May 4, 1917. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 863 requirements of the great industry represented by this institute to be made. Schedule of Refractory Requirements of the Iron and Steel Industry. Coke Oven Bricks. Difficulties experienced by users : Foreign clays were found more satisfactory in enabling a product to be made that gave gas-tight joints and resisted disintegration due to volume changes. Attack by alkalies found in certain British coals. Directions in which additions to our knowledge might be sought for : Description as complete as possible of the foreign clays found suitable, and of the British clays that resembled them. Investigations of the cause of failure of coke oven bricks. Influence of texture and firing tempera- tures on their durability in service. Blast Furnace Bricks. Difficulties experienced by users : Abrasion and disin- tegration. Directions in which additions to our knowledge might be sought for : Tenacity at high temperatures. Causes of dis- integration. Influence of texture and mineralogical char- acter of original clays. Description of the available clays. Carbon Bricks. Directions in which additions to our knowledge might be sought for : Texture and bond. Influence of these on tenacity and crushing strength at high temperatures. Magnesite Bricks for Electric Furnaces. Difficulties experienced by users ; High cost. Low soft- ening point. Variations in quality. Spalling if rapidly heated. Directions in which additions to our knowledge might be sought for : Texture and bond. Firing temperature. Thermal analyses of magnesite from various sources. Pro- perties of the burnt brick. Thermal analyses with quench- ing from high temperatures. Substitution of dolomite for magnesite for brickmaking. Silica Bricks (Quartzite) for Open-Hearth Furnaces. Difficulties experienced by users : Variability in quality. Erosion, disintegration, spalling. Directions in which additions to our knowledge might be sought for : Texture, bond, and firing temperature. Minera- logical description of the fired brick. Thermal analyses of brick with quenching from high temperatures to determine actual constitution under working conditions. Nozzles (Fireclay and Magnesite) for Casting Ladles. Difficulties experienced by users : Erosion by liquid steel under certain conditions. Does not wear. Teeming speed lessens as weight and temperature of steel in ladle diminishes. Directions in which additions to our knowledge might be sought for : Cause of erosion. Influence of texture and firing temperature on resistance to erosion. Influence of casting temperatures and quality of steel on erosion. Use of new materials. Special. This group includes chromite and bauxite bricks, zirconia and other rare earths, fused magnesia, and lime. Directions in which additions to our knowledge might be sought for : Investigation of mode of occurrence of raw material in nature. Description and determination of pro- perties of the pure minerals. Methods of concentration and purification. Bonding and preparation as refractory pro- ducts. Properties of the finished product. LETTERS TO THE EDITORS. The Editors are not responsible either for the statements made, or the opinions expressed by correspondents. All communications must be authenticated by the name and address of the sender, whether for publication or not. No notice can be taken of anonymous communications. As replies to questions are only given by way of published answers to correspondents, and not by letter, stamped addressed envelopes are not required to be sent. ~~ COAL TRADE ORGANISATION. Sirs,—I have read with interest the leading article in the last issue of the Colliery Guardian on “ Improve- ments in Commercial Practice,” in which you criticise the work of the Commercial Intelligence Department of the Board of Trade. It is to be hoped that the new organisation of the Federation of British Industries will be able to bring about some improvement in this respect, but even this Federation can do very little unless it has the support of organisations representing each trade. It appears to me that there is no more glaring instance of want of organisation in British commerce than that of the coal trade. I was asked recently by a member on one of the Government com- mittees to obtain information for him with respect to enemy pre-war contracts for coal; but, although Great Britain exported something over 70 million tons of coal in 1913, there appears to be, so far as I can discover, no organisation representing the commercial department of the coal trade, and, as this is so, it must follow that coals from the different mining districts in this country are competing abroad with one another and thus making it easier for the foreign buyer to make his own price. Is not this a matter which calls for the immediate attention of those engaged in the coal trade so that, when the war is over, our coal may no longer be at the disposal of the Germans ? Trade Federator. April 30, 1917. COAL FIELDS OF^EASTERN FRANCE. Sirs,—Referring to a paragraph on p. 807 in this week’s Colliery Guardian, I have never heard before of coal mines about Briey or Longwy, and I feel sure that the output figures and the number of mines mentioned refer to the deep workings in the “Grey Bed” of the Toarcian, which is a 30 per cent, phosphoric iron ore. William G. Fearnsides. Sheffield, April 27,1917. In order to prevent any confusion arising from a recent reference to their new publications, the General Electric Company Limited point out that their postal address is 67, Queen Victoria-street, London. Notes from the Coal Fields. [Local Correspondence.] South Wales and Monmouthshire. Coal Controller Specifies Loading Ports—Wage Question —Numerical Strength and Financial Position of the Miners’ Federation — Concrete for Pit Props — The Miners and the Closed Labour College—Annual Meet- ing of the Miners’ Permanent Fund. A scheme has been drafted and circulated for regulating the shipment of coal, it being desired that, as far as may be practicable, this shall take place at the port nearest to each colliery. Roughly outlined, Monmouthshire’s output would go to Newport; that of the three easternmost valleys of Glamorgan—Rhondda, Taff, Rhymney—is allocated to Cardiff, Penarth, and Barry docks; the Llynvi, Garw, and Ogmore, with Avon, valleys would send to Port Talbot; whilst Western Glamorgan and the anthracite field would ship at Swansea or Llanelly. Grave doubts as to the practicability of the scheme have been met with the information that it is not a hard and fast regulation. The great aim is economy in haulage and in use of trucks ; shorter runs and quicker return of empties being required; and, in so far as this may be brought about, so far the trade as a whole will be benefited. Whether the different docks could handle the quantities, or, if able, could really give prompter despatch than exist- ing arrangements afford, is a moot point; and another question raised is as to the interference with mixing, which prevails necessarily to a large extent. The colliery owners, however, have a choice of ports, and this, to a large extent, will lessen anticipated difficulties. In connection with this scheme, Mr. Finlay Gibson has issued a circular to coal owners, stating that on April 14 the Controller of Coal Mines informed the District Coal and Coke Supplies Committee, of which Mr. Gibson is secretary, that he had decided to appoint in each district an officer to superintend coal transport arrangements— supply of wagons to collieries, transit of loaded and empty wagons, and relief of railway pressure by avoiding unneces- sarily long haulage, and to transfer traffic to canals where- ever possible. These officers would keep in touch with the local coal supplies, committees, attending the meetings. Mr. Gibson notifies that Mr. Anthony (formerly of the Great Western Railway Company) has been appointed inspector for the Monmouthshire and South Wales area; and he adds that the Controller regards it as absolutely necessary that steps should be taken at once to reduce to a minimum the mileage in transport of coal, because of lessened railway facilities. Therefore coal is to be shipped at the nearest port, and home consumers are urged to obtain supplies from the nearest collieries. The demand of the South Wales miners for further increase in the wage rate, reported elsewhere, has pro- voked adverse comment, because of the great rise which has taken place since war broke out. From a percentage of 60 on the old standard of 1879, the rate has risen to 55-83 on the new standard of 1915, which is equivalent to 133J on the old standard. The latest increase took place five months ago, being then 15 per cent, on the new stan- dard; and the resolution of the miners’ executive, whereby they seek authority of a delegates’ congress to ask the central Miners’ Federation of Great Britain for authorisa- tion to apply to the Government for an advance, sets aside entirely the Conciliation Board arrangement in this dis- trict. The plea of the miners is that, as the collieries are now controlled by the Government, their procedure is correct; and they sustain this contention by pointing to the fact of Government direct intervention on previous occasions with regard to wages. Criticism centres on the fact that the men base their demand upon the increased cost of living; whereas the ordinary factor of decision, namely, the market price of coal, is really against them; so much so that, if really operating, the employers have a good case for claiming reduction, which they have sought through the Controller. The Coal Owners’ Association of South Wales, at a meeting on Monday, decided to make application for a reduction of 27-J> per cent, in the wage rate, which now stands at 55-83 above the standard of 1915. Upon approach to the Coal Controller, however, it was found that official would not consent to any such application, for he tele- graphed on Tuesday that he considered it “ should not be made at present.” A statement has now been issued by Mr. Gibson (secretary of the association), which points out that the owners’ representatives on the Conciliation Board have received the report of the joint accountants, showing the selling prices for the three months ended March 31, which, like the result of the audit for the pre ceding three months ended December 31, showed a reduc- tion in selling prices as compared with the September quarter; also that there had been an increase in working costs. It was at the request of the Board of Trade that the owners’ representatives did not make application on February 1 for a change in the wage rate. The telegram which the employers sent to the Coal Controller was:— Owners’ representatives on the Conciliation Board have decided, subject to your approval, that application be made to the workmen’s representatives for a reduction of 27^ per cent, in the general wage rate, on the grounds that there has been a reduction in the selling prices of coal; and that sufficient consideration has not been given to the increased, and continually increasing, cost of work. Please telegraph your instructions to-day. The reply which came was:— Controller considers application for reduction wages should not be made at present. The employers’ statement, however, points out, even leaving out of consideration altogether the increased cost of working, that they would, in the ordinary course, be entitled to some reduction in the wage rate on the grounds of reduction of prices only. It is therefore at the direct request of the Controller of Mines that the owners refrained from making any application for a reduction, and this entirely without prejudice to the future position. The average membership of the South Wales Federation for 1916 was just over 147,000, and the principal items of expenditure were <£7,492 upon strike, lock-out, and out-of- work pay; <£1,250 in grants and donations; <£1,697 in salaries; <£5,524 contributed to the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain; <£2,494 on litigation; <£1,855 in respect of political levy returned to districts; <£1,725 on meetings; and