1290 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. December 18, 1914. The men in Staffordshire pits seem to object to the enforced introduction of steel props instead of timber as much as the Yorkshire miners. The men state that their chief objection is from the point of view of safety. Steel props, they state, are much more difficult to handle on account of the weight, and whilst a wooden prop when the roof is “ weighting ” will give the warning to the men, this is not so with steel props. . There is also the question of extra payment for the additional labour involved. The men further believe that from the point of view of scarcity of timber, the need for steel supports does not at present arise. Suggestions have been made by some of the coal masters that composite props of steel girders, wrought iron tubes, and old rai\ should be substituted for timber. In consequence of so many of their men having joined the Colours, the Haunch wood Collieries Company, in north-east Warwickshire, have this week decided temporarily to close that portion of their works known as the Old Haunchwood Pit. Steps are to be taken to keep the pit in such a con- dition that work may be resumed immediately sufficient men are available. Over 300 men employed by the company have gone to the front. The Griff Colliery Company have made their men a special offer if they will work an hour extra four days a week. It is understood, however, that the Griff men decline to entertain the offer of the employers. Mr. William Johnson, M.P., the Warwickshire miners’ agent, states that he has left the matter to the men to decide. His difficulty, he states, was in asking men to join the Colours, and then the firm asking others to work longer hours. Kent. The proposed new board of directors of the various Kent coal companies is to consist of the Earl of Darnley, Lieut. - Col. J. P. Dalison, Mr. John Dewrance, Mr. Stewart D. Greig, and Mr. Wm. P. Studholme. The adjourned extraordinary general meetings of Kent Coal Concessions Limited, Guilford Colliery Limited, and Intermediate Equip- ments Limited, were held at Dover on Wednesday (16th) for the confirmation of the alterations of articles of association unanimously approved a fortnight ago by the shareholders’ meetings, and a resolution approving of these gentlemen as the new directors then came forward. This board will be representative of the shareholders’ committee which is now in control of the undertakings, and is considered a very strong board. The debenture holders of the East Kent Colliery Company have decided to find the money to keep pumping going at the Tilmanstone Colliery, in order that the pits may be kept free of water whilst the colliery is closed. Coal getting will be resumed as soon as the re-construction scheme has gone through. Two of the Kent coal companies have just issued their balance-sheets. The Betteshanger Boring Company, which is concerned with the colliery at Betteshanger, near Deal, in which Lord Northbourne, of Betteshanger Pask, is consider- ably interested, show that to September 30 their liabilities’ were £25,652 16s. Id., consisting of £22,347 10s. issued capital, and £3,305 6s. Id. creditors. The assets include purchase of founder’s rights £1,312, options on land and minerals £4,367 18s. 7d., Betteshanger boring £7,118 9s. 9fd., and Ebbsfleet Coal Syndicate Joint account £2,965 18s. lid. Expenses have been £4,465 9s. Id., and the investments represent £5,173 19s. The Whitstable and Canterbury Coalfield’s balance-sheet is carried to June 30, and shows liabilities of £15,912 2s., including issued capital £10,757 7s., and creditors £5,154 15s. On the assets side are purchase of founder’s rights £2,650, options on lands and minerals £5,848 Ils. 4d., expenditure £727 3s. 3d., Harmansole bore £2,996 18s. 3d., investments £1,250, sundry debtors £656 3s. 10d., cash on deposit account £1,506 2s. 6d. A meeting of unsecured creditors in seven of the Kent Coal Concessions group of companies was held on Tuesday to consider the scheme of allowing their debts to remain over until six months after the completion of the war, as pro- posed by the committee of shareholders. Scotland. Thanks to a spurt in trade, Messrs. Nimmo and Sons have been able to re-open two of their Bosebank pits which have been closed for nearly two months. These pits are the Wallsend and Dixie, and between them they give employ- ment to several hundreds of men. THE FREIGHT MARKET. The shortage of tonnage and the resultant highness of freights is still an overpowering factor in restricting the volume of business, and, during the last few days under review, these troubles have been intensified by stormy weather off the coast. The arrival of tonnage, especially at East Coast ports, has been seriously retarded, and shippers are feeling the pinch uncommonly severely. On the north- east coast the amount of chartering done is less than has been usual during the last few weeks. Bates, however, even matters up by being considerably more. Coasting business, done last week at from 6s. to 6s. 3d. Tyne to London, is now quoted at from 6s. 6d. to 7s. The Bay, which ranged from 12s. 6d. to 14s. to St. Nazaire, has advanced to from 14s. 6d. to 15s. 6d., with the latter rate steadily held for Bordeaux. As for North France, there appears to be no limit to the potentialities of rates, Bouen being now done at from 15s. to 15s. 9d., as against 13s. 6d. to 14s. l|d., and Havre at up to 14s. 6d., as compared with from 12s. to 12s. 3d. To the Mediterranean, Genoa has ranged from 18s. 6d. to 19s. 6d., with 20s. reported done, as compared with 18s. 6d.; Port Said is listed at 21s.; whilst Venice is up to 26s. 6d. from Dunston, an advance of fully Is. 9d. on the week. It is pleasing to note that the advisory committee of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce is allowing no grass to grow under its feet in its efforts to minimise the congestion at Bouen, and is already actively engaged in securing men and machines wherewith to facilitate the discharge of long-detained vessels. It is good, too, to learn that employment at Bouen for the purpose mentioned is being offered to men of the Northumberland coalfield, who have suffered much through unemployment consequent on the war. At South Wales, chartering has been moderately active, at very well maintained rates. The Mediterranean has been arranged for at from 16s. 6d. to 17s. 6d. to Genoa from Cardiff, as compared with 16s. to 16s. 6d. last week; the North of France at from 13s. 6d. to 16s. to Bouen, as against from 12s. 6d. to 14s.; and the Biver Plate at from 15s. 3d. to 15s. 9d., as against from 16s. to 17s. It will be noted that the latter direction is the only one freights to which are reduced. Outward freights from other ports are similarly influenced. Homewards, there is little doing for wheat or coal tonnage at Australia, and timber has paid 20s. on d.w. to East Indies. The nitrate ports are steady, but inactive. The North Pacific is unaltered. Bice ports are unchanged. The East Indies are dull, with some demand for coal tonnage from Calcutta. The American market is very firm, and cotton rates are sharply moving upwards. Grain rates, too, are very strong. Lumber rates are firm. The Biver Plate has gone quieter after 36s. 3d. done for Feb., and 35s. is now the top rate mentioned. The Mediterranean market is featureless. Tyne to Ancona, 3,000, 27s., 500; Bordeaux, 1,000, 15s. 6d.; 4,200, 15s. 6d.; Civita Vecchia, 1,600, 19s. 6d.; Cannes, 1,500, 19s.; Caen, 900, 14s. 6d.; 1,500, 14s. 3d.; Genoa, 4,500, 19s.; 6,000, 18s. 6d., Dec.; 5,300, 19s. 3d.; 5,400, 19s. 6d.; 5,400, 19s., time counts on arrival, £60 demurrage; Havre, 3,900, 13s. 3d.; 1,700, 13s.; 900, 14s. 6d.; London, 3,700, 6s. 6d.; 4,300, 6s.; 1,600, 6s. 3d.; 5,000, 6s., three voyages; 2,800, 6s. 6d.; 3,300, 7s.; 3,600, 6s. 3d.; L’Orient, 1,100, 16s.: Lisbon, 4,800, 15s., from Dunston; Marseilles, 3,500, 16s. 10|d., from Dunston; Naples, 5,400, 19s. 6d.: Port Said, 3,500, 21s.: 5,000, 1,000 tons pitch, 22s. 3d.; 4,300, 21s.; Bouen, 3,000, 14s. 6d.; 1.700, 14s. 9d.; 1,500, 14s. 6d.: 2,300, 15s.; 1,400, 15s., Dec. 23; 2,800, 15s.; 1,500, 15s. 9d.: Savona, 6,000, 18s. 6d., Dec.; Southampton, 1,700, 10s.: 280, 9s. 6d.; St. Nazaire, 3.200, 14s. 6d.; 5,000, 15s. 6d.; Venice, 2,500, 26s. 6d., from Dunston; Valencia, 1,100, 16s., 400. Cardiff to Alexandria, 4,500, 19s. 6d., 500; 3,600, 19s. 6d.. 700; 5.000, 20s., 700: Algiers, 4,200, 20 fr.; Ancona, 4,000. 21s. 9d.; Aden, 5,500, 21s.; Buenos Ayres, 15s. 9d.: Brindisi, 5,000, 19s. 3d.: 800. 19s. 7|d., 500, charterers oaving war risk; 4.500, 19s., 800: Bahia Blanca, sail, 14s.: Bizerta, 5,600, 184 fr., 1,200: Brest, 750, 14s.; Brest- Boulogne Bange, 1,700, Ils.. 10 to 12 voyages, any accessible nort between and inclusive, Jan.; Cherbourg, 1,950, 11s. 6d.; 1.150, 13s.: Cape Verdes, 4,800, 13s.; Colombo, 6.000, 21s.; Dakar. 2,000, 15s.; 1,300, 14s. 6d., end month: 2.200, 14s. 3d., end month: 2,000, 14s.; Djibouti, 20s. 6d., Dec.; Fecamp, 600, 14s.: Genoa, 4,900, 17s.: 2,700-3.100, 16s. 6d.; 4.500, 16s. 9d.; 5,000, 17s. l|d.: 4,600, 17s. 6d.; Gibraltar, 2.500, 13s. 6d.: Honfleur, 1,500, 13s. 6d.; Havre, 1,600, 12s. 9d.: La Pallice, 2,800, 124 fr.; Leghorn, 3,700. 16s. 9d., 500; 4,500, 18s. 4|d., 500: Lisbon, 1,900. 12s.. 350: 2.000. 11s. 9d.: Las Palmas, 6,500, Ils.; Marseilles. 5.000, 22 fr.; 2,000, 23 fr.: 4,300, 23 fr.; Nantes, 2,400, 134 fr.: Naples, 3.700. 16s. 9d., 500; 4.500, 18s. 4|d., 500: Port Said. 3.800, 20s. 6d.: 5,000. 21s., Dec.; 4.300, 21s.; Bouen, 1.500. 16s.: 1.200, 14s.: 1.500, 14s. 6d.: 1,500. 12 voyages, Ils.: 2.000. 14s. 6d.: 2,000, 13s. 6d.: 3,000, 13s. 6d.,*Jan.: 2.400, 14s.: 2.900, 14s. 3d.; 2,900, 14s.: Bio de Janeiro, 16s. 9d., Dec.; Bosario, 4,500, 15s. 6d., Dec.: Biver Plate, 15s. 9d.; 15s. 6d., Dec.: 4,500. 16s. 14d., Jan.: 4.500. 15s. 3d.; 4,000. 15s. 3d.: Salerno, 2.400. 19s.: Savona, 4.500. 16 fr. 400, 13’62> fr. 500; Bouen, 2,300, 14s. Blyth to Bouen, 4,000, 14s. 6d.; 1,600, 15s. 6d. •Immingham to Bagnoli, 4,000, 17s. 4|d. Port Talbot to Bouen, 2,000, 14s. 6d., Dec. 21. Humber to Genoa, 4,000, 17s.; Bagnoli, 4,000, 17s. 4|d.; Savona, 4,000, 17s. Hartlepool to Malaga, 1,500, 16s. 6d., 350. Llanelly to Havre, 700, 12s. 9d.; Fecamp, 650, 13s. 6d. Wharncliffe Silkstone Prosecution.—The West Biding Court at Barnsley on Wednesday heard the Home Office prosecutions against the Wharncliffe Silkstone Colliery Com- pany, Mr. George Blake Walker (agent), Mr. Jonathan Wroe (manager), and Mr. Albert Otway, arising out of the explosion on May 30 last. The charges first taken were those against Messrs. Wroe and Otway with respect to the electric coal cutting machine, from which the explosion is believed to have arisen. After a legal argument as to whether a breach of the Begulations was de facto a breach of the Act, the Bench dismissed the charges on the ground that there had been no proof of criminal negligence. The charge of using unapproved lamps was then proceeded with, but counsel at once raised the defence that they were being used with the express permission of the Chief Inspector of Mines. Thereupon, Mr. Pope, who appeared for the Home Office, asked that the case should be adjourned, in order that he might obtain fresh instructions. This course was agreed to, and the further hearing will take place next Wednesday, when the other charges, relating to the non-provision of adequate ventilation, will be proceeded with. A full report of the case will appear in the next issue of the Colliery Guardian. Mr. Bobert Nelson, H.M. electrical inspector of mines, who gave evidence on Wednesday, appeared in uniform, and it was stated that he was about to proceed on service. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late for inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last White pages. Abstracts of Contracts Open. Dublin.—Best Wigan, Orrell, and best steam coal for the Dublin Bed Cross Hospital Committee. Tenders to the Chairman, Finance Committee, Dublin Castle. Kildare (Ireland),. December 31.—Anthracite coal for the Waterworks of the Naas Bural District Council. Tenders to F. Bergin, Beechgrove, Kildare. London, S.W., January 1. — Coal and coke for the Wandsworth Borough Council. Forms from Council House, East-hill, Wandsworth, S.W. Oxford, December 31.—Best Moira screened cobbles for the Corporation. Tenders to B. Bacon, town clerk, Town Hall, Oxford. Bochdale, December 22.—About 1,300 tons of coke for the Guardians. Tenders to Union Offices, Townhead, Boch- dale. Slough, December 31.—Best Tredegar large smokeless steam coal, aggregating about 300 tons for the Slough Urban District Council. Tenders to W. W. Cooper, manager, Council Offices, Slough. Westport (Ireland), December 21. — Ten tons of best Irish anthracite coal, | in. beans for suction gas plant, for the Urban District Council. Tenders to F. Egan, town clerk, Urban Offices, Westport. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, &c. Cardiff.—Colliery Plant.—For driving a slant at the Cardiff Navigation Colliery. Specifications from Colliery Office, Llantrisant. Tenders to Cardiff Navigation Colliery Company, Atlantic-buildings, Swansea. Cudworth, January 3. — Gasholder. — Single lift gas- holder and steel tank for the Urban District Council. Specification from Messrs. T. Newbigging and Son, 5, Norfolk-street, Manchester. Hornsey, January 2. — Low-Tension Switchgear.— Erection of low-tension switchgear, etc., for the Corporation. Forms, on deposit of 10s. 6d. (returnable), from Borough Electrical Engineer, Electricity Works, Tottenham-lane, Hornsey. Leeds, January 22.—Coal Conveying Plant, etc.—For the Corporation : An electric overhead travelling crane, also coal and ash conveying plant. Specifications from C. N. Pefford, 1, Whitehall-road, Leeds, on deposit of two guineas (returnable). Linaskea (Ireland), January 2.—Pump.—Pump for the Bural District Council. Specification from clerk, J. O’R. Hoey. Manchester, January 2.—Carbonising Plant.—Re-con- struction of the horizontal retort carbonising plant for the Corporation. Specification from F. A. Price, superintendent, Gas Department, Town Hall, on payment of one guinea (not returnable). Mossel Bay (South Africa), January 12. — Electric Plant.—Generating plant, including suction gas engines of 70b.h.p. (or alternating steam engines), producer plant, dynamos, etc., for Mossel Bay Municipality, Cape Province.* Newcastle (Staffs).—Cruts.—For driving cruts with compressed air hammer drills. Applications to the manager, Madeley Collieries, near Newcastle, Staffs Porthcawl, January 4.—Cast Iron Mains.—About 5| miles of cast iron mains, 8 in., 6 in., and 3 in. diameter, for the Urban District Council. Specification from Messrs. J. Taylor and Sons, Caxton House, Westminster, S.W., on deposit of £5 (returnable). * Specifications, particulars, etc., may be seen at the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall-street, E.C. OBITUARY. The death of Mr. John Dixon removes from the Yorkshire Miners’ Association one of its most highly-esteemed permanent officials. Mr. John Dixon died at the age of 64 years. For over half a century he was a worker for the workers. He commenced to work at the age of ten years, when he found employment at the Baddesley Collieries, Warwickshire. At 21 he found work at Denaby Main, where his increasing activities on behalf of the pitmen and boys resulted, in 1874, in his appointment as secretary of the Denaby Main branch of the Yorkshire Miners’ Associa- tion. In 1879 he was elected checkweighman, and a year later he rose to the position of auditor, which he occupied for five years, and gained the necessary experience to warrant his election, early in 1904, on the death of Mr. John Frith, to the post of financial secretary of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association. Mr. W. Edgar Williams, a very prominent member of the Cardiff Coal Exchange, died on Friday at his residence in Penarth, his age being 63 years. Originally a Swansea man, he commenced business at Newport, where he was agent for the South Wales Colliery Company, but about 25 years ago he removed to Cardiff, where he was well known as “Edgardo,” his telegraphic address. He held the sales agency for the Dillwyn Colliery, and was universally popular, being highly esteemed. At the time of the failure of the National Bank of Wales in the early “ nineties,” he was seriously affected ; but, being allowed time to pay by the liquidators of the bank, he was able to clear off the whole of his liabilities and re-establish his business. One of the most interesting features in his life history was the famous litigation between himself and the Ebbw Vale Company in 1907, when a claim was made against him in respect of balance of amount alleged to be due, and he counterclaimed for demurrage. Mr. Williams won his case, which was of considerable importance because of its bearing upon commitments by several other firms. He was at one time a resident of Llantarnam Abbey, which he afterwards sold to Sir Clifford Cory, the present occupier. His funeral took place on Monday at Llantarnam.