November 19, 1915.

THE COLLIERY - GUARDIAN.

1043

OBITUARY.

Mr. Fredk. Elijah Jackson, who died suddenly* in North
Shields railway station last week, having, apparently,
been seized with apoplexy, was a well-known coal exporter
and bunkering merchant on Newcastle Quayside.

The death occurred at Barnsley, on Friday, of Mr. Thomas
Holmes, who from 1907 held the position of general agent
of the West Riding Miners’ Permanent Relief Society. In
early days he was a deputy at Wombwell Main Colliery.
He represented the Barnsley Board of Guardians on the
Oaks explosion relief fund.

Mr. Charles A. Brentnail, director of Messrs. Hanson,
Brown and Company, iron merchants, of Middlesbrough, of
whose coal and coke department he had charge, died last
Friday.

The death has taken place of Mr. George William
Blackburn, a well-known Leeds engineer and managing
director of Thomas Green and Son Limited, of the Smith-
field Iron Works, North-street, Leeds.

News has reached Sudbury, Burton-on-Trent, from Malta,
that Lord Vernon has died there from dysentery. His
lordship, who was the eighth baron of the title, was 27 years
of age, and went out to the Dardanelles with the Derby-
shire Yeomanry, in which he was captain. Lord Vernon
succeeded to the title on the death of his father in 1898,
when he was only 10 years of age, and also inherited the
large estates at Sudbury and Poynton Towers, Cheshire.
Included in the latter are the extensive Poynton collieries.
Lord Vernon was unmarried, and is succeeded in the barony
by his only brother, the Hon. Francis W. L. Vernon, who
is a year younger than the late peer, and is a lieutenant in
the Royal Navy.

Mr. Howard A. Allport, of Dodworth Grove, near Barnsley,
died on Tuesday, at the age of 73 years. Deceased was the
eldest son of the late Sir James J. Allport, the well-known
manager of the Midland Railway Company. Mr. Allport
went to Barnsley 35 years ago, and became connected with
the Wharncliffe Woodmoor Colliery, Carlton, of which he
subsequently became chairman and managing director. He
had other interests in mining with kindred concerns, being
a director of the Hol well Iron Company, Bell’s United
Asbestos Company Limited, the Bestwood Coal and Iron
Company, and he was concerned in mining interests in the
new Doncaster coal field. His third son, Captain T. C.
Allport, of the l-5th Battalion York and Lancaster Regi-
ment (Territorials), was killed in action in France in
August last.

The death of Prof. Raphael Meldola occurred on Wednes-
day at the age of 66, at his home in Brunswick-square.
Prof. Meldola had actual practical experience in the
manufacture of coal tar colours. After attending the
Royal School of Mines, he entered the colour factory of
Messrs. Williams, Thomas and Domer, at Brentford, and
after remaining there for about two years became a member
of the teaching staff in the Royal College of Science, South
Kensington, where for a time he was private assistant to
Sir Edward Frankland in the research laboratory. He next
became assistant to Sir Norman Lockyer in the Solar
Physics Laboratory. He received an appointment in the
colour works of Messrs. Brooke, Simpson and Spiller, at
Hackney Wick, and during the eight years he spent there
he made some important inventions, or discoveries, in con-
nection with coal-tar dyes. He left this position in 1885 to
become Professor of Chemistry in Finsbury Technical
College, but though he thus severed any official connection
with the coal-tar colour industry, he always maintained his
interest in it. Even at that time he foresaw the decadence
of that industry in this country, unless its methods were
reformed. He always refused to admit that factors such as
industrial alcohol and our patent laws were the cause of its
decay, and stedfastly proclaimed that chemical research was
the prime factor in its development and that its decline in
this country dated from the time that Continental manu-
facturers allied themselves with pure science and British
manufacturers neglected such aid. In 1904 he published a
book on the “ Chemical Synthesis of Vital Products?’
Among the honours he received were the presidencies of the
Chemical Society, the Society of Chemical Industry, the
Society of Dyers and Colourists, and the Institute of
Chemistry. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in
1886, and in 1913 was awarded its Davy Medal. In 1910 he
was Herbert Spencer Lecturer at Oxford University, from
which he received the honorary degree of D.Sc.

News was received on Tuesday by Mr. and Mrs. J. P.
Houfton, of Carr Bank, Mansfield, that their son, Lieut,
C. M. Houfton, of the 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters,
had succumbed to wounds received whilst in action in
France on the preceding Thursday. The deceased officer’s
father is managing director of the Bolsover Colliery
Company. Mr. Houfton has another son who has gone to
one of the theatres of war with the Welsh Fusiliers.

Emigrated Miners to Return.—At the end of September,
Mr. Thomas Richardson, M.P. for Whitehaven, and Mr.
Robert Baird, of Glasgow, arrived in Victoria, Vancouver
Island, where they interviewed the Premier, Sir Richard
McBride, who is also Minister of Mines for British Columbia.
The object of the visit is to endeavour to facilitate the return
to Great Britain of a number of miners who had made repre-
sentations to friends in the Old Country that they were out of
work on Vancouver Island and without means to provide for
their transportation back across Canada and the Atlantic.
In view of the shortage of colliers in Great Britain at the
present time, the services of these men would be most
acceptable, and Messrs. Richardson and Baird have placed
certain conditions before these men, on which assistance will
be given them to make the journey. All wishing to return
will be required to register. Their competence will be
thoroughly investigated. They will be asked to formally
agree to the repayment of the cost of their transportation to
the respective places of their future employment, the money
for defraying which is to be advanced by the Government.
In the first place, the company which hires them is to pay
the Government the man’s or men’s travelling expenses; the
latter, in turn, will pay their employers by weekly instal-
ments, based on the number of days a week they shall work.
Five days will be counted as a full week; if less time is
worked, the deduction will be proportionately, less. It. is
expected that from 100 to 200 first-class men will be obtain-
able from among the miners on Vancouver Island now
unemployed. Mr. Richardson was chosen as the representa-
tive of the British miners’ unions, while Mr. Baird repre-
sents the mine owners.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.']

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Restriction of Exports—Shipping Shortage Causes Pit
Stoppages—Suggested Temporary Closure of Collieries
—Novel Compensation Point—Claim for Forfeiture of
Colliery Lease.

How much farther they should go in restricting export
of coal, is a question that is being put repeatedly because
of Government action; or, perhaps it would be more accurate
to state the question as : How much longer shall the
restrictions endure? Lack of tonnage only accentuates the
evil of restraint; but if there were freedom of export there
would probably be more vessels coming home, attracted by
the prospect of the very high rates of freight prevailing.
The foreign demand for South Wales coal is much larger
than can be satisfied; and, in view of the necessity of
national economy—which imposes the duty of earning every
penny that can possibly be obtained—there is an ever-
deepening feeling that the Admiralty should consider the
practicability of releasing some of the vessels now under
charter. As part of the new interference with shipping,
will the Board* of Trade scrutinise and amend Admiralty
procedure, and secure release of “ tramps,” so that these
may carry coal for the merchants?

The difficulties in colliery working which have been
occasioned by the shortage of shipping are now intensified,
many thousands more of men being idle because of stoppages.
The Rhondda Valley has had between 4,000 and 5,000, and
an equal number have been compulsorily idle in the
Rhymney Valley, whilst Monmouthshire is also seriously
affected, each succeeding day making the position worse.
It is not merely the idleness, but also the uncertainty and
consequent irregularity which makes the position so
harassing for colliery operators; and it is difficult to dis-
cover how any alteration can be made, the whole trouble
having originated in respect of ships. Until the Govern-
ment take decisive action and can bring vessels forward in
sufficient numbers to meet the demand of the export trade,
very little relief is likely to be afforded. It is to be noted
that the executive of the Miners’ Federation have decided
to call the attention of the Board of Trade to the matter,
and also that of the Chairman of the Committee on Coal
Supplies (Sir R. Redm ay ne).

Mr. Mills, managing director of the Ebbw Vale Company,
has raised once again the question of closing collieries.
He presided at a meeting where Mr. W. Brace, M.P.
(Under Secretary for Home Affairs) delivered an address
on “ The Nation’s Need during the Present War.” Mr.
Mills, dealing with his own previous suggestion as to the
closing of certain collieries, said that the principal objections
made to his proposal were on the score of cost—as if he
did not know that it was a costly operation to close a
colliery. It was great deal more costly to stop for two
or three days a week than to close for months together.
It was said that if the collieries were stopped in this way
they would be ruined. Were they ruined in 1898 or 1912?
He thought not. Of course, that would cost money. The real
point was : Did the Government desire coal to be provided
for export to neutral countries on the score of high finance
or not? If they did desire it, then it was time the Govern-
ment set about facilitating it. But if not, then a great
many colliers in South Wales could be set free. If for
financial reasons it was necessary to maintain the export
of coal to neutral countries, there was only one thing for
the Government to do—namely, deal with the shipping ques-
tion. At present this was a very complicated problem. A large
number of merchant ships had been taken over by the
Admiralty, and a large number under other ownerships were
interned. As to vessels working between the United States
and South American ports, this point was one the Govern-
ment could deal with. They had power to commandeer any
British ship; and they could prevent the transfer of ships to
neutral or foreign flags if this were intended in order to
escape working for this country. The Government, and
they alone, could deal with these matters. Coal was
wanted; and if the Government wished to maintain exports,
the remedy lay in its own hands.

Mr. Brace, in the course of his remarks, laid great stress
upon the necessity of the colliers working regularly, and
said that the Government were grappling with the question
of freights and shipping.

The general impression regarding Mr. Mills’ proposal is
that any such measure is impracticable, and that what Mr.
Mills indicates—namely, Government action in regard to
freights and shipping—is the remedy for the difficulty which
at present exists.

At a further conference between coal retailers and the
Food and Fuel Committee of Cardiff Corporation, it was
finally decided that the price to be charged should be 33s.
per ton and Is. 9d. per cwt., for the present. One of the
retailers said it was not a fact that the collieries producing
best house coals had formed a “ ring ” ; there was only an
occasional meeting, with an arrangement as to prices; but
other speakers regarded this as a ring. Another matter
discussed was the charge made by the railway companies
for siding accommodation, the retailers alleging that no
such charge was levied upon coals intended for shipment.
Speakers referred also to “ shortages,” stating that the
colliery weigh-note had to be accepted, even if the railway
note showed deficiency. Further complaint was made as
to individuals being allowed to purchase from certain
collieries at lower prices than the retailers; and a suggestion
was put forward that the retailers should combine in order
to force sales to themselves at equal prices to those charged
the individuals. The chairman (Conn. Thomas) stated that
the committee had discovered nothing to show that the
retailers charged unfair prices.

Dr. Dugald Clerk, F.R.S.. M.I.C.E., M.I.M.E., F.C.S.,
lecturing before the South Wales Institute of Engineers at
Cardiff last week, on the world’s supplies of fuel and motive
power, estimated the total power of the world, including
water power, at present in use at about 115 million horse-
power, of which 100 million was got from coal and heat
engines, and the remainder from water. Taking the
estimated total coal of the world at 7'3 million tons, it
would at the present rate of consumption last 5,400 years;
but so far as Britain was concerned, they could last only
500 years, and this estimate did not allow for the increasing
consumption. The increase, however, in the opinion of Dr.
Clark, must come to an end, owing to the growing cost of
coal; but, by the use of high efficiency engines, utilisation
of waste heat, and the application of water power to a far

■■■■■ ■■	"	......—ggi

greater extent, the industrial period of England he said
could be extended to cover over 1,000 years. On the success
of the engineers of the future, and the result of their efforts
depended the future of Britain. Of the immediate future
of the nation he had no fear; but the distant future depended
more on the efforts of engineers than upon the war or upon
politics.

In connection with the liability of the Swansea Corpora-
tion to the Swansea Harbour Trust, already referred to in
these columns, it is now announced that an arrangement
has been reached under which the Corporation is to advance
to the Trust in January next £*65,000, and such further
sums up to £150,000, as may be required. The Trust will
repay the money with interest, and bear the costs of the
authority in connection with the raising of the money.

A generous tribute to the patriotism of the miners was
made by Col. J. Nicholl, recruiting officer for one of the
Glamorgan districts. Speaking at a meeting in Bridgend,
he stated there was nothing he could say against the miners.
They were coming forward splendidly, and the miners of
Glamorgan were celebrated for their readiness to serve.
The miners could not be replaced by female labour, as could
be done in other classes of employees.

The Neath County Court had before it last week a peculiar
case dealing with an accident of four years ago. A collier
was severely injured by a fall; and being, at that time,
under 21 years of age, a compensation award of 7s. per
week was made in August 1912. The present application
was with a view to an increase in the compensation; and it
was pleaded on applicant’s behalf that he would now have
been earning very much more as a collier had it not been
for the accident. He therefore desired that the compensa-
tion should be raised to £1 per week. The miners’ agent
for the district, who was one of the witnesses, stated in the
course of his evidence that the average earnings of a collier
were from £2 16s. to £3 10s. per week; and it was pointed
out that the applicant would have been a haulage engine
driver at wages which amounted to just below £2 per week.
The compensation had been stopped since June 1914; and
the judge now made a retrospective award at the rate of
8s. per week.

The county court judge at Pontypool has had before him
the question as to whether a collier on compensation was
entitled to a higher payment because of the war bonus which
had been allowed generally. Originally he earned £3 per
week, but after developing nystagmus he received £1 per
week compensation. At present, as a surfaceman he was
earning £2 8s. 6d. per week, including 6s. 3d. compensation.
The judge decided that no alteration in the payment should
take place; and he therefore awarded 6s. 3d., and ordered
the respondents to receive their costs.

The import of pitwood to Newport during the 10 months
of this year shows an enormous reduction as compared with
the corresponding period of 1915, this year’s total being
97,446 loads, as compared with 253,907 loads. The Harbour
Board are taking up the question of the exemption from
dock and harbour dues of those vessels which have been
chartered by the Admiralty, these, of course, relating almost
exclusively to coal cargoes. It is stated that the Board has
sustained a loss during this year of over £1,100 on this
account. The Harbour Trust does not come under the
Government arrangement with respect to docks and railways.

Among the questions taken up by the Conciliation Board
meeting was the suggestion that a fund should be raised
to supply a convoy of motor ambulances for the front, funds
of this nature having been raised in other coal fields,
employers and workmen both contributing. It was sug-
gested that in South Wales the workmen should make a
weekly contribution/and that the royalty owners md the
employers should be induced to contribute a farthing a ten.
A committee was appointed to consider the matter.

In the Assize Court at Cardiff on Tuesday, judgment was
given in a Carmarthen colliery case, Mr. Griffith Davies, of
Swansea, being plaintiff. Action had been entered by him
for possession in respect of 300 acres of mineral land, etc.,
at Llandebie, in Carmarthenshire. The plaintiff was the
freeholder of one parcel of land and leaseholder of five other
parcels, and he had let the property to defendants at a rent
of £305. Forfeiture of the lease was now claimed on more
than one ground. Defendants, it was alleged, had not
worked or kept in repair the workings, and there were
allegations also as to bankruptcy of one of the lessees, and
non-payment of rent. It was stated that plaintiff had spent
£3,000 on the enterprise prior to having granted leases to
the defendants; and plaintiff claimed that as soon as
defendants entered into possession they did not continue
working at the slant that had been sunk on No. 6 holding,
but had endeavoured to pump out an abandoned pit. In
December 1911 they had to withdraw the men from the
pit owing to water; and nothing had been done since that
date, nor had any rent been paid since September 1913.
One defendant, it was stated, had paid £1,000 premium for
the lease; but funds had run short, and an expectation of
£10,000 (which should have been obtained from debentures
through a French syndicate) had been disappointed because
of the war. Defendant’s counsel suggested that the matter
might be deferred for six months, it being anticipated that
the whole of the arrears might be paid, and guarantee given
that a substantial company who had other collieries in the
district would continue the working.—The judge declined to
give relief from the forfeiture action, and indicated that
if the plaintiff established the facts which had been set
forth in the claim he was entitled to re-entry.—Judgment
was given that plaintiff should recover possession, though
defendant had a right to relief in respect of Blaenau Mawr
and Wogbrook if he paid within six months.

The Council of South Wales University College has
decided that the course of instruction for the joint mining
diploma, which is given by the college and the School of
Mines at Treforest, shall be extended from three to four
years.

The Glamorgan Council, upon a report from the Secondary
Education Committee, have dealt with the question whether
the Council raised any objection to recognition of the
Treforest School of Mines by the Board of Education. The
Committee recommend that the Board in London should be
informed that, some months ago, representatives of the
School of Mines undertook not to apply for a grant without
further agreement with the county authority. No steps
having been taken to reach such an agreement, objection
was made by the Council to the recognition of the School by
the Board of Education. The opinion of the Glamorgan
Council is that the day classes of the School of Mines (which
has been established by the coal owners) are in default of
any agreement defining the activities of the school likely
to compete unduly with the classes carried on by the educa-
tion authority.