March 13, 1914.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

583

President remarked that similar shifts had been pro-
mised by Mr. J. T. Todd and Mr. Mitton, and he hoped
that they would be able to have a formal opening of the
library shortly.—On the proposition of Mr. Watson,
seconded by Mr. J. Knighton, the branch president, was
requested to read a paper at the next meeting on the
prevention of accidents from falls of roof and sides in
mines.

Mr. A. Millhouse, A.C.I.S., the secretary of Pinxton
Collieries Limited, is ascertaining the views of a number
of colliery secretaries residing in Nottinghamshire and
Derbyshire as to the formation of a branch of the
Chartered Institute of Secretaries, to be called the
“Nottinghamshire and District Branch.” A number
of influential colliery secretaries and others have signified
their approval of the scheme, the object of which is to
establish a more general means of intercourse between
members of the institute in the district, the promotion
of all measures tending to elevate the status of the
profession, and the interest of members generally.
Branches of the institute have already been formed at
Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, New-
castle, Sheffield, Cardiff and Johannesburg. All secre-
taries of joint stock companies who are desirous of
joining are invited to communicate with Mr. Millhouse,
Pinxton Collieries, near Alfreton, who will give them
all information.

The Midlands.

The Future of Coalmining.

Dr. John Cadman, Professor of Mining at the Bir-
mingham University, in the course of an illuminating
lecture on “ Coalmining: Past, Present, and Future,”
at the Midland Institute, Birmingham, on Monday night,
referred to the question of our coal supplies. The
matter, he said, was one for serious contemplation. New
discoveries and developments in science would necessitate
frequent examination of our fuel resources. The subject,
indeed, was of national importance, and we were apt
to treat it with considerable indifference. We had
a Geological Survey attached to the Board of Educa-
tion. We had a Mines Department attached to the
Home Office; but, unfortunately, the work of each
.was so distributed that it seemed to be nobody’s busi-
ness to attend to the important question to which
he was alluding. It was certainly desirable that
steps should be taken to remedy that defect. A
permanent arrangement should be made to enable the
Government and the public to be kept in intimate
touch with the available resources of its premier
industry. The future of coalmining in this country,
Prof. Cadman remarked in another connection, was
wrapt in problems of extraordinary difficulty. Those of
a mechanical nature did not cause much anxiety, for
engineering science had developed at such a pace that it
was not likely to fail to meet the call in that direction.
The control of temperature in deep-mining of the
future was one of the most difficult problems that had
to be met. It was one which posterity would have to
face.

Speaking of subsidence, Prof. Cadman said hydraulic
stowing would permit of great developments in this
country, particularly where new undertakings were set
up. Of course, it would mean an increase in the price
of the product, but that was something all were
prepared for.

To encourage mining education, the Cannock Chase
Colliery Company has instituted a scholarship at
Birmingham University to be awarded to a selected
student of the newly-opened Chasetown Mining Insti-
tute. The principal of the institute is primarily
responsible for recommending the particular student,
and the directors of the colliery will finally decide
whether and to whom the scholarship shall be granted.
The value is £60 per annum, tenable for three years, and
during vacations the student will be required to work, to
the satisfaction of the directors, as a pupil at the
Cannock Chase Colliery. The action of the colliery is
particularly commendable, and probably more would be
done by colliery companies in the direction of facilitating
studies if the existing advantages offered by the county
mining class were more fully appreciated. It is regret-
table that the excellent instruction given by the latter
is not used as it deserves, and it is becoming an
established fact that nominal fees result in miners
treating the classes as of nominal value.

Kent.

Stonehall Colliery—Local Gas Coal Contracts.

Rapid progress is being made with the development
of Stonehall Colliery, near Dover, where the surface
equipment is now practically completed, and the sinking
operations have commenced. After careful considera-
tion it has been decided to adopt the cementation
process in the sinking of the shafts, and this work will
be carried out by a Continental firm. Despite the fact
that the colliery has already been proved by a boring
which was put down by the Kent Coal Concessions
Company to a depth of about 3,700 ft., and proved over
100 ft. of workable coal, work is now in hand for putting
down another boring in the vicinity of the shafts, the
depth of this boring to be about 2,700 ft.

Last week the output of coal from Tilmanstone
Colliery amounted to 2,592 tons, and is still on the
increase. The permanent screening plant here has
passed its trial run with satisfactory results, and has
now started working. At Snowdown Colliery, where
they are also winding coal and sinking, No. 3 shaft has
been put down to a depth of over 2,085 ft., an advance
of 27 ft. for the week. The strata have been found to
correspond exactly with that of the Barfreston boring
adjoining.

After trials extending over several months, the
Sandwich Gas Company have decided to rely entirely
upon Tilmanstone coal for the manufacture of their

gas. The Deal and Walmer Gas Company have also
placed an order for 500 tons, followinggupon a previous
consumption of 1,000 tons.

Temporary colliery offices have been erected at
Westbere Court in connection with the Anglo-West-
phalian enterprise in that district, and the railway
siding has already been planned in readiness for the
conveyance of material over the colliery to the site.

Interesting discussions took place at the joint
meeting of the London Branch of the Mining Electrical
Engineers and the Kent Branch of the National
Association of Colliery Managers, held at Dover on
Saturday. There was a good attendance of members
of both associations, the chair being occupied by the
branch president of the National Association of Colliery
Managers (Mr. C. Kearton), who was supported by the
branch president of the Association of Mining Electrical
Engineers (Mr. Hood Haggie). The first paper to be
considered was that by Mr. F. J. Turquand, A.M.I.E.E.,
on “ Design and Maintenance of the Miners’ Electric
Lamps.” The paper on “Electric Pumping Plant at
Tilmanstone Colliery ” was thoroughly considered, all the
speakers paying a high tribute of praise to Mr. H. J. Wroe,
the manager of Tilmanstone Colliery—who was the writer
of the paper—upon the excellent manner in which he
had surmounted the many difficulties encountered in
bringing the sinking of the pioneer shafts in Kent to a
successful issue.

Dean Forest.

Sites for Colliers’ Cottages—Office of Woods Criticised.

It is declared that the house famine in the newly-
developing steam coal districts of this coalfield might
easily solve itself if the Office of Woods would agree to
sell, out of the Royal Forest estate, sites which would
be suitable, on which enterprising colliery workmen
might erect their own habitations. As the consequence
of representations made by the local sanitary authorities,
the Government Department named has consented to
sell certain areas in specified districts for collective
housebuilding schemes at quite reasonable rates, but
there is a strong body of opinion in the district that if
the Crown would sell equally good sites to individuals,
there would be no occasion to rate the district-for
collective building projects. With the view to inducing
the Government to Concede this point, Mr. S. J. Elsom,
chairman of the Free Miners’ Association, and of one
of the governing bodies, interviewing Mr. Runciman,
pressed for a reduction from the £320 per acre charged
in East Dean Township, and £260 in West Dean Town-
ship, to the same as the Government have offered to
sell to the councils. He was met by a blank refusal,
Mr. Runciman declaring that strong representa-
tions had been made that it would be unfair to
reduce prices now when for the past 50 years the
prices above-named had been paid by such Forest
colliers as had gone in for building on their own
account. In view of the two voices which had spoken,
Mr. Runciman was unwilling to do anything. At a
meeting of West Dean Council on the 5th inst., when
Mr. Elsom made his report, some members spoke
very strongly, contending that the Office of Woods
ought to be above listening to such an unworthy
argument. Meanwhile, Cannop Colliery Company, who
are developing a tremendous area of steam fuel in the
deep measures of this coalfield, and who will soon be
raising 1,000 tons a day, seeing little prospect of public
bodies meeting the cases of the much-needed house-
building projects, have themselves bought a large tract
of forest in the environment of their shafts, and sur-
veyors are busily engaged mapping out the ground and
preparing plans for the rearing of what has already been
spoken of as Cannop village.

Scotland.

The Dunfermline Pits—Miners’ Relief—Explosives in
Coalmines.

With the object of re-starting the Donald pit at
Townhill, the Townhill (Dunfermline) Coal Company
are at present erecting a new pithead frame. The
Donald pit, which is situated a few hundred yards to
the west of the company’s No. 7 pit, was sunk about
40 years ago, and although the better seams were
wrought out about 20 years since there is still much
valuable mineral lying in the upper seams. Power for
winding and haulage will be got from the Fife Electric
Power Company’s central generating station, which is
close at hand. As the seam is opened out it is believed
that if found practicable a virgin area known to be
lying full of good coal, and within the limits of the
company’s field, will be worked from the Donald pit.

The annual meeting of the committee of the Fife and
Kinross Miners’ Accident Funds charged with the
administration of the various funds which were
established after the occurrence of serious accidents in
Fife and Kinross, was held at Dunfermline on
Saturday. Mr. Charles Carlow, of the Fife Coal Com-
pany, presided. In his report Mr. Jas. Currie Macbeth,
the honorary secretary and treasurer, stated that the
permanent fund would be exhausted within a few
months, and that the committee would require to
consider what steps ought to be taken to perpetuate it.
Since the institution of the fund upwards of 300 cases
had received assistance, and at present there were 36
drawing allowances. It was remitted to a sub-committee
to consider the cases of those at present drawing allow-
ances, with instructions to report as to whether or not
alterations should be made. Arrangements were also
made for consideration being specially given to the
question of the perpetuation of the permanent fund,

At a meeting of the Scottish Branch of the National
Association of Colliery Managers, held on Saturday
evening in the Royal Technical College, Glasgow —
Mr. C. C. Reid, Cowdenbeath, the branch president, in
the chair—Mr, James Dry lie, Glasgow, read an important

paper on “ The Explosives in Coal Mines Order.”
Dealing with the new list of permitted explosives, the
author said he believed the effect of recent legis-
lation®was to abolish the gelatinous nitro - glycerine
class of explosives altogether in gaseous and dusty
mines. This Order was the result of statistics which
probably had been gathered together by the inspectors
in the various districts in which somewhat similar
conditions were already in operation. The chief point
of the Order was the introduction of what was termed
“ the limit charge,” and which, so far as he was aware,
was not considered in any of the Scottish collieries
previously. It seemed to him that the explosives on the
old Permitted List, and which were to be displaced after
March 15 next, were to all intents and purposes quite
safe, judging from the few accidents which had arisen.
Indeed, the statistics relative to the number of shots
fired and the enormous output of minerals from the
mines hardly indicated that the old Permitted Explo-
sives were responsible for deserving such drastic
measures as were about to be taken. From his own
experience in carrying out trials with some of the
new explosives, he could say that the results had
been very good on the . whole where the charge
required did not exceed 24 oz.—the action being slower
and more of a spreading nature. However, in some of
the Scottish collieries having longwall workings, and
where the carry of brushing was hard and heavy, and at
the moment required from 2J to 5 pounds of explosive,
the new order of things produced serious difficulties. In
such cases several boreholes would require to be drilled,
which would add tremendously to the cost.

There was one very serious objection to some of these
explosives which he should like to point out, and that
was that while they were very carefully put into the
testing cannon at the Government station at Rother-
ham, they would not receive the same careful attention
when in practical use underground. They would pro-
bably be well-pressed home in the hole, with the result
that they might fail to detonate properly, and through
weakness burn in the hole and be a source of great
danger. So far as the “ limit charge ” was concerned,
he was of the opinion that this would be observed more
in the breach than in the observance. The explosives
on the old Permitted List were not unduly dangerous,
and it would have been better if precautions had been
taken in the direction of improving the conditions
outside the shot-hole, instead of hampering the whole
industry by reason of the foolishness and misbehaviour
of a few isolated men.

Colliery managers, continued Mr. Drylie, if required
to select one of these new explosives, should consider
safety in handling and transport, relative high strength
and limit charge, and the absence of noxious fumes
in the products of combustion should also be a
further deciding factor. The best way for the
manager to come to a decision was to make a practical
test underground. The principal explosive manu-
facturers had done their utmost to delay and prevent
the operation of this new Order, and it might have
been better if the coalowners, in conjunction with
the managers of mines in which these Explosive Orders
applied, had obtained samples from the manufacturers,
tested them underground, and from the results they
could have materially assisted the makers in approaching
those in authority with a view to proving that the new
class of explosive would not be, in many respects, as
satisfactory as the old one. In closing, he might say
that the explosive manufacturers had devoted, and were
still devoting, time and energy to the producing of safe
and efficient explosives which had a practicable charge
limit and which were non-dangerous in mixtures of
firedamp and coaldust. Further, they were keeping in
mind the most important factor of all—that the pro-
ducts of combustion must not be injurious to the miner’s
health.

Presiding at the annual meeting of James Dunlop
and Company Limited, in London, on the 26th ult.,
Mr. R. M. Donaldson said that the expenditure item of
£18,465 was due partly to the money spent on outfit for
coal-cutting and electric pumping plant at the Clyde
Ironworks Collieries. They had a steady increase of
the water to be pumped at these collieries, and the
neighbouring coalowners have signed an agreement
sharing this burden. The company had made an invest-
ment since this year commenced in a small estate,
“ Hamilton Farm,” alongside their Carmyle coalfield.
The purchase price was between £18,000 and £19,000,
and this coalfield would be worked from the existing
pits at Clyde ironworks. Their object was not so
much to invest in land, but to add to their
mineral resources and increase their output of coal.
In this connection the speaker mentioned that
at the mining property in Ayrshire proving the
coal was going on, and the results so far were not
unfavourable, but they required further data before
giving a definite opinion on the subject. Mr. Macdonald
also commented upon the increasing competition of
imported iron and steel—chiefly from Germany—with
the home products. As compared with 1912, there had
been an increase in Scotland in imported steel plates of
30 per cent, during 1913, and for the whole of the
United Kingdom an increase of no less than 78’3 per
cent.

The annual meeting of the shareholders of the North
British Railway Company was held last week in Edin-
burgh. Mr. William Whitelaw, chairman of directors,
presiding, said locomotive coal had cost £110,000 more,
largely owing to increased price, but partly due to the
requirements of the extra traffic worked. They were
engaged at the present time in spending a large amount
of capital to prepare for the development of the mining
industry in Mid and East Lothian. The end of a huge
expenditure in the extension of Methil Dock for the
development of the mining industry in that county was
now very near.