January 15, 1915.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

127

RESCUE AMD AMBULANCE WORK IM
1913.

In Part II. of his General Report on Mines and
Quarries in 1913, Sir Richard Redmayne, the Chief
Inspector, gives particulars as to the position in respect
of rescue work in the various inspection divisions at the
end of 1913. Though a great deal yet requires to be
done, the position shows a general improvement as
compared with the previous year.

Scotland has been more dilatory than any other
mining district in the United Kingdom in this respect.
However, in addition to the Central Rescue Station at
Cowdenbeath, the station at Kilmarnock (Ayrshire) has
been completed and put into active operation, and a
sub-station was nearly completed by the end of the year
at Auchinleck. After the disaster at the No. 15 pit,
Cadder Colliery, the owners of that colliery commenced
training a brigade of five men, and at their other
collieries breathing apparatus and galleries for training
men in their use were provided—viz., two in Lanark-
shire and one in Renfrewshire. Negotiations were
entered into between the majority of the Mid and East
Lothian coal owners and the Heriot-Watt College for
the establishment of a central station for training
brigades* It appears that the newer scheme is to
be adopted in most districts in Scotland.

The scheme of rescue work in operation in the
Northern Division is that of permanent rescue corps
resident at central stations. Central rescue stations
with resident brigades are now established at Ashington
(near Morpeth, Northumberland), Elswick (Newcastle-

Table A.—Particulars as to Rescue Brigades.

	Number of Mines.		?ue it or ing) ed.	Number of Rescue Brigades.		£ o> © § o <D k	5 h •  2 2 Jo
			Mines where Rest Brigades (compete! in course of train’ have been provid			d-D =5 rj	Mines exempted u: General Regulat 138, and Mines wl arrangements have been finally settl
Division or District.	Single Mines.	| Groups of Mines treated as one mine under General Regula- tion 140 (a).		Competent.	In course of training.	Mines where : Brigades have provided, but w' arrangements h been made wit] Central Rescue St	
Scotland 		278	62 of 203.	64	73	39	8	268
Northern		163	102 of 295.	127	192	195	47	91
York and North Midland		207	123 of 365.	82	201	21	44	204
Manchester and Ireland 		72.	37 of 116.	43	97	8	21	45
Liverpool and North Wales		58	36 of 148.	47	103	22	6	41
South Wales 		319	83 of 278.	154	257	65	76	172
Midland and Southern 		263	78 of 220.	99	163	80	65	177

Table B.—Particulars as to Appliances for use in Rescue Work.

(Compiled from Returns furnished under Section 18 (1) (c) of the Coal Mines Act, 1911).

Division or Distrct.	Self-contained breathing apparatus and smoke helmets.								Mmes which havemo apparatus but privilege of calling for apparatus from Central Rescue Station	Mines which have been exempted or where arrangements have not been finally settled.
	No. or groups of mines at which provided.	Kind and number provided.								
		A erophor.	Draeger.	Meco	Proto.	Weg.	■ '	1  Smoke Helmets.	Total.		
Scotland 	  Northern	  York and North Midland	  Manchester and Ireland 	  Liverpool and North Wales	  South Wales 	  Midland and Southern 		28  113  46  20  12  12  24	1	1 1 1	53  53  41  12  16  7	4  19  4  81  52  133	21  37  5	15  166  75	101  308  210  86  64  19  141	65  58  88  47  44  227  152	247  94  196  42  38  163  165

on-Tyne), Houghton-le-Spring (East Durham), and
Crook (South Durham). There are, therefore, very few
large collieries in Northumberland and Durham which
are not within a 10-mile radius of a central station.
These stations are admirably equipped, maintained and
worked; and in addition to being organised for under-
ground rescue work at collieries, are fitted up and used
as fire brigade stations for colliery villages and towns,
an arrangement which has the advantage of giving the
brigades plenty of practice and keeping them in a high
state of efficiency. In Cumberland, a station at
Brigham, which will serve the whole of the Cumberland
coal mines, was in course of erection but was not
completed by the end of the year.f

In the York and North Midland Division, in addition
to the existing central rescue stations (Tankersley and
Wath in Yorkshire, and Mansfield in Nottinghamshire),
the private station at Altofts is at present being used as
a central station. Other stations have been erected
at Rotherham, Wakefield, Doncaster, Brierley and
Barnsley in Yorkshire, but only at Rotherham and
Brierley are men yet being trained. All the stations at
which men are undergoing training are at the present
time being worked on the earlier scheme of colliery
brigades. Stations are in course of erection at Chester-
field and Ilkeston to serve such of the southern part of
the division as is beyond the 10-mile radius of Mansfield.
These, in addition to Rotherham, will be worked on the
permanent resident rescue corps principle.

In Lancashire, the central station at Howe Bridge,
Atherton, continued to do good work. Approximately
240 brigades of five men each had been trained and
practised at this station up to the end of the year—viz.,
29 men in practice for five years, 539 in their fourth
year of practice, 272 in their third year, 286 in their
second year, and 247 in their first year. Central—or

* These negotiations have since resulted in such a station
being established.

f This has since been completed.—Eds. C.G-.

rather sub-central—stations have been established ah
Chorley, Skelmersdale, St. Helens (Lancashire) and
Wrexham (Denbighshire), and are in process of establish-
ment at Rosegrove and Denton (Lancashire) and Mold
(Flintshire).

In South Wales and Monmouthshire there are seven
central rescue stations in working order and one in
course of formation. These are : — In operation :
Aberaman, Crumlin, Rhymney Valley (near Tredegar),
Swansea, Rhondda, Llynfi (Maesteg), and Brynmenin.
In course of formation : Abercynon. In respect of the
Aberaman, Rhymney Valley, Abercynon, Brynmenin
and Swansea stations, the scheme of rescue work is
carried out on the lines operative before the alternative
system of permanent central brigades was permissible.
But the Crumlinis being run on the permanent resident
rescue corps system, and the management committee
have decided to recommend the association to adopt the
same system at the Rhondda station. In respect of the
Lljnfi (Maesteg) station no definite decision has been
arrived at, and they continue for the present to work
under the older scheme.

In the Midland and Southern Division, in addition to the
central stations which v ere mentioned in the previous
report as completed or nearly completed—viz., Stoke-
on-Trent, Hednesford (Cannock Chase), Ashby-de-la-
Zouch and Bristol, the following have been established :
Dudley (South Staffordshire), Wilnecote (Warwickshire),
and Old Norton Hill (Somersetshire). As well as these
stations, centres only for the training of brigades—the
individual collieries providing their own apparatus—
have been established at Exhall (Warwickshire), Madeley

Wood (Staffordshire), and Lilleshall (Salop) collieries.
There is also a training station at Tunnel Colliery
(Warwickshire) which serves for training purposes for a
group of collieries in the immediate neighbourhood.
The number of persons which, up to the end of the year,
had been trained in the division was 942, in addition to
which a considerable number of persons were in process
of being trained, and 93 instructors in rescue work had
been trained and certified at the University of Bir-
mingham.

In accordance with the provisions of section 18 (1) ' c)
of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, an annual return is required
from each colliery with regard to the appliances which
they possess for use in rescue work and ambulance, the
formation of rescue brigades, and the training of men
in ambulance work. Tables A and B show the position
at the end of the year in this respect.

As regards ambulance work, General Regulation 148,
though it did not come into force until April 1, 1914,
had, together with other regulations relating to
ambulance, the effect of stimulating interest in the
work throughout the mining districts of the United
Kingdom. In Scotland an organisation known as the
Lothians Mine Workers’ Ambulance League was
formed to encourage ambulance work at the mines in
the Lothians. The work carried out in England and
Wales by the Order of St. John' of Jerusalem in
England, and in Scotland by the St. Andrew’s
Ambulance Association, is well known, and in the case
of some of the mining districts, has been especially
marked.

A joint meeting of the Association of Mining Electrical
Engineers and the National Association of Colliery
Managers will be held on January 23, 1915, in the Royal
Technical College, Glasgow, at 4.30 p.m., when a paper will
be read by Mr. John Bowman on “Electricity at the Coal
Face?’ After the meeting several visual signal indicators
will be exhibited.

MANCHESTER GEOLOGICAL AND
MINING SOCIETY.

A meeting of the Manchester Geological and Mining
Society was held on Tuesday last at the rooms of the
society, John Dalton-street, Manchester. Mr. Leonard
R. Fletcher presided.

Mr. Edwin Hitchon, Rhyddington, Oswaldtwistle,
was elected a federated member; and Mr. Fred
Heyworth, 73, Maden-street, Church, Accrington, an
associated member (federated).

The Granting of the Royal Charter.

The Hon. Secretary (Mr. Sydney A. Smith) said that,
as they all knew, the Institution of Mining Engineers
had for some time past been making efforts to obtain a
Royal Charter. He was sorry Sir Thomas Holland was
not present that afternoon to make the announcement
that a telegram had been received to this effect : “Sir
Frank Crisp advises that the King has approved the
grant of a Charter.’’ (Applause.)

The Chairman said he was sure they would all be
delighted to hear the announcement, and it was only
fitting that they ishould take the opportunity at that
meeting of thanking and congratulating the Charter
Committee, who had been instrumental in securing what
they had all so much looked forward to.

Mr. Gerrard moved that the secretary forward to the
Charter Committee the hearty congratulations of the
Manchester Society on the success which had attended
their arduous labours, coupling with it the name of Sir
Wm. Garforth, who had played such a prominent part
in bringing about the desired result. He would also like
to mention the name of Sir Thomas Holland, through
whose efforts probably more than anyone else’s the
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy in London had
been induced to co-operate with the Charter Committee,
and it was largely by their goodwill that the result had
been obtained.

Mr. G. Hollingworth said he had very great pleasure
indeed in seconding the resolution.

The resolution was carried with acclamation.

Timbering in Mines.

The Chairman said that unfortunately the paper
announced for that afternoon by Mr. Frank Noel
Siddall, H.M.I.M., on “ Some Notes on Supporting the
Roof in Coal Mines,’’ had to be postponed; but Mr.
Gerrard, at very short notice, had prepared a few
remarks on the same subject.

Mr. Gerrard said he would mention a few heads
which seemed to him likely to provoke a discussion. He
had always been a strong advocate of discipline in mines,
because it was absolutely essential to the safety of
mining. First of all, the officials ought to be quite clear
that their directions were such as could be obeyed and
observed by the men working under them. As they
knew, firemen, when going through the workings, often
put a general question to the men, “ How are you going
on?’’ “Are you all right?’’ or “Be careful and keep
yourself safe ’’—general directions which had no weight
whatever. What he ought to do was to examine the
place, and, if he detected any weakness, any want of
support, direct the miners where to place the support,
and see that the work was properly carried out. Another
point was that many accidents occurred from delay in
setting the support. It was generally thought that
they were going to reduce the number of accidents
when timbering distances were fixed, but how badly
had the idea of the proposal been carried out, and how
indifferently did the workers regard the meaning of
timber distances. He was bound to say that in many
cases distances were fixed for the support which were
greater than experience in the particular seams would
suggest, and he was sorry there was not a more marked
reduction in the number of fatalities from falls of roof
as the result of the proper carrying out of the Regula-
tions. If timber distances were fixed reasonably, and
the men made to comply with them, in his opinion there
would be fewer accidents. No doubt they would have
noticed how the use of tapered props had extended. At
one time they were in use at a comparatively few places,
but now they were more generally adopted, and the
experience of those who had used them was that the
results were beneficial. The number of broken props
had been very much reduced, the effect of the taper
being to allow the roof to settle gradually, so that the
prop could be used over and over again. He was also
of opinion that there was less breaking up of the roof
where taper props were used. A few years ago they had
under discussion the system of supporting the roofs
adopted in France and Germany, and although that was
not generally followed up, he had noticed a greater use
of bars than had formerly been the case, and the use
of light bars in the working face had done much to
reduce the number of accidents. Many mishaps
occurred in withdrawing timber from waste and dis-
used working places, and much could be done to prevent
such mishaps by the adoption of safe distance with-
drawing appliances such as “ Sylvester’s.’’ Another
point was that temporary support was very often
omitted. The withdrawal of a prop might be made
comparatively safe by the setting of another prop near
to, which could afterwards be withdrawn. They often
found running bars giving way and leading to a
collapse, and it was therefore important that they should
not rest upon the cross bars. Under each end of the
running bar there should be -separate and independent