286 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. February 5, 1915. Principal Griffiths dwelt upon this question at some length in his presidential address delivered last week before the South Wales Institute of Engineers. He showed clearly the supreme practical importance of many of those advances in science, which had for years been regarded as purely academic, in their interest. He recalled the toast, “To science, pure and undefiled, and may it never do a ha’porth of good to anyone,” and said, with some truth, that it was precisely the men who worked in that spirit to whom the community owe the deepest debt. Perhaps this was commonly the case when Maxwell and Herz laid the foundations of wireless telegraphy. We think that spirit is rarer now. Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis. COLLIERY ACCIDENTS. Halmerend. The inquest on (the inine victims of the explosion at the Minnie Pit, • Halmerend, belonging Ito the Midland Coal, Coke and Iron Company, was resumed on Thursday last by Mr. H. W. Adams, coroner. The accident, it will be recalled, happened on the 17th ult., whilst the deceased men were engaged in repairing a shaft of the haulage engine in the 7 ft. Banbury seam. Mr. V. Graham Milward appeared on behalf of the company, and Mr. H. E. Moody and Mr. W. H. Towlspn appeared, for the relatives of Joseph Bates and Ralph Proctor, and also for the North Staffordshire Miners’ Association. There were also present :—Mr. Hugh Johnstone, H.M. divisional inspector of mines; Mr. W. Lunt,, H.M. . inspector of mines; Mr. W. Hill, general manager of the Midland Coal, Coke and Iron Company Limited; Mr. W. Barber, colliery agent; Mr. S. Finney, secretary and agent for the North Staffordshire Miners’ Federation. The medical evidence by Dr. Selwyn Thomas, of Silverdale, and Dr. J. J. Vernon, of Audley, was that little or no sign bif violence was found on the bodies of White, Daniels, Proctor, Brindley, Nevitt, and Cheadle, who died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Bostock’s left knee-cap and right fore-arm were fractured, but his death was due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The bodies of Bates and Shuffleboltham were badly mutilated, and they died from their injuries. In reply to Mr. Johnstone, Dr. Thomas said he attributed the superficial burns on (several bodies to hot air, and not to flame. Mr. William Barber, agent for the Midland Coal, Coke and Iron Company, produced plans showing the scene of the accident. The. men were engaged, when the accident happened, in putting in a new haulage shaft and attending to the ropes at the bottom of the Banbury 7 ft. dip. Twenty- eight men were engaged at the time, and four were killed •in the engine house, three just outside, and two at the bottom of No. 3 pit shaft—the upcast shaft—who were attending to the pumping engine. The Bullhurst seam was a good bit lower than the pit level. The distance from the downcast shaft into the engine room where these men were killed was 1,700 yds. From there (to the point where some of the men were engaged splicing the ropes, would be from 80 to 100 yds., and the distoiice from the engine house to the Lower Bullhurst Wlorking was about 500 yds. There was also a road leading into the 7 ft. Banbury seam from the Upper Bullhurst. The 7 ft. Banbury had been worked extensively. It was- known to yield firedamp fairly freely. There had never been any indication of heating or gob fires in it. In the .8 fit. coal there were a few narrow workings, and there have, been no: indications of. gas or heating. The Lower Bullhurst was well known to be a gassy seam, and it had a reputation in that part of the North Staffordshire coalfield of being liable to gob fires. The workings had-been carried on for about four years in the Lower Bullhurst, and during that time they had had no indication of heating or gob fires. Ernest Jones, overman, gave evidence, and said about 5.30 p.m. he .noticed a slight stoppage in the air current, and thought it was a fall in the haulage road. He took no further notice until about 20 minutes afterwards, when some of the men came put. The pen said there was something wrong, and Jic and Sutton went down the haulage road. They passed two sets ,of, men, who told them there were others, further along. When they arrived at the bottom of the Banbury haulage they found Bostock. He was unconscious. Witness noticed that he was injured in the leg. They then went to the engine room, where they found nine mten, some killed and some unconscious. Witness went for further assistance, and returned to the engine house and got all the mten out except Daniels. They found Bates and Shufflebotham beyond the engine room. Replying to Mr. Johnstone, the witness said that it appeared as if the explosion came from the Lower Bullhurst. They were working in the 7 ft. Banbury until one o’clock on Saturday. The 8 ft. stopped at one o’clock on Saturday afternoon, and the Upper ■Bullhurst stopped at 10 o’clock the same night. Coal drawing in the Lower Bullhurst ceased on the 13th, through the' breaking of the shaft of the haulage gear. Repair work was done in the Lower Bullhurst up to two o’clock on Sunday' afternoon.. Witness had been engaged ..as an overman for four years, and during that time he had not known: of any case of heating or gob fires in the 8 ft. or the Lower and Upper Bullhurst. Up to the time of the accident the ventilation was normall. The fan had not been slowed down or stopped, except for changing over from one to the other. There were five jigs at work in the Lower Bullhurst , and the brake on the jig wheels consisted of wood blocks. He had not (known of a case where wood blocks had been set on fire by friction. He did not detect any smell of gob-stink either on the Friday or Saturday. Cross- examined, witness said the custom was for the fireman on every shift to make an examination. Isaac Sutton, colliery fireman, said be was last in the Lower Bullhurst district on the Friday night, on the night shift. The Examination that might was confined to the . journey he took and the' return. It was a repairing shift, and there was no general examination. The last, drawing was on the Wednesday. •. Thomas Genders, fireman of the Bullhurst district, said he examined the whole of the lower district between four and six o’clock on the morning of the (accident, and found it in safe condition, free from gas, and the ventilation good. He noticed nothing out of the ordinary, and had not the slightest idea of . the cause of the accident. .. Witness Admitted he did not examine the working faces, although another shift had not preceded him. He knew it was his duty to do so, but he followed the general instructions for .the week-end shifts, land these did not include the* examina- tion of the working face. Mr. Barber, the agent, recalled, said that on his examina- tion of the pit on the day of the accident and the day following he found no indication of gas or firedamp. There were several falls in the parts of the Bullhurst district to which he was able to penetrate. The day after the accident he found smoke, indicating the presence of fire in the Lower, Bullhurst seam, but he did not care to commit himself to the opinion as to whether this was the cause or the. result of the explosion. The Coroner, said that no doubt there was an explosion in the Bullhurst seam, but probably they would never know the cause. He did not consider whether the lamps were examined material, because (the explosion did not occur in the seam in which the men were working, and consequently could not have been caused by a defective lamp. Techni- cally, Genders did not carry out his inspection thoroughly, but the workings were subsequently examined by other people, who found them in order. He expressed his admira- tion of the heroism of the rescuers, and particularly of the conduct of Mr. Barber, who seemed to have penetrated further into the workings than anyone else. The jury returned a Verdict in accordance with the state- ments of the doctors, and added that there was no evidence to shbw what caused the explosion. INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES. Africa. In November the output of coal in the Union underwent a decline, the quantity sold amounting to 607,433 tons, valued at .£156,210, as against 698,713 tons, valued at £181,528. The quantities sold in the various provinces were as follow : Transvaal, 382,994 tons (4s. 5’27d. per ton) ; Cape, 1,852 tons (Ils. 9‘9d.); Orange Free State, 53,583 tons (5s. 2’03d.); Natal, 169,004 tons (6s. 7’9d.). Australia. The Price of Coal.—The Northern Colliery Proprietors’ Association, which represents about one-half of the trade of the northern district, have decided that there is to be no alteration in the -selling price of coal for the year 1915. There has been no announcement made by the non-associated pro- prietors, but it is not expected that their price will be increased. All existing agreements provide that the selling price shall be according to the district rate, which is Ils. per ton, and on that rate the increases are paid. It is fully expected that when the Necessary Commodities Control Com- mission deals with, the price of coal it will fix the maximum at 11s. per ton. The Afternoon Shift Dispute.—Our correspondent says no steps have yet been taken in respect to the collection of fines imposed on the Colliery Employees’ Federation in con- nection with the afternoon shift strike in the Maitland district. The men are apparently being treated with tender regard by the Labour Ministry. The Minister for Mines states that proceedings will be taken, but it is inexpedient in the public interest to take such action at once. He was pertinently asked if he did not consider that it was time that something more than moderate action was taken, as the strike had now lasted for 26 weeks, and something ought to be done. The secretary of the Australasian Federation of Labour boasts that the other States are still contributing handsomely towards the support of the strikers, and that they feel assured, of winning the fight. Heavy Penalties on Miners' Union. — The coal mines throughout New South Wales received a rude shock on November 12, says our Sydney correspondent, when they heard the decision of Mr. Justice Hey don, imposing the maximum penalties on the Northern Miners’ Federation and 10 of its officials, amounting in all to £2,500. Everyone outside-the unions considers the verdict Ito be. a thoroughly just one. The men had appeared in the court and had wrangled about the conditions of the award;.they were pre- pared to accept any concessions made to them, but repudiated the decision made regarding the afternoon shift question, and struck work. In July over 500 men were prosecuted and fined £4 each. In August 21 injunctions were granted against the president, secretary, and treasurer of the Federa- tion, forbidding them to aid in the strike. Yet in September the series of acts of aiding were continued, and have been continued practically down to the present time. A more formal, explicit, deliberate, and continuous defiance of the law it would be impossible to conceive. The Federa- tion and its members and officials have practically gone to war with the Act, and have continued the Avar in a manner which has shown, with the utmost publicity, a complete and absolute contempt for its provisions. Writing later, our correspondent says :—The Colliery Employees’ Unions have been very quiet since the imposi- tion of the heavy fines. Representatives of.the employees of the northern and southern collieries have interviewed the Attorney-General. The deputation devoted itself almost entirely to. setting forth the grounds for apprehension of extended industrial trouble arising from the proceedings coming on this week for contempt of court. The Attorney- General, informed them that.the sole.control of the proceed- ings rested with the judge, and that he could not interfere in the matter. Our correspondent says another development of the after- noon shift strike in the Maitland district has been announced. Messrs. J. and A. Brown, owners of the Pelaw Main Colliery, have caused a writ to be served on the Northern Colliery Employees’ Federation, claiming £100,000 damages for. loss of trade, demurrage and detention of vessels, loss of profits •on the sale of coal, and other matters caused by the miners striking about seven months ago, and still being out on strike. A meeting of the Association of Mining Electrical Engi- neers • (London branch) will be held at the Northampton Polytechnic Institute, St. John-street, Clerkenwell, E.C., to-day (Friday) February 5, at 8 p.m., when a paper will be read on “ Protection Devices Against Lightning and Surges,” by Messrs. E. Kilburn Scott and L. F. Frogarty. The “ Limpet ” Insulator.—We have been asked to state that the “ Limpet ” insulator described in our issue /of December 24, 1914, is being put on the market by Mr. Morgan Lewis Jones, Crymlyn-Uoad, Skewen, South Wales, and that Messrs, the Parker Foundry Company -Limited, of thte Brunswick Malleable Works, Derby, are sole' manu- facturers and agents.for Great Britain. All communications wiith regard to this useful little appliance should be addressed to them. THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, February 4. Scotland.—Western District. COAL. The outstanding feature in the west of Scotland coal trade during the past week has been the rise in prices, par- ticularly in the case of ells and washed produce. The advance in prices is apparently due to restricted outputs, combined with the fact that the collieries have sold a con- siderable portion of the outputs on contract. Best splints are very firm, and are fully sold for two or three weeks ahead, and collieries are not inclined to quote for further business in the meantime. Navigations are fairly strong and ordinary steams in better demand. Smalls of all sizes are moving off in good quantities, and collieries have no difficulty in obtaining the increased prices. Shipments from the district were unusually heavy, and amounted to 140,020 tons, compared with 121,290 in the preceding week, and 78,568 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Glasgow. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. Steam coal 12/6-14/6 12/6-14/6 12/9-13/9 Ell 14/9-15/ 14/9 13/3 Splint 14/6-18/ 14/9-18/ 13/ -16/ Treble nuts | 14/9-15/ 14/3-14/6 12/ -12/6 Double do 1 13/6-13/9 13/3-13/6 11/6-11/9 Single do I 12/9-13/ 12/3-12/9 11/3 IRON. The Scotch pig iron trade continues very active. Makers report that they are well sold, and large deliveries are being made, particularly in the case of haematite iron, consider- able quantities of which are being absorbed by the steel works. The price of haematite is round about 90s. per ton, and it is stated that a large line has been sold at that figure for forward delivery. The export demand is slow. There are 73 furnaces in blast in Scotland, the same number as last week and seven more than in the corre- sponding week last year. The prices of makers’iron have again been raised, and are now quoted :—Monkland f.a.s. at Glasgow, No. 1, 69s., No. 3, 67s. 6d.; Govan, No. 1, 68s., No. 3, 66s. 6d.; Carnbroe, No. 1, 74s., No. 3, 69s.; Clyde, No. 1, 75s. 6d., No. 3,70s. 6d.; Gartsherrie and Calder, Nos. 1, 76s., Nos. 3, 71s.; Summerlee, No. 1, 77s. 6d., No. 3,72s. 6d.; Langloan, No. 1,77s., No. 3,72s.; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, No. 1, 75s., No. 3, 70s.; Eglinton^ at Ardrossan or Troon, No. 1, 70s., No. 3, 69s.; Dalmellington, at Ayr, No. 1, 71s., No. 3, 69s.; Shotts at Leith, No. 1, 76s., No. 3, 71s. ; Carron at Leith, No. 1, 77s. 6d., No. 3, 72s. 6d. per ton. The Glasgow pig iron warrant market was not so active as in the preceding week, but nevertheless the turnover of 28,000 tons was fairly satisfactory. The tone was very firm at the beginning of the week, and prices advanced to 58s., but thereafter the support was rather uneven, and the closing price of Cleveland iron was practically on the level of the preceding week at 57s. 5d. per ton cash buyers. The manufacturing branches of the trade are, generally speaking, well placed. Specifications are coming to hand freely, and the only adverse condition at the moment is the labour question. Most of the works are running fully, but outputs could be increased if the necessary labour was forthcoming. The wages question is also prominent. Increases have been granted in several cases, while others are still under consideration. Under the rules of the Conciliation Board, workers in the manufactured iron industry and blastfurnacemen have been granted an increase in wages of 2.1 per cent. Scotland.—Eastern District. COAL. Business in the Lothians is very brisk, and the collieries have a considerable amount of work on hand. Collieries have very little available coal and prices are very firm. Shipments only amounted to 29,214 tons compared with 34,577 in the preceding week and 83,907 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Leith. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. Best screened steam coal... 13/6-14/ 12/ -13/9 11/9 Secondary qualities 12/6-13/ 12/ -12/6 10/9 Treble nuts 13/3-14/ 13/3-13/6 12/6 Double do 12/3-12/9 12/3-12/6 11/6 Single do 11/9-12/ 11/9-12/ 10/6 The position in Fifeshire shows some improvement. All classes of coal are firm and collieries are obtaining very good prices for any available coal. In view of the restricted conditions of shipping on the east coast, large quantities of coal are being sent to Glasgow, but the railway service is far from perfect. Prices continue firm. The shipments from the district during the past week amounted to 53,936 tons against 42,161 in the preceding week and 99,750 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntisland. Current prices. L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. Best screened navigation coal 16/ -16/6 16/ -16/6 16/6-16/9 Unscreened do 14/ -15/ 14/6 15/ First-class steam coal 12/9-13/ 12/6-13/ 12/6 Third-class do. 10/6-10/9 10/3-10/9 10/9 Treble nuts 13/9-14/3 13/6-14/ 12/6-12/9 Double do 12/6-13/ 12/3-13/ 11/3 Single do. 10/6-11/6 10/3-11/6 10/6 The' aggregate shipments from Scottish ports during the past week amounted to 223,179 tons, compared with 198,028 in the preceding week and 262,225 tons in the corresponding week of last year.