March 2, 1917. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 447 in water-logged districts like Staffordshire the expense of getting the coal was too great for private enterprise, and t;ie mineral too precious to be lost. The suggested amalga- mation of similar societies was also favoured. Kent. Proposed Sale of Assets—Snowdown Sinking—Weekly Output. A project is on loot to dispose of the assets of 10 of the Kent Coal Concessions Allied Companies, as a whole, to a group of financiers who will develop the coal field. Mr. John Dewrance, the chairman of the companies, in making this announcement to the shareholders on Monday, stated they had been in negotiation with one group of financiers, who wished to buy the whole coal field entirely for the pur- pose of dealing in by-products of coal through distillation, and who did not intend to sell a single ton of coal—as coal. There was no doubt, said Mr. Dewrance, that the future of coal was its distillation for by-products. He referred to the difficulties of going thoroughly into the matter at pre- sent, as the Government had taken over control of coal mines, and permits and licences would be necessary for experiments. ' The best scheme for the future of the com- panies, Mr. Dewrance thought, would be the acquisition of the whole of the assets by a group of financiers for so much in shares and so much in cash. These shares and cash, would be apportioned to the various companies in accordance with their relative interests. Before anything definite is done, the shareholders would be consulted. The deep sinking in No. 2 pit at Snowdown Colliery last week was taken down a further 15^ ft., from 2,926 ft. to 2,941Jft., after which sinking was stopped in order to resume bricking the shaft. Twelve feet of bricking was also carried out during the week, from 2,825 ft. to 2,864 ft. Kef erring, at the Deal and Walmer Coal Field Company’s meeting on Monday, to the results of the deep sinking at Snowdown Colliery, the chairman said at the point where they struck what was the 6 ft. 9 in. seam in the Barfrestone boring, they did not find that seam, but a very broken, varied heap of coal. It was thought they might have struck a sort of “ island ” in the marsh where the coal was formed, and that the sinking had just gone through this bad place, and if they drove a shaft on either side they would probably find the 6 ft. 9 in. seam of coal undisturbed a few yards from the present shaft. Explaining why they continued to sink and did not explore this seam at the time, the chairman said that exploration could not be carried out without stopping the sinking, and they wished to go down to the 4 ft. 7 in. seam proved at Barfrestone. When they reached the latter seam, it would be quite easy to explore the 6 ft. 9 in. seam at the same time. Mr. Dewrance expressed the opinion that when the 4 ft. 7 in. seam has been reached, the Government may stop further sinking, as they will require more coal raised from the seam at present being worked. He antici- pates that within the next few years 20 milions of money will be spent on the development of the Kent coal field. The output of the two collieries continues to be about 6,000 tons of coal weekly. Forest of Dean. One of the most substantial of recent divisions to Forest of Dean free miners, arising out of a gale-selling trans- action, took place at the Speech House on Saturday, when 169 beneficiaries shared about Fl,100. The deal was in respect of a gale known as Winnail No. 2, situated near Parkend. The property is not a large area, but the fuel is the best in the Forest coal field. The purchasers are Messrs. B. Brown and B. Ellis, of Lane End, Coleford, well known as local dealers in Forest minerals. They pro- pose developing the fuel at once, and it is understood that it will be won by means of a level. Scotland. Treatment of Pit Ponies—1915 Output—Travelling Medical Boards—Ayrshire Exports—Robroyston Prospects. In the Hamilton Sheriff Court, Joseph E. B. McIntosh, colliery manager; Janies Calderhead, colliery oversman; and John Keir, horsekeeper, were involved in a charge concern- ing the alleged ill-treatment of two pit ponies in Shields Colliery, Motherwell. It was complained that the manager failed to have certain roads sufficiently high to allow a pony to pass without rubbing on the roof; that the oversman failed to exercise personal supervision over the horsekeepers, in so far as he permitted two ponies to be used while they were suffering from sores; and that Keir allowed the ponies to go out to work, and knowingly made incorrect statements as to their condition. All the accused pleaded guilty, and after hearing a narration of the circumstances, Sheriff Shennan fined the manager Fl, the oversman 15s., and the horsekeeper F2. The divisional inspector’s report.for Scotland on the output of coal during 1915 represents an effective reply to those who claim that few men have gone from other occupations into the mines to replace miners who voluntarily joined the Army. Compared with 1913, the reduction of output in 1914 was 8,498,791 tons. As compared with 1913, the reduction in 1915 was 4,605,324 tons; while the figures for 1916 are not vet available, there is every indication that the output is now up to the pre-war standard. With regard to the travelling medical boards going round the collieries in various parts of Scotland to examine work- men, it has now been definitely arranged that examinations at collieries shall cease. Suitable halls in the several dis- tricts will be engaged, and those men who are to be medi- cally examined will be called upon to attend there. In presiding at the meeting of the Glasgow and South- Western Company, Sir James Bell, Bart., said that a greater quantity of coal continued to be sent to Ayrshire ports from collieries in Lanarkshire, Fifeshire, and the Lothians, and, in the reverse direction, larger quantities of imports at the Ayrshire ports had been dealt with. Although the exports at Ayrshire harbours were not quite so heavy last year as in 1915, they compared favourably with the pre- ceding years. The total tonnage both for landsale and ship- ment showed a large increase. The shipments of Scotch coal last week totalled 122,845 tons, a decrease of 7,500 tons as compared with the previous week, and a decrease of 62,952 tons as compared with the corresponding week last year. For the year so far, the ship- ments aggregate 1,082,233 tons, a decrease of 288,866 tons as compared with the corresponding period of 1916. Messrs. John Watson, Glasgow, will in all probability maintain their present output until it is reinforced by the new colliery they are establishing at Bobroyston. The coking and splint quality of coals they expect to produce from the new colliery will be those specially in demand for the future. The consumption of coal in the West of Scotland is probably greater now than it has ever been before, and the large industrial developments in progress will mean greatly increased consumption. As regards prices, Lanarkshire collieries suffered more than east coast collieries, where they had double the proportion of shipment coal. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late for inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last White pages. Islington, March 15.—The Guardians of the Poor of the Parish of St. Mary, Islington, invite tenders for the supply of about 1,030 tons of steam coal, to be delivered as ordered at the institutions and offices of the parish, for the period ending June 30, 1917. Printed forms of tender, which alone will be received, and which contain conditions of contract, must be obtained from the clerk personally, or a stamped addressed brief-size envelope may be sent. Sealed tenders, endorsed “ Tender for coal,” and addressed to the Guardians, must be delivered at the Guardians’ Offices, St. John’s-road, Upper Holloway, on or before March 13, and they will be opened at a meeting of the Guardians to be held on Thursday, March 15. The Guardians do not bind them- selves to accept the lowest or any tender. Abstracts of Contracts Open. Amersham, March 5. — Coal for the Guardians. Forms from master of the institution. Beccles, March 10. — Coal and coke (Army contract). Forms from the Supply Office, Beccles Station. Bedwellty, March 5.—2,400 tons of coal for Gas Works. Forms from the Council’s engineer, Aberbargoed. Blandford, March 15.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from S. Traill, clerk, Blandford. Boroughbridge, March 15. — Coal for the Guardians. Particulars from the clerk. Bournemouth, March 26. — Goal (six months) for the Finance Committee. Forms from the borough surveyor. Braintree, March 8.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Workhouse, Booking. Bridlington, March 5.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the Union Offices, Bridlington. Carlisle, March 9. — Coal (12 months) for Education Committee. Forms from the clerk, 15, Fisher-street, Carlisle. Cuckfield, March 6.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from E. J. Waugh, clerk, Haywards Heath. Darlington, March 15.—Anthracite (6 or 12 months) for the Corporation Waterworks. Forms from the borough surveyor, Town Hall. Dorchester, March 8.—Coal (six months) for the County Asylum. Forms from the clerk. Earls House (Durham), March 19.—Coal and coke for Industrial School. Forms from the Education Committee clerk, Shire Hall, Durham. East Ham, March 9.—Coal (six or 12 months) for the Corporation. Forms from the town clerk, Town Hall. Exeter, March 5.—Steam coal (washed bean or pea) for Electricity Works. Forms from the town clerk. Gravesend, March 7.—Coal for the Corporation. Forms from the town clerk. Greenwich, March 15.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the Offices, East Greenwich. Kensington, March 8.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from the Offices, Marloes-road, Kensington. Knaresborough, March 7.—Coal and coke for the Guar- dians. Forms from the clerk. Leek (Staffordshire), March 14.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from the Union Offices, 6, Bussell-street, Leek. London, N.W., March 6.—Coal dust and ganister (6 or 12 months) for the Great Central Bailway Company. Forms from the stores superintendent, Great Central Bailway, Gorton, M anchester. London, S.E., March 8.—Coal and coke for the Wool- wich Guardians. Forms from the Workhouse, Plumstead. London, E.C., March 21.—Coal and coke for the Holborn Guardians. Forms from the clerk, 53, Clerkenwell-road, E.C. Lyndhurst Boad (Hampshire), March 5.—Coal for the New Forest Guardians. Forms from T. E. Smith, clerk, High-street, Lyndhurst. Maesteg, March 5.—Coal (six months) for the Urban District Council. Forms from the surveyor, Municipal Offices. Manchester, March 10.—House and burgie coal for the Sanitary Committee. Forms from the Public Health Office, 1, Mount-street. Margam (Port Talbot), March 6. — About 4,000 tons large, through, and nut gas coal for Gas Works, and coal for Public Baths, Offices, etc. Forms from the surveyor, Council’s offices, Margam. Nenagh, March 8.—50 tons best screened Scotch or other coal for Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Board-room, Nenagh. Newark, March 5.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, 24, Lombard-street, Newark. Newport (Mon.), March 20.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the Union Offices, Queen’s Hall, Newport. Paddington, March 20.—Coal and coke for the Guar- dians. Forms from the acting-clerk, 313, Harrow-road. Patricroft, March 7.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Union Offices, Patricroft. Penmaen, March 5. — Coal for the Gower Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Central Buildings, Fisher-street, Swansea. Ponteland, March 7.—Coal for Castle Ward Guardians. Forms from the Workhouse master, Ponteland. Bochford (Essex), March 12.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, 40, Clarence-street, Southend-on- Sea. Bomford, March 7.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from C. Bloomfield, clerk. Scarborough, March 8.—Coal and coke for the Guar- dians. Forms from the master of Workhouse. Sheerness, March 19.—1,000 tons of slack for the Urban District Council. Forms from the clerk, Council Offices, Sheerness. Sheffield, March 17.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, Union Offices, The Edge, Sheffield. Shoreham-by-the-Sea, March 6.—Coal for the^Steyning Guardians. Forms from A. Flowers, clerk, Shoreham-by- the-Sea. Solihull, March 12. — Coal and coke for Guardians. Forms from the Union Offices, Streetsbrook-road, Solihull. Southend-on-Sea, March 6.—Coal (six months) for Isola- tion Hospitals. Forms from W. H. Boberts, 40, Clarence- street, Southend-on-Sea. Strood, March 7.—Best Nottingham hard steam coal (12 months) for the Council. Forms from the clerk, Council Offices, Strood, Kent. Towcester, March 6.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the master of Workhouse. Trysull, March 5.—Coal and coke for the Seisdon Guar- dians. Forms from the clerk, 24, Lichfield-street, Wolver- hampton. Wakefield, March 12. — Coal for the Asylums Board, Wakefield. Forms from H. Topham, clerk. Walsall, March 13.—Coal (12 months) for the Council. Forms from the surveyor, Council Offices. Wandsworth, March 6. — Coal and coke for Borough Council. Forms from the town clerk, Council House, East- h ill, Wa ndsworth. Westminster, March 7.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from W. J. Lickley, clerk, Princes-row, Westminster. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, 4c. Bedwas (Mon.), March 8.—Stores.—Iron and steel, cast- ings, bolts, nuts, fittings, colliers’ tools, steel rails, etc., for the Bedwas Navigation Colliery Limited. Forms from the offices, Bedwas. Belfast, March 14.—Stores.—Tubing, insulated cable, galvanised wires, lamps, iron pipes, copper cable conduits, electrical apparatus, packings, etc., for Committee. Forms (10s. each section) from the electrical engineer, East Bridge- street, Belfast. Darlington, March 15. — Various. — Cast iron pipes, nails, castings, refined tar, etc., for the Corporation. Forms from the borough surveyor, Town Hall. Dundee, March 13.—Stores.—Iron, steel, tyres, bolts, nuts, Davy lamp wick, etc., for the Cleansing Department. Forms from the superintendent, Cleansing Department, 28, East Dock-street, Dundee. Harrogate, March 5.—Plant.—By-product steam boiler, overhead coal bunker, coal conveyor, and structural steel work. Specifications (£2 2s., returnable) from the Corpora- tion Electricity Department, 33, Swan-road, Harrogate. Southport, March 10.— Various.—Castings, .iron, steel, etc., for the Corporation. Forms from the borough engineer, Town Hall. Swansea, March 10.—Stores.—Cast iron pipes, valves, steel tubes, etc., for Waterworks Department. Forms from the waterworks engineer, Guildhall, Swansea. THE FREIGHT MARKET. There have been a few more fixtures—but only a very few more—arranged in the outward freight market this week than was the case a week ago. The position remains sub- stantially the same, business being almost at a deadlock by reason of the lack of transport facilities. At the moment, with the removal of the embargo on Norwegian coal business, and the settlement, by Norwegian ship owners, of claims made by their seamen for increased wages and life insur- ances, the prospects of a larger supply of tonnage appear to be brighter, and the market, glad to seize upon anything that promises to bring relief from the present condition of chronic strangulation, is more buoyant accordingly. So far as actual business done is concerned, Tyne rates are practi- cally unaltered, excepting that a neutral vessel to carry coke to Bouen has been taken up at 53s. 6d., as against 45s. paid for British vessels, and that a 1,200-ton steamer is reported to have been engaged for the carriage of coke to Genoa at rhe very high figure of 170s. It is interesting to note that a 1,100-tonner has been fixed from Hartlepool to London at the advanced figure of 19s. 3d. At South Wales, very little chartering has been done outside of limitation areas, the only “ unrestricted ” fixtures being that of a vessel for the Plate at 100s., a 2,000-ton steamer for Lisbon at 75s., with 500 discharge, from Cardiff, and a couple of small vessels from Swansea to Irish ports. At the Clyde, Glasgow to Huelva is stated to have been done at 70s., and Gibraltar at 75s. Homewards, business generally is suffering from the same trouble as is evident at home—tonnage scarcity—a trouble that appears to be world-wide just at present. The Biver Plate is quiet, but steady, at 125s. from down river and 130s. from up-river ports to the United Kingdom. At the United States, coal business from Virginia to the Plate is main- tained at the recent quotation of 100s. For grain from the Gulf to United Kingdom, 32s. is quoted, with 30s.—last week’s rate—accepted for shipment from the Northern Bange. Net form business is unaltered, at 155s. from Northern Bange to France. Eastern rates tend to advance. Saigon-Haiphong to French ports is quoted at up to 290s., which is a shade higher on the week. Bombay is quoted at 220s. to p.p. United Kingdom on d.w., an advance of 5s. Kurrachee on scale to United Kingdom ranges from 195s. to 200s., an increase of fully 20s. Calcutta on jute basis to French ports is firm, at 280s. Madras with kernels to Marseilles is up to 390s., an increment of from 15s”. to 20s. Mediterranean ore shipments are limited by lack of vessels. There is less enquiry from Alexandria. Tyne to Calais, 650, 45s., coke; Dunkirk, 600 and 650, 45s., coke; Genoa, 7,000, 64s. 6d. ; 1,200, 170s., coke, reported; North French Bange, 650, 900, and 450, 45s., coke; Bouen, 500, 53s. 6d., coke, neutral. Cardiff to Lisbon, 2,000, 75s., 500; Bouen, 500, 38s. 3d.; 480, 38s. 3d., with loading option ; Fiver Plate, 100s., Mar.; St. Nazaire, 2,000 and 4,500, 43s. 6d. Swansea to Bouen, 750, 500, 700, and 800, 38s. 3d.; Dublin, 200, 15s. 6d.; Cork, 320, 17s. 6d.; Sables, 900, 46s. 6d. Glasgow to Huelva, 2,000, 70s.; Gibraltar, 75s. Tees to Gravelines, 250, 50s., salt. . Hull to Bouen, 1,100, 27s. 6d. Hartlepool to London, 1,100, 19s. 3d.