1120 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. November 27, 1914. McGurk, A. D Nicholson, G. B. Harrison, J. Duveen, F. N. Siddall, and Arthur Ratcliffe-Ellis (secretary). In opening the proceedings, the Chairman reminded his hearers that there were already two stations of this sort in Lancashire—at Howe Bridge and St. Helens. The hardihood of the collier, his appreciation of the dangerous nature of his occupation, led him to display bravery and courage in everyday life. Ample proof of that had been given in the present crisis. The colliers of Lancashire had rallied to the Colours in a remarkable manner. Out of 3,<>00 men in the employ of his firm 550 had gone, and the percentage was not much greater than at many of the surrounding collieries. They were all pleased that Mr. Gerrard had consented to open the station. In bis responsible position as inspector of mines, it was his duty to consider the safety of the men, and he had done so thoroughly throughout his long career. Like other successful men, he had made his profession his hobby. A golden key having been handed to Mr. Gerrard, he opened the building, remarking that he devoutly hoped it would be the means of training many men, and making them willing to serve in the mine when the need arose. Subsequently the chairman invited Mr. Gerrard to say a few words on rescue work. Mr. Gerrard said he thought they would all agree that it was a well-built station, sufficiently commodious for the needs of the district, fully provided with all the appliances and conveniences for securing the safety of the men who were to be trained. He heartily congratulated the local committee upon the success which had attended their labours. Anyone who knew Mr. Pickup would expect success to follow when he put his hand to a thing. It was now the law that rescue stations should be established in mining districts It would always be to the credit of the Lancashire coal owners that they did not wait for the law to step in, but when they found that a rescue station was desirable they set to work at once and built the Howe Bridge station, which was completed in 1907. The memorable competition which i Hi WWTO J $ f * ’ s'V'iis" Fig. 3.—Rescue Team equipped with “ Proto ” Apparatus. took place in April 1908 led to the adoption of the apparatus, which had since stood the test of six years’ practical use. He was sure that the coal owners of that neighbourhood were to be commended for their loyal observance of the law. In many cases they had to contend with large quantities of water, and it was a fact that quite recently a rescue team equipped with the breathing apparatus safely extinguished a fire, and, to say the least of it, saved a long stoppage. At a similar mine in Yorkshire Sir William Garforth, with bis team and apparatus, saved one life and almost saved another. So there was good reason to make provision for such emergencies, and owing to the liberality of the Lanca- shire coal owners and the labours of Mr. Pilkington, the chairman of the central committee, there was now the mother station at Howe Bridge, a station at St. Helens, this one at Rose-grove, and in a few weeks there would be one completed at Denton. There were also substations at Skelmersdale and Coppull. Lancashire was in a premier position as regards rescue stations. She was always in the forefront. Before concluding he would refer to the officers, who were all able inen. Dr. Arnold Green, the medical adviser, had done good service. Mr. Arthur Ratcliffe- Ellis had shown his qualities as a secretary in attending to the wants of all the stations ; he was now doing his duty in his Majesty’s forces like so many other Lanca- shire men. From the mines in his (the speaker’s) district 5,666 had gone, over 11 per cent, of the total number employed. That was a matter outside rescue work, but they would excuse his referring to it at a critical moment in the nation’s history, when all must do what they could. At Howe Bridge they had an instruct©!' second to none, in the person of Sergt.- Major Hill, who had trained to proficiency 1,329 men, and sent out several to take charge of stations in their turn. Mr. Charles Pilkington, chairman of the Central Committee, said, so far as he had seen, everything was as perfect as it could be. The idea of central rescue stations was an arrangement which they made with the Home Office because they thought it would be more effective and less expensive than if every colliery had its own private station and kept its own apparatus. That would have involved a great risk that when it became necessary to use the apparatus it would be found wanting in some respect. Unless it was kept absolutely up to the mark it became a death trap. They believed that at these central stations, looked after by duly qualified persons, all the appliances would be kept absolutely right. One thing necessary in rescue work was discipline. The men who went down must be disciplined to act with their leader, and according to his instructions. But that was only one part, one brigade as it were, in the army which was fighting against these disasters. They had all to act together. The training must be perfect, the apparatus in perfect order and always ready for action, the members must be kept in touch with the institution so that at a moment’s notice they would be gathered, and go to the scene of the accident. It was easy to do that at first when the thing was new, but it would be difficult to keep up as years went by. There- fore, he urged them not to allow any relaxation of discipline. They had a very good instructor, who they were sorry to lose at Howe Bridge, and proof had been given, especially by Mr. Pickup, of a zeal which was not checked by difficulties. Judging from his experience of rescue work he was satisfied they would do very well. Sir George Macalpine moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Gerrard. He said he was glad to have an opportunity of acknowledging the great debt which the Lancashire coal mining industry owed to Mr. Gerrard for his services, especially in connection with life saving. They were also under obligations to Mr. Pilkington, whose name he desired to associate in the vote of thanks. Mr. J. H. Schofield in seconding, remarked that it was a long time since he first met Mr. Gerrard, and there had been many great changes in coal mining and management generally during that period. Mr. Gerrard had not confined himself to his technical duties, he had entered heartily into the work, and while he had sympathy forjthe men, he’could’look at things from an all-round point of view and deal justly with the masters. They appreciated his presence on the occasion, and had listened with interest to his remarks, which no doubt would have some fruit. The vote of thanks having been carried unanimously, Mr. Gerrard briefly acknowledged it. He remarked that his work had been a pleasure to him, and he was sure he had made friends of many of those among whom he laboured. Mr. H. Bolton, iu proposing a vote of thanks to Sir John Thursby for presiding, referred to the active part he was taking in the management of collieries in the district. He had shown that he had fully appreciated the value of rescue work by the address he had given, and also by giving facilities for the erection of the station on his land. The site was most central. The committee were to be congratulated on the efficient way in which the work has been carried out. Mr. J. Jobling said the thanks of the committee were also due to the officials and managers in Sir John Thursby’s service for the manner in which they had helped in the work. Some of them visited the place practically every day. Nothing would be lacking on the part of the committee and the district to make the station as efficient as possible, and to keep the men in discipline, so that they might be ready if called upon at a moment’s notice. The vote of thanks was carried unanimously. In the course of the afternoon a team of men from the Burnley Collieries, equipped with the “ Proto ” Breathing Apparatus gave a practical demonstration in the gallery, which had been filled with fumes. Immingham Coal Exports. — The returns for the week ending November 20 show that the coal exported from Immingham consisted of the following :—Foreign : To Gefle, 2,620 tons; Gothenburg, 1,800; Mariagerfjord, 1,150; and Oxelosund, 2,952 tons; making a total of 8,522 tons foreign, as compared with 35,802 tons foreign during the correspond- ing week last year. Coastwise : To London, 3,500 tons, against 3,520 tons coastwise for the corresponding period last year. THE FREQUENCY OF MINE EXPLOSIONS. At a recent meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers a paper on “ Coal Mine Explosions Caused by Gas or Dust ” was read by Mr. Howard N. Eavenson, in which valuable records are given of mine explosions in the United States and elsewhere over an extended period. From the data given, the following conclusions are drawn: 1. In North America, minor explosions, or those in which less than five fatalities occurred, happen most frequently in October, November, December, January and March, although nearly as many have happened in June as in March; those in December, January and February are above the average in fatalities, as are also those in May and July, those occurring in May having a slightly greater average fatality than even those of December. Serious explosions, or those in which more than five lives have been lost, have happened most frequently in January, February, March, April and November. Contrary to the usual belief, the number of explosions in December has been slightly below the average, although their intensity, and the number of lives lost, have been considerably greater than those of any other month. January, February, and May are also above the average in the number of fatalities per explosion, May being next to December in this respect. For all explosions of gas or dust, January, March, November, October and December, in the order named, are above the average in number of explosions; in number of fatalities per explosion, May, December, February, January and March are above the average. For all explosions, therefore, May exceeds any of the winter months in number of fatalities per explosion. 2. In the coal mines of the United States, the total number of accidents and of fatalities due to explosions of gas or dust has been steadily increasing; there has been a slight increase in the number of accidents and a more decided increase in the number of fatalities per million tons produced; the serious explosions, causing five or more fatalities each, have been steadily increasing in actual number and number of fatalities, as well as in number- of accidents and of fatalities per million tons produced; the number of accidents per mine, both serious and total, also shows a steady increase. It is therefore true that we have more explosions, and more serious ones, both actually and in relation to oui' number of mines and production, than we had years ago. 3. In the coal mines of Great Britain, minor explosions, so far as our records show, have occurred most frequently in the months of August, October, May, March and September, while those in April, May, August, November, March and July are above the average in number of fatalities per explosion. Serious explosions have occurred most frequently in December, October, November and March, while those in June, December, July, February and May have been of more than average intensity. For all explosions, August, October, December, March, May and November are above the average in number, and December, June, July and February are above the average in intensity. By far the largest number of fatalities has occurred in December, June being second in this respect. 4. In the coal mines of France, from 1814 to 1904, minor explosions have occurred most frequently in July, August, February, April, May and January, and have been of more than average intensity in April, December, July, February, August and October. Serious explosions have been above the average in frequency in August, April, July and March, and in intensity in January, September, December, July, November and October. For all explosions, July, August, April and May are above the average in number, and December. January, November, July, March, October and September in intensity. By far the largest number of both accidents and fatalities have occurred in July. 5. In the coal mines in Belgium, 1891 to 1909, minor explosions occurred more frequently than the average in June, May and July, and in March, January, February, April and June were of more thanaverage intensity. Serious explosions occurred most frequently in May, March and J uly, and were of more than average intensity in March. For all explosions, May, July and June are above the average in number, and March in intensity. By far the largest number of fatalities occurred in March. French Coal Mines and the War.—A question of interest to France which has not been satisfactorily answered, says the Morning Post, is what has happened to the coal mines in the North which are, or have been, in the enemy’s posses- sion. Rumours of all kinds have been afloat. According to some reports the mines have been destroyed; according to others the Germans are working them for themselves. One- half of the coal district of the Pas-de-Calais is in German hands, and no accurate information of what is happening there is obtainable. One thing is certain : the coal districts have been the scene of some of the fiercest fighting during the present war, and no doubt have suffered accordingly. The Liberte publishes an interesting interview with M. Lion, chief mining engineer of the Pas-de-Calais, who has been compelled to move with the other administrative ser- vices of the Department from Arras to Boulogne-sur-Mer. The following mines are in the enemy’s hands :—Dourges, Drocourt, Courriires, Ostricourt, Carvin, Meurchin, Lens, Lievin, and pits No. 4 and No. 8 of Bethune. M. Lion was unable to confirm or contradict the reports that some of these mines were being worked by the Germans, and that others had been set on fire. It was said that a Prus- sian Commission had visited Lens to consider the possibility of working the mines, and also that great damage had been done to many of the workings. As for the mines still in French hands, work was going on so far as possible, despite the shortage of labour. M. Poincar6, on his return from Belgium last Sunday, had shown his interest in the situation by visiting one of the Bruay mines.