982

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

November 6, 1914.

have had to be taken in the past year as in previous
years. Some of the older pits, which are almost entirely
developed, have naturally less gas than they had when
new sections were being opened up and fresh dykes cut.
To balance this the newer pits are getting under cover
of whinstone sheets, and as dykes are pierced gas is
being encountered, so the position remains the same.

(To be continued.)

FIRST-AID CERTIFICATES.

Report of Committee.

The report of the Departmental Committee as to the
recognition of first-aid certificates for purposes under
the Coal Mines Act, 1911, has just been issued.
[Cd. 7647.] The committee, which consisted of Dr.
W. N. Atkinson, I.S.O., H.M. inspector of mines for
the South Wales Division (chairman); Mr. G-. Alfred
Lewis, secretary of the Colliery Managers’ Association;
and Mr. Thomas Richards, M.P., was appointed on
May 8, 1913, to consider and report what, if any, first-aid
certificates, besides those of the St. John and St.
Andrew’s associations, should be recognised by the
Home Office for the purpose of the grant of mine
managers’ certificates and other purposes under the
Coal Mines Act, and on what conditions. The question
was raised by applications from the Glamorgan County
Council, the British Red Cross Society, and Heriot-Watt
College, Edinburgh, that their first-aid certificates
should be approved by the Secretary of State, for the
purposes of the Coal Mines Act.

The representatives of the St. John and St. Andrew’s
associations opposed the approval of the first-aid certi-
ficates of other societies or bodies, but such approval
was advocated by all the other witnesses. It was
advanced on behalf of the St. John and St. Andrew’s
associations that they were able and willing to grant all
the certificates required; that their certificates were
granted on a uniform standard of instruction and exami-
nation, and were recognised throughout the British
Empire; and they feared that the approval of the certi-
ficates of other societies would lower the standard of
efficiency required in order to obtain first-aid certificates..

The Education Committee of the Glamorgan County
Council said that they conducted a large number of
well-attended mining classes, and that they were an
authority approved by the Secretary of State for grant-
ing firemen’s certificates. They contended that their
ambulance instruction was fully up to the standard of
the St. John Association, and that it would be advan-
tageous and convenient to their mining students if
their ambulance certificates were approved of for the
purposes of the Coal Mines Act. The British Red
Cross Society stated that they had received numerous
applications from mining centres expressing the desire
that their first-aid certificates should be recognised, in
order that their mining members could use their certi-
ficates for the purposes of the Coal Mines Act. It was
also stated that their curriculum was rather more
exacting, as to hours of instruction, than that of the
St. John Association. For the Heriot-Watt College,
Mr. Henry Briggs, head of the mining department, said
that they had recently undertaken instruction in first-aid
and ambulance work, and their syllabus was drawn up
with special reference to mining accidents and mining
conditions, and had received the approval of the Scotch
Education Office.

The committee’s conclusions are as follows :—

After careful consideration of the matter, we have come
to the conclusion that it is desirable that ambulance certifi-
cates granted by responsible public authorities or institu-
tions teaching first-aid and ambulance work in mining dis-
tricts, should be recognised for the purposes of the Coal
Mines Act, on conditions to be laid down by the Home
Office.

We think that such extended facilities for obtaining
approved ambulance certificates would be of advantage to
mining students generally, and especially to candidates for
managers’ and under-managers’ certificates, and members
of rescue brigades, and that it would tend to increase the
interest of the mining community in ambulance work.

We do not think the recognition of the ambulance certifi-
cates of other responsible institutions would be likely to
lower the standard of efficiency, as feared by the St. John
and St. Andrew’s associations; but rather that it would have
an opposite tendency, owing to greater attention being paid
to mining requirements.

With reference to the conditions on which the ambulance
certificates of additional authorities or institutions should be
approved by the Secretary of State, we beg to suggest that
they might include requirements (1) that the teaching and
examination should be, at least, up to the standard of the
St. John and St. Andrew’s associations, which is the stan-
dard recognised in the General Regulations and Orders
made under the Act; (2) that the teaching should have
special reference to mining conditions and accidents; (3)
that the syllabus of the instruction and examinations should
be submitted to the Home Office for approval; and (4) that
the examiners should be independent medical men, of good
standing, and not otherwise connected with the classes.

Considering that the field of operation of the St. John and
St. Andrew’s associations is so extensive and varied, we
think it would be advantageous if, for the purposes of the
Coal Mines Act, they were to institute special classes and
examinations in mining districts, where greater attention
could be paid to the requirements of the mining industry.
It would be desirable, in our opinion, that these classes and
examinations should be of such a standard and character as
would secure the approval of the Home Office, as in the
case of other approved bodies or institutions.

The following are the additional subjects which the
committee think should be included in the courses of
the St. John and St. Andrew’s Ambulance associations
and other bodies granting ambulance certificates for the
purposes of the Coal Mines Act. These subjects are
included in the ambulance syllabus of the Heriot-Watt
College, Edinburgh :—

1.	Chemical and physical properties of mine gases, includ-
ing gases produced by explosions, fires and explosives.
Symptoms arising from breathing the different gases.
Effects of the gases on the human system.

2.	Treatment of suffocation and gas poisoning. Use of
oxygen revivers.

3.	Electric shock, effect of and treatment for. Handling
persons in contact with live metal.

4.	Underground stretchers and underground stretcher
drill. Routine in case of a serious accident underground.
Necessity of telephones. Duties of ambulance men previous
to arrival of stretcher. Precautions in travelling outbye.
Conveyance of injured persons in trams or tubs, cages and
bowks.

5.	Precautions as to blood poisoning.

SUCCESSFUL WORKING OF A TURBINE.

The report by Mr. Sydney W. Baynes, the St.
Pancras borough electrical engineer, on the working
of a 1,000 kw. Brush-Ljungstrom turbo-alternator set
installed at the King’s-road generating station, is of
interest, inasmuch as the plant in question is the first
of the type made in this country. It was manufactured at
the Brush Electrical Enginering Company’s Falcon Works,
Loughborough, as licensees under the Ljungstrom patents,
and was put in commission on July 30 last. Over the period
of its operation the turbine has generated nearly 1,000,000
units out of a total of 1,681,360 units turned out at the
generating station. With respect to the steam consumption,
the actual practical results come out considerably better
than the guarantees at all loads, reaching as high as 10
per cent., less steam, at one-fourth load. The following are
the guaranteed figures in comparison with the actual figures
obtained on the test bed, showing the gain in economy :—

Full

Steam consumption— load.

Actual ........... 12 75

Guaranteed........ 11’0

Pounds of steam less

than guaranteed ... 1*25

Three-
quarter
load.
13*57 ..
14’75 ..

Half
load.

14’67

16*5

Quarter
load.

... 17’76

... 19 75

Since the turbine has been in use there is a saving in coal
equivalent to about .£1,700 per annum, a result which amply
justifies the trouble and small expense of the early investi-

gations into its merits. The borough engineer reports that
notwithstanding the high speed of 3,000 revolutions per
minute and 6,000 per minute between the two rotating ele-
ments, there is almost complete absence of noise or vibra-
tion, and the control, both electrically and mechanically,
is all that could be desired. It is, indeed, the quietest and
smoothest running set ever placed in the works. He has/
tabulated the test figures showing the steam consumption
per kw. of all the sets at the generating stations, and calls
attention to the steady improvement throughout the period
covered by the gradual development of the undertaking.
The saving in capital expenditure on boilers and acces-
sories obtained by this improved machinery may be best
appreciated by stating that the outlay for boilers and
accessories to operate the 5,000 kw. Ljungstrom turbo will
cost about half that needed for the earlier reciprocating
engines of equivalent power. It is interesting to note the
first engines at the King’s-road Works required 26‘6 lb. of
steam to produce a unit of electricity, as compared with
the Ljungstrom turbine of to-day only using 12j lb. (less
than half) to do the same work.

Pounds of Steam per Kw. Required by Generating
Plant Installed at Various Dates of Progress.

Reciprocating	Date in- stalled.	Kw.	TPull Three- load <luarter load* load.		Half Quarter load, load	
engines 		.. 1891 ..	. 80 ..	. 25’0 ... — ...		—	—
Ditto 		.. 1896 ..	. 130 ..	.. 26’6 ... — ...		—	—
Ditto 		.. 1899 ..	. 500 .	.. 23’1 ..	28’48...	27’42	35’5
Ditto 		.. 1903 ..	. 450 ..	.. 19’5 ..	21’0 ...	22’6	... 27’65
Turbo d.c		.. 1906 ..	.1,000 ..	.. 17’0 ..	18’0 ...	19’5	... 24’5
Do. alt		.. 1909 ..	.2,200 ..	. 16*15..	17*1 ...	18’85	... 22’8
Ljungstrom alt. 1914 ..		.1,000 ..	.. 12’75..	13’57...	14’67	... 17’76
Do. (guaranteed) — ..		.5,000 .	.. 11’8 ..	12’38...	13’4	... 15*9*

* It may be anticipated that these figures will be reduced
by the test results when this set is installed, as in the case
of the present set.

The Ljungstrom turbine shows a marked improvement in
steam consumption at the lower loads, viz., J, J, and f
loads, in comparison with either of the earlier turbines, and
possesses every advantage towards enonomies not obtain-
able in the past, when necessity compels the operation of
plant at the lower loads.

Hull Coal Exports.—The official return of the exports of
coal from Hull, which have been published weekly, have
been discontinued for the time being.

Partnerships Dissolved.—The London Gazette announces
the dissolution of the following partnerships :—L. A. Perry-
man and C. A. Perryman, nurserymen and coal and coke
merchants, at Stanwell and Ashford, Middlesex, under the
style of James Perryman and Company; H. J. Boon and

H.	O. Wraith, engineers, at Victoria-street, S.W., under the
style of Boon and Wraith; F. Fudge and T. Lucas, engi-
neers, at New Kent-road, S.E., under the style of F.
Fudge and Company; H. Redgate and W. Lewin, carrying
on business as ironfounders, at Parliament-street, Notting-
ham, under the style of John Redgate; F. M. Knowles and

I.	Bagnall,, carrying on business as general engineers, at
London Works, Bridge-street, Sheffield, under the style of
Knowles, Bagnall and Company; F. W. Lennard and T.
W. Lennard, carrying on business as gas and electrical
engineers and contractors, at Regnart-buildings, Euston-
street, London, under the styles of S. Pontifex and Com-
pany, and T. S. Borradaile, and as ironfounders, smiths,
and metal workers, at Eagle-street, Red Lion-street, High
Holborn, London, under the styk' of Harold Cooper and
Company; J. B. Beal and E. P. Bilbrough, carrying on
business as the Londesborough Motor Company, at Thorpe-
street, Bridlington, as motor engineers, under the style of
the Londesborough Motor Company.

TRADE AND THE WAR.

Foreign Debts : Government Assistance—Trading with the
Enemy : Employers' Association Ask for More Drastic
Measures—Declarations by Exporters.

The Admiralty have announced that as from November 5
the whole of the North Sea will be considered a military
area, and will be closed to shipping. This step has been
taken in consequence of the indiscriminate laying of mines
on the main trade route by German vessels under cover of
neutral flags. Ships of all countries wishing to trade to
and from Norway, the Baltic, Denmark and Holland are
advised to come, if inward bound, by the English Channel
and the Straits of Dover.

The moratorium enacted at the outbreak of war, early in
August, and prolonged for a month from October 4, came
to an end on Wednesday.

Sir Samuel Evans, at the Naval Prize Court in the
Admiralty Division on Monday, made an order for admission
of leave to appeal against the decision which he gave last
week in respect of the cargo of coal seized at Cardiff in the
steamship “ Aidworth ” and condemned as enemy’s goods.
It was contended that the goods were shipped before the
outbreak of war, and remained in the possession of the
shippers (Messrs. Insole, of Cardiff) in a British port,
payment not having been received for them. The Attorney-
General, for the Crown, applied for the condemnation of
part of the cargo of the steamship “ Miramichi,” belonging
to two German firms. The question, which was submitted
as a test for numerous other cases of ships under detention,
was whether cargoes in British ships sold and shipped
before the commencement of war, with a German destina-
tion, and arrested after the outbreak of war, should be
subject to condemnation, and, where the buyer did not take
up the documents on the cargo, whether the shipper, with
or without the bankers with whom the documents were
being negotiated, was entitled to the cargo and to say that
it ought not to be condemned. The president reserved
judgment.

In the trades compulsorily insured against unemployment,
the percentage of unemployment at October 30 was 4’16, as
compared with 4’29 in the previous week and 5T1 a month
ago. As regards the uninsured trades, the number of men and
women on the registers of the Labour Exchanges at
October 30 shows a decrease on the figures for the previous
week, being 59,424 as compared with 60,964.

The Treasury announces that a committee consisting
of representatives of the Treasury, the Bank of England,
the joint stock banks, and the Association of Chambers of
Commerce of the United Kingdom has been formed, to
whom is delegated the authorisation of advances in approved
cases to British traders carrying on an export business in
respect of debts outstanding in foreign countries and the
Colonies, including unpaid foreign and colonial acceptances,
which cannot be collected for the time being. The object
in view is to assist traders by removing obstacles to the
steady flow of business which have arisen through the
temporary interruption of the ordinary channels of collec-
tion. The assistance to be given is intended to provide
solvent traders with funds to continue their business and
to pay their commercial debts to other traders or manufac-
turers. The banks have agreed that no part of the
advances under this scheme shall be applied to paying off
or reducing loans or bank overdrafts or meeting unpaid
foreign and colonial acceptances held by the trader’s own
bankers. The committee will have absolute discretion to
decide whether an advance is to be made in any particular
case and, if they decide to make an advance, as to the
amount; such advance will not exceed 50 per cent, of the
outstandings. Full particulars must be scheduled and
lodged with the committee, supported by a statutory
declaration of the trader and supplemented by a report
from the manager of the bank with whom the trader keeps
an account or through whom the advance is to be obtained;
the banker may call upon the trader to submit to him
audited accounts of his business and such other information
as he deems desirable. The necessary forms will be issued
by the banks, through whom all applications for advances
should be made. The committee will be prepared at an
early date to consider applications and will authorise the
bankers of the trader to provide facilities which will take
the form of a six months’ bill drawn by the trader, accepted
by the bank, and certified by the committee as “ guaranteed
under the scheme for the relief to British traders, of
November 3, 1914.” The bill will be domiciled for payment
at the accepting bank or its London agents, and may be
taken up at maturity by the drawer. It will be renewable
in whole or in part for a like period from time to time
until 12 months have elapsed after the close of the war or
until the expiry of “ The Courts (Emergency Powers) Act,
1914,” whichever shall happen first. Immediate recourse
against a trader will arise if and when a receiving order in
bankruptcy (or a corresponding order in Scotland) is made
against him. The trader may discount the bill either with
the accepting bank or in the market. The trader must pay
in advance to the bank an accepting fee on each bill of 5s.
per cent. The trader must further pay a commission at
the rate of 1 per cent, on the amount of each bill when
originally drawn or renewed to meet expenses and provide
an insurance fund. Every trader so assisted shall be under
obligation to collect the scheduled debts as soon as possible
and to hand over the proceeds as and when received to the
bank, together with any further sums which the trader
may elect to pay, which will be applied in reduction of the
advance. The Government will ask Parliament to provide
that the ultimate loss, if any, shall be borne to the extent
of 75 per cent, by the Exchequer and to the extent of 25 per
cent, by the accepting bank, and to make the charge upon
the outstanding debts valid and effective as against all
persons without registration or other formal notification.

At the last monthly meeting of the central executive
committee of the Employers’ Parliamentary Association the
two following resolutions were carried unanimously :—

1. That in the opinion of this meeting a further
Proclamation on “ Trading with the Enemy ” should be
issued, and that the expression “enemy” should be so
extended as to embrace •*—

Any German or Austrian, or group of Germans or
Austrians resident in Great Britain or in any other
country, and any incorporated concern registered in
Great Britain or in any other country, whose capital,
management or interests are wholly or preponderatingly
under German or Austrian influence, or where the issued