May 4, 1917.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

855

■useumjM

the size of the combustion space. In general, the
smaller the excess of air, the larger must be the com-
bustion space for the same completeness of combustion.
Conversely, within certain limits, the smaller the com-
bustion space, the larger must be the excess of air.
So that for each furnace there was with a given fuel
and given rate of combustion, one definite percentage
of excess of air which gave the best results. This most
economical percentage of excess of air was different
for different rates of combustion and different fuels,
when used in the same furnace. The admission of air
into the furnace was practically uniform in all cases.
If the feed of coal was uniform, as was the case with
most mechanical stokers, it was comparatively easy to
adjust the air supply to obtain the best results. With
a hand-fired furnace the case was different; the supply
of air was nearly uniform, but the feed of coal was
intermittent, so that an exact adjustment of the air
supply was practically out of the question. Although
two or three minutes after firing the air supply might
be 75 or 100 per cent, in excess of the theoretical
amount needed for complete combustion, during the
first minute immediately after the firing it might be
30 per cent, below it. Immediately after firing we
had incomplete combustion and smoke, due to insuffi-
cient supply of air; two or three minutes after firing
we had large excess of air and a clear chimney. These
conditions grew worse, as the firings were farther
apart, and larger quantities of coal were fired at a
time. On the other hand, small firings at frequent
intervals made it possible to get enough air into the
furnace immediately after the firing to obtain com-
plete and smokeless combustion, without having a very
large excess of air and its accompanying losses before
the firing. In hand-fired furnaces under power plant
boiler smoke was made at the surface of the fuel bed.
It was not made by the combustible gases striking the
cooling surfaces of the boiler ; this merely stopped their
combustion. The smoke was made at the surface of
the fuel bed because the volatile matter, which was
driven off as heavy hydrocarbons in the form of tars,
was heated rapidly in entire absence of oxygen. This
rapid heating causes these hydrocarbons to break into
soot and hydrogen, and by reaction with CO2, into CO.
Five feet from the surface of the fuel bed the combus-
tible gases consisted mainly of CO and H2; there was
only a very small trace of methane and no heavy hydro-
carbons which might produce soot by decomposition.
If sufficient oxygen were supplied at the point of dis-
tillation, the heavy hydrocarbons which are distilled
from the coal would burn without first decomposing
into soot. If the fuel bed was level, no oxygen goes
clear through it, even if the bed of hot coal is only
5 in. thick. The oxygen was all used up in combus-
tion before the air coming up through the grate reaches
the top of the fuel bed, where the volatile matter is
distilled from the freshly-fired coal. The combustible
gases rose from the fuel bed in one large stream, and
the additional air was supplied to the outside of it. If
this air was supplied in large volume at low velo-
city, the stream of combustible gas and the stream
of air were apt to flow a considerable distance
parallel to each other without mixing, and the
combustion occurred only where the two streams
came in contact, and was necessarily slow. If,
however, the air was supplied in a large number of
small streams at high velocity, the streams of air pene-
trated the large stream of combustible gases, violent
mixing took place, and the combustion was rapid, and
might be nearly completed before the gases left the
combustion space. For best results, the air should be
supplied in sufficient quantity to ensure complete com-
bustion. It should be introduced as close to the sur-
face of the fuel bed as possible, in order that the
volatile matter may burn without first decomposing
into soot and light gases, and to make as much of the
combustion space available for mixing and burning as
possible. The air should be introduced in a large
number of small streams at high velocity to promote
mixing, and make the available combustion space
more effective. These were the reasons why Mr.
Monnett named draught three times as the three things
necessary to obtain smokeless combustion. Draught
was needed to supply a sufficient amount of air into
the furnace; draught was needed to introduce the air
in a large number of small streams, and at high velo-
city to accomplish good mixing; and draught was also
needed to overcome the resistance of mixing arches or
other structures that are designed to improve mixing.
If he were asked to name the three most important
factors in' obtaining complete and smokeless combus-
tion, he would say this:—(1) Supply a sufficient
amount of air to obtain complete combustion; (2)
supply the air as near to the surface of the fuel bed
as possible; and (3) supply the air in a large number
of small streams and at high velocity. These factors
were stated in more definite terms than Mr. Monnett’s
three draughts, although virtually meaning the same
thing, because draught was needed to produce all of
them.

Shortage of Tonnage, — The Coal Controller (Mr. Guy
Calthrop) on Wednesday received a deputation from the
South Wales Miners’ Federation, consisting of Messrs.
James Winstone (vice-president), T. Richards, M.P., and
Vernon' Hartshorn, with reference to the serious state of
affairs in the South Wales coal field arising from the
shortage of railway trucks for the home trade, and of
tonnage for the export trade. The deputation pointed out
that many collieries had been stopped, some thousands of
the men unemployed for days in succession, and upwards
of 110,000 working shifts lost during the months of
February, March, and April from this cause. Mr. Calthrop
informed the deputation that he was aware of the situa-
tion in the South Wales coal field, and hoped to be able to
deal with it as speedily as possible. It is stated that the
following men were unemployed for 12 days in succession :
Anthracite district, 3,714 men, 50,785 days lost; Western
district, 2,416 men, 32,714 days lost; Afon district, 1,890
men, 27,394 days lost,

THE AMERICAN COAL TRADE.

The Eastern bituminous trade is much exercised as
to what part it will play in war. It is expected that a
certain tonnage will be required to bunker Allied
patrol vessels on the Atlantic seaboard, while there
were unauthenticated rumours that the Government
was asking for prices on a million and a quarter tons
for prompt delivery. In spite of the fact that stocks
are at a very low point, there is very little attempt to
accumulate reserves. The situation is very confused,
and the general tendency is to mark time, pending
developments that will give both buyers and sellers
some assurance as to the future. A decrease in the
bunker and export trade has released some much-
needed coal for use in other directions (says the Coal
Age of April 14). Aside from railroads and a few large
mills, apparently very little effort is being made to get
coal forward. It is as if the trade were dazed. For
inland distribution there is very little Pocahontas and
New River open to the market.- The demand for
Pennsylvania steam grades continues strong. Any
fair grade coal commands a high price, the sellers’
figure usually being accepted if satisfactory assurance
can be given that the coal will be shipped with reason-
able promptness The prices per gross ton f.o.b. cars
at mines are as follow :—Georges Creek Big Vein, 5 to
5-25 dols.; South Fork Miller Vein, 5 to 5-25 dols.;
Clearfield (ordinary), 4-75 to 5 dols. ; Somerset (ordi-
nary), 4-75 to 5 dols.; West Virginia, Freeport, 4*50 to
4-75 dols.; Fairmont gas, lump, 4-75 to 5 dols.; Fair-
mont gas, mine-run, 4-50 to 4-75 dols. ; Fairmont gas,
slack, 4-25 to 4*50 dols. ; Fairmont lump, ordinary, 4-50
to 4-75 dols.; Fairmont mine-run, 4-25 to 4-50 dols. ;
Fairmont slack, 4-25 to 4-50 dols.

Baltimore reports state that there does not appear
to be any great uneasiness- among consumers, who are
merely buying from hand to mouth. Spot prices here
are but a little in excess of offerings at the mines.
Prices to the trade at the mines are about as follow : —
Georges Creek Tyson, 4*50 dols. ; Somerset, 4-25 dols. ;
Quemahoning, 4-25 dols.; Clearfield, 4 dols.; Freeport,
3-75 to 4 dols. ; Fairmont gas, three-quarter, 4 dols. ;
run-of-mine, same, 4 dols.; slack, same, 3*75 dols.

A heavy demand for anthracite prevails, and
shippers are overwhelmed with orders; no sooner had
the mining companies cleared their books of the accu-
mulation of winter orders, sold at the old circular,
than they were again choked up with business. There
is not the least doubt that an enormous tonnage will
be stored this spring if it can be had, not only locally,
but in all sections of the country. The prices per gross
ton f.o.b. cars at mines for line shipment are as follow :
Broken, 4-50 dols. ; egg, 3-65 dols.; stove, 3*90 dols. ;
nut, 4 dols.; pea, 2-80 dols.; buck, 2-50 dols.; rice,
2 dols. ; boiler, 1*80 dols. ; barley, 1*50 dols.

All the coal piers at Hampton Roads are under a
heavy guard of soldiers. The principal source of
supply for the Navy and the Panama Canal is Hampton
Roads. Several shippers have experienced consider-
able trouble the past few days in reference to neutral
vessels carrying coal cargoes foreign. All information
concerning both foreign and United States shipping is
rigidly withheld.

Current quotations for Pocahontas and New River
run-of-mine for export and coastwise shipment are as
follow :—5-5Q to 6 dols.; for bunker delivery, 6 to 6-25
dols, plus 15c. trimming; for local delivery on track
in car load lots, 5 dols. per net ton. Anthracite, 9 dols.
per net ton delivered.

Freight rates to the Mediterranean are firmer, at
about 60 to 72 dols. for West Coast of Italy and Mar-
seilles.

The coke market is in an uncertain state.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—April 27.

Compensation Appeal.

Docherty or Lyons v. Woodilee Coal and Coke Company
Limited.—The House of Lords dismissed the appeal from
the decision of the First Division of the Court of Session in
the case of Mrs. Catherine Docherty or Lyons v. the
Woodilee Coal and Coke Company Limited. This was a
workmen’s compensation case. Mrs. Lyons is the widow
of Denis Lyons, brusher, Kirkintilloch. He was employed
by the respondent company in their Woodilee pit, and
having finished his work on the night shift on a date in
November 1915, he proceeded to the bottom of the shaft
to be taken to the surface. Lyons arrived at the bottom of
the shaft, but owing to a breakdown of the bell wire, the
repairs on that morning took longer than usual, the cage
taking about an hour to descend. During that time Lyons
was at the bottom of the shaft in a cold current of air.
Owing to exposure he contracted a chill, upon which tonsi-
litis, kidney trouble, and pneumonia supervened, with the
result that Lyons died of the last-mentioned disease. The
Sheriff-Substitute decided that Denis Lyons was not injured
by an accident arising out of or in the course of his employ-
ment, and he refused to award compensation to the man’s
widow under the Act. The decision of the Sheriff-
Substitute was affirmed by the First Division of the Court
of Session, and now upheld by the House of Lords.

SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE.

COURT OF APPEAL.—May 2.

Before the Lord Chief Justice and Lords Justices Bankes
and Warrington.

Colliery Workings and Subsidence.

Gould (W. J.) v. Cory Brothers and Company Limited.
—Messrs. Cory Brothers and Company Limited were the
appellants in an action that had been brought against them
to recover damages in respect of an alleged subsidence of
the surface arising out of their colliery workings in the
Rhondda Valley. The plaintiff alleged that the subsidences
had caused considerable damage to a number of houses and
shops at Pentre, and as a result of the trial at Swansea, a
verdict and judgment was given against the defendants for
<£530. The defendants appealed upon the ground that the
learned judge in the court below had wrongly construed the
lease, by the terms of which, as they submitted, they were
entitled to let down the surface.

The Lord Chief Justice, in giving judgment dismissing
the appeal, said the result of the authorities was to estab-
lish clearly that primd facie the plaintiffs were entitled to
the support of the surface of the land, and that the defen-
dants could only justify depriving the plaintiffs of that
support by establishing that, under the contract between
the parties, there was a right in the defendants to deprive
the plaintiffs of the support. Looking at the material
document in this case, which was dated 1857, and to the
reservation clause, he failed to see anything which implied
the right to let down the land. It was said that in this
reservation clause there was a right to take away every-
thing under the surface of the land, and that the court
must therefore infer that it gave a right to let down the
surface of the land. He did not think it followed at all.
It seemed to him the same reason would apply to other
cases where there was a reservation of minerals. It might
equally be said that in extracting, for example, all the coal
under the surface, there must be implied the right to let
down the surface. That did not at all follow, even when
there was a right to take and win the stone or other earthy
substances. Upon the construction of the document in
question in this case, he came to the conclusion that the
defendants had failed to establish the contentions put
forward.

Lords Justices Bankes and Warrington agreed, and the
appeals were therefore dismissed with costs.

May 3.
Insurance of Ships.

Maskinonge Steamship Company v. Dominion Coal Com-
pany.—The plaintiffs, who were the owners of a steamship
named the “ Maskinonge,” appealed against a decision of
Mr. Justice Bailhache, dismissing a claim by them to
recover <£2,615 odd from the defendants, who chartered the
vessel for seven seasons. In a supplementary agreement,
dated October 23, 1915, it was provided that “if The
steamer is ordered by the Dominion Coal Company Limited
to trade in the war region, war risk insurance premiums
payable by the owners shall be refunded to them by the
charterers.” The steamship was employed in the coasting
trade, and owing to the appearance of a hostile submarine
in American waters an increased insurance premium was
paid. This amount was now in dispute.

His lordship held that the vessel had been trading in “ a
war region ” within the meaning of the words of the con-
tract, and judgment was entered for the plaintiffs.

Lords Justices Bankes and Warrington concurred.

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—April 30.
Pit Ponies.

Mr. Butcher asked the Home Secretary whether his
attention had been called to the report of H.M. Chief
Inspector of Coal Mines as regards pit ponies for 1915;
whether he was aware that this report shows that out of a
total of 65,673 horses and ponies employed in the coal
mines of the United Kingdom in that year, 2,244 died from
injury or diseases, 2,055 had to be destroyed in conse-
quence of injury or disease, and 9,016 sustained non-fatal
injuries; whether he was aware that the percentage of
animals killed, injured, and ill-treated in 1915 shows an
improvement on the figures for 1914, and a still more
marked improvement on the figures for 1913; whether such
improvement was due, to some extent, at any rate, to more
careful inspection; whether the condition of affairs was
still very bad in Division 3 (Yorkshire and North Mid-
land), where the rate of deaths per 1,000 is 90, and of non-
fatal injuries is 177, and in Division 5 (South Wales), where
the rate of deaths per 1,000 is 77, and of non-fatal injuries
is 166, as compared with Division 2 (Durham and North-
umberland), where the rate of deaths per 1,000 is 49, and
of non-fatal injuries is 105; and whether, in view of these
figures, he would insist on a more thorough and complete
inspection. Mr. Butcher also asked whether attention had
been called to the fact that the special horse inspectors
appointed under section 109 of the Coal Mines Act,, 1911,
inspected 1,204 mines and 52,590 horses and ponies in
England and Wales in 1915, and left 383 mines, and 7,297
horses and ponies unvisited; and whether, in view of the
numbers of animals which die or have to be destroyed by
reason of injury or disease, and which suffer non-fatal
injuries, he would appoint such further number of special
inspectors, in addition to the existing seven, as would
ensure that all the mines and animals should be inspected
at least once a year.

Mr. Brace, who replied to the two questions together,
said he was advised that, having regard to the difference
in the conditions, no comparison of any value could be
drawn between the figures for the Yorkshire and South
Wales divisions and those for the Northern Division. In
the former coal fields, owing to the depth, inclination, and
character of the strata, the roads were subject to greater
pressure, and were consequently much more difficult to
maintain, and the gradients were more severe. The
arrangements for the inspection of horses by the horse
inspectors had been very carefully reviewed by the Depart-
ment, and certain administrative changes had been made,
which, it was anticipated, would enable those inspectors
in the course of the year to visit every mine employing
horses, and make a thorough inspection.

May 3.

Canal Transport.

Mr. G. Roberts, replying to a question, said the Canal
Control Committee were taking such steps as are within
their power with a view to the extended use of the canals
under their control in the Manchester district and else-
where.

Pit Ponies.

Mr. Brace stated, in answer to Sir G. Greenwood, that
the number of mines in Wales not visited by a special
inspector of horses during 1916 was 30; 126 were visited at
least twice.

Concrete Pit Props.

Mr. Fell asked a question regarding an offer to make
concrete pit props at cost price; and Mr. Roberts replied
that there were various technical and other difficulties to
be considered. The whole subject was being investigated,
and the offer had not been overlooked. In certain mines
the substitutes were already in use, and as soon as a suit-
able type was obtained, the available sources of supply
would be communicated with.