1026

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

May 8, 1911.

On Tuesday a large meeting of the colliery managers of
Cumberland was held at the Coal Trades’ Office, Working-
ton. In the unavoidable absence of Mr. R. Steel (Welling-
ton Pit, Whitehaven), Mr. Andrew Miller (Harrington)
occupied the chair. Mr. A. Thom, of Moresby, read a paper
on “ Modern By-Product Coking Plant.”

Yorkshire.

Progress at Harworth—Water Supply at Adwick—Another
Housing Conference—The Protection of Motors.

Rapid progress is being made with the arrangements for
the sinking of the new Harworth Colliery. One of the
headgears is already erected, and the other is nearing com-
pletion. The tubes to be used in the freezing process are on
the ground ready for the commencement of operations. A
further large detachment of foreign workmen—Germans,
Austrians, and Italians—is expected, and during the pro-
gress of the sinking work the number of Continental
mechanics and labourers at Harworth will, it is expected,
reach 250.

The Brodsworth Colliery Company is undertaking the
supply of, water to the big district of Adwick-le-Street, pend-
ing an arrangement with the Leeds Corporation. The work
of putting down large new pipes between Adwick and the pit
is to be put in hand at once by the colliery company. At
Adwick the colliery company have sunk a 9 in. bore, and
have tapped an unlimited supply of water. This will be
forced through pipes to a reservoir proposed to be erected to
the west of the Woodlands model village, and which will
serve the colliery company for steam purposes, washing
coal, etc.

The local authorities of the Doncaster district are yielding
to the pressure of the Local Government Board, the Arch-
bishop of York, and others, to do something in the direction
of town-planning this great mining area, and prevent the
mistakes of overcrowding, bad building, and insanitation
which are associated with some of the older colliery centres.
Last week there was a further conference of authorities, and
housing and town-planning experts, held at the Mansion
House under the presidency of the Mayor. The purpose of
the assembly was again to meet Mr. Thomas Adams, the
Local Government Board Town-Planning Inspector. In
addition to Doncaster Corporation and the West Riding
County Council, six other local authorities were represented.
Since the last conference three months ago considerable pro-
gress was reported by several of the authorities. The Don-
caster Rural District Council reported having proceeded with
another scheme for Carcroft, in the Bullcroft Colliery area,
and the Thorne General Purposes Committee had, it
appeared, recommended their council to proceed with a
scheme for Thorne and Stainforth, at both of which places
pits are being sunk. It was also reported that Mex-
borough Council had taken steps to initiate a scheme in their
area. The proposed extension of the borough of Doncaster
had somewhat delayed matters in the immediate neighbour-
hood of that town, but it was proposed to form a joint Town-
Planning Committee for Doncaster, Wheatley, Balby, and
the rural district. Bentley was considering the question of
proceeding with an independent scheme. Mr. Adams ex-
pressed satisfaction that there seemed to be evidence of an
intention on the part of the various local authorities to go
forward with the preparation of schemes in the near future.

A meeting of the Yorkshire branch of the Association of
Mining Electrical Engineers was held at Leeds on Saturday.
A paper by Mr. F. Smith, of Pinxton Collieries, on “ Repairs
to Electric Plant,” was read and discussed.

A paper entitled “ Explosions ” was read by Mr. Barker
North, A.R.C.Sc. (London), Assistant Professor of Chemistry
at the Technical College, Bradford, at a meeting of the West
Yorkshire branch of the Association of Teachers’ and Tech-
nical Institutions, held at the Bradford Technical College
on Saturday last. Speaking of explosives, he said it had
been shown that explosives which were usually safe might
become very unsafe if not sufficiently well mixed, and the
finer and more intimately mixed the components were,
the higher would be the degree of safety in the finished pro-
duct. It had been stated that certain explosives did not
ignite firedamp, but it was probable that with a certain
maximum charge the safety of all explosives yet devised
ceased. During the discussion Dr. Pohl said that where
electric motors wTere being used in mines there was danger
if they were not properly designed. The way to prevent the
danger was to design the motors so that if an explosion
occurred inside them it could not be transmitted. His own
firm manufactured these motors, but always tested them in
an explosion chamber. The motors were exploded in the
chamber and no explosion had to take place outside. He
suggested that electrical engineers would be considerably
helped in their work if the chemists could devise some scheme
of obtaining in a reliable manner a mixture of coal gas and
air which was always the same. If they could get that sub-
stance electrical engineers would be very grateful to them.

Mr. G. H. Ash win, the agent and general manager of the
Wath Main Colliery Company Limited, presided at a dinner,
followed by a presentation, at the Red Lion Hotel, Wath,
to mark thie 25 years’ service as secretary of Mr. G. C. Hat-
field, who is retiring into private life. The presentation
consisted of a silver salver, bearing an inscription. Mr.
Hatfield is succeeded by his son, Mr. G. H. Hatfield, of
Rotherham.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

A Central Meeting-Place for Engineering Societies—Iron Ore
Developments in Furness.

The movement towards the establishment of a common
meeting-place for engineering and technological societies in
Manchester reached the end of its first stage on Friday,
when the conference called by Sir Thomas Holland took
place at the rooms of the Manchester Geological and Mining
Society in John Dalton-street. The main object of the
meeting, to discuss general principles and appoint a pro-
visional organising committee, was attained. The societies
and institutions represented were the Institutions of Civil
Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers, and
the Junior Institution of Engineers ; the Manchester Associa-
tion of Engineers, the Society of Chemical Industry, the
Association of Mining Electrical Engineers, the Manchester
District Engineering Trades Employers’ Association, the
Manchester Geological and Mining Society, the Textile
Institute, the Association of Gas Engineers, and the
Engineers’ Club. Sir Thomas Holland, who was voted to
the chair, said that in discussing the objects of the conference,

the form of co-operation contemplated had theretofore been
referred to as affecting the engineering profession. He
hoped that expression would admit of a more generous
interpretation than that to which it is being gradually
restricted by popular usage, because the functions of the
engineer overlapped those of the various types of techno-
logists who give a special tone to the industrial progress of
the Manchester district. What was contemplated by most
was co-operation between the technological societies of the
district having common interests in the scientific aspects of
technical problems, as distinct from purely commercial or
political questions. The chairman’s proposal that it was
desirable to formulate a scheme of co-operation primarily for
the purpose of providing a common meeting place and
reference library was carried. It was also resolved that the
scheme to be devised should not provide for any amalgama-
tion of the societies of a kind to interfere with their present
affiliation to London institutions, their present arrangements
for prescribing professional qualifications, or their established
methods for promoting the interests of their special
professions.

During the past few days a considerable amount of
activity has been displayed in the Dunnerholme district of
North Lancashire, near Dalton-in-Furness. A party of
engineers has been busily surveying the land in the locality,
which is in the iron ore neighbourhood, and it is reported
on reliable information that the royalities over this area
have been secured by an influential syndicate of gentlemen
from the Midlands, who are closely associated with the
iron and steel industries.

Preparations are being pushed forward for the opening
out of the new Arley and Trencherbone mines which have
been sunk at the Astley and Tyldesley Coal Company’s
Kermishaw Nook pits, Astley. The Tyldesley Coal Com-
pany Limited are also opening out an extensive new
Trencherbone mine at the Cleworth Hall Colliery,
Tyldesley.

Mr. John Burrows, of the firm of Messrs. Fletcher,
Burrows and Company, of the Atherton (Lancashire)
collieries is, a local correspondent learns, to have a 12
months’ tour abroad, after which he will settle in the
neighbourhood of London. Mr. Burrows is one of the most
popular colliery proprietors in Lancashire.

Notts and Derbyshire.

Reported Find of Coal at Newark—Developments at
Swanwick Colliery.

A letter has been addressed to the Financial News by
Messrs. Best and Best, solicitors on behalf of the Coal and
Iron Development Syndicate Limited, which has reference to
a report published by that paper that a letter was being
sent out from a Manchester address by a party who referred
to certain oil discoveries, and stated he had secured the oil
rights over the “ surrounding territories ” of the boring.
Messrs. Best state that the area—some 6,000 acres in extent
and situated at Newark, Nottingham—is controlled solely
by the Coal and Iron Development Syndicate Limited, who
put down the boring in which true petroleum, in true
petroleum-bearing strata new to this country, has been
struck, as certified by Sir Boverton Redwood after full
investigation. The oil has been submitted to tests by the
British Admiralty. The oil is a fuel oil, and believed to
be eminently suitable for Navy requirements. Further
development in the field is contemplated, and no one has
any control but the aforementioned syndicate, or any option.
In the course of the boring operations the well-known
Barnsley bed, or top hard seam, was struck in considerable
width and at a good paving depth.

Operations have now commenced in connection with the
scheme for mining and railway extension at the Swanwick
Collieries belonging to Mr. R. C. A. Balmer Morewood, of
Alfreton Hall. A new shaft is being sunk in the Sleetmoor
area, and a railway from the proposed new colliery is being
made to the Midland Company’s line at Leabrooks. All the
coal at the present time has to be drawn up the gang road
by a stationary engine. The new railway will cross the
gangway, and the entire system of haulage will be done
away with. The earth from the proposed railway track is
being removed by a gigantic steam digger. The new shaft
is now a few yards down, and building operations for the
new machinery are on hand. The scheme is a large and
enterprising one, and will bring the workings thoroughly
up to date.

The Midlands.

Baths in Cannock Chase—South Staffs Mines Drainage.

The question of installation of bathing accommodation has
been discussed in the Cannock Chase district, and it has
been urged that optionality of use by miners is an undesirable
feature, as many men would not avail themselves of the
facilities if offered, a particularly regrettable point on account
of the excellence of the accommodation and the absolute
privacy existing in the case of collieries possessing the
facilities, warm showers and separate cubicles giving a
combination which can merit nothing but praise. The
withdrawal of option of use could not be reasonably objected
to by miners, and it was pointed out that, had there been
no statutory provision requiring the owners to provide
bathing accommodation, and had the men’s unions unsuc-
cessfully demanded the introduction of the baths, miners
would readily have consented to strike in order to force
action, yet when the men may have the provision by
signifying their desire by ballot, the subject is treated with
indifference. Installation of baths in miners’ homes is not
thought to be either a practicable or desirable alternative
as the actual sphere of such baths does not take cognisance
of a receptacle for coal, cycles or broody hens. When, a
generation hence, miners will be anxious to use bathing
facilities, an unreasoned and unthankful point may be raised
in it being contended that the time occupied in bathing
should form part of the day’s work, urging the contention
on the basis of the well worn compensation phrase that the
grime arises “ out of and in the course of the employment.”

The reports to be submitted at a monthly meeting of the
South Staffordshire Mines Drainage Commission have been
issued. Reporting on the work of the Tipton district, Mr.
E. Howl states that the pumping had been 9,945,100 gallons
per 24 hours, compared with 9,538,600 the previous month
and 13,129,000 in the corresponding period last year. At
the Moat Pound the quantity of water to be raised remained
about the same. The water at the Bradley engine was

practically the same as a month ago. There was some
increase of water at the Deepfields engine, but the new
engine alone was keeping it down to bottom coal level. The
Herbert’s Park engine had worked uninterruptedly during
the month at full speed. The water was sinking at Lea-
brook, and there was a slight increase at Park-lane. In
regard to the Old Hill district, Mr. W. B. Collis states that
the water at the pumping engines had further decreased.
The Buffery engine was now being worked at intervals only.
The long length of underground level between Buffery
engine and Windmill End engine had been thoroughly
repaired, and was now in good condition. The water in the
Saltwells and Waterfall-lane pounds remained at the same
level.

Kent.

Tilmanstone Colliery Restarted—Mineral Rights near
Faversham—Kent Coal and London Power Scheme—
Progress at Dover.

On Monday it was officially stated that the Tilmanstone
Colliery pits had been cleared of water and that the workings
to the rise were free. It was hoped to start work again
in the pits during the next 24 hours. The unwatering would
have been completed fully a week ago but for the fact that
for the first time since the electrical pumping plant has been
installed a stoppage occurred during which some ground was
lost.

At a meeting of the trustees of Faversham charities last
week a letter was read from a syndicate asking the trustees
to sell the mineral rights under their farm at Hernhill.
It was stated that the same syndicate had approached the
Governors of the Faversham Grammar School for similar
rights but they declined, as many other large landowners
in the district had, to entertain the matter, as it was thought
that the applicants were a small syndicate endeavouring to
get the land to sell again at a profit. The trustees were
of opinion it would be more profitable to wait, and they
instructed the clerk to reply that they could not entertain
the matter.

With reference to the proposed coal railway at Dover, the
Dover, St. Margaret’s and Martin Mill Light Railway Com-
pany have given the statutory notice of their intention to
apply to the Board of Trade for an extension of the time
limited by section 28 of the Order of 1909 for the construction
of the railway authorised by that Order, for a period of five
years. The object of this railway was to run it from the
east of Dover along in the vicinity of the sea front to a
proposed coal dock in the vicinity of the Admiralty Pier.

At Snowdown Colliery there is still some 40 to 50 feet
to sink before the 4 ft. 7 in. seam is reached, and the
sinking is now in softer ground. The present pit bottom in
No. 3 pit is now about 2,200 feet.

Highly satisfactory reports are to hand from the Dover
Corporation with reference to their trials of the Tilmanstone
coal at the electricity works and at the waterworks. In the
former place slight alterations are being made to the
furnaces.

The matter of the Kent coalfields was brought up in a
report recently issued by Messrs. Merz and McLellan to the
special committee of the electricity supply of the London
County Council. In the course of the report it is stated
that consideration has been given to the possibility of the
generation on the coalfields, but the report suggests that this
matter should await the further development of the Kent
coalfield when freedom should be retained to obtain coal
from as many sources as possible, and that increased trans-
mission costs would cover any saving in carriage except for
loads at high load factor.

Satisfactory progress continues to be made at the Shake-
speare Colliery with the sinking to the four foot seam. It
is stated that operations are confined to the No. 3 pit, and
it is expected to reach this seam at a depth of another 500 ft.

The boring being put down at the Chislet Colliery is
expected to reach the coal measures this week. The
surface equipment here is well in hand under the new
manager, Mr. C. Kearton, who was for some time manager
of the Snowdown Colliery, and for the past two or three
years manager of the Whigham Colliery, both of the Kent
Coal Concessions group.

At the monthly meeting of the Kent branch of the
National Association of Colliery Managers, held at Dover,
the following officials were appointed for the year :—Branch
president, Mr. C. A. Kearton; vice-president, Mr. J. C.
Binks; branch secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. J. Kennedy;
branch representative on the council of the association, Mr.
O. H. Taylor; members of the branch council, Messrs. T.
A. Austin, J. Keirs and H. J. Wroe.

Dean Forest.

New Rescue Station.

As the local mutual scheme for affording help to distressed
colliers through accident or illness has been dissolved, a
sum of money reaching to several hundred pounds has been
set free, and the Forest colliery owners have determined to
use it for the purpose of equipping the new rescue station
which is in course of erection by them at Cinderford. There
is a strong body of feeling in the coalfield that there will be
little if any use for the new department, but the colliery
owners are anxious to conform to the strict letter of the
new mines laws. Mr. W. D. Meredith, manager of
Messrs. Hy. Crawshay and Company’s Lightmoor Colliery,
Cinderford, has charge of the building operations. A con-
siderable number of workmen have qualified, having studied
the subject, and ambulance men are ready to give in their
names for the setting up of rescue and aid brigades.

Mr. Joseph Hale, the venerable and highly esteemed
managing director of Lydney and Crump Meadow Collieries,
Dean Forest, has just been presented with an address, the
subscribers to which were the workmen at their Albert and
Edward (Waterloo) Colliery at Lydbrook. In the work-
men’s speeches full acknowledgment was made of Mr.
Hale’s work and worth. The speakers said that Mr. Hale’s
determination to develop the Coleford High Delf seam of
steam coal there deserved every encouragement, and the
prospect of further developments was due to his enterprise.
Mr. Hale, in his reply, said the rapid exhaustion of the
house coals in the Forest compelled attention to the steam
coal series, but for which coal mining operations in the
Forest would some years hence entirely cease. He thought
they would see that there would be a great extension of the
new developments.