September 4 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 531 in 1913, 1,050,902 tons of coal and 1,051,136 tons of coke. The following table shows the figures generally relating to coal for 1913 :— Output ........................... Sales, etc. ...................... Sales on account of Syndicate Consumption by mines, at coke ovens, briquette works, etc. Colliery consumption.............. Consumption by works mines 1913. Tons. 101,652,297 101,905,312 60,138,989 22,192,630 5,169,660 14,404,033 Of the total output, 65,555,692 tons were classed as bituminous coals, 24,004,823 tons as gas and flaming coals, and 12,091,782 tons as “ quarter ” bituminous (esskohlen) and lean coals. The sales of coke in 1913 may be subdivided as follows :—Blastfurnace, 8,504,229 tons; foundry coke, 1,741,484 tons; broken and screened coke, 2,897,797 tons; coke breeze, 190,556 tons. There were sold 4,039,620 tons of large briquettes, and 321,432 tons of “ eggettes.” The “ esskohlen ” are mainly used for briquette manufacture, 2,447,201 tons of this class of coal being utilised in 1913, together with 870,385 tons of bituminous coals, and 700,494 tons of lean coals. The exports, of the Rhenish Westphalian Coal Syndi- cate during the last six years are shown in the following table :— Vaor Coal. Coke. Briquettes. Total.* Tons. Tons. Tons Tons. 1908 ... 9,018,220 ... 2,745.801 ... 726,372 . . 13,206,744 1909 ... 10,766,034 ... 2,909,084 ... 802,626 ... 15,234,046 1910 ... 11,925,573 ... 3,493,472 ... 1,210,013 ... 17,517,673 1911 ... 13,087,977 ... 3,677,478 ... 1,578,519 ... 19,254,930 1912 ... 14,004,439 ... 4,519,631 ... 1,685,763 ... 21,349,738 1913 ... 15,602,770 ... 4,401,433 ... 1,642,792 ... 22,757,003 * Coke and briquettes expressed as coal. Deliveries of Coal, Coke and Briquettes by the Rhenish-Westphalian Coal Syndicate in 1912 and 1913. Destination. Coal. Coke. Briquettes. 1912. | 1913. 1912. 1913. 1912. 1913. Holland Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. 5,861,540 6,538,653 163,053 176,715 287,676 274,462 Belgium 3,923,879 3,900,874 386,465 311,433 402,872 412,275 France 1 2,067,034 2,123,208 2,337,480 2,250,214 351,376 311,566 Switzerland 408,738 413,717 250,197 253,336 86,710 108,891 Italy 586,727 797,631 183,517 173,151 129,462 119,099 Austria-Hungary 59,191 161,118 289,923 276,672 5,295 42,940 Russia 190,194 423,330 207,147 259,320 23,586 18,217 Denmark 173,112 168,052 43,017 37,105 97,358 99,707 Sweden 66,998 133,823 199,110 199,582 2,839 5,128 Norway 12,553 20,848 60,393 56,420 12,641 — Spain l£0,073 300,890 49,068 42,347 11,366 7,382 Portugal 800 400 1,223 100 1,525 3,956 Greece, Roumania, Bulgaria, Servia, Turley ... 143,033 198,467 66,975 63,874 35,762 37,478 Asia Minor, Egypt, Algeria, Tunis. Morocco, Maderia 190,304 230,607 8,213 8,765 134,346 127,585 East. West and South Africa 4,699 8,161 3,085 2,150 25,569 29,329 United States and Mexico — 32,894 87,393 93,965 11,000 13,200 South America 43,063 9,850 96.456 126,417 34,258 36,393 Great Britain ’ 42,974 56,294 28,710 6,135 10,301 — China, India, Siam, Japan and Java 35,600 — 21,938 22,229 7,104 — Australia, Hawaii — — 17,968 24,653 — — Other countries 43,927 83,953 18,300 16,850 14,717 3,384 Totals 14,004,439 15,602,770 4,519,631 4,401,433 1,685,763 1,642,792 In the Syndicate shipments for 1912 and 1913 the deliveries made by State mines in Westphalia are not included. These collieries in 1912 disposed of 3,316,819 tons, of which 2,558,105 tons were sold in Germany, and 758,714 tons exported (as against 429,178 tons in 1911). Of the total exported, 351,792 tons went to Belgium, 234,187 tons to Holland, 65,708 tons to Luxemburg, 62,200 tons to Switzerland, 21,545 tons to France, and 21,240 tons to Italy. One of the outstanding features of the Syndicate’s organisation is the allocation to the various constituent companies of certain output quota, which are propor- tionately increased or reduced, in sympathy with the state of trade. Thus in the first six months of -1913, owing to the pressing demand for fuel, the Syndicate permitted its members to produce more than the stipu- lated syndicate contract amounts; with falling trade these percentages were in December 1913 reduced to 85 per cent, for coal, 85 per cent, for briquettes, and 55 per cent, for coke, as compared with 100, 85, and 85 per cent, respectively for December 1, 1912. At the beginning of 1912 the Syndicate arranged to take over the sales of non-participating collieries. These collieries in 1913 produced 5,953,589 tons, of which 1,579,365 tons of coal and 563,187 tons of coke were vended by the Syndicate. The contract with the State expired in April 1913, and consequently the figures have been somewhat reduced. During 1913 the Rhenish-Westphalian Syndicate raised from 1J to 2| marks per ton the bounty accorded to blastfurnace coke and coking coals consumed in the production of iron and steel goods for exports. For other classes of fuel the bounty remained fixed at l|m. Within recent years there has been a considerable concentration of the coal mining industries in Germany. In the Ruhr coalfield the largest concern is nominally the Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks A.G. This company in 1912 had 11 pits in operation, and produced 9,526,310 tons; second comes the Harpener Bergbau A.G., with 17 pits and an output of 8,126,099 tons; these are fol- lowed by the Haniel family with three pits and an output of 6,240,740 tons; but if the Gutehoffnungshutte and Frohliche Morgensohne collieries, in which the Haniel family hold a controlling interest, be included, this group would be at the head of the list, for the former produced 3,572,004 tons from two pits, and the latter 539,453 tons from one pit. The other principal groups in the Ruhr are :—Hibernia, six pits, 5,388,721 tons; Phoenix, five pits, 5,107,104 tons; Deutsch-Luxemburg, 12 pits, 4,936,164 tons; Deutscher Kaiser, one pit, 4,144,500 tons; Prussian Government, five pits, 3,553,972 tons; Stinnes Group, five pits, 3,264,671 tons; Krupp, three pits, 2,721,320 tons. It may be added that, from the point of view of extent, the Prussian Government holds the largest interest, the area covered by their concessions covering 78,066 hectares. Of the remainder, 60,197 hectares are held by the Rheinisch- Westfalische Bergbau-Gesellschaft, a trust of promoters, in which the chief interests are held by Gelsenkirchen (6 per cent.), Deutscher Kaiser (6 per cent.), Deutsch- Luxemburg (10 per cent.), Phoenix (5 per cent.), Gute- hoffsnungghutte (3 per cent.), and the Haniel Group (3 per cent.). Other large concessionaires are the Haniel family, 34,197 hectares; Deutscher-Kaiser, 32,797 hectares; Gelsenkirchen, 25,433 hectares; Harpen, 17,121 hectares; Deutsch-Luxemburg, 13,500 hectares; Hibernia, 10,193 hectares; Phoenix, 9,207 hectares; Gutehofisnungshiitte, 8,773 hectares. The most important of the hiittenzechen, or mine works (with their contingents of consumption) are the following:—Fried. Krupp A.G. (2,783,900 tons); Deutscher Kaiser Gewerkschaft (2,533,000 tons); Phoenix A.G. (2,300,800 tons); Deutsch-Luxemburg Bergw.- und Hutten A.G. (1,880,200 tons; Gutehofis- nungshutte Akt. V. (1,521,000 tons); Minister Achen- bach, Gew. (1,359,700 tons); Rheinische Stahlwerke (1,023,400 tons); Hauts-fourneaux d’Aumetz-la-Paix (968,200 tons); Eisen- und Stahlwerk Hoesch A.G. (842,200 tons); Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks A.G. (753,800 tons); Bochumer Verein (737,100 tons). In Upper Silesia the Prussian Government is the largest producer, 7,008,868 tons being raised in 1912 from four pits. The next largest owner is the Katto- witzer A.G., with 4,225,251 tons and six pits. In Silesia, however, private ownership is predominant. The Prince of Pless, who is the chief producer in Lower Silesia, also owns five collieries in Upper Silesia. In the Saar coalfield all the collieries, with one unim- portant exception, are owned by the Prussian Govern- ment, and cover 110,900 hectares. Again, in the Bavarian Palatinate, the State is the principal owner. In the Lorraine annex, it is to be noted, more than half the output comes from the pit owned by the French firm of de Wendel and Company. In the Aachen basin the Eschweiler Bergswerks-Verein produced, in 1912, 2,880,000 tons. The State mines in the Saar coalfield are not large exporters of coal. Of the total sales of. fuel in 1912, 83-6 per cent. (9,567,559 tons) were consumed in Ger- many itself (5,165,950 tons in Prussia, 2,829,624 tons in South Germany, and 1,571,985 tons in Alsace. Lorraine). The exports were as follows :—France, 836,689 tons; Switzerland, 662,264 tons; Luxemburg, 49,758 tons; Austria, 22,187 tons; Italy, 170,800 tons; Belgium, 134,195 tons—total, 1,875,893 tons. A con- siderable increase in the exports to France is to be noted. The total in 1912 included 793,689 tons of coal and 21,500 tons of4 coke, whereas in 1911 only 636,663 tons of coal and 1,161 tons of coke were sent from the Saar coalfield to France. The bulk of the tonnage is transported by water, on the Rhone-Rhine, Marne- Rhine, and Eastern Canals, and Saone and Meuse, but in 1912, 390,268 tons of coal and 19,217 tons of coke were sent by rail to Paris (43,208 tons), Pompey, Igney- Avricourt, Pagny-sur-Moselle, Pont-a-Mousson, Belfort, and other frontier stations. Of the output of coals in Upper Silesia in 1913, 43,801,056 tons, about a third was exported. Accord- ing to the returns of deliveries by railway, which cover 33,936,736 tons of coal, coke, and briquettes, 20,866,907 tons were despatched to places in Germany, 489,928 tons to Russia, 1,408,170 tons to Russian Poland, 2,013,601 tons to Galicia and Bukownia, 2,767,048 tons to Hun- gary, 841,331 tons to Bohemia, 5,452,806 tons to other Austrian provinces, 20,508 tons to Denmark, 52,404 tons to Roumania, and 18,338 tons to Sweden and Norway. Small consignments were also made to Switzerland, Italy, Servia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. It may be noted that in 1913 the exports of Upper Silesian coal increased by 2,070,000 tons, 436,000 tons more going to Russia, and 1,590,000 tons more to Austria-Hungary. These increases may be largely attri- buted to the Balkan wars and the dearness of oil fuel. According to the official statistics, the following classification of Upper Silesian coals is made, the figures being those for 1913:—Large, 8,641,875 tons; cobbles, 6,874,380 tons; nuts I., 4,469,664 tons; nuts IL, 2,560,785 tons; peas, 2,456,194 tons; barley, 876,396 tons; smudge, 5,926,306 tons; unscreened, 696,835 tons; smalls, 7,699,658 tons; shale, 144,122 tons* The average price realised in 1913 was 9-45m» per ton* . In the next article the position of German coal in the various foreign markets will be considered, as we as the extensive market for British coals which has hitherto existed in Germany itself. Notes from the Coalfields. [Local Correspondence ] South Wales and Monmouthshire. British Claims Upon Captured Vessels—Miners' Levy for the Prince of Wales's Fund—The Pay of Recruits— Grants by Colliery Owners—More Work in the Anthra- cite Area—The Withholding or Reduction of Dividends —The Pitwood Shortage—Prompt Loading at Newport. Sir Clifford Cory, M.P. (Cory Brothers and Company, Cardiff) has brought up in the House of Commons the ques- tion mentioned in this column last week—as to the rights of British subjects who have claims against foreign vessels which have been seized as prizes of war. The matter is of considerable importance, large sums being involved through supply of necessaries, bunkers, or in respect of advances made. Sir Clifford also raised the question as to claim where a British subject is part owner. The Solicitor- General stated that the Prize Court need not, as has been previously announced, take claims into account, though occasions might arise where concessions would be made as a matter of grace. It was, he said, impossible to lay down any general rule. The Crown would, however, consider the claims of British subjects if the facts were duly submitted. Between <£3,000 and .£4,000 per week is the estimate of the amount which will be realised in aid of the Prince of Wales’s Fund as the outcome of the decision of the miners’ conference held in Cardiff on Tuesday. Acting upon a recommendation from the executive council, the conference unanimously passed a resolution that a levy of 6d. per man and 3d. per boy per week should be imposed, the employers to deduct the money from the wages of those who work more than three days per week. The money, it is desired, should be paid through the local committee, to whom also it is asked that employers will send their own contributions for the fund. Request is to be made to the central authorities that South Wales and Monmouthshire shall be treated as one unit. The conference also passed a resolution which calls for more than passing notice, for it is practically certain that, in view of growing public feeling, quite outside the ranks of wage earners, much more will soon be heard upon its underlying principle. The resolution affirmed that— “ All men called to serve in the Army or Navy should be given a much higher rate of pay to ensure that their wives and children should not be impoverished and caused unnecessary suffering. . . . The financial resources of the Government and of the leisured classes are such that no difficulty would be experienced by so doing.” As the conference was held in private, no report could be obtained of the speeches in support of this declaration. Yet there is no secret as to its inspiration. It is a simple matter of money. The average collier can reckon upon, at least, 35s. to £2 per week as his income, and, in case of accident, he has the Compensation Act with its prolonged benefit, or its lump sum for family or other dependants in case of death. By enlisting, however, he takes far greater risks to life and limb, his income is much reduced, and the Compensation Act benefits are lost. Without emphasising any of these points, or adding others which might be stated, it is enough to mention briefly these facts, as illustrating the motive power behind the resolution. As showing that due recognition exists of this special financial difficulty, it may be mentioned that several of the colliery companies are paying special allowances to the families of the men who have enlisted. To name only a few it is announced at Ynysfeio collieries, Treherbert, that the proprietors, the Troedyrhiw Company, will pay 10s. per week (with Is. for each child under 14 years of age) to the wives of all men who volunteer for active service. The Tredegar Company will, according to a statement made last Friday in a public meeting by the chairman of the local Council, make a similar allowance—10s. per week to the wife and Is. per week for each child. In addition to making similar allow- ances, the Abergorki Company, Treorky, will allow the families to get coal at the workmen’s price. Others might be mentioned, but the foregoing indicate that the demand of the federation resolution is recognised as having solid foundation. Mr. O. W. Owen, chief of the Labour Exhange Depart- ment in Wales, has met the delegates of the Anthracite Association in Swansea and considered with them how best to deal with the mass of unemployment in the anthracite area; for, although this is diminishing in amount, it still remains very serious. Probably as many as 4,000 to 5,000 of the miners in this section of the coalfield are out of work; yet in other parts of South Wales a sufficient number cannot be got, Mr. Owen informing the meeting that 2,000 to 3,000 vacancies existed. He went into detail as to labour con- ditions in Monmouthshire and Glamorgan, passing in review the circumstances of the Rhymney, the Rhondda, and other valleys; and closed with an offer that, if anthra- cite men liked to take up work in the steam coal areas, all the aid possible should be rendered them by the local Labour Exchanges. He stated also that the railway com- panies were likely to co-operate by special train arrange- ments or issuing week-end tickets. Hearty thanks were accorded to Mr. Owen for attending the meeting and furnish- ing information, and it was agreed to approach the railway companies in order to ascertain definitely what train pro- vision would be made. Lodge meetings are being held all over the anthracite district to inform the men of what is being done. It is stated that, in general employment, out of over 17,000 registrations of unemployed during five weeks, the Labour Exchanges in the district have filled 10,553 situations. Much criticism and some complaint are prevalent as to the decision of certain colliery company directors to with- hold or reduce dividends on ordinary shares in respect of the half-year ended June, and there is expression of opinion that the actually-reahsed profit should be distributed in