874 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 23, 1915. at 478 yds. 2 ft. 9 in., where it is represented by “ coal and rashes” 6 in. thick, and the usual hard, white quartzitic rock and conglomerate occur beneath it. The top of the coloured strata occurs 11 yds. beneath the considered No. 2 horizon. These strata are there repre- sented by green clift, but red and blue marls also occur lower down the shaft. The gradual deterioration of the Tillery (No. 2) seam in coming to the south-west from Llanhilleth and Nine- Mile-Point has been already referred to. The pit thickness of the Pennant is 157 yds., but the dip is somewhat steep, being 14 degs., and after correc- tion for this the true thickness is 413 yds. This information enables an accurate measurement to be made of the expansion of the Pennant series in a southerly direction from the Sirhowy and Rhymney valleys to Bedwas, which the subjoined table illustrates:— Thickness of Pennant Distance and direction to Bedwas_________ Expansion of Pennant to Bedwas__________ Equivalent gradient... Rhymney Sirhowy Valley Valley (Britannia (Oakdale Bedwas. Colliery, Colliery, near Pengam). Blackwood). 315 yds. ... 283 yds. ...443yds. 5|miles S.S,E....5j miles S,... — 128 yds ... 160 yds. ... — 1 in 75’6 ... 1 in 64’6 ... — The lower measures, however, do not expand to the south; on the contrary, they markedly attenuate as follows :— Britannia Oakdale. Bedwas. Thickness. No. 2 Rhondda to Nine-feet .......... Attenuation to Bedwas... Equivalent gradient..... Total thickness of Pennant and lower measures ........ 429 yds. ... 406 yds. ... 311yds. 118 yds. ... 95 yds. ... — 1 in 82 ... 1 in 109 ... — 744 yds. ... 689 yds. ... 754 yds. Britannia and Oakdale pits are not sunk below the Nine-feet. Thus, it appears that notwithstanding the great fluctuations of thickness, in both the Pennant and the lower measures, the total thickness between No. 2 and the Nine-feet at Bedwas differs by 10 yds. only from that of Britannia. Caerphilly Hoch Veins.—In Bedwas South pit, between the depths of 478 yds. 2 ft. 9 in. and 602 yds. 10 in., several seams of coal occur. Their identification is not quite clear, hut the colliery authorities are probably correct in considering the 4 ft. 8 in. seam at 602 yds. 10 in. to be the Big Rock Vein of Caerphilly. The writer leans to the opinion that the coal at 560 yds. 1 ft. 8 in. is the Little Rock Vein, as it is in several beds, and its distance, after correction for the 14 degs. dip, is 40 yds. 1 ft. above the Big Rock, thus agreeing with the conditions at Rudry, where these coals have been much worked, the distance between them varying from 25 to 41 yards. In regard to these rock veins a great deal of uncertainty has existed in the past, and differences of opinion still exist as to their position in the sequence, but the sinking of the Bedwas shafts and the occurrence of the coloured strata throw much.fight on this subject, and enable an interesting correction to be made of a long-standing correlation. The Little Rock Vein has been generally regarded as the correlative of No. 2 Rhondda. The Survey authorities show the Little Rock, or “ Rockfacb,” to be from 20 to 30 yards above the “ Tillery,” or No. 2 Rhondda, whereas it is now proved in Bedwas pit to be 81 yds. beneath No. 2, and the coloured strata occur between them, which is conclusive evidence that the Little Rock Vein is nearer to the horizon of No. 3 Rhondda than to that of No. 2. General Observations.—All the new shafts of impor- tance that have been sunk in the coalfield since Part I. was issued in 1908—with the exception of two that are omitted because their evidence is impaired by distur- bances—have been brought into notice and their sections given. In every instance, where practicable, the thicknesses of the Pennant and the lower measures have been shown. In the case of the lower measures, toward their south outcrop, their thickness cannot be stated with accuracy to.the west of the Llynvi Valley, and in the submarine areas of Swansea and Carmarthen bays but little can be said of them, and even in G-ovxer their thickness is conjectural. In the eastern part of the coalfield the thickness of this series has been proved in a number of fresh localities, and the details, which are given in the vertical sections, afford much information. As regards the Pennant series, its thickness has been obtained in a number of fresh localities from Llanelly eastward to the Sirhowy valley, and the great variations of its thickness are also illustrated in the vertical sections. This definite information enables a further and more comprehensive view to be taken of the geological condi-. tions that prevailed during the deposition of the coal measures in South Wales, and even in. the Forest of Dean gnd Gloucestershire coalfields. During the deposition of each member of the carboniferous system in the South Wales area the rate of subsidence was greatest in a south-westerly direction, which resulted in the limestone, millstone grit, and the coal measures attaining a much greater thickness in Swansea district than at the present north-easterly limit of the coalfield at Pontypool. The following table of thicknesses of some of the principal members of the system, both at the eastern end of the coalfield and also near Swansea, is given:— Thicknesses of the Carboniferous Formation. Swansea district. Supra-Llantwit series ......... Llantwit series ............... Pennant series ................. Lower measures (conjectural)... Millstone grit, not less than ... Limestone and shales ......... Pontypool district. Ft. Ft. 1,150 . Denuded 760b . 330 b 2,800 ( w koa.. 2,470 f 7^530.. .570 ^00 1,500 J . 250J Uncertain ... . 200 ' The Supra-Llantwit series in Monmouthshire is absent. It has probably been denuded. The thickness of the limestone and shales in Gower is probably much greater than in Monmouthshire, but no definite figures can be given. Omitting both of the above members from considera- tion, the aggregate thicknesses of the other four are :— Ft. Swansea district ................. 7,530..... Pontypool district ........ ..... 1,800 Therefore the rate of subsidence during all this long period—although, doubtless, very slow and intermittent —was more than four times greater in the Swansea area than at the east end of the coalfield, and the south- westerly declination of the surface thus effected resulted in the deposition of 5,700 ft. greater thickness of strata in the former area in the same period of geological time, although the two positions are only 40, miles apart. In the following observations it will be convenient to speak of the south-westerly expansion that has just been illustrated as a north-easterly attenuation. It was shown in Part I., pp. 63-65, that this noith- easterly attenuation resulted in the complete disap- pearance of the lower measures near Raglan, in Monmouthshire, or, to state the matter in another way, the north-easterly limit of deposition of the lower measures was between Pontypool and Monmouth, and there is evidence, which will shortly be given, that this margin, or shore line, ran in a south-easterly direction. The lower measures in the eastern part of the coalfield attain their maximum development along an imaginary line from Penrhiwceiber to Llwyn-y-pia and Clydacli Vale, thence pointing to Blackmill and Tondu, the thicknesses along this line being :— Yards. Penrhiwceiber ............. 580 Llvvyn-j-pia ............... 509 Clydach Vale............... 545 Tondu .................... 699 The Llwyn-y-pia figures include 35 yards cut out by a fault in the pit, and the Tondu distance is from the Malthouse, or No. 2 Rhondda, down to the Cribbwr- fawr, or Gelli-deg seam, as shown m the late Mr. George Birbeck’s paper in 1876, Proceedings, vol. X, No. 1, plate 3. t - From this line these measures attenuate as follows :— Thicknesses of the Lower Measures. Llwyn-y-pia to Gt. W. Colliery, to Bedwas, to Severn Tunnel. 5miles E. 20° S. 6 miles E. 7° S. 21 miles E. 3° S. Thickness 509 391 311 12 yds. From Penrhiwceiber in a straight line E. 12.degs. S. the distance to the Severn Tunnel is 29 miles, and the attenuation has been 580 — 12 = 568 yards, which represents a gradient of 1 in 90, nearly. From Penrhiwceiber in a straight line E. 9 degs. N. the distance to Pontypool is 14 miles, in which the attenuation has been 580 — 180 = 400 yards, which represent a gradient of 1 in 61’6, and this appears to be the direction in which the rate of attenuation has been greatest. If it be assumed that the attenuation continued at the same rate beyond Pontypool, the marginal line would be reached in 63 miles—in the neighbourhood of Usk. Although this series is so greatly attenuated in the Severn Tunnel it expands rapidly from there to the south-west, and is supposed to be more than 600 yards thick in the neighbourhood of Bristol. During the last two years the writer has had occasion to investigate a part of the Gloucestershire coalfield, and his measurements showed the thickness of the lower measures at Yate to be 607 yards, but they rapidly attenuate northward. At Cromhall, 5 miles to the north of Yate, their thickness has not been ascer- tained, but it is very considerably less, and near Lydney, across the River Severn, a further 10 miles distant in the same direction, the lower measures have died out, and the Pennant series rests on the millstone grit in the Forest of Dean area. The conditions, therefore, which exist from Yate, past Cromhall, to the Forest of Dean, near Lydney, resemble the conditions which the writer in 1898 showed to exist from Pontypool, past Usk, to the Forest of Dean, at Coleford. If a line be drawn from a point between Raglan and Usk, through Chepstow to Oldbury-on-Severn, and thence in the direction of Tortworth, it wall approxi- mately represent the north-easterly limit of the' deposition of the lower measures of South Wales and Gloucestershire. The Pennant series, however, was doubtless con- tinuous from Monmouthshire ,to the Forest of Dean, and also continuous from Monmouthshire and Dean Forest to the Bristol coalfield, for in the Severn Tunnel it was intersected over a distance of 1,600 yards, dipping 1 in 12. The foregoing facts and conclusions bring to its close the record of the writer’s investigation of the South Wales coalfield, which has, intermittently, continued over a period of 46 years. ____________________________ Hull Coal Exports.—The official return of the exports of coal from Hull abroad for the week ending Tuesday, April 13, is as follows:—Alexandria, 5,691 tons; Calais, 2,421; Dieppe, 2,803; Dunkirk, 4,370; Fecamp, 577; Guernsey, 1,122; Harlingen, 715; Haugesund, 340; Hon- fleur, 541; Holmstrand, 530; Havre, 592; Leghorn, 499; Malmo, 1,389; Monte Video, 4,805; Naples, 304; Oxelosund, 1,910; Palermo, 802; Rotterdam, 1,610; Rouen, 21,198; Stavanger, 667—total, 52,886 tons. The above figures do not include bunker coal, shipments for the British Admiralty, nor the Allies’ Governments. Corresponding period, April 1914—total, 16,719 tons. Notes from the Coalfields. [Local Correspondence.] South Wales and Monmouthshire. Prohibition of Anthracite Exports—Colliery Managers and the Eight Hours Act—Presentation to Mr. Edward Shaw —Pit Head Baths — Changes at Dowlais —■ Important Industrial Conference at Cardiff : Coke Oven Gas and By-products. On Saturday announcement was made of the issue of an Order in Council prohibiting the export of anthracite to foreign ports in Europe and ports on tiie Mediterranean and Black Sea, except France, Russia, Spain, and Portugal; and this matter occasioned considerable discussion in the district of which Swansea is the sea outlet. About 15,000 men, raising 5,000,000 tons per year, are engaged in the anthracite trade, the whole of the Swansea Valley, Amman Valley, etc., being affected. It will be seen that by this new Order, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Italy are barred, and these took last year about 1,100,000 tons, considerably more than one-fifth of the total output. In’ addition, of course, there is the loss of the German purchases due to the war, this amounting to about 100,000 tons. An emergency meeting of the council of the Swansea Chamber of Commerce was summoned immediately the Order in Council became known, so that action could be taken to modify the decision, and urgent telegrams were despatched to the Admiralty, as well as to the M.P. for Swansea (Sir Alfred Mond). The Admiralty were asked to receive a deputation, and on reply that they would meet representatives of the Chamber on Wednesday, the council appointed Mr. T. P. Cook (president), with Mr. R. L. Sailes, Mr. George Harries, and Mr. Arthur Andrews. The representation made to the Admiralty is that the Order will have a very serious effect upon the local industry, for it affects not only anthracite, but also steam coal, seeing that numbers of cargoes are shipped mixed at Swansea. One suggestion is that in respect of the non- combatant countries at present barred, some system of licensing, such as that which prevails in the tin-plate trade, might be issued, and thus enable supplies to be maintained; and it is practically assured that the difficulty will be thus got over. One reason assigned for the issue of the Order is that anthracite and lime furnish component parts of carbide —used by the enemy for much of their lighting work, and especially searchlights; and that in Norway and Sweden, as well as Italy, a material proportion of the anthracite is utilised in the manufacture of this carbide. The Anthracite Miners’ Association ialso met on Saturday, and dealt with this Government prohibition, and a deputa- tion was appointed to wait upon MM.P., it beiirn their opinion that the Order would have a disastrous effect upon the industry. The anthracite miners have suffered more from the war than any other section of colliery employees, for in its earier stages the trade was practically paralysed for several weeks. The colliery managers of South Wales and Monmouthshire held their annual dinner on Saturday. Mr. John Evans (Abertysswg), the president, was in the chair, with him being the Lord Mayor of Cardiff and also Mr. Hugh Bramwell, chairman of the Coal Owners’ Association. The last-named gentleman, speaking to the main toast of the evening, said that the Admiralty usually bought about a million and a-half tons of coal per annum, but on the out- break of war they called suddenly for practically the whole output, and during two months coal was being shipped at the rate of something like 15 million tons per annum, instead of one and a-half millions. This changed the whole circumstances of the trade in South Wales, but although the Admiralty demand fell to a more moderate position, it had suddenly sprung up again, and during March and April they were again calling for a huge quantity. As to increase of output, Mr. Bramwell said he had given evidence before the Committee in London, that if the Eight Hours Act were suspended temporarily, allowing the men to stay a little later, there was a possibility of getting a larger yield. '' He also suggested that if the workmen, without unduly exerting themselves, chose to put a bit of -extra energy into their work, this also would increase the output.—In the course of subsequent proceedings, Capt. Rhys Williams, of Miskin Manor, who has a good knowledge of the*coal trade, said that he understood that from Glamorgan 100,000 men are serving with the Colours, and within the next few days each colliery manager would have a letter asking that from each pit four men should be sent for thq Welsh Guards, and this would make their battalion full. A presentation was made to Mr. Edward Shaw, of Senghenydd, on behalf of the branch, the presentation taking the form of a silver salver to Mr. Shaw, and a gold bangle for his wife. Mr. T. Griffiths, Cymmer, declared that in South Wales there was no more conscientious or devoted colliery manager than Mr. Shaw. In reference to the Senghenydd explosion, Mr. Griffiths remarked on the unfair- ness of every colliery manager being regarded as a guilty person until he proved his innocence, and in that way he was different from any other person. Ordinarily, a man who was summoned was regarded as innocent until his guilt had been proved, but a colliery manager was considered guilty until he proved his innocence, and he (Mr. Griffiths') would like to see the day when the representatives of the Home Office would be equally responsible with the colliery manager, as was the case in Belgium, where the inspectors of mines were responsible for the safety of miners with the management.—Mr. L. Llewellyn also bore testimony to Mr. Shaw, stating that if ever a man deserved to be honoured by his colleagues, it was certainly that gentleman. Mr. Llewellyn said without fear of contradiction that the prompt action which Mr. Shaw took at Senghenydd explosion in going down on the top of a carriage and extinguishing the fire with two or three, men, was the means of saving the whole of the men’s lives on the east side; and that prompt- ness, courage, and pluck had carried him right through. He (Mr. Llewellyn) had been one of a number of colliery managers who had been asked to be an advisory committee at the colliery, but there was absolutely no necessity for any advisory committee to be appointed at Senghenydd at all. Mr. Shaw was perfectly capable of carrying out all the work, and that committee, instead of advising, was advised by Mr. Shaw as to- the best methods to be adopted; and had not Mr. Shaw handled the colliery as he had done, he did not think Senghenydd Colliery would be a workable pit at the present time.—Mr. Shaw, asknowledging the presenta- tion, mentioned the reference to Belgium, and said that in fairness to inspectors of mines here, he was bound to say they helped him. He could not go from that room in com- fort unless he mentioned that, and he would particularly like to name Dr. Atkinson.