March 30, 1917.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

629

THE AMERICAN COAL TRADE.

Despite transportation difficulties, new high levels
have been reached by coal quotations, and supplies are
still desperately short in many instances (says Coal Age
of March 10). Practically nothing is now heard on
the subject of contracts. Georges Creek is not a factor
in the market. No prices are quoted by the principal
shippers, and only dribbling amounts are coming for-
ward. Several of the railroads are so short of fuel
that certain days each week all their cars are placed
almost exclusively at mines having railroad contracts.
Clearfields coal is quoted 11-50 to 11'75 dols. alongside
Boston, and Cambridge and Somerset 11-75 to 12 dols.
Pocahontas and New River are quoted 7 to 7-25 dols.
f.o.b. Norfolk and Newport News.

According to Baltimore reports, many contracts for
the year from April 1 are now being made at from 3-50
to 4. dols., as compared with 1'50 dols. last year. With
such a market there is little expectation of a decided
break in spot prices this summer.

Prices at Hampton Roads remain about the same,
being 7 dols. per gross ton for Pocahontas and New
River run-of-mine for export and coastwise shipment,
7*50 dols. per gross ton for bunker coa] plus 15c.
trimming,' 6'50 dels, per net ton for local delivery in
carload lots on track. Anthracite, 9 dols. per net ton
delivered. The railways entering Hampton Roads
have filed tariffs increasing all coal freight rates to
tide water 10c. per ton, effective April 1.

Urgent buying of anthracite is absent, but there is
no cutting of circular prices. In Philadelphia, the
prices per gross ton f.o.b. cars at mines are as follow :
Broken, 4-25 dols.; egg, 4-15 dols. ; stove, 4-10 dols.;
nut, 4-50 dols. ; pea, 2-80 dols. ; buck, 2-50 dols. ; rice,
2'10 dols. ; boiler, 1’95 dols.; and barley, 1'85 dols.

The freight market is firmer. Quotations for West
Coast of Italy are 56-40 to 62-40 dols., and Marseilles
54 to 58-80 dols. The recent fixtures include one
vessel from Baltimore to Sweden.

Spot coke quotations declined sharply, and then
improved. Spot furnace is quoted 12 to 12’50 dols.,
and spot foundry 13-50 to 14-50 dols. There is no
interest in contract furnace coke.

Later advices state that the spot bituminous position
is easier ; but contract quotations are stiffer. Extra-
ordinary prices still rule, and the prospects for sellers
have never been more encouraging at this season of
the year. There are indications of a break in anthra-
cite. Spot coke is down, but contracts for foundry
coke are stronger.

SOUTH WALES INSTITUTE OF
ENGINEERS.

Annual General Meeting at Swansea : Presentation to
Dr. H. K. Jordan.

The conspicuous service of Dr. Henry K. Jordan in
throwing needed light on the correlation of the seams
and the general structure of the South Wales coal
basin has long been recognised, and a tangible, expres-
sion of that recognition has just been forthcoming
from the South Wales Institute of Engineers—of which
Dr. Jordan is nearly the oldest member, a past-presi-
dent, and first gold medallist of the institute—and
from the local coal owners. A deputation from the
institute, consisting of Mr. Hugh Bramwell (presi-
dent), Mr. William Stewart (vice-president), Mr.
AV. AV. Hood, Mr. Geo. Hann, Mr. Edward Dawson,
and Mr. Martin Price (secretary), recently waited
upon the council of the Monmouthshire and South
AVales Coal Owners’ Association to suggest their
co-operation in a Jordan Testimonial movement.

Mr. Bramwell reminded the coal owners, of whom
he is himself a representative type, that apart from
the scientific aspect of the matter, the coal trade of
South AVales had directly derived financial advantage
from Dr. Jordan’s researches, in publishing the results
of which the South AVales Institute of Engineers had
gone to an expenditure of £1,500.

Mr. Benjamin Nicholas (chairman of the Coal
Owners’ Association) endorsed what Mr. Bramwell had
said as to the high merit of Dr. Jordan’s monograph,
and intimated that he had no doubt the association
would be glad to identify themselves with the project.

At the 59th annual meeting of the South Wales
Institute of Engineers, held at Swansea on the 27th
inst., Mr. Hugh Bramwell (the president) handed to
Dr. Jordan a cheque for 1,000 gs. contributed by the
Coal Owners’ Association, and another cheque for
nearly £300 subscribed by members of the institute.

Mr. Henry AV. Martin, a past-president, apologising
for inability to attend the meeting, wrote: “ No
member or president has served the institute more
faithfully than Dr. Jordan, who, by his numerous
contributions of papers, especially those on the South
AVales coal field, has given to it, and all interested in
mining, the result of a life-long study of the South
AVales coal field; and I am pleased to see that the
colliery owners and his colleagues and friends are to
recognise this.”

Mr. J. Dyer Lewis, divisional inspector of mines,
also wrote eulogising the services of Dr. Jordan, and
expressing great regret at not being able to attend the
meeting and personally convey his appreciation.

Mr. Finlay Gibson (secretary of the Coal Owners’
Association), in a letter forwarding the 1,000 gs.
cheque, wrote: “I am desired to say that the asso-
ciation has very much pleasure in subscribing to the
fund, as they fully appreciate the excellent work
which Dr. Jordan has done for the coal owners.”

Dr. Jordan, who was greeted with cordial applause
when he began to speak in acknowledgment, said

during the long period in which he had examined the
structure of the South AVales coal field — nearly 50
years—he had never had any thought of recognition,
save that of perhaps being regarded as an earnest
labourer in the great field of science. A past-presi-
dent of the institute wrote him a letter of congratu-
lation, in which he said: “ We all know that your
work has been a labour of love, without thought of
fee, favour, or reward.” That was perfectly true. As
to his monograph on the coal field, the costliness of
its production by the institute was largely due to the
number of drawings, which could not be done, with
effect, on a smaller scale, and for preservation they had
to be mounted on linen. The quantity of linen used
for the* mounting of the sections would represent a
length of eight miles. He trusted that the recogni-
tion of his work, which had been so handsomely mani-
fested that day, would serve as a stimulus to younger
members of the institute to set for themselves an inde-
pendent line of research. (Applause.)

In his presidential address, Mr. Hugh Bramwell
subsequently dealt with coal winding problems, to
which reference will be made in our next issue.

MINING INDUSTRY AND MILITARY
SERVICE.

At the sitting of the AVigan. military tribunal, an appli-
cation was macle on behalf of one of the mining lecturers at
the AVigan and District Mining and Technical College, who,
it was stated, is a single man, 30 years of age. Mr. S. C.
Laws, the principal of the college, contended that the work
was a national necessity, and that it would be quite impos-
sible to carry on the operations of the department with a
smaller staff than at present. The AVigan Mining College,
he pointed out, was the only full-time institution in the
coal fields of Lancashire, Cheshire, and North AVales. The
military representative said that no one wished to cripple
the AVigan Mining and Technical College in any way, but
he pointed out that the applicant was 30, a general service
man, and was single. The tribunal granted three months’
exemption.

At a meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Coal AVages
Board, held in Manchester on Monday, Col. L. Pilkington
presiding, the question of voluntary recruiting at Lanca-
shire and Cheshire collieries came up for discussion. The
meeting protested against the change which has recently
been made in the method of obtaining persons for military
service.

At Newcastle local tribunal on Tuesday last, the applica-
tion in respect of 13 employees of the firm of Messrs. Monk-
house, Goddard and Company, accountants, was revived.
This case was referred to in our issue of March 9. The firm
does much work in the lauditing of colliery accounts. It was
stated on Tuesday that nearly every audit was now double
what it used to be, and, in addition to that, with a depleted
staff, the Coal Controller had asked for balance-sheets in
respect of the mines taken over by the Government. The
military representative stated he appreciated the importance
of the firm, yet there were six partners, none of whom were
serving. He was out to get what men he could, having
regard to age and the category of military service the men
were passed for. He had instructions to give every consider-
ation to such a firm as Messrs. Monkhouse, Goddard and
Company, as its work was next door to that of a certified
occupation. On behalf of the firm, it was stated that two
of the junior partners were working as clerks. One of the
senior partners stated he had three sons serving, and another
son, employed by the firm, had a defective arm. Conditional
exemption was granted to six men, two were given two
months with leave to appeal, and five were given until
April 30, final.

At Workington tribunal last week, Mr. T. Cape, miners’
agent, appealed for the assistant secretary to the insurance
department of the Cumberland Miners’ Association, aged 27.
Mr. Cape stated that the appointment was made on account
of the insistent pressure of the National Insurance Com-
missioners to take charge of the insurance of 3,000 members.
If this man was called up, they would under the rules have
to bring two men from the mines, one for the insurance side,
and one for the trade union department. It needed a very
expert man to deal with the insurance side of an associa-
tion with 3,000 members, and this man was an expert at
the business. He was given two months’ exemption.

At Durham Rural tribunal, Air. T. F. Brass, agent to the
Charlaw and Sacriston Collieries Company Limited, opposed
the military appeal for the revision of the conditional exemp-
tion granted to a coke drawer. He, pointed out that the
quantity of coke required was larger now than before the
war. Mr. Jos. Lund, a member of the tribunal, remarked
that he was under the impression that no colliery worker
could he taken from his work within two months. The
military representative asked if that did not refer to under-
ground workers only, or those who were subject to the colliery
tribunal. The clerk observed that they had got orders and
counter-orders until they did not know what to do. Mr.
Brass urged that it was necessary that cokemen should be
skilled in their work, and that he had not a substitute for
the workmen. The conditional exemption was confirmed.

At Hexham, the Langley Barony Coal and Fireclay AVorks
submitted a return of their employees. Before the war, 74
men were employed; now there were 32, of whom six were
under 31 years of age. The tribunal decided that none of
the men under 31 should be taken for the army at present.

The position of the secretary of the Butterknowle Colliery,
the offices of which are at Middleton St. George, was con-
sidered at Darlington. It was stated that the principals
of the firm were with the Colours. The colliery had an
output of from 30,000 to 35,000 tons annually, and the secre-
tary managed all the financial part of the business. His
certificate was continued.

At i:Chester-le-Street, Mr. G. A. Gilchrist, on behalf of
the Owners of South Pelaw Colliery, applied for an assis-
tant pay-bill clerk, 20, passed for general service. He stated
that if they had fortnightly pays the lad could be spared.
He had endeavoured to induce the men to revert to fort-
nightly pays several times. He produced a letter from H.M.
inspector of mines certifying to the clerk’s indispensability.
The exemption was withdrawn, but the clerk is not to be
called up before April 6.

MINING RIGHTS IN HATFIELD CHASE.

A general meeting of the Corporation and the
participants of the Level of Hatfield Chase, and of the
owners of unscotted lands affected by the Level of
Hatfield Chase Act, 1862, was held at the offices of
Messrs. Loxley and Somerville, Doncaster, clerks to
the Corporation, on the 27th inst., for the purpose of
authorising the Commissioners to enter into agree-
ments with a colliery company for leasing certain of
the Corporation’s minerals, and to consider as to the
future drainage of the Level. Mr. James Milnthorp
presided.

The chairman said legally the meeting was quite
unnecessary, but the Commissioners thought they
ought, as a matter of courtesy, to let the participants
know what was being done in their interests. By sec-
tion 46 of the Act, the Commissioners were to under-
take no new works which entailed a call upon the rate-
payers of a sum exceeding £500, without laying the
scheme before them, and obtaining their sanction. But
in the present case, in consequence of colliery opera-
tions in this area, they would never be called upon to
expend anything more than they paid at present, so
far as he could see. Possibly they would have to pay
fees. He moved that the Corporation be authorised to
negotiate with the colliery company taking the pro-
posed Finningley Colliery area and adjacent areas, and
to make the best terms possible for letting the coal
under the farms, drains, and other property of the
Corporation; also that the Corporation be authorised
to arrange for the indemnification of the participants
and other proprietors against damage caused by sub-
sidence. The Finningley Colliery Company, he said,
were the people with whom negotiations had made the
most advance. He hoped that the minerals under
other farms of the Corporation would before long also
form the subject of negotiations. The area now under
consideration was bounded, roughly, on the north by
the River Torne, from Akam Bridge to Tunnel Pit; on
the east by the Idle Bank road, from Tunnel Pit past
Park Drain Station to Idle Stop ; on the west by the
Bawtry and Thorne road, from Akam Bridge to about
Finningley Park; and on the south by a line partly
along Cow Pasture-lane, from Finningley Park to Idle
Stop—an area of about 10,000 acres. The Corporation
had only one farm in the area, namely, at AVroot,
known as the Thatch Carr Farm, occupied by Mr.
Barlow. There were three rivers or drains through
the area, namely, the River Torne, the Gravel Drain,
and the River Idle. Their predecessors, Vermuyden
and his adventurers, banked in the. waterways, and it
was most necessary that these banks should be main-
tained. Unless the colliery operations were con-
ducted upon the most approved and modern methods,
great subsidences were sure to occur, to the depth of
quite half the thickness of the coal got, and a fall of
level of only a few feet would be almost fatal to the
land, unless safeguards were executed. The question
to be decided was : which was likely to be of the greater
advantage to them—to get from £100 to £200 per acre
for the coal, or keep the surface? Some of the land
was of little surface value. With regard to the sur-
face, this advantage presented itself: that the colliery
company offered to indemnify the Corporation com-
pletely if the Corporation met them in the matter of
price. For the coal under the Wroot Farm of about
82 acres, the other properties, and the drains, they
were offered £26 10s. per foot thick per acre for the
Barnsley seam, and for other seams £19 per foot thick
per acre. In the meantime, after a date to be agreed
upon, and which had to be after the war, the colliery
company were willing to pay a minimum rent, com-
mencing in the first and second years at 6d. per acre
per annum, in the third and fourth years Is. per acre
per annum, in the fifth and sixth years 5s., in the
seventh and eighth years 10s., and in the ninth and
after years 20s. per acre per annum. These terms
were slightly lower than those originally discussed, but
under those earlier figures the participants were asked
to indemnify themselves against all damage. They
were not prepared to do that. The Finningley Colliery
Company at first proposed to pay £10 for every acre
worked under, and in place of that the colliery com-
pany were now offering a guarantee against all
liability of damage to the surface, to crops, and to
animals. Of course, damage to buildings would be
dealt with by the usual methods. Mr. Maurice Deacon
(of the Sheenbridge Colliery) said the mining could be
conducted with a slight amount of surface damage.
His proposal was to raise the banks of the Torne,
Gravel Drain, the Idle, and other drains before the
working face of the colliery approached’specified dis-
tances below, and to deepen the drains where required.
The terms offered by the Finningley Colliery Company
were better than those arranged by other colliery com-
panies in the Doncaster district at the present time.

Maj. Peake seconded the resolutions.

Mr. Dunston, supporting, congratulated the Com-
missioners on the foresight they had shown. It was
excellent policy, in his opinion, for the Corporation to
deal with the minerals at once. The ■ subsidence
through the working of the coal had been correctly
stated by the chairman to be about half the thickness
of the coal worked, or about 5 ft. If an outfall 5 ft.
lower in the River Trent could be provided, the land
could be warped 3ft., greatly increasing its agricul-
tural value. The Corporation were 20 years ahead of
their time, and he congratulated them upon it. He
looked ahead to the time when the district would
develop into a great colliery and manufacturing centre,
right down to the Frodingham Iron AVorks.

The resolutions were unanimously adopted.