July 14, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 65 In the case of the Mueseler or Thornburry N o. 6a lamp, which shall be used by officials only, the Gauzes may be of copper in the case of lamps used for surveying purposes, and the rest of the metal parts of the lamp may be of brass or copper. The strength of material and attachments throughout each lamp must be not less than in the samples sub- mitted for the official tests on September 9 and 22,1915. Each lamp must be capable of maintaining a light of candle-power not less than 0'30, as determined by a pentane standard, all round in a horizontal plane throughout a period of not less than 10 hours. The lamps must have been made at the works of Messrs. W. E. Teale and Co. Limited at Sindsley, Swinton, near Manchester, and each lamp must be marked with its name and the name of the maker. (To be continued.) FRENCH MAXIMUM PRICES FOR IMPORTED COALS. The following list of the maximum prices for coals imported into France has been issued by the Minister of Public Works, under date June 30. The Decree permits contracts to be entered into, for successive deliveries, in which the selling price, instead of being fixed definitely, is to be determined by the maximum in force at the time of delivery. For the meantime, there is no limi- tation in the case of Mediterranean ports. The prices quoted are on truck at the quay or overside at the port of arrival, and are net, the selling expenses and, in extended, but the Mediterranean ports have been excluded until arrangements have been made for extend- ing the agreement to cover those ports as well. The prices have been drawn up to include—in addition to cost and freight, reckoned at a medium exchange rate— the various items of expense incurred in duty, port charges, insurance, upkeep, wastage, commission, general expenses, and merchants’ profits. Other factors which have been taken into consideration as far as pos- sible are the additions to be made, for each port, owing to the relative proportions of large and small cargo vessels, and of sailing ships which are outside the agree- ment; as well as of the amounts delivered direct or stocked for future delivery. The most difficult item was that of supplementary charges, which vary from one week to another, and even for different vessels at the same time; so a mean value has been chosen, to be rectified if necessary when more complete information has been acquired. The attention of the committee has been drawn to the difficulty raised by the inland sale of imported coals, the present law not extending to retail sales; whereas it would not be equitable, in fixing prices at the port of importation, to draw any distinction between sales for delivery at the port and those for delivery outside, whether to the consumer or re-seller. On the other hand, if the intervention of a middleman for wholesale trading were sufficient to enable the regulation of prices to be evaded, such regulation would be illusory. The principle of price regulation, therefore, involves limiting the profits of these intermediaries, except those under State control; and it is therefore necessary to take into consideration, in the regulations accompanying the list of prices, the sale of imported coals, either by the THE TELEPHONE IN MINE ACCIDENTS.* The development of practical telephone equipment for mine rescue work, to supplement the oxygen apparatus now in almost universal use, marks a great step forward in providing ways and means for preventing the great lass of life which, in years past, followed every mine disaster. The great value of the oxygen helmet, which permits its wearer to enter a mine and remain in the presence of smoke and poisonous gases without danger of being overcome, has been evidenced by the hundreds of lives which have been saved through ibs agency. The iron box mine telephone has also proved to be of inestimable service in protecting lives and property. In fact, the laws of a number of States in which mining operations are conducted include statutes making com- pulsory the use of telephones underground. ■ There has been lacking, however, until quite recently, a means for keeping the advance or rescue party in the mine in constant communication with the rear party at the entrance of the mine. The need of this was advanced by the United States Government Bureau of Mines, as well as some of the large mining interests, and it is now possible to obtain a light, serviceable and simple tele- phone equipment which will meet all the requirements of this unusually severe class of service. Telephone Instruments. One of the first difficulties encountered in the develop- ment of the telephone equipment for the helmet man was to devise a transmitter which would not interfere Description. Dunkerque. Calais. Boulogne. Le Trdport and St. Valery - sur-Somme. Dieppe and St. Valery- en-Caux. Fecamp. Le Havre. Rouen and Duclair. Honfleur. Trouville. Caen and ports from Dives to Isigny. Cherbourg. Granville. Saint-Malo and Saint- Servan. St. Brieuc and ports from Paimpol to Treguier. Brest, Morlaix and ports from Lannion to Penmarch. Lorient and ports from Guilvinec to the mouth of the Vilaine. St. Nazaire. Nantes and ports from Indret to Paimboeuf. Les Sables d’Olonneand St. Gilles-sur-Vic. La Rochelle, La Pallice and ports from 1’Aiguillon- sur-Mer to Marans. Rochefort. Tonnay-Charente. Montagne-sur-Gironde, Blaye and Pauillac. Bordeaux and Arcachon. Bayonne. Welsh: Anthracite, 3-8 % volatile matter— Large coal 1 1 94 93 91 881 90 89 87) 88 87 87) 864 87 871 84 881 854 94) 96 96 94) 94 94) 944 94) 103 104) Bubbly culm Cardiff or Swansea, semi-coking and 80 79 77$ 75 761 751 i 74 741 73) 74 73 734 74 70) 741 72 81 82-) 82) 81 80) 81 81 81 89) 91 coking coals, 9-18 % volatile matter; Newport bituminous, 19-28 % vola- tile matter— Large 94 93 91 881 90 89 87j 88 87 871 86) 87 87) 84 881 85) • 94) 96 96 941 94 94) 94) 94) 103 104) Through-and-through, 50 % large when shipped i 87 86 * 84 811 83 82 801 81 SO 801 79) 80 801 77 811 88) 78) 87) 89 89 87) 87 87) 871 874 96 97) Washed nuts 91 93 91 881 90 89 87* 88 87 87) 86j 87 871 84 85) 94$ 96 96 94) 94 94) 94) 94) 103 104) Washed beans ; 91) 90) 881 861 88 87 851 86 85 85 841 85 851 82 86 83) 92) 94 94 921 92 92) 924 92) 101 102) Washed peas ■ 90 89 871 85 861 851 84 841 831 84 83 834 84 801 841 82 91 921 92) 91 9C) 91 91 91 99) 101 Small 80 79 771 75 761 751 74 741 734 74 73 731 74 701 74) 72 81 82) 82) 81 80) 81 81 81 89) 91 Durham : Gas and coking coals— All small Durham through-and- through and coking smalls 89 88 86 86) 871 87 85j 86 851 86 85 85 86 851 871 87 97 98 98 97 96 97 97 97 105) 107) Other Durham smalls 82 81 79 79) 80) 80 781 79 781 79 78 78 79 781 80) 80 90 91 91 90 89 90 90 90 98) 100) Through-and-through gas and industrial coals, including nuts 90 89 87 871 881 88 87 87 864 87 86 86 87 864 881 88 98 99 99 98 97 98 98 98 106) 108) Large screened steam and house... 96 95 93 931 91 94 93 93 921 93 92 92 93 921 94) 94 104 105 105 104 103 104 104 104 112? 114) Northumberland : Long-flame coals— Large screened mine and nuts 96 95 93 931 94 94 ; 921 93 921 93 92 92 93 921 941 94 104 105 105 104 103 104 104 104 1124 114) Through-and-through gas and coking coals ! 89 88 86 861 871 87 86 86 85) 86 85 85 86 851 87) 87 97 98 98 97 96 97 97 97 10b) 107) Small : 82 81 79 791 801 80 781 79 ; 781 79 78 78 79 78) 80) 80 90 91 91 90 89 90 90 90 98) 100) Yorkshire and Midlands: Long-flame coals— Screened steam (South Yorks., Notts, Derby, and similar) 96 95 93 931 941 94 92) 93 921 93 92 92 93 924 941 94 104 105 105 104 103 104 104 104 1124 114) Screened West Yorks., Hartley’s 93 92 90 88 891 881 ' 87 871 : 86 861 851 86) 861 844 871 85 92)i 94 I 94 92) 92 92) 92) 92) 101 102) Gas coal, large 90 89 87 871 881 88 1 87 87 861 87 86 86 87 86) 88) 88 98 j 99 99 98 97 98 98 98 106) 108) Through-and-through gas 89 88 86 861 871 87 1 86 86 85| 86 85 85 86 851 871 87 97 ! 98 98 97 96 97 97 97 1054 107) Nuts 87 86 84 841 85) 85 i 84 84 ; 83) 84 83 83 84 83.) 851 85 95 96 96 95 94 95 95 95 103.) 105) Slack • 82 81 79 791 80) 80 78) 79 781 79 78 78 79 781 801 80 90 91 91 90 89 90 90 90 98) 100) Scotch: Small-flame coals— Screened (splint, Hartley, Naviga- tion) 99 98) 96) 95 96 951 931 94 : 93) 94 93 93’ 94 92 94 92 99 100) 1001 99* 98) 99 i 99 99 107) 109 Through-and-through Navigation 96) 96 91 921 931 93 91 91) 91 91) 901 91 911 89) 91) 89) 96) 98 98 96) 96 96) 96) 96) 105 106) Do. best ell 96 95) 94 92 93 921 901 91 901 91 90 90) 91 89 91 89 96 974 97) 96 95) 96 96 96 1041, 106 Do. best Fifeshire 96 95 93 931 941 94 92) 93 92 921 911 92 92) 921 941 94 104 105 105 1 104 103 104 ! 104 104 114) 116 Screened best Lothians 96 95 93 931 944 91 921 93 92 92) 91) 92 92) 921 941 94 104 105 105 104 103 104 104 104 114) 116 Do. best Ayrshire 96 95) 94 92 93 921 90) 91 ! 901 91 90 904 91 89 91 89 96 97) 97)i 96 95-) 96 ! 96 96 1044 106 Nuts 30/70 washed trebles 89 88| 86i 85 86 85j 834 84 83| 84 83 834 84 82 84 82 89 90) 90) J ! 89 88) > 89 89 89 974 99 , Washed doubles, 15/35 Washed singles, 10/15 87) 86 87 85) 85 83) 8^1 82 84) 83 84 821 82“ 804 824 81“ 82 804 824 81 814 80“ 82“ 804 824 81 801 79 824 81 804 79“ 87) 86 89 874 89 874 874 86 87 85-1 87) ! 86 874 86“ 87^ 86 96“ 94) 97) 96 Washed pearls, 5/12 : 82 814 791 78 79 781 761 77 764 77 76 764 77 75 77 75 82 834 834 82 814 82: 82 82 904 92 Anthracite— Bound coal ’ 96 95| 91 92 93 921 90a 91 904 91 90 90) 91 89 91 89 96 971 9/4 96 954 96 96 96 104c1 106 Jumbo trebles and doubles 96 951 94 92 93 92j 901 91 901 91 90 904 91 89 91 89 96 974 97) 96 954 96 96 96 1044 106 Singles 91| 911 891 8s 882 884 864 86w 86 864 854 864 864 844 87 85 92 93“ 93 92 91“ 92 92 92 1004 102 Pearls 85 85 83 814 82 82“ 80“ 80“ 791 80 79 80“ 80“ 78“ 804 78) 85) 861 j 864 854 84) 854; 854 854 94“ 95) Note.—All prices in francs. particular, agents’ commissions, being included. The only additions allowed to be made to these prices are : A proper charge for cost of transport and forwarding, when the sale is conducted by the importer, his repre- sentative or commission agent, and a further sum of 3 fr. per ton if the sale is made by any other merchant. Every contract or invoice of a sale of coal subjected to the terms of the Decree must state the port of arrival in France, except in the case of coals supplied by con- trolled establishments for the public service. The letter from the president of the Central Com- mittee states that that body considered the time had arrived for basing the French prices on the limited rates of price and freight established in England, since most of the coal in stock or arriving will have been bought on the new basis. Any further delay would have had a bad effect on the market, as causing buyers to wait for the foreshadowed reduction, rather than to place their con- tracts at once. The present list corresponds to the English prices fixed on June 1; but merely constitutes a maximum, and it is hoped that actual transactions will be on a lower basis. The expenses attaching to loading and freightage fluctuate, but the variations will pro- bably not exceed the ordinary margin of price fluctua- tion. The list of ports and classes of coal have been importer or by a middleman, at places other than the ports of arrival. The Administration is in a position to control the declarations which should be made in respect to the origin of the coals sold. By fixing the prices solely for coals delivered to lighter or wagon, the line is drawn between the import trade and the inland trade, including retail, in a manner which seems more in accordance with actuality than if a distinction were merely drawn between delivery in the port and inland. In the case of mixtures or screened coals, it will be sufficient to base the prices on those nearest to the listed grades, since the mixing of coals is an operation of inland commerce, which does not come under regula- tions relating solely to the import trade. Welfare of Workers.—The proposed abolition of the reports of certifying surgeons regarding accidents in factories or other work places was debated in the House of Commons on Monday in connection with the Police Provisions Bill. Mr. Denniss said he opposed the proposal on behalf of operatives and employers, and Sir H. Craik argued that the Bill restricted the securities for workmen. Several other members expressed similar views, but Mr. Samuel maintained that the present arrangement was ineffective. The Bill passed its third reading. with the breathing. With the oxygen helmets and other types of breathing apparatus in use for rescue work, the mouth is covered in such a way as to prevent its use for talking. This led to the design of a throat transmitter, which is fastened to the throat by means of a pig-skin harness and transmits speech on the principle that the vibrations of the vocal chords are transmitted through the throat walls, and will in turn act upon the diaphragm of the transmitter. It is essential that the transmitter be held firmly against the skin, and for this purpose a soft rubber cup, which will conform to the curves of the throat, is provided where the mouthpiece would ordinarily be placed. Attached to the same harness with the transmitter is a so-called “ watch-case ” receiver equipped with a leather head band to clamp it firmly to the ear. The head harness with its receiver and transmitter is so con- structed that it will not interfere with the operation of any of the various types of oxygen apparatus on the market. The head equipment, furthermore, is extremely light, and does not in any way inconvenience its wearer. The telephone apparatus used by the directing party at the outside of the mine is a standard telephone switch- * Black Diamond-