December 1, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

1061

MINE MANAGERS’ EXAMINATIONS.

We have received from the Secretary of the Board for
Mining Examinations copies of the questions s.et at the
examinations for certificates of competency as managers
and under-managers of mines and for surveyors’ certifi-
cates which were held by the Board on November 21
and 22 at Edinburgh, Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff,
Wigan, and Birmingham.

The text of the papers is given below. (Note.—The
figures in parentheses against each question indicate the
maximum number of marks obtainable.)

For First-Class (Managers’) Certificate of Competency.

Subject No. 1.—Winning and Working.

^Six questions only to be answered. No. 3 is compulsory.)

1.	You are asked to advise whether a certain estate contadns
coal or not. Of what use would a knowledge of geology be to
you in determining this? If the geological signs point to the
existence of coal, what further steps would you take before
recommending the development of the minerals? (40)

2.	What conditions would influence you in adopting coal
cutters of the following types respectively : (a) disc, (6) chain,
(c) bar? (40)

3.	Compulsory Question.—A 3 ft. 6 in. seam of coal,
dipping 1 in 4 to the south, crops out along the northern
boundary of an estate. Sketch how you would lay out the
workings opened from the outcrop to yield about 300 tons per
day of eight hours, and mark out the pillar of coal you would
leave against the outcrop. Explain how you would get the
coal to the surface, show the position of the engines, and the
arrangements for getting the coal to the picking belts. (50)

4.	In a large diamond boring plant sketch and describe the
following :—(a) The crown, with the diamonds inserted; (5)
the kind of boring rods used; (c) the method of revolving the
rods; (d) the method of balancing the weight of the rods ; (e)
the wTay in which the water is made to circulate. (40)

5.	Describe with sketches the various forms of telescopic
props used in mines, and what advantages are claimed for
them. (40)

6.	What are the various kinds of ropes used for winding,
and the merits of each? Illustrate by sketches. For haulage
ropes which require splicing, do you prefer four or six strands,
and why? What proportion should the working load bear
to the breaking strain for ’ winding and hauling ropes
respectively ? (40)

7.	In sinking a pit 20 ft. finished diameter, describe fully
the following : (a) The position of the shot-holes (illustrate
with sketch); (5) the order of firing them; (c) the explosive
you would use; (d) the method of stemming holes; (e) the
number of men you would have in each shift, and how you
would arrange their work. (40)

Subject No. 2.—Theory and Practice of Ventilation.

(Six questions only to be answered. No. 1 is compulsory.)

1.	Compulsory Question.—On the accompanying plan of
a mine (fig. 1) show how you would ventilate the working

Fig. 1.—Ventilation.

The workings are assumed to be level. The downcast is the
winding shaft. The open working faces requiring to be
ventilated are distinguished by a thick black line; the open
airways and haulage roads by two parallel lines. All the
rest of the space within the edge of the solid coal is filled
with stowing. There are to be six splits of air.

faces by means of six separate air currents (splits). Show
the direction of each air current, and the positions of air
crossings, doors, stoppings, regulators (if required), and
sheets. (30)

2.	Sketch and describe a set of separation doors for use on
a level roadway along which coal is hauled by means of an
endless rope. (30)

3.	What minimum quantity of air in cu. ft. per minute is
considered necessary for a man, a lamp, and a horse, respec-
tively? If the quantity of firedamp produced in a given
mine is 1,000 cu. ft. per minute, what is the minimum quan-
tity of air necessary to comply with the requirements of the
Coal Mines Act? (30)

4.	Show by means of a sketch in elevation the construction
of a Gray safety lamp on a scale of about one-half its natural
size. Indicate by means of arrows the direction of the air
currents in its interior. State explicitly what occurs when
inflammable gas enters it. (30)

5.	If the quantity of air passing through a mine is 100,000

cu. ft. per minute, and the corresponding water gauge 3 in.,
what is the equivalent orifice of the mine? (30)

6.	Show by means of sketches : a high-speed fan driven
by an electric motor; the passages which connect it to the
upcast and downcast shafts; and the means provided for
reversing the air current. (50)

7.	Two shafts, each 750 yds. deep, are connected together
at the bottom by a passage 6 ft. square, obstructed by a
diaphragm, which allows no air to pass from the one to the
other. The temperature of one of the shafts is 80 degs.
Fahr., and that of the other 60 degs. Fahr. What is the
total pressure on the diaphragm if the weight of a cu. ft. of
air at 32 degs. Fahr, and mean atmospheric pressure is taken
to be 0-0807 lb.? (30)

Subject No. 3.—Explosions in Mines, Underground Fires,
and Inundations.

(Five questions only to be answered. No. 1 is compulsory.)

1.	Compulsory Question.—How would you deal with coal
dust deposited on the timbers of the roadways, and on the
ledges and in the crevices of the roofs and sides? (30)

2.	How wrould you guard against spontaneous combustion
in : (a) Pillars of coal; (5) roadside packs; (c) wastes or
goaf ? (25)

3.	When investigating a colliery explosion, what notes and
observations would you make of the circumstances under
which the bodies of the victims are found, in order to arrive
at the probable cause? (25)

4.	A fire has occurred in a small district, and stoppings
have been erected in the levels leading thereto. Pipes have
been placed through the stoppings for the purpose of taking
samples of the gases. State approximately the analysis
which would lead you to suppose—first, that the fire is still
burning; second, that the fire is extinguished. (25)

5.	You are working, at some distance to the dip of the pit,
a seam of coal lying 20 yds. above a lower seam which
has been worked out and is full of water. The gradient is
1 in 4. How would you guard against a sudden inun-
dation ? (25)

6.	Rescue Apparatus.—(1) How is the supply of oxygen
regulated, and what is the necessary rate of supply? (2)
What is the purpose of the by-pass valve? (3) What is the
purpose of the breathing bag? (25)

Alternative Question to No. 6.—Describe the liquid air
apparatus.

Subject No. 4.—Machinery.

(Five questions only to be answered.)

1.	Name three types of valve in common use for controlling
the steam distribution in the cylinders of winding engines.
Describe each type, and in respect of any one type describe
the mechanism for reversing the engine. (38)

2.	An upcast shaft 400 yds. deep has in it a range of mild
steel pipes, 4 in. bore, conveying compressed air to a pump
at the bottom. It is proposed to stop the compressor and take
the steam direct to the pump through the 4 in. pipes, and
work the pump by steam instead of by compressed air. Set
down all the factors and arguments you can think of for and
against the proposed change. State also the changes it is
desirable to make in connection with the pipes in the shaft
and with the pump if steam is used. (28)

3.	In a range of pipes, some with round flanges and others
with oval flanges, the round flanges are coupled by eight bolts
f in. diameter, whilst the oval flanges have two bolts. What
should be the size of the two bolts to give the same strength
as the eight bolts ? Give the diameter to the nearest | in.

Note.—The diameters of bolts at bottoms of threads may
be taken as follow :—

fin.	0-6 in.	If in.	1-2 in.
jin.	0-7 in.	1} in.	1-3 in.
1 in.	0-8 in.	If in. ...	1-4 in.
If in.	0-9 in.	If in.	1-5 in.
If in.	1-1 in.	If in.	1-6 in.

(28)

4.	Describe a water tube boiler (of the Babcock or Stirling
or other type). Give one or more simple sketches to illus-
trate your answer. (28)

5.	The drawing herewith (fig. 2) shows a special pipe

3$

Pl/ a

SECTIONAL
ELEVATION.

3‘-

• V
5‘ \

Fig. 2.—Machinery.

flange in plan and sectional elevation. Draw a side
elevation of the flange to a scale of half full size. The draw-
ing should be made in your answer book, and all necessary
dimensions shown. (28)

6. Continuous-current motors are made in three types : (a)
series wound, (5) shunt wound, (c) compound wound. State
in what respects motors of all three types are alike, and in
what respects they are different. How is the direction of
turning of a shunt-wound motor reversed? (28)

Subject No. 5.—Surveying, Levelling, and Drawing.
(Five questions only to be answered. Candidates for
Surveyors’ Certificate must answer Questions 1 and 3.)

1.	Plan No. 1 (fig. 3) shows surface contour lines at
intervals of 50 ft. vertical. A B is a heading in a coal seam,
the levels of which are marked on the plan. It is proposed

to connect this heading with the surface by driving downward
from the outcrop at the same inclination as the heading.
Draw a section on the scale of the plan. Mark the point of

Fig. 3.—Plan No. 1.

Note.—The surface and underground levels are heights above
a common datum.

I

I

X

/	/' !

i §	la	s \

A

D

Fig. 4.—Plan No. 2.

entrance at the surface, and state the length on the slope
from that point to B. (30)

2.	Plan No. 2 (fig. 4) shows a crooked boundary between
two mineral properties, for which it is proposed to substitute
a straight line starting from A and ending at the line C D,
so that each property gives up as much ground as it gets.
Prick through the plan so as to reproduce it on your answer
book. Find the new boundary line by geometrical construc-
tion, and state the principle on which the method is based.
Verify your result by measurement from the plan. (30)

3.	Calculate the co-ordinates of the following short survey,
and the bearing and length of the joining line from A to B.
Check your result by plotting on a scale of 1 in. to 100 ft.
From A.—N. 40 degs. W., 125 ft.; N. 48 degs. E., 80 ft.;
N. 45 degs. E., 150 ft.; S. 50 degs. E., 60 ft.; 8., 74 ft.—
to B. (30)

4.	It is found that an error of 1 deg. has been made in
laying off -the bearing of a heading. The heading has been
driven 150 ft. before the error is discovered. Calculate how
much will require to be taken off the side of the heading to
bring it to the correct line. How much would it be neces-
sary to take off if 500 ft. had been driven before discovering
the error. (Natural sine of 1 deg. = 0-01745. Natural
cosine of 1 deg. = 0-99985.) (25)

5.	If you were made responsible for the drift from the
surface in Question 1 being driven on correct line and inclina-
tion—the bearing amd rate of dip being ascertained—state
fully how you would peg off the work, what instructions you
would give the workmen, and what apparatus you would
provide to enable them to keep the inclination. (25)

6.	In surveying with a common miner’s dial, with folding
aperture sights, you find it necessary to take a bearing on a
very steep angle of inclination, say, of a drift driven on the
hade of a fault. Explain, with a sketch if necessary, how
you would do this, and also how you would get the approxi-
mate angle of inclination if you had no clinometer. (25)

Subject No. 6.—General Management and Mining
Legislation.

(Five questions only to be answered. No. 1 is compulsory.)

1.	Compulsory Question.—Arising out of the shortage of
coal during the present war time, describe the steps you
would take to ensure the best possible attendance of the
miners. (30)

2.	What are the chief regulations and restrictions attending
the use of electricity in mines where gas may be expected to
be present ? (25)

3.	What are the General Regulations regarding : (a) Wind-
ing ropes ; (5) hauling ropes ? (25)

4.	State the different classes of accidents occurring in or
at mines of which notice is required to be given to the
authorities. When, and to whom, are such notices to be
sent? (25)

5.	What is “an adequate amount of ventilation ’’ as
specified in the Coal Mines Act? (25)

6.	Describe the provisions of the Coal Mines Act concern-
ing the division of a mine into parts. (25)

(To be continued.)

The late Mr. H. Brunner, chairman of the Shirebrook
Colliery Limited, left estate valued at £43,870.

Mr. Henry Lewis, of Tynant, Radyr, colliery proprietor,
who died on August 22 at Llanwrtyd Wells, left estate of
the gross value of £45,505.

Coal for France and Italy.—The Central Executive of
Great Britain for the supply of coal to France and Italy met
in conference at the Hotel Victoria, London, on November 24,
under the presidency of Sir Daniel M. Stevenson. Delegates
were also present from the French Coal Committee in
London and the Italian Committee. Various questions in
connection with the details of the two schemes were con-
sidered, and the subject of time chartering was also dis-
cussed. The Central Executive re-affirmed its decision that
the time charter, either in this country or in France, at
rates above those already agreed upon, is a breach of the
scheme, and instructions are being issued to the local com-
mittees to act in the terms of the standing orders, and to
bear in mind that all such ships are subject to allocation.
The shortage of tonnage was also discussed, and it is hoped
that certain vessels will shortly be released. The French
Committee, it was stated, are making strenuous efforts to put
an end to the congestion in the French ports. The delegates
present at the conference included the following :—New-
castle : Messrs. E. P. Martin, Hopkirk. Renwick, and
Mason. Hull : Messrs. J. Turner, T. C. M‘Leod, A. Jones,
Holliday, and Good. Scotland : Messrs. C. Carlow, Pollock,
F. W. Russell, W. F. Robertson, and R. M. Stewart
(secretary).