January 22, 1915.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

189

WORKING OF THE COAL MINES

ACT IN 1913.

(Concluded from page 126.)

Prevention of Goal Dust.

The provisions under this head are, from the point of
view of safety, amongst the most important and far-
reaching of the Act.

Scotland.—Fortunately the majority of the mines are
wet or damp throughout, but there are mines which are
dry and dusty in parts. Hitherto the removal of the
dust in such mines has been confined to the dust on the
floor, but Mr. Walker reports that “more attention is
now being given to the roof and sides, by removing the
dust and watering.” At some mines flue dust is being
used as an adulterant.

Northern Division.—Mr. Wilson remarks that “ the
problem of coal dust is being attacked in a much more
serious manner than it was even 12 months ago.”
Underground, “ the dust is being cleaned up regularly,”
and at the surface arrangements (dust extractors,,
spraying, &c.) have been made to prevent dust passing
down the shafts. At many collieries the main roads
•are being stone dusted—chiefly with flue dust, and at
some, fine sprays of water either stationary or actuated
by the sets of tubs, are in operation on the main roads.
Steel tubs have largely been introduced.

York and North Midland.—“ Whilst there has been,”
says Mr. Mottram, “ considerable activity in some
collieries in the removal of accumulations of coal dust
and some improvement in keeping the roads freer
from coal, there is considerable room for improvement
in reporting the steps taken to comply with section 62.
In Yorkshire, the tubs are, on the whole, more dust
proof than those in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
Quite a number of collieries are being stone dusted in
respect of the main roadways.

Lancashire, North Wales, and Ireland.—Cleaning up
of coal dust was being largely practised, and in many
collieries stone dust is there applied in proportion
varying from 2 to 4 of stone dust to 1 of coal dust. In
some collieries watering is practised. Mr. Nicholson
says on the whole the measures adopted to prevent the
accumulation of coal dust show considerable improve-
ment, but adds that “ even yet I am afraid many
under-officials do not fully appreciate the dangers arising
from coal dust as seriously as they should do.” Not a
great deal of progress has been made towards rendering
the tubs dustproof.

Midland and Southern Division.—The practice of
applying stone dust has made considerable progress in
the division during the year.

South Wales.—The dustiest collieries in the kingdom
exist in the division, and its record in respect of colliery
explosions is a very bad one. It is surpri sing, therefore,
that more has not been done in the way of cleaning up
the coal dust and taking precautions to render what
remains innocuous either by stone dusting or watering
of roofs and sides as well as the floor.

In respect of the removal of coal dust from the
underground roadways of the mine, the words of the
Act are: “ The floor, roof and sides of the roads shall
be systematically cleared so as to prevent, as far as
practicable, coal dust accumulating.” Doubt has existed
in the minds of some colliery managers and others as to
the interpretation of these words, some interpreting the
requirement as if it read, “ steps shall be taken, as far
as practicable, to clear, &c.,” which is obviously wrong.
The floor, roof and sides must be systematically cleared,
and the clearance must be such as to prevent as far as
practicable the accumulation of dust—must be the most
efficient possible for the purpose.

Weekly Payment of Wages.

In Scotland, at the great majority of the mines the
owners and workmen have mutually agreed on the
adoption of weekly payment of wages instead of
payment fortnightly or at longer intervals. In
Northumberland and Durham, the custom has for long
been to pay fortnightly, but now, with the exception of
one or two cases, weekly payments have been adopted,
payment being usually made on the Friday and Saturday
alternately. In the York and North Midland Division,
no action has been taken in this matter, wages having
been paid weekly for years. Weekly payments exist
throughout Lancashire, with one or two exceptions in
the case of very small mines. In the South Wales and
the Midland and Southern divisions, the weekly pay-
ment of wages is now practically universal; only at
very few mines are fortnightly payments still being
made.

Constant Attendance of Banksmen and Onsetters.

Generally, this section of the Act is being satisfactorily
carried out, but in some instances—and this applies
more particularly to the Scottish Division—difficulty
has arisen through managers seeking to authorise
considerable numbers of persons in a shift to give
signals.

General Regulations.

Speaking generally, a genuine effort has been made
by those concerned with the management and working
of collieries to comply with the General Regulations,
and as these are better understood and their necessity
in respect of safety more fully realised, a still fuller
compliance may be expected.

General Regulation 30.—Respecting the keeping of a
correct record of the number of persons daily going
below ground and returning to the surface. In Scotland
at many places the proper steps have not been taken to
carry out this provision, all that has been done being to
require the banksman and onsetter to chalk up the
particulars, which cannot, of course, be regarded as
a record. Again, in some cases (eg., some collieries in
the Northern Division) the managers have regarded the
record kept in accordance with rhe provisions of the

"Eight Hours Act as meeting the requirement, but in
this they are in error, as that record does not include
officials, horsekeepers, mechanics, &c., and is in the
oase of shifts only a record of the number of persons
going down, not the number of persons coming out of
the mine.

General Regulation 31.—Relating to the plan to be
posted up at the surface indicating the main roads,
means of egress to the surface, &c. Sometimes these
plans have been drawn to so small a scale that they can
hardly he said to fulfil the intention of the regulation.

General Regulation Tl.—The measurement of the air
current splits at a point 100 yds. back from the first
working place which the air enters was not being
■carried out in all cases, but at the time of wilting no
case has been reputed of non-compliance with the
requirement.

General Regulation 103.—There was some difficulty at
first in meeting the demand for telephones, but towards
the end of the year this had been overcome.

Miners’ Baths.

As the general regulations respecting facilities for
baths, &c., were only established on August 29, there
was not much time before the end of the year to take
advantage of the provisions, but doubtless as the benefits
to health and the enhancement of the amenities of home
life which would arise from the establishment of pit-
head baths and drying accommodation are more fully
realised, greater advantage will be taken of the provisions
of section 77 of the Act. In Scotland no baths have, as
yet, been provided, but Mr. Walker understands that it
is the intention of the owners and workmen at one
colliery at least to carry out the provisions of the Act
in the immediate future. Pit-head baths have not yet
been established in the Northern, York and North
Midland and Midland and Southern divisions. In South
Wales, in respect of one colliery only had a ballot of the
workmen been taken with reference to this matter, but
the requisite majority was not obtained. In Lancashire
no baths or drying arrangements have been established
in accordance with the requirements of the Act and
Regulations under the Act, but baths have been
voluntarily installed by the owners at the Victoria
Colliery, and are much appreciated ; also by the owners
of the Gibfield and Chanters collieries, and by the
executors of John Hargreaves, at the Reedley Colliery

Signalling in Shafts.

The Requirements in respect of the Visual Indicator.
—As a certain amount of dubiety appears to exist in
the minds of colliery managers and others interested in
collieries as to the meaning and effect of some of the
General Regulations relating to signalling in connection
with winding in shafts [which Regulations came into
operation on July 1 of the present year (1914)], the
following explanatory note is given:—

(1)	Where men are riding against men, the whole
of the signals required by the Regulations must be
given, e.g., the banksmen will give the cautionary
signa] of “3,” and this will be acknowledged by the
onsetter, who, when he gives the reply signal, will
follow it immediately with his own cautionary
signal, to which the banksman will give his reply
signal. The engineman, who will know, from having
received two cautionary signals, that men are about
to ride in both cages, will not move his engine until
he has received both the action signal of “ 2 ” from
the banksman and the action signal of “ 1 ” from the
onsetter. If the whole of the signals required by the
Regulations are given, and the banksman and onsetter
respectively wait for the reply signal before allowing
persons to enter the cage, there should be no
possibility of accident.

(2)	General Regulation 95. It is not necessary that
the numbers, e.g., 1, 2, 3, should be shown on the
visual indicator, though there is no objection to this,
if so desired, but the nature of the signal, i.e., an
indication of the signal in words, e.g., “ raise,” “ lower,”
“men on” (or “men riding”), &c., must be shown
visually on the indicator.

(3)	Action signals, that is to say, signals requiring
the engineman to move his engine, must remain on
the indicator until complied with ; but “ compliance ”
is not intended to mean “ completion.” So soon as
the winding engineman sets his engine in motion to
carry out the order signalled, he complies with the
signal. It is advisable that the signal should be
effaced as soon as the engineman sets his engine in
motion so as to leave the indicator clear for any
further signal that may be given, e.g., “ stop.”

(4)	The cautionary or advance signals, e.g., “ men
on,” or “men riding,” should only be obliterated
either by the person giving the signal or automatically
by the giving of the action signal. Thus it is not
advisable that the engineman should obliterate any
signal except in the action of setting his engine in
motion.

(5)	The question has been raised whether one
indicator may be used both for signals for winding
persons and for signals for winding mineral as the
cautionary signal of 3 (men riding) followed by the
action signal 2 or 1 will move the pointer on to the
same section of the indicator as the mineral signal of
5 or 4. This should not cause any confusion, as there
must be a pause between the cautionary and action
signals in the case of men riding ; and, moreover, the
mineral signals of 5 and 4 are to the same effect, i.e.,
raising or lowering, excepting only that they have to
be carried out steadily, which would not he a source
of danger.

(6)	Signals additional to those provided for in
Regulation 92 may, of course, be used (see, however,
below) and if used, an indication in words of their
nature must be shown on the dial as prescribed by
Regulation 95. The words “ and shall fix any other
signals that may be required ” at the end of regulation

93 are not governed by the earlier words “in the case
of a mine where there are entrances, &c.”

(7)	Where signals are given from more than one
level there must be an arrangement by which the
level from which the signals are given is shown
visually, i.e., in words on the indicator, e.g., “ Level
No. 1.”

(8)	There may be, if so desired, two or more
indicators, e.g., one indicator for the signals from the
banksman, one for the signals from the onsetter, and
one for each level; but there is no objection to the use
of one indicator only if arrangements can be made to
show in words thereon the nature of every signal that
is required to be visually indicated.

Numerous enquiries have been made of the inspectors
of mines and the Home Office as to whether apparatus
exist which comply with the requirements of the
General Regulations respecting the visual indicator.
Visual indicators have been designed by several firms,
and the following makers have submitted (in the form
of models or diagrams) apparatus which appear to fulfil
the requirements of the Regulations :—Messrs. Siemens
Brothers Limited, the Stirling Electrical Company.
Messrs. Davis and Son Limited (Derby), Messis. Yates
and Miller (Coatbridge), Messrs. Gent and Company
Limited (Leicester). The Chief Inspector adds that
there may be other firms, unknown to the Mines
Department, who also have constructed apparatus
which complies with the requirements.

Proposed Alteration in Respect of the Gode of Shaft
Signals.—Representations having* been made conjointly
by the representatives of the Alining Association of
Great Britain and the different associations of winding
enginemen, respecting the General Regulations under
the Coal Mines Act, 1911, as to signalling, the Home
Secretary announced to those representatives that he
was prepared to agree to the adoption of two additions,
which had been suggested, to the code of signals laid
down in Regulation 92, viz.:—

(1)	“ When a person is about to descend, the

banksman shall signal to the winding engine-
man as well as to the onsetter, ‘ 3.’ ”

(2)	“ When a person is in the cage and ready to

descend, the onsetter shall signal to the
engineman and to the banksman, ‘ I.’ ”

The words at the end of Regulation 93 give power to
fix additional signals only in respect of other operations
not included in Regulation 92 and not to modify the
code prescribed in Regulation 92 (if this were not so, the
provisions in the Act for securing a uniform code of
signals might be nullified). It will be necessary, there-
fore, to amend the Regulations in order to give formal
sanction to the additions named above, and it was
announced that an early opportunity would be taken to
make this amendment in the regulations. Meanwhile
the inspectors had been instructed not to take exception
to the adoption of the two additions.

THE GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN COAL
AND IRON TRADES.

We give below further extracts from German
periodicals that have reached us, showing the course of
the coal and iron trades in Germany and Austria:—

Effect of Trade Depression on German Ironworks, Pits
and Coal Pits.

In a period of trade depression, such as now prevails
in Germany, the advantages enjoyed by the ironworks
pits over the purely coal-producing concerns in the
Westphalian Coal Syndicate show up very clearly.
Thus, while in the second quarter of last year the coal
production of the ironworks pits, expressed in 1,000
tons, amounted to 9,698 (9,896 in the corresponding
quarter of the good year 1913), and to 7,645 (10,161) in
the third quarter, the output of the coal pits fell from
14,591 (15,833) to 11,373 (16,116). In the case of coke
the production of the ironworks pits was 2,780 (2,593)
and 2,156 (2,739), and of the coal pits 1,902 (2,640) and
1,541 (2,585) respectively. Even if this period be
excluded as one of extraordinary conditions (war time),
the relative decline in the earlier part of the year was
still more striking, for whilst the output of coal from
the ironworks pits receded by about 200,000 tons in the
second quarter as compared with the first, the deficit in
the case of the coal pits amounted to between 1*2 and
1*3 million tons. In respect of the coke output, whereas
in the first two quarters of 1913 that of the coal pits
exceeded that of the ironworks pits by some 200,000
tons, it receded by about 750,000 tons last year, their
share in the coke production of the Syndicate falling
from 53 per cent, t • 40*62 per cent.

An ordinary meeting of the Institution of Civil Engineers
will be held on Tuesday, January 26, at 8 p.m., when a
discussion will take place on the paper on “ The Lateral
Pressure and Resistance of Clay, and the Supporting Power
of Clay Foundations,” by Arthur Langtry Bell, B.A., B.E.,
M.Inst.C.E.

The members of the Manchester section of the Institution
of Electrical Engineers on Tuesday, the 12th inst., discussed
a paper on “The Shape of the Pressure Wave in Electrical
Machinery,” by Messrs. S. P. Smith, D.Sc., and R. S. H.
Boulding, B.Sc. Prof. Miles Walker congratulated the
authors upon having given a solution of what had always
been regarded by designers as a very troublesome problem.
Not only had they prepared some very pretty analytical
simplifications, but they had also taken the trouble to work
out the values of certain winding factors which were really
the kernel of the whole matter. The paper set forth in
a very emphatic way—more emphatic than the ordinary
teacher could do—the importance of what appeared to be
purely mathematical investigations in connection with
practical work.