September 29, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 601 ooal can be dealt with. In addition, there is a mechanical coaling barge of the conveyor type equipped with an automatic scale. This plant has a capacity of 1,600 tons, and can supply bunkers at the rate of about 150 to 200 tons per hour, and the chute can deliver at an elevation up to 90 ft. above the water level. Other floating equip- ment includes flat lighters of 350 tons capacity, which are provided with winches and suspension weighing scales, and are capable of handling up to 65 tons per hour. New Orleans. New Orleans is a prominent shipping port, and is concerned with large oversea and coastwise traffic; it is situated about 95 miles up the Mississippi River from V.-s \ . ■ 'to 1 • 1 WO r Coaling Pier and Lighters at Mobile. SOUTH WALES INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERS. Stone Dusting in Steam Coal Collieries. Mr. William Stewart, president of the South Wales Institute of Engineers, presided at a special meeting of the institute, held at Cardiff on Thursday, September 21, for the purpose of considering the paper of Mr. G. D. Budge (Powell Duffryn Company, Aberaman) on “ Stone Dusting of Steam Coal Collieries.” By invitation of the president, members were in attendance of the South Wales Colliery Officials’ Association, the Monmouth- shire Colliery Officials’ Asso- ciation, and the South Wales and Monmouthshire Colliery Managers’ Association. Votes . of sympathy were passed with the relatives of the late Mr. Henry Lewis, Tynant; Mr. J. G. Weeks, Ftdiington, and Mr. Ralph Hawtrey, of the London Regiment, the last- named having been killed in action. A motion of congratulation was recorded to Second-Lieut. David Ivor Evans, R.E.. who had been awarded the Military Cross. Mr. Evans, in peace times, was the secretary for the Swansea district of the South Wales Coal Owners’ Association. Discussion on Stone Dusting. Mr. W. O’Connor, F.G.S., in opening the discussion, asked the council to consider whether the time had not arrived when it was desirable branch of mining knowledge that had come to the front in comparatively recent years. Some of them were old enough to remember when the whole subject of coal dust as an element of danger was pooh-poohed. A man who held a highly responsible position in the South Wales coal field and possessed great ability once said to the speaker : “ If you keep the place clear of gas you need not trouble about dust.” That was not the held view to-day; they knew now that the coal dust danger was always at their elbow; that it was an ever present and, alas 1 too potent agent for evil. When the coal dust theory was being talked about in the early days a book was published by Dr. Atkinson and his brother showing how the coal dust theory fitted in with effects that were observed in a number of colliery explosions; and he believed that that book had done more, probably, than any other publication to ensure the early acceptance of the theory by thoughtful mining men. A feature of the history of this problem was the change of view that was brought about. He believed he was correct in saying that Dr. Galloway himself held the opinion for some years that coal dust was not explosive unless there was a slight percentage of gas present. At least, that was his own impression with regard to Dr. Galloway. For his own part, he had, in those early days, believed that there was no fear of an explosion passing from one district to another if a system of arching, white liming, water-spraying, and periodically cleaning the main roads was adopted. He did not hold that opinion to-day. Watering, of course, was very good, and Mr. Budge in his paper emphasised its utility when full trams were watered before they went along the haulage way. Mr. Budge also suggested the spraying of empty trams on the empty road leading from the screens to the shaft. While the mud remaining in the tram was very likely to become dried in the desiccating atmosphere in which it would have to pass, and fall out on to the roads, the percentage of ash would be reduced. With regard to stone dusting, he believed it would be efficacious where the stone dust was in such quantity and of such fineness as to overpower the coal dust present, but he was afraid the Gulf of Mexico. A considerable waterborne coal tonnage is conveyed from the Alabama coal fields by a fleet of steam barges of about 1,000 tons capacity, and there is a large demand for bunker supplies. A number of mechanical coaling barges are in use at this port, each of which can deliver an average of 100 tons per hour, and, in addition, there are floating steam cranes for coal handling. It may be added that New- Orleans is a prominent southern terminal port of several of the trunk railroads. Pensacola. Situated about 40 miles eastwards of Mobile is Pensa- cola Bay, where the port is accessible, being only eight miles from the sea. The entrance channel is 500 ft. in width, and has a low-water depth of 33 ft., and the har- bour is well protected. Pensacola is, in fact, meeting with considerable favour for bunkering. The Muscogee pier of the Louisville and Nashville Railway Company is equipped with 13 coaling chutes, which are served by two railway tracks, and bunker supplies can be delivered from the upper deck at the same time as cargo is loaded at the lower deck at wharf level. At Commandancia and Tarragona cargo wharves, where eight vessels can be loaded at one time, coal bunker deliveries are also effected. In concluding these potes relating to bunker coal supplies at ports in the Gulf of Mexico, mention should perhaps be made of Galveston, the largest cotton shipping port in the world. It is situated about 400 miles up the Gulf from New Orleans, the harbour being at the mouth of Galveston Island, which is protected by a sea wall five miles in length and 17 ft. high. Coaling is effected from three piers, one of which has a conveyor equipment; and another equipment has recently been completed to serve the other piers from a storage ground. It may be added that coals from the Arkansas and Oklahoma districts are supplied, to some extent, at Galveston. A Department of Minerals and Metals.—Sir W. Beard- more (president of the Iron and Steel Institute), Mr. George Beilby (president of the Institute of Metals), Mr. W. Thorneycroft (president of the Institution of Mining Engi- neers), and Mr. Edgar Taylor (president of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy), have written to Sir W. S. M'Cormick, chairman of the Advisory Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, suggesting the establishment of a central Department of Minerals and Metals. The letter points out that there are similar well-organised departments in some of the British Dominions, but there is no connecting link or “ clearing ” house in the Metropolis of the Empire. The following are given as among the duties of the suggested new Department :—(1) Arrangements for expediting the comple- tion of mineral surveys of the United Kingdom and of the Crown Colonies and other British Possessions. (2) The systematic collection and co-ordination of information bearing on the occurrence, uses, and economic value of minerals and their products; special attention being devoted to securing industrial applications for newly-discovered minerals or metal- lurgical products, and to finding mineral materials required for new metallurgical products or inventions. (3) The inves- tigation of all questions and problems relating to the utilisa- tion of the mineral or metallurgical resources of the Empire. (4) The co-ordination and dissemination of information. (5) A general review from time to time of the developed and undeveloped mineral resources, and of the position of each mineral or metal, to ensure that the mineral wealth of the Empire is being exploited with due regard to Imperial interests. (6) Generally to advise the Imperial Government on all questions bearing on the mining and metallurgical industries. Floating Coaling Plant at New .Orleans. that a closer connec- tion should exist be- tween the institute and the local association of colliery officials who had the actual conduct of mining operations in their hands. He believed the benefits to both sides would be in- calculable. One hesi- tated to say how much had been lost to the institute from the fact that the younger mem- bers of their profession, who actually handled practical questions day by day, did not as a rule join the institute until late in life, when, per- haps, they were not so much inclined to say and do something as they were in the earlier stages of their career. He believed that all con- cerned would benefit by this freer intercourse and exchange of views; They had seen some- thing of this in the temporary connection— which he hoped would be a permanent and a growing connection—of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Colliery Managers’ Association with the mining schools at Treforest and Crumlin. Members would agree that that connection had already been of value; and if something of the kind could be arranged with the South Wales Institute of Engineers, great benefit must accrue to the coal field as a whole. He hoped the councils of the several bodies -would not lose sight of the suggestion he threw out. The subject of Mr. Budge’s paper was one well adapted for discussion by a combined gathering of mining men. It was a Coaling Pier at Pensacola -- '- ’7^ 'S M3 that some of the limitations of its effectiveness in practice were not yet known. He agreed with the con- clusion of the Explosions in Mines Committee, in its Fifth Report, quoted by Mr. Budge, that ‘‘incombustible dust is more effective in preventing the ignition of coal dust than in checking an inflammation that has started.” They had an analogous case in the gas engine. When they wished to start a gas engine they gave it a richer mixture, whereas they could run it afterwards more economically with a much poorer mixture. The American Mining Bureau, which carried out experi-