616 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. September 29, 1916. merits, Mr. T. Richardson, M.P., representing the miners, and Mr. Baird, representing the coal owners, proceeded to Canada and brought back 171 miners who had been employed originally at mines in the United Kingdom. Some of these miners, however, have not continued to work in the mines, but have drifted into munition works and elsewhere. Disposal of the Available Supplies of Coal.—Numerous complaints being received by the Board of Trade and the Home Office as to the shortage in the supply of coal for various important industrial undertakings, the Com- mittee decided that the disposal of the available supply of coal was one which came within the purview of the Board of Trade rather than of the Committee. Ulti- mately, the chairman suggested to the Board of Trade the advisability of dealing with the internal distribu- tion of coal through the medium of local committees of coal owners and a central committee composed of repre- sentatives of the Board of Trade, Home Office, Ministry of Munitions, Admiralty, Railway Executive, coal owners, and merchants, and this course was followed. A conference was held at the Home Office of repre- sentatives of the Home Office, Board of Trade, and Ministry of Munitions, as a result of which Mr. Marwood reported to .the President of the Board of Trade on these lines, and the committees were established in January of this year, since when they have been at work, the central committee being presided over by Mr. Marwood, of the Board of Trade. Supply of Pit Timber.—In accordance with the pro- posal in a previous report, the Committee have further enquired into the regulation of the supply and price of pit timber. The situation in the early part of the year was as follows :—• The price of pit timber was from 300 to 500 per cent, greater than it was before the war, and the supply from Norway, Sweden, and Russia was uncertain, especially in so far as Sweden was concerned, as further supplies might at any time b*e jeopardised. In view of this situation, the Committee came to the conclusion that it was advisable so to organise the home- grown timber industry that our mines might, to a large extent, be rendered independent of imported timber. The mines, especially in Scotland, are drawing largely upon Scottish sources, but the price demanded was very high, and the merchants could not assure the owners of a definite supply. There is plenty of wood in the country available to supply the mines for a long period ahead, probably for three years. The main difficulty which had, and still has in some measure, to be overcome before the home-grown timber trade can be put on a proper footing is the lack of cohesion among (a) the forest owners and (5) the timber merchants, preventing full representation of these two parties as a whole. Another difficulty which is being met was the lack of labour for felling, carting, and sawing up the timber. A conference was held at the Home Office on February 12, attended by representatives of the Board of Agriculture, Board of Trade, forest owners, home-grown timber merchants, and coal owners, when Lord Lovat suggested that the Committee should meet in Scotland and go further into the subject. On March 29 and 30 the Committee, with Mr. Sutherland, met representative Scotch forest owners, coal owners, and home-grown timber merchants in Edinburgh, and endeavoured to bring about an agreement with the parties concerned for the supply over a long period of the mines with pit timber. The conference did result in the Scottish home- grown timber merchants uniting and effecting an under- standing with a number of Scottish forest owners, but failed to bring about an agreement between the timber merchants and the coal owners. On April 10 a conference was held at the Home Office of representatives of the Home Office, Board of Trade, and Board of Agriculture, presided over by the Parlia- mentary Under-Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, the Right Hon. F. Dyke Acland, when it was agreed that a joint committee to deal with home-grown pit timber should be constituted. This was carried into effect, the committee consisting of two members of the Coal Mining Organisation Committee (Sit R. Redmayne and Mr. Adam Nimmo), two representatives of the Board of Agriculture (Mr. Acland and Mr. Sutherland—the latter being the director of the Home-Grown Timber Com- mittee), and a representative of the Board of Trade (Mr. Burton), with Mr. Richardson (secretary of the Home- Grown Timber Committee) as secretary. On May 31 a letter was addressed by the Home Office to the coal owners, pointing out the great importance in the present emergency of drawing as largely as possible upon the home resources for pit timber, with the object of securing a regular and adequate supply to the mines, of economising tonnage, and of reducing exports. The Home Secretary at the same time appointed special committees in each coal field to assist the central joint committee. Each committee is constituted of two or more representative coal owners, a representative of the wood owners, and a member of the Home-Grown Timber Committee, and is presided over by the Divisional Inspector of Mines. The question as a whole is dealt with by the Central Joint Committee, the functions of the local committees being to review the local requirements, consider how far these can be met from local resources of timber suitable for pit use (whether in coal or metalliferous mines); to consider and advise as to the best arrangements for making these resources available, and in this connection to organise conferences with a view to getting the mine owners who want the timber, and the parties who have it for sale, into touch with each other. The local com- mittees keep closely in touch with the Central Joint Committee, and through it with the Home-Grown Timber Committee. Arrangements proposed for making local resources available are at first submitted for the consideration of the Central Committee. Compulsory powers of acquiring timber for national requirements are possessed by the Government under the Defence of the Realm Regulations, which will be exercised by Government on the recommendation of the Home-Grown Timber Committee. It is hoped that in most cases it will be found possible to make the neces- sary arrangements without resort to these powers. Where local resources are insufficient to meet local requirements the central committee considers how far the deficiency can be met from home supplies elsewhere and what arrangements can be made for the purpose. Returns of the annual requirements (in lineal feet and size of props used) have been obtained from the mines in the United Kingdom. These have been tabulated at the Home Office, and the particulars relating to the area covered by each local committee forwarded to that com- mittee for its information and guidance. It is noted with regret that there are no proper statistics as to the woodlands of Great Britain, but a woodland map has been published by the Board of Agriculture, with a copy of which each committee has been provided. The War Office has agreed to allocate 1,000 German prisoners in gangs of not less than 100 to the felling and cutting up of timber, and of these 835 are already at work in approved camps. On June 9 the Pit Timber Joint Committee met the representatives of the coal masters and timber merchants of Scotland at 4, The Sanctuary, Westminster, when, after hearing their respective views, it was agreed that Mr. Acland, who presided, should act as arbitrator in respect of the pro- posed contracts for supplies of home-grown pitwood to the coal mines of Scotland. The Situation to be Met.—Allusion has been made to the increased demands of the Ministry of Munitions and the Allies. Export of coal has been reduced to a dangerously low figure. Thus, for the year 1913, 73,400,168 tons were exported; 1914, 59,039,800 tons; 1915, 43,534,771. The action taken by the Govern- ment in stopping recruiting of coal miners, the curtail- ment by the miners of holidays, and the abandonment of stop days, and the more regular attendance at work, has undoubtedly resulted in a marked improvement in output; but these measures alone are not sufficient to meet the case. Absenteeism is capable of much greater reduction, and everything possible is being done to secure such reduc- tion; but a considerable improvement in this direction would not make good the deficiency. The Committee is convinced that if the legitimate requirements are to be fully met economies must be practised in the consump- tion of coal. The Committee desires again to express its thanks to Mr. A. W. Flux, the director of the Census of Production Department of the Board of Trade, for his assistance to -the Committee in kindly undertaking the work of collec- tion and tabulation of the returns which the Committee receive from the coal owners; and to acknowledge the courtesy of the management of the collieries, who, labouring under considerable difficulties by reason of the depletion of their clerical staffs, due to the effect of the Military Service Acts, have yet so generously supplied the information necessary for the compilation of statistics. BOOK NOTICES. Coal Miner’s Pocket Book. Eleventh Edition. Revised, enlarged, and entirely reset. 1,172 pp. 6f in. x 4 in. London : Hill Publishing Company Limited; 1916. Price, 17s. net. This book, formerly known under the title of “The Coal and Metal Miners’ Pocket Book,’’ has been re-modelled entirely, ore-mining being now omitted, so that additional space might be available for the modern developments of coal mining. This was a wise step, for no single book, which could justly be called a pocket book, could adequately cover both of these fields. The occasion has also been taken to overhaul thoroughly the matter incorporated, so as to bring the work up to date in every particular. In this revision so much new matter has been added that it would scarcely be possible within the limits at our disposal to enumerate all the items. Amongst the more important, however, we may include considerable additions to the mathematical section. The article on surveying has been expanded so as to include levelling with the aneroid barometer, some part of rail- road surveying, meridian determination, and practical mine surveying in flat seams. Additional tables have been inserted in the section on strength of materials. It has also been found advisable to supply an entirely new section on concrete construction, the value of which cannot fail to be widely appreciated. New hydraulic tables have been added, and the section on pumping machinery has been amplified by the addition of matter respecting centrifugal pumps. The subject of fuels also has been thoroughly revised, and much new information added. We notice that the newer types of drilling machinery appear under the heading of prospecting, and several fresh items are included in the sections on mine- timbering. Hydraulic stowing is treated by reference to actual practice in collieries in Pennsylvania at the present day. It is scarcely necessary here to dwell upon the many features of this compendium of coal mining practice. It is needless, perhaps, to state that it is written primarily for the use of American miners. But it should be none the less welcome in this country, where we are not too proud to learn from our brethren abroad, who are engaged in overcoming similar troubles and combating the same difficulties and dangers as we ourselves encounter. It is. however, important to bear in mind that American practice is not restricted by legislation to the same extent as in this country. We congratulate the editorial depart- ment upon the numerous improvements introduced into this edition. Text-Book on Coal Mining Science. By Joseph Parker. 423 pp. 7£ in. x 4| in.; with 305 figs. Oliver and Boyd; 1916. Price, 3s. This book is intended for -students preparing for certi- ficates of competency unaer the Coal Mines Act, and the author is not only himself a certificated colliery manager and surveyor of mines, but as Principal of the Fife Mining School, Cowdenbeath, he is familiar with the requirements of mining students. Already the author has met with success in respect to a smaller book, entitled “ An Introductory course in Mining Science,” which has reached its second edition. The present work is along similar lines, but is intended to cover a three or four years course of study. To write a book of this description is far from being a simple matter, because so much giound has to be covered in a small space. Thus we find the first 120 pages or so devoted to subjects such as geology, physics, mechanics, steam, and chemistry, a single chapter being devoted to each. All the information given under these heads is clearly expressed and well chosen. It is perhaps a debatable question whether it would have been possible to have omitted these chapters and to have begun with chapter VI., which deals with prospecting and boring, whereby more space would have been available for coal mining. We are aware of the difficulties attending such problems as this, and after all teachers must be assumed to be the best judges of the proper apportionment of space for the purpose in view, i.e., the education of the miner. The next chapters proceed to deal with matters of exploitation, including shaft-sinking, tools used in coal-getting, modes of extraction, mine supports, and ventilation. A chapter on ankylostomiasis here intervenes, and does not seem to be quite in its right place, because it is followed by more chapters on exploitation, covering safety lamps, explosives, and mine drainage, then haulage, winding and the preparation of the coal for the market. The chapter on drawing and surveying is rather short, considering the importance of the subject, but, if supplemented by plenty of practical work, wid doubtless afford the mining student a good intro- duction to this branch of study. A chapter on rescue apparatus concludes the book, with the exception of an appendix containing the examination questions set in May 1915. Judged by the scope of these questions, the work must be pronounced to be a good and trustworthy text-book for the student miner. Notes from the Coal Fields. [Local Correspondence.] 17,000 Miners Returning—Export Regulations — Housing Question—Income-tax and Fares—Absenteeism—Lord Milner's Enquiry—Prize Distribution. South Wales and Monmouthshire. Before the delegates of the Anthracite Men’s Association, which met on Saturday in Swansea, Mr. J. D. Morgan, their chief agent, stated that it was probable nearly 17,000 miners now in the Army would be released in order that they might return to the mines and so increase the output. Allegations have been current as to surplus of labour in certain collieries because of outsiders having gone into the pits in order to safeguard themselves against military service; but these allegations, taking the coal field as a whole, are regarded as without foundation. There is a real shortage of labour. More men could be employed, and the output of their labour sold at good prices. Local opinion upon the return of the colliers from the Army to tne pits is that the movement has doubtless been instigated—at any rate, the considerations that led to it have been intensified—by the report of the Coal Mining Organisation Committee, which points out that the exports of coal have reached a dangerously low level, 73 millions of tons in 1913 having dropped to 43 millions in 1915. Nor is this all, for probably anywhere from eight to 10 millions more have been lost in respect of bunkers, etc. Taking the exchange value of this coal at only £1 per ton, and without reckoning the earnings that would have been made by the vessels carrying it, the difference of exchange brought about by this difference in exports totals not far short of 40 millions sterling in the year. It will be seen, therefore, that inasmuch as money, no less than men, is the British contri- bution to the Allies’ fighting strength, there is sound wisdom in the action which the Government are taking in returning men to the mines. The Cardiff committee regulating export of coal to France notify that shippers by any vessels that commence loading before midnight on September 30, as to which no October to December licences have been issued, must communicate with the local committee, who will refer the matter to the London -authority and get a decision. South Rhondda Colliery is being taken over from the com- pany of that name by a syndicate, and the old directors (Messrs. W. W. Hood, A. W. Travis, and E. S. Richards) will retire, the new directors being Messrs. C. P. Hailey, H. Davies, and D. Barnett. The selling company had a capital of £60,000, in £10 shares, and last year’s profits were .£14,581. The colliery is at Llanharran, near Bridgend, and has an output of about 130,000 tons per annum, the coal being bituminous. Mr. Travis retains the sales agency till the end of this year. One of the new directors, Mr. Hailey, is a director also of the Celtic Colliery. As an illustration of the great need of houses in the colliery districts of South Wales, it may be pointed out that the deputation which waited upon Mr. Walter Long, president of the Local Government Board, included Mr. C. T. Ruthen, of Swansea, vice-chairman of the South Wales Garden Cities and Town Planning Association. This gentleman declared the housing problem to be probably more serious in this district than in any other part of the country. Tn thousands of houses the beds were never c