1066 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. December 1, 1916. that the Government should at once appoint a com- mission of three qualified persons, representing respectively the miners, the owners and the Board of Trade, to sit day by day until an agreed equivalent selling price had been arrived at, after examining all the evidence bearing upon the question from both sides. This plan will now be carried out in a better way. An Inter-Departmental Committee, consisting of Mr. W. F. Marwood, of the Board of Trade, Sir Richard Redmayne, of the Home Office, and Mr. W. St. D. Jenkins, of the Admiralty, will make the required investigation. The Conciliation Board agree- ment has, therefore, become a dead letter, and the South Wales coal field has passed under the provisions of the Munitions Act. __________________________ In two recent issues of Stahl und Coal Eisen, Prof. Oskar Simmersbach has Resources published an exhaustive account of Of Germany, the coal resources of Germany, with special reference to coking coals. He says with truth that the importance of by- products has greatly increased the value of this class of coal since the war, and he expresses the comfort- able conviction that his country can view this aspect of the question with greater complacency than the enemy is able to do. He even goes so far, in his comparison of the relative positions of Germany and England in regard to the question of fuel resources, as to conclude that while England possesses less than one-half of the quantity of coal, her output is nearly 45 per cent, larger and, therefore, a fortiori, England is nearer the point of exhaustion than Germany. This result is arrived at on the assumption that Germany possesses a reserve of 423-358 milliards of metric tons as compared with 189’533 milliards in the case of the United Kingdom. These figures, it should be said, include both true coal and brown coal, the latter being estimated for Germany at 13 383 milliards of metric tons. Of the total European coal resources, placed at 78IT92 milliards of tons, Germany is credited with 54 per cent., and the United Kingdom with 24 T 7 per cent. Without arguing the point whether such figures have any practical value in estimating the relative position of the two countries in question so far as fuel resources are concerned, it will be interesting to examine briefly the details on which Prof. Simmers- bach has based his conclusions. He estimates that at the present time 70 per cent, of the German output is got from the Rhine district and 30 per cent, from Silesia and Saxony. The coalfield of West- phalia and the Lower Rhine are stated to contain 213’796 milliard metric tons, whereas the whole of the British coalfields are said to contain only 189| milliards of tons. The German figures are made up from the estimated totals of three zones, viz., the belt of actual workings, the borehole belt and the unproved area, as follows :— Metric tons (milliards). Area in working ___________________ 56’574 Area proved by boreholes ... _______ 68’722 Unproved area ___________________ 88’500 The gross total is estimated, at the present rate of output of 107,000,000 tons from this district, to give a prospective life of 2,000 years for the whole coal field, but this is based upon the doubtful assumption that the whole of this coal can be won. One of the most interesting features of the Rhenish-Westphalian coal field is its extension for an unknown distance north- wards in the Lippe Valley beneath a cover of later rocks consisting chiefly of chalk, bunter sandstone and the zechstein division of the permian. The coal measures become more deeply buried further towards the north, and although the above figures only include seams not deeper than 2,000 metres from the surface, this fact alone precludes any comparison with estimates of our own coal resources, in which the depth of 4,000 ft. may be taken as the limit of prac- ticable working under present economic conditions. By this we do not mean to imply that mining could not be carried on beyond this depth, but that the expense incurred in raising coal between 4,000 and 6,000 ft. would preclude, except in special circum- stances, any prospect of a commercial success. What we require to know, therefore, before any true comparison can be made with British coal resources, is the relative amount of what may be called easily won coal -in the German coal fields. The seams in the Rhenish-Westphalian district show a progressive diminution in volatile matter in proportion to the depth. Thus in a general sense the gas coals lie above the bituminous seams, and the latter are succeeded in depth by the lean coal series carrying between 4 and 18 per cent, of volatile matter. The lean coals are not suitable for coking. Owing again to the structure of the Rhenish- Westphalian coal field, the lean coals are more abundant in the exposed areas towards the south, but in the concealed areas towards the north these sink rapidly below the 2,000 metre level. It is not until the cover of secondary rocks begins to conceal the coal measures tluit the rich coking varieties begin to assume a preponderance over the leaner seams. The amount of coal coked in the Ruhr district rose from about 11,000,000 tons in 1904 to nearly 15,000,000 tons in 1910, and is certainly considerably more at the present time. The yield of coke varies from 83 to 72 per cent., and the ash content is remark- ably uniform at between 8 and 9 per cent. Although the proportion of volatile matter in the Rhenish- Westphalian coals increases, as stated above, in the concealed areas towards the north, it is not to be assumed that this is due to the greater thickness of cover, except in so far as this has afforded protection from denudation. It is generally held that the upper bituminous seams owe their character more to original differences in composition than to subsequent loss of volatile constituents. Prof. Simmersbach gives a highly interesting account of the character of the coal seams throughout the German Empire. He states, amongst other details, that the small exposure near Erkelenz, due to the Briiggen Horst, is anthracitic in its western part, and graduates into a semi-bituminous variety similar to the best Cardiff coal. The amount of coal in this small field is estimated to be about 1’746 milliard tons, but there is an unproved area to the south which may contain an extension of this coal- field in that direction. There ai;e also some striking differences in the Saar coal seams as compared with those of the Ruhr; for in the former the gas content generally increases with depth, and the whole of the coals produce a hard coke, while both the ash content and the proportion of tar are greater. Again, the Upper Silesian coal seams have characters of their own, and although of great thickness they are of little importance from a coking standpoint except perhaps in the western part of the area, where the seams contain more volatile matter, a peculiarity which is ascribed to the fact that this part of the coalfield was more rapidly overspread with clay while the eastern portion remained longer exposed to atmospheric influences. Prof. Simmersbach has compiled a useful and concise account of the economic characters of the German coal fields, giving much detailed information of a practical character. The separate maps of each district convey a clear explanation of their structural features, and afford the best general description of their geological relations that we have yet seen in so brief a compass. The disposition to make com- parisons to the disadvantage of Great Britain may be excused under existing circumstances. ___________________________ THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. The makers having now decided to “ pool ” the output, in preference to fixing a minimum selling price for plates, has raised the tone of the market somewhat, and there is a more satisfactory feeling all round. 14 x 20 cokes have been done at 26s., and approved odd sizes on the same basis, and quite a fair amount of business has been placed, but higher figures are being generally asked to-day, and we should call current quotations for class A orders :—Coke tins : IC 14 x 20 (112 sh. 1081b.), 26s. 6d. per box and upwards; IC 28 x 20 (112 sh. 2161b.), 53s. per box and upwards. I C squares and odd sizes, 27s. basis and upwards. Stock plates, of course, command more money. Charcoals run 30s. basis and upwards, according to finish. Coke wasters are in fair demand, and rates firm, as follow :— CW 14 X 20, 28s. 6d. per box and up; C W 28 x 20, 57s. 6d.; C W 14 x 18f, 39s. 6d.; C W 20 x 10, 43s.; C W 30 x 21, 65s. All f.o.b. Wales, less 4 per cent. _____________________________ Three miners were killed by a fall of roof in the Jacksdale Colliery, Nottinghamshire, on Monday night. The bodies were recovered after several hours’ work in removing the fallen material. THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, November 30. ________________________________________________ Scotland.—Western District. COAL. The scarcity of tonnage is having an adverse influence on the coal trade of the west of Scotland, and the position is far from satisfactory. It is said that collieries, in some instances, will have to stop working occasionally for want of an outlet for their produce, and this is particularly the case with regard to ell coals. Splints are a shilling or two per ton cheaper, but navigations are unchanged in the region of 30s. to 33s. per ton. Steams also remain on last week's level, but business is being done considerably under colliery figures. Household sorts are now in active demand at firm prices. Shipments for the week amounted to 103,246 tons, against 105,372 in the preceding week and 95,836 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Glasgow. Current prices. Steam coal 23/ -27/ Ell ■ 24/ -25/ Splint 26/ -30/ Treble nuts 1 23/ Double do - 22/ Single do. . 1 21/ L’st week's Last year’s prices. | prices. 22/ -27/6 ( 15/6-17/6 I 25/ -25/6 I 18/3-18/6 5 26/ -32/6 i 19/ -25/ i 23/ I 18'6-18/9 1 22/ 18/3-18/6 | 21/ 17/3-17/6 IRON. Activities in the Scotch iron trade are fully maintained, and the tendency generally is in an upward direction. Pig iron makers are doing a large business, particularly in haematite, though best qualities of ordinary brands are also very busy. In view of the demand for all sorts on home account, the export department is extremely quiet. Ship- ments for the past week totalled 382 tons—80 tons to foreign and 302 tons coastwise—compared with 1,564 tons in the same week last year. Pig iron warrant stocks now amount to 5,623 tons, against 116,098 tons at the end of 1915. The prices of Scotch makers’ iron are quoted as follow:—Monkland and Carnbroe f.a-.s. at Glasgow, Nos. 1, 125s., Nos. 3, 120s.; Govan, No. 1, 122s. 6d., No. 3, 120s.; Clyde, Summerlee, Calder and Langloan, Nos. 1,130s., Nos. 3, 125s.; Gartsherrie, No. 1, 131s. 6d., No. 3, 126s. 6d.; Glen- garnock, at Ardrossan, No. 1, 130s., No. 3, 125s.; Eglinton, at Ardrossan or Troon, and Dalmellington, at Ayr, Nos. 1, 126s. 6d., Nos. 3, 121s. 6d.; Shotts and Carron, at Leith, Nos. 1, 130s., Nos. 3, 125s. per ton. Malleable iron makers are plentifully supplied with business in their iron and steel departments, and mills are running unceasingly. A good general business is being done in the iron products, but outputs of steel are almost entirely reserved for Government requirements. Crown quality iron bars are quoted about <£14 10s. per ton net for export, and mild steel bars from ^616 10s. to <£17 per ton, for basis sizes. Black sheets are in large demand, particularly the heavier, and producers have difficulty in keeping deliveries up to date. The price remains about <£18 5s. to <£18 10s. per ton net f.o.b. Glasgow. ________ _______ Scotland.—Eastern District. COAL. The coal trade in the Lothians is very quiet at present, and collieries would welcome anything in the way of prompt business. Shipments only amounted to 22,103 tons, against 33,748 tons in the preceding week and 37,226 tons in the same week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Leith. Best screened steam coal... Secondary qualities..... Treble nuts ............ Double do............... Single do............... Current prices. 28/ 27/ 23/ -25/ 22/ 21/ ______ L’st week’ slLast year’s prices. | prices. 28/ j 18/3-18/9 27/ ! 17/9-18/3 1 23/ -25/ ! 19/ -19/6 22/ ? 18/3-18/6 21/ | 16/3-16/6 Conditions in Fifeshire are more satisfactory, owing to the sustained demand for navigations and first-class steams. Other qualities, however, are still very slow. Clearances for the week amounted to 34,647 tons, against 39,985 tons in the preceding week and 61,001 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntislafid. Current prices. Best screened navigation coal.................... 30/ -35/ Unscreened do........... 28/ First-class steam coal....j 30/ -33/ .... Third-class do............i 21/ Treble nuts ............I 23/ -26/ ............ ............ Double do................’ 22/ Single do................j 21/ L’st week’sLast year’s prices. prices. 30/ -35/ . 23' -24/6 ; 28/ -32/6 j 20/ -21/ ' 28/ —33/ 20/ -20/6 1 22/ i 15/ ( 23/ -26/ ! 19/ -20/ | 22/ 17*6-17/9 21/ 16/3-16/6 ______ The aggregate shipments from Scottish ports during the past week amounted to 159,996 tons, compared with 179,105 in the preceding week and 194,063 tons in the corresponding week of last year.