614

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

March 19, 1915.

Cambrian, ordovician, and silurian systems; an idea
backed by unsupported local traditions, and fostered by
the slight similarities that some of these older rocks
bear to those of the carboniferous system. It has,
however, been definitely proved that in South Wales
coal does not occur in any rocks other than those .belong-
ing to the carboniferous system, and the geology of the
Carmarthen and Haverfordwest- districts is now suffi-
ciently well known for it to be positively stated that
there is not the slightest possibility of coal being
detected outside the boundaries of the carboniferous
rocks as. .depicted on. the maps. The erroneous impres-
sion that coal would be found in the older rocks is one
of some antiquity, for, as long ago as 1595, Owen of
Henllys, writing, on, “ The Course of the Strata of Coal
and Lime in Pembrokeshire,” laid stress on the general
association. of limestone with deposits of coal, and in
urging the importance of the outcrops of the limestones
(Llandilo and Bala) says :—“ Then might my neigh-
bours of Pembrokeshire, which dwell directly west of
Bletherston and Bullhooke, be somewhat animated to
seeke out this hidden good, which would be a joyfull
thing unto them.” 'Since this period numbers of profit-
less trials for coal have been made in the older.rocks.
The dark shales of the Dicranograptus beds, on account
of their sooty appearance, and their ferruginous springs,
have proved to be especially tempting for such opera-
tions. At Camrose two levels about half-a-mile apart
have been driven, as if to meet, from either side of the
ridge between the Camrose and Knock brooks. Both
are much breached, and no one living knows anything
of their history. To the east a level was opened with
some ceremony, only a few years ago, at Llandowror,
but soon abandoned. To the west a level was driven
into these rocks for some distance at Druidston Haven.
In rocks of other ages' several instances of trials were
given in the. Carmarthen memoir, and in addition we
may mention a shaft sunk in Redhill beds at Egremont;
old workings in boulder clay have been, observed at
Morfa-bach, near St. Clears, and only about nine years
age- it was seriously proposed to open a colliery on the
property.: The underlying rocks are Redhill beds. In
the same map, in Bifidus beds, old pits and levels occur
at Wodlstone, Llandowror, one being re-opened in 1904,
and old pits are visible near Clog-y-fran, in the same
neighbourhood, from which local tradition says coal was
obtained and used to burn the Clog-y-fran limestone;
this, however., is. quite impossible. Trials have been
made, also in still older beds. A drift was made as
recently, as 1900 in Arenig shales at Llangynog, and pits
were sunk in the last century into Tremadoc beds at
Cwm-difa, near Llanarthney. The character of the coal
of Pembrokeshire is dealt with in a Survey memoir*
on “ The Coals of South Wales, with Special Reference
to the Origin and Distribution of Anthracite,” where
will be found analyses relating to the whole of the South
Wales coalfield.

AN AMERICAN RESCUE SCHEME.

In the United States the organisation of rescue work
rests very largely in the ,hands of the Bureau of Mines. In
several districts, however, much has been effected by volun-
tary effort. '..’A conspicuous example is to be found in the
State of Illinois, where the Mine Fire Fighting and Rescue
Station Commission has erected stations at Springfield,
Benton, and La Salle, as well as two substations. The
concise code of rules in operation at these stations was repro-
duced in the Colliery Guardian of June 19, 1914 (p. 1412).

These rules were drawn up by Mr. Oscar Cartlidge, the
manager of the Illinois State Mine Rescue Stations, and he
has recently .put forward a scheme to establish rescue
stations, somewhat on the Illinois system, under the control
of the existing State .Mining Boards or Departments.

The plan is to establish in each of the principal mining
districts of the State, preferably as near the middle as
possible, rescue stations with equipment sufficient for five
men, the stations to be built (or rented) .and equipped at the
joint expense of the operators and miners of the district.
At each .of the said stations there would be a compe-
tent man to teach first-aid to miners, assist in organising.
the rescue teams, train the rescue teams, and care for the
equipment. Two teams of five men each would be main-
tained at the stations, to be known as State emergency
mine rescue teams. ; The teams would, be given a first course
of 10 lessons in mine rescue work,’.and practice of two hours
each month thereafter, the expense of first training and
later practice to be paid by the 'State.1 It is suggested that
a written contract should be drawn up, binding each member
of a team to do the required training and practice, and to
answer a call to service whenever made, and that State
certificates of competency in mine rescue work should be
given to those who take the full course;

In connection with, his . scheme, Mr. Cartlidge gives
some interesting estimates of expenditure :—

The estimated expense of erecting a suitable T>ols.

station is.................   ,.................. 600’00

The estimated expense of equippingit is as follows :—

5 sets of rescue apparatus, at 120 00 dols. ...... 600’00

10 pair goggles, at 1*00ddl. ....................... 10’00

10 electric lamps, at 12’50 dols................... 125’00

1 oxygen pump ........................:........... 175’00

1 resuscitating device .. ... ....................  40’00

1 rectifier for charging lamps...................   15’00

1 meter for testing machines .....................  32’50

1	first aid box ...............................      6’00

2	stretchers ....................................   10’00

Estimated expense of training 10 men :—	50

Wages 10 men, 4*00 dols per day, two lessons.

per day .................................         200’00

Cost of soda, 8 lb. per day per man at 8 c. per lb. 32’00
Cost of oxygen, 1,500 cu. ft., at 2’40 dols. per 100	36’00

Total cost to train 10 men first 10 lessons... ,i....... - 268’00
Additional cost to train 10 men two hours

per month for 12 months	Dols.

1 aa  .ex _________ «..<a

40 lb. soda at *08 dol.................  3’20

20 hours at 1’00 „	........:. 20’00

. ■ ’	;	25’60

12 months.........:................ at 25’60	307’20

Salary station superintendent ................	... ... 1,500*00

*By A. Strahan, W. Pollard, and E. G. Radley, 1908.

Thus the total cost for one station would be 3,688-70 dels.
To this miners and operators would contribute respectively
600 dols; and 1,013*50 dols., and the State 2,075-20 dols.
After-the; first year'the cost would be as follows :—

Dols.

Fixed cost to operators and miners per year,
depreciation of equipment and building 25 p.c....	553’38

To State, training two hours per month 10 men ...	307’20

Salary superintendent.......................... 1,500’00

Add to train extra men in place of those dropping
out........................................... 192’80

,	2,000’00

This estimate presumes that cost of soda, oxygen, trans-
portation, and other expenses when at mines are to be borne
by the operators.

Notes from the Coalfields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

“Nursing Tip” Evil Abandoned at Barry Docks—War Bonus
of 10 per cent. Rejected by Miners—The Fallacy of High
Prices in Effect upon Wage Rate—Can a Checkweigher
Act as Workmen's Mine Inspector? — Re-opening
Cyfarthfa for War Munitions—Is Colliery Flooding an
“ Accident ” Voiding Contracts?

A new system of working has this week been inaugurated
at Barry Docks—one that is likely to have considerable effect
upon the coal trade—for it does away with the grievance
that has from time to time led to energetic protest. In
future, vessels will be given loading berths in the order of
their arrival in dock, provided, of course, that the ship is
ready and the coal is available. Hitherto, a system of
allocating tips has prevailed, so that certain large shippers
had been able to “follow on” with their own vessels;
and smaller firms have suffered delay in consequence. The
matter was taken up two or three years back by Cardiff
Chamber of Commerce, Mr. W. North Lewis, the then
president, being particularly active; and the Chamber
selected certain gentlemen to confer with the dock authorities
in order to secure abandonment of the practice. These
presented a petition from coal shippers representing total
exports of several millions of tons per annum; and the
representatives of the Chamber consulted the dock authorities,
obtaining, as a result, no more than a promise that their
arguments should be carefully considered. Till the present
time, nothing positive has been the outcome of that move-
ment; but during the current year the difficulties in the
docks, due to congestion 'and especially as to the preference
of Admiralty shipments, has intensified the evil, affecting
those firms which had not the good fortune to enjoy -allocated
tips. The larger concerns have had almost continuous use
of their tips, and the smaller shippers have suffered very
much. Complaints have at last induced the manager of the
Barry Docks (Mr. T. H. Rendell) to take action, and on
Tuesday it was -announced that the practice prevailing at
Newport and Port Talbot would be adopted at Barry, so that
when coal was not ready on the allocated tip, or the ship
is not ready in dock, the berth will be taken by any vessel
ready for loading. This change of practice has given
general satisfaction.

The offer of the colliery proprietors to give a 10 per cent,
war bonus in wages, conditional upon the present agreement
being maintained until the end of the war, has been rejected
by the workmen. Their executive council met on Friday
last week, .and discussed the matter fully, but notwithstand-
ing the uncompromising and definite nature of the resolu-
tion ultimately passed, it was evident that in the meeting
there existed a strong and clear recognition of the value of
the offer made. The 10 per cent, bonus would put the wage
rate to 70 per cent, above the standard, that is, 10 per cent,
above the maximum; and in view of the heavy costs to
which they are being put, owing to shortage of labour, high
prices of pit wood, and all other necessaries, the offer of the
owners is a substantial one; and it is evident a spirit of
conciliation was clearly admitted during the executive meet-
ing. There exists, however, a determination to keep the
question of war bonus entirely distinct from that of revision
in the agreement; and it was on this point, perhaps, as
much as upon that of actual amount, that the decision was
come to. At first, the idea was that the proposal should not
be summarily rejected, but that it should be used as a basis
for negotiation. A further point was that the South Wales
Federation should not take independent action, but should
consult, and act in -conjunction with, the Miners’ Federation
of Great Britain, before giving a final reply.

Ultimately, - however, it was decided unanimously that,
apart from the requirement of a revision of the Conciliation
Board agreement, the offer of 10 per cent. “ was altogether
inadequate to meet the present necessities of the workmen ” ;
and it was further resolved that “ No offer of an advance in
wages which is made conditional upon -a postponement of
the revision of the Conciliation Board agreement can be con-
sidered.” The executive therefore took the matter to the
Miners’ Federation of Great Britain conference, and it was
understood that on that conference the South Wales repre-
sentatives would advocate asking for a much greater advance
than 10 per cent.

During the discussion it seemed that the old mistake as to
current market prices was exercising a powerful influence.
The day-to-day quotations were referred to as showing how
high is the. price of coal; and the deduction seemed to be
that employers were reaping profits upon that basis. Some
of the speakers, however, were quite alive to the fact that
day-to-day prices do not represent the basis of profit, because
of the very large proportion of coal that is sold on.contract;
and, as showing the'wide difference between current prices
and contract terms, it may be recalled that the chairman of
one of the companies, at ;a recent meeting of shareholders,
congratulated those present upon the fact that they had
made' their contracts for the current' year at a' price Is. in
advance: of the previous figures. There is. no reason to
believe that this' company stands alone; and' the great point - •
to be urged in reference to the men’s demands obviously .is
that present-day prices do not represent the'actual receipts
upon the whole output, but upon only a relatively small

proportion; and, consequently, it is not correct to assume
that the larger body of sales are made at the inflated prices.

An important question—whether a checkweigher can act
as workmen’s inspector of the mine—came'up in the Court
of Appeal on Friday last week, the Gas Coal Collieries
Limited, of Llanharran, appealing against a judgment of
Mr. Justice. Bailhache, who had decided that the check-
weigher was so entitled to act. The checkweigher, a
practical miner, was elected by the men as their inspector,
but when'he sought permission to go down the pit for the
purpose of inspection, the permission was refused, on the
ground that, his position as checkweigher precluded him from
acting as inspector. Counsel in the Court of Appeal urged
that subsection 3 of the Act of 1911 made it illegal for a
checkweigher to give information or advice except ’ on a
matter that came within the scope of his duties as check-
weigher; and, therefore, it was contended the two offices
could not be held by the same person. In contravention of
this argument, counsel for the checkweigher urged that the
whole point was one of law. The Act having said that the
miners, for their own safety, might appoint a man as
inspector, there was nothing to prohibit a checkweigher
holding the office; and, inasmuch as provision has been made
for appointing a deputy checkweigher, the objection raised
that the checkweigher should be present performing his
functions whenever the pit was at work had gone. The
office of inspector did not demand a great deal of time or
attention, there being only occasional duty. The court,
which consisted of the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Justice
Swinfen Eady, and Mr. Justice Bray, reserved judgment.

A suggestion has been put forward that the Cyfarthfa Iron
Works should be utilised for the manufacture of war muni-
tions. This famous undertaking ceased- general operations
a few years ago, immediately after acquirement by Messrs.
Guest, Keen and Company, who, building new blastfur-
naces, and bringing the adjacent Dowlais Works up to the
highest point of excellence, concentrated their energies upon
the iron and steel undertaking at Dowlais. . If the sugges-
tion now put forward is realised, it would be necessary to
lay down new plant at Cyfarthfa. In former days between
3,000 and 4,000 men were employed at the works and
collieries.

A striking reduction in the rates of freight was recorded
temporarily ■ on Cardiff Stock ■ Exchange last Friday. As
much as 32s. had previously been paid for a cargo to Genoa,
but on Friday there was a sudden drop to 25s., this differ-
ence of 7s. 6d. per ton being as much as at. one time was
paid for the whole cost of transit.

At Glamorgan Assizes the action of the Cardiff Gas Com-
pany against Mr. T. Taylor, of the Energlyn Colliery, has
been heard, the action being one for breach of contract in
supply of. coal. Defendant had undertaken to supply
25,000 tons of coal to the gas company, but owing to. an
inrush of water, he was unable to supply at the rate
demanded. The question at issue was whether this inrush
of water was an “ accident,” such as was provided for in a
clause of the contract. Defendant contended that it did
constitute, an accident within the meaning of the contract;
but plaintiffs held the contrary. Mr. Leonard Llewellyn,
who was called, stated that the only effective method by
which the flooding of the colliery could have been dealt with
was by sinking a new shaft, which would have cost about
.£27,000. Prof. Galloway said there was a sufficient margin
of pumping power in the pit up to August and September
1912 ; and that when more water came than the pumps
could reasonable deal with, additional pumps should have
been at once installed. The judge, jn summing up, stated
that but for the accident clause in the contract, the defendant
would have had no answer. That clause read : “ In case of
accident by which the working of the coal shall be substan-
tially interfered with, the con tractor shall immediately
thereupon give notice to the gas company, and during the
continuance of such interference the contractor shall not be
deemed to be in default.” Four questions were put to the
jury by his lordship, and their findings were in favour of
the colliery proprietor. His lordship said that he would
give judgment in London as soon as practicable.

Mr. 0. Vernon Walters, assistant manager at the Aber-
cynon Collieries, has been. appointed manager of the South
Duffryn Rhondda Colliery, near Port Talbot; and is
heartily congratulated at having obtained such a position,
seeing that it is at the early age of 26 years.

The Conciliation Board of the tin-plate trade met at
Swansea on Monday, and considered the request from the
several trade unions which are affiliated with the Board,
these having desired the payment of a war bonus. Mr, F.
W. Gibbins was -in the chair, and amongst the workmen’s
representatives were Mr. John Hodge, M.P., and Mr. W.
Thorne, M.P., six trade unions being concerned. After a
long discussion it was agreed that, as from Monday next,
the rate of pay should be increased. Workmen who receive
from 30s. to 40s. a week to have a rise of 2s.; those
receiving 20s. to 30s., a rise of 3s.; those of 15s. to 20s., a
rise of 2s.; whilst those under 15s. a week should have Is.
advance. These payments will be continued during the

war,	and for three months afterwards, entailing no less than
£60,000 a year extra cost. In consideration of these pay-
ments by the employers, the workmen undertook to continue
the existing agreement until June 1916. This agreement is
renewed annually in the ordinary course; and the present
arrangement does away with the necessity for any
re-arrangement this year.

The war bonus to employees in the South Wales steel
trade will, it is stated, be similar in amount to what has
been fixed for the tin-plate workers; and will affect 6,000
men, costing £40,000 a year additional.

Northumberland and Durham.

Recovery in Fuel Shipments—Home Office Prosecution at
Chester-le-Street : The Care of Horses~Deductions from
Wages.

At the Tyne Improvement Commissioners’ meeting in
Newcastle last week, it was reported that the shipments of
coal from the Tyne in February amounted to 1,101,095 tons,
as compared with 1,667,236 tons in the corresponding month
of last year—a decrease of 566,141 tons. The shipments of coke
were 30,925 tons, as against 36,196 tons in February 1914
—a decrease of 5,271 tons. In January and February this
year 2,142,071 tons of coal were shipped from the river, as
against 3,308,448 tons in the first two months of last year
—a decrease of 1,166,377 tons. The quantity of coke shipped.

was,	53,729 tons, as compared with 63,708 tons in ,January1
and February last year—a decrease, of 9,979 tons.