January 7, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

37

tainment, as, otherwise, they would have been. Usually,
notwithstanding a falling market during a considerable period,
the ascertained average price keeps well up, owing to the price
of long- contracts not being affected. On the other hand, not-
withstanding a rising market, the ascertained selling price
keeps still down, owing to these long contracts. But, under
the present circumstances prevailing in Europe, there are few,
if any, long contracts for exported coal, so that current prices
and ascertained average prices keep much nearer together
than in normal times. “ Week by week,” says the com-
mittee, “ we keep an account of coal prices, as recorded in
the Colliery Guardian.''1 The circular concludes with the
somewhat comforting statement that there has been a sharp
rise in prices during December, which, if continued for the
rest of the quarter, will affect the average price on the next
occasion.

Federated Area.

A specially-convened meeting of the executive council of the
Lancashire and Cheshire Miners’ Federation was held on
Monday afternoon at Bolton, to consider the question of com-
pulsory military service. After 'a protracted discussion, the
conference wras adjourned until such date as may be fixed by
the officials after the Bill of the Cabinet is introduced into
Parliament.

The question of compulsory military service was. discussed
at a meeting of the executive of the Yorkshire Miners’ Asso-
ciation at Barnsley on Tuesday. The subject was discussed
at length, and the opinion was expressed that there had not
been any case made out in any sense for compulsion.

For the fourth year in .succession, Mr. G. A. Spencer, of
Sutton-in-Ashfield, was re-elected president of the Notting-
hamshire Miners’ Association at the monthly council meeting
at Nottingham on Saturday, January 1. Mr. C. Bunfield,
the secretary, read correspondence with Mr. W. Saunders,
secretary of the Midland Counties Coal Owners’* Association
concerning the scale of wages for enginemen and firemen.
The ■agent also read correspondence between himself and
Sir T. Ratcliffe-Ellis, and Mr. T. Ashton, joint secretaries
of the English and North Wales Conciliation Board. It
was agreed that a letter be sent to the secretary of the
Midland Counties Coal Owners’ Association asking for .an
early consideration of the matter. A complaint was made
by the Wollaton .and Radford miners that the company had,
without consulting them, increased the cost of leading the
miners’ house coal by 33J per cent. The matter was referred
to the secretary and the lodge officials to deal with. The
steps taken by the secretary in supporting the case of Mr.
Peach, Low Main .seam checkweighman at the Bentinck
Colliery, were unanimously lapproved.

A meeting of the executive of the Midland Miners’
Federation, called specially to consider the Parliamentary
vacancy which has arisen in North-West Staffordshire
Division, consequent upon the death of Mr. Albert Stanley,
M.P., was held at Stafford, last week. After considerable
discussion, Mr. Dean, the Pelsall miners’ agent, withdrew
his. name, and the executive then unanimously decided to
recommend the 'adoption of Mr. Finney, president of the
Midland Miners’ Federation, for the vacancy.

Miners’ Federation of Great Britain.

The executive committee of the Miners’ Federation of Great
Britain met on Wednesday to consider their position with
reference to the Government proposals for compulsory military
service. Mr. Robert Smillie (president) was in the chair.

At the outset it was decided to endorse the candidature of
Mr. S. Finney for the vacancy in the North-West Stafford-
shire Division, caused by the death of Mr. Albert Stanley.

The question of the position towards the National Conference
of Labour to be held on the next day (Thursday) was then
discussed. The president of the Federation had held that,
under the decision by resolution of the Miners’ Federation
not to take any part in conferences called by the three joint
committees responsible for the Labour Conference, the miners
should not be represented thereat, and all the districts had
been advised not to appoint delegates, or to take 'any part
in the proceedings. This intimation of Federation policy
had been ignored by the South Wales branch, who had met
and appointed a number of delegates. — The action of the
South Wales branch in appointing delegates was sharply
criticised as an act of disloyalty to the agreed policy of the
Federation.

On the question of compulsory military service, the dis-
cussion showed the executive to be divided into two about equal
parties, one section holding that the war must be won at any
cost, and that the decision as to the number of members
required to win the war rests entirely with those responsible
for the Government of the country; the other section, to which
the president (Mr. Smillie) belongs, remains strongly opposed
to any form of compulsory service. Both parties were agreed
that the only possible course for the Miners’ Federation to
take is to call a National Conference of the industry. It is
proposed to hold meetings in the various mining districts.

A discussion took place on the proposed decision to abstain
from taking any part in the National Labour Conference.
The result was that the conference upheld the decision of the
officials not to be represented.

Iron, Steel and Engineering Trades.

Messrs. J. R. Winpenny and James Cox, general secre-
taries of the Beard of Arbitration for the North of England
Manufactured Iron and Steel Trade, state that they are in
receipt of Messrs. Price and Waterhouse’s ascertainment of
the average net selling price of steel plates at Consett for
the months of September, October, and November 1915, and
it is thereby certified that, in accordance with the agreement
entered into in 1896, the wages to be paid to the steel mill-
men‘during the current quarter will be advanced 5 per cent.,
or, in other words, be at the rate of 32J per cent, above the
standard. Never before in the history of the existing sliding
scale have the wages at Consett attained this figure, the
highest previous rate being 27J per cent., which was reached
at the end of 1900, although in June 1898, the wages were
at the standard basis.

According to a report from the South Wales secretary of
the Blast Furnacemen’s Federation, the 'ascertainment for
quarter ended December 31 shows an advance of 25J per
cent, on the standard for Blaenavon men, making the per-
centage now 91 above.

It is typical of the advance in the price of steel that the
wages of steel workers under the South Wales and
Monmouthshire sliding scale have been advanced by 41-
per cent, as from January 1.

The quarterly ascertainment of the Cumberland haematite
pig iron warrant prices shows that the average selling price
was 107s. 6d. per ton, 'and that blast furnacemen’s wages
have risen to 84J- per cent, above the increase of 15| per
cent., compared with previous quarters, *and by 53J per cent,
compared with the corresponding quarter last year.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

New Year's Honours and the Coal Trade: Peerage for Mr.
D. A. Thomas—New Great Western Pits Nearing
Completion—The Pit Wood Difficulties: New Source of
Supply.

The New Year's Honours List is of special interest to
South Wales, because of the very prominent position
occupied by gentlemen connected with the coal trade. Mr.
D. A. Thomas, of the Cambrian Combine, has been made
a peer; Air. H. Webb, of the Ocean Company, a baronet;
Mr. Donald Maclean, solicitor to the Freighters’ Association,
a member of the Brivy Council.

The recognition .accorded Mr. D. A. Thomas was long
overdue, for he took a prominent part in political affairs as
representative of Merthyr and Cardiff during 23 years, and
his pre-eminent position in the coal trade marked him out
even from that standpoint alone as a recipient of some
such honour. In addition, has been his recent service in
the United States, where he co-operated with Messrs.
J. P. Morgan and Company in raising the British loan; but
in particular devoted himself to supervising the munitions
business of the Imperial Government, both in the United
States and in Canada, all with complete success. The
colliery concerns with which Mr. Thomas is connected have
an output of eight million tons, and employ probably as
many as 50,000 men. By his combination of the Cambrian.
Glamorgan, Naval, and other undertakings in the Rhondda
Valley, he has transformed certain properties which were
financially unsatisfactory into undertakings as successful as
the Cambrian itself, so that they are now paying 10 per
cent., and have cleared off heavy dividend arrears. Besides
the Consolidated Cambrian, he is a director of the Ebbw Vale
Company, the Rhymney Iron Company, Britannic Merthyr,
Cynon, Fernhill, and Imperial Navigation companies. He
is also a director of the Taff Vale Railway and
Penarth Dock, the Port Talbot Railway and Dock, and
of the Cardiff Coal and Shipping Exchange. Among his
oversea enterprises are French, Italian, Argentine, and
other companies; and the merchant firms with which he is
associated are Gueret, Anglo-Argentine Coal Company,
Amaral Sutherland and Company, Lysberg, etc. The
different undertakings comprise not only coal mining and
distributing, but also manufacture of patent fuel, importa-
tion of pit wood and iron ore, ship owning and the pro-
prietorship of depots in a large number of coal markets—
Algeria, Turkey, and Spain being included with the countries
previously alluded to. There are, in addition, Mr. Thomas’s
coal trade interests in the United States and Canada, as to
which particulars are not yet obtainable. He holds a
charter from the Canadian Government for a railway of
several hundred miles, which will open the Peace River
district in Northern Alberta, as well as enable the coal and
oil deposits in that area to be profitably worked. He has
been associated with American capitalists in coal trade
operations of the United States; and not only is he interested
in mineral properties, but also in navigation and mechanical
enterprises in the great Republic. It will be remembered
also that Mr. D. A. Thomas occupies a very prominent
position as a writer on the economics of the coal trade, he
having won the silver medal of the Royal Statistical Society
for one of his treatises; in the House of Commons upon
the proposal of the coal tax he was one of the strongest and
most effective speakers. As president of the Chamber of
Commerce, as a member of the Advisory Committee of the
Board of Trade, and in many other ways his public services
have been noteworthy.

Mr. Donald Maclean, ALP., who has been made a member
of the Privy Council is the principal partner in one of the
chief law firms of South Wales engaged in commercial and
industrial work, and is solicitor to the Freighters’ Associa-
tion of the district. As such, he has been in the forefront
of the numerous Private Bill contests arising out of the
different railway, dock, and other interests in South Wales.
Mr. Maclean has rendered signal service to the coal and
shipping community of South Wales, because of the difficult
and complicated questions arising out of trade during the

war,	the .issue of licences, etc., his close personal knowledge
of the conditions of trade and his position as deputy-chairman
of the House of Commons, with previous experience in the
Whips’ office, enabling him to carry through difficult
negotiations to the entire satisfaction of local commercial
men.

Mr. H. Webb,.who has secured the honour of a baronetcy,

was.	formerly secretary of the Ocean Goal Company, and
succeeded his uncle (the late Mr. T. AVebb) as a director of
that great undertaking, which now has a capital of 41
millions, and an output of 2J million tons per annum. The
company works nine collieries in South Wales, and has also
incorporated Wilson, Son and Company’s depot business in
the Canary Islands, Cape de Verde, in South America, and
elsewhere.' The present title of the company is the Ocean
Coal and Wilsons Limited, and, in addition to being colliery
proprietors and steamship owners, they own engineering
shops and foundries at different ports in South America, and
have executed important engineering contracts. Sir H. Webb
has a practical knowledge of coal mining, having been
trained with Messrs. Forster, Brown and Rees, and under
Mr. William Jenkins, of the Ocean Company, in the
Rhondda Valley. He twice contested South Hereford
unsuccessfully, but on the death of Sir Charles Dilke, he won
the seat for Forest of Dean. He. has distinguished himself
since the outbreak of war by very active recruiting services.

The Great Western Colliery Company’s new sinkings
between Pontypridd and Llantwit Vardre, at Cwm, are
rapidly approaching completion. It is stated that so fast
is the work proceeding that it will not be long ere the pit
will be ready for the actual raising of coal. When
developed, the colliery will be one of the best equipped in the
South Wales coal field. It is situated in the southern part
of the coal area, and it has taken 3J years to sink to the depth
of 800 yds. now reached. The two pits will be named respec-
tively the Margaret and the. Mildred, and the main shaft is
designed to raise 350 tons per hour, the cage having two
decks, each of which will carry four trams. The work has
been carried out under the supervision of Air. Hugh
Bramwell (the managing director) and Mr. Isaac Rees (the
manager). It is anticipated that a large number of men will
be employed, and already the company have erected some 200
houses.

If it be verified that the Portuguese Government have
imposed a duty of Is. per ton upon pit wood exports, one more

burden will be placed upon colliery owners, who already are
bearing prices more than double the normal rates; for whilst
the proportion coming from Portugal may not be great, every
influence in an upward direction intensifies the conditions
generally. . As an item of cost, pit wood exercises material
effect; and during the war period market values have risen
from 21s. to 52s. Admiralty collieries are assured of sup-
plies ; but those outside the Admiralty circle have to compete
in open market. From January, when the price did not
exceed 30s., there have been fluctuations, wide and dis-
concerting, making it risky to purchase forward. April saw
the figure up to 39s.; but July was as lew as 24s. It is from
October onwards that the rise has been so serious, from 36s.
to 52s., or slightly higher; and this is not entirely explained
by the falling-off in imports to the extent of 7 per cent.,
because home supplies have been largely drawn upon, high
prices making it profitable to fell and transport plantations in
all parts of the country. Special efforts by the French
Government have maintained the supply of pitwood for
Admiralty collieries; and Portugal comes next in point of
quantity. A venture of peculiar interest was the opening out
of pit wood trade between Newfoundland and South Wales,
which has proved successful; so much so, that speculation is
rife as to whether the vast area north of the St. Lawrence
may not also be exploited during the summer. Another note-
worthy incident is that large advertisements have been issued
in the local newspapers, pointing out the timber resources of
British Columbia; though, with the Panama Canal blocked,
it appears hardly probable that importers can yet venture so
far afield. West Africa has also been suggested, but nothing
has been done. Indeed, the temporary nature of high prices
is recognised, and the special risk that efforts in new areas
may mature just as the war ends, -and bring down prices,
cannot be ignored.

Resulting from a heavy fall at the East Elliot Colliery
of the Powell Duffryn Company at New Tredegar on
Thursday of last week, four colliers lost their lives. The
accident took place early in the morning, and the first fall,
which crushed the fireman (David Jones), was a comparatively
small one. Four of his comrades hastened to his aid, and
whilst they were endeavouring to release him a second fall of
much greater proportions, estimated at 20 tons, took place—
killing Walter Davies (timberman), William Bishop (ripper),
and Lewis Williams (assistant timberman). A fourth man,
James Price, was severely injured. Repairing work was pro-
ceeding in the main level when the accident occurred. Both
the East and West Elliot collieries were idle for the day in
consequence.

It is stated that some contractors who are arranging busi-
ness with local authorities, are inserting a clause in the con-
tracts which will enable them to terminate the agreement at a
week’s notice should they be-unable to secure the coal owing
to further enlistment of their men.

The Rhondda miners at a meeting in Perth, on Monday,
dealt with the question of enlistment, and discussed the
statement that checkweighers, miners’ agents, and general
labourers on the surface had not been starred. It was con-
sidered that steps should be taken to get these classes
exempted, and the meeting decided to refer the matter to
the executive of .the Federation.

Mr. Reginald Cory, of the firm of Cory Brothers and
Company, Cardiff, has made a gift of Tl,000 per annum for
the duration of the war to the Red Cross Fund, provided
nine other similar promises are received by January 10.

Northumberland and Durham.

Durham Colliery Changes Hands—Tyne Fuel Shipments in
1915—Miners and the Election of Checkweighmen.

Mr. Cyril Elliott Short, for many years manager of the
chartering department of Messrs. J. M. and J. Bartlett,
coal merchants and shipbrokers, of Newcastle, has been
taken into partnership.

It is announced that the Adelaide Colliery, Shildon, has
been sold by the West Durham Wallsend Coal Company
Limited, to the North Brancepeth Coal Company Limited.
The colliery, which was orig.in.ally owned by Messrs. Pease
and Partners Limited, changed hands about 14 years ago.
It has had a somewhat chequered history, and, .about a
year 'ago, was practically closed, only a few men being
continued in employment to keep the colliery free from
water. It is anticipated that steps will be taken by the
North Brancepeth Company to develop the colliery consider-
ably. Arrangements are already being made to start a
number of. workmen, and it is stated that the intention is to
increase their numbers until the colliery is once again in
full working activity.

The annual return of Tyne Dock shipments shows that,
during last year, 5,046,389 tons of coal and 141,379 tons
of coke were loaded and despatched, a decrease of 1,459,125
tons of coal, but an increase of 77,905 tons of coke, a net
decrease of 1,381,220 tons. The total quantity dealt with—
5,187,768 tons—is the smallest since 1892, when only
5,095,809 tons were loaded. The shortage as compared with
other recent years is, of course, wholly attributable to dis-
location of trade consequent on the w.ar. It is noteworthy,
as illustrating the recuperative power of the coal trade, that
the shipments for the second half of last year showed an
increase of 121,448 tons when compared with those for the
second half of 1914. The most interesting feature of the
return is the great increase in the volume of coke despatched,
the total being the largest since, in 1903, 143,058 tons were
handled. There has been, also, an improvement in the
number of vessels using the dock for bunkering purposes,
339 having been supplied with bunkers, as against 242 in
1914. The imports of pit props have been smaller than
usual, but a very large quantity of iron ore has reached the
dock.

Several questions regarding the method of election of
checkweighmen having been sent to the executive committee
of the Northumberland Miners’ Association by branches, the
former has taken legal advice on the matter, and has issued
a circular to lodges setting forth the requirements of the
Mines Act in this matter. Summarised, the circular states :
A checkweigher must be elected, or re-appointed, by a ballot
vote which gives him a majority of the persons employed at
the pit, failing which majority .any of these persons can
legally object to contributing to the checkweigher’s wage
fund; the person who presides at the meeting where the
result of the vote is declared must forthwith deliver to the
owner, agent, or manager of the mine, a declaration in
writing of the appointment, otherwise the owner, agent, or
manager may refuse to recognise the appointment or to
allow the elected person to enter the weigh-house or cabin;
during the period' of his appointment, a checkweigher
cannot be removed from his post, unless by a similar
majority vote to that already mentioned; the appointment