May 26, 1916.

997

to other destinations, .26,034 tons (9,824 tons). Total
shipments from Duisburg-Ruhrort, 337,074 tons (713,104
tons); Rheinpreussen, 83,521 tons (71,552 tons); Schwel-
gern, 27,669 tons (30,966 tons); Walsum, 85,472 tons
(57,876 tons); aggregate, 733,766 tons (873,479 tons).

LIMITATION OF COAL PRICES.

Goal owners from various parts of the country held a
meeting on Wednesday at the Hotel Cecil, London, for
the purpose of considering proposals to submit to the-
President of the Board of Trade in regard to the sug-
gested limitation of prices of coal for export to France.
The Board of Trade proposed that prices should be
induced to the extent of 20 per cent, below those ruling
on March 8, and it was on that basis that the scale .of
maximum freights was accepted by the shipowners.

Each district’s representatives conferred together
before a decision was reached. Various suggestions
wore modified on lines which secured practically unani-
mous support, and the new proposals embody maximum
prices above those mentioned by Air. Run ciman in his
letter of May 8.

A special meeting of the executive council of the
Alining Association of Great Britain was also held under
the chairmanship of Air. Adam Niimmo (Scotland) to
discuss the same matter.

At the Board of Trade offices Mr. Runciman met repre-
sentatives of the coal exporters of the United Kingdom,
and further considered with them the proposals for the
limitation of export-rates of coal to France. The deputa-
tion was informed that another meeting of the coal
owners was being arranged, and that after that meeting
it was hoped to complete a scheme of limitation.

The exporters suggested that they should have a
remuneration at the rate of 5 per cent, on the f.o.b.
price of coal, with a maximum of Is. per ton for the
services they will render under the Government scheme.
Moreover, to protect their interests as middlemen, they
ask- that no colliery owner who is also a coal exporter
should be allowed to undercut them. They consider
that without such a provision the French buyer would
be likely to place his business with the colliery owners
who engage in export business, so that the middleman
would be eliminated. The other clauses in the exporters’
scheme provide for co-operation with the owners and the
French -agents.

On Thursday the coal owners and exporters again con-
ferred in London, and subsequently suggested to Air.
Runciman about 20s. for small coal, 25s. for through-and-
through, and, 30s. for large. The different values of
exported coals and the relationship of wages were also
discussed. In some quarters it is assumed that Mr.
Runciman. will fix a price about 5s. to 10s. above pre-
war quotations. The scheme may contain the following
features :—

(1)	It will accept as binding all contracts concluded
prior to May 15, 1916;

(2)	It will embody the services, of direct French agents
acting as branches of a central organisation in
London, but in co-operation with each other.

(3)	The exporters will undertake all work in connec-
tion with obtaining export licences and the carrying out
of all the usual arrangements incidental to the shipment
of coal at a remuneration of 5 per cent, on the f.o.b.
price, with a maximum of Is. per ton.

(4)	In each district will be constituted a committee com-
posed of exporters, to control all branches of the export
trade with France, in order to prevent undercutting.or
undue preference among coal shippers in this country,
and to secure equality of treatment to all French
importers. This committee, working in conjunction
with the French authorities on the one hand and the
British licensing committee on the other hand, will in
practice act in an intermediary capacity between the
producer in this country and the consumer in France.
Those exporters who have been in. negotiation with the
Board of Trade will bo ex-officio members of the
committee.

MINERS’ CONFERENCE WITH MR. RUNCIMAN.

Fresh causes of trouble have arisen in the South
Wales coal field, which have brought about within the
last few days a situation which the miners’ leaders
regard as critical. On Thursday the executive com-
mittee of the South Wales Aimers’ Federation held a
meeting in London. Air. J. Winstone presided.

They decided upon various proposals, which it is
understood they put before Air. Runciman, to the effect
(1) that in view of Lord Muir Mackenzie’s action, they
could not accept him as adjudicator, and that another
chairman should be appointed; (2) that an immediate
advance of 15 per cent, must be* granted, to come into
force on June 1; (3) that an equivalent selling price
should be fixed as a basis for- the future.

In connection with the first point, it is understood
that the miners’ leaders desire the appointment of an
independent chairman who has an intimate knowledge
of the coal trade. With regard to their second proposi-
tion, they are understood to have urged upon Mr.
Runciman that the advance was fully warranted, and
that unless it came into operation in full on the
appointed day, the unrest in the coal field could hardly
be restrained. On the third claim, the miners consider
that the future position would be eased if a definite
equivalent were fixed, and that the independent chair-
man’s duties are limited in considering a claim from
either side to the actual selling price of coal, without
regard to any additional costs of production in other
ways.

It is reported that Lord Aluir Afackenzie has resigned
his position.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

TRADE AND THE WAR.

The embargo on the export of coal from Australia has been
relaxed. *

Charcoal making is being carried on in a number of rural
areas, in some of which it was practised as an industry many
years ago. The men at the front want charcoal for their
(tittle stoves.

The President of the Board of Trade has appointed Mr.
Henry Summers an additional member of the Committee
recently appointed to consider the position, after the war, of
the iron, steel, and engineering trades.

In view of the increasing difficulty of providing coal to
important consumers, the Board of Trade issued a circular
calling attention to the very considerable saving that can
be effected by the adoption of arrangements for inter-connec-
tion and joint working by electric supply undertakings,
including inter-connection with stations supplying tramways
and railways.

Messrs. Yeadon, Son and Company, Leeds, have received a
very important order for one of their briquette plants, all
complete, to be erected in Bordeaux, for one of the leading
coal firms there.

MINING INDUSTRY AND MILITARY
SERVICE.

Several supplementary lists were dealt with by. the
colliery tribunal at Doncaster recently. The Brodsworth
Colliery produced a list of single unattested men, employed
underground, who had been unintentionally omitted from
previous lists. It was decided to approve the men, subject
to enquiries as to the exact ages of the men. When the
surface workers’ list was considered, the president pointed
out they had no jurisdiction over clay workers. The com-
pany would have to appeal for them to the local tribunal.
Mr. Greensmith said all the bricks they were making were
going into the pit. In regard to the list of men employed
since August 15 last, all, with two exceptions, had had
previous colliery experience.

Air. Berry, of the Hatfield Colliery, was informed that a
return must be made of all discharged soldiers employed by
them. It was announced that they had just reached a seam
of coal 5 ft. 6 in. thick at the new sinkings at Hatfield. It
is supposed to be the Kent thick. The Barnsley seam, it
was anticipated, would be reached 50 yds. lower down, but
he (Mr. Berry) would be able to form ia more correct opinion
in about a fortnight.

The mining tribunal for the anthracite area sat at
Swansea recently. Air. Dyer Lewis, the chairman,
referred to short-term exemptions which had been granted
previously to individual workmen, the periods of which had
expired. He said that as it appeared the colliery owners
had been unable to get others to take their places, the Court,
■after enquiry as to the facts, had decided to grant further
exemption. Among the cases was that of an engineman and
stoker, a man working at the screens, a guard, a rider, and
an engine driver. Six surfacemen at Trimsaran were
exempted temporarily, owing to the difficulty of getting
labour. One case from Cwmgwrach Colliery had gone on
appeal to the central tribunal, the man being occupied cnly
part time underground, .and their decision was that so long
as he was employed underground he was exempted. A
striking incident in the sitting was the statement of Mr.
Hinds, Glanmorlads Colliery. Noticing that he. had no copy
of the list of names of men employed at the colliery, the
chairman asked : “ Have you any papers? ” and Mr. Hinds
replied, “No, sir. All my staff have been taken from me
under the Military Service Act, and the office is closed.’’
The proceedings had, therefore, to be conducted upon the
list supplied to the tribunal. In another case it was stated
that the shortage of men was so great that although that
colliery had good demand, two-thirds was idle owing , to
want of men. The tribunal exempted the -son of an owner
employing about 90 men in his colliery, the son acting as
surveyor and discharging general office duty; but the mili-
tary representative said he should appeal. Mr. Dyer Lewis
stated he felt sure there were many men in the collieries
who had rushed there, and Col. Pearson asked one manager
to supply a list of these.

Before the Coseley (Staffordshire) colliery tribunal, a
coal hauler 'applied for exemption for his two sons, whose
occupation principally consisted in hauling allowance coal
for miners. It was stated in support of the claim that the
men were recently before the tribunal, when no exemption
was granted. The .appeal tribunal granted two months’.
A letter signed by the manager of a colliery was put in,
stating that Black Country miners resented any interference
with their regular supply of coal,. which was granted in
accordance with a local custom. A pit had been thrown
idle on more than one occasion because the men considered
the delivery of their coal was delayed. If men had difficulty
in getting their supplies it w-as likely they would show their
resentment by putting a pit to play again, which, under
present circumstances, would be a serious matter, consider-
ing that the output was going to munition works. The mili-
tary representative expressed surprise that such a letter
should be signed by a colliery manager. Miners, he said,
had sent a large proportion of men to the Colours; in fact,
he knew qpllieries from which 40 per cent, of the miners
had gone. Now they were asked to believe that because
miners could not get their allowance coal through two men
having to go to the Colours they would throw a pit idle.
A member of the tribunal said he knew that if miners did
not get their coal there would be a row, but he did not
see why men over military age should not be engaged to
drive a horse. The application was refused.

At the same Court a colliery proprietor applied for exemp-
tion for a surface worker. The military representative : At
one time women were employed on the bank. Applicant :
I hope we shall never come back to it.

Twelve appeals lodged. by the employers for miners at
Spawood Mine, Guisborough, were withdrawn, as were also
four appeals for men employed at Belmont mines. Condi-
tional exemption was granted to the other workmen at
Spawood and Belmont mines. The tribunal decided that the
men, whose appeals were withdrawn by the employers, should
have an opportunity to make an appeal on personal grounds.

An interesting case which came before the Tanfield tribunal
was that of Air. Alfred Storer, who appealed for exemption
on the grounds that he was largely engaged in mining
barytes, and was a part-owner of coal and metalliferous mines
in Northumberland, Durham, and Ireland. He was general
manager of the East Tanfield Mines, and said that the under-
taking with which he was connected now controlled one-fifth

o-f the total output of the United Kingdom. It was largely
used in the manufacture of paint used on Government and
other work. Previously, German mines were in competition
with British producers, but now W’e were entirely dependent
on home resources. He had charge of the books of the firm,
but admitted that he had two partners, one at Tanfield, and
another at Burnopfield. The application was rejected.

The military representative on the Tanfield rural tribunal
last week successfully applied for the cancellation of certifi-
cates of exemption granted to two colliery clerks. He stated
that women were being trained in many offices, and it was his
duty to revise such certificates of exemption periodically. The
men were given permission to appeal on personal grounds.

To the Auckland rural tribunal, Air. Samuel Hare, agent
for Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan and'Company Limited, applied
for the exemption of a number of men. Amongst them were
two clerks, who were stated to be indispensable, and to be
performing duties which had taken them years to learn.
These were exempted for three months. In the case of a
chauffeur, who was really a pitman, but had offered to drive
Air. Hare’s car when Mr. Hare’s own chauffeur went to the
Colours last year, Mr. Hare agreed that the man should be
returned to the pit, so as to allow another man to- be taken
in his stead.

The Durham rural district tribunal granted six months’
exemption to Messrs. Bell Brothers in respect of an under-
ground bill clerk, aged 35, at Tursdale Colliery. The firm
stated that the man was indispensable to the colliery, in view
of their increased activities arising out of the war. He had
been with them for 22 years, and had therefore had great
experience, which was essential in such employment. The
number of men at the colliery who had joined the Forces
was 157.

At the Lanchester tribunal, Jas. Edward Young (31),
woodman and timber feller, was appealed for on the ground
that he was engaged in felling timber for colliery purposes.
The Board of Munitions, it was urged, had made a strong
appeal to land owners to do everything possible in the way
of providing timber for collieries. The Advisory Committee’s
observation was that too many men of military age were
sheltering themselves behind the timber felling trade. Two
members of the tribunal remarked that old men could not be
expected to cut timber, and conditional exemption was
granted.

Francis Purvis (36), assistant secretary to the Scremerston
Coal Company Limited, applied to the Norham and Island-
shire tribunal for exemption on grounds of indispensability.
The secretary of the company sent a letter stating that the
man was specially qualified for the work, and it would be
impossible to fill his place satisfactorily. Both directors
were serving, and one, Air. J. E. Carr, had been at the front
for 18 months. The military representative stated that they
could only deal with the man as a clerk—perhaps as a superior
sort of clerk—and he was, therefore, not in a certified occupa-
tion. On the casting vote of the chairman, three months’
exemption was granted, with leave to appeal again at the end
of that time.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE.
COURT OF APPEAL.—May 18.

Before Lord Justice Swinfen Eady, Lord Justice
Phillimore, and Lord Justice Bankes.

Pursuit of the “ Goeben.”

Seville and United Kingdom Carrying Company v. Mann,
George and Company.—The defendants appealed against a
judgment regarding extra freight and demurrage on a cargo
of South AVales coal shipped in the “ Rosemount ’’ at 7s. 6d.
a ton freight for Gilchrist, Walker and Company, of Constan-
tinople. When the “ Rosemount ’’ was in the Mediter-
ranean, war broke out. Some British cruisers, after chasing
the “ Goeben ’’ and “ Breslau,’’ replenished their bunkers
with 3,178 tons of the “ Rosemount’s ’’ cargo. The sub-
stantial dispute between the parties was whether the plaintiffs
(the ship owners) were entitled to receive from the defendants
(the cargo owners) 12s. 6d. a ton as freight on the whole
cargo. The plaintiffs claimed that they were entitled to that
freight on the whole cargo, in consideration of their consent-
ing to go to the Pirseus, notwithstanding that part of the
cargo was delivered at Tenedos. Further, the defendants
were better off as regards demurrage than they would have
been if the whole cargo had been delivered at the Pineus.
Mr. Justice Sankey held that the plaintiffs ought to have extra
freight on the whole of the cargo, but the Appeal Court
varied that judgment in part, by deciding that the defen-
dants were liable to pay 5s. a ton extra freight only on so
much of the cargo as was landed at the Piraeus.

OBITUARY.

Mr. William Hunton Pearson, whose death, under tragic
circumstances, occurred recently at Chilton Moor, county
Durham, is described as having been a man with an extra-
ordinary capacity for work. Connected with the London-
derry Collieries and the Netherton and Haltwhistle Collieries
all his life, he acted also as private secretary to Mr. V. W.,
Corbett, agent for the former collieries, and held several
minor public offices.

Maj. W. H. Blake, who has died of pneumonia in a
northern musketry camp, was well known in Newcastle and
district as an analytical chemist. He specialised in the
analysis of Northumberland and Durham coals.

Maj. Henry Tomkins, who has died at Stockton at the age
of 61 years, was chairman of the boilermaking firm of Messrs.
T. Sudron and Company Limited, of that borough. He was
also a big furnace contractor, and was responsible for the
construction of nearly all the furnaces of the South Durham
Iron and Steel Company Limited, at the Stockton Moor and
Hartlepools Works. During the time he was in business on
his own account, it is estimated that he erected, steel fur-
naces' with a total producing capacity of 700,000 tons per
annum, the great majority of 'which furnaces are still in
operation.

Mr. John Hopgood Lewis, of Swinley-lane, Wigan, coal
salesman, passed away last week at the age of 57 years.

Mr. J. Turnbull, a Tyne waterman, who died this week
at Lemington, near Newcastle, is stated to have been pro-
bably the last of the old fraternity of keelmen for whom the
Tyne and Wear were famous in the days when oar and sail
were the principal motive powers of vessels. Mr. Turnbull
was 85 years of age, and could remember the time when
Tyneside coals were usually counted by the chaldron (about
53 cwt.), eight of which went to a keel-load,