December 8, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

1113

MINE MANAGERS* EXAMINATIONS.

(Continued from page 1061.)

For Second-Class (Under-Managers’) Certificate of
Competency.

Subject No. 1.—Mine Working,

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

1.	Compulsory Question.—A coal seam 6 ft. thick, with
a friable roof, dips 1 in 5. An isolated pillar 200 yds. square
has been left. Two levels have been driven in the lower
side of this pillar. Sketch and describe how you would
work out this coal. Give sizes of roads, and details of how
you would support the roof. Indicate the course of air, and
how the coal is taken to the level haulage road. (60)

2.	Describe with sketches two kinds of tools employed to
withdraw timber in mines. What kind of timber is usually
selected for use as props, bars, and chocks respectively? (60)

3.	In a hard seam 6 ft. thick, how would you prepare a
heading 9 ft. wide so as to bring down a maximum amount
of round coal with as little explosive as possible? Where
would you place the shot holes, and about what weight of
charge would you use? (60)

4.	In a working place with a bad roof, where chocks are
used, describe in detail how you would set the chocks, how
you would withdraw them, and what precautions you would
take in so doing. How would you support the roof between
the chocks where breaks run parallel to the face? (60)

5.	In sinking a pit 20 ft. finished diameter describe fully :

(a)	The position of the shot holes (illustrate with sketch);

(b)	the order of firing them; (c) the explosive you would
use; (d) the method of stemming the holes. (60)

6.	As shot-lighter, what would you do in case of a miss-
fire, and what instructions would you give the workman
concerned ? (60)

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 show how you would ventilate the work-
ing faces by means of six separate air currents (splits).

Ventilation Plan.

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.

Show the direction of each air current, and the positions of
air crossings, doors, stoppings, regulators (if required), and
sheets. (50)

2.	It is desired to ascertain by means of a single explor-
ing heading the condition of a certain area in a steep and
very fiery seam of coal situate on the rise side of existing
workings. What means would you adopt for ventilating
the heading? If the structure employed for conveying the
air were to be broken down by a fall of roof at a point, say,
200 yds. back from the face, so that the headings for that
distance became filled with gas, how would you proceed to
deal with the gas? (50)

3.	The quantity of air passing in a mine is 100,000 cu. ft.
per minute, and the water gauge is 3 in. What is the horse-
power in the air? If the quantity of air passing through
the same mine were 200,000 cu. ft. per minute, what would
be the corresponding horse-power? (50)

4.	Show by means of a sketch—a ventilating fan in eleva-
tion, the structure in which the fan is enclosed, and the
fan drift. (50)

5.	What percentages of firedamp correspond to “ caps ” of

the following heights :	J, f, 1, and l|in.? Sketch, the

caps, and show the percentage corresponding to each. What
height of cap would induce you to withdraw the men, and
why? Wha't percentage of firedamp renders air at normal
temperature explosive? (50)

6.	Specify the various means that can be adopted for
increasing the quantity of air passing through any given
mine with extensive workings, and state which is the most
economical, and why. (50)

7.	Describe the composition and physical properties of air
and firedamp separately. From what sources is firedamp
derived in the workings of a mine? What are the causes

that tend to vary the quantity entering the workings from
one time to another? (50)

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

(Five questions only to be answered.)

1.	Is it practicable in a dry mine to prevent or remove
coal dust, and can a mine be made safe by these means
alone? Give reasons for your answer. (20)

2.	When in charge of workmen stopping off or extinguish-
ing a gob-fire, how would you judge as to whether the air
is dangerous to breathe or not? (20)

3.	In ventilating a district or panel of work subject to
spontaneous combustion, what particular care would you
exercise as to the course of the air, the volume, and the
pressure or water gauge? (20)

4.	If an explosion is found to have traversed the faces
and return airways in one case, and only the intake haulage
roads in another case, what conclusions would you arrive at
as to the cause in each case? (20)

5.	In a pit worked with naked lights, what special rules
would you adopt to prevent accidental fires? (20)

6.	A rescue team wearing apparatus is working at some
distance from the base, when one of the members shows
signs of extreme exhaustion. What is the probable cause
of this exhaustion, and what should be done to restore him
and get him out? (20)

Subject No. 4.—Machinery.

(Five questions only to be answered.)

1.	In a colliery the trams (hutches, wagons, or tubs) are
taken by hand 200 yds. along a road from the face, and are
then let down a self-acting incline, dipping 1 in 1 (45 degs.)
for 60 yds. From the bottom of this incline the trams are
hauled to the pit bottom by a main-and-tail system, and in
this length there is one bend of 90 degs. (a right angle turn).
Describe with sketches how you would lay the rails for the
tramway in the various sections of the route from face to
pit, and how you would place the rollers for the ropes. (20)

2.	What is meant by the terms : (a) Dead weight safety
valve; (b) lever-and-weight safety valve? In which of the
two kinds of valve must the weight be the greater, and why?
Suppose the area of a dead weight safety valve were
2 sq. in., and the weight were 1501b., at what pressure per
sq. in. would the valve blow off? (20)

3.	Describe carefully the process of capping a winding
rope. Why is it necessary or desirable to re-cap winding
ropes at intervals? (20)

4.	Describe a double-pole switch for making and breaking
a continuous-current circuit. Make one or two sketches
showing how the switch works, and how it is connected to
the conductor wires. (20)

5.	What is meant by the terms : (a) Annealing; (6) tem-
pering or hardening; (c) case hardening. Name articles
in use about collieries that are annealed, tempered or case-
hardened. (20).

6.	Explain how it is that a pump placed above the water
will draw the water up to itself. Ought a pump to draw to
a greater height at the bottom of a deep shaft than at the
top of the shaft? Give the reason for your answer. What
is the longest suction main (or line of pipes) you would
expect to be able to have attached to a pump in an incline
dipping 1 in 8? (20)

Subject No. 5.—Arithmetic and Surveying.

(Five questions only to be answered, at least two of them
being from the part headed “ Surveying.”)

Arithmetic.

1.	Reduce 65 acres 3 roods 15 poles (or perches) 10 yards,
statute measure, to square yards. (20)

2.	A statute acre is equal to 10 square chains—a chain
being 66 ft. in length. One of the local units of area in
land measuring, of which there were many, was an acre of
10 square chains, the chain being 74 ft. long. What is the
ratio of that local acre to the statute acre? (20)

3.	If the output of a colliery be 2,400 tons a week, and
the cost for the same period be : Hewing, £579 18s. 6d.;
other underground wages, £257 9s. 3d.; surface wages,
£155 10s. 8d.; and other charges, £362 Is. 7d. What is the
total cost, and the total cost per ton? (20)

4.	A roadway requires to be timbered with sets of timber
at intervals of 2| ft. from centre to centre of sets. The
length of timber in each set is 13 ft. If the cost of the
timber be 10s. 8d. per 100 ft., what is the cost of each set,
and the cost of the timber in 300yds. of roadway? (20)

Surveying.

5.	Plot the following short survey. Find the bearing and
length of the closing line. Plot to a scale of 1 in. to 100
links. N. 10 degs. W., 175 links; N. 75 degs. W., 200
links; S., 330 links; S. 85 degs. E., 190 links. (20)

6.	Measure the area of the closed figure in question No. 5,
giving the area in statute acres and decimals, and in acres,
roods, poles (or perches) and yards. (20)

7.	Draw neatly, to a scale of Jin. to 1ft., a section of
any seam with which you are familiar, showing 3 ft. of
strata above and below the seam. Mark the thickness of
each bed or stratum on the section. (20)

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

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

1.	Compulsory Question.—Write a report, not in any
prescribed form, but in your own words, such as you might
be expected to make to your manager at the end of your
shift, as to the condition of the mine or part of a mine
under your charge, dealing especially with such matters as
you think will be of interest to your manager. (20)

2.	At the termination of a shift, what are the duties of an
official in charge of a district as to leaving the workings in
a safe condition? (20)

3.	Under what circumstances or conditions are workmen
to be withdrawn from their working places? (20)

4.	A pit has two or more shifts of coal hewers, the shifts
following each other without interval; state precisely what
examinations of the working places are required under the
Coal Mines Act. (20)

5.	Refuge holes are to be placed on certain underground
roads. The required distance apart of these holes varies
under different conditions. What are these conditions, and
what distance apart haver refuge holes to be placed under
each condition? (20)

6.	State in full detail the regulations as to shot-firing
underground, both at the coal face and on engine planes. (20)

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS.

The Editors are not responsible either for the statements
made, or the opinions expressed by correspondents.

All communications must be authenticated by the name and
address of the sender, whether for publication or not.
No notice can be taken of anonymous communications.

As replies to questions are only given by way of published
answers to correspondents, and not by letter, stamped
addressed envelopes are not required to be sent.

PAYMENT AND CONTROL OF DEPUTIES.

Sirs,—The letter by “ Colliery Official,” in reference
to my paper, commences with the inference that I am
favouring State payment of deputies. I am surprised at
this. In reply to his first question, my answer is
“No,” and especially if deputies were placed under
the control of the miners’ associations.

The chief reason for desiring State payment is that
the deputy has not been permitted or encouraged to
have the proper status in mine management that the
Act of 1911 specifies he should have; and, on the other
hand, he has been shouldered with responsibilities, and
is the .special victim for blame at inquests and enquiries
as to fatalities. His position is not understood by
owners and legislators; it is under-valued and under-
paid in comparison with the wages received by the
miners, whose labour he is expected to supervise
efficiently.

“Colliery Official” asks: Does Mr. Keen-Smith
think it right that the deputy’s authority over his dis-
trict should be superior to that of the agent, owner, or
manager or undermanager?

My answer is also “ No.” What is needed is scien-
tific management. It is not so much the degree of
power as the classification of powder. The officials do
not clearly understand their real departmental powers,
duties, and responsibilities. At a very large modern
colliery the distance betw’een the deputy and the
manager is too great.

Deputies are blamed for and dismissed for matters that
are outside the scope of their statutory position. They
now seek the right to associate, but, at the collieries
where there is most room for complaint, this right is
forbidden them. “ Colliery Official ” seems to think
that the case of a deputy with 200 men and boys is
unfairly put. This deputy has 250 men and boys under
his care. He is the morning shift deputy, known as a
charge deputy. He is expected to visit every person
and examine every place in his district within a period
of five hours. He is expected to make no less than two
visits each shift, the second to be made within the two
hours preceding the afternoon shift. His workmen are
paid by contract price list. He keeps a record of all
the work they do, and is held responsible for watching
that the men do not become entitled to the claim for
minimum wage. He sets out the roadways, and is con-
sidered to be in full charge of the district as to its
financial success.

I hope that I have dealt with all the points raised.

7,	Eastgate, Barnsley,	F. Keen-Smith,

December 5, 1916.	General secretary,

Yorkshire Deputies’ Association.

TRADE AND THE WAR.

In connection with the need for munition workers, it is
stated that the unsatisfied demand for men in the munition
trades continues to increase. Many thousands are asked
for every week beyond the number provided by the ordinary
channels of supply. In particular, there is a demand for
silica brick makers, foundry workers, and unskilled labourers
for the heavier classes of work.

The business of the Vincit Company Limited, agents for
carborundum, etc., 21, South-road, New Southgate, is being
wound up under the Trading with the Enemy Amendment
Act, 1916.

The London Gazette announces that the names of the
following joint stock companies will be struck off the
Register at the end of three months unless cause to the
contrary be shown:—British Columbian Coal Syndicate
International General Artificial Coal and Fuel Company,
Mineral Promotions, Mines and Produce Merchants Asso-
ciation, and Panama Coaling and Shipping Company.

Among articles added to the list of goods which are
forbidden to be exported from Sweden or to pass through
Sweden for export are iron plates of a thickness less than
three millimetres, but not less than 0’6 millimetre, and
sand-cast pig iron.

Every person engaged in the production of brass rod,
tubing, sheet and wire strip, stampings, castings, billets
and ingots, and copper rod and wire, tubing, sheets, plates,
discs and ingots, is required to furnish particulars of the
output to the Director of Materials at the Ministry of
Munitions.

Shipments of Bunker Coal.—The quantity of coal, etc ,
shipped for the use of steamers in the foreign trade during
November was 1,012,668 tons, as compared with 331,614 tons
in the corresponding month last year. The aggregate so
shipped during the 11 months ended November 30 was
11,973,652 tons, as against 12,677,068 tons and 17,287,364
tons in the same month in 1915 and 1914.

Exports of Coal Products.—The exports of coal products,
not dyes, in November were valued at <£212,704, against
£178,112 in November last year and £134,386 in the same
month of 1914. The total for the 11 months was £2,619,628,
a sum in excess of the total of £2,019,096 in November
1915. Exports of coal tar dyestuffs were valued at £127,323,
compared with £24,947 in November last year.