
lamps with absolute safety. The result of such experi-
ments might prove of inestimable value in the recovery
of mines after fires or explosions. It might be possible
to carry liquid carbon dioxide to an affected district and
to charge the air with the amount required to put out
any fires, without the least danger to any men who
might be imprisoned, and rescue work might be carried
on much more effectively than was possible at present.

Discussion was deferred.

Coke Oven Gas and Town Supply.

Mr. Leo Dorey Ford contributed a paper on “ A
Westphalian By-product Coking Plant which also
Supplies Town G-as.” He remarked that in England
within past years the question of the abolition of the
present candle-power standard for illuminating or
domestic gas had been much discussed. Definite steps
had at length been taken, and it seemed probable that a
more rational and practical standard, based on the
heating or calorific value of the gas, would be shortly
adopted, possibly universally. Should this be so,
colliery companies would be given a greater opportunity
for employing the surplus gas from their by-product
coke ovens for illuminating and household purposes. A
brief description of a modern plant which the writer had
had the opportunity of visiting in G-ermany might,
therefore, be of interest. This plant, which was erected
in 1909—in addition to its other duties, such as feeding
the boilers and gas engines and making the usual
by-products—supplied an entire Westphalian town of
close on 146,000 inhabitants with illuminating gas. A
feature of interest was that the gas and ammonia were
extracted from the gases while these were, comparatively
speaking, still hot, by means of what is known as the
Otto “ direct ” process.

The Otto direct process, although very similar to the
Koppers, was yet quite distinct, and decidedly simpler,
more compact, and less costly. Its chief advantages,
however, lay in the very considerable saving of steam
and in the quantity of water necessary for cooling and
for ammoniacal-liquor distillations and in the great
reduction in the quantity of evil and troublesome waste
water, to get rid of which had caused in the past, and
was still causing, so much trouble and expense.

A detailed description of the plant followed.

The following figures, which had been given by the
colliery authorities, might, however, be of interest,
although it should be understood that they were all
merely approximate:—

Dry coal consumed per 24 hours, 620 tons.

Analysis of coal: Water, 11 to 12 per cent.; ash,
5 to 6 per cent.; sulphur, 1’2 per cent.; nitrogen, 1*5 to
1*7 per cent.; and volatile matter, 18 to 20 per cent.

Output per 24 hours: Coke, 520 tons ; tar, 17 to 18;
ammonium sulphate, 7 to 7|; first product benzol, 5 to
5J; and illuminating and power gas, 7,000,000 cubic
feet.

The average output of illuminating gas is shown by the
following monthly figures:—1912: November, 33,130,160;
December, 35,994,612. 1913: May, 23,205,240; June,
21,969,040; July, 23,063,960.

The quantity of gas used for gas engines was as
follows:—1913: May, 25,324,440; June, 30,092,640;
July, 35,358,852.

The costs are shown to be as follows :—Coal, 12s. 6d.
to 13s. per ton; coke, including cost of coke-yard wages
and materials, 14s.; ammonium sulphate, £5 ; raw tar,
19s. ; benzol-light oil, £2; town gas, per 35,320 cubic
feet (1,000 cubic metres), 18s.—total, £10 4s.

Mine signalling apparatus was exhibited, and described
and demonstrated by Messrs. Meehan and Sons Limited,
Messrs. Siemens Brothers and Co. Limited, Messrs.
Hugh Wood and Co., and the British Electrical and
Manufacturing Company.

A speed and volume recorder, a fan suction gauge and
an optical pyrometer were exhibited, described and
demonstrated by the Leskole Company Limited.

At the annual meeting of the Great Central Railway
Company held at Manchester on Friday, Sir Alexander
Henderson (the chairman) said with respect to coal, the
increased tonnage last year was nearly 4,000,000 tons, and
their increased receipts £283,503, a large part of this increase
being contributed by shipments of 2,250,000 tons of coal
from Immingham, and by carriage of coal from Normanby
Park and stations west of Sheffield. Another satisfactory
feature was the fact that the shipments from Immingham
had not robbed Grimsby, the coal tonnage from Grimsby
last year being over 373,000 tons, as against nearly 303,000
tons in 1912. The receipts from coal, coke, and patent fuel
were .£1,808,828, and other minerals .£451,830. Referring
to the fact that the locomotive running charges were
.£160,000 up (of which the increased coal bill on locomotives
accounted for £115,000), the chairman remarked that during
1913 coal had cost them an average of nearly Ils. 2d. per
ton, or over Is. 8d. per ton above the previous year’s
arrangement. In answering the criticism that they ought
to be allowed to get better rates for carriage from the
colliery owners, the chairman said that that might cut both
ways, for, when coal was down, the colliery owners would
be likely to request lower freights.

THE SENGHENYDD DISASTER.

Hearing at the Home Office.

The concluding stage of the Home Office enquiry into the
circumstances of the Senghenydd disaster was commenced
at the Home Office on Friday, and brought to a close on
Saturday. The two sittings were entirely devoted to
speeches from the representatives of the various interests
involved in the investigation. The enquiry has been con-
ducted by Mr. Redmayne, the Commissioner appointed by
the Home Secretary, with Mr. Evan Williams and Mr.
Robert Smillie acting as assessors on behalf of the
coalowners and the Miners’ Federation respectively.

Speeches were delivered by Mr. Kenshole, who repre-
sented the owners; Hon. Trevor Lewis, for the manager
(Mr. E. Shaw) ; Mr. Nicholas, for the Miners’ Federation;
Mr. Brace, M.P., for the South Wales Miners’ Federation;
Mr. Clem Edwards, M.P., for the bereaved families; Mr.
Williams, for the Association of Colliery Deputies ; and
Mr. Frewen, for the South Wales and Monmouthshire
district of the Association of Deputies.

Mr. Brace said it was sufficient for him to say that he
looked upon the enquiry as the medium through which they
could suggest recommendations for amending the law in
a manner that would make a repetition of the tragedy
impossible. An amending Act was promised in this session
of Parliament, and he hoped the court’s decision would be
arrived at in time to enable the Home Secretary to graft on
to the forthcoming Bill a series of drastic amendments
which would give the men a chance for their lives in the future
in an entirely different manner from the past. To cause an
explosion there must be a light, and, therefore, he submitted
as the first precautionary measure that no naked light
should be allowed in a gassy or fiery mine. He also suggested
that no district should be ventilated with return air as the
Mafeking district was with return air from Kimberley.
He submitted electricity for hauling or signalling, or
lighting should not be permitted unless surrounded with
the most rigid safeguards. No overhead sheaves or rollers
should be permitted in any dry or dusty mine. It was
common ground between them that if the sheave did not
work and the rope worked itself up to the flange of a machine,
not only was it possible but it was by no means an
uncommon experience to have flames flashing from the
sheaves in consequence. He further submitted that there
should be electric lamps in general use in all dry and dusty
mines. He could not understand a mine where the firemen
reported a cap, but never reported quantities of gas being
explosive or as being accumulations. He was not going to
state that in his opinion the firemen were afraid to do their
duty. He should be very sorry to believe that, but the hard
fact as demonstrated in the evidence was that from some
reason or other the firemen at Senghenydd reported gas as
cap or diluted blowers, instead of explosive of accumula-
tions, and it appeared that something required to be done
to give the firemen some kind of feeling of security that
they must report the condition of the mine exactly as they
found it. He submitted that the firemen, instead of being
employed by the owner, should be elected by the workmen
and paid by the State.

The Commissioner ruled that the amendment of the
existing law with regard to the appointment of firemen was
not within the scope of the enquiry, as they had had no
evidence on the subject.

Mr. Brace, continuing, submitted that no place should be
left vacant either over timber or in any other way which
would act as gathering centres for great accumulations.
He was surprised at the interpretation put upon sub-
section 62 (3) by the management. They used the words
“ as far as practicable,” as relieving them from all obliga-
, tion to remove the dust from roof and sides, whereas the
true rendering of the subsection was that while they could
not remove all the dust, they should exhaust themselves in
removing as much of it as they possibly could. He asked
the court to recommend the deletion of the phrase from
the Act. He further proposed that a statutory obligation
should be imposed upon the employer to bring all the
coal to the bank. Another suggested recommendation
was the total prohibition of the use of any inflammable or
combustible material in the construction of the intake
airways, and that no combustible material should be left
lying about the roads at all. They proposed the use of
water zones to check the extent of explosions. They con-
sidered that all working places should cease work for eight
hours out of 24, so that the mine should cool. Mr. Brace
proceeded to urge the erection of emergency doors, and
pointed out that the rescuers were frequently hampered by
the want of doors. He also proposed that the number of
inspectors should be increased and that the court ought to
make a strong recommendation on this point.

Mr. Nicholas said it must not be taken that those he
represented assented to every proposition which Mr. Brace
had put forward. On the other hand, it must not be taken
that they dissented from them. As to the various theories
that had been put forward on the question of causes, they
contested the theory of the manager that the explosion
originated in the lamp-locking room. The other side com-
batted the theory that the signalling wires could have
caused an explosion of the explosive mixture, and he failed
to see why in that event they should have gone to the
great trouble of demonstrating that the signalling wires
were not in use. He did not think the court could be
satisfied as to the voltage in use at the colliery. There
were, in this case, numerous breaches of the Act. It was
for the court to consider whether the * cum ulative effect of
all these breaches of the Act was to show that in the
general discipline of the mine there was not laxity that
ought to be put a stop to. There was a breach in that the
lamp-locker was not appointed in writing. Then there was
a breach as to the constant production of an adequate
amount of ventilation. Mr. Shaw was not aware that the
ventilation fan had to be kept going constantly, but the
Act of Parliament was quite clear on the point. Readings
of the barometer had not been taken and recorded in a
prescribed book at the colliery. Then there was the
important matter of the reversal of the air current. That
work was not completed within the limits of time laid down
by the Home Office, the period being exceeded by a fort-
night. As to the measurement of the air, General Regula-
tion 40 prescribed the three places for measurement, and as

regarded 100 yards from the face, they knew that that
measurement had never been taken, and he thought that
was a serious breach. Then as to coaldust, he asked the
court to find that no steps were taken with regard to roofs
and sides, and that there was an absolute disregard of the
mandatory instructions of the Act. The most serious
breach of duty upon which the management were open to
criticism was in the matter of firemen. According to one
of the witnesses, reports from first to last 2| hours,
instead of 2 hours, were taken for the purposes of examina-
tion. He submitted that the districts were too large, and
that the inspector ought to be the person absolutely to
determine whether the size of a district was too large. As
to ventilation, the firemen’s reports contained nothing,
although section 17 imposed upon them the duty of
reporting in regard to ventilation. The court would not
approve of the stick method, which clearly some
of the men applied with regard to gas - testing.
It was a very striking illustration of the loose way in which
firemen’s reports were drawn up. The same language from
the same fireman should run through all these reports. He
also complained of the number of times that men other
than firemen were pressed to discharged the work. He was
not satisfied that the firemen on the afternoon shift were
discharging the Act of Parliament provisions in that more
than five hours had elapsed before any examination was
made. He asked the court to make it clear that when
there were a succession of shifts, as at this colliery, there
must be an obligation upon the firemen to make the exami-
nation each shift. In regard to the system of signalling,
open sparking, ought to be clearly defined. With regard to
the rescue brigade, there was a feeling that the very neces-
sary work of keeping down the fire might have distracted
the minds of those engaged in that work from other
parts of the pit. A number of East York men came
within reach of safety, but were unable to get into a
place of absolute safety. Some attempt ought to have
been made with a view to penetrating the smoke, and
the same observation was equally applicable to the
Bottanic district. If there had been some organisation,
with the aid of the rescue brigade, in the light of subsequent
events, an effort could have been made to have got into the
Bottanic district. He himself should like to see the mine
inspector going down a pit and calling for the fireman’s
report book, say “ Come round with me, and let me check
your examination.”

Dealing with the lamps, Mr. Nicholas maintained that
lamp stations should be placed above ground.

The Commissioner said they had come to a decision on
the unlocking of the lamps.

Mr. Nicholas said he advocated the compulsory use of
safety lamps. The owners accepted in practice the respon-
sibility, but the statute did not put it upon them, and he
doubted whether a man could be prosecuted for striking a
match. In places similar to the Lancaster level it all
revolved on the point whether there “is likely to be a
quantity of inflammable gas.” Under the existing law it
was questionable whether section 35 could be enforced,
looking at the matter from the common-law point of view.
On the question of watering, Mr. Nicholas contended that a
system for dealing with an outbreak of fire by water should
be established so that the pipes communicating with the
reservoirs and the bottom of the pit should be protected by
brickwork or something of that sort.

Mr. Clement Edwards commented upon the fact that no
director of the company had come forward to say that they
took reasonable steps as proprietors to see that there were
no breaches of the Act or regulations. There was not a
single important provision contained in the Act for dealing
with the different factors which go both to the initiation
and propagation of an explosion which had not in part
been violated by the management of Senghenydd Colliery.
There had been something like 12 or 14 specific breaches of
the Act, and most of them appertained to one aspect or the
other of the provisions which had been instituted for dealing
with and preventing explosions. Mr. Edwards contended
that under subsection 3 there was not even a loophole for the
management. In view of what happened at that colliery
12 years ago, and in view of the admissions of Mr.
Shaw and his officials as to the amount of dust, a
breach of the rule regarding systematic cleaning had
been committed which was fl igrant, wicked and culpable.
Then as to the source and origin of the explosion, if the theory
of the management was correct, it meant that they would
get rid of a grave personal and civil responsibility. No
single admission would be made in regard to Mafeking. He
maintained that between the lamp station and the main
shaft there was a mass of debris, and the force was known
with which the explosion escaped by the Lancaster level.
It was inevitable that if the fall had taken place before the
explosion, there must have been between it and the bottom
of the shaft a whole mass of loose stone and virgin rubbish.
The South Wales Miners’ Federation had made no attempt
to sift and collate evidence from their witnesses. They had
been thrown into the box, and four of them in light and
airy fashion had each advanced quite a distinct theory.

Mr. Edwards went on to argue that if the court accepted
Jones’s evidence—and it could not be controverted—they
could not resist the conclusion that there were two explo-
sions, the first being a mild explosion. He took it that the
court would recommend that the firemen’s districts should
be smaller, but he did not subscribe to the view that the
firemen should be elected by the men and paid by the
State. He thought a State servant should be appointed to
make a detailed examination of all the working places, and
to see that the firemen did in fact perform their duties. He
urged the court to make a recommendation on the great
need for a rescue brigade with apparatus at every colliery, a
substantial proportion of the brigade being men employed
on the surface.

Mr. Williams, representing the Association of Colliery
Officials, submitted suggestions to the Court as to the
best means of testing for gas. He hoped the Court would
state very clearly what the firemen’s duties were so far as
extraneous duties were concerned. He suggested that the
standard for firemen should be raised, and that it should be
necessary for a fireman to have a fairly good theoretical
knowledge of gases. Tracings of the districts should be
given to all firemen, showing any old workings. Some sort
of security should be given to the firemen to assist them to