August 28, 1914. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 479 I appeal to the Press to awaken the “ army of labour” to England’s dire peril. I appeal not only to the great organs of public opinion that are read by the educated classes, but to the all-powerful local Press of our manu- facturing, mining and agricultural centres. The apathy I deprecate is due to ignorance. I appeal to the Press to publish in extravagant type —not only on one day, but day after day, week after week, month after month—the real reason why we are at war, to convince their readers that the Servian squabble has nothing whatever to do with our struggle for national and imperial existence, and to voice in clarion notes the urgent call on every man immediately to defend his liberty, his home and his country. The educated classes of the community, realising the significance of the brutal aggression of Germany, have responded with splendid patriotism to their country’s call. The labouring classes—patriots, as we know, at heart—have not yet responded; but they will if they understand. I appeal to the Press to make them understand. It is not by academic leading articles, not by sensa- tional reports of the clash of armies far away, that this can be done. It can only be done by the spontaneous outburst, on the part of the whole Press, of wrathful indignation at the apparent supineness and callousness of our labouring population. These are hard words. But where are the million men that should have sprung up to make me eat them ? Fools still walk the streets who say that the war is unpopular with certain sections of the community. As well may they say that when their house is on fire the blazing rafters are unpopular. I appeal to the Press to drive home to the labouring classes the fact that the British Empire is on fire, and that if they do not stir to quench it, they will perish in dishonoured and degraded misery beneath its ruins. My answer to any challenge is : Where are the million men ? I may be wrong. If I am proved so I shall be one of the happiest men in the England that I love. Corner Hall, William J. Locke. Kernel Hempstead, Herts. August 26, 1914. FOREIGN TRADE AND COMMERCE IN COAL. The following tables show particulars of coal imports and exports in the five months ended with May, and is compiled from the Board of Trade returns issued this week :— Imports. 1912. 1913. 1914. European Russia (4 months)— Coal (pouds) (a) ...... 43,493,000... 78,160,000... 110,440,000 Value (roubles) (5) .... 5,819,000... 12,900,000... 17,670,000 Coke (pouds).......... 11,801,000... 12,797,000... 15,845,000 Value (roubles) ...... 1,833,000... 2,489,000... 3,011,000 Sweden (5 months)— Coal & Coke (met. tons) 17,432,000(c) 2,037,000... 1,711,000 Germany (6 months)— Coal (metric tons) .... 4,188,942... 5,028,462... 4,775,980 Value (marks) (d)...... 77,077,000.. 97,552,000... 92,654,000 Lignite (metric tons)..-. 3,583,304... 3,502,911... 3,184,095 Value (marks) ................ 34,041,000... 34,679,000... 31,523,000 N etherlands (5 months)— Coal (metric tons) .... 4,911,303... 5,572,133... 5,816,126 Belgium (6 months)— Coal (metric tons) .... 3,884,851... 4,482,543... 4,521,964 Value (francs) ........ 70,899,000... 86,513,000... 87,274,000 France (6 months)— Coal, coke, &c. (m. tns.) 9,063,600... 11,351,100... 12,299,152 Value (francs) ........228,081,000...290,653,000...312,610,000 Spain (5 months)— Coal (metric tons) .... 883,372... 1,161,841... 1,133,121 Value (pesetas) (e) .... 22,968,000... 30,208,000... 29,461,000 Coke & briquettes (m.t.) 169,516... 156,495... 161,528 Value (pesetas........ 5,933,000... 5,477,000... 2,653,000 Italy (5 months)— Coal and Coke (tons) ... 3,713,301... 4,372,706... 4,442,950 Value (lire) (/)........133,679,000... 150,848,000... 153,282,000 Austria-Hungary (5 months)— Coal (metric tons) .... 4,816,781... 5,554,540... 5,470,529 Value (kronen) (g) .... 75,623,000... 96,130,000... 95,462,000 Coke (metric tons) .... 359,158... 390,294... 347.334 Value (kronen)................. 9,015,000... 10,348,000... 9,387,000 Egypt (5 months)— Coal (metric tons) .... 519,587... 676,985... 760,325 Value (£E) (h) 504,000... 797,000... 886,000 United States (4 months)— Coal bituminous (tons) Value (dollars) (%) 489,000... 1,373,000... 537,000 .. 1,463,000... 517,000 1,350,000 Japan (5 months)— Coal (tons) 94,000... 178,000... 323,000 Value (yen) (j) 714,000... 1,173,000... 2,302,000 Germany (6 months)— Exports. __________________________ MINING AND OTHER NOTES. The presidential address to the Engineering Section of the British Association at Sydney was delivered by Prof. E. G-. Coker. The author chose as his subject the stress distribution in materials. Mechanical measurements could not completely satisfy all modern requirements, since they were essentially average values, and failed to accommodate themselves to many of the problems which pressed for solution. In the quest for exact experimental knowledge, the measurement of stress at a point became of paramount importance, and we might, therefore, enquire what further means the researches of pure science had placed at our disposal for the determination of stress distribution in materials. The opportunities of discovery were so few that we cannot afford to miss any, and it was to the man of trained mind, who is in contact with the phenomenon of a great applied science, that such opportunities were most often given; and, again, if we are to progress fast there must be no separation between pure and applied science. Presiding over the half-yearly meeting of the Wandsworth, Wimbledon, and Epsom District Gas Company, Mr. H. E. Jones spoke of the value of coke as a fuel. Theirs was the first company to employ coke on an ocean-going steamer instead of coal. The company was also the first to replace coal by coke on locomotives on the road, and they had endeavoured to get coke used instead of coal by some of the smaller craft up the river. In every way possible they had done their best to popularise the use of coke. Of course, coke was something rather special in its nature. They did not produce coke as a manufactured article. It was forced on them by the production of gas, and they could not regulate the output as the coal owner could regulate the output of coal at the pit’s mouth. Therefore the sale of coke was in itself a distinct problem. It had to be sold, or it might ultimately have to be disposed of on a lower market. In the ordinary grate one got by burning coke a more enduring combustion and a very much higher percentage of radiating heat than from coal alone of the same weight. The thirty-first annual report by the Board of Trade under section 131 of the Bankruptcy Act, 1883, contains tables showing the fluctuations of insolvency in particular trades and occupations. On comparison of the 1913 figures with those for 1912, out of 88 trades or occupations, 38 show an increase of liabilities amounting to £ 1,307,995, while 50 show a decrease amounting to <£1,509,131. In 1913, 63 receiving orders and administrative orders were made in the case of coal and coke merchants, as against 57 in 1912. The comparative figures of failures under bank- ruptcy and deeds of arrangement Acts in this occupation have been as follow:— Coal (metric tons) .... 15,099,546... 16,368,690... 18,169,594 Value (marks) ........212,578,000...244,850,000...262,989,000 Coke (metric tons) .... 2,457,666... 3,430,795... 2,63<>,138 Value (marks) ........ 49,533,000... 70,933,000... 55,188,000 Netherlands (5 months)— Coal (metric tons) .... 1,937,539.. 2,026,898... 2,318,827 Belgium (6 months) — Coal (metric tons) .... 2,451,753... 2,400,839... 2,474,486 Value (francs) ........ 44,744,000... 46,336,000... 47,758,< 00 Coke (metric tons) .... 463,406... 520,290... 621,521 Value (francs) ........ 12,350,000... 13,319,000... 15,911,000 France (6 months)— Coal, coke, &c. (m. tons) 1,259,314... 902,865... 706,649 Value (francs) ........ 30,780,000... 23,999,0u0... 18,645,000 Austria-Hungary (5 mths.)— Coal (metric tons) .... 268,173... 294,097... 251,091 ' Value (kronen)........ 5,122,000... 5,871,000... 5,186,000 Lignite (metric tons) ... 3,034,447... 2,918,221... 2,716,135 Value (kronen)....... United States (4 months) Anthracite (tons)..... Value (dollars) .,...... Bituminous (tons) ... Value (dollars)....... Japan (5 months)— Coal (tons)........... Value (yen) ......... Australia (4 months)— Coal (£) ............. South Africa (5 months)— Coal (short tons)..... ........... Value (£) ............ 31,255,000... 31,220,000... 811,000... 1,144,000... 4,037,000... 5,984,000... 3,562,000... 4,235,000... 10,182,000... 11,453,000... 1,456,000... 1,577,000... 8,615,000... 9,438,000... 280,000... 278,000... 704,437... 969,501... 560,000... 597,000 .. 30,086,000 963,000 4,855,000 3,481.000 8,838,000 1,608,000 10,747,000 409,000 ' 913,202 538,000 (a) 1 poud=36 lb. (b) 1 rouble = 2s. Ijd. (c) Hectolitres, (d) 1 mark = ll’8d. (e) 1 peseta = 9"6d. (/) 1 lire = 9‘6d. (g) 1 krone=10d. (h) 1 £E = £1 0s. 6|d. (i) 1 dollar=4s. 2d. (j) 1 yen = 2s. 0|d. (fc) Exclusive of bunker coal supplied to vessels in foreign trade. Such shipments totalled 2,482,315 tons, valued at 8,221,086 dollars. _______________________________ No. Total liabilities. £ 1909 ... ... 130 99,181 1910 ... ... 144 158,985 1911 ... ... 128 146,656 1912 ... ... 109 96,084 1913 ... ... Ill 149,349 Another important railway rate decision has been made in the United States. No railroad or other carrier of coal may transport this commodity in cars owned by the producer at a lower rate than is charged for carrying the same commodity in cars not so owned. This decision was made on August 7 by the Public Service Commission in disposing of a complaint that interested the entire bituminous region of the State of Pennsylvania. The gist of the commission’s decision is that to permit a lower rate to be charged when coal is carried in the producers’ cars will open the way to actual discrimination in favour of certain customers because the producing company could thus sell coal to such customers for less than would be charged those who got coal on which the full freight rate was charged. The Pennsylvania R.R. Company is the respondent in the case. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products. — The market, if erratic, continues interesting. The centre of interest lies in carbolics, and crystals have risen sharply, although exports thereof are forbidden. Other products remain much about Nearest values are :— Benzols................................... Do. North............................. Toluol ................................... Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.) ......... Do. crystals (40 per cent.) ....... Solvent naphtha (as in quality and package)... Crude ditto (in bulk) ..................... Creosote (for ordinary qualities) ........... Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) ................... Do. (f.a.s. west coast) ................... Tar (gas companies) ..................... [Beneols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at maker's works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.] Sulphate of Ammonia.—Business continues to be greatly restricted; but now is the time for the selling and export branch of the Manufacturers’ Association to put in some useful work. We are not likely to hear much more of the direct process for some little time to come, but there are many markets to be prepared for. Germany was practically no customer, so the loss there is virtually nil, but she was a competitor in exports, and we should have that trade now. Closing prompt prices are :— London (ordinary makes) ......... Beckton ......................... Liverpool ....................... Hull............................. Middlesbrough................... Scotch ports ..................... Nitrate of soda (ordinary) per cwt. ... [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2| per cent, dis- count; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality; allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.] the same. 1/to 1/1 /101 /10f 2/6 /10| 1/1 /4i /3f 35/to 35/6 33/to 34/ 25/3 to 29/3 £11 to £11/1/3 £10/7/6 £10/17/6 £10/15 to £10/17/6 £10/15 £11/2/6 to £11/5 11/3 Notes from the Coalfields. [Local Correspondence.] South Yaloo and Monmouthshire. Foreign Commitments : A Million Outstanding—Question of Extending the Moratorium—Removal of the Triple Bond—Financial Difficulties—Pitwood Supplies Better —Prize Court Questions—Unequal Distribution of Labour. It was stated by Mr. T. E. Watson, president, at a meeting of the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce on Monday, that the money due to South Wales traders, but held up by the war, amounted to considerably over a million sterling; and he, therefore, submitted to the meeting of the chamber, which had been called specially for the purpose, the question relating to the moratorium—asking whether they favoured the ending of the moratorium on September 4, and whether there should be an extension, and on what terms? He moved that they should take the same course as Newcastle chamber, and send to the Chancellor of the Exchequer a resolution asking an extension for one month, namely, to October 4, and thereafter as may be found desirable. Other speakers took different views, one submitting a motion that the chamber should express no opinion as to the desirability of extending the moratorium, but should leave it to members to inform the Government of their individual views. Part of the discussion centred round the suggestion that the moratorium should be extended to pro- vide for gradual payment, a percentage of the debt only being entitled to the privilege of extension. Some speakers dwelt upon the position of persons who could well afford to pay accounts, but had withheld payment, and used cash to buy new goods; and it was proposed that 25 per cent, or 30 per cent, be paid down, an extension being granted for the remainder. Ultimately the president’s resolution was adopted, as was also a vote of thanks to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Board of Customs for having removed the requirement of the triple bond. It is most gratifying that the strong representation made against the triple bond should have at last convinced the authorities of its injurious effect both upon trade and employ- ment; and it is characteristic of the literal and red-tape methods of the Departments that patent fuel should have been held still liable to this restriction—because patent fuel has a different name. However, the powers that be were at last convinced that this compound might safely be released; and one more representation at headquarters brought the final grant of permission, the omission of “ patent fuel ” being due to oversight. The next difficulty proved to be financial, for sellers wanted cash from foreign customers, disorganised credit not meeting their needs. It is impracticable to get remittance from some debtors abroad, and foreign banks hold tight their resources; so that the British merchant is seriously hampered. Rates of exchange have also been hard to fix, and the discounting of foreign bills has, in a number of cases, proved an insuperable difficulty. As to many buyers— such as the Italian State Railways, the owners of large depots abroad, and others of the front rank—charterings were as prompt as sales were immediate. But the case was not so simple with all; and business has been hung up to a material extent owing to the fundamental question of payment—first to the colliery owner by the merchant, then by the buyer to the merchant, and to the ship owner who seeks to be ensured of his freight charges. A curious incident was a telegram to local coal trimmers, sent anonymously from London, urging that they should refuse to load foreign vessels. These had had advantage in the chartering market because of their freedom from risk when running to a neutral port; and the agents were accept- ing rates which depressed the market even when not actually unremunerative to British owners, who had special war risk insurance, etc. The senders of the telegram could not be discovered, but the coal trimmers disregarded it, though perfectly willing to help as far as possible in securing busi- ness for British-owmed steamers. Their attitude was that if they refused work in order that some one else should profit, at least an offer should be made to them of a share in that profit; and that in any case they could not deal with an abstraction approaching them per telegram. Many foreign vessels, notably Norwegian, which usually trade to Germany, are now competing in the general foreign trade because of the closure of German and other Baltic ports, and these affect the freight market seriously. By Government intervention from this side, the French authorities have made such arrangements as are expected to ensure good supplies of pit wood from over the Channel, at any rate, so far as will meet the requirements of pits pro- ducing Admiralty coal. The price will be regulated, due regard being had to extra costs in the exceptional circum- stances of the times. In view of the need to maintain trade—and thereby employment—at the highest level, close attention and serious discussion are aroused by the resolution of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce in favour of free war insurance. The idea has more direct application to South Wales than to any part of the kingdom, on account of the much greater number of “ tramp ” steamers that go from our ports, chiefly with coal cargoes. The Cardiff Chamber of Commerce discussed on Monday another difficulty which faces shippers at the present time. It arises from the capture of vessels the owners of which are indebted to British sellers. The law is that creditors have no right to appear before the Admiralty Prize Court, and set up a claim for the debts due to them. It is said that a decision in the Prize Court a century old governs the procedure, the Court merely requiring proof that the vessel seized is owned by the enemy, and then pronouncing con- demnation, no person who has a financial claim against the ship being permitted to intervene, the captor’s right over- riding all others. Out of 1,000 men called up for active service from one part of Monmouthshire, three-fourths were miners; and from the Rhondda Valley over 2,000 have joined the colours, while enlistments in addition have been very numerous. Tredegar alone sent 150 recruits to the Monmouthshire total of the new force. Mr. Allen Pratt, solicitor, directed the attention of the chamber to this subject, stating that he did not know how far the old decision would be followed at the present time. But, under the Prize Court rules published last week, no provision whatever had been made; and, in fact, the rules did not contemplate that any person supplying necessaries