May 12, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

911

profit, but, owing to the taxation of 60 per cent, now levied
on war profits, and the higher cost of running vessels owing
to war conditions, he is by no means making the enormous
profits which at first sight appear to accrue to him.

The exportation of all articles to Liberia is prohibited,
unless the articles are consigned to some person or persons
authorised by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, or
by the Board of Trade, to receive the same.

Proposals are under discussion to supply Biver Plate ports
with coal from the United States, and at the same time
obviate the making of ballast voyages in British ships.

According to Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the addition of
steam and sailing tonnage to the register in 1915 totalled
1,523,750 tons gross, and the deduction due to ordinary
casualties, war losses, dismantling, etc., amounted to
1,534,901 tons. The total number of vessels on the register
decreased by 268 during the year.

In the Prize Court on Friday last, the President (Sir
Samuel Evans) gave judgment in the case of the Dutch steam-
ship, “ Alwina,” condemnation of which was asked for, the
Crown alleging that at the time of her seizure she was on
her return passage from taking a direct part in hostilities,
and supplying or attempting to supply Welsh coal to war-
ships or the naval forces of the enemy. The coal was shipped
at Newport (Mon.), and was disposed of at Teneriffe imme-
diately after the battle off the Falkland Islands.—On behalf
of the owner of the ship, it was argued that at the time she
was seized at Falmouth, her offence, if any, was at an end.
She had sold her cargo of coal to an English firm, and
returned to Falmouth with a cargo of ore.—His lordship held
that, in view of the fact that the goods were never delivered
to the enemy, the vessel was immune when she was captured,
and made an order that her owner wTas entitled to her resti-
tution. By reason of the owner’s conduct, however, he would
have to bear and pay the costs and expenses.

In Italy, the Government has taken control of all the
establishments in the country producing steel, iron of all
kinds, cast iron, brass, “ maillechort ” (German silver),
“ tombac ” (red metal), and copper wire and plates. Exist-
ing contracts for sunplving private firms or individuals must
be reported to the Under-Secretary for Arms and Munitions,
and may be cancelled or modified without any claim to com-
pensation being allowed.

The Board of Trade Journal -states that a British engineer
in Genoa wishes to represent British manufacturers of auto-
matic machinery, engines, fools, iron, etc.

INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES.

Africa.

The Nigerian Colonial Beport states that work on the
Eastern Bailway was continued during 1914, but after the
outbreak of war it was, for financial reasons, decided to
postpone the construction of the Central and Northern
sections. Construction was therefore confined to the section
from Port Harcourt to the coal fields (150 miles). A short
colliery line of about one mile in length, with a fall of
75 ft. in that distance, will connect the colliery with the
main line. The main€coal seam is now being opened up
under a manager, and it is hoped that, before the middle of
1916, the line, albeit not fully completed, will have reached
the coal fields, and that the colliery will have been able to
extract a considerable quantity of coal in readiness for con-
veyance to the port.

Goal in Nigeria.—At a meeting of the Anglo-Continental
Mines Company Limited, the chairman announced that the
following statement had been received concerning the com-
pany’s Udi coal mine :—“ The present position with regard
to this is that there are 8,000 tons ready for delivery, and the
only question now is one of rolling stock. There is no doubt
that this coal will soon be -used by the Nigerian railways,
and the mining companies can look forward with confidence
to having an ample supply of this fuel before very long.
There is no doubt when the Port Harcourt—Kaduna Bailway
is completed coal will be deliverable at the tin fields at 30s.
per ton.”

Australia.

The Geological Surveyor of New South Wales states that
in the southern coal field of the State there are about 350
square miles containing more or less workable coal seams.
Up to the present the Bulli seam is practically, the sole source
of supply, and it is estimated that the quantity of workable
coal obtainable from this is 743,434,000 tons, while from the
remaining seams it is estimated that 800,000,000 tons of
slightly inferior coal will be available.

For the week ending March 11, only 7,669 tons of coal
were sent from Newcastle to oversea countries, as follow :
Peru, 2,760 tons; India, 1,449; Solomon Islands, 650. The
balance went as bunkers to four other countries; 51,499 tons
went to Commonwealth and New Zealand ports.

The mines on the south coast continue busy. The demand
for coal is steadily increasing. The earnings of the miners
are greater now than at any former period of coal mining
in Ulawarra, £1 per day being a common wage, -while in some
instances as high as £2 is being earned by the men.

The Defence Minister has issued a statement that owing
to the heavy demand for nitroglycerine for war purposes, it
has become necessary for strict economy to be exercised in
the use of all commercial explosives containing this ingredient,
and that the use of explosives containing more than 50 per
cent, of nitroglycerine be discontinued except where abso-
lutely necessary. To prevent exploitation, the importation
of explosives containing more than 50 per cent, of nitro-
glycerine has been prohibited, except with the consent of
the Minister for Customs.

Coal Production in Western Australia in 1914.—The
annual report of the Department of Mines, Western Australia,
for the year 1914, states that six coal mines were being
worked on the Collie field, and that the output for the year
was 319,210 tons, or 5,392 tons more than in 1913. The
number of men employed was 525 (34 less than in 1913),
and the output per man 608 tons (561 tons); 390 men were
employed underground, and 124 at the surface. Of the:
output, 75,223 tons .were produced by the Cardiff Coal
Mining Company Limited, 82,014 tons by the Collie
Co-operative Collieries Limited, 2,639 tons by the Premier
Coal Mining Company Limited, 43,467 tons by the Scottish
Co-operative Collieries Company Limited, 73,569 tons by the
Proprietary Coal Mines of Western Australia Limited, and
42,295 tons by the Westralian Coal Mining Company
Limited. About 85 per cent, of the output was produced by

means of electric coal-cutting machinery, and the remainder
by hand. The total number of accidents recorded for the
year was 115, none being fatal, and only four resulting in
serious injuries. Ventilation is reported to have been satis-
factory on the whole, and the same applies to development
and equipment.

Output of Coal, etc., in New South Wales.—During 1915
the output of coal was 9,449,008 tons, valued at £3,424,630,
being a decrease of 941,614 tons and £313,131 in value
when compared with 1914, the restrictions of the export
trade being responsible for the decrease. The collieries of
the Northern District had -an output of 6,207,013 tons,
valued at £2,397,833, as compared with 7,113,991 tons, valued
at £2,734,872, for the previous year. The loss of the export
trade was felt principally by the collieries in the Newcastle
district. The Southern District furnished an output of
2,261,398 tons, valued at £784,316, as against 2,362,741 tons,
valued at £749,394, in 1914. In the Western District,
880,595 tons, valued at £242,481, were raised, this being a
decrease of only 33,295 tons, valued at £11,013, as compared
with the preceding year.

The coke manufactured in 1915 amounted to 417,753 tons,
valued at the oven at £313,241, showing an increase of
112,953 tons and £100,172 in value when compared with the
returns for 1914.

Kerosene shale exhibited a marked falling off, only
15,474 tons, valued 'at £12,890, being produced.

The difficulties experienced in. shipping coal for export is
having a depressing effect on the trade in Newcastle. For
the week ended March 19, only 13,056 tons were sent to
oversea countries; India 8,202 tons, Hawaii 1,790 tons, and
the balance to one other country as bunkers.

Canada.

New Brunswick Coal. — Coal mining is becoming an
increasingly important industry in New Brunswick. The
output last year, according to Government report, shows an
increase of about 12J per cent. During the year royalty has
been paid on 118,953 tons, as compared with 96,577 tons
during the preceding year. Of the former amount, 5,263
tons came from Beersville, Kent County. The most prolific
coal section in the province is at Grand Lake. Wad or bog
manganese to the extent of about 150 tons was mined in the
past year at Adamsville, Kent County. A promising
tungsten deposit is being developed on the South-West Mira-
michi Biver, 14 miles from the Transcontinental Bailway.
Some 3,000 tons have been taken out for experimental
purposes.

Southern Alberta.—The annual report of the Lethbridge
(Alberta) Board of Trade reveals the fact that local
industries are in a flourishing condition. Coal mining
operations at the Galt mines close to the city and various
other collieries have been very active this season, the
quantities now being shipped daily running from 3,000 to
4,000 tons. The coal mines in the Crow’s Nest Pass and the
towns in their vicinity, for which Lethbridge is a distribut-
ing. centre, have also been very busy.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE.

KING’S BENCH DIVISION (COMMERCIAL COURT).

May 8 and 9.

Before Mr. Justice Atkin.

Question of Bunker Coal.

Power Steamship Company Limited v. Falmouth Coaling
Company.—This was an action for damages for alleged breach
of a contract to supply plaintiffs with fit and proper bunker
coal for the plaintiffs’ steamship ” Pangbourne ” on a voyage
from Falmouth to London.

Mr. Leek, K.C., for the plaintiffs, said his clients pur-
chased 50 tons of bunker coal from the defendants on
October 30, 1915, the defendants representing that it was fit
for bunker purposes. The ” Pangbourne ” was a new
steamer employed in the Morocco trade. Becoming short of
coal on a return voyage, the master purchased at Falmouth
about 50 tons at 41s. per ton. The defendants said this wTas
Cardiff coal. The “ Pangbourne ” used it at the rate of 1J
tens an hour, and yet could not proceed at a greater speed
than about six knots, her previous speed being nine knots
and coal consumption 14 tons a day. Off Portland on
November 1 she was stopped by the patrol boat for a few
hours, when she received permission to go to the Downs, but
on reaching there she had only a few tons of coal left—not
sufficient to enable her to reach London— and a further
supply was obtained at Dover.

Capt. Campbell, in evidence, said the engineer spoke of
finding stones and slates among the coal. Excessive ash
was also complained of.

His lordship, in giving judgment, said that if the samples
produced in court were correct samples of the bulk it was
extraordinary stuff, unfit for bunkering, and unfit for any
purposes at all. The defendants said that the delay was
not due to them, and that they supplied a reasonably good
Welsh steam coal to the ship, and they had traced its history
back to the Powell Navigation Colliery. The coal was
shipped from Newport per the steamer “ Lavinia ” to
Falmouth, and there loaded into the hulks of the defendants
holding 170 tons each. The defendants said that the hulks
only discharged into the steamer “ Pangbourne,” and he
accepted all that evidence, as he saw no reason to suppose
that the coal that arrived in the “ Lavinia ” was different to
that ordinarily supplied by the colliery. Fie was bound to
say that the evidence of the plaintiffs was not so clear and
satisfactory as that put forward by the defendants. The
plaintiffs’ evidence turned almost entirely on that of the
chief engineer. There was no doubt that the ship met with
very bad weather on the journey from^md to Falmouth from
Casa Blanca, -and there was also the fact that the coal was
not the class of coal that had been ordinarily burned on the
ship, and it required different treatment. The ship was
used to North Country coal, and perhaps the engineer started
with a prejudice against Welsh coal. He thought the
difficulty -in keeping up steam had been exaggerated some-
what. He could not say that the log was altogether
satisfactory as evidence. He w^as not satisfied with the
plaintiffs that there was any delay caused by reason of
defective coal, and he was not satisfied it was not reason-
ably fit for bunker coals. He gave judgment for the
defendants, with costs.

LABOUR AND WAGES.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

A conference of miners’ delegates took place in Cardiff, on
Friday, the subjects being the demand for 15 per cent,
increase in the rate of wages, and the Military Service Bill.
Mr. J. Winstone, acting president, declared that he was
amazed that the employers were seeking a reduction ; and
then gave a resume of the considerations that had induced
the miners’ executive to decide upon asking for an advance.
Mr. T. Bichards, M.P., brought up the very important point
as to the method of determining the wage rate, there being
now no equivalent to the minimum which can serve as -a
guide to the independent chairman when reference is made
to him. He said that the employers had been informed
that the men considered the present method of arriving at
decisions was not satisfactory, and that “ steps should be
taken -at once to secure -a settlement of the equivalent selling
price to the minimum wage.” The letter which bad been
forwarded to the coal owners further stated that, “ pending
this, an application for an advance of wages shall have
reference only to the present increase in the selling price,
without any committal of the council to the acceptance of
the position created by the previous decisions since the 1915
agreement has been in operation. . . . Therefore the
application for an advance of 15 per cent, is. made with
the foregoing proviso.” Several speakers followed Mr.
Bichards ; and there was a long discussion, opinions being
expressed that the 'amount of advance asked for should be at
a higher rate. But it was explained that the safest mode of
action was to keep well within the limit of probability.
Ultimately, the proposal of the council was approved, and
it was resolved to apply for the 15 per cent.

The conference took up the question of the new Military
Service Bill, -a previous conference having passed a resolu-
tion against compulsion; and the resolution of that previous
gathering was re-affirmed, the executive being authorised
to convey the decision to the conference of the Miners’
Federation of Great Britain, summoned for Tuesday, in
London. Mr. W. Abraham, M.P. (“ Mabon ”), had come
from London specially to explain the military situation to
the delegates; and without doubt his earnest address
exercised considerable restraining influence.

The question of fixing an equivalent arises from the cir-
cumstances of the period when the newT agreement wa-s made
—a time of actual stoppage of work in the critical conditions
of war, with the necessity of Government intervention, and
concessions on the employers’ side, which were made solely
because of urgent national interests. They called at that
time for the fixing of an equivalent; but the men were
unwilling to continue the principle of Sir David Dale’s
award, -and even at the present time, whilst asking for an
equivalent to be established, they are not agreeable to refer
the matter to an arbitrator. The dividing line between
them and the owners is indicated pretty clearly by the
intimation contained in the letter quoted—namely, that they
wish the equivalent to have relation solely or mainly to the.
selling price; whilst the employers, it is understood, wish
to bring into consideration the increase in the cost of pro-
duction—an increase of material amount at the present
time. In the men’s opinion, increased costs have been
previously allowed for at too high a rate ; but the reply of
the employers is that they submit actual figures proving
the costs ; and they are agreeable either to refer the matter
to arbitration of an agreed umpire, or to assent to selection
of an arbitrator by the independent chairman.

Beport was made to a joint conference of tippers and
trimmers in Cardiff last week that relaxation of the Saturday
one o’clock stop rule had been made at most of the Bristol
Channel ports, in accordance with the arrangement desired
by the Ports and Transit Committee. Work had been
carried out after one o’clock at Swansea, Newport, Barry,
Penarth, and Port Talbot; but not at Cardiff, because no
request had been made by the dock owners at the latter
place. The men are stated to be willing to work at Cardiff
also after one o’clock on Saturday if request comes from the
authorities, and there is agreement to pay the terms in
operation -at other ports.

East Glamorgan miners have a grievance against
‘doggy” hauliers, and desire that these should become
members of the Federation. The subject came on Monday
before the monthly meeting of the district, when it was
reported that all the lodges were in agreement as to the
necessity of these men—who are declared to be subordinate
master hauliers—joining the organisation. In a large
colliery there may be, it is said, as many as 30 “ doggy ”
hauliers, with only two or three master hauliers properly so
called.

The men engaged in Filed seam at No. 1 Bedwellty
Colliery, Tredegar, applied to the district meeting for per-
mission to tender notices, the management not being
prepared to negotiate -a new price list. Permission was
given. Only about 20 men are affected.

Strong protest against the employment of female labour
at collieries was made at the meeting of the Western Valley
district of miners.

Questions affecting the South Wales coal trade have to
come before Judge O’Conner, as conciliator, at Bourne-
mouth, on May 13. His Honour will deal with three points
concerning which there was a threat to serve notices of
strike. Miners -seek to have better conditions established for
the craftsmen, who, at present, obtain a rate of pay which
compares unfavourably with that of the underground men ;
and it is estimated that about 16,000 colliery mechanics
require an advance of 6d. per day, one suggestion being that
the minimum to be established should be 6s. 6d. to 7s.
The contention on behalf of the workmen is that granting
this minimum would not entail upon the coal owmers an
outlay equivalent to u penny per ton. Another question is
as to the -Sunday night shift, this having become a critical
matter because of the decision in the Albion Colliery case,
where the Pontypridd stipendiary held that the men were
compelled to work six turns per week, and that one of them
must be a Sunday shift. What the men desire is that the
Sunday night shift should be six hours, instead of eight
hours, and shall be optional throughout the whole coal field,
as It is in certain parts. It was shown in evidence in the
Albion case, that about 70 per cent, of the regular night
men worked on Sunday night; but the men contended that
under the agreement of last year, a man wa-s bound to work
only five nights, and that this did not necessarily include
the Sunday. Another matter in dispute is as to- the pay-
ment of the “ bonus ” to colliery ostlers, which affects a
relatively small number of men, the general practice being
to make the payment. The workmen’s representatives
informed the President of the Board of Trade that they
wished a conciliator rather than an arbitrator to be