AtfGustf 6, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 277 for bunkers and coking sorts. Considerable anxiety is expressed, however, in regard to the new Order applying the licence system to exports to allies. Some large contracts for Durham gas coals are now being negotiated. In the' Midlands the pits have not been greatly affected by the holiday stoppage, which was shorter than usual, but transport diffi- culties are still acute in places. There is also much uncertainty as to the operation of the Limitation Act and the new Order as to exports has had a depressing effect in South Yorkshire and Derby- shire. The Welsh coal trade is very unsettled owing to this new decision of the Government. It is stated that the Welsh miners propose to apply for a further increase in wages. The Board of Trade announces that by an Order of Council the exportation of coal and coke will no longer be permitted freely to Allied countries on and after August 13, and will be prohibited to all destinations abroad other than British Possessions and Protectorates. Applications for licences to export these commodities to prohibited destinations should, as hitherto, be addressed on a special form to the War Trade Department, at 4, Central-buildings, Westminster, London, S.W. Several meetings have been held of the sub- committee of the South Wales Conciliation Board to consider the drafting of the new wages agreement. Some outstanding points have been agreed to, but other matters could not be arranged. Before calling in Mr. Bunciman to settle these questions, it has been decided to call a special meeting of the full Conciliation Board next Tuesday, to make a last effort to reach an amicable agreement. A committee of enquiry has been appointed to consider the 5 per cent, claimed by workmen in the anthracite area, in order that they should be on the same footing as the miners in the steam coal area. We regret to announce the death of Captain Thomas Coote Allport of the 5th York and Lancaster Begiment (Barnsley Territorials), who fell a victim to a sniper’s bullet on Sunday night. He was well known in the coal trade, being a director of the Wharncliffe Woodmoor Colliery Company. The increased cost of working is said to be responsible for the closing down of the Watergate Colliery, near Maryport, owned by the Plimby and Broughton Moor Coal and Firebrick Company. The prejudicial effect of the war upon the opera- tions of permanent relief societies has been manifested at meetings that have been held of the North of England and Midland societies. Mr. Dennis Bayley, the Nottingham coal owner, is extending his appeal for motor ambulances to other coal fields. The Lancashire miners have this week responded handsomely, and this philanthropic scheme promises to be entirely successful. The Admiralty has extended the licence system to steel shipments. Local committees have been formed to expedite the issue of permits. A meeting of the Mining Institute of Scotland will be held to-morrow in Glasgow, when M. Marcel Gillieaux will describe his system of lining pit shafts. On the same day, at Newcastle, the annual meeting of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers will be held. Prof. Thornton will read a paper on a new battery signalling bell. When it became known that the More Fetters Government proposed to prohibit for the the free shipment of coal to Export Trade, our Allies, much consternation was caused amongst those not habituated to the tortuous phraseology of an official proclamation. As was to be anticipated, the disability to export to Allies is qualified, as in the case of exports to neutrals, by the permissive shipment under licence, although the notice in the Gazette was unaccompanied by any such proviso. It would be unthinkable, of course, that the use of our coal should be withheld from our Allies, under conditions in which it is one of the most valuable services that we can render them; under the circumstances, it is rather invidious that they should be placed in a different category from that in which British protectorates are placed. The Order merely gives the Coal Export Committee power to check the indiscriminate rushing of coal into markets freed from the restrictions of the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act, and in the* course of the debate on the Bill Mr. Bunciman clearly hinted that some such measure was contemplated. It is, indeed, the natural corollary of the Act which, without this impediment, offered a tantalising temptation to colliery owners and other “owners of the coal at the mine ” to divert their products into the only free market left to them. One of the first difficulties to arise in the construction of the Act is the uncertainty as to whether, in the event of existing contract terms being varied to conform with the requirements of the Act, the owner is entitled to con- sider the whole contract invalid and to place his coal in some other market which, by reason of the less onerous conditions in regard to price, cost of transport, &c., might prove more advantageous to him. It goes without saying that the object of the Act would be defeated if such a course were to be per- mitted, but, seeing that the very essence of successful trading consists in dealing in the best market, it is inconceivable that business operations should be controlled by vague appeals to patriotism and a sense of public duty, which victimise the honourable man and bestow material benefits upon those less scrupulous. When once we start to impose artificial restrictions upon trade, it becomes necessary that these restrictions shall be so devised as to allow no loophole to the trader to conduct his business upon rational lines. It is this necessity that makes an Act such as the one passed last week so difficult to carry out, and in the long run so costly. The actual loss in trade in itself is sufficiently serious, both now and hereafter; .the United States is slowly establishing an ascendency in the South American markets, and, even without this further restriction, we have lost ground in Italy, Egypt, and a few other markets, owing to circumstances which are completely beyond our control. This Order, even if it be interpreted in the most generous spirit, will create further loss. The examination of details entailed by the licence system inevitably causes delay and uncertainty, which in itself disturbs business relations and drives shipping to other less encumbered avenues of trade. The Government may consider that the effect of this in its tendency to reduce the market price of coal is a sufficient recompense, and our Cardiff correspondent sagely observes that the step has been taken just at the time when many heavy contracts are due for consideration. Without, however, attempting to criticise the wisdom of this restriction, we may point out that it cannot fail to affect the purchasing power of this country abroad, and—temporarily, at any rate —to render the working of many collieries a matter of very great difficulty. For these reasons we trust that the Government will be able to devise measures whereby these costly and vexatious delays may be mitigated as far as possible. This has been done to some extent already by the arrangements that have been made between the French Government and the Admiralty, whereby the latter has become virtually the agent for the French Government supplies, and the Government seems to be on the point of arranging similar terms with Sweden. This system might be extended very greatly to our own advantage, and that of our Allies and the neutral powers. At the same time the Government will be wise to encourage such schemes as that put forward by the South Wales owners this week. Those interested in the South Wales coal trade have adopted the following resolution :— That it be a recommendation that all colliery owners shall, so far as their coal is not required by the Admiralty, supply their customers under the provisions of the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act, 1915. It is understood that an assurance has been given by the Chairman of the Coal Export Committee that, provided steps are taken to ensure that local con- sumption should get adequate supplies of coal, there would be no desire to interfere with exports. Sub- committees have now been appointed for the Eastern and Western districts of the Welsh coalfield to consider the details of a scheme of mutual arrange- ment among colliery proprietors. This action is in close agreement with suggestions that have been strongly advanced in the Colliery Guardian. It is high time that the British coal trade should be organised with a better view to the services that it has to render, and the. country will derive much greater benefits if this important industry is controlled by experts than if it is handed over in a crisis to the tender mercies of politicians and permanent officials. We publish in another column a The War letter from Mr. Lewis W. Goold, and Enemy which throws light upon the present Patent position of enemy patent rights in Rights. this country. As is generally known, it is possible, under the Emergency Patents Acts, for any British manufacturer to apply to the Board of Trade for a licence to work any enemy patent. What, however, is not so well understood is the position of: such a licensee after the war is over. It has been generally believed that such licences would terminate on the resumption of peace conditions. Our correspondent maintains that this is not so and, in fact, this has been officially stated by the Government. The licence can be maintained on payment of a royalty. Even now a small royalty has to be paid to the Treasury; but we understand that this is in nearly all cases more or less nominal, and limited to 5 per cent, on the selling price, and it is scarcely likely that an enemy proprietor would be satisfied with this amount. He might even be indisposed to continue the licence upon any terms whatever; but, according to our corre- spondent’s contention, it has been established beyond doubt (a) that the British manufacturer will retain his licence after the war, and ($) that it will not be possible for the enemy proprietor to impose harsh terms, because in such a case the Board of Trade will intervene and fix a reasonable royalty, These statements, supported as they are by official utterances, seem to clear up the doubts that have been prevalent as to the status of a licensee after the war. Let us therefore examine what his status is now. Mr. Goold maintains that he has a degree of monopoly, and that he would, under his licence, be entitled to restrain other unauthorised manufacture under the patent. This point, however, has not yet been definitely settled. We think it would tend to clear up much misgiving on the part of British manufacturers if the Controller of the Patents Office would make a clear statement upon this point. What exactly is the degree of monopoly conferred by a licence ? We believe that many British manufacturers firmly believe that the licence merely legalises the working of an enemy patent, and confers no monopoly at all. Against such a view, however, it is only necessary to state that a licensee may prevent the lapse of an enemy patent by paying the renewal fees himself and subtracting the amount from his royalties. It is highly desirable in the interests of British industry that the position should be made clear, for if our correspondent’s view is correct, as we believe it to be, here is a magnificent opportunity for this country to prevent in future the exploitation of this country by German patentees, many of whom, notwithstanding the Act of 1907, have used our patent laws merely for the purpose of closing the English market to the British manufacturer. What is important to note is that the present conditions are only temporary. To delay applying for a licence until after the war would be to lose all the advantage of the present position, which enables the British manufacturer to secure, without limita- tion of term, and on an equitable royalty, all the rights covered by an enemy patent in this country. Mr. Goold has done good service in abstracting and classifying these enemy patents. He is now proposing to deal with a class of patents upon which renewal fees have been paid by the proprietors and these may thus be taken to have proved their worth. It is to be hoped that the opportunity will not be lost by British manufacturers. It is an occasion that is as rare as it is favourable to this country, and properly handled it should be possible to do all that the Patents Act of 1907 was intended to do and much more besides ; and that, moreover, without the adoption of any confiscatory measures of any kind.