July 7, 1916,THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 21 petroleum residue or a cell pitch, the latter being cheaper, particularly in localities where paper is manu- factured, although it is lower in heating value. The coal before briquetting is distilled until approximately 3 per cent, hydrogen, ,with respect to total combustible matter, is retained in the residue, corresponding approxi- mately to that contained in anthracite coal. About ‘20 per cent, of the volatile constituents is retained in the coal. The by-products of the distillation are recovered and the residue, after the addition of 10 per cent, of petroleum residue, is briquetted. The resulting briquette is similar in its average composition to a good bituminous coal. The best results are obtained when the carbon content of the raw coal on an ash- and moisture-free basis is increased from 75 to 86 per cent, in the partially coked coal, and the hydrogen content reduced from 5-4 to 3-7 per cent., while the volatile matter is reduced from 47’7 to 21-4 per cent. 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 :— Fuel Traffic on the Rhine-Herne Canal in May. The total shipments amounted to 396,088 tons (196,438 tons in May 1915), of which 50,127 tons (26,942 tons) were from Arenberg-Prosper, 61,595 tons (26,859 tons) from the State collieries, 51,562 tons (23,716 tons) from Bismarck, 12,842 tons (10,543 tons) from Concordia, 1,243 tons (12,758 tons) from Dort- mund, 13,074 tons (17,608 tons) from Friedrich der Grosse, 7,668 tons (1,600 tons) from Hibernia, 27,315 tons (nil) from Koln-Neuessen, 19,842 tons (14,960 tons) from Konig Ludwig, 9,912 tons (nil) from Konig Wilhelm, 39,502 tons (25,394 tons) from Mathias Stinnes, 2,625 tons (5,821 tons) from Minister Achen- bach, 6,694 tons (1,980 tons), 12,796 tons (nil) from Unser Fritz, and 79,319 tons (23,806 tons) from Wanne- West. Miners’ Wages in the First Quarter of 1916. During the first three months of the present year, the 281,191 miners engaged in the Dortmund district worked a total of 24,402,879 shifts, or an average of 87 per indi- vidual. The aggregate net wages amounted to 148,199,803 mk., equivalent to an average of 527 mk. per man for the quarter, or 6*07 mk. per shift. Limitation of Coal Prices in Baden. The authorities in Baden have established a system of settling prices for coal, coke, and briquettes in the wholesale trade, and this measure is to be followed by fixing maximum prices for retailers. Penalties will be imposed for any breach of the regulations. Rhenish-Westphalian Iron Market. The development of this market continues on the previous lines, and the only changes that can be expected are those of an upward nature. All the works are fully occupied, the demand is active and pressing, and most manufacturers have sold the whole of their output for the current year, so that few of them are open to further commitments, especially for export. The scarcity of raw materials is increasing—a circumstance which naturally influences prices, the latter having advanced by 20 to 30 mk. per ton. During June the ironstone producers announced an increase of 4 mk. per ton for roasted ore, a measure which reacted on pig iron prices, with the result that the war ministry constrained the Siegerland iron- stone union to .agree to a moderation of the ore prices so as to obviate raising the cost of steel iron and spiegel- eisen. A discussion on the subject of the price of semi-products and sections took place between the Prussian Ministry of Commerce and representatives of the iron industry, and an investigation into the present market prices was commenced by the war material department. Iron ore still continues scarce in the Siegerland and Nassau, although every effort is made to increase the output, and prices are not always remunerative, in view of the higher cost of production. The action of the Minister of Commerce has enabled the price of pig iron to be kept. unchanged. An active demand prevails, especially for grades low in phosphorus and those con- taining manganese; but even the inferior kinds meet a ready sale. The demand for semi-products is good, and cannot be fully satisfied, even at the higher rates quoted for third quarter delivery by the steel union. Rail makers are full of orders, the State railways having recently placed the remainder of their contracts for the financial year, and profitable transactions have been carried out with neutral buyers. Pit rails are in better request, but tram rails somewhat neglected. Sections advanced in price by 20 mk. for delivery July-September, the chief demand being from constructional engineers and wagon builders. Bar iron makers are full up for several months ahead, and sales for export have had to be postponed for some weeks in order that the needs of the home market may be satisfied. Prices have been advanced to 200 mk. without difficulty, and the last meeting of the bar iron export committee fixed the rates for export at 190 mk. ex Diedenhofen and 195 mk. for Oberhausen, basic material. The hoop iron mills are fully occupied for the next few months, and have had to refuse all new export orders, in order to supply the home market. The basis price for basic material has been raised by 25 mk., in conformity with the price of semi- products. Heavy plate, too, has been advanced 20 mk. for the third quarter, and the orders in hand are suffi- cient for several months. Great difficulty has been experienced in meeting the demand for fine plate, espe- cially since skilled labour is becoming progressively scarcer, and maximum prices have been attained for nearly all kinds. Wire products have gone up 25 to 30 mk. for the third quarter, and higher rates are quoted for export. The demand continues very pressing, espe- cially for war material, and the material is in short supply. All the tube works are very busy, principally on Army orders, but inland prices have been left unchanged. Quotations.—June: Siegerland roasted ore, 26 mk. per ton; foundry pig No. 1 96mk., No. Ill 91 mk.; spiegeleisen (10 to 12 per cent. Mn), 114-50 mk.; haematite, 112-50 mk.; Siegerland steel iron, 93-50 mk.; puddling iron, 90-50 mk.; basic ingots, 127-50mk.; basic open hearth ingots, 142-50 to 147-50mk.; blooms, 132-50 mk.; billets, 142-50 mk.; plate bars, 147-50 mk.; girders, 160mk.; bar iron (mild steel), 190 to 200mk.; hoop iron, 225 m.; heavy plate, 195 mk.; fine plate, 275 to 300 mk.; medium plate, 265 mk.; rolled wire, 195 mk.; drawn wire, 215 mk.; wire nails, 230 to 235 mk.; galvanised wire, 260 to 265 mk. CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONS. The Local Government Board have issued a new list of certified occupations, dated July 7, which supersedes previous lists, and includes, among others, the following :— General Reservations. Age Limits* for Single Married Men. Men. Enginemen or engine tenters and power crane drivers, stokers or boiler firemen .......... f25 ... — Electrician or electrical fitter engaged in the maintenance or repair of motors and other electrical plant in factories ................. 30 ... — Mechanics and similar men engaged in the main- tenance or repair of their employers’ plant, machinery or tools ............................ 25 ... — Mining and Quarrying. Coal mining :—Men below ground, all classes... — ... — Workmen above ground, colliery fitter, colliery mechanic, electrician, pumpman, weighman (including checkweighman), winding engine- man .......................................... — ... — Central rescue stations, technical staff and permanent rescue corps ...................... — ... — Fireclay mining and quarrying :—All under- ground workmen in mines ...................... — ... — Foreman (above ground) at mines or quarries 30 ... — Getter or quarryman in quarries ............. — ... — Ganister mining and quarrying :—All under- ground workmen in mines ...................... — ... — Foreman (above ground) at mines or quarries 30 ... — Getter or quarryman in quarries ............. — ... — Iron mining or quarrying :—All underground workmen in mines, getter or quarryman in quarries, surface workmen (all classes) ...... — ... — Limestone quarries solely engaged in supplying iron and steel works :—Foreman .............. 30 ... — Getter or,quarryman ......................... — ... — Oil shale mining :—Workmen below ground, all classes .................................. — ... — Workmen above ground :—Fitter, mechanic, electrician, pumpman, weighman (including checkweighman), winding engineman ........... — ... — Shale oil works :—Shale oil workman ........... — ... — Patent fuel works :—Foreman .............. 30 ... — Beltman or loader, trolleyman ........... 41 ... 25 Iron and Steel Trades. Pig iron manufacture, blast furnaces :—All classes of workmen ............................. — ... — Steel manufacture :—All classes of workmen ... — ... — Iron and steel rolling mills, and puddling fur- naces :—All classes of workmen ................. — ... — Tin-plate and steel sheet manufacture :—All classes of workmen .......................... f— ... — Miscellaneous Metal Trades. Chain making :—Block chains, all classes of workmen ........................................ — ... — Other chains, all classes of workmen (except men engaged on chains of less than Tain, diameter) ................................... — ... — Heavy edge tool, pick, spade, shovel, and hoe manufacture :—All classes of workmen except wood turners ............................... 41 ... — Transport Trades. Coal trade :—Depot or wharf manager .......... 41 ... 25 Porter, loader, trimmer, tipper, carman .... 30 ... — * A man who had not reached the age stated at April 4 will nevertheless be entitled to be treated as in a certified occupation, if, before his case has been decided by the tribunal, he has been found, on examination by a recruiting medical board, not to be fit for general service. f Where the man in charge of the principal power engines, or the works chemist, at important works is under 25, and is the only man left in that position, he should be exempted. The preliminary provisions of the list introduce a new principle. If a man is engaged in one of the occupations in the list, and, on examination by the Recruiting Medical Board before his case is decided by the tribunal, he is declared not to be fit for general military service, he is to be regarded, as being in a certified occupation, even though he does not comply with the conditions in the list ats to age or marital condition. The age limits in the list have generally been raised in consideration of this new provision. Particulars are given respecting the procedure in dealing with applications for exemption on the ground that a man is employed in a certified occupation. Mr. Long has been asked to draw the attention of tribunals also to the following matters :— Home Grown Timber Trade.—It is essential at the present time that the supply of home grown timber, especially for mining requirements, should be main- tained, and therefore, except in very special circum- stances, skilled men necessary for the carrying on of the trade should be retained in their employment. The important occupations from this point of view have been certified, without any restrictions as to age, marital con- ditions or employment on or before August 15,1915; the occupations are : “ Timber (home grown) trade-—cutter (feller); haulier; sawyer. ’ ’ MINING INDUSTRY AND MILITARY SERVICE. At the Newcastle local tribunal last week, a young and unmarried partner in a firm of colliery agents and coal exporters appealed for exemption on the ground that he was engaged in the .shipment of very considerable quantities of north country coal to France and other countries. He was responsible for the chartering of vessels, and the only other man in the office capable of directing the w’ork was his partner, a married man, who was appealing against the decision of that tribunal not to grafit him conditional exemption. The business of 500 steamers had passed through the firm’s office during the past six months or there- abouts, and he thought that that was proof of the national importance of the work. The chairman disagreed, however, that the export would cease, and asked whether the appellant preferred to go instead of his married partner. Appellant protested that no other man in the office could do his special work. The chairman said that the case would go to the tribunal which would shortly hear the other partner's appeal, and the two cases would then be adjudicated upon. Conditional exemption was granted to Mr. Albert Baken- bury, 38, head clerk at Hamsteels Colliery, by the Lan- chester rural tribunal last week. The application was in the name of. Lieut.-Col. Burgoyne Johnson, and Mr. Thomas Lowdon, manager at the Hamsteels Collieries, supported the appeal. He stated that Mr. Bakenbury had to attend to all the traffic, both for coal and coke. The action of the Consett local tribunal in handing over to the colliery tribunal the case of a butcher’s manager who had been previously granted temporary exemption was rather unusual. The firm has closed down the butchering business, and the applicant, being then unemployed, found w’ork as a shifter at the Consett Iron Company’s Eden colliery. The local tribunal ruled that it had no jurisdiction. At Benfieldside rural tribunal last week, William Hull, a pit timber haulier, in the employ of the South Hetton Coal Company Limited, claimed exemption on the ground of being in a reserved occupation and also on personal grounds. Ordinarily, he was a horseman, but for the past six weeks had drawn timber v/hich had been felled. He also had four brothers serving, and had a wife and two children. The military representative objected, and said that, in the light of the county appeal, there was no case. The tribunal dis- missed the case, one member remarking that -it was no use exempting the man and then being “ shown up.” Of three staithsmen who made application to the South Shields tribunal last Friday, two were absolutely refused, and the third, a man 40 years of age and fit only for home service, was granted four months’ postponement. In the first case, a shipping superintendent made the application, and stated that the man was supplying coal to fishing vessels and tugs which were constantly being used by the Admiralty. This man was in charge of the staith, and had experience which was absolutely necessary to prevent serious accidents and damage. Letters in support of the appeal were put in from the Tyne Improvement Commissioners, but exemption was refused. In the second case, a firm of colliery owners appealed for the man, who was agent for the firm at the staiths and was also a stevedore. He did prac- tically all the trimming of the pitch cargoes, and regulated the coal traffic, so that there might be no stoppages at the pits owned by his employers. Certain conditions sometimes arose in which an inexperienced man might be unable to prevent colliery stoppages. This application was supported by an official of the colliery company, w’ho said that the most important point was the prevention of stoppages at the pits. He could not get anyone else to do the work efficiently. The third applicant appealed on similar grounds. He repre- sented 17 collieries, and many exporting firms in addition. The two last cases were adjudicated upon together. The second man’s claim was refused, and the third was given four months’ extension. It would be exceedingly interesting to be informed under what circumstances a staithsman would be granted exemption. The position of miners in regard to their exemption certi- ficates was .referred to at the colliery tribunal for South Yorks, held at Doncaster last Monday. Mr. T. H. Mot-tram, his Majesty’s chief inspector of mines for Yorkshire and North Midland district, who presided, said that when exemption cards were sent to the collieries they must be given to the miners so as to make them as free to go from one pit to another as ever they were. Instances had come to his notice where cards had been kept in the colliery offices. This should not be; they should be distributed at once. They did not want any friction; the times W’ere too serious. At the Abertillery tribunal a married colliery clerk stated that there were a number of single men -in the collieries many of whom had gone there to shirk their responsibilities. The chairman described this as a very sweeping statement, and said that the speaker should be able to prove it. The applicant thereupon added that a number of young men had gone down the pit during the last few months for the first time, and that the machinery for combing them out, although in operation, had not yet touched them—” I have to write out the lists myself; so I know.” When the appeals of six unattested miners were referred by the Annfield Plain tribunal to the colliery tribunal, Mr. J. W. Taylor, M.P., said he would like to know die exact position with reference to unattested miners. Mr. Percy Lee, manager of the Dipton and Pontop Collieries, replied that, if a man was barred, he could defy all authorities. Some of his men had refused to give the necessary information, and he put their cases before the colliery tribunal. Mr. Wilson, the chairman, asked if they were undergreamd workmen, and he (Mr. Lee) replied that they were, whereupon Mr. Wilson said, ” Well, then, they are barred; I can do nothing with them.” Mr. Taylor expressed satisfaction with 2XIr. Lee’s statement, and said he had noticed that some of the ordinary tribunals were dealing with unattested colliery cases, where the men were conscientious objectors. A protest was made at Neath on Saturday by the chairman of the district tribunal, concerning tinplaters who were freed from military service as being in a certified occupation. He stated that shopkeepers and others came before them .in cases where there was only one man or so in a business, and they were asked to send such men into the Army whilst hundreds of young men, protected by their occupations. were walking about the streets, only doing about six hours a day. Yrt the other men they were asked to send to the Army did 12 hours a day, and had to leave behind their families and their busi- nesses. The tribunal strongly resented this procedure, and that was their reason for not sending so many of these men away. There was no association to protect them, and the tribunal felt it to be its duty to protect them as long as the Government afforded protection to young men belonging to certified industries.