744

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

October 8, 1915.

an agreement; also mine owners. Nominal capital : .£5,000
in 5,000 £1 ordinary shares. First directors and subscribers
(one share each) : J. S. Riley (chairman or managing
director), 48, Trinity-road, Bootle, Liverpool, coal dealer;
W. B. Riley, 242, Westminster-road, Liverpool, coal dealer;
J. S. Riley (the younger), 14, Warwick-road, Bootle, Liver-
pool, coal dealer; F. G. Riley, 48, Trinity-road, Bootle,
Liverpool, coal dealer.

Williams Brothers (Paris) Limited. — Private company.
Registered office, Prudential Buildings, King Edward-street,
Hull. Registered September 27. To carry on in the United
Kingdom, France, or elsewhere business of coal and coke
factors, colliery agents, exporters of, agents for, brokers,
merchants, or dealers in coal, coke, iron, steel, granite, lime-
stone, sand, brick earth, bricks, clay, and other commodities.
Nominal capital, £2,000 in 2,000 £1 shares. First perma-
nent directors and subscribers (one share, each) :—D. J.
Williams .(managing director), Rhydwen, Barnsley, York-
shire; R. E. Williams, The Willows, Holderness-road, Hull,
Yorkshire, coal exporters.

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.

THE FREIGHT MARKET.

The most notable feature in the outward freight market
this week has been the continued advance in freights.
Everywhere tonnage is scarce, .and owners are holding for
higher freight charges. The loss to the markets entailed by
the withdrawal of Greek mercantile steamers, considerable
though it is, would seem hardly sufficient to justify the
remarkable advances in rates which have occurred during
the week under review. At one period, business was very
much harassed by Governmental restrictions on sailings,
the terms of which cannot be stated here, but, so far as
the Tyne at least is concerned, the volume of chartering
done is quite up to the recent average. Coastwise, rates
are somewhat irregular, and now stand at the higher level
of about 9s. Tyne to London. Steamers have been freely
chartered for the ports of North France, particularly Rouen,
but rates show a decline of from 3d. to 6d., and Havre is
from 6d. to Is. 6d. lower on the week. Business for the
Bay has been scarce, but prices are fully steady, Bordeaux
or Rochefort at 25s. being a representative figure. For the
Mediterranean, the rapid advance in rates for Genoa men-
tioned last week has been supported by further fixtures
for Italian ports at from 40s. to 41s. The South Mediter-
ranean is represented by Oran at 35s., an advance of
5s. on last week’s figures. At the Bristol Channel, the
shortage of tonnage has been most marked, and rates for
all destinations have risen sensationally. At the time of
writing, there are signs of some slight weakness in the near
trades, but a substantial fall in prices can hardly be looked
for yet. North France is from 2s. to 2s. 6d. dearer to
Rouen, but since the early part of the week a fall of about
6d. has occurred. The Bay is from 6J fr. to 7 fr. advanced
to Bordeaux, and 4| fr. up to St. Nazaire. The
Mediterranean is soaring, and Genoa, with the usual options
of Savona, Spezzia, etc., has actually been fixed for at
increases of from 7s. 6d. to 8s. 6d. on last week’s rates, and
now stands at about 41s. Since the last fixture to Port
Said, a fortnight ago, rates have advanced by 12s. 6d.
and 45s. has been paid several times for spot boats. Record
prices are being extracted for South America, and quotations
for the River Plate are still rising. In other directions,
prices are correspondingly higher.

In the homeward market, chief interest is centred in the
River Plate, rates from which are steadily advancing. From
up-river, 67s. 6d. and 68s. 9d. has been paid for United
Kingdom, and owmers are holding for still more. Rates
from America continue firm, and 14s. has been paid
frequently for grain for West Italy for November-December
loading, while the Bristol Channel has been fixed for at
12s. 6d. For oats, tonnage for West Italy, Ils. is the ruling-
value. There is a good enquiry for colliery tonnage, but
’shippers refuse to pay the greatly advanced rates quoted, and
it is stated that an offer of 50s. has been turned down for West
Italy. The cotton trade is similarly placed. The suspen-
sion of navigation in the Panama Canal has had a stiffening
effect on Pacific rates, and 96s. 3d. has been paid for
November-December shipment, and about 97s. 6d. is obtain-
able for prompt loading. From India, owners are seeking
higher rates, and 42s. 6d. is offering from Kurrachee for
the Mediterranean, and 55s. from Bombay for two ports,
Mediterranean-United Kingdom. Saigon is steady on the
basis of 76s. to France or United Kingdom for rice. Other
markets are dull and quiet.

Tyne to Boulogne, 500, 24s., coke; Barcelona, 1,600, 40s.;
Brest, 1,600, 24s., coke; Bordeaux, 1,800, 24s.; 2,100, 25s.;
Calais, 1,500, 19s.; 500, 24s., coke; Caen, 1,000, 17s.; 700,
24s., coke; Cette, 1,800, 40s.; Cherbourg, 1,000, 17s.; 1,500,
24s., coke; Dunkirk, 800, 17s. 9d.; 1,600, 18s. 6d.; 500, 25s.,
coke; Fecamp, 400, 24s., coke; Genoa, 3,800, 40s.; 1,800,
40s.; 1,950, 41s.; Havre, 400, 24s., coke; 1,700, 16s. 6d.;
London, 2,000, 8s., C.T.; 1,700, 9s. 3d.; 1,500, 9s. 6d.;

2.400,	9s.; L’Orient, 2,000, 26s.: La Rochelle, 2,000 , 24s.;
Marseilles, 3,000, 40s.; 4,000, 39s. 6d., from Dunston;
Malaga, 2,500, 37s. 6d., from Dunston; Nantes, 1,500, 25s.,
Oran, 3,000, 35s.; Palermo, 3,500, 37s. fid.; Rouen, 600, 25s.,
coke; 2,000, 18s.; 1,700, 18s. 3d.; 1,000, 23s., coke; 1,500,
25s., coke: 2,400, 17s. 9d.; 1,500, 17s. 9d.; 1,600, 17s. 6d.;
700, 24s. fid., coke; 2,000, 17s. 3d.; 1,900, 17s. 6d.; Roche-
fort, 2,000, 25s.; Savona, 5,000, 40s.; Sables, 2,000, 26s.;
St. Malo, 700, 24s. 6d., coke; Trouville, 600, 24s. 6d., coke;
Torre Annunziata, 3,000, 43s.; Treport, 900, 17s. 6d.

Cardiff to Aden, 5,000, 49s. 6d.; Algiers, 2,700, 42 fr.;
Bayonne, 500, 38 fr.; Bordeaux, 3,200 , 30 fr.: 4,200, 30 fr. ;
2,500, 30 fr.; Calais, 1,050, 19s. 6d.; Cape Verdes, 3,000,
35s.; Dunkirk, 1,050, 19s. 6d.; Genoa, 3,200, 38s. 6d.,
guaranteed discharge; 3,900, 38s. 6d.; 40s., Oct.; 5,700, 39s.;

1.400,	40s.; 4,000, 38s. 6d.; 3,800, 39s.; 3,100, 39s.; 5,000,
37s. 6d.; 6,750, 38s. 6d.: Gibraltar, 3,500, 27s., 500; Lisbon,
3,300, 22s. 6d., 500; 1,700, 24s. 3d. 500, 24s. 6d. 350; Leg-
horn, 3,200, 38s. 6d., guaranteed discharge; 3,100, 39s.;

3,800,	39s.; Las Palmas, 6,000, 30s.; 2,000, 30s.; Malta,

3,800,	37s. 6d.; Monte Video, 3.800, 30s., sail; Marseilles,
50 fr., Oct.; 3,200, 48 fr.; 1,800, 471 fr. ; Nantes, 2,100, 25 fr.;
1,650, 28|fr., free brokerage; 1,600, 29 fr.; 1,400, 284-fr.;
Port Said, 6,000, 45s.; 5,000, 45s.; 4,000, 45s.; 7,300, 35s.,
end Nov.; 9,000, 42s. fid.; Rouen, 1,200, 18s.; 1,950, 17s. 6d.;
Spezzia, 3,100, 39s.; 3,800, 39s.; Savona, 3,900, 38s. 6d.;
6,750, 38s. 6d.; 3,100, 39s.; 3.800, 39s.; St. Nazaire, 2,200,
25 fr.; 1,600, 28| fr.; 3,600, 28 fr.; St. Servan, 500, 21s.,

coke; Tarragona, 3,000, 32s. 6d.; Tunis, 1,700, 48 fr., 350;
Teneriffe, 6,000, 30s.; 2,000, 30s.

Swansea to Barcelona, 1,400, 32s.; 3,200, 33s.; Marseilles,
2,000, 46i fr.; 950, sail, 30s., Oct. 10; Dunkirk, 970, 18s. 6d.;
Rouen, 520, 15s. 6d.; 1,400, 18s. 6d.; 1,500, 17s. 6d.; Havre,

1,400,	16s.; 800, 15s. 6d.; 700, 16s.; Tonnay Charente,

1,400,	27|fr.; 1,700, 28 fr. coal, 29 fr. fuel; St. Malo, 700,
15s.; 650, 13s. 6d.; Calais, 1,050, 18s.; 700, 17s.; Dieppe,
2,000, 16s.; Caen, 800, 17s.; 1,300, 16s. 6d.; Chantenay,
1,200, 29 fr.; Genoa, 3,000, 39s.; 5,300, 40s.; 3,500, 40s.;
Arzew, 2,950, 42 fr. coal, 53 fr. fuel; Savona, 3,000, 39s.;
3,500, 40s.; Sables, 1,200, 29 fr.; River Plate, 45s., reported;
Lisbon, 3,200 , 24s., 400; Almeria, 800, 32s. coal, 32s. 9d.
fuel; Granville, 750, 15s. 6d.; Spezzia, 3,500, 40s.; Leg-
horn, 3,500 , 40s.; Honfleur, 650, 16s. 6d.; Bordeaux, 900,
30 fr.; Fecamp, 700, 16s. 6d.

Newport to Nantes, 3,200, 25 fr.; 2,100, 25 fr.; Rouen,
16s.; 15s.; 1,950, 17s. 6d. ; Bordeaux, 1,800, 30 fr.

Burntisland to Sundswall, 2,400, 14s., 500, licence
arranged.

Neath Abbey to Dieppe, 650, 17s. fid.; Trouville, 650, 17s.;
Havre, 650, 16s. 9d.

Port Talbot to Bordeaux, 3,200, 28 fr.; Rouen, 950, 17s.;

1,800,	17s. 6d.; 1,950, 17s. 3d.; Calais, 1,050, 19s. 6d.;
Dunkirk, 1,050, 19s. 6d.

Methil to Sundswall, 2,400, 14s., 500, licence arranged.

Wales to Rouen, 1,550, 15s. 6d., six voyages; Concepcion
del Uruguay, 27s. 6d., fuel, Oct.

Newport River to Algiers, 2,600, 43 fr., fuel.

Goole to Rouen, 1,000, 18s.

Wear to Fredrickshald, 4,500, 13s. fid.

Glasgow to Marseilles, 29s. 6d.; Genoa, with options,
4,000, 40s.

Hull to Calais, 960, 16s. 6d.: Boulogne1, 960, 16s. 6d.;
Dieppe, 960, 16s. 6d.; 550, 15s. 9d.; Dunkirk, 960, 16s. fid.;
Rouen, 500, 25s., coke; 2,000, 17s. fid.; Havre, 550, 15s. 9d.

Seaham Harbour to Rouen, 2,200, 17s. 9d.; Treport, 1,300,
18s.

Hartlepool to Nantes, 2,000, 25s.

CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE.

For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late
for inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last
White pages.

Abstracts of Contracts Open.

Abergavenny, October 18.—Good house coal, for the
Abergavenny group of Council schools. Particulars from
Mr. F. Baker Gabb, clerk -to the group.

Airdrie, October 11.—Best household coal (specified), and
best household dross (specified), for the Airdrie Court House
Commissioners. Tenders to Mr. J. Dunn Russell, clerk to
the Commissioners, County Buildings, Airdrie.

Barkway (Herts.), October 15.—About 30 tons best
house coal (23 tons Barkway, 7 tons Nuthampstead), for
the. Barkway Coal Club. Tenders to Miss Copeland,
Barkway, Royston.

Bootle (Lancs.), October 13.—Slack, for Corporation.
Forms from the Electricity Works Office, Pine-grove, Bootle.

Castlebar (Mayo), October 15.—400 tons of best double
screened Wigan coal, for the Committee of Management,
District Asylum. Tenders to Mr. J. F. Higgins, clerk
of Asylum.

Cork, October 12.—From 500 to 600 tons of steam coal,
either Welsh double-screened or Lancashire screened, for
■the Cork Harbour Commissioners. Forms from Engineer’s
Department, Commissioners’ Offices, Custom House-street,
Cork.

Fareham, October 11.—60 tons of unbroken coke, for the
Guardians. Forms on application, from Mr. A. Laker,
clerk, 97, West-street, Fareham.

Limerick, October 11.-3,000 tons of best screened or
unscreened gas coal, for the Gas Committee. Forms from
Mr. H. Hawkins, engineer and manager, Gas Office, 35,
William-street, Limerick.

Nuneaton, October 13.—Coal, for the Education Com-
mittee. Forms from Mr. F. S. Clay, clerk, Education
Offices, Nuneaton.

Tottenham, October 19.—Coal and coke, for the
Tottenham District Council. Forms from Mr. R. C. Graves,
clerk, Town Hall, Tottenham.

Warrington, October 13.—House coal and slack to the
Lord Derby War Hospital, Warrington, for the Committee
of Visitors. Forms from Mr. P. Irving Dutton, clerk and
steward.

The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be
received.

CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON
AND STEEL WORK, Ac.

Dublin, October 21.—Rails, etc.—Flat bottom rails and
fishplates, for the Midland Great Western Railway of
Ireland Company. Specification from W. P. O’Neill,
Broadstone Terminus, Dublin.

Dunedin (New Zealand), December 15.—Steel Beams.—
About 97 tons of rolled steel I beams for the Dunedin City
Council.*

Stonham Aspal (Suffolk), October 14.— Well.—Sinking
a well, for the Bosmere and Claydon Rural District Council.
Specification from R. M. Cook, 20, Providence-street,
Ipswich.

* Specifications, particulars, etc., may be seen at the
Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade,
73, Basinghall-street, E.C.

Some time ago the American Institute of Mining Engineers
decided to appoint a committee on mine explosions, this
committee to act in an advisory capacity to the Bureau of
Mines. Recently the members of the committee were named
by the institute, and comprise Carl Scholz, of the Rock Island
Coal Mining Company, Chicago; Frank Haas, of the Con-
solidation Coal Company, Fairmont; and H. M. Chance.

A new company without a share capital, entitled the
Institute of Industry (of Great Britain and Ireland)
Limited, has been formed to promote, increase, and develop
the industrial, scientific, financial, and commercial activity
of the United Kingdom, the overseas dominions, colonies,
dependencies, and possessions, and generally to encourage
inter-imperial trade throughout the British Empire.

ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
RECENTLY ACCEPTED.

1415 (1914). Process for the Removal of Sulphuretted
Hydrogen from Coal Gas and the like. K. Burkheiser, of
Fruchthof (Ecke Banksstrasse), Hamburg 1, Germany.—
The invention described in the specification of prior patent
No. 16172 of 1912, relates to a process for the absorption of
sulphuretted hydrogen from gases by means of an alkaline
solution containing ferric hydroxide in suspension, for
regeneration of .the alkali from the alkali sulphides formed,
and also some sulphur for the purpose of enabling cyanogen
to be absorbed, and to form alkali sulpho-cyanide compounds.
This invention consists in a process for absorbing
sulphuretted hydrogen, in which the spent mass resulting
from the purification is treated directly with alkali sulphides
for the recovery of free sulphur by solution, the residual mass
containing iron sulphide being oxidised so as to obtain a
mixture of hydrated iron oxide and free sulphur for further
use in the purifying process. The further development of
the process relates to a specially suitable method of working
for the purpose of removing the sulphur from the alkali poly-
sulphides formed in the process, and recovering the same as
a valuable commercial product; this feature of the invention
being to heat the liquid containing the alkali polysulphides to
a temperature of 90 to 100 degs. Cent., at which temperature
the alkali polysulphides decompose with the separation of
sulphur. In this operation sulphuretted hydrogen or
sulphuretted hydrogen and ammonia are set free while the
sulphur sinks to the bottom in a flocculent easily separable
form, and can be separated from the supernatant liquid by
filtration and the like. This method of working is specially
suitable and to be recommended for gases containing cyanide.
(Four claims.)

4223 (1914). Improvements in Signalling Apparatus for
Mines. Sterling Telephone and Electric Company Limited,
of 210, 211, and 212, Tottenham Court-road, London, W.
(A communication from Telephonfabrik Actiengesellschaft,
vormals J. Berliner, of 18, Kniestrasse, Hanover, Germany.)
—Relates to mine signalling systems in which the signalling
device is joined in series with a source of current across a
pair of lines extending along the whole length of track to
which the signalling apparatus belongs, so that the signal-
ling device may be operated from any desired point by
bringing the two conductors into electrical contact. Two
insulated conductors are employed, which are connected to
contacts in enclosed boxes arranged at intervals along the
track, and through each of these boxes there extends' on

either side a rope or cord or the like by tension on which the
contacts may be brought together. This arrangement
enables contact to be brought about quite safely from any
desired point, and involves the minimum number of contact
devices and of interruptions in the conductors. Fig. 1 shows
a preferred construction of the contact making device with
the cover removed; and fig. 2 is a diagram of the whole
apparatus. There being two sets of contact springs in the
casing, as shown in fig. 1, the cords need only extend half-
way between the casings, as indicated in the figure, so that
while the casings are, say, 400 yds. apart, the maximum
length of cord through which a contact must be operated is
only 200 yds. (Three claims.)

4340 (1914). A Process for Obtaining Low-boiling Hydro-
carbons (Benzine Substitutes) from Bituminous Coal. H.
Plauson, of 11, Muhlenkamp, Winterhude, and P. Schroder,
of 148, Rotenbaum-Chaussee, both of Hamburg, Germany.—
Relates to the distillation of brown coal or lignite in the
presence of liquid hydrocarbon, for the purpose of obtaining
as a result of the treatment benzine substitutes of low
boiling point in a considerably larger proportion than
hitherto. The process is as follows :—100 parts by weight
of lignite are ground to powder (of the fineness of cement)
with 100 parts of hydrocarbons such as crude naphtha, for
example, in a so-called drum mortar mill or similar
apparatus. Approximately 3 to 5 per cent, of nitrate salts
(alkaline earth or alkali salts) are then added to this mixture.
The distillation that follows is effected by conducting air,
heated to 1,000 degs. Cent., to a distillation chamber, this
air being previously mixed with steam, so that the tempera-
ture is reduced to about 700-600 degs. Cent, by the time the
air-steam mixture reaches the distillation chamber.
Simultaneously with this air-steam mixture the coal treated
with naphtha and nitrates is sprayed into the distillation
pipe in the same or a similar manner as in coal-dust firing,
whereby an instantaneous decomposition of the coal-naphtha
mixture into hydrocarbon and simultaneous setting free of
hydrogen take place. The vapours are condensed in suitable
cooling apparatus and fractionated in known manner. By
means of the process described, approximately 4 per cent,
of the coal and 18 per cent, of the crude naphtha employed
are converted into low-boiling (80—150 degs. Cent.) con-
stituents utilisable as benzine substitutes. The fractions
distilled over at from 150 degs. to 200 degs. Cent, can be
employed as turpentine substitutes (varnish benzine). The
fractions distilling over above 200 degs. Cent, can be treated
to form heavy oils, or they can be re-introduced into the
cycle of operations mixed with coal and nitrates, in which
case it should be noted that during the second treatment
considerably smaller quantities of low-boiling constituents
are obtained. (One claim.)

4464 (1914). Improvements in and relating to Apparatus
for Quenching and, Removing Discharged Coke. E. C. R.
Marks, of 57 and 58, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, W.C.
(A communication from abroad by the firm Maschinenbau-
Anstalt Humboldt, of Cologne-Kalk, Germany.) — In the
invention the whole of the body or cake of coke can be
instantly discharged from the quenching chamber, the body