June 30, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1237 bottom of the fire, and when in use is surrounded by fuel and ashes. This pipe should have a slight downward slope towards its exit end, so as to be self-draining. At the upper end is a bridge to which the end of the steam- pipe is attached, the reducing piece or jet being placed just inside the air-pipe, but not far enough to check the air entering the latter. A steam tap, at a convenient height, enables the amount of steam used in each fire- place to be regulated. This arrangement gives good results, though still better ones may be obtained by con- verting the fireplaces into small gas-producers, an alteration which enables very poor coal to be used with- out the ashes being a serious trouble, and secure a more regular heating of the kiln.—British dayworker. Thermal Phenomena in Carbonisation. The report presented by Mr. Harold Rollings and Mr. John W. Cobb to the Institution of Gas Engineers states that they had conceived it possible that the characteristics of the heating curve of a coal might be traced to' the portions of coal separated by pyridine (or pyridine chloroform) extractions, but such did not prove to be the case. There was a very close resemblance between the curves obtained for the portions of coal soluble and insoluble in pyridine; the prominent feature in common with the curve for the original coal was the * exothermic stage noted above 600 degs. Cent. A partial ; decomposition of the coal by the solvent, rather than a 1 solution of one constituent, seemed to be indicated. ' In order to trace the progressive changes in thermal phenomena on carbonisation which marked the transi- ! tion from cellulose to hard coal, curves were obtained for different types, of coal, and for lignite, dehydrated cellulose, and cellulose itself. < The results obtained were instructive, and their co-ordination with such chemical data as were available ■ led to the following summary :— ‘ (1) >Below 400 degs. Cent.—Cellulose shows a strong exothermic reaction, commencing at 345 degs., but this is very much weakened in dehydrated cellulose and lignite, and absent in the coals. It is presumably con- nected with the loss of hydroxyl groups from cellulose, and consequent molecular condensation in the residue. (2) Between 400 and 600 degs. Cent.—In this interval the characteristic differences of the types- of coal are manifested. Oils, unsaturated hydrocarbons, higher paraffins, and oxygenated compounds are produced in quantity and quality dependent on the nature of the coal, and the thermal phenomena are varied in a corre- sponding degree. (3) Between 600 and 800 degs. Cent.—In this interval methane is evolved, and all the coals display marked exothermicity in passing through it. If the carbonisa- tion of coal is on the whole exothermic, as is generally supposed, it seems likely that the principal factor in determining the exothermicity is operative in this interval, and that the main reaction responsible is the exothermic production of methane. This conclusion is supported by thermal calculations applied to hypo- thetical chemical equations for the carbonisation of coal with and without the formation of methane. (4) Above SOO degs. Cent.—As clearly indicated by the experiments of Burgess and "Wheeler, and confirmed by Vignon, hydrogen becomes the main product of dis- tillation above 800 degs. The thermal change is equally marked around the same temperature. Above 800 degs. the process is either thermally neutral, or, more pro- bably, slightly endothermic, presumably because the reactions producing hydrogen are themselves of that character. (5) Thermal phenomena at low temperatures are only marked with cellulose and coals of a high oxygen con- tent, while phenomena at high temperatures are most marked with anthracite and coals of a low oxygen content.—Gas World. INDUSTRIAL INSPECTION IN 1915. The annual report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops for the year 1915, just issued, deals only with the duties which have arisen in connection with the war, and contains, in addition, a special report on the effect of the second year of war on the industrial employ- ment of women and girls. Early in the year a complete census was taken of machinery suitable for use in making munitions; and the inspectors also rendered services to other departments, the Health of Munition Workers’ Committee, Reserved Occupations Committee, and Women’s Employment Committee. A number of trade conferences were instituted to arrange for releasing men for the Army, etc., and replacing them from other classes of labour. In virtue of the extended powers acquired, under the Defence of the Realm Act, of exempting certain fac- tories, etc., from the operation of the Factory Acts, General and Special Orders were issued regulating the hours of labour and the questions of overtime and Sunday work; and these Orders have, generally, been properly observed, the chief irregularity being working overtime without authority. The Health of Munition Workers’ Committee’s report that long hours had not caused any serious breakdown among workers has been confirmed by inspectors in all parts of the country, there being an entire absence of complaint that operatives have been taxed beyond their strength. Cases of serious breakdown were found only among managers and foremen. A great advance is recorded in welfare work, the pro- vision of mess rooms and canteens, and arrangements for dealing with sickness and injury. Special lady supervisors have been appointed to look after the welfare of women workers. With regard to the replacement of men of military age, this did not occur to any great extent, though in most trades older men were taken on, boys promoted earlier than usual, and female labour was introduced. LETTERS TO THE EDITORS. The Editors are not responsible either for the statements made, or the opinions expressed by correspondents. All communications must be authenticated by the name and address of the sender, whether for publication or not. No notice can be taken of anonymous communications. As replies to questions are only given by way of published answers to correspondents, and not by letter, stamped addressed envelopes are not required to be sent. MILITARY TRIBUNALS. Sirs,—I should like to ventilate what appears to me to be a peculiar and rather an awkward position, viz. :— As you are aware, colliery employees, other than clerks, are subject to colliery tribunals, but the clerks are sub- ject to local tribunals. Now, I submit, colliery tribunals are in a much better position to know the needs of a colliery office than a tribunal composed of men who, with all due respect, may have no, or but very little, knowledge of the working of a colliery, or of the clerical staff required. Coal mining is a national industry, and it does seem strange that colliery tribunals do not deal with clerks as well as with all other employees. There are clerks in colliery offices whom it would be very difficult to replace, and a stranger coming, assuming the stranger could be obtained, could not, without long training, make up pay bills, cost sheets, and acquire a good knowledge of Compensation Acts, Health Insurance, and the many Government returns required from collieries. I should be glad if you would bring this matter before the readers of your valuable paper, and see if anything can be done to bring about what I would call a much-needed change, viz., put all colliery employees under colliery recruiting courts. Do you know if any special instructions have been given to tribunals in respect of clerks employed in national industries? Secretary. June 26, 1916. WOURDED ALLIES RELIEF COMMITTEE. Sirs,—"Will you kindly allow me the hospitality of your columns to express my deep and sincere gratitude to all who have so generously contributed to the relief funds of the wounded Allies? The total sum derived from the sale of coal amounts to a little over £15,000. This will enable the committee to undertake further new hospital work, so urgently required in the different theatres of war. The warm and enthusiastic response of the coal mer- chants ensured the success of my appeal. The chair- man, Lord Swaythling, and the members of the com- mittee, desire me to express our most grateful thanks for the magnificent sum collected. My unique experience will always be a very happy memory, and words cannot express how greatly I appre- ciate the splendid assistance so cheerfully given by my friends on the Coal and Baltic Exchanges. Newstead Abbey, Nottingham, Lucy Markham. June 26r 1916. TRADE AND THE WAR. The business of Bleichert’s Aerial Transports Limited, Egypt House, London, E.C., is being wound up under the Trading with the Enemy Amendment Act, 1916. A proclamation in the London Gazette states that the following articles will be treated as .absolute contraband during the continuance of the war : Asphalte, bitumen, pitch and tar. Enemy businesses which are being wound up by order of the Board of Trade include the Bakelite Company Limited, makers of insulating material,’ Orb Works, Cowley, and Th. Goldschmidt Limited, purchasers’ of tin scrap for export, Thames House, Queen-street, E.C. The Commercial Intelligence Branch of.the Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall-street, E.C., has received applications from firms seeking British manufacturers of certain goods pre- viously obtained from Germany and Austria, including machinery for flattening and heading nails and small cast metal wheels. The Norwegian Mercantile Shipping Gazette states that the outcome of the British-Swedish ngotiations is that the British prohibition of the importation of pulp has been partly abolished as from the beginning of July. Negotiations are now in progress for the exchange of 100,000 tons of pulp against 100,000 tons of coal. Mr. Herbert Shaw, secretary of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, has received a communication from the Canadian Trade Commission inviting exporters and importers to state their views to the Commission. For this purpose printed forms can be obtained from Mr. Shaw at the Chamber of Commerce and are to be returned not later than July 10. From July 6 a licence will be needed for the importation of a motor car or accessories. Licences will be granted if the importation is in the national interest, or if the car (being a commercial car) is urgently required for any of the pur- poses specified in Class A of the Order of Priority for the distribution of motor spirit, or for the conveyance of essential goods. The Russian Ministry of Trade and Industry has intro- duced into the Council of Ministers a Bill for an advance of £2,000,000 to an enterprise for the organisation of a huge metallurgical and coke factory near Kuznetsk. The railways which are planned will enable the company to develop its network in the sphere of the Kuznetsk coal and other mineral veins in an extensive district which promises in the near future to become a new metallurgical centre. According to a New York paper, scarcity of foreign freight ships and the absence of an adequate American merchant marine are threatening to put the United States naval stations on the Pacific coast in a bad way for coal. It may be necessary for the Government to send all coal for warships and Navy yards on the Pacific coast overland by rail instead of through the Panama Canal as heretofore. The situation is of such immediate seriousness that in the new contracts for supplying coal the Government has asked bidders to figure on the basis of taking coal overland direct from the mine instead of by ship from tide water, as has been the rule. Switzerland, which depends on the Allies for food supply as much as on Germany for industries, detained merchandise for Germany valued at £640,000 (including 25,000 bales of cotton and a quantity of foodstuffs)'. The German Govern- ment has demanded delivery of the merchandise under penalty of stopping the supply of German coal. Up to the present Germany has sent 12,000 tons of coal daily in German trucks at 29s. 5d. a ton without “ compensation,” whereas English coal delivered in Italy costs over £8. France, even if she could supply coal, cannot spare the rolling stock for transport, and Switzerland has nothing like the 1,000 trucks necessary for daily transport. If the threat were carried out a grave industrial crisis would arise at the end of a week. Switzerland has asked for further time to consider the matter. MINING INDUSTRY AND MILITARY SERVICE. Newcastle local tribunal last week granted three months’ exemption to the assistant manager of a firm of coal exporters. At Blyth local tribunal, the Seaton Delaval Goal Com- pany secured siix months’ exemption for Thornes Elliott, the last staith man left to the company .at Blyth Harbour. The erectors of screening plant for Admiralty coal at Rose Heyworth Colliery sought exemption of .a foreman timber- man and a foreman bricklayer, but the latter was refused, and only three months’ exemption granted the timberman. At the South Yorkshire Colliery tribunal at Doncaster, the Rossiington Colliery Company appealed for the exemption of a contractor, the men under whom are still carrying out developments.’ The president remarked that the work was essential, the company were not spending money for the love of doing it, and exemption would be granted. During a discussion at the Abertillery tribunal on Friday as to the combing out of men from the pits, a miners’ repre- sentative said that it was alleged the output was prejudiced owing to shortage of labour, but this was absolutely false, for colliers could increase the output 50 per cent, if only they could get clearance. In a letter to the Press, Mr. E. Hughes, miners’ agent,. North Wales, expresses the view that “ every single man of military age who has entered the mines since August 1915 for the purpose of saving his skin should be taken for military service.” At the same time Mr. Hughes draws attention to the dangerous and laborious character of the work under- ground as evidence that miners who remain at work, as well as those which have gone to the front, are making sacrifices. A colliery representative questioned the Swansea tribunal whether his firm would be liable to any penalty for employ- ing an insurance collector who had worked as a miner till two years ago, and had now returned to the colliery. The military representative answered “Yes; £20 but the chairman stated that if it were shown that such men were of use to the colliery the tribunal had a perfect right to allow them to be employed. Applicant must hand in a list of the names. COAL EXPORTS COMMITTEE. The Coal Exports Committee met on Wednesday at the Hotel Victoria, London, and elected Sir D. M. Stevenson chairman. Proposals regarding local com- mittees1 were considered before the meeting adjourned until the following day. The following official report was issued by Mr. R. M. Stewart, secretary of the joint committee, at the close! of the proceedings :— “ An executive committee of 15 was appointed, com- posed of one delegate from each interest in the five dis- tricts into which the country had been divided. A small committee was also set up, consisting of Sir D. M. Stevenson, Mr. T. J. Callaghan, Mr. T. Evans, and Mr. George Renwick, with Mr. Stewart, to deal with matters of urgency as they arise. Among other points con- sidered were the following :— “ (1) Bunker coals shipped as cargo to French ports under limitation of freights : It was agreed that such coal came within the scope of the general scheme, and that coal schedule prices should apply. “ (2) Supply of bunker coal at British ports to steamers loading coal for France : In this case it was agreed to fix a maximum of 7s. 6d. per ton above schedule prices. “ (3) Brokerage : The ship owners proposed that this should only be payable where it is customary, but after explanations had been made by other interests, it was agreed that the clause in the scheme granting brokerage should not be altered. The position now is that during the period of-the scheme the owners in all districts will pay one-third of 5 per cent, to the exporters. “ (4) Patent fuel : The coal owners have practically arranged a basis of limited prices for this commodity, and the ship owners are considering the question of freights. “ (5) Coke : This matter is to be discussed by the parties interested, with a view to fixing maximum prices and freights. “ Mr. Leon, chairman, and other members of the French Coal Committee in London, were present at the meeting to-day.” Mr. James Cromwell Elliott, coal fitter for certain north- west Durham collieries, Cullercoats, left estate sworn at £1,289. Injunction Against Colliery Company.—-In the Chancery Court on Thursday, Mr. Justice Neville granted an injunc- tion and enquiry as to damages in an action by the Durham County Council against the South Medomsley. Colliery Com- pany Limited for subsidences caused by working coal under a school and the adjoining land owned by the plaintiffs. The defendants denied that they had caused the subsidences, but his lordship held that they were responsible since 1909. In view of the smallness of the damage and the enormous expense of the enquiry, he hoped the parties would - come to an agreement.