September 17, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 591 to Mr. Thomas J. Howitt, Council Schools’ clerk, Sedgley, near Dudley. Sidmouth, September 24.—2,000 tons of gas coal, for the Gas Committee. Tenders to the clerk to the Urban District Council. Sligo, September 22.—25 tons of English, Scotch, and Irish coal, for the Corporation. Tenders to Mr. J. Shea, town clerk, Town Hall, Sligo. Tralee.—2,000 tons of best double-screened gas coal, for the Gas Committee. Forms from Mr. J. E. Enright, engineer and manager, Gas Works, Tralee. « Watford, September 22. — Coals and coke, for the Guardians. Forms from Mr. Frederick Wilson, clerk. Wolverhampton, September 20.—Coal, coke, and rough slack to the Wolverhampton and Midland Counties Eye Infirmary, for the Managing Committee. Forms from the secretary. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, &C. Alfreton—Excavating.—Excavation of foundations for electric pow’er house and water cooling plant. Specifications from Blackwell Colliery Company Limited, Blackwell, Alf reton. Chesterfield, September 25.—Water Mains.—Laying of 950 yds. of 7 in. cast iron pipes, for the Rural District Council. Specifications from Waterworks engineer, G. Frith, Council Offices, on deposit of one guinea. London, E.C., September 21.—Rails, etc.—Rails and fishplates, cup headed and dog spikes, and bearing plates, for the Baroda and Central India Railway Company. Specifications from C. Crommelin, secretary, 10, Bishops- gate, E.C., on payment of £1. London, S.W., September 28.—Angles, etc.—About 513 tons of steel material (angles, flats, rounds, plates, etc.), for the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Company. Specifications from secretary, 91, York-street, Westminster, S.W., on payment of one guinea. Manchester, September 21.—Compressor, etc.—Com- pressor and electric motor for the refrigerating apparatus, for the Guardians. Specifications from A. J. Murgatroyd, 23, Strutt-street, Manchester, on deposit of 10s. Selby, September 20.—Water Mains.—Laying about 196 yds. 3 in. cast iron pipes, and about 96 yds. 1| in. wrought iron pipes, for the Rural District Council. Speci- fication from the surveyor, 33, Finkle-street, Selby. Scunthorpe, October 6.—Pipes.—400 yds. of 9 in. S. and S. cast iron water pipes, tested and coated with Dr. Augus Smith’s solution; also 300yds. of three-core paper insulated armoured high-tension cable, for the Urban District Council. Particulars from H. Heap, High-street. Warrington, September 27.—Boiler.—Sectional boiler, for the Health Committee. Specification from surveyor, Town Hall. Important Demurrage Case.—In the City of London Court last week, before Deputy Judge Theobald Mathew, the Ackton Hall Colliery Company brought an action against Messrs. R. and H. Penny and Son, ship owners, Brighton, to recover £17, balance of account for coal sold and delivered. The claim was admitted, but defendants raised a counter- claim for a similar amount.—Mr. Ernest Brightman, for the defendants, said that the claim arose out of a cargo of coal shipped by the plaintiffs with the defendants for conveyance from Goole to Shoreham. Defendants counter-claimed for damages for detention of the s.s. “ Algores ” which conveyed the coal. Plaintiffs shipped 370 tons on the “ Algores ” for Goole at 14s. 3d. per ton f.o.b. The contract stipulated “ steamer to be loaded in usual turn at Goole.” The sale was subject to the usual lock-out clauses, accidents, etc. There was no dispute as to the time. The “ Algores ” arrived on February 4, and was ready at 10 p.m. to load the coal. It was not commenced until the 5th at 1 p.m. After loading 10 trucks there was a stoppage at 2 p.m., and a start was made again at 3.20 p.m. and continued to the finish. Defendants now claimed for a delay of 17 hours, £17 —being £1 an hour. Defendants said that the loading of the vessel should commence as soon as she arrived if there was a ready berth. It depended on the custom at Goole, and if there was no custom, then the law of the land was in defen- dants’ favour.—Mr. Jowitt, for plaintiffs, observed that it was not a question of custom, and he said £1 a day was too much.—The deputy judge held that the defendants were entitled to recover on the counter-claim, and he awarded them £9. As he thought that the case was one of importance to ship owners, he gave the defendants their costs on the higher scale. Plaintiffs took judgment on their claim. Goal Shipped from Ports in the United Kingdom during August.—The following figures, which have been extracted from the returns issued by the Commissioners of H.M. Customs and Excise, show the quantities of coal shipped from each group of ports in the United Kingdom during the month of August, as compared with the corresponding month last year :— Cargo. August 1914. August 1915. Tons. Tons. Bristol Channel ports 1,1< 9,167 ... 1,248,897 North-western ports 45,554 44,042 N orth-eastern ports 1,152,992 ... 1,334,960 Humber ports 327,998 ... 396,139 Other east coast ports 26,700 12,161 Other English ports 10 20 Ports on east coast of Scotland 263,953 ... 360,255 Ports on west coast of Scotland 144,368 ... 253,998 Total 3,070,742 ... 3,650,472 Bunker. August 1914. Tons. August 1915. Tons. Bristol Channel ports 221,737 ... 237,739 North-western ports 273,864 ... 272,815 North-eastern ports ... 190,310 ... 192,642 Humber ports 180,650 ... 119,591 Other east coast ports 73,220 ... 192,115 Other English ports 32,038 11,512 Ports on east coast of Scotland... 114,251 46,651 .Ports on west coast of Scotland... 60^89 84,727 Irish ports 478 937 Total 1,147,437 ... 1,158,729 COAL, IRON AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES. REPORTS AND DIVIDENDS. Albion Steam Coal Company Limited.—Dividend of 6 per cent, on the preference shares for the year 1912, less tax. Armstrong, Whitworth and Company Limited.—The directors have declared an interim dividend for the half-year ended June 30 last at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum on the ordinary shares of the company, 4 per cent, per annum on the first preference shares, and 5 per cent, per annum on the second preference shares, all less income-tax. Bell Brothers Limited.—An interim dividend of 5s. per share on the ordinary shares for the half-year ended June last. Bolckow, Vaughan and Company Limited.—The report for the year ended June 30, 1915, states that the profit from all sources available for distribution, after providing for depre- ciation, amounts to £223,315 3s. 8d., which, together with £145,538 7s. 9d. brought forward from last year, makes a total disposable surplus of £368,853 11s. 5d. The expendi- ture upon open hearth steel furnaces, blastfurnaces, exhaust steam turbines, by-product coke ovens, benzol plants, elec- trical installations, etc., amounted to £123,448 15s. lid., of which sum £105,830 12s. lOd. has been debited to capital account. The balance, amounting to £17,609 3s. Id., it is proposed to write off, and the directors recommend that the year’s profit shall be disposed of as follows :—By payment of interest on debentures, £27,155 2s. lid.; dividend on pre- ference shares, £23,604; dividend on 1,629,760 shares of 20s. each, fully paid, at 6 per cent, per annum (of which 2| per cent, was paid as interim dividend in March last), £97,785 12s.; dividend on 1,800,900 shares of 20s. each, with 12s. paid, at 6 per cent, per annum (of which 2| per cent, per annum has already been paid), £66,992 8s.; writing off expenditure on various extensions, new plant, machinery, etc., at the works, £17,609 3s. Id.; balance to be carried forward, £135,707 5s. 5d. The allowances paid by the com- pany to officials and workmen Who have joined the Army or Navy amounted to £59,519 16s. 5d., the whole of which has been written off against the reserve fund. British Coalite Limited.—The option to purchase part of the freehold properties belonging to this company has now been exercised by the holders, and on completion of the necessary formalities the first mortgage debentures of this company will be paid off at the rate of £105 per cent. The £75,000 second debenture stock thus becomes a first charge on the property. British Insulated and Helsby Cables Limited.—An interim dividend of 5 per cent., as against 4 per cent, last year, is declared on the ordinary shares for the half-year. Celtic Collieries Company Limited.—Interim dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum for the half-year ended June 30. Dalmellington Iron Company Limited.—The report of the directors for the year ending June 30 shows a profit of £34,228 4s. 3d., which, with the balance from last year, £5,891 19s. 3d., gives a total of £40,120 3s. 6d. From this there is deducted for depreciation and redemption £13,129 13s., leaving a balance of £26,990 10s. 6d. Out of this has been paid a dividend of 5 per cent, on the preference shares, absorbing £6,500, and an interim dividend for the half-year on the ordinary shares of 2J per cent., requiring £4,875, leaving for disposal £15,615 10s. 6d. It is proposed to pay a final dividend on the ordinary shares of 5 per cent., making 7| per cent, for the year, free of tax, absorbing £9,750, and to carry forward £5,865 10s. 6d. Hardy Patent Pick Company Limited.—The report of the directors for the year ending June 30 last, shows the net profit for the year to be £7,974 10s. 5d., and the profit brought forward from last year £13,614 9s. 2d., making a total of £21,588 19s. 7d. The directors propose to deal with the profits as follow :—To payment of interest on debentures, less income-tax, £1,217 16s. 2d.; to payment of dividend on the 7 per cent, preference shares, June 30, 1914, £1,736; to payment of dividend on the 7 per cent, preference shares, June 30, 1915, £2,028 3s. lid.; to payment of dividend of 5 per cent, on the ordinary shares for one year, £3,500; to provide for depreciation, £5,523 5s. 9d.; to carry forward to next year, £7,583 13s. 9d. Lambert Brothers Limited. — Dividend on the ordinary shares of 10 per cent., and a bonus of 10 per cent., for the year ended June 30. Pearson and Knowles Limited. — The directors have declared a final dividend of 7s. 6d. per share on the ordinary shares, making 10s. per share (10 per cent.) for the past year, and added £47,000 to the reserve fund. Steel Company of Canada Limited.—The directors have declared a dividend on the preference shares of If per cent, for the quarter ended September 30. NEW COMPANIES. Caton Engineering Company Limited.—Private company. Registered September 9. Nature of business indicated by title. Nominal capital, £300,000 in 300,000 £1 shares. First directors shall be appointed by subscribers. Exeter Munitions Limited.—Private company. Registered office, 52, Queen-street, Exeter. Registered September 2. To carry on business of manufacturers of and dealers in guns, small arms, warlike equipment, ammunition, explosives, mechanical engineers, brass founders, builders, electrical engineers, water supply engineers, gas makers, etc. Nominal capital, £5,000 in 200 £25 shares. First directors :—J. G. Owen, Minalto, Barnfield-road, Exeter, Mayor of Exeter; F. T. Depree, Newlands, Cowick-lane, Exeter, merchant; E. J. Hancock, the Exeter Garage Company, Exeter, motor engi- neer; J. A. Purves, 6, Pennsylvania-park, Exeter, engineer; G. R. Thompson, Lowerdown Cross, Bovey Tracey, Devon, F.I.C., F.C.S. Grays Chemical Works Limited.—Private company. Regis- tered office, 4, Broad-street-place, London, E.C. Registered ♦ September 8. To enter into an agreement, and to carry on business of manufacturers of and dealers in mineral, chemical, industrial, and other products, mechanical engineers, manu- facturers of and dealers in machinery, implements, stretcher makers, iron masters, brass founders, steel makers, gas makers, sanitary and general engineers, chemists, etc. Nominal capital, £22,000 in 20,000 £1 preference shares, and 40,000 Is. ordinary shares. First directors :—G. MacElwee, Norfolk House, Norfolk-street, Strand, W.C., chemical manufacturer; R. Sewell, 4, Broad-street-place, London, E.C., chartered accountant; H. H. Ayscough, 2 and 3, The Sanctuary, Westminster, S.W. Qualification of directors, 100 shares. Leeds Munitions Company Limited. — Private company. Registered September 8. To manufacture, sell, and purchase and deal in munitions of war, and to carry on business of iron founders, mechanical, electrical, and general engineers, builders, miners, brick and tile makers, quarry owners, etc. Nominal capital, £20,000 in 20,000 £1 shares. First directors shall be appointed by subscribers. Subscribers (one share each) :—R. Dolby, 19, Park View-crescent, New South- gate, N., clerk; W. Harriss, 524, High-street, Leyton, Essex, clerk. Pearson and Knowles Coal and Iron Company Limited.— The directors have decided to recommend the payment of the usual half-year’s dividend at the rate of 6 per cent’, per annum on both the preference and second preference shares, and a dividend of 7s. 6d. per share on the ordinary shares, all less tax. They also recommend that £47,500 be added to the reserve fund, that the capital expenditure for the year be written off out of profits, and the balance carried forward to the next account. Robinson (H. E. C.) and Company Limited. — Private company. Registered office, 7, Strand-on-the-Green, Chis- wick, Middlesex. Registered September 4. To acquire and take over the undertaking and all or any of the assets-or liabilities of H. E. C. Robinson and Company, and to enter into an agreement; and to carry on business of manufacturers of and dealers in ships, boats, iron founders, mechanical and marine engineers, tool makers, brass founders, builders, elec- trical and hydraulic engineers, gas makers, chemists, etc. Nominal capital, £10,000 in 10,000 £1 shares. First managing directors and subscribers (one share each) :—M. H. Robinson, 24, Parliament-chambers, Great Smith-street, Westminster, London, S.W., consulting engineer; L. H. Robinson, Westhaven, Arlington - gardens, Chiswick, Middlesex, engineer. Staveley Coal and Iron Company Limited.—The annual report of the directors for the 12 months ending June 30, states ijhat after providing for depreciation, debenture interest, and the dividend on preference shares, the net profit is £252,835 Is., which, with the balance of £47,316 10s. lid. brought forward from last year, gives a disposable balance of £300,151 Ils. lid. An interim dividend has been paid of Is. per share on the fully-paid sharesand 9d. per share on the partly-paid shares, and the directors now propose to pay a further amount of Is. fid. per share on the fully-paid shares, and Is. l|d. per share on the partly-paid shares,, making 12J per cent., free of tax, for the year, leaving a balance of £165,745 6s. lid. Of the £94,197 9s. lOd. carried to sus- pense account last year against foreign debts, the directors announce that £80,000 is in excess of what they now con- sider necessary to provide against the balance outstanding, and this amount has accordingly been transferred to reserve, bringing it up to £205,000. The large growth of the com- pany’s operations during recent years renders it necessary to retain in the business the greater part of the undivided profits above referred to. Under these circumstances it is considered advisable in the interests both of the company and of the .members to capitalise part of such profits, and for effecting such capitalisation it is proposed to issue new shares to the ordinary shareholders in proportion of one new share for each three fully-paid shares, and one new share for each four shares 15s. paid. This will absorb 358,416 shares, and the shares so issued will be issued as fully paid up, the amount required to pay up such shares being provided by appropriating to such payment the reserve fund of £205.000 and £153,416 of the undivided profits standing to the credit of profit and loss account. To effect such capitalisation it will be necessary to alter the company’s articles. At the same time it is proposed to increase the nominal capital to £2,500,000 by the creation of a further 1,302,000 new ordi- nary shares. After effecting the above capitalisation, the amount of profit remaining to be carried forward will be £12,329 6s. lid. Steel Company of Scotland Limited.—The net profits, after writing off special expenditure, etc., amounts to £117,635, from which is deducted £3,443 paid to workmen on military service, £20,000 for depreciation, and £40,000 to reserve fund, leaving a balance of £75,232. A dividend of 74 per cent., less tax, is recommended, carrying forward £41,292. Strong Steel and Chemicals Limited.—Private company. Registered September 4. To carry on all or any of trades or businesses of manufacturers of steel, iron, and other metal goods and products of all descriptions, munitions of war, etc., iron founders, smelters, steel makers, mechanical engi- neers, smiths, decorators, miners, brick makers, timber merchants, etc.; to search for, get, raise, buy, sell, and deal in iron ore, pig iron, limestone, sand, clay, etc. Nominal capital, £2,000 in 40,000 Is. shares. Governing director : R. F. Strong, Queen Anne’s-chambers, Westminster, civil engineer. Qualification of directors, other than governing director, £5 ordinary shares; governing director, £100. This list of new companies is taken from the Daily Register specially compiled by Messrs. Jordan and Sons Limited, company registration agents, Chancery-lane, E.C. A critical examination of the air in the City of London was begun by the Corporation last year. A large rain gauge was placed on the roof of the City Mortuary in Golden-lane, and the rain water from a known area of surface is collected monthly and analysed. Similar observations are being made by the London County Council on the Thames Embankment. Although the presence of much impurity in the atmosphere has long been known, these are the first definite and tabulated records. Dr. Howarth, the City medical officer, states that in December alone the amount of deposit registered as falling in the City amounted to 544 tons. Of that mass of dirt, nearly 34 tons were soluble, and included the sulphates ammonia and chlorine, and 20| tons were insoluble, and consisted of tar, carbon, and grit. No dense fog has as yet been tested. The examination is being continued this year. At Northampton on the 6th inst., the inquest was con- cluded on the bodies of three of the 10 victims of the wreck of the Irish mail train near Weedon on August 14. The coroner said the main point for the jury was whether the pin inserted in the coupling rod of the Birmingham train at Rugby was properly inserted, or whether there was anything wrong with the engine or the coupling rod. He commented on the fact that a pin should have been lost between Birming- ham and Rugby, and again between Rugby and Weedon, and asked whether that might not suggest that something was wrong with the engine or the coupling rod. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death ” in each case, and expressed the view that extra pins for the coupling rods should be carried on all express engines, and that a supply of pins should also be ready at the stations. They thought it was wrong to take a pin from one engine and put it on another, as had been done in this case.