October 15, 1915. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 789 The tables include, in addition to accidents, cases of the various industrial diseases scheduled under the Workmen’s Compensation Act. Compensation was paid, in the seven groups of industries, in 43 fatal cases to the amount of £7,099, and in 0,622 disablement cases to the amount of £182,551. The number of “ continued cases ” was 3,593, or 37 per cent, of the total number (in the case of accidents the propor- tion was only 8*8 per cent.), and they accounted for £105,742, or nearly 58 per cent, of the total disablement compensation. The bulk.of the cases, 8,932, or 92-4 per cent, of the total, occurred in the mining industry, and were chiefly due to nystagmus, beat hand, and beat knee; of the remainder, 544, or 5-6 per cent., were cases of lead poisoning. The increase in the number of cases of nystagmus, to which attention has been called in previous reports, continues; the number of new cases rose from 2,402 in 1913 to 2,775, and the number of continued cases from 2,149 to 3,218. The total number of cases under the Workmen’s Compen- sation Act which were taken into court in 1914 was 9,746; many of these, however, were applications for dealing with allowances already granted, and many were settled out of court or otherwise disposed of, so that the total number of original claims for compensation finally settled within the cognisance of the courts was only 5,531. The decision in 4,440 cases, or 80 per cent., was in favour of the applicant. There were 31,195 cases in which memoranda of agreements and informal arbitrations were registered in the courts. The number of cases under the Workmen’s Compensation Act carried to the Courts of Appeal was 189, or 3-4 per cent, of the cases decided in the courts below. In addition, there were 20 appeals to the House of Lords. The total number of cases under the Employers’ Liability Act, 1880, taken into court in the whole of the United Kingdom was 139. The figures have steadily diminished since 1907, when the number of cases was 604, and clearly indicate the tendency of the remedy provided by the older Act to fall into disuse since the Act of 1906 came into full operation. The following table enables a ready comparison to be made between mines and the whole of the seven selected industries : Number of persons employed ..... A. —Number of fatal (accident) cases Payments in respect of same ... Persons wholly dependent... Payments in respect of same... Persons partially de endent... Payments in respect of same... No dependants ............ Payments (medical, &c., ex- penses) in respect of same ... B. — Number of disablement (acci- dent) cases ................ Payments in respect of same ... Continued from previous year Payments in respect of same .. First payments during year ... Payments in respect of same... C. —Fatal cases of disease ......... Payments in respect of same '.. D. —Disablement cases (diseases) ... Payments in respect of same ... Total compensation (1914) ......... Total compensation (1913)........ E. —Payments in lump sums— Accidents.................. Payments in respect of same... Cases of industrial disease ... Payments in respect of same Average charge per person employed The following table relates to th< associated with mining :— Mines. Seven selected industries (including mines). 1,046,357... 7,057,111 1,768... 4,173 <£307,035... £672,633 998.. . 2,401 £263,789... £576,180 590.. . 1,314 £41,530... £92,144 180.. . 458 £1,716... £4,309 179,899... 428,278 £1,024,054... £2,603,078 18,460... 37,901 £394,816... £963,881 161,439... 390,377 £632,238... £1,639,197 — ... 43 — ... £7,099 8,928... 9,622 £164,833... £182,551 £1,495,922... £3,465,361 £1,351,258... £3,361,650 4,938... 27,648 £146,027... £764,346 398... 565 £21,585... £30,924 28s. 7d.... 9s. 9d. ose diseases principally No. of cases (mines). Continued from previous year. Ankylostomiasis ............ Poisoning by nitrous fumes or its sequelae............... Eczematous ulceration of the skin, &c................... ................. Epitheliomatous cancer, &c. ... Nystagmus..........;........ Subcutaneous cellulitis of the hand (beat hand)............ Subcutaneous cellulitis over the patella- (miners'’ beat knee) ... Acute bursitis over the elbow (miners'’ beat elbow) ......... Inflammation of the synovial lining of the wrist-joint and tendon sheaths..........♦.___ In which first payment < was made during year. 4 ... Certifi- cates of disable- ment.* — ... 2 ... 2 1 ... 1 ... — —— 1 ... 3,218 2,774 ... 2,429 59 ... 806 ... 716 ft 88 ... 1,609 ... 1,381 7 ... 165 ... 168 10 ... 180 ... 258 * Given by certifying and appointed surgeons (mines). In 1914, in the case of mines, there were 1,694 applications for arbitration under the Workmen’s Compensation Act in England and Wales, and 3,157 memoranda were registered; four cases were disposed of under the Employers’ Liability Act. Of the appeals to the Court of Appeal, 25 had reference to mines; three appeals by workmen were allowed, seven were dismissed, and four were otherwise disposed of; six appeals by employers were allowed, one was dis- missed, and four were otherwise disposed of. There were eight appeals to the House of Lords; three appeals by work- men were allowed, and four dismissed, while the remaining appeal by employers was allowed. In Scotland the number of applications for arbitration was 647, 5,314 memoranda were registered, and four cases dis- posed of under the Employers’ Liability Act. There were 17 appeals to the Court of Session, six appeals by workmen being allowed and five dismissed; one appeal by employers was allowed, four were dismissed, and one was otherwise disposed of. One appeal by workmen under the Employers’ Liability Act was dismissed. _______________________________ Sir Arthur Tredgold Lawson, of Fairbairn Lawson Combe Barber Limited, of Leeds and Scotland, engineers, etc., and a director of the Great Eastern Railway, who died June 1 last, aged 70 years, left estate £147,953 gross and £98,337 net. COLLIERY ACCIDENTS. Exhall. The coroner’s enquiry into the circumstances of the disaster at the Exhall Colliery, near Nuneaton, which took place on September 21, and resulted in the death of 14 men, was resumed at Coventry on Monday. A fire broke out in the downcast shaft at the colliery, and later the 14 men were found suffocated in the workings. It was presumed the deaths were caused by smoke being driven through the workings from the burning shaft. One of the first witnesses was Mr. C. F. Jackson, manager of the colliery, who described the downcast shaft in which the fire took place that led to the disaster. He said the cage conductors were of pitch pine, and the headgear, etc., were made of steel. It was the duty of a man named Charles Garner, under the instruction of the engine driver, to oil some bearings in the shaft, just beneath the surface. Garner carried a naked flare light. Witness was aware that such lights were used on the pit surface. Witness described the measures taken to deal with an outbreak of fire, and said he had men trained in the application of a water hose on the surface. Everything possible was done to deal with a fire. Since the accident he had given instruc- tions that no more flare lights were to be used. It did not occur to witness that a downcast shaft of the kind described was a dangerous position in which to use a naked light. The machinery that Garner had to lubricate consisted of pulley wheels in a brick chamber. Some timber just above the wheels was involved in the fire. Replying to the coroner, Mr. Jackson said he was bound to take the view that if everything in the shaft had been of steel instead of wood the fire would not have occurred. In view of what had occurred, if he were sinking a new shaft he thought he should legislate for a steel conductor, unless the shaft was wide enough for wire rope conductors. Witness .added that the shaft was 10 ft. wide, and he considered rigid steel conductors could be used in such a shaft. In order to prevent -a similar accident he would feel it prudent to put down a steel guide. He was not the only pit manager who used wooden guides, and he could prove a custom of using them. C. T. Garner, an oiler employed on the pit bank,, said he went to oil the machinery, and carried a paraffin flare lamp. He put the lamp down on a 12-in. beam, and it tumbled over out of his reach. Ascending to the surface by means of a ladder, he got into the cage, and was lowered to try to get the lamp, but did not succeed. Before he returned to the surface the guides were on fire. First he tried to put the flames out with water, then with fire extinguishers, and finally he got the hose to work. This might have taken a quarter of an hour. The flames were put out in two or three minutes by means of the hose, but dense volumes of smoke continued to go down the shaft. During the fire one of the winding ropes was burned through. He received no instructions as to the kind of light he should use while oiling. The Coroner suggested that he did not put the lamp down fairly on the beam, but on the edge of it, with the result that the lamp toppled over. Witness’s invariable reply was : “I just put the lamp down, and it tumbled over.” Although pressed repeatedly by the coroner, he could advance no explanation why the lamp was upset. Witness said he had to hurry about the oiling, but he was in no danger, because the wheels would not start until he came out of the shaft. Witness admitted that he thought he was putting the lamp on the baulk, but must have put it on the edge, and it fell down the shaft. Herbert West, an overman, gave an interesting story about receiving a warning while in the workings, and leading men to safety at an upcast shaft at Black Bank, where they got to the surface. Several men were overcome, and others volunteered to return and help them. All the party got out safely. At the time of the fire there were 269 men in the pit. Witness did not think that reversing the fan would have made any difference, unless it could have been done instantly the fire broke out. Mr. Jackson, who was recalled, said that, on meeting Marshall, a man employed at the pit bottom, he was told by him that he had opened the separation doors. Witness said to him : “ I am glad, because you have been the means of saving every man in the pit.” Asked by Mr. H. Johnstone, H.M. inspector of mines, whether if he had been at the top of the pit when the fire broke out, and with the telephone to hand, he would have reversed the air, witness replied that he would if he could have got through within five minutes. He added that he knew for a fact—because he had made the test—that if he had reversed the air in the circumstances he would have pushed half of it along to some men who would have been suffocated by it. He agreed with the inspector that even if the fan had been stopped at once, it would not necessarily have stopped the current of air. If the dead men had only followed the example of their mates in retreating from the smoke they would have been alive. The 14 men, with others who came under the influence of carbon monoxide, became so while facing smoke instead of going away to the upcast shaft. Dr. Webster said the 14 men died partly from asphyxia and partly from carbon monoxide gas. Death took place in about five minutes. The jury found that the men died through inhaling carbon monoxide gas, through the overturning of a lamp, which they considered was a pure accident. The management, in their opinion, did all that was possible in the circumstances to minimise the extent of the disaster. They expressed appre- ciation of the way in which Mr. Jackson had given his evidence. Not only had he answered the questions in a straightforward way, but he had also answered questions which he need not have answered. The jury also wished to pay a tribute of admiration to the behaviour of the men in returning to the rescue of their comrades. They suggested that in future it should be an instruction from all mine inspectors throughout the country to every mine manager under their jurisdiction that no naked lights should be brought near any shaft, whether upcast or downcast, where men were employed underneath. There were so many other ways by which they could get artificial light which would prevent for ever such accidents as this. __________________________ Institution of Mining and Metallurgy.—The first general meeting of the 25th session of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy will be held, by courtesy of the council, at the rooms of the Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W., on Thursday, October 21, 1915, at 8 o’clock p.m. The following paper will be discussed : ” The Geology of the Waihi Grand Junction Mine,” report upon developments up to June 30, 1914, by Arthur Jarman. A FRENCH VIEW OF THE WELSH STRIKE. We have been favoured with the following metrical translation of a poem by an eminent French poet which has attracted much attention, as showing what our French comrades think of some recent events in South Wales. M. Liseron himself, it is interesting to observe, is an advocate of advanced views on the labour question. The author of our translation is a well-known British mining engineer, who prefers to retain the cloak of anonymity. THE WELSH MINERS. [Translation of verses by M. Paul Liseron, the original of which is published in The Morning Post, September 29, 1915.] Who, miners of Wales, do you think that you are That you set yourselves up above all laws of war Of duty, of justice, and even humanity? What egregious conceit, impudence and vanity! When your brothers are fighting for right and for freedom You force up your wages you really do bleed them. When good British life-blood is soaking the earth To safeguard your homes and the land of your birth : When Britain is calling on each of her sons, To go forth and vanquish the Vandals and Huns, Do you miners of Wales take the side of their foes, The most brutal and cruel, as all the world knows? Have you no other care but inordinate greed And your unions promote such base interests indeed? Oh, list to the groans of your brothers who fall In the midst of the battle by shrapnel or ball I Contemptible wretches ! ’tis you who for pence Commit crimes such as these—’tis a felon offence. The Allies are fighting the foes of your class; They are striving to subjugate all the whole race. You miners, ’tis you who your brothers betray; ’Tis you who are giving your comrades away. May the shillings you’ve won burn your fingers, that you The base bargain you’ve made in a bad day may rue. If I had my will, I would send you to share The dangers your comrades are facing out there In the trenches, where hailstorms of bullets and bombs Are sweeping in thousands our men to their tombs. If a soldier deserts he is usually shot : And that’s what you merit, you grimy-faced lot, For you have deserted in face of the foe, And the laws of war all the world over, you know, Make the penalty death; and the chances are great That something like that may e’er long be your fate. I don’t know if God’s absolution, though ample, Avails you, you ought to be'made an example; Your punishment should be severe, for the mud Of the battlefield’s soaked with your countrymen’s blood. I know that amongst you false prophets there are Who advise you to make your hay during the war. You’ve injured your country and Allies right sore, But you’ve injured yourselves and your calling still more. Bad shepherds you have, but the sheep are bad, too; The flag is dishonoured by fellows like you ! Your union banner will never again Be clean : ’tis disgraced by so nasty a stain. For never again can that stain be washed out; You may bleach it, but there it will stick without doubt. And that stain is for you a symbol of death; You miners of Wales, think of Lady Macbeth : Like her on your hands there is blood; and you ne’er Can wash it away—it will always be there. The ill-gotten silver of Judas is yours, Who sold his dear Lord, and his sin still endures. Go, but remember stern justice will yet Requite those who duty and honour forget. The finger of scorn points at you in despite: You have bartered your honour, you’ve sacrificed right. ____________________________ OBITUARY. Lieut. Frederick Richard Henry Lowry-Corry, who has been killed, was a Fellow of the Geological Society. Capt. William Casson, 7th London Regiment (T.F.), who has been killed, was a well-known member of the Society of Electrical Engineers. Second-Lieut. Robert Peyton Hamilton, London Regi- ment, who has died of wounds received in France, was by profession an engineer and metallurgist. Capt. Frank P. Lacy, Royal Engineers, who was killed on August 13 in Flanders, was a young mining and metallurgical engineer of great promise. He took a high place at the Royal School of Mines, and won a post graduate course with the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy. News has reached Wrexham of the death, from wounds received in action on the 4th inst., of Second-Lieut. Reginald E. Davies, 4th Batt. Royal Welsh Fusiliers (T.F.) The deceased officer was chief chemist at Brymbo Steel Works. The death has taken place of Mr. Wm. Harle, eldest son of Mr. Richard Harle, of Browney House, and manager of Browney Colliery. Mr. Harle, who was 37 years of age, was formerly manager at Page Bank Colliery, and after- wards secured a similar appointment at Bowburn Colliery, but owing to failing health he was obliged to retire, and went to Australia in order to recuperate. Mr. Samuel Morgan, a well-known Swansea Valley timber merchant and colliery proprietor, died at his home at Glancamlas, Ystradgynlais, on Friday last. The deceased gentleman was a part owner of the Blaen-cae-Gurwen Colliery. He started life at the bottom of the ladder, work- ing at the start in the pit. Capt. Ivan Richard Gibbs, 10th Gloucester, who has been killed in action, wvas assistant demonstrator in science at the Imperial College of Science and Technology at South Kensington. Mr. William Mathwin passed away on Tuesday after a comparatively short illness. Deceased, who was 90 years of age, was a member of one of the principal coal exporting firms at Newcastle. The death is announced of Mr. Samuel Morgan, at Ystrad- gynlais, in the Swansea Valley. He was well known as the proprietor of a local colliery, and as a timber merchant. The deceased gentleman was 67 years of age, and leaves a widow and seven children.