December 15, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 1167 to think it would be the tar which was produced by low- temperature carbonisation schemes which would more particularly prove itself for use as a fuel, whilst for the by-products, benzols, toluol and phenol, etc., for which there was a big demand for specialised chemical industries, we should still depend upon high-temperature tars. TRADE AND THE WAR. The Appeal Court has upheld the judgment of Mr. Justice Bailhache, who decided in favour of Bolckow, Vaughan and Company Limited and the North-Eastern Steel Company Limited, who brought an action against the Compania Minera de Sierra Minera for failing to supply iron ore under contract. Defendants stopped delivery on the ground of dangers to shipping. The Appeal Court held that the reason of the defendants’ refusal to perform their contracts was because the plaintiffs declined to pay an increased rate of freight. A. new Order imposes restrictions upon the buying and selling of copper. This is interpreted in some quarters as being intended to stop people in this country speculating in copper abroad. Another explanation is that of freeing a number of workers engaged in “non-essential trades.” One domestic effect of the order is to make a census of the copper supplies existing in this country. In . the first half of 1916 Italy imported from Great Britain 3,188,483 tons of coal (in the corresponding peried last year 3,242,693 tons), iron and steel scrap, etc., 58,5*70 tons (corresponding period 56,741 tons), pig iron 989,169 tons (corresponding period 236,817 tons), semi-manu- factured iron and steel 182,608 tons (corresponding period 53,764 tons), and manufactured iron and steel, 120,623 tons (corresponding period, 88,191 tons.) In connection with the Excess Profits Duty, the Board of Referees has ordered that the statutory percentage respecting the manufacture of explosives and detonators shall be increased to eight per cent, in the case of a company or other corporate body, and nine per cent, in other cases. EXPORT OF COAL TO ITALY. New System of Licensing. The following statement, describing the new proce- dure to be adopted in the case of exports of coal to Italy, is issued by the Secretary of the Coal Exports Committee :— 1. In connection with the recent arrangements for the limitation of prices and freights for coal for Italy it has been decided that on and after December 15 all appli- cations for licence to export coal, coke, and manufac- tured fuel to Italy (which name is here and hereinafter used as including Sicily, Sardinia, and Tripoli) must be made through the local committee of the district from which the shipment is to be made. In other respects applications are to be made and will be dealt with in accordance with the existing rules and practice apply- ing to all similar applications. The local committees for this purpose are the same as those for the supply of coal to France, suitable additions having been made to their membership. 2. The importation of coal, coke, and manufactured fuel into Italy being now controlled by the Italian Government, acting through the Comitato Centrale Carboni at the Direzzione Generale Ferrovie at Rome, exporters, before applying for licence to ship coal, coke, or manufactured fuel to Italy, should ascertain whether the necessary authorisation for the importation thereof has been obtained by their consignees or buyers. 3. In future all licences issued for the export of coal, coke, and manufactured fuel to Italy, will be general licences, valid for periods of from one to three months, and application should be made on the form of appli- cation requisite for general licence. 4. Exporters who on December 15 hold any valid licences, general or specific, for the export of coal, coke, and manufactured fuel to Italy, must, on or before that day, report the particulars to the local committees con- cerned, and specify the balance remaining to be shipped under the general licences. 5. The above applies, as stated, to all coal, coke, and manufactured fuel intended for Italy, including any that may be intended to be shipped under contracts made prior to October 21, 1916. 6. These provisions are subject to revision as may be necessary. 7. The following are the local committees, being the same, with due alteration in constitution, as the local committees for the supply of coal to France :— (a) For Cardiff district : Secretary, W. R. Hawkins, Esq., 24, Exchange, Cardiff, (b) For Swansea dis- trict : Secretary, Henry J. Marshall, Esq., 18, Exchange-buildings, Swansea, (c) For the Humber : Secretary, R. Moorbv Esq., Temple-buildings, Bowl- alley-lane, Hull, (d) for the Mersey : (Yorkshire coal shipped by Hull exporters from the Mersey is to be dealt with by the Humber local committee), secretary, A. H. Milne, Esq., B.10, Exchange-buildings, Liverpool, je) For the Tyne : Secretary, Herbert Shaw, Esq., the Exchange, Quayside, Newcastle-on-Tyne. (/) For Scotland : Secretary, J. P. C. Elborn, Esq., 14, St. Vincent-place, Glasgow. At a recent meeting of the Tyldesley tribunal, a local colliery firm made a further appeal on behalf of an accoun- tant and wages clerk, 37 years of age and married. The firm, in their appeal, stated that as colliery firms are going more under the control of the War Office and the Ministry of Munitions, it was as essential that their senior staff in the clerical section to be retained as it was for a mine manager. The staff, it was stated, was the same in number as before the war, and the number of employees at the pits was practically the same also. Three months* temporary exemption. EXPLOSIVES IN COAL MINES. The following is a complete list of Permitted Explosives to date:— Part 1.—Explosives which have Passed the Rotherham Test. Explosive. Permissible maximum charge in oz. Pendulum swing in inches.* Abbcite No. 2 18 2-54 Abelite No. 1 14 2'85 Abelite No. 4 18 279 Ajax Powder 12 2-69 Ammonite No. 1 24 2’42 Ammonite No. 4 30 1’76 Anchorite 14 2-73 A. 1. Monobel 28 2’78 A. 2. Monobel 22 244 Arkite No. 2 40 2’41 Bellite No. 1 ... 20 2'74 Bellite No. 2 32 2’42 Bellite No. 4 18 2*92 Black Bellite 30 2’48 Britonite No. 2 24 2*26 Britonite No. 3 24 2*17 Cambrite 30 1*98 Cambrite No. 2 24 200 Denaby Powder 18 2*74 Dreadnought Powder 32 2*05 du Pont Permissible No. 1 18 2*82 Dynobel 22 2*61 Dynobel No. 2 24 2*46 Dynobel No. 3 18 2*50 Dynobel No. 4 30 2*35 Essex Powder 38 2*17 Expedite 32 2*62 Faversham Powder No. 2 24 2*61 Hay lite No. 1 10 2*18 Hay lite No. 2 18 1*96 Herculite 16 2*72 Kentite 18 2*64 Kent Powder 32 201 Kynarkite 20 2*21 Kynarkite No. 2 23 2*06 Mellin g Powder 12 2*62 Mersey Powder 18 2 60 Mon arkite 26 2*67 Monobel No. 1 10 2*81 Nationalite No. 1 12 2*92 Nationalite No. 2 20 2*63 Negro Powder No. 2 20 2*21 Neonal 16 2*56 Neonal No. 1 30 2*51 New Fortex 10 2*61 Nitro-Densite 28 1*47 Pit-ite No. 2 32 2*15 Pitsea Powder No. 2 8 2*64 Rex Powder 20 2*61 Roburite No. 4 18 2*86 Stomonal No. 1 20 2*68 Sunderite 16 2’66 Super-Cliffite No. 1 26 2*53 Super-Cliffite No. 2 30 2*53 Super-Curtisife 16 2*71 Super-Excellite 10 2*74 Super-Excellite No. 2 14 2’72 Super-Excellite No. 3 36 2*73 Super-Kolax 30 2*10 Super-Kolax No. 2 32 2*21 . Super-Rippite 18 2*53 Swale Powder 20 2*50 Thames Powder 32 2*78 Thames Powder No. 2 22 2*59 Victor Powder 18 2*96 Victor Powder No. 2 16 2*63 Viking Powder No. 1 26 2 44 Viking Powder No. 2 18 2*59 Westfalite No. 3 12 2*55 Part 2. Bobbinite. (Permitted only for the purpose of bringing down coal in certain mines for a period of five years from 1st Jan., 1914.) , * This is the swing given to the ballistic pendulum at the Home Office Testing Station by firing at it a shot of 4 oz. of the explosive. It may be compared with the swing of 3’27 in. given by a shot of 4 oz. of gelignite containing 60 per cent, of nitro-glycerine. OBITUARY. The death is announced of Mr. Peter Jones, mining engineer, at one time manager of the Tirbach Collieries, and subsequently of collieries in the Bridgend district. He was 52 years of age. Mr. J. H. Hanlin, of Swansea, died on Saturday, after a brief illness. He was partner in Hanlin and Co., coal exporters. Another Swansea coal exporter, Mr. Edward Lawrence, passed away on Sunday, after a short illness. The death is announced, at the advanced age of 79, of Mr. J. Jones, who was formerly manager at different collieries under the Ebbw Vale Company. Mr. Thomas Morgan, traffic manager under the Tredegar Company,has received intimation that his only son, lieutenant Mr. W. Phillips, manager of the Deep Navigation Colliery, Treharris, died on Sunday at the age of 48. He had been with the Ocean Company all his work ng life, and took charge at Treharris 14 years ago. in the Flying Corps, was accidentally killed in Egypt on December 5. Before enlisting the deceased was a mechanical draughtsman under the Tredegar Company. Official intimation has been received to the effect that Capt. G. F. H. Charlton, South Wales Borderers, aged 24, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. John Charlton, School House, Seaton Delaval, was killed in action on October 7. Capt. Charlton was educated at Morpeth Grammar School, where he held a Governors’ Exhibition, and graduated at Durham University, taking his degree of B.Sc in mining engineering at Armstrong College in 1913, where he was also a member of the Officers* Training Corps. When war broke out he held the position of assistant manager of the new coking department at the Ebbw Vale Steel and Iron Company’s plant, and joined the South Wales Borderers as a private. In two months he had his commission, and three months later was gazetted captain. The death occurred at Carlisle on Saturday, after a brief illness, of Mr. John Pratchitt, aged 83, head of the well- known engineering firm of Pratchitt Bros., Carlisle. Mr. Pratchitt came of an old Cheshire family. The Blackball and other New Zealand coal miners who struck against conscription have resumed work. THE GERMAN COAL AND IRON TRADES. We give below further extracts from German periodicals that have reached us, showing the course of the cord and iron trades in Germany :— German Pig Iron Output in October. The total production of pig iron, in the German ■ Customs Union in October amounted to 1,161,005 tons (1,076,343 tons in October 1915), 160,055 tons being foundry pig, 16,150 tons acid Bessemer pig, 762,115 tons basic Bessemer pig; 205,840 tons steel iron and spiegel- eisen, and 16,845 tons puddling pig. Rhenish West- phalia produced 498,548 tons (472,275 tons in 1915); Siegerland, Wetzlar, and Hesse-Nassau, 74,456 tons (71,579 tons); Silesia, 64,876 tons (66,952 tons); Mid- Geirmany, 35,502 tons (33,307 tons); North Germany, 21,981 tons (20,259 tons); South Germany and Thur- ingia, 23,339 tons (21,071 tons); the Saar district, 85,396 tons (73,316 tons); Lothringen, 186,487 tons (170,740 tons); and Luxemburg, 170,420 tons (144,514 tons). Fuel Traffic in the Ruhr Harbours During October. Shipments to Coblenz and places higher up the river amounted to 293,881 tons (520,002 tons in October 1915); to places below Coblenz, 27,935 tons (17,892 tons); Holland, 59,507 tons (91,877 tons); Belgium, 25,785 tons (55,530 tons). The total shipments were 430,493 tons (698,618 tons), of which 281,837 tons (545,637 tons) were from Duisburg-Ruhrort, 85,749 tons 68,151 tons) from Rheinpreussen, 4,383 tons (23,001 tons) from Schwelgern, and 58,524 tons (61,829 tons) from Walsum. INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES, Australia. New South Wales Naval Transport Battalion.—-So many disputes, involving serious delay in the work of coaling trans- ports and cargo vessels, have occurred in the Commonwealth, that the Minister for the Navy decided to form & Naval Transport Coaling Battalion, and he has entered into an agreement with the Sydney Coal Lumpers* Union, under which the union undertakes to render all assistance to the Navy in the coaling of vessels, and to provide for the neceo- sairy number of men to do the work. Officers of the union and others have been given honorary rank in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. Mr. Waley, the general manager of the Bellambi Company, has been appointed honorary captain, and Mr. Slattery, the coal sales manager of Howara Smith Limited, will hold the position of honorary commander. The services of these two officers, as well as those of Lieut.- Commander Norton, the general manager of the Wallarah Coal Company Limited, have been given gratis by the respec- tive coal companies. Coal Shipped from Woolloongabba.—The shipments of coal from Woolloongabba for the six months ended June 30, 1916, amounted to 110,818 tons, as compared with 137,800 tons in 1915. Canada. Strike in British Columbia.—A strike of the coal miners of Southern Alberta and North-Eastern British Columbia took place on November 27, as the result of an agitation which has been for some time in progress. The men, who are affiliated with the United Mine Workers of America, asked for a war bonus of 25 per cent, on their pay, on the ground of the increase in the cost of living. The operators refused, as wages are fixed by agreement, which has yet four months to run. Conferences were held at Ottawa between representatives of the miners and the operators and officials of the Department of Labour, and as a com- promise was effected the strike ended. The terms of settlement are that the Department of Labour will investigate the increased cost of living at Femie (B.C.), Lethbridge (Alta.), and Calgary (Alta.) between July 1 and November 22, and that the miners accept a corresponding percentage of increase in their wages in lieu of the 25 per cent, bonus demanded. About 4,000 men are affected. The report that after each wage increase local dealers advance the price of commodities to an equal or greater extent will also be investigated by the Department. Novel American Coal-Handling Plant.—A recent issue of the Electrical Review described the plant extension of the West Penn Traction Company, of Connellsville, Penn- sylvania. Three new independent water tube boilers, each of 13,7.10-sq. ft. heating surface, and each equipped with a 14-retort underfeed stoker, and provided with a 8,240 sq. ft. economiser and independent stack, are installed. The Stir- ling type boilers are built for a working pressure of 250 lb. per sq. in., and will supply steam, superheated at 100 to 120degs., to an 18,000 kw. turbine unit. They have three upper drums and one lower drum; are set higher than usual, to provide a large combustion space, and the baffling is of the 4-pass type. The grate gives a ratio of 54-2 sq. ft. of boiler heating surface per sq. ft. of grate area. The coal displaced by each stoker piston movement is 181b., and the stoker can handle 16.000 lb. of coal per hour. A forced draught fan of 60,000 cu. ft. .per minute capacity against 6 in. water gauge pressure supplies air to each furnace, and an induced draught fan discharges the economiser gases into the 100 ft. stack. The ash pits are under the combustion chambers, and discharge into cars hauled by an electric locomotive, the ashes being dumped into a 320-ton storage pit at the end of the boiler house. Instead of using over- head coal bunkers, railway cars are run into the boiler house, on a track passing along their boiler fronts, beneath which is a 2,100-ton coal storage pit extending the full length of the boiler room. Spanning this portion of the building is an elec- trical travelling crane, with a 2cu.yd. bucket, which delivers fuel to the stoker hoppers, either direct from the railway car, or from ‘the pit. Each of the stoker hoppers has a capacity of 55 tons. Run-of-mine coal is unloaded by the crane into a travelling crusher (capacity 100 tons an hour, with a 15-ton hopper), and then hoisted to the stoker hoppers. The crane also travels over the ash storage pit, and hoists the ashes into empty railway cars for removal. The crane is equipped with a 25 horse-power lifting motor, a 35 horse- power motor for opening and closing the bucket, a 5 horse- power trolley motor, and a 25 horse-power bridge motor, and has a hoisting speed of 150 ft. per minute.