1J36

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

November 27, 1914.

left who ought to join the Army. Col. Somerville, the chief
recruiting officer of Doncaster, paid a high compliment to
the miners, and congratulated Bentley and the other colliery
districts upon the way in which the men had come forward.
The large number of men who had passed through his hands
had, he said, been mostly miners, and they were a very
excellent lot. He pointed out that the colliery companies
were behaving most liberally to their men who enlisted, and
were quite willing to take them back when the war was
over. The young men present at the meeting were reminded
that in the Featherstone and Castleford districts 60 per cent,
of the men who had enlisted were married miners.

The miners’ battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light
Infantry, raised by the Yorkshire Coal Owners’ Association,
is now an accomplished fact. The men are training hard,
and are only too anxious to get to the front. They have
received a splendid welcome from the town of Otley, near
which they are quartered till the time for action arrives.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

Unloading Trucks : Responsibility for Accidents—Colliery
Ambulance Men in the Military Hospital.

At the Manchester Assizes on Friday and Saturday last,
Mr. Justice Sankey and a special jury heard an action of
considerable interest to coal merchants and railway com-
panies. The plaintiff, Herbert Edward Darlington, on
April 4 last was engaged unloading coal from wagons in the
sidings at Altrincham, owned jointly by the Great Central
and the London and North-Western railway companies.
For that purpose he followed what had been, according to
the evidence of witnesses called on his behalf, the recognised
practice for many years. The lorry was drawn up alongside
the coal truck, the side of which was let down, and, with
props to support it, brought level with the lorry, so as to
form a sort of platform, from which the coal was shovelled
from one vehicle to another. After Darlington had been at
work for some little time, an engine was shunted on to the
end of the line of wagons, with the result that he was thrown
off and sustained injuries which had prevented him from
doing heavy work ever since. For the defence a number of
witnesses were called to prove that notices in bold type—
which plaintiff denied having seen—were posted in the
sidings and in the warehouse, pointing out that the use of
props under-wagon doors was dangerous, and that the com-
panies would not be responsible for accidents arising there-
from. It was also stated that carters had been warned that
the method of unloading coal trucks followed by the plaintiff
was dangerous. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff,
and awarded him J-200 damages.

Further batches of ambulance men drawn from Lord
Ellesmere’s collieries in Walkden and adjoining districts
were despatched to military hospitals to attend to wounded
soldiers last week. Close upon 80 members of the Elles-
mere Ambulance Corps of the St. John Ambulance Brigade
are now on active service in military hospitals, having
enlisted in the R.A.M.C. The men are stationed at military
hospitals in the following places :—Newport (Mon.), Con-
naught and Cambridge Hospitals, Aidershot; Dover, Dublin,
and Purfleet. Some of the men have offered to accompany
the Expeditionary Forces to the front, but these have not
yet been called upon.

The question of providing additional school accommoda-
tion is occupying the attention of the local educational
authorities in the Astley district of Southern Lancashire,
where new coalfields are being opened out and hundreds of
additional houses being built. From an obscure village,
Astley (like certain districts round Doncaster, in South
Yorkshire) promises to develop into an influential township
in the near future.

It is announced that certain colliery firms in the Man-
chester and Bolton districts are about to embark in the
private retailing business (bagging) to compete with
co-operative societies.

North Wales.

There was a large assembly at the Chirk Parish Hall on
Saturday evening last, on the occasion of a presentation
being made to Mr. T. Yates, managing director of the
Brynkinallt Collieries, on the occasion of his leaving the dis-
trict to take up the management of a colliery in Staffordshire.
Mr. Yates was held in high repute in the locality, and held
many public offices. The presentation took the form of a
mahogany roll-top desk, a travelling case, and an album
containing the names of the subscribers. Mr. Yates is to
be succeeded by Mr. E. T. Davies, the manager of the
Wynnstay Collieries, Buabon.

Notts and Derbyshire.

Electrical Engineers at Nottingham : Retirement of
Secretary.

An instructive paper on “ Power Factor and its Improve-
ment ” was read by Mr. L. G. F. Routledge, of Eastwood
(president of the branch) at the monthly meeting of the
Notts and Derbyshire branch of the Association of Mining
Electrical Engineers, held at the University College, Notting-
ham, on Saturday afternoon, November 21. A discussion
followed, in which Mr. H. R. Hudson (hon. secretary),
Ilkeston; Mr. E. E. Beadsmoore (vice-president), Derby;
Mr. F. Cusworth, East Kirkby; and Mr. W. J. Furse,
Nottingham, took part. Mr. Wm. Maurice, of Sheffield (the
first president of the branch, and an ex-president of the
association), attended the meeting to join in the expression
of appreciation of the services of Mr. F. Cusworth, who has
just retired from the secretaryship of the branch, which posi-
tion he had practically held since its formation about six
years ago. As a small but none the less grateful recogni-
tion of the good work he had done for the branch, Mr.
Maurice asked Mr. Cusworth to accept, as a gift from himself,
a combination armchair and writing table. Mr. Routledge,
on behalf of the members, presented the retiring secretary
with a case of cutlery. Mr. Cuswrorth warmly thanked Mr.
Maurice and his fellow members for their gifts, and remarked
that although he had been relieved of the duties of secretary-
ship, he hoped to continue to take a practical interest in the
work of the branch, which was one of the most successful
and active connected with the association. He paid a
tribute to Mr. Maurice for the great assistance he had given,
not only to that branch, but the association generally.

The projected railway from Worksop to Bawtry to serve
the prospective collieries at Firbeck (Wallingwells) and Har-
worth, is a matter of considerable interest to Worksop. The
realisation of the scheme will confer a great boon on the

town, opening out a district now without any such accom-
modation. The counter proposal put forward by the com-
panies interested in the South Yorkshire Joint Line is not
regarded with enthusiasm. Their proposal is to construct a
light railway which will convey the expected coal traffic to
the companies’ joint line.

The Midlands.

At a meeting of the Rowley Regis Urban Council on
Monday, the Highways, Tramways and General Purposes
Committee reported that the mine owners responsible for the
damage to the highway and sewers at High-street, Cradley
Heath, through the mining subsidence in February last, had
paid the amount claimed by the Council.

Kent.

The solicitors to the East Kent Light Railways Company
have written informing various local authorities that the
company have requested the Light Railway Commissioners
to postpone proceedings on the application for the Extensions
Order, 1914, during the war period. The very considerable
network of light railways already laid in East Kent have
been in conjunction with the Tilmanstone and Snowdown
collieries and the various colliery sinkings in progress, and
the Extensions Order referred to concerned projected lines
for obtaining sea connection in Thanet and works in the
neighbourhood of Deal.

Debenture holders in the Kent Coal Concessions com-
panies have received from the manager of the shareholders’
committee a notification of the decision of the recent meeting
concerning certain modifications of the rights of debenture
holders, and the approval of a supplemental trust deed carry-
ing out these modifications. Debentures are to be forwarded
to the company’s offices at Dover for an endorsement of the
supplemental trust deed upon them.

Scotland.

New Colliery at Kirkcaldy—Interesting Charter Party Case
—Reduced Railway Rates for Pit Props—Closing of the
Forth : Effect on Trade.

A colliery is being established near the public park at
Kirkcaldy, Fife, on land belonging to Sir Ronald Munro
Ferguson. The Fife Coal Company are lessees of the under-
sea Crown minerals, and the coal extends across the Forth.
The area of the colliery is 3,000 acres. All precautions are
to be taken to interfere as little as possible with the amenity
of the district. There will be no overhead gear and no
smoke, as it is intended to have an incline instead of a shaft,
with electric haulage. This will add another to the several
new collieries the Fife Coal Company have recently opened.

Considerable progress is being made with the new shaft at
Prestongrange Colliery, near Edinburgh, which has now
reached a depth of over 30 fathoms. This colliery operates
under the sea as well as inland.

The modern collieries of Killochan and Maxwell, Ayrshire,
are for sale as a going concern.

In the Outer House of the Scottish Court of Session, before
Lord Hunter, on the 17th inst., the record was closed in an
action by D. M. Stevenson and Company, coal exporters,
Glasgow, against Rederi Aktiebolaget Edenor, Helsingborg,
Sweden, for .£1,622. By charter party defenders undertook
that the steamer “ Edenor ” should proceed to Fife and load
a cargo of coal for Rouen. The vessel finished loading at
Burntisland on the afternoon of August 4, but the master
refused to proceed to Rouen. In consequence of the alleged
breach of contract the pursuers say they have suffered loss
to the amount sued for. The defenders, who deny breach
of contract, plead that the pursuers not having suffered loss,
the action should be dismissed. They explain that while
the cargo was being shipped, war broke out, and the
“ Edenor,” registered in Sweden, was not bound non
entitled to proceed with the cargo, which was contraband, to
a belligerent. They were further justified owing to the
German operations in the North Sea. Through the pursuers’
failure to discharge the cargo or to send it to a neutral port
the defenders suffered loss to the extent of £830. The case
was sent to the Procedure Roll.

It is reported that as a result of the deputation which
recently waited upon the Secretary for Scotland and the
President of the Board of Trade from the Scottish coal
owners and wood merchants, the Railway Executive Com-
mittee has agreed to a reduction of railway rates for the
carriage of pit props in Scotland to a maximum of 10s. per
ton. The maximum rate current previously was 17s. per
ton.

A meeting of coal owners, shippers, railway managers,
and others was held in Glasgow on Monday for the purpose
of considering what steps should be taken with a view to
carrying on the trade which has been interfered with at
Grangemouth and Bo’ness by the closing of the Firth of
Forth above Queensferry. Representatives were present
from the coal owners’ associations in Lanarkshire, Fife, and
the Lothians, and the Caledonian and North British rail-
way companies, the Leith Dock Commission, the proprietors
of Granton Harbour, and from coal exporting and shipping
companies. The position of affairs arising out of the closing
of the Forth was fully discussed. Traders, it is stated, will,
as far as possible, send the mineral and goods traffic which
was formerly dealt with at Grangemouth and Bo’ness to
other ports on the Forth and Clyde, and it is understood
that they have asked the railway companies for special rates*
for this traffic. The question of rates was dealt with, but
no definite arrangement was come to. It is probable that
the colliery owners will send a deputation to London in order
to consult with the Board of Trade in regard to the matter.

At the last council meeting of the Institute of Gas
Engineers considerations were discussed with respect to
means for ensuring that the quality of coal supplied to gas
undertakings should always conform to specification. The
special committee appointed to deal with questions which
have arisen in connection with tar prices and the war
crisis reported the steps which were being taken with the
object of arriving at arrangements which would be
acceptable to all producers and distillers throughout the
kingdom. With regard to the enquiry re tar products, &c.,
a report was presented showing the progress which had
been made in collecting and collating the information
obtained, from the replies received to the circular letter
recently issued.

TRADE AND THE WAR.

Interned German Shipping and the Tonnage Scarcity—The
Government and the Aniline* Dye Industry—Coaling of
German Cruisers : Action by Chilian Authorities—Right
of Alien Enemies to Sue—Important Contraband Judg-
ment in Prize Court.

Licence during the war to manufacture an endless
conveyor for coal and coke, a German patent in the name
of Emil Bousse, 43, Victoria-strasse, Darmstadt, was applied
for in the Patents Court last week by Messrs. Ed.
Bennis and Company Limited, manufacturing engineers,
of Little Hui ton, Bolton, Lancs. The patent, which has
three years to run, secures two peculiar advantages. The
buckets are pivoted above the centre of gravity so that they
may be readily emptied, and it is possible to introduce into
the conveyor a horizontal bend, by which the buckets may
describe a circuit round obstructions, thus avoiding the use
as hitherto, of two separate conveyors. There is also a
linked connection between individual buckets, which
facilitates the emptying of the buckets at any point on the
circuit. The owners asked for a royalty of 4 per cent.;
Messrs. Bennis offered 2| per cent.

Arrangements are understood to be in progress for the
formation, under Government auspices, of an international
clearing house to facilitate commerce between this country
and Russia.

During September 253,000 tons of iron ore were exported
from Sweden, as compared with 755,000 tons in September
1913.

The question of increasing the short supply of tonnage
by putting into employment the interned German shipping
is being freely canvassed by merchants, to whom the
present high freights has become a serious matter. It is
understood that definite proposals have been sent up to the
Admiralty for consideration.

In the House of Commons on Monday Mr. Sherwell asked
the President of the Board of Trade whether it was the
intention of the Government to assist, financially and
otherwise, in the organisation of the supply of aniline and
other dyes ; and, if so, whether he could give the House an
assurance that no engagements would be entered into on
behalf of the Government until the proposals and recom-
mendations of the Haldane Committee were laid before the
House. Mr. Runciman in reply said that the Board of
Trade have entered into consultations with the principal
interests concerned with a view to the elaboration of a
scheme for the establishment of an undertaking for the
production of synthetic dyes and colours. In the main it
is hoped that the capital required will be forthcoming from
the industries by which dyes and colours are mainly used,
but the Treasury are prepared within certain limits, and
subject to certain conditions, to afford financial support to
a well-considered scheme which will be permanently under
British control. He was not prepared at the moment to
enter into fuller details. He was authorised by the Lord
Chancellor to say that in his view the committee over
which he presides was intended to bring together those
possessing special knowledge and experience of various
aspects of the problems of chemical industry arising out
of the war, so as to promote an exchange of views and to
give practical assistance to the Government in finding a
solution, rather than for the purpose of presenting a formal
report and recommendations on the very wide range of
subjects within the purview of the committee. In these
circumstances, and in view of the very urgent nature of
the practical difficulties it would be seen that it was not
practicable to give the suggested undertaking.

In answer to Mr. Joynson-Hicks, Mr. Runciman has
stated that an inspector was appointed some time ago
under the. provisions of the Trading with the Enemy Act
in the cases of Siemens Brothers and Co. Limited and
Siemens Brothers Dynamo Works Limited.

The Chilian authorities have announced that no vessel
of the Kosmos Line is to be permitted to take coal
or provisions from any Chilean port pending an inves-
tigation into the departure of the liners “ Luxor ” and
“ Negada,” which left Chilean ports on Friday, the 20th
inst., without clearance papers. The authorities have also
given orders for the capture of these vessels. The repre-
sentative of the Kosmos Line seeks to elude responsibility
for the unauthorised sailing of the steamers with cargoes
of coal by arguing that, once war is declared, ships of the
mercantile marine, according to German law, are considered
to be transports under the orders of the Government.

The steamer “ Sacramento/’ which has put into Valpa-
raiso, reports that she was seized on the high seas by a
German warship, which took her to Juan Fernandez
Island, belonging to Chile, where she was obliged to hand
over 6,000 tons of coal constituting her cargo. The Chilean
authorities are investigating the affair. The steamer in
question left San Francisco on October 14 with a cargo of
coal, Valparaiso being given as her destination in the
manifest. The United States authorities, however, were
not satisfied regarding the destination of the coal and the
genuineness of the transfer of the vessel from German to
United States registry was also questioned, and the
steamer was stopped as she was passing the Golden Gate.
Presumably everything was found in order, and she was
allowed to proceed. The captain of the “ Sacramento ”
states that he sold the cargo of coal to the German warships
“ Scharnhorst,” “Gneisenau,” and “Nuremberg,” which
lately left Valparaiso.

Presiding over the annual meeting of the Millom and
Askam Iron Company, on Monday, Mr. T. Mure Ritchie
referred to the effect of the war upon the iron and steel
trades. Previous to the war these were in a depressed
condition, and at the outbreak of the war there was a slight
revival. This revival, according to Mr. Ritchie, has now
pretty well evaporated. He was of the opinion that a
successful termination of the wrar, to our point of view,
would result in an expansion of the iron and steel trade of
Great Britain, given sufficient courage and enterprise on the
part of those wrho controlled it.

In the King’s Bench Division on Thursday, the 19th
inst., the case of the Armorduct Manufacturing Company v.
Defries and Co. was heard, in 'which the plaintiff company
appealed from the decision of the judge of the City of London
Court. The company was registered in this country, and had
its office in London and its factory in Birmingham. The
business carried on by it was the manufacture of tubes for
carrying electric wires. Of the shares of the company,