January 19, 1917. 138 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. pany in maintaining the harbour and dock have, since the outbreak of the present war, greatly increased, and alsoj in- consequence of the present war, the number of vessels using the harbour docks and works of the company,:and the quan- tity of goods shinned and unshipped thereat, has diminished, and, in particular, the quantity of coal, coke, and similar commodities has greatly decreased. Owing to these circum- stances, the revenue of the company has been substantially reduced, and it is apprehended that the reduction of the avail- able revenue may continue for a protracted period after the termination of the war. Cumberland. At Maryport Police Court on Friday of last week, several women were fined for stealing coal, the property of the Maryport and Carlisle Bailway Company. It was stated that one of the defendants’ husbands was a locomotive fire- man at 'the Solway Iron Works, and was making an average wage of £2 6s. lOd. per week; and ajnother, who was also m a similar occupation, was receiving £3 2s. per week. Mr. Paul List, for some years general manager of the Millom and Askam Haematite Iron Company’s works at Millom, hais been appointed general manager of the Barrow Haematite Steell Company, in succession to Mr. A. J. White, who retired at the year end. Before going to Millom, Mr. List was manager of the Askam Iron Works belonging to the Millom and Askam Haematite Iron Company Limited. Yorkshire. At the Doncaster County Court last week, a miner’s widow named Harnett, of -G-oldthorpe, claimed compensation from the Hickleton Main Colliery Company for the death of her husband, a surface worker. He was crushed between two wagons, and was paid compensation at 15s. 9d. per week for 11 weeks. He went back to work, but died later. The widow’s submission was that be died through the acci- dent, and she claimed £191, but medical evidence was called by the respondents with a view to proving death was due to heart disease. Judgment was reserved. At the Botherham County Court, before Judge Benson (acting as arbitrator under the Workmen’s Compensation Acts), the Bothervale Collieries Limited applied for review of a compensation award made in respect of Henry Toone, who wrenched or sprained his knee by jumping out of the way of a kicking pony. In February 1912 he was awarded Ils. per week. It was now claimed that he was able to perform ordinary work at the screens, and applicants asked that his compensation should be reduced to Id. per week. His Honour referred to the man haying done work ais a porter in Sheffield Market, and was of opinion that screen work was suitable for and should have been accepted by him. He granted the application for the diminution of the award to Id.' per week. Lancashire and Cheshire. Tt was reported in Manchester on Tuesday that certain leading local colliery concerns were about to enlarge their scope of operations as retail coal dealers by enlarging their coal. ‘ bagging ” businesses. : A trade correspondent learnt on Tuesday from inside sources, that the Co-operative Wholesale Society, which has its headquarters in Manchester, and comprises over 1,500 retail societies, has abandoned for the present, at any rate, the project for acquiring coal mines of its own. Notts and Derbyshire. Two cases of interest to colliery workers were brought before rhe Nottingham Juvenile Court on Saturday last. A Badford pit boy, aged 15, was fined 7s. 6d. for a breach of rules which Mr, Pattison, general manager of the Wollaton Colliery. Company Limited, said might have had serious consequences. Although he had been previously warned, the boy left a door open, which interfered, with the venti- lation.—In the other casp, a lad employed at the Newcastle pit of the Babbington Colliery Company was fined 10s. for a breach of regulations, which resulted in the death of a pony. It was stated that it was the boy’s duty to wait at a certain point with the pony until he had instructions to proceed. Instead, he went- forward, with the result that the pony became entangled with a drift of tubs coming down the road, and it was killed. At the monthly meeting of the South Derbyshire Miners’ Association, a letter was read from Sir Bichard Bedmayne with reference to the working of the absentee committee. Enquiries were made as to what procedure was adopted to deal with absentees, and whether any improvement had ■ taken place in the South Derbyshire district. The agent was instructed to reply to the communication. 'Several of the large lodges had written asking for additional represen- tation on the council and executive committee. Hitherto all lodges, large or small, had been entitled to have two repre- sentatives on the former body and one on the latter. After a long discussion, it was decided to grant the request, lodges with 500 members to have three representatives on the council and two on the executive, and lodges with 750 mem- bers four and two respectively. The council adopted, on the suggestion of one of the branches, a resolution urging that the coal owners be approached with the view to an agree- ment being made that all coal shall be filled by shovel at every colliery and in all seams during the period of the war, without any reduction in the tonnage rate. It was strongly urged that if the Summer Time Act be re-impqsed this year, the miners of South Derbyshire should commence work an hour later. The Midlands. The wagon question is becoming a serious matter in South Staffordshire, and colliery managers are complaining of the great difficulty of filling contracts to dates agreed upon with customers owing to a continuance of truck shortage. The matter is one which concerns the domestic coal trade with London and other outside centres of con- sumption, as well as the business in deliveries of blast fur- nace and mill and forge coal and slacks to the Black Country and Shropshire and Worcestershire iron works; and the difficulty has this week become acute on account of the delay in boat traffic along the canals, caused by the severe frost. Applications which have been made to the local traffic management of the London and North-Western, Midland, and Great Western railways by the collieries concerned for increased accommodation to deal with the large winter coal < trade now offering, have been met by the reply that. the carriers have not got the necessary trucks. The difficulty has been increased by the powers which the Board of Trade are exercising locallv to .take possession of private owners’ wagons. One South Staffordshire firm hais just been called upon by the Government to hand over 500 wagons, and similar reports are occa/sionally heard of in other Staffordshire directions. Production at the iron works in some parts is being seriously interfered with, and some furnace owners ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________ of mines is of opinion that there is too much risk of accident from breaking of the rope to enable him to say with con- fidence that the men should be allowed to ride. If the owners, he says, could be persuaded to place the ham age engine underground, and .so do away with the likelihood of damage to the rope by “ kinking,’’ then his fears would be removed. There is not yet a big output from the mine recently opened up in the Callendair estate,' but there is evidence of a fair field of coal which will yet.-be worked. Last week’s coal exports from Burntisland aggregated 15,900 tons, as compared with 7,600 tons in the previous week. Foreign consignments totalled 8,375 tons, while 6,568 tons were for the coastal trade. Methil had 28,585 tons coasting, against 12,381 tons last week. The work of checking the books of the colliery firms in regard to the question of increased costs is proving one of exceptional difficulty. The consequence is that the claim for the increase of Is. per day has been held up much tonger than usual. Before giving his decision, the chairman, Lord Strathclyde, will, it is understood, call another meeting of the Conciliation Board to deal with the report of the auditors on the remit submitted to them. Work has been steady at the Fife collieries since the New Year holidays. For the time being the railway company is keeping a full supply of empty wiagons at all the pits, but even this is not enough to keep pace with the demand for coal. A meeting of colliery owners and others interested in the coal trade was held in Glasgow for the purpose of consider- ing what steps should be taken to obtain a ■ more equitable distribution of shipping orders for the export of coal. Mr. Andrew Thomson said that much dissatisfaction had pre- vailed in the coal trade regarding the allocation of orders for the export of coal. A point had now been reached when it was essential that something must be done without delay. Several firms had approached the Bqard of Trade individu- ally to. have matters adjusted, so that all collieries, where- ever situated, should be allowed to participate in .a more equitable measure in the export trade. So far, these efforts were without effect. The chairman, Mr. B. T. Walker, of the North Ayrshire Goal Company, pointed out that a number of collieries in Ayrshire and other districts had been placed at a disadvantage with regard to the shipment of coal. The question of an increase of the home price of coal would only be proposed in the event of their failing to obtain a better distribution of shipping orders. At a meeting of the Stirling Town Council, it was reported in connection with the mineral ±ands, of which, the Council are owners, that the totall royalties earned for the year amounted to £3,669 10s. 8d., together with £600 of fixed rent, and the sum of £983 13s. 3d. recovered from the Inland Bevenue Department. From the beginning of the lease of the lands to Messrs. Archibald Bussell Limited in 1915 to date, the royalties earned from Cowane’s Hospital lands have amounted to £12,576 Ils. 4d. declare that, largely owing to this cause, their output has declined by 20 per cent. Fresh Government demands having reference to operations on the Continent have removed the prospect of relief which previously appeared likely to. be obtained from the pooling of traders’ wagons, negotiations for which have so far advanced that a working scheme for a general interchange is understood to have been arranged. Kent. Quality of Snow down Coal—Summoned for Slag Heap Fire —Sinking at Canterbury—Boring for Iron Ore. Although it has been decided not to work the seam of coal struck in the deep sinking at Snowdown Colliery last week, the quality of the coal is decidedly promising, as far as con- cerns the deeper seams. The coal is hard and bright, with every evidence of being a good house coal. About 20 tons of it were raised from the bottom of the shaft, and it burned well and freely in ordinary fireplaces. The coal has shown itself harder in each lower seam that has been entered in the colliery. The sinking is being continued in accordance with the policy of the board to. take the pit down to the level of the lowest seams proved in the Barfrestone and Good- nestone borings. For a long distance down there was a satis- factory correlation between the Snowdown sinking and the Barfrestone boring, but it has not been possible to correlate the two recently. The sinking last week was carried down from 2,824 ft. to 2,844J ft. The sinking at the Chislet Colliery’s two shafts near Canterbury is being steadily proceeded with, as well as the surface works. Mr. Oscar Taylor, manager of the Snowdown Colliery, was summoned at the Wingham Petty Sessions under the Defence of the Bealm Act, for fires at Snowdown Colliery “that might serve as signal fires.’’ Ponce evidence was that a slag heap was alight, and the fire was showing a good deal of illumination. The weather was windy. When Mr. Taylor was informed about it, he said it was impossible to put the fire out. The solicitor for the defence said the fire was due to spontaneous combustion of the slag heap. The case was dismissed. Last week about 5,000 tons of coal were raised from the Tilmans tone and Snowdown collieries. The borings put down by the Channel Collieries Trust in the vicinity of Dover and Folkestone to prove the extent of the iron ore beds, first sunk through in the Shakespeare Cliff Colliery, Dover, are stated to have been eminently isatisfac- tory. Several iron masters are interested in the trust, and the chairman of one such company, which has an interes’t of £30,000 in the Channel Collieries Trust, states that sufficient ore has already been proved in the Dover-Folkestone district to keep the largest steel works in the country going at full blast for the next 100 vears. Scotland. Glasgow Corporation and Coal Prices — Demonstration of Mining Bells—A Haulage Risk—Distribution of Ship- ping Orders. At a meeting of the Special Committee of the Glasgow Corporation on the Prices of Coal to Small Consumers, Conn. Dollan, who presided, said that the meeting had been called in connection with the proposal by certain colliery owners to obtain an increase in the price of coal tor home consumption, and a relaxation of the restrictions on the export of coal. It was agreed that, in the meantime, it was unnecessary for the committee to take any action, except to express the opinion that, if home supplies were to be maintained, there should be no increase in the export trade. Attention was drawn to' complaints that certain merchants .in the city were not complying with the regulations, which compelled them to display .their prices on notice boards on their carts. It Was decided to take the necessary steps for the enforcement of the by-laws; It was agreed to request the Board of Trade to take definite action immediately, in view of any emer- gency which might larise next month or in March. It was stated that: supplies to merchants were- fairly regular at present, and that in all districts of 'the city they had enough for their needs. Some hundreds of miners have been rendered idle by an alarming explosion of a boiler at Biddoch Colliery, West Lothian. Some friction has arisen in the Hamilton district owing to the management at some of the local collieries insisting on deducting the full admt contribution for medical attend- ance from boys under 16 years of age. It is understood that under an agreement with the medical profession, lads under 16 years of age are only expected to pay half dues. An appeal has been made to the Coal Masters’ Association to get the local colliery officials to fall into line with the accepted policy of the County. The Lanarkshire scheme for medical ser- vices is one of the.best in Scotland, and is working smoothly. At the present time fully 56,000 workmen are contributing into a central fund, which is under -the control of.a joint committee. The West of Scotland branch of the Association of Mining Electrical Engineers is arranging a demonstration, on a large scale, of mining bells and relays to comply with the new regulations as set out in Sir Bichard Bedmayne’s circular of October 6, 1916. Arrangements have been made with six prominent firms to exhibit their mining bells, and an invitation to attend is being (extended to colliery managers and coal masters throughout the country. There is evidence of a pronounced desire on the part of the miners of Lanarkshire to get the question of an increaise of the weekly contribution brought forward as speedily as,pos- sible. Under the original rules of the Lanarkshire Miners’ . Union, the strike and lock-out pay was fixed at 8s. per week, but the council, as funds accumulated', ultimately raised the amount to 12s. Since then, it was decided to give an allowance of 5s. per week in all cases of stoppages through accidents at the pits, this applying to even a small section of the pit. Since the commencement of the war, the follow- ing changes have taken place :—Strike and lock-out abment raised from 12s. to 26s. per week, with an extra allowance of 2s. per wedk for each child under 14 years of age; accident scheme benefit increased to 10s. per week, with an extra Is. 6d. per week for each child under 14 years of age. In view of his departure to fill a more important appoint- ment at one of the collieries in East Lothian, Mr. David Simpson, foreman assistant engineer at Bowhill Colliery, Fife, hais been presented by the officials and workmen there with a handsome barometer, suitably inscribed. In connection with “ hurling ’’ the men up the steep dip workings in No. 2 Hopetoun Collieries (East of Scotland), a point which was referred to the divisional inspector of mines as a question involving the factor of safety, a decision has now been issued. ’ After an examination of the conditions under which the haulage rope works-, the divisional inspector _________________ COAL SHIPMENTS AND NEUTRAL TONNAGE Statistics which have been compiled relative to coal shipments in 1916, show that 26,454 cargoes were shipped, of which 6,353 were in British ships and 20,101 (or oyer 75 per cent.) in foreign vessels. Although the great difference is due in part to the war, some of it is attributable to the foreign competition in shipping business which had an increasing tendency before the war. . The figures tabulated below indicate the number of shipments of coal in British and foreign vessels last year. No. of cargoes. In British vessels. In foreign vessels. Cardiff 4.903 . .. 626 . .. 4,277 Newport 1,798 . .. 416 . .. 1,382* Swansea 2,636 . .. 444 . .. 2,192 Port Talbot 1,291 . .. 331 . 960 Llanelly 229 . ______ 115 . ______ ... 114 ______ Total............ North-western ports— Liverpool ........... North-eastern ports— Newcastle................. Blyth______............. Amble .............. North Shields............... South Shields........... Seaham............. Sunderland.......... Hartlepool .......... Middlesbrough ....... Total ............ Humber ports— Hull ...................... Goole............... Grimsby ............ Immingham___........... Total.................. East Coast of Scotland- Leith .......................... Granton ................... Burntisland.......... Kirkcaldy............ Methil __............. Total ................... West Coast of Scotland— Greenock ............ Glasgow................. ... Ardrossan............ Troon............... Ayr ____________............. Irvine____............. Total ............ Bristol Channel ports... North-western ports ... North-eastern ports... Humber ports........ East Coast of Scotland West Coast of Scotland Total __........... 10,857 . .. 1,932 . .. 8,925 647 . ... 552 . 95 2,880 . ... 730 . .. 2,150 1,358 . .. 143 . .. 1,215 225 . 5 . 220 171 . 45 . 126 2,168 . 733 . .. 1,435 365 . .. 57 . 308 1,038 . ... 284 . 754 484 . 67 . 417 60 , 45 . 15 8,749 . ... 2,109 . .. 6,640 1,118 . ... 435 . 683 452 , ... 277 . 175 231 . 43 . 188 12 10 . 2 1,813 ... 765 . .. 1,048 1,149 ... 265 . 884 121 12 . 109 488 ;.. 5 . .. ♦ 483 278 , 14 . 264 828 75 . 753 '■ - ■ 2,864 ... 371 . .. 2,493 • 13 8 . 5 1,175 ... 507 . 668 80 . 31 . 49 109 . 34 . 75 138 39 . .. 99 9 , 5 . 4 ■ . — 1,524 . ... 624 . 900 Total Shipments. 10,857 ... 1,932 ... 8,925 647 ... 552 ... 95 8,749 ... 2,109 ... 6,640 1,813 ... 765 ... 1,048 2,864 ... 371 ... 2,493 1,524 ... 624 ... 900 26,454 ... 6,353 ... 20,101 ___________________________ The late Sir W. T. Doxford, chairman of William Doxford and Sons Limited, left estate valued at £151,110 gross.