652 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. March 26, 1915. citated until December 17, 1914, when he was able for certain forms of light work. Sheriff-Substitute Hay Shennan awarded the workman compensation of T1 per week from October 2 to December 17, and thereafter 17s. 6d. per week. The employers appealed by way of stated case. The Court affirmed the judgment of the Sheriff-Substitute, and found the appellants liable in expenses. The question in the case was whether, in order to entitle a workman to compensation in respect of disablement through an indus- trial disease, it was necessary that at the date of the disable- ment he should be in the service of the employer from whom the compensation was claimed. The Court answered that question in the negative. DODD’S PATENT TUB AXLE GREASER. The axle greasers made by Messrs. Evans and Dodd, of the Providence Iron Works, Cannock, are well known to colliery engineers, and large numbers are to be found throughout the mining districts. The makers have recently introduced a tangible improvement in the device. In the construction of this type of greaser, the efficient mounting of the lubricating wheel, so that it will give readily to the axle of the tub which it is greasing, and come back readily after it has been mounted, has caused some trouble. In some, cases the wheel is provided with a spring bearing, or is itself a spring construction, but it has been found that the breaking of a spring on which the wheel or disc is mounted necessitates the removal of the greaser from the earth in which it is embedded, and taking it apart to remedy the defect. ! ... J ' I \/7///7///////////////////////7//////, The improvement, which is illustrated in the accom- panying drawing, consists in resiliently mounting the wheel or disc, and fetching it back to its original posi- tion by means of a spring situated in such a position as to have a more direct and positive action; to be free from dirt and to be easily replaced should a spring happen to break. The wheel is mounted on a pin carried by the free end of a lever, which is pivoted. The spring is placed with its lower end in the well cast in the upper part of the grease trough, and with its upper end against the free end of the lever. A stop is placed on the top of the lever to prevent the wheel rising above its proper height. The working parts are protected from dirt by a cover, wdiich also serves as a stop for the lever. This cover can be taken off, a new spring set under the lever, and the cover replaced in less than two minutes without removal of any other part. To meet the diversity of conditions obtaining in different pits—tub wheel diameters may vary from 7 in. to 15 in.—the greasers are made in three sizes, with different diameters of lubricating wheel to suit require- ments. Amongst the companies using these patent lubricators are the following:—Old Silkstone Collieries. Barnsley; Wm. Harrison Limited, Brownhills, Walsall; Tinsley Park Colliery Company, Barnsley; Wharncliffe Wood- moor Colliery Company, Barnsley; Wheldale Coal Com- pany, Castleford; Norchard Colliery Company, Lydney; Craig and Sons Limited, Brynkinallt; Barber, Walker and Company, Eastwood, Notts; Stanton Iron Company, Pleasley Colliery, Mansfield; Cannock and Leacroft Colliery Company; West Cannock Colliery Company; East Cannock Colliery Company; Hollybank Coal Com- pany, Wolverhampton; Aldridge Colliery Company, Walsall; Coppice Colliery Company, Cannock; and the makers inform us that they have sent 84 sets to New Zealand to the order of Messrs. T. R. Turnbull and Messrs. Nobels Explosives Limited have placed an order with Messrs. Ed. Bennis and Company Limited, of Little Hulton, Bolton (per Messrs. Yates and Thom) for. 32 “ Bennis ” stokers and furnaces for their new powder factory in South Wales. It is understood that Mr. D. A. Thomas, chairman of the Cambrian Collieries Trust, who is again on passage to New York, is visiting the United States and Canada for the purpose of concluding negotiations concerning the acquisition of coalfields in Virginia and British Columbia. Mr. Thomas has several times gone to North America with the same object in view, the Canadian enterprise also involving the construction of a railway from the mouth of the Nass River, north of Prince Rupert, into the Groundhog district, a dis- tance of about 140 miles, although it will ultimately extend further. 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 :— The State authorities in Anhalt have acquired the Braunkohlenbergwerk Albert-Richard, with an area of two million' square metres, in the communities of Kleinmolan and Retzau, for the production of brown coal. The Wire Mills Association has notified a further advance in the price of wire, drawn wire being raised from 130 mk. to 145 mk., small rod wire from 125 mk. to 132-50 mk., wire rods from 140 mk. to 155 mk., and galvanised ware from 165 mk. to 180 mk. per ton. The Iron Market in Rhenish Westphalia. From reports that have appeared in the German trade organs recently, the chief obstacle to the favourable development of the iron industry would seem to consist in the unavoidable scarcity of labour, so that most of the works are compelled to discontinue the night shifts; and the continued calling up of men to the Forces is lessening the number of workers, without possibility of replacement, the trial made at employing prisoners not having proved very satisfactory, owing to their unwill- ingness, lack of skill, etc. Another special feature of Elevation and Sections of Dodd’s Patent Auto- matic Colliery Tub Axle Greaser. the situation is the great demand for open-hearth steel and other high-grade products, which are therefore becoming scarce, and are now charged 15 mk. per ton extra, instead of the former 5 mk. More extensive use is therefore being made of the cheaper basic steel. In addition to war material, ordinary products are the subject of improved enquiry, and many works have already sold out their output up to June, so that prices have advanced all round, especially since the establish- ment of the new conventions, and now exceed those of the boom period in 1912-13. In the ore market, shipments from Norway via the North Sea are being affected by the recent proclamation of the British Government, shipowners being disinclined to make fresh charters, whilst premiums and freight rates have gone up considerably. It is expected, how- ever, 'that sufficient supplies will be obtainable from Sweden, though the cost of carriage by rail will be high. Moreover, endeavours are being'made to increase the output of the Siegerland, Lahn and Dill mines, but here again prices are higher, 18-20 mk. being demanded for 50 per cent, red (Lahn and Dill) ironstone, against 14-50 mk. last July. Siegerland ore is also scarce, none being available for new buyers, and prices rule at 21-50 mk. for roasted, and 14 mk. for raw ore (an advance of 3mk.). High-grade pig iron is scarce, and the Union is trying to-induce buyers to take commoner sorts as much as possible. Haematite pig now costs 100 mk., and no sales have yet been effected for delivery in the April-June quarter. Luxemburg foundry pig is in better request, and Swedish iron is now being used for foundry purposes. The chief consumers of pig iron are the firms engaged in making shells, some 40 to 50 in number, and still increasing; but shells of grey iron are to be discontinued, being unsatisfactory—a measure which will accentuate the scarcity of pig iron. The price of scrap is advancing, in sympathy with the general situation, casting scrap being now quoted at 90-95 mk., machine shop scrap at 67-70 mk., turnings at 46-48 mk., and structural scrap at 65-66 mk. delivered free. ■ Steel Products.—The whole production of open-hearth steel is being used for war material, none being avail- able for other purposes, and prices have been advanced so that raw ingots are now quoted at 112-50 mk. per ton. The exportation of high-grade steel to neutral countries is prohibited, except by special permission. For non-military purposes basic steel alone is available, and the price has risen to 97-50 mk. for raw ingots, 102-40 mk. for blooms, 110 mk. for billets, and 112-50 mk. for plate bars, delivery April-June, with no export rebate. Orders for railway material are sufficient to keep makers busy, but enquiries for tram rails and pit rails are moderate. The market in figured iron is quiet, with little prospect of improvement. Prices fcr April-June range from 120 to 122 mk. Rolling Mill Products.—Business is very active, and prices have gone up (thanks to the conventions) to an extent that covers the increased cost of production, and leaves makers a profit. For bars, upwards of 125 mk. net pash is being quoted, though some merchants are making cheaper offers, based on their old contracts, in respect of which the works threaten cancellation unless early delivery specifications are lodged. The export market is firm, neutral buyers being always active and ready to pay the fixed price of 125 mk. net cash, ex Oberhausen. Some of the works have already sold out their output for April-June, and the Rheinische Stahl- werke and Krupp now require 10 to 12 weeks for delivery. The demand for hoop iron is good, open- hearth material being in special request for military purposes. The works are turning out about 50 to 60 per cent, of their ordinary peace output. The basis, price for basic material is now 140 mk. net per ton, ex Oberhausen, both for the home and export trades, with an addition of 15 mk. for open-hearth material. Plate is in good demand for shipbuilding, at least by firms engaged in naval construction, builders of mercantile vessels having nothing to do. Constructional plate is also selling fairly well, and the heavy plate mills are therefore busy. Prices are about 127-50 mk. for the home market, and between 135 and 140 mk. for export. In fine plate the works have sufficient orders to carry them through the next three months, and are already requiring six to eight weeks for delivery. Prices are irregular, being about 145 to 147-50 mk. for West- phalian plate, and showing a wider margin, both ways, for Siegerland plate, which fluctuates in quality. The diminished output of tubes finds a ready sale; and the wire market is developing satisfactorily, rolled mild steel wire, which dropped to 100 mk. after the dissolu- tion of the Union, now being quoted at 125 mk. Drawn, bright wire now costs 145 mk., rod wire 142-50 mk., galvanised wire 180 mk., barbed wire (No. 28) 230 to 235 mk., and wire rods 155 mk. per ton, basis prices, ■with customary additions, less 1-J- per cent. No sales are being effected at present for delivery beyond the end of June, it being expected that the wire drawers and rod makers will shortly arrive at an agreement to fix the selling prices. Coal Market in South Germany. Great difficulty is still experienced in obtaining a sufficient supply of industrial fuel, the scarcity of labour preventing any increase in the output, whilst, on the other hand, consumers’ requirements are continually growing, in consequence of -the large orders for war material now in hand. Users will have to be content to take larger proportions of- other than their usual grades of coal, since the coke output is being raised in order to provide the by-products requisite for the defence of the country; and the use of coke for steam raising will have to be extended. The only large stocks of coal in South Germany are smalls, for briquetting, and a large pro- portion of these has been already contracted for, being therefore unavailable for the ordinary buyer. Oncoming supplies are being forwarded as fast as they arrive— or at least as quickly as the shortage of skilled labour permits. Crane men are particularly scarce, and the briquette works are suffering from a lack of suitable men. In spite of the near approach of the new business year, sales of Ruhr coal have scarcely begun, because of the almost impossibility of forecasting the extent of the output and available surplus. The Saar administra- tion, however, is engaged in arranging for. renewals of half-yearly contracts, at an increase of 40 to 80 pf. per ton on the old prices, making an average rise of 2 mk. on last year. Dealers are adding a little more by reducing discounts. In view of the smaller output, merchants are only guaranteeing to supply their regular customers with 50 per cent, of their last year’s quan- tities, except in the case of gas works and public bodies. Users who formerly bought English coals, and those whose chief concern has been low prices, are in serious difficulties. Prices, however, continue moderate, owing to the control exerted by the’syndicate. The fear, of a serious scarcity of house coal has remained- unrealised, thanks to the mild winter; and the urgent enquiries for large nuts have slackened, although customers’ require- ments cannot be fully complied with. The shortage of anthracite nuts has become less acute, large supplies having come in from Belgium. For the time being there is a sufficiency of large broken coke. No. 3 is still scarce. The gas coke situation has changed consider- ably of late, the increased local demand and the diminished output having led to a depletion of the former large stocks. The Brown Coal Sales’ Associa- tion has notified an advance of 1 mk. per ton for indus- trial briquettes, and 1-50 mk. for household briquettes, the discount of 0-50 mk. being also abolished. It is reported that the Miners’ Union in Saxony has demanded an increase in wages. Fuel Traffic on the Rhine-Herne Canal. Total shipments of coal, coke and briquettes amounted in February to 116,357 tons (105,449 tons in January), including 16,404 tons (20,905 tons) from Prosper Aren- burg Colliery, 29,275 tons (24,795 tons) from Bottrop, 15,485 tons (16,582 tons) from Mathias Stinnes,. 15,020 tons (14,863 tons) from Bismarck, 12,961- tons (6,621 tons) from Wanne-West, 8,543 tons (11,572 tons) from Konig Ludwig, and 15,364 tons (7,505 tons) from Friedrich der Grosse. Company Reports. Bergwerks A.G. Consolidation, Gelsenkirchen. — The result of the year’s operations has been seriously affected by the war, the total gross profits having receded from 8,776,799 mk. to 6,641,768 mk. After deducting expenses, taxes, etc., writing off 1,286,177 mk.