February 9, 1917.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

283

FUEL AND COKING LECTURES AT
LEEDS UNIVERSITY.

In connection with the Department of Coal Gas and
Fuel Industries with Metallurgy of the University of
Leeds, special courses of lectures have been (arranged,
dealing with “ The Scientific Utilisation of Fuel ” and
“By-Product Coking Processes.” The former course,
which consists of six lectures, is being delivered by
Prof. Cobb, Livesey Professor of Coal, Gas, and Fuel
Industries in the University. It aims at giving to those
engaged in the fuel using industries an intelligent idea
of the principles involved in using fuel with precision,
minimising the amount of waste, utilising as far as
possible the by-products, and preventing smoke.

The first two lectures were given on January 31, and
in these Prof. Cobb was mainly concerned with first
principles of the measurement of heat and temperature,
explaining in an elementary way the principles of calori-
metry, thermometry, and pyrometry, exhibiting the
forms of apparatus which were best adapted for works
use in this connection.

Two lectures were given on Wednesday, February 7,
and in those the subject discussed was that of com-
bustion in air or steam, as being a necessary prelimi-
nary to the understanding of the use of fuel, whether
for raising steam directly or for gas producer practice
in its various forms. This will lead on to a considera-
tion of the design of gas producers and their methods
of working, the influence in working of recent altera-
tions in the direction of lessening the amount of hand
labour required, whether for poking the producer or for
removing clinker. Methods will also be considered,
which are becoming increasingly important, for cooling
and washing producer gas, so as to make it capable of
distribution through urilined metal pipes, under exact
control, through taps or valves. The recovery of
ammonia as a by-product, and the conditions governing
that recovery, will also be discussed. Following on
that, comes the general consideration of the process of
carbonisation, which is common to the gas industry and
the coke oven industry; 'and finally, steam raising will
be given attention, together with the use and control
of furnaces in general, and the determination of heating
efficiency.

Two lectures are given each evening for the conveni-
ence of students who come in from a distance. Between
40 and 50 students drawn from a number of industries
are attending the course.

The lecturer on “ By-Product Coking Processes ” is
Mr'. W. Greaves, F.I.C., of Leeds. The course, which
consists of eight lectures, on four successive Tuesday
evenings, commenced on January 30. Mr. Greaves
described the main points of the various washers and.
jig washers, and emphasised the importance of draining
the coal, especially where this contains salt, to avoid
carrying more than is absolutely necessary into the
ovens, as it is well known to have a very deleterious
effect on the brickwork. He went on to describe the
manufacture of coke from the earliest times, tracing the
.process from 1661, at which date only coal and char-
coal were used. He dealt with the development of the
modern by-product coke oven, mentioning that the
pioneers of these were Evence Coppee and Knaib-Carves
in 1856 and 1861. The defect of this type of oven, he
said, was that after coal had been coked for some time
in the oven, the latter portion of the coking did not
give off so much gas. Each oven had to heat itself from
its own gas. The late Dr. Otto experimented with this
type of oven, and began by collecting all the gas in a
large main, and feeding each oven of the whole battery
with a sufficient quantity—in other words, distributing
it evenly to each oven from the main.

Mr. Greaves next described each kind of oven and the
various by-product ovens, giving the methods of work-
ing and regulating each, and pointing out the chief
advantages and disadvantages claimed for each kind.
The first by-product oven of any importance, he said,
was known as the Otto Hoffmann oven, and one of the
first batteries of this type was erected in 1884 at the
Consolidation Colliery, Essen. The advantage of this
oven was that Hoffmann introduced the use of a
Siemens regenerator. Owing to gas engines not being
used at that date, the regenerator oven fell out of use,
and a. further improvement was brought about by the
Otto-Hilgenstock oven, in which the gas was much more
efficiently distributed in various flues. Mr. Greaves dis-
cussed the advantages and disadvantages of, the hori-
zontal-flued ovens, compared with the vertical-flued.

His last lecture was devoted to a description of the
various by-product recovery processes. He went
thoroughly info the did or direct type of recovery, and
gradually traced the various improvements down to the
present method of recovering ammonia by means of the
semi-direct process, as used by Coppee and Hoppers, and
the direct ammonia recovery process, as used by Otto,
Semet-Solvay, and Simon-Carves. He also dealt with
the Burkheiiser and Feld systems, both of which are
highly interesting, but have not yet been brought into
commercial use. The manufacture of concentrated
ammonia water, which is of much importance at pre-
sent, was also thoroughly described, as was also the
manufacture of pure ammonia.

In subsequent lectures, Mr. Greaves will treat of the
recovery of cyanogen and sulphuretted hydrogen, the
extraction of benzol, and the manufacture of the various
benzol homologues. Further, he will deal with the dis-
tillation of tar, and the usual products derived from it,
the production of tar macadam, the purification of coal
gas, and the use of it for town lighting and power. The
concluding lecture will be on the formation of coal,
including a technical discussion of the work gone over
during the lectures, and the laboratory tests usually
required to be carried out on coking plants.

The special programme drawn up by the University
also includes two lectures on “The Washing of Town
Gas with Oil or Tar,” which will be delivered on
February 21 by Mr. A. Edwards, chief chemist of the
Leeds Corporation Gas Department.

A QUEENSLAND COAL MINE.*

The coal fields of Queensland are estimated on reli-
able authority to contain about 1,574,000,000 tons of
coal in seams over 1 ft. in thickness. The coal is of
three ages, viz., per mo-carboniferous, trias jura, and
cretaceous. The first mentioned will probably be the
most important in the future, not only because the coal
is superior in quality, but also by reason of the fact that
the seams are of greater thickness, and the coal-bearing
area more extensive. The Blair Athol, Mount Mulligan,
and Bowen fields all occur in these measures. Up to
the present, however, it has been the trias jura measures
which have yielded by far the greater output. The most
important mining centre is Ipswich, 24 miles from Bris-
bane. Coal mining has been carried on in this district
for more than half a century. The seams vary from a
few feet up to 14 or 15 ft. in thickness, but in most cases
the coal is broken up by bands of stone or clay.

The principal mine in the district is the Blackheath
Colliery, about seven miles from Ipswich. It is worked
by two tunnels. No. 1 tunnel is at present 800 yds.
long on an incline. The coal is brought to. the tunnel
from the working faces by a number of electric haulage
gears. The power plant includes a Davey Paxman six-
cylinder single-acting engine, coupled to a Lancashire
generator of 100 kw., and a McEwen horizontal engine
of 160 horse -power, belt-connected to 100 kw. Jeffrey
generator. There is also a Beiliss 'and Morcom high-
speed engine of 170 horse-power, coupled to an E.C.C.
direct-current generator of 100 kw., 475 revolutions, at
'250 to 275 volts. Three Lancashire hand-fired boilers
supply steam at this section of the works. The No. 2
tunnel is 1,000 yds. in length, and has a dip of 1 in 4.
A new 14 in. steam winder has been installed, to haul
a load of 12 tons. A number of electric extensions haul
the coal a further distance of 500 yds. The workings
from the two tunnels are connected.

In addition to these two tunnels, both of which are
working the Aberdare seam, a lower seam, known as
the New Chum or Four-foot is being opened up from a
shaft 450 ft. deep. It is equipped with a winding
engine, 16 in. cylinder, with 8 ft. drums, and should
shortly be ready to provide good tonnage.

The Aberdare seam averages about 14 ft. in width, but
it is interspersed with bands, and only about 8 or 9 ft.
is sent to the tipplers.

The underground equipment includes six electric
pumps, and three electrically-driven 40 in. Sirocco fans,
one in each tunnel and one in the shaft, each capable
of delivering 32,000 cu. ft. against l|in. water gauge.
There are six electric haulage gears, and nine electric
. coal cutters. The latter have been out of use recently
owing to the broken character of the country, but as the
ground becomes more settled they will be re-com-
missioned. A Siskol compressed air drill was used in
sinking the shaft. The normal output of the tunnel
workings is about 600 tons per 16 hours day, but for the
reason above mentioned it has not been much more than
half this quantity recently.

The cleaning plant has a capacity of 1,000 tons per
day, and two storage bins of 1,600 and 500 tons respec-
tively enable a regular output to be maintained and
bunkering orders to be filled promptly. There is also
a smaller bin for slack coal.

* The Mining and Engineering Review.

THE MINING ASSOCIATION AND THE
WAR LOAN.

At a meeting of the executive council of the Mining
Association of Great Britain, held at the Savoy Hotel,
Strand, London, W.C., on Wednesday, the 7th inst.,
Mr. Adam Nimmo presiding, the following resolution was
moved by the President, seconded by the Right Hon.
Lord Gainford , and unanimously ’adopted :—

The Mining Association of Great) Britain desire most
earnestly to commend to the coal owners the urgent necessity
of doing everything in their power to secure the success of the
War Loan, not only by contributing to the fullest possible
extent from their own 'resources, but by affording facilities
for encouraging their workmen to make their contributions
to the Loan.

Miners’ Federation Meeting.—The executive of the Miners’
Federation of Great Britain met . at the Imperia,] Hotel,
London, on February 2, Mr. Robt. Smillie, (president) in
the chair. It was reported to the executive committee that a
great dearth of coal existed at present in all the poorer dis-
tricts of London, and that, many poor families had not been
able to get any coal for several days. The following resolu-
tion was passed :—“ In view of the fact that there is a, plen-
tiful supply of coal in the country at the present time, and
that many collieries are losing time, a coal famine in the
poorer districts of our cities should not exist. In the opinion
of this executive, the Local Government: Board should take
steps at once to secure that a plentiful supply of coal should
be provided in the poorer districts of London and other cities
for public sale at reasonable prices. We urge that imme-
diate steps should be taken to prevent the poor from being
starved to death from cold.’’ The. attention of 'the executive
was called to the result of the prosecution instituted by the
Home Office against the manager of the Woodhom Colliery,
Northumberland, in connection with the recent serious ‘acci-
dent. A resolution was passed expressing surprise at the
dismissal of the charge, and expressing the opinion that
clause 102 of the Mines Act did not bear the interpretation
placed upon it by the magistrates.

MINING INDUSTRY AND MILITARY
SERVICE.

At the sitting of the Aberdare tribunal last week, a. depu-
tation from the miners of the district was introduced, and
they appealed for exemption for the house coal hauliers,
stating that the delay in the delivery of house coal was
becoming a very serious matter. It was stated that a't the
Powell Duffryn office there were 1,000 coal notes in respect
of which the men awaited delivery, and that the problem
applied equally to other places.

At Bly th, when the adjourned application by the Ashing-
ton Coal Company for the exemption of John Albert Hariris,
staithsman at the port, came up, it was stated, on the com-
pany’s behalf, that there were only three men left to perform
the, duties, a number which was a minimum. The other
staithsman, named Wood, had been again called up, and
had been passed for C 3. The company’s representative
stated that he had been instructed to preiss as strongly ia(s
possible for Harris’s retention, and to state that, if the
tribunal desired that one man should go, it was preferred
that Wood should be taken. The chairman remarked that
Wood was not the man they wanted. He was only C 3.
Harris had been passed for genera] service. The company’s
representative replied that 'the company shipped a large quan-
tity of coal, and tonnage was scarce. Harris would be
doing as much for the country by remaining in his present
employment as by going into the Army. If he went away,
it would mean delay to shipping, for Harris was a very valu-
able man. They had tried to get someone else to do the
work, but without success. A member asked if the duties
could not be performed by someone else. Did not the North-
Eastern Railway Company undertake the work of shipping
coal? Applicant replied that the work was done jointly.
The railway company was responsible under instructions
from the coal company’s man. Harris was granted one
month’s exemption, and Wood was exempted conditionally.

To the Northumberland appeal tribunal, application was
made on behalf of the Harton Goal. Company for the exemp-
tion of an office manager, aged 28. Tt was stated that the.
man was passed by the medical board at Newcastle Barracks
for general service. On December 29 he was given tem-
porary exemption until January 31, not renewable. Mean-
time, he had been to the Inns of Court Training Corps, and
was to be given a commission, provided he wa.s medically fit.
He was only passed for C 2, and consequently failed to get
a commission. He had had appendicitis; he pointed this
out to the medical board at Newcastle, and the scars, result-
ing from the operation were easily to be seen. The military
representative criticised the man’s conduct in seeking a com-
mission, and isaid that, if the man had gone through in the
ordinary way, without applying for a commission, he would
have been in the Army. The Lord Mayor, presiding,
retorted, “ Then the Army would have got an unfit man.”
The military representative asked that the man should be
examined by the Central Medical Board, in fairness to the
Newcastle medical board. There was a great conflict
between the medical decisions. The tribunal agreed to this
course.

Prof. W. G. Fearnsides received conditional exemption
from the Sheffield tribunal on Tuesday. An appeal for him
was made by Dr. Ripper, of the Sheffield University, and
attention was drawn to the professor’s valuable researches.

MINING AND OTHER NOTES.

At the inquest on Monday of 'a miner who was killed by a
fall of stone at the Postlethwaite Mine, Moor Row, it was
stated that the pit had been working for 22 years, and this
was the first fatal accident that had occurred during that
time.

Messrs. Arthur Cape] et Cie., of 138, Boulevard Male-
•sherbes, Paris, have opened an office at Baltic House, Leaden-
hall-street, E.C., under the style of Arthur Capel and Com-
pany (London) Limited, for the transaction of their charter-
ing and coal business. Mr. Arthur Capel will act as chair-
man, Mr. T. H. Hilken as managing director, with whom
will be associated Mr. W. L. Scott (Newcastle and Hull)
and Mr. William Griffiths (Cardiff and Newport) as directors.
The coal department will be under the management of Mr.
Charles Kinross.

The Army Council has assumed control of all stocks of
soft wood, planed and unplaned, excluding pit props, in the
United Kingdom.

The will of Mr. William Bull, principal of the firm of
Messrs. Budd and Company, colliery proprietors and coal
exporters, of Cardiff and Newport, has been proved with a.
gross value of T55,965, of which T55,756 is net.

Mr. E. J. Adderley (Wm. Cory and Son) has been elected
for the fifth time in succession chairman of the Humber Coal
Exporters and Shippers’ Association; and Mr. James Turner
(D. M. Stevenson and Company) for the second year vice-
chairman.

Owing to the special importance, at the present time, of
establishing commercial connections on a firm basis between
the Allied countries, with the object of ousting German inter-
vention and competition, the Russo-British Chamber of Com-
merce at Petrograd requests all British firms wishing to tra.de
with Russia now or after the war, to send their catalogues
and price lists (not less than 10 copies) to the Chamber, 4,
Gorochovaia, Petrograd, Russia. The catalogues will be
placed in the special library of the chamber, and will be dis-
tributed to Russian merchants interested in the development
of their trade connections with England.

Mr. F. B. Saunders, the commercial manager of the
Rhymney Iron and Coal Company Limited, has been elected
chairman of the Incorporated South Wales and Monmouth-
shire Coal Freighters’ Association.

An official Order authorises the use in fiery mines in France
of the detonators “ 15 Z,” manufactured by Messrs. John
Davis and Son (Derby) Limited.

It is stated thait Mr. Stephen Walsh, M.P., chairman of
the workmen’s section of the Coal Conciliation Board, is likely
to join the Government as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary
of the Food Controller’s Department.

The Minister of Munitions has ordered that all persons
(other than railway companieis) owning steam or petrol loco-
motive engines shall send particulars of such engines to
the Deputy-Director-General of Railway Ma/terial Licences,
Ministry of Munitions, Whitehall-place, S.W., by Feb.