September • 8, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 459 BMH Effective IMM MH HH MH MH metal - repair is the raison d'etre of the Barimar Specialist organisation. Each and every job placed in the hands of BARIMAR Scientific Welding Service comes under the direct supervision of a qualified Board of Trade Engineer and is accorded the most thorough investigation, and most reliable treat- ment that Science and Experience can give. A trial will convince you. Send any smashed engine-part or fitting carriage paid. Please mark your written advice i( Gr. 83 ” for prompt attention. BARIMAR Limited, Welding and Machine Shops, 10, POLAND STREET, LONDON, W. Telephone— Telegrams— 8173 Gerrard. “Bariquamar, Reg, London.” In any case of breakdown of plant where the part cannot be sent to London, a wire will ensure instant despatch of a Barimar Mobile Section equipped to complete repair on the spot. VYTanted, S.H. Cast Iron Drum, about v ▼ 3 ft. dia , 3 feet between cheeks, steel lagged, bored 8 in , and key ways cut. complete with brakes.—Price and particulars to GLYNCOED COLLIBRIES LTD., Llanelly. anted, Second-hand or New Iron or Steel BARS, 2| in. to 4^in. diam., for shaftings: Second-hand GIRDERS, any size.—Box 6520, Colliery Guardian Office, 30 & 31. Furnival-street, Holborn, London, E.C. anted, Horizontal Duplex Pumps, V v cylinders 20 in. and 22 in., ram 9 in by 15 in. stroke; one ditto, 7 in. ram by 18 in. stroke.—Box 6521, Colliery Guardian Office, 30 & 31, Furnival-street, Holborn, London, E.C. anted, Semi-portable Winding Engine V ▼ and BOILER, good maker, about 140 lb. pressure.—Box 6522, Colliery Guardian Office, 30 & 31, Furnival-street, Holborn, London, E.C. Cecond-hand Sinking Plant, &c., for disposal:— 1 double drum 5-ton direct lift Steam Winch. 2 sets 40 ton four sheave Blocks. 1 Evans Sinking Pump Engine 21 in. by 24 in. for 11 in./12in. pump 450 ft. head. 1 valve box for 300 ft. head pump, 1,000 gallon capacity. 3 12 in. Sliding Suctions. 2 8 in. do. 2 sets 30-ton three sheave Blocks. 6 2> in cir. flexible Steel Ropes, each 300 ft. long. 2 10 ft. Winding Pulleys. 2 9 ft. do. 1 9 in. Globe type Valve. 4 Graduated Sinking Pump Chains, each 800 ft. long (graduations l|in., 1§ in , in., in. dia. links). 2 Sinking Pump Chains, each 150 ft. long, It in. dia. links. 1 do. 93 ft. do. lgin. do. 1 do. 96 ft. do. l|in. do. 4 Hardy Heading Machines. 1 Willans & Robinson Centrifugal Pump, 415 ft. head, 1,800 g.p.m. capacity, 1,460 r.p m. This pump is quite new. The above plant is all available for inspection at the colliery. Apoly, PLENMELLBR COLLIERIES LTD., Haltwhistle, Northumberland. TO COLLIERY" OWNERS, CONTRACTORS AND OTHERS. For Sale, 500 Good Second-hand Relay- able Railway SLEEPERS ; dim. 9ft. by 10 in. by 5 in. 600 Second-* and Sleepers, suitable for cart road or fencing purposes, 9 ft by 10 in. by 5 in. 400 Second-hand Sleepers, dimensions about 4/5 ft. by 10 in. by 5 in. Apply, J. J. DEKTITH, Midland Yard, Chesterfield. Qafe, Fireproof, by Withers & Sons, equal k_z to new, 48 by 26 bv 26, fitted with i in. solid steel door, two cash drawers with two movable shelves, six keys ; price £12 12s.—BAXTER, 75, St. Peter’s-road, Handsworth, Birmingham. J. W. BAIRD AND COMPANY, PITWOOD IMPORTERS, WEST HARTLEPOOL, YEARLY CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO WITH COLLIERIES. OSBECK & COMPANY LIMITED, PIT-TIMBER MERCHANTS, NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE. SUPPLY ALT, KINDS OF COLLIERY TIMBEK. Telegrams—” Osbecks, Newcastle-on-Tyne.” *** For other Miscellaneous Advertisements see Last White Page. Guardian AN© Journal of the Coal and Iron Trades. Joint Editors— J. V. ELSDEN, D.Sc. (Lond.), F.G.S. HUBERT GREENWELL, F.S.S., Asaoe.M.I.M.E. (At present on Active Service). LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1916. The London coal trade shows little change. All qualities of screened coal are in good request, but unscreened and slacks are somewhat easier. Both collieries and depots are reported to be working to the utmost of their power, and the enquiry for all qualities for forward business is strong. Business on the Tyne and Wear is quiet, pending an official announcement regarding freights to Italy. The prompt market is weaker. A firm tone continues in Lancashire house coal, but concessions are made in shipping coal. Prices appear to be easily main- tained in Yorkshire. A fair quantity of slack is now on offer in the Midlands. Uncertainty has brought ordinary business in Cardiff almost to a standstill. Quotations there incline upwards, whereas in Scotland they incline downwards. Outward chartering has been more active this week. Kates are maintained on the north-east coast, but have weakened in Cardiff. Lord Rhondda and others, in conjunction, have offered to purchase all ordinary shares of North’s Navigation Collieries Limited at £2 each. The executive of the Miners’ Federation has arranged to meet Lord Milner next Thursday to discuss with him the subject of coal export prices. At the Trades Union Congress in Birmingham this week several resolutions relating to the mining industry were passed. The vote of the Miners’ Federation was included in the majority against the dumping of foreign goods. Several papers relating to engineering subjects and the coal industry, including the First Report of the Fuel Economy Committee, form part of the agenda of the British Association meeting this week. An Understanding between Capital and Labour. The annual meeting of the Trades Union Congress, being held at Birmingham in the present week, possesses greater interest than usual on account of the tendency which is manifest in many direc- tions towards a change of view by the more thoughtful Labour leaders with regard to some of the most cherished principles of trade unionism. The labour question, undoubtedly, has assumed a different aspect since the war. The fact that it has been possible to persuade the trades unions to surrender, during the period of the war, such of their privileges and principles as were opposed to the national interest, has put a new complexion on the labour point of view. It is now freely recognised that the most favourable construc- tion must be placed upon its more sober actions and aspirations. For, notwithstanding the continued efforts of Mr. Ramsay Macdonald and his miserable following, British labour has shown the utmost determination to do its duty and to place patriotism before every other consideration. That there have been a few exceptions to this commendable attitude was only to be expected, and serves merely to emphasise the staunchness of the majority. It is possible now to believe that the bulk of the Labour leaders are not blind to reason. Some kind of rapprochement appears to be practicable, and it will be useful to consider some of the suggestions that have been made to this end. The Lord Mayor of Birmingham (Mr. Neville Chamberlain), in welcoming the delegates, clearly stated the fundamental propositions underlying the question. He said that both employers and work- men would require many things. The men would require a greater share in the distribution of the wealth they help to produce, regularity of employ- ment and improved conditions in the factory and in the home. He also urged the advisability of more frequent consultation between employers and employed, so that the latter could see more of the game from the inside. The employers, on the other hand, must be assured of the utmost possible output, reasonable notice of any demand for changes in the rate of wages, and a guarantee that labour should not be unreasonably withdrawn. There is not one of these conditions that does not appear capable of adjustment between men who are actuated by a community of interest. The whole trouble hitherto has been that this community of interest has been wanting. While war is being waged between Labour and Capital there can be no possibility of agreement; but the matter will assume a totally different aspect if the Labour party will only look at this question from the national stand- point and abandon their policy of class antagonism. Mr. Hodge has set the example of a saner policy. He says there is no doubt that the policy of restric- tion of output is quite unsound. This goes to the root of the whole matter, and its recognition by the Labour leaders generally would carry us far towards the desired understanding. It must, however, be clearly recognised that any departure from the traditional trade union policy must come from the unions themselves. There is evidently a feeling of distrust in the good faith of the Government with respect to the restoration of the status quo ante after the war. There is, however, no need for the apprehension that employers will not keep to the agreement that has been made. Whatever rights and privileges have been temporarily surrendered will be rigidly restored. But, at the same time, it is to be hoped that where former rules and customs have proved to be detrimental to the industrial development of the nation, these will be voluntarily surrendered. Outside a small minority the Trades Union Congress has always been a patriotic body, and essentially conservative in its policy. Its position and authority have been immensely strengthened by its action in the great crisis through which the nation is passing. An exceptional opportunity is now afforded for still further increasing its influence in the councils of the country. This is frankly recognised by many of the Labour leaders, and it will be interesting to see how far they can carry the rank and file with them in the anxious times that must accompany the restoration of peace. It will be indeed a serious matter if it should prove that the lessons of the war have not been taken to heart. The economic policy of this country has been shown to have been altogether unsound. It must be changed if we are to hold our own in the industrial war that will inevitably ensue. Every effort must be exerted to maintain and develop the volume of our output in every department of industry. There need be no fear of want of employ- ment if trade unions will cease to place arbitrary restrictions on the amount of work produced. Mr. Hodge maintains that the proper policy after the war will be, “ High wages and no restriction of output.” It can almost be said that the latter includes the former as a necessary corollary. It is an unfortunate fact, especially in the coal mining industry, that high wages have been the most potent cause of loss of time and restricted effort by the men. This obviously involves the employer in direct loss, and in itself is a powerful argument against a high wage rate. It is clearly an unsound policy, and must be abandoned before any satisfactory solution of the problem can be found. If it should prove possible to fix a fair standard rate per unit of production per unit of time, with an adequate bonus for increased diligence, Labour would then auto- matically secure the increased share to which it claims to be entitled. The keynote should be individual efficiency rather than the socialistic doctrine of levelling down to a uniform plane of mediocrity. The reports of some of the gas Coal Supplies companies recently published call and the attention to the question of coal Gas Companies, supplies, and to the anxiety with which they are considering future prospects. Although the views expressed may in some cases savour somewhat of a partisan character, it is not without advantage to consider the situation as it appears even to interested eyes. The gas companies are amongst the most important of the consumers of coal. They have been heavily hit by the increased cost of this essential product. For example, the Gas Light and Coke Company has had to pay during the past half-year an increased fuel cost amounting to £392,671 more than in the corre- sponding period last year. In the ease of the South Suburban Gas Company the increase amounted to nearly 25 per cent., and it is certain that the situation would have been much worse had it not been for the energetic action which several companies took to deal with the tonnage difficulty. This freight ques- tion still presses, but some of the larger gas companies have been able to control it to some degree by the acquisition of new vessels, and the South Metropolitan Gas Company have been so successful in chartering and otherwise that they have been abie to reduce the price of gas by 2d. per 1,000 cu. ft. out of the lower freight costs they have been able to bring about. In