May f9, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

951

PRELIMINARY.

KING GEORGE DOCK, HULL.

By order of Messrs. S. Pearson & Son Ltd.

Geo. N. Dixon & Co. will Sell by Auction

on an early date in June

THE CONTRACTORS’ PLANT

which has been used in the construction of this dock.

Note.—The contractors will load into trucks for buyers free of charge.

The whole of the ground must be cleared.

Catalogues are being prepared, and full particulars will appear in future
advertisements.

Catalogues when ready may be obtained from Messrs S. PEARSON
& SON LTD., Contractors. King George Dock, Hull; 10, Victoria-street,
Westminster ; or from the AUCTIONEERS, 43, Castle-street. Liverpool.

Telegrams—“Tenacity, Liverpool.”	Telephone—3853 Bank.

For Sale, Two-stage Cross Compound

Condensing AIR COMPRESSING ENGINES, by Walker Bros.,
steam cvlinders 30 in. by 50 in., air cylinders 29 in. by 44 in— PARTRIDGE,
JONES & CO. LTD., near Pontypool.

For Sale, 10-ton Overhead Crane, by

Napier, of Glasgow, span 45 ft., all motion power driven by square
shafts, longitudinal shaft being 150ft. long, and complete with rising and
falling bearings; can be seen working on heavy lifting.—Apply to BEES
& KIRBY LTD., Morriston, Swansea.

For Sale, 50 ten-ton Coal Wagons, rebuilt
and registered 1915; onlv put into traffic January 1916; for immediate
delivery; price £100.—Box 6408, Colliery Guardian Office, 30 & 31,
Furnival-street, Holborn, London, E.C.

anted, 100 large modern Coal Wagons,

▼ ▼ quarterly hire; also wanted c and w. price for 500 tons Midland
nuts cash down.—DIRECT COALS LTD., Yeovil.

For Sale, 50 ten-ton Coal Wagons, built

1904, in first-class condition; price £84: finance and maintenance
could be arranged on good terms—Box 6409, Colliery Gtirdian Office,
30 & 31, Furnival-street, Holborn, London, E.C.

For immediate Sale and delivery, two
high-class Lancashire BOILERS, each 24ft. 6 in. long by 8 ft. dia..
working pressure 1501b. per square inch, together with Green’s Econo-
miser; can be seen in London.

JOSEPH PUGSLEY, Lawrence-hill, Bristol.

For Sale, about 10 miles good Second-
hand STEEL FLANGE RAILS, 561b. per yard, with Fishplates,
Bolts and Spikes to match.

20 sets of POINTS and CROSSINGS to match.

8,000 HiLF ROUND SLEEPERS. 8 by 8 by 4.

3,000 cu. ft. PITCH PINE BAULKS, lying in London and South Wales.
Enquiries solicited.

Apply. M. J. DEVILLE & CO., Rail and Sleeper Merchants, Millhouses,
Sheffield.

For Sale, two massive Treble-geared

Steel Sided HAND WINCHES, by Youngs, Birmingham, to lift
6% tons direct from barrel: pract cally new condition.

JOSEPH PUGSLEY, Lawrence-hill, Bristol.

For Sale, combined Generating Set,

Westinghouse Gas Engine, 5 in. by 12 in. magneto electric ignition;
Westinghouse Dynamo, direct current, k.w. 2.25, volts 75.6, revs 300, as new,
perfect condition.—BE ED & FOGGIN, 1, St. Nicholas Buildings, New-
castle-on-Tyne.

TXJanted for immediate delivery, new or

V V second-hand, a 40 ft. STEEL GIRDER or PITCH PINE HEAD-
GEAR, with 6ft. pulleys, and 4ft. 6in. centres, suitable for a 10 ft. circular
shaft.—Price and particulars to Box 6412, Colliery Guardian Office,
30 & 31, Furnival-street, Holborn, London, E.C.

Wanted, Travelling Steam Crane,

4 ft. in. gauge, fitted with jib 30 to 40 ft. long: must be in first-
class condition.—Apply, with full particulars, to MAIN COLLIERY1 CO.
LTD., Neath Abbey, Glam.

Wanted, Lancashire Boilers, about 30ft.

longby 7 to8ft. diameter.—State particulars and price, COATES,
Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield.

J. W. BAIRD AND COMPANY,

PITWOOD IMPORTERS,

WEST HARTLEPOOL,

YEARLY CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO WITH COLLIERIES.

OSBECK & COMPANY LIMITED,
PIT-TIMBER MERCHANTS,
NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.

SUPPLY ALL KINDS OF COLLIERY TIMBER.

Telegrams—“ Osbecks, Newcastle-on-Tyne.”

*** For other Miscellaneous Advertisements see Last
White Page.

(Mfery Guardian

AND

Journal of tho Coal and Iron Trades.

Joint Editors—

J. V. ELSDEN, D.Sc. (Lond.), F.G.S.

HUBERT GREENWELL, F.S.S., Assoc.M.I.M.E.

(At present on Active Service).

LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1916.

The London coal market is still exceedingly short
of fuel, and the demand is as strong as ever. Prices
are unchanged. The higher export offers are
seriously diverting the London tonnage. Steam coal
and small nuts for munition works are practically
unobtainable apart from contract.

Coal prices still show abnormal strength. In the
Tyne and Wear trade, continued scarcity and rising
prices are reported. Sellers are hesitating over
quotations for June shipments in consequence of the
Government’s limitation proposals. All the reports
from Lancashire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire prove
inability to cope with the demand, despite the
lessened consumption of house coal. In Barnsley
there are complaints of a high percentage of
absenteeism. The South Wales market is firmer
than ever, and in consequence of inadequate supplies
many ships are on demurrage awaiting cargoes.

Several important discussions have taken place
this week regarding the coal supply.

Mr. Bunciman proposes to limit coal prices for
export to France on the basis of 20 per cent, less
than those ruling on March 8 last. A similar per-
centage reduction is specified in the matter of
freights. A meeting of coal exporters on Wednesday
appointed a committee to deal with the scheme, and
a deputation of coalowners discussed it with Mr.
Bunciman on Thursday. It is understood that the
deputation agreed in principle to a voluntary limita-
tion of price, and that steps are being taken to bring
the matter before the various districts without delay,
and formulate a definite proposal, which will be would scarcely be expected that their female depen-
submitted to the Board of Trade.

A joint conference of committees of the Mining
Association and the Miners’ Federation agreed on the
formation of district committees to deal with absen-
teeism. The proposed suspension of the Eight
Hours Act and the working of one hour extra on
60 days were left for a future meeting.

The Coal Conciliation Board for the Federated
area, on Thursday, granted the application by the
miners for an advance of 3^ per cent, in wages on
and from the second pay-day in June. The new '
advance brings the Federated area wages to the
maximum agreed upon last year in the new wages
agreement.

Mr. B. P. Houston, M.P., dealt with the question
of freights to Italy. Some of the Italian papers
protest against his assertions.

Another meeting of the Coal Exporters Committee,
of which Sir D. Stevenson is chairman, will be held
on Wednesday next. Meanwhile the French
authorities have been communicated with regarding
the means of supplying coal to France at fixed prices.

The important conference between
the executive committees of the
Mining Association and the Miners
Federation of Great Britain which
Tuesday last was initiated by the

The Output
Conference.

took place on

Home Office for the purpose of considering certain
proposals of the Coal Mines Organisation Committee
for increasing the output of coal. We dwelt last
week at some length upon certain aspects of this
question, and it must be admitted that some means
must be speedily adopted for overtaking the existing
shortage of supplies if the nation is to avoid a most
serious influence both upon our own capacity to
produce munitions for the Army and also to assist our
Allies in obtaining their customary supplies of fuel.
The present position has long been foreseen. In the
earlier periods of the war it was endeavoured to meet
it as far as possible by curtailing exports of coal to
neutral countries. This course, however, possesses
one serious disadvantage. Coal is our most valuable
export, and it is very essential for general financial
reasons that the export trade should be maintained
at the highest possible level, not only because it
assists in paying for the war, but also because it
helps to maintain the rate of exchange, and thus
contributes to uphold the credit of the nation.

Of the six principal suggestions for increasing
output contained in Sir B. Bedmayne’s communica-
tion, only three appear to have yet been fully con-
sidered by the conference, which has been adjourned
until June 22 for reasons which, on careful examina-
tion, appear to be perfectly valid. Before proceeding
to discuss these, however, it is well to call attention
to the view, which appears to have been quite
seriously advanced in responsible quarters, that any
appreciable saving in the use of fuel will be brought
about by the “daylight saving” measure. It is
conceivable that some economy in gas may result
from this cause, but that in itself may prove to be of
very doubtful expediency, because the demand for
by-products makes it almost imperative that the
gas companies should continue to keep their retorts
in action throughout the summer months.

Although the proceedings of the conference have
not been fully disclosed, it is understood that an
agreement was arrived at with regard to the employ-
ment of women for surface work. Although there
was a strong disinclination to tolerate this innovation,
it is satisfactory to find that serious opposition was
not persistent on the understanding that it is to be

merely a temporary expedient pending the duration
of the war. A similar objection to the reduction
in the age limit from 14 to 13 in the case of
boys employed underground was brought for-
ward and the matter was deferred to a later
date. It is perfectly intelligible that neither of these
proposals is viewed by the miners with any sort of
approbation, and it is only the urgency of the
difficulty that has secured a qualified sanction to the
further employment of women. How far it will be
possible to find the women necessary for carrying
out the suggested plan remains to be seen. With
the high wages now being obtained by miners it

dants would be over-anxious to offer their services.
It must also be remembered that some of the
delegates at least had not altogether a free hand a^
the conference. It is not certain, therefore, that the
conclusions arrived at on this point will receive the
sanction of the miners as a whole.

The most important subject discussed at the
meeting was undoubtedly the question of absen-
teeism, upon which we commented at some length in
this column last week. It is gratifying to find that
the meeting agreed unanimously to refer this matter
to the several mining districts on the understanding
that committees will be at once formed in each area
to consider the setting up of effective machinery to
secure the attendance of all the men at the pits to
the fullest possible extent. In regard to this matter
the men appear to have put forward a grievance,
and a complaint seems to have been made that men
have not been provided with work when they have
presented themselves at the mine. It will be one of
the duties of the district committees to examine this
charge, and to enquire into the circumstances under
which employment has been withheld. It is quite
possible that cases may have occurred in which men
have not been given work ; but there has probably
been a very good reason why it was withheld. It is
certainly not to the employers’ interest to have any
man idle at the present time.

Much good may be anticipated from the action of
these district committees in controlling absenteeism;
and, as we pointed out last week, it is quite within
the power of the men to make good the shortage of
output by the comparatively simple method of working
full time without idling. If this were done there
would be no occasion to consider the question either
of the suspension of the Eight Hours Act, or the
reduction of age limit of the boys. Apparently the
conference held the same view, for it was decided to
defer the discussion of these matters until the district
committees are in a position to make a progress
report.

It is upon the miners themselves that the responsi-
bility really rests for an increase in coal production.
We hope they will view the matter in the proper
spirit, feeling that it is their privilege to “do their
bit” in this way, exercising whatever self-denial it
entails, and conscious that in no other way can they
better bear their share of the burden of the war.

Further
Regulation
of Coal
Prices.

As we foreshadowed in a recent
article on the present position of coal
supplies in France, the President
of the Board of Trade has now
set in motion the proposals resulting
from his recent conference with the

French Government, and the disclosure of his inten-
tions has caused no little excitement in the export
coal trade of this country, embodying as it does the
establishment of a system both of maximum freights
and maximum prices on all coals exported to France.
Thus the subject touches several important trading
interests. It concerns the ship owner, the coal
exporter and the colliery owner. The coal exporter,
being of the nature of middleman, at first believed
that it was the intention that he should be altogether
extinguished, but Mr. Bunciman has now repudiated
any suggestion of that kind, and in a conciliatory
explanation has declared that he had not any other
object in view than to secure the hearty co-operation
of the coal exporter, whose assistance he believes to
be material to the success of his scheme.

Briefly, this scheme proposes that the maximum
freight rates to France shall be those ruling on