1044 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. June- 2, 1916. , r III.—Coal Exporters’ Services. jL > 1. The following arrangement is based on the prin- ciple'that exporters, on the one hand, shall not undercut ■one another or? seek ■ to obtain undue preferences, and that, on the other hand, importers in France shall be protected from seeing their neighbour receive supplies on more favourable terms than themselves. 2. Existing'Contracts not to be disturbed. 3. Exporters will undertake the work in connection with procuring-export' licences, all arrangements with collieries, railways., and docks for stemming vessels, Customs Blouse formalities, relating to coal, and atten- tion;, to loading.. ,, ’ d.- The,^ exporters, -including firms who are buying agents for firms • iii France and coal owners who sell direct to buyers-in. France, will charge and receive for their services -remuneration at the rate of 5 per cent, on f.o.b.. .price with -a maximum of Is. per ton. This reinuneration, . together . with shipping charges or dues not/included in f.o.b. price to exporters and charges for mixing; cargoesaon shipment and separation in holds, if any, to-be added to f.o.b. price and paid by buyers. For example, at present Tyne dues are l^d. per ton; Clyde dues Bld. per ton; wharfage dues Cardiff, Newport, Port Talbot, 2d. open ton ; and? harbour - tolls, Swansea, 2jjd. per ton. •' . ■ , . 5/ In order th’facilitate stemming with collieries, the chartering of' vessels will be done by exporters for acc’ount -of buyers'; ship paying to all exporters one-third of 5 per cent, brokerage on freight. In consideration of this payment, exporters will relieve buyers of demurrage'in loading, if any, but will not be responsible for demurrage at French ports. 6. Exporters for account of buyers will insure invoice value, plus 10 per cent., and will pay freights advances not exceeding one-third of estimated freight,. unless . otherwise arranged. 7. The basis of this arrangement is payment cash against bill of lading in London or Paris in exporters’ option. If credit.iSi mutually arranged, interest to be charged, at not; less than 1 per cent, above Bank of England rate.- 8'. The exporters in each district will appoint a com- mittee of their own number, to be called the local com- mittee. The local committees will keep in close touch with the Frepch Central Committee, .from whom they will receive instructions regarding allocation and priority of orders from France, state of discharging ports, etc. Failing specific instruction, the local committee will allo- cate orders equitably, The local committees will in like measure allocate tonnage available for employment in their respective districts, but charter parties will be entered into- between the owner or his .broker and the exporter as charterer. Each district will determine the number of its committee, and, if thought fit, fix sub- committees thereof to sit in rotation for the purpose of disposing of the work. In order to ensure uniformity of action,' a' central executive committee will frame standing orders for the conduct of the business of the local committees.’:;The members from each district of the executive committee will ex officio be members of their respective local committee. The ’ Commission appointed by the French Govern- ment to deal with the .question of the coal supplies for France, headed by M. Weiss, Minister of Mines, met the representatives of the coal owners and exporters at the Hotel Victoria, London, on' Wednesday, to- discuss the arrangements for exporting coal to France under the Board . of, .Trade’s ...new, scheme.. Sir D. M. Stevenson (Scotland) presided., f.Aftei-a long discussion, the follow- ing, telegram ; was : despatched to the1 respective colliery districts:— w.-.’w.” '-.-c ■■■ Operation of scheme for supply of coals to Franco as agreed upon by all parties'begins to-morrow, June 1. Complete agreement has been arrived at between repre- sentatives of the various colliery districts and exporters, but it has not been possible to complete the organisa- tion, in. France, as. the. committee there had’first to await completion here. Meanwhile,_ business between buyers in France and exporters td-he conducted in the usual manner, at prices, freight, and remuneration set out in the printed ysnhemn Q Ithde Subjdeti. to.' supervision and approval of district committees^ Meantime, no forward contracts to be madq .for execution/beyond June.” . .’li >i - -w •_--.Mi Jt. ‘ - ■ iv - - At the jiiyitatipn of the,-Kight Hom. A. D. Aclancl, chair- maii. of the- executi ve moihlnittee ; bf the Imperial College of Science and Technology, members of the Circle of Scientific, Technical,’ and" Trade .Journalists visited..the college on Wejnesjayy lyerevrihownr over the various laboratories. Among■the/researches.in Band;.or in contemplation as soon as opportunity affords,- are ^Timber diseases of coal pit props;' the chemical con st i taunts of coal and the action of oxygen and heat thereon; and the refractory materials employed in coke .oven and furnace construction. The pro- fessnrsiiof Itheuaollegeprecentlyi addressed a memorial to Lord Crewe, recbmmfeudingJjthe adoption of means for extending the tteaqhhag of'science in public schools and universities,'and for fij^^l^^n^p.p^rBwnities-4-by " means ■ of bursaries and schQlafehiy^fert'prdfiiising youths to continue scientific train-' inghaLspeonjahyi'jschbtdsodndi’.universities, instead of leaving thenffitord-ri&w Merchants Qomjplain About Factors.—A statement is in circfeWn td'Thc effcdWtliat'the Board of Trade intend^., to . apply more strictly the regulation under Jhe, Price of Coal (Limitation) Act, by'-wJrrufi’coa'l factors are permitted to take a profit of Is. Qd. jje^ton pn thef.cpal theyi. supplyyfy meyv chanf§feJneLbWdn. '^t^.a^leged that fo,r some time" past the price to the merchfiuV *hass ■frequently been forced up by the factbfe sbllifig-’dHibfie^Vfiothef ahd 'eifch, ’taking ls.Wd.' per’' ton-bbWrff fhdffefi aht\ blds "‘got his supplies with, tbe result’ thakW&uWff^'4Q.^. :hds been added toThe colliery price, CURRENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. Mine Transitman’s Table. ' Eligineers'and transitmen; hre frequently required to give points iri a cross-cut off the heading in order to drive back to meet the parallel‘heading, which for some reason has lallen behind. rAnd very often when attempting to put in the ‘^sights ” in the cross-cut it is found impossible to turn off the heading at a right angle. Therefore, it is necessary to make a calculation in order to maintain the desired distance, centre to centre of heading, and the parallel. All who have Table of Distances to Maintain Centre Lines where Angles (Other than 90 Degs.) are Required. Degs. .30 ft. 40 ft. 50 ft. ; eoft. . 70 ft. 75 ft. ; 80 ft. 90 ft. 100 ft. 120 ft. 150 ft. ri 30’00 40’01 50*01 60-01 70-01 75-01 1 1 80-01 9u‘01 100’02 120 02 150-02 2 30-02 40’02 50 03 60*04 70*04 75-05 80’05 . 90-05 100*06 120-07 150-09 3 30-04 40-05 50’07 60-08 70-10 75-10 80-11 . 90’12 100-14 120-16 150’21 -4 30’07 40-10 50’12 60-15 • 70-17 75-18 80-20 90*22 100-24 120’29 150-36 5 30-11 40-15 50*19 60'23 70’27 75-29 80-30 90’34 100-38 120’46 150 57 • rH 6 30-16 40-22 50-27 . 60-33 70-38 75’41 80-44 99-49 100’55 120-66 150-82 CD 7 3023 40-30 50-37 60-45 70:52 75*56 80’60 90’67 100-76 120-90 151-13 r> 8 30-30 40-39 50*49 60-59 70-69 75’74 80-79 90-89 100-98 121’18 151’47 9 30-37 ■ 40-49 50’63 • 60-75 70’85 75’93 81-00 91-12 101’25 121’50 151-87 10 30’47 40-62 50’77 60’93 - 71’08 76’16 81’24 91’39 10151 121-85 1 = 2-32 .a 11 30-56 40-.75 50-94. .61-12 7131 76-41 81-50 - 91-69 101 87 122’24 152’81 o 12 30’67 40-90 51-12 61-31 71’56 76’67 ! 81-78 92-01 102?24 122’68 1 3 35 dd 13 30-79 41-05 51-31' 61’58 71’84 76’97 82-10 92-37 102-C3 1'3’16 153-94 o 14 30’92 41-23 51-54 61-84 ; 7214 77*30 82-45 92-75 103-06 123’67 154-60 15 31’06 41-41 1-77 62-12 72-47 77-65 82-82 93-18 103’53 12 L23 155-30 16 • 31-21 41-61 52-01 62 42 72-82 78-02 83-22 93-63 104’03 124’84 156’04 17 31’37 41-83 52-28 62-74 . 73’20 78-43 83-66 9411 104’57 125’48 156-85 18 31-54 42’06 52-57 63-08 73-60 78’86 84-12 94’63 105-14 126’17 157’72 o 19 31’73 42-31 52’88 63’46 74’03 79-52 84-61 95’19 105’76 126’92 158’64 33-10 44-13 55-17 66-20 77-23 82-75 88-27 99 30 110-34 132'40 165’51 30 34-64 46*19 57-74 69’28 80’83 86-60 92-37 103 92 115-47 138’57 173’21 35 36-62 48-83 61-04 73-25 85-45 91’56 97-66 109’87 122 07 146’50 183-11 40 39-16 52-22 65-27 78-33 91-38 97’90 104-43 117’48 130-54 156'65 195-81 L45 42-43 56*57 70-71 84-85 99-00 106-07 113-14 127-29 141-42 169’70 212-14 made calculations in a mine realise how annoying and unsatisfactory it is. In order to eliminate these, Coal Age publishes the following table, for every degree from 1 to 20 inclusive, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 degs., and for distances of 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 90, 100, 120, and 150 ft. It has been found that these figures are sufficient to meet all prac- tical purposes. To- explain the use of the table, let us assume we are to put in sights for a parallel where a distance of 50 ft. is required between heading and parallel, the cross-cut being driven in such a direction that a sight of 20 degs. oft a perpendicular line between the two .entries is necessary. Referring to the column on the extreme left of the table, locate the 20 degs., and follow along the line to the intersection of the column headed 50ft. at the top, and the distance is found to be 53-21 ft. This is the distance required at which to place the “ sights.” The table may also be used when headings are on a pitch and vertical angles are necessary. For instance, let it be assumed that we have a required distance on a pitch heading of 120 ft., at which point another head- ing is to be turned off. By trying out, we find it neces- sary to measure on a 10 degs. vertical angle. Referring to the table, as in the previous case, in the 10 degs. line under the 120 ft. column, we find the required dis- tance to be 121-85 ft. If a distance be required which is not given in the table, say, a distance of 110 ft. for an angle of 10 degs., this may be obtained by using the sum of 50 ft. and 60 ft., which gives 50-77 plus 60-93, or 111-70 ft. Should the distance desired be 125 ft., and the angle 10 degs., we can use a combination of one-half of 50 plus 100, which will be :— ''W 4- 101-54 = 126-93 ft. The table will prove of value, and all transitmen will find it well worth their time to paste a copy in their mine note books. Sulphur in Coal Gas. In a paper read before the Society of Chemical Industry (London Section), Prof. Frank Clowes said that coal gas contained a small percentage of sulphur, and it was recognised as desirable to remove as much of this from the gas as possible. The most effective methods were by absorption in slaked lime or iron oxide. In the latter case the sulphur was recoverable. The use of lime was not favoured, as its disposal was apt to cause a nuisance. The injurious effect of sulphur in gas was illustrated by some experiments on bookbinding leathers carried out by Dr. J. Gordon Parker, for the Royal Society of Arts. Samples of leather which had suffered badly from the action of sulphuric acid when exposed to gas fumes, were exhibited. Physiologically, Dr. J. S. Haldane had shown that the breathing of sulphuric acid was injurious to health, while the fumes had no disin- fectant value, the strength that was fatal to a human subject being innocuous to germs. No effective substi- tute had been found for slaked lime until Dr. C. Carpenter introduced the process described in a paper which he read before the Institute of Gas Engineers in 1914, whereby the gas was purified by heating to a high temperature and exposure to iron oxide, with a catalyst composed of . nickel and a little nickel .sulphide. - -This method had proved highly efficient, and should’ be- generally adopted. In the discussion, Dr. C. Carpenter' referred'to the convenience , of 'the - catalytic- process, ; ^whieffi was.--practically- foretold 30 years ago by Sir AVn'i. '' Siemens, but was nol carried out owing to insufficient collaboration- between thoronginenrs'and chemists.’- ' Mr J -r'H. Jones said the essential thingwasdo free tile-gas from 'carbonic acid, -which would otherwise Tib erate the absorbed sulphur from the lime - If this was done, only a very small quantity of lime was needed, while the recovered sulphuric acid was of very high quality. Mr. Butterfield detailed 10 methods which had been tried for removing sulphur from gas, published in a report issued in 1869. None was very satisfactory, but one of them was a precursor of Dr. Carpenter’s process. The intro- duction of incandescent mantles had reduced the con- sumption of gas by one-half or one-third, and the pro- duction of sulphur by nine-tenths. Dr. S. Rideal remarked that the harmful sulphur compound in the atmosphere was not so much H2SO4 from gas, as H2S from open coal fires. THE GERMAN COAL AND IRON TRADES. We give below further extracts from German periodicals that have reached us, showing the course of the coal and iron trades in Germany :— Westphalian Iron Market. The tone of the market shows little alteration, a super-' abundance of orders and successive upward movements of price being the dominant feature. All the works are fully occupied, many almost exclusively with war orders, whilst others are striving to meet the growing export demand, buyers being undismayed by the increased prices, and willing to take even more than can be spared from the requirements of the home market. If it were not for the shortage of labour, the output could be .increased by at least one-third. From eight to 12 weeks are required for delivery, and orders extend into the last quarter of the year; but the works mostly decline to accept any for delivery beyond October 1. Raw materials are fairly steady, but prices of finished products have advanced further, and have reached limits unheard of in peace times, especially in bars and plates—fine plate, in particular. Both Siegerland and Nassau ores are in pressing request, and cannot be supplied fast enough, though the output at the mines has improved to about 90 per cent, of the normal. Manganese ore is scarce, the output having been requisitioned by the authorities. Prices show little change, the small quantities of Nassau red ironstone still available for this year fetching 22 mk. In the pig iron market, prices and conditions are unaltered, all high-grade marks selling freely, and even foundry pig is in greater request, both in the home and export markets. The Union deliveries of high-grade pig amounted in March to 59-40 per cent, of the participa- tion, against 59-71 per cent, in February. The demand for scrap has further increased, and prices will probably go up, the scarcity having extended to works which formerly had a surplus for sale. The home demand for semi-manufactured products cannot be satisfied, and, therefore, the export business has to be neglected. Prices 'are left unchanged for the third quarter. The trade in sections maintained its previous level in April, but very little went to builders, the chief consumers being wagon makers, structural engineers, and bridge, builders. There has been no change in prices since January. The State orders for rails and other super- structural material keeps the works busy, and supple- mentary ^orders are expected. The demand for tram and pit rails is improving. .. Bar Aron .makers are so full of work that they cannot give delivery for a long time ahead, and recourse has to. be had to the stocks of dealers, who.are able to obtain the record basis price of 210 mk. The market price of mild steel has risen to 180 mk., and sales have been concluded at this rate up to The end of the 'September 'quarter. For export, rates have gone up another 40’to 50 mk., so that the Dusseldorf Association is now' delivering Jo foreign’’ , ■ ■buyers at loss than current prices-. Sales of voiding iron ’ , . are quieter, and though ’ there is a better demand for ^export, the bUpplie