September 10, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 523 house, and used it for three days, until, on April 15, about 2.30 p.m., the foreman engineer noticed smoke rising up through a trap door in the floor of the engine house. On going to the trap door he found the cable burning; one of the workmen had also noticed the fire, and he, in tearing down the cable, received a shock, but the voltage of the supply being low—120—it was not fatal. The colliery electrician said he was not aware of the existence of the lamps on the shot-firing cable until after the accident, but in making such a statement he proved himself either to be not speaking the truth or to have been very negligent in not giving proper attention to the plant under his charge. He was severely repri- manded by his employers. In one of the remaining two • cases, an attendant in an electric power house had his hand and arm slightly burnt by sparks when adjusting the brushes of a machine; and in the other, another power house attendant had his right hand slightly burnt by an arc caused when he was putting in a switch. Dangerous Occurrences. — Eighty-two notices under this head were received during the year; 20 were due to explosions of firedamp, three were fires on the surface, 27 were underground fires, 17 were breakages of ropes, chains, or other gear used for lowering and raising persons, 12 were cases of overwinding, and three were inrushes of water. Prosecutions. Seventy-seven charges were preferred against the owners, agents, managers, and higher officials during the year. In respect of 55 of these charges, convictions were obtained, whilst 22 were found to be not proven. The penalties inflicted amounted to .£186 6s. Proceed- ings were taken against the manager of Auchenbegg Colliery for a contravention of section 1 (e) (i.) and 1 (e) (ii.) of the Explosives in Coal Mines Order of September 1, 1913, following upon an accident by which one person was fatally, and five others more or less seriously, injured. A fireman, George Mair, obtained the key of the magazine from a press in the engine house, and, opening the magazine, took out of it a box con- taining 100 detonators. He afterwards descended the shaft, and subsequently was present whilst Samuel Wilson, another fireman, sitting on a loaded tub, handed detonators to the miners at the meeting station at the shaft bottom. The method of taking detonators under- ground was as follows :—A box, as received from the makers, containing 100 detonators, was put inside a larger box provided with a lock, and this box was slipped into a larger telescopic tin case, which could be attached to a fireman’s belt. The case was heard before Sheriff- Substitute Moncrieff in the Lanark Sheriff Court, and he found the charges to be not proven. A stated case was applied for, which came before the High Court of Justiciary. The decision of the Sheriff-Substitute was affirmed by a majority. Mr. Walker observes that such procedure as obtained at this mine in regard to the issue of detonators both from the magazine and by the firemen to the miners could be even thought to be allowed or intended by the Explosives in Coal Mines Order came as a great surprise to a large number of managers and others, and, although at some mines advantage is being taken of the decision of the High Court to distribute detonators to miners prior to their being required for use, there is a feeling that the spirit of the Order should be complied with, and a desire that the law in reference to the handling of such fickle explosives as detonators should be made as sound in the letter as it is in the intention. In the prosecution of workmen, the total number of convictions obtained was 217 out of 234 cases taken, 184 persons were fined, the total penalties amounting to 1*152 2s. 6d., one was imprisoned for 10 days, 33 persons were admonished; the charges in seven cases were with- drawn: in seven cases they were found not proven, and two persons were found not guilty. Ventilation. The analyses of 780 samples of mine air taken by the inspectors during the year showed that the requirements of the Coal Mines Act in regard to ventilation had received, except in a few cases, proper attention. Judg- ing by the number of instances where a single current of air is made to course over a very long distance, the benefit to be gained by splitting the main ventilating current does not appear to be fully appreciated, or, if appreciated, certainly does not receive the attention it deserves. Care and Treatment of Animals. The horses and ponies underground, generally speaking, are well treated, kept in good condition, and housed in comfortable stables. During the year it has only been necessary to report two cases of ill-treatment to the Procurator-Fiscal. In very few pits have the stables been found to' be ventilated with return air, or not properly separated from haulage roads. A more universal type of eye-guard is now in use in many mines, and it appears to be giving satisfaction. The particulars of horses used underground are as follow :—Number used, 5,272. Number died (exclusive of those destroyed).—From injury by accident, 44; from disease, 76 (including eight.from old age); total, 120. Number required to be destroyed.—In conse- quence of injury, 160; in consequence of disease, 78 (including 30 from old age); total, 238. Number of cases of injury or ill-treatment reported to manager (exclusive of cases already included).—Injury, 357; ill- treatment, 12; total, 369. Introduction of Safety Lamps. Following upon an explosion of inflammable gas which occurred on September 24,1912, in the Turf coal seam of No. 5 pit in the Auchenharvie Colliery, causing personal injury, the then owners, Messrs, the Glengarnock Iron and Steel Company Limited, applied to the Secretary of State for an exemption under section 32 (1) (b) of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, from the requirements of the sub- section as to safety lamps, in respect of this and previous explosions. The Secretary of State did not feel able to grant this exemption, and safety lamps were thereupon introduced in the mine. Application was made by the owners on January 29, 1914, in terms of section 32 (3) to the inspector of the Division for his sanction to their resuming the use of naked lights. This sanction, purely in the interests of safety, was refused, in so far as part of the mine was concerned, but would have been given in reference to . other parts if proper safeguards were taken in certain circumstances. The owners rejected this offer, and gave notice to the divisional inspector that they considered his sanction to their application had been unreasonably withheld, and claimed to have the matter determined in the manner provided by the Act for settling disputes. The Secretary of State thereupon asked the Reference Committe to appoint a referee to determine the matter in pursuance of the Act, and Mr. John Gemmell, of the firm of Messrs. Landale, Frew, and .Gemmell, mining engineers, was appointed. After hearing counsel, viewing the mine and taking evidence, the referee issued his award, which was as under :—“ The referee having inspected the mine, heard the evidence and counsel for the parties, read his notes and considered the whole productions; finds that the inspector, of the Division has not unreasonably withheld his sanction to the use of naked lights throughout No. 5 pit, Auchenharvie mine. Finds no expenses due by either party to the other, and the claimant liable for the payment of the referee’s remuneration and outlays.” The referee held that if the reasons which the inspector assigns for withholding his sanction to the discontinu- ance commend themselves to the referee as such as may be legitimately held by a person of skill in mining, the referee cannot find sanction has been withheld unreason- ably merely because he himself would have acted differently in the circumstances, and that the inspector had assigned fair, solid, and substantial cause for his refusal, and consequently his sanction had not been unreasonably withheld. Signalling. The codes of. signals prescribed by General Regulation 92 were not being used at all the mines at the end of the year, the excuse generally given being that as soon as an indicator to comply with the requirements of General Regulation 95 could be obtained the codes would be put into use. As the codes of signals did not depend upon the use of a visual indicator, the excuse was somewhat bald. . Steps, however, have been taken to have the prescribed codes made use of and visual indicators, of which there are several different types manufactured in Scotland, are being set up as fast as they can be delivered from the makers’ works. Rescue Stations. The number of completed central rescue stations in Scotland at the end of the year was three, viz., one at Cowdenbeath in Fife, and one at Kilmarnock, and another at Aucklinleck in Ayrshire. Two others, one at Coatbridge in Lanarkshire, and one at Edinburgh, were in course of completion. The one at Edinburgh, which is in connection with the Heriot-Watt College, and is under the original scheme in reference to such stations, has at the time of writing been open several weeks and men are being trained in the use of the various apparatus. The station at Coatbridge, which, having -had -so much consideration given to it before being begun, will consequently be of the first order, would have been completed earlier but for the occurrence of the war. There still remain to be built and equipped three further stations; land has been acquired, plans have been drawn and passed, and operations are now proceeding. Explosives Used. The. following are brief particulars of the explosives used in mines under the coal Mines Act :—Quantitv used, 7,170,725 lb. Estimated number of shots fired': By electricity, 1,741,643; by fuse, 8,498,409: by squibs, 643,971; total, 10,884,023. The estimated number of missed shots from the figures given in the annual returns is as follows : By electric firing, 1,431; by fuse, 6,264; otherwise, 1,108; total, 8,803. Safety Lamps. Summaries are given relating to the number of safety lamps in use, method of locking, and the kind of illu- minant used in them, taken from the annual returns made under the Coal Mines Act, 1911, from which it is seen there is a decrease of 2,342 in the number of safety lamps used compared with the preceding year. The following are particulars :—Flame safety lamps : Number in. use, 32,284 (of these, 20,649 were lighted by elec- tricity and 11,635 otherwise). Method of locking : Lead rivets, 14,415; magnetic, 15,010; screws, 2,545; other, 314. Kind of illuminant: Colza or colza and petroleum, 5,002; petroleum, 4,365; volatile spirit, 17,944; other illuminant, 4,973. Of the total number of lamps, 22,509 were of the Marsaut type. Electric safety lamps : Number, 3,365 (1,160 in preceding year). Method of locking : Lead rivet, 290: magnetic, 3,047; other, 28. Of the total, 1,791 were Wolf lamps, 1,411 Ceag lamps, 85 Gray-Sussman, 60 Oldham, and 18 Float. Electricity in Mines. A summary is given of the horse-power in use during the year, for various purposes in and about the mines in the different counties in the Division, and also the increase and decrease of horse-power used as compared with . the previous year :—Horse power—Surface : Winding, 2,991; ventilation, 5,651|; haulage, 3,478|; coal washing or screening, 7,281: miscellaneous, 10,781|; total, 30,183|. Underground : Haulage, 30,1344; pump- ing, 50,932|: portable machinery, 22,149|: miscel- laneous, 3,7557%; total, 106,9721; gross total, 137,155T%. Number of mines, 340. In 1913 electricity was used at 319 mines, and the total horse-power was 119,639|. Exemptions. Exemptions were granted to the following :—From the use of safety lamps after explosion of firedamp causing personal injury, 20 mines; from provisions prohibiting single shafts or outlets, eight mines; from provisions prohibiting single shafts, one mine; from provision of detaching hooks or automatic contrivance to prevent overwinding, 10 mines; in respect of width of sidings in districts which will be exhausted before July 1, 1915, eight mines; from firemen devoting the whole of their time to their statutory duties, two mines; from provision of means for reversing the air current, one mine; from provisions prohibiting raising or lowering of persons otherwise than in cages, two mines; from provisions requiring separation of winding and pumping engines, one mine; from requirements as to distance between screening or sorting plant and downcast shaft, one mine. Mr. Walker concludes : “ From the defence put for- ward in some recent prosecutions, it would appear that some owners and managers have a very imperfect realisation of the responsibility which rests on them to see that their mines are maintained and worked in con- formity with the Act, and are under the impression that they sufficiently perform their duty if, after an inspector’s visit, they take immediate steps to remedy any matters complained of. It cannot be too strongly emphasised that the obligation of the owners, agent, and manager, and all persons employed to comply with the require- ments of the Acts, Orders, and Regulations, is in no way contingent on their having received notice or warning from an inspector. It may be useful to draw attention to the judgment of Sheriff Shennan, following upon a recent prosecution of the owners, agent, and manager of Over Dalserf Colliery. The Sheriff said he thought it could not be too clearly laid down that it was the duty of owners, agents, and managers to carry out the require- ments of the Coal Mines Act efficiently irrespective alto- gether of the inspector. They had no right to wait until the inspector came to say what was to be done. They had a duty upon them, and, strictly speaking, the inspector would be entitled to report them for prosecu- tion as soon as he knew of any breach. There is an absence of order and tidiness about a great number of the mines. There is no economy in disorder; quite the reverse. An ill-kept mine reflects upon, and is an index to, the nature of those in charge.” COAL AND COKE EXPORTED AND SHIPPED COASTWISE FROM PORTS IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND WALES. During the Month of August 1915.* Port. Exports. A Coastwise ship- ments. ( Coals. Coke. Coals. Coke. Newcastle 512,465 ... 28,013 ... 123,488 — North Shields... 2 ,584 ... 153 ... 1,805 — South Shields ... 312,783 ... 10,879 ... 184J90 — Sunderland 188.606 ... 3,949 ... 97,715 — Hartlepool 83.971 ... 1,800 ... 37,850 — Goole 87,421 ... 794 ... 71,614 — Blyth 184,635 ... 217 ... 17,220 — Newport 256,613 ... 3,380 ... 49.550 — Liverpool 39,687 ... 1,632 ... 117,966 ... 278,471 pf Methil 144,281 ... 1,325 ... 14,165 — Glasgow 223J 22 ... 6,742 ... 30,690 77. 315 Kirkcaldy 10.180 ... — 1,808 — Burntisland 83.513 ... 60 7' 13,960 — Cardiff 750,116 ... 7,441 ... 46,751 70 Llanelly 16,389 ... — 3,920 — Middlesbrough — 1,743 77. — 77 iso Seaham 56,251 7’. — 87,885 — Swansea 179,036 ... 876 .7. 13,139 — Grafton 23,475 ... 2,039 ... 17,576 — Port Talbot..... 143,829 ... 1,752 ... 6,307 — Irvine 1,213 ... 8,205 — Hull 23,543 ... 3,492 7’.’ 46,924 — Immingham 9,836 ... — 2,820 — Amble 21,782 ... — 2,036 — Troon 10,160 ... — 13,446 — Grimsby 48,639 ... 1,297 77 1,191 — Ayr 17,199 ... — 66,267 7^ 60 Greenock — — 2,849 — Leith 112.446 77' 2,894 7'. 2,855 Ardrossan 6,521 ... — 26,565 — Stockton — — — 90 Whitehaven — — 18,728 — Note.—The figures in the above tables do not include Admiralty and certain other shipments. Corresponding figures for the month of August 1914 are unavailable. * From Browne’s Export List. Imports of Pit Props in August.—During August 200,206 loads of pit props were imported into the United Kingdom, the value being £324,766. The imports in August last year amounted to 184,258 loads, and the value £328,159. The total imports during the first eight completed months of the year were 1,482,484 loads, valued at £2.614,565, as compared with 1,727,833 loads, valued at £2,032,577, in the corre- sponding period of 1914. Iron and Steel Institute. — The autumn meeting of the institute will be held, by kind permission, at the Institution of Civil Engineers, Great George-street, Westminster, on Thursday and Friday, September 23 and 24, 1915, com- mencing at 10.30 a.m. on the 23rd and at 10 a.m. on the 24th. In the absence of Mr. Greiner, Mr. Arthur Cooper, LL.D, (immediate past-president), will preside at the meeting. The following is the list of papers that are expected to be submitted for reading and discussion :— “ Influence of Oxygen on Some Properties of Pure Iron,” by Wesley Austin, M.Sc.; “ Note on the Carburisation of Iron at Low Temperature in Blast Furnace Gases,” by T. H. Byrom; “ Influence of Heat-treatment on the Specific Resistance and Chemical Constitution of Carbon Steels,” by Prof. E. D. Campbell; ‘‘Effect of Chromium and Tungsten upon the Hardening and Tempering of High-speed Tool Steel,” by Prof. C. A. Edwards, D.Sc., and H. Kikkawa; ‘‘Phosphorus in Iron and Steel,” by W. H. Hatfield, D.Met.; “ The Magnetic Transformation of Cementite,” by Prof. K. Honda and H. Takagi; “ Sulphur in Malleable Cast Iron,” by R. H. Smith; “Iron and Nitrogen,” by Prof. N. Tschischewski.