April 5, 1917

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

6>83

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Sivansea’s Trade, — New Secretary of Swansea Metal
Exchange—Cardiff's Annual Review—Householders to
pay 37s. per ton — Dock and Railway Management
United—Rescue Apparatus Condemned.

The annual report to the Swansea Harbour Trustees
states that 1916 was a year of great anxiety and trouble.
Owing to the number of men called to the Colours, the
output of coal in the district was considerably reduced.
Scarcity of tonnage also seriously affected the export
trade, and for periods of days at a time the work at the
port was stopped in consequence of embargoes placed upon
shipping. The tonnage dealt with in the year was
5,156,093 tons, compared with 5,876,477 tons in the pre-
ceding year—showing a loss of 720,384 tons, or 12-25 per
cent. The shipment of patent fuel compared with the
total of 1915 increased by over 101,000 tons. The ship-
ment of tin-, terne-, and black-plate showed a decrease of
66,617 tons, and galvanised sheets of 12,576 tons. The
Board of Trade, it is stated, are considering an applica-
tion to make Swansea a controlled port, so that it may be
placed in the same position as other railway-owned ports
hi the Bristol Channel. The total export trade for 1915
was 5,067,474 tons, but last year it was only 4,484,769 tons,
showing a decrease of 582,705 tons, or 11-49 per cent.

The Swansea Chamber of Commerce have had before it
a communication from the Liverpool Chamber, directing
attention to the circular issued by the Controller of Mines,
which points out the necessity of refraining from making
coal contracts for longer periods than three months. The
Liverpool Chamber suggested that contracts should con-
tinue to be made for the usual period of 12 months, but
the Swansea Chamber have decided to adopt the idea of
the Controller of Mines.

The secretary of Swansea Metal Exchange (Mr. J. D.
Davies) having been called up for military service, the
committee have appointed Mr. E. H. Brooke to act as
secretary during his absence.

The annual report presented by the secretary to Cardiff
Chamber of Commerce on Friday of last week contains
very interesting matter relating to the coal trade. It is
stated that the seizure of the French and Belgian coal
mines by the Germans doubled the requirements of France
from this country; and while the demand was thus far in
excess of available supplies, the possibilities of business
were restricted—first, by the reservation of all the superior
classes of Admiralty coal for the British and Allied
Governments; and secondly, by the scarcity of tonnage.
The production of the South Wales coal field, which
amounted to 50,367,000 tons in 1915, is estimated at
51,000,000 tons in 1916, representing a small increase; but
nearly 6,000,000 tons less than in the record year 1913,
when its output reached 56,830,000 tons. Although there
was an increase in the production, the shipments of coal
from the Welsh ports on general commercial account were
reduced, the reason being heavier inland consumption and
the shipment of larger quantities for the British and Allied
Governments, particulars of which are excluded from the
published returns. The total shipments from the Welsh
ports (exclusive of those on Government account) of coal,
coke, and patent fuel, foreign and coastwise, and includ-
ing bunkers, amounted to about 23,500,000 tons, com-
paring with 25,269,056 tons in 1915. The total in the
record year 1913 was 41,128,433 tons.

Mr. E. T. Watson, president of the Cardiff Chamber of
Commerce, in proposing the adoption of the annual report
at the meeting on Friday of last week, said it had become
the fashion to say that the limitation scheme had been a
failure; but, so far as they were concerned, it had been
no failure at all. Up to the month of October, the scheme
had the effect of enormously increasing the supply of coal
to France. The Chamber had passed a resolution that
steps should be taken at once to increase the effective
supply of shipping by “ diminishing the extent to which
vessels engaged by the Admiralty are now kept idle, and
by stopping the employment of vessels in unnecessary
trades.” That idea the Government were now, 15 months
later, putting into effective operation.

Mr. R. 0. Sanderson, ex-chairman of the Ship Owners’
Association, endorsed the remarks of the president as to
the advantage of the scheme adopted for supply of coal to
France and Italy. . Speaking as a ship owner, he acknow-
ledged and emphasised the fact that the coal owners
adopted the correct attitude, and showed a generous dis-
position to meet the French and Italian Governments in
every possible way. In normal times, 20,000,000 tons of
coal cost France about 30 millions sterling; but when coal
went up to £5, £6, and £7 per ton, it would be readily
appreciated what a serious item that would mean. Ship
owners also took a very generous view of the situation,
and when the Government suggested 24s. as a limitation
rate, they intimated that they were quite willing to take
20s.

The Food and Fuel Committee of Cardiff Corporation
have agreed that the price of coal retail shall be raised
from 36s. to 37s. per ton.

At Blackwood Court on Friday of last week, the manager
of Nine Mile Point Colliery was summoned for failing to
provide runaway switches or other suitable means to pre-
vent accident in the event of a tram running away. On
October 18 last a man was killed at the colliery when
standing at the bottom of an incline. The first part of
the gradient was 1 in 9, and for the next 92 yds. it was
1 in 2^. Near the top of the incline was an empty tram,
and it was set in motion by other trams coming into con-
tact. It ran wild to the bottom of the incline, and the
man was killed. There were two old partings, one half-
way down, and another at the bottom; and the point was
whether these partings were ‘'suitable contrivances” as
meant by the Act. Since the accident the owners had put
in runaway sidings. Evidence was given by Mr. Jenkins
(inspector of mines), who said that, in his opinion, the
partings were not runaway switches or other suitable con-
trivance; and Mr. Greenland Davies stated that he saw
no reason why runaway switches should not be put in.
Mr. Walker (deputy inspector) considered that the points
at the partings were not proper switches to catch runaway
trams. Several witnesses gave evidence to the contrary,
their opinion being that the partings were more suitable
than automatic switches, and as effective and perhaps
superior to what had been suggested by the inspectors;

and several of them said that the automatic switches
became unworkable because they got jammed by small
coal. The Bench reserved their decision for a fortnight.

At the same court, an electrician was summoned for
failing to properly earth electric cables in the North Risca
Colliery. A man who worked at a mortar mill supplied
with electric current had received a shock, which caused
his death. Mr. McBride (inspector) stated that the box
containing the switch was not properly earthed. When
the current came on, instead of running to earth, it elec-
trified the box; and the man who was killed had touched
it with his wrist. A plea of guilty was put in, and a
statement made that there had been no wilful neglect or
endeavour to avoid expense;.but there had been an over-
sight during a period of abnormal pressure. The defen-
dant was ordered to pay 5 gs. costs, but no conviction
against him was recorded.

An announcement of considerable importance to the coal
trade has been made this week—both as regards the gentle-
men directly affected, and in its indication of develop-
ments likely to take place in the future. Col. C. S.
Denniss retires from the management of the Cardiff Rail-
way Company’s property, and the position will be filled
by. Mr. E. A. Prosser, manager of the Rhymney Railway,
who will retain that office, so that both undertakings will
be under one management. We understand that there is
no present intention of altering the status of the two con-
cerns, but that they will remain separate as hitherto. The
new departure will, of course, ensure a co-ordination of
work in railway and docks which will materially facili-
tate shipments, not only from the Rhymney Valley, which
includes the important collieries of Senghenydd, Windsor,
Llanbradach, Powell Duffryn (Bargoed), Rhymney Iron
Company, and others, but also the coal brought by the
Taff Vale Railway from the Rhondda, Aberdare, and
Merthyr valleys for shipment at the Bute Docks, which are
the property of the Cardiff Company.

The new manager, Mr. Prosser, entered the service of
the Rhymney Company late in the year 1881 as clerk, and;
having gone through every branch of railway management,
succeeded Mr. Cornelius Lundie as general manager in
1905.

The coal exporters of Cardiff met on Monday, and con-
sidered a report of what was done at a special meeting of
the committee which has been dealing with the difficult
question of transfer of orders from one district to another.
The meeting was preliminary to one summoned for
Tuesday in London, and those present discussed proposi-
tions as to compensating a Newcastle holder of licence for
the transfer to Cardiff exporters, the idea being that the
Newcastle men should be paid 9d. per ton, and that a
compensation levy should be made upon all coal exported
from Cardiff at the rate of Id. per ton. No decision was
arrived at, pending the London meeting.

The question of the safety of rescue apparatus came up
at the resumed inquest at Pontycymmer on Monday, when
the coroner made investigation of the circumstances attend-
ing the death of Messrs. Edward Thorne and John Evans,
who were gassed during a rescue practice at the Duchy
Colliery on March 2. Mr. Thorne was the instructor of
the colliery brigade, and was in charge of the rescue
station at Brynmenyn, and Mr. Evans was master haulier
at the colliery, and a member of the brigade. Representa-
tives of the employers, the Miners’ Federation, the Rescue
Association, and of Lloyds underwriters were present.
After evidence as to the practice had been given, Dr.
John S. Haldane, of Oxford, Director of the Doncaster
Coal Owners’ Research Laboratory, said he had made a
special study of colliery rescue apparatus.. Since the
disaster he had tested the Drager apparatus which was
used by the rescue party on this occasion. He had tested
it on himself, and found that when he stood still or walked
slowly he was all right, but when he began to walk at the
rate of 31, miles an hour, at the end of three minutes he
became shorter and shorter in breath, and at last was
staggering about, and a friend who was with him had to
hold him up and pull out the mouthpiece. The apparatus
acted inefficiently, so that carbon dioxide was being
re-breathed, and the air in the bag became foul. The
apparatus did not supply sufficient pure air when the
wearer exerted himself to the extent which would be
usual in rescue operations or under excitement. The
apparatus was, in his opinion, highly dangerous; in fact,
a real death trap. It was not scientific. It was a German
design. There were safer British designs, but the German
one had been better advertised, and it was extensively
used. The London Fire Brigade had discarded the
apparatus for an English make, with which one man could
carry another on his back for a mile. More people had
been killed by the Drager apparatus than had been saved
by it. He tested the air in the working where the men
were gassed, and, assuming that the conditions were the
same as when the disaster took place, and this he assumed
from the fact that the oil light went out at the same spot,
it seemed probable from the analysis of the air that if
the men had worn no apparatus at all they would have
been all right. He was of opinion that they had been
killed by carbon dioxide through re-breathing the foul air
from the breathing bag of the apparatus. In answer to
Mr. D. Llewellyn (representing the association), who said
that when the men were found the mouthpieces and nose-
clip were off, Dr. Haldane said that in the case of Evans
the mouthpiece and nose-clip had been re-adjusted by his
companions. Want of oxygen would cause convulsions,
and that might account for the ultimate displacement of
the mouthpiece and nose-clip in the case of both Evans
and Thorne. Mr. Llewellyn asked how Dr. Haldane
accounted for the fact that others who went in wearing
the apparatus came out safely with the bodies ; and he
answered that the men having been reported dead, there
was no hurry about the operation. “ The serious fault with
the Drager apparatus is that you cannot hurry with it,
even in cases where it is very urgent to hurry.” Dr.
Haldane added that he felt that the lives of a great many
of the best mining people were being unnecessarily risked.
In his opinion, this apparatus was skilfully used, and
there was every evidence that the best was done. He had
visited the Brynmenyn rescue station, and 'found it very
well appointed, no expense being spared. It was a pity
this apparatus was used ; and it was not fair to put men
into a position where they had to make considerable exer-
tion with a faulty machine.—The coroner, in summing up,
said that the apparatus had been used in Germany,
America, and in this country, and the justification for its
use was that it purported to be reliable. Even without
the evidence of Dr. Haldane, he should now feel inclined
to say that it was not a suitable apparatus, but after hear-

ing the evidence of Dr. Haldane, who admittedly had given
great study to the problem, it was for the jury to con-
sider what ought to be done.—The jury returned a verdict
that the two men had died from asphyxiation through
breathing foul air owing to a faulty rescue apparatus ; that
their death was accidental; and the jury considered that
before any rescue apparatus was allowed to be used in
mines under the compulsory clauses of the Mines Regula-
tion Act, all such apparatus should be thoroughly examined
on behalf of the Government and reported as satisfactory.

At Ammanford Court on Monday, a colliery rider was
fined <£2 and ordered to pay the advocate’s fee, for failing
to attach a back stay to his tram; and two other men were
fined <£1 and 10s. 6d. costs, for wrongfully riding in the
tram. The rider had allowed a number of men to enter
the tram, and while it was going up the slant the rope
broke, with the result that the tram jumped the rail,
smashed into timbers, brought down part of the roof, and
one man was killed and another injured.

A fact of historical interest in the Welsh coal trade is
the re-opening by the Thomas Merthyr Colliery Company
of the old level irom which Welsh smokeless coal was first
sent to London in the year 1830 ; and it may be noted
that this company have sent to the firm of Gardner,
Locket, and Hinton their first truck of output — Mr.
Locket of this firm being grandson of the gentleman who
received the first consignment nearly 90 years ago.

Mr. Finlay A. Gibson, the secretary of the South Wales
Coal and Coke Committee, has issued a circular stating
that the committee has decided that all colliery companies
in South Wales and Monmouthshire shall be instructed to
supply the same merchants with the same quantity of house
coal during the next five months as they supplied during
the corresponding months of 1915. It is considered that
this is the best course to adopt, as each colliery company
will then know to whom, and what quantity, they have to
supply each month, and the merchants will know to which
colliery companies they have to apply for their house coal,
and the quantity they are entitled to order from each
company.

Northumberland and Durham.

New Navigation Regulations—Helping the Infirmary1—A
Colliery Fire.

New regulations for the defence of the Tyne, which came
into operation on Monday, April 2, provide, inter alia, that
(1) all neutral vessels engaged in the Scandinavian, Dutch,
and Spanish coal and coke traffic shall not proceed up the
Tyne west of a line drawn from the most westerly point of
Tyne Dock to the most westerly point of Northumberland
Dock, except as provided for m paragraph 3 hereof. (2)
Neutral ore ships proceeding up the Tyne are not to be
discharged west of Palmer’s Shipbuilding Yard at Jarrow.
(3) Neutral vessels of the classes mentioned in paragraphs
1 and 2 hereof requiring dry dock facilities, may dry dock
west of the line described m paragraph 1 hereof on being
granted a permit for that purpose by the regulation officer
(neutral tonnage) hereinafter mentioned. (4) All British
and Allied tonnage shall have the freedom of the river as
far as Dunston and Derwenthaugh staiths. Neutral
tonnage trading between the ports of the Allies shall also
have the freedom of the river as far as the above-men-
tioned staiths. A committee, appointed by the Major-
General Commanding Tyne Garrison, is to have the allo-
cation of berths and docks (other than mooring berths) in
its hands, and its orders are to be implicitly obeyed. The
allocation of mooring berths is to remain in the hands of
the Tyne Improvement Commissioners. Mr. T. L.
Maccoy has been appointed regulation officer to administer
the provisions of the Order.

At the annual court of governors of the Newcastle
Infirmary, the Lord Mayor stated that the greatest increase
in the revenue had been in the workmen's contributions,
which had gone up by <£4,688. Mr. C. Irwin, fitter to the
Cramlington Coal Company Limited, stated that a con-
siderable increase was recorded with regard to Durham
contributions. The Northumberland miners had also
increased their subscriptions. Many, in fact, had doubled
their contributions, so that the infirmary should not suffer
through the absence of their comrades on active service.
A generous response had been made to the appeal to
employers. Mr. Straker, corresponding secretary to the
Northumberland Miners’ Association, urged the claims of
the institution upon the employing classes by arguing that
it saved them a great deal m the way of compensation.

A fire occurred in the workings of Elemore Colliery last
week, originating in some woodwork, and spreading to
the coal, until it covered a length of 12 yds. There were
very few workmen in that district of the mine at the
time, and they were got out expeditiously. The Houghton-
le-Spring and Elswick collieries fire brigades tackled the
outbreak under circumstances of considerable difficulty as
to water supply, and got the fire under control in a credit-
ably short time. The priffcipal damage was done to the
timber supporting the roof.

Cleveland.

The shipments of iron and steel from the port of Middles-
brough during March showed a substantial increase over
those of the previous month, despite the German submarine
menace. The total is returned at 87,260 tons, composed of
53,545 tons of pig iron, 2,396 tons of manufactured iron,
and 31,319 tons of steel, as compared with a total of
60,325 tons exported in February. Of the pig iron
despatched, during the past month, 51,923 tons were sent
to foreign ports, and 1,622 tons coastwise. In February
only 40,886 tons of pig iron were exported. France, as
usual, was the largest customer, taking 41,268 tons, whilst
Italy received 6,900 tons, and the United States 2,800 tons.
The principal receivers of manufactured iron and steel
were :—France, 29,998 tons; India, 1,573 tons; Italy, 861
tons; Japan, 383 tons; and Hong Kong, 262 tons.

Yorkshire.

Projected Pit—Slackers Fined—Electrical Apparatus in
Mines.

The South Yorkshire Joint Railway is putting in a tem-
porary connection of the line to the projected new pit at
Armthorpe, in preparation for developments after the war.
The foundations of the new reservoir have already been
laid, but further work is now stopped until peace is
declared.

:: The serious extent to which slacking still continues in
some of the Yorkshire collieries was shown at Doncaster
last Saturday, when the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Com-
pany summoned 10 miners for neglecting their work, sums
varying from <£4 to <£10 apiece being claimed. It was