January 11, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 75 of pig iron, semis, and steel. Sellers are agitating for a rise, and are holding back supplies. All the free scrap in the market finds a ready sale. Conditions in the market for semi-manufactured iron have not improved, though the requirements of the rolling mills are not so pressing, in consequence of the shortage of coal. The amount of semis coming in from other districts is small, the makers of heavy products being mostly engaged on the production of steel for munitions. The position in the plate market is very unsatisfactory, especially with regard to plates of 5 mm. and under, some of the works having had to go on short time owing to lack of bars and, above all, of fuel. This is chiefly due to the scarcity of railway wagons, as there is no real shortage of coal. In these circum- f stances, the plate mills require much longer time for delivery, and new orders are difficult to place. Makers are also inclined to hold back on account of the lack of proportion in prices as compared with those for semis and heavy plate, and are going in for producing higher qualities, which are more remunerative. For heavy plate, makers are asking two to five months for delivery. The tin-plate trade continues active, and makers are finding it difficult to meet the require- ments of the army, etc. Bar iron is very scarce, and no quick delivery can be given. Both welding iron and wire makers are extremely busy, and the same applies to foundries, constructional engineers, wagon and engine builders, and practically all other branches. Coal Market in South Germany. The continuance of cold weather has been a source of great inconvenience to both consumers and dealers, the latter of whom used formerly to base their hopes on a rigid winter, but now view the prospect with concern, owing to the rapid exhaustion of their small stocks, the chances of replacing which are remote. The long period during which the Rhine was in excel- lent condition for traffic was left unutilised; and now the attempts of the water traffic department of the railway administration are on a par with locking the stable door after the horse has been stolen. The river . has fallen so low that full cargoes can no longer be conveyed, and even these have to be lightened for the section above Mannheim, whilst the Main traffic has been interrupted by ice, and the Alsace Lorraine canals are frozen over. No great hopes can be built on railborne supplies from the pits, the available wagons being insufficient for even the districts which usually get their coals in this way; and both indus- trial and domestic consumers of Ruhr coals elsewhere can do nothing but exercise patience. The coal distri- bution department has announced that a more plentiful supply of wagons will be available in the near future; but at present the amount of coal in the Upper Rhine districts is far below that required for carrying out the preference policy of the department, so that many works, some of them of considerable importance, have had to work short time, or even close altogether for short periods. The statement from Berlin that instructions have been given to satisfy all require- ments fully, as far as possible, gives no satisfaction, and merely increases the list of complaints, each manu- facturer regarding his own business as the most impor- tant, and being unable to understand the impossibility of carrying the instructions into effect. With regard to house coal, the conditions are, naturally, just as bad, in spite of the general and special instructions for improved supplies to specially needy districts. The consumers least unfavourably affected are those using purely domestic grades of fuel, such as large anthra- cite nuts and ovoid briquettes, although even in these the supply is not anything like equal to the demand. Small quantities of coke are also being used for house fuel; but bituminous nuts and smithy nuts are quite unobtainable, these being reserved for munitions works. Buyers of Saar coals are in a little better position than those taking Ruhr coals, having only the shortage of wagons to contend with, and not the river transport difficulties as well. Brown coal briquettes, too, are coming forward fairly well. The difficulties of rail and river transport have impeded the exportation of coal to Switzerland, and the con- signments are greatly in arrear of the quantities pro- vided for in the German-Swiss agreement. An inter- national arrangement has also recently been entered into with Austria for the duration of the war, accord- ing to which certain amounts of coal are to be for- warded to Austria-Hungary, where they will be dis- tributed to consumers by an importation company in conjunction with the Austrian Ministry of Labour. The Vicar of St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields has been commis- sioned to effect the public cancellation of a number of National War Bonds and War Savings Certificates, the property of a group of Northumberland miners, tradesmen, and others, who desired to make a gift to the nation. Wages in the Iron and Steel Trades.—The conference of representatives of the men employed in the iron and steel trades, called by the Minister of Munitions to consider wages questions in these trades, was concluded in London on Thursday of last week. Mr. Churchill presided. The questions discussed related to the adjustments to be made consequent on the grant of the 12^ per cent, bonus to time- workers, and the settlement follows on the line of leaving the actual adjustments of the bonus to be made by the ordinary trade machinery. Miners’ Federation and the New Recruiting Scheme.— Our Mining Correspondent states that the executive of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain has decided to call a national conference of the coal mining industry, to be held in London on January 31, to consider the new recruiting scheme of Sir Auckland Geddes. The scheme requires the “ combing out ” from the mines of a further 50,000 men, in addition to the 20,000 who have been recruited under the scheme agreed to some months ago. It is understood that miners who have been serving from the war, and who have been wounded, or are now over age, will be released from military service and return to their employment in the pits. PITWOOD AND OTHER MINING TIMBER. On December 19, instructions were issued by the Controller of Coal Mines, after consultation with the Controller of Timber Supplies, to all colliery pro- prietors in Great Britain, to the effect that they were not permitted to pay upon any contracts or “spot” or other purchases made after the above-mentioned date for the various classes of pitwood and other mining timber prices exceeding those specified below: (A) Collieries in the Counties of Brecon, Carmarthen, Glamorgan, Monmouth, Pembroke, Radnor, Gloucester, and Somerset. (i) Home-grown, delivered on rail at colliery sidings, or, failing rail connection, at colliery pre- mises ; and (ii) French, Portuguese, or Spanish, ex ship, not exceeding 60s. per ton for hardwood, and 65s. per ton for softwood. (B) Collieries elsewhere in England and Wales. (i) Pit props in the round (home-grown timber), cut to lengths, delivered on rail at colliery sidings, or, failing rail connection, at colliery premises, mixed woods, not exceeding the following prices: Per 100 Per 100 lineal ft. lineal ft. In. s. d. In. s. d. 2| 12 6 5 50 0 3 16 0 51 55 0 3g 24 0 i 6 ... 63 0 4 ■' ... 32 0 61 72 0 4i 37 0 1 7 so 0 In the case of collieries requiring all larch, the above prices may be increased by not exceeding 10 per cent. These prices are subject to the usual monthly account, less 2| per cent, discount, in accordance with trade custom. (ii) For home-grown timber (other than pit props cut to lengths in the round, for which see (i) above), both softwoods and hardwoods delivered in the round on rail at colliery sidings, or, failing rail connection, at colliery premises, the price shall not exceed 2s. 3d. per cu. ft., tape over bark, and for pure larch, 2s. 7d. per cu. ft., tape over bark. (C) Collieries in Scotland. Prices shall not exceed those laid down in the state- ment annexed to the Acland Award of June* 16, 1916, Parts 1 and 2, of which a copy follows, plus 5 per cent, additional for long pitwood, and 7| per cent, addi- tional for sawn props. The price for large mining timber delivered free on rail at nearest railway station shall not exceed 50s. per ton. Acland Award. Home Pitwood Supplies for Scotland, 1916-1917. “ The representatives of the coal masters of Scotland and ‘the timber merchants of Scotland present at a conference at 4, The Sanctuary, Westminster, on June 9, 1916, having agreed to accept my determination in respect of the pro- posed contracts for supplies of home-grown pitwood to the coal mines of Scotland, I have considered all points at issue, and hereby determine as follows, viz. :— “ 1. The period of the agreement shall be for 15 months from July 1, 1916, and shall terminate on September 30, 1917, unless expressly continued by both parties. “2. The agreement shall be subject to the continuance of the present maximum, 10s. (ten shillings) per ton, rail- way rate for pitwood in Scotland, but in the event of any alteration therein the prices shall be subject to readjust- ment to the extent to which such alteration affects the freight cost to the sellers. “3. The prices shall be those quoted in the statement hereto annexed, subject to the proviso that the quantities of small pitwood shall be approximately in the proportions stated, and, further, that the coal masters and the timber merchants will adjust the proportion of the three classes of long pitwood to be supplied. “ 4. The total quantity shall not exceed 100.000,000 lineal feet, and shall not be less than 60,000,000 lineal feet, the actual quantity to be fixed by the parties them- selves. “5. All species of timber, except beech, will be accepted, subject to the understanding that the main supply will be from coniferous timber. The pitwood will be unpeeled. “6. Delivery will be on rail at collieries. Terms net cash on monthly account.” “June 16, 1916.” Statement Annexed to Award of June 16, 1916.—Part 1. Small Pitwood. 21 3 3 3i 4 4| Price h-a Equivalent sawn props. Length. per 100 lineal g p, o feet. o, O X1 © s. d. Per c. 4f in. quartered or . .. Up to 2f ft. ... 5 3 .. . 3 2 in. sqr. or equal 51 in. quartered or . .. Up to 3 ft. ... 6 5.. . 15 21 in. sqr. or equal 5| in. quartered or . .. Up to 41 ft. ... 7 11 .. . 15 21 in. sqr. or equal 5f in. quartered or . .. Up to 5 ft. . ... 9 11 .. . 45 2| in. sqr. or eqnal 5f in. quartered or . .. From 5 ft. . ..11 1 .. . 45 2f in. sqr. or equal to 6 ft. 7f in. quartered or . .. Up to 6 ft. . ..12 11 .. . 20 3| in. sqr. or equal 81 in. quartered or . .. Up to 6 ft. . ..17 1 .. . 12 3f in. sqr. or equal 91 in. quartered or . .. Up to 7 ft. . ...20 6 .. . 5 3f in. sqr. or equal — 100 Statement Annexed Diameter at tip under bark. In. 3 4 5 to Award of June 16, 1916.—Part 2. Long Pitwood. Price Length. per 100 lineal ft. Ft. Ft. s. d. 10 to 14 18 6 10 „ 14 23 3 10 „ 14 ... ’ 30 0 ENGINEERING RESEARCH. The report on the results of the first tests carried out by the Committee of Research recently appointed by the North-East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders presents authoritative and reliable data which should prove of great value to engineers, especially with reference to the production of high vacuum for steam turbines, and to the more economical production of low vacuum for cargo vessels. Further- more, it possesses a special interest in that it marks the inauguration of what, it is hoped, may become in time .a general practice on the part of engineering and other similar institutions of undertaking organised scientific research in the interests of the various indus- tries with which they are associated and the country at large. The tests dealt with in the report relate to air pumps of the reciprocating type such as are in general use in connection with the condenser plant of marine engines. The apparatus tested was submitted for that purpose by Messrs. Richardsons, Westgarth and Co., and the tests were carried out at the Hartlepool works of that firm. The tests have demonstrated that a remarkable influ- ence in the withdrawal of air from a condenser is possessed by a steam jet or a series of jets when used in combination with the air pumps, and that, conse- quently, considerable economy results from the applica- tion of this simple but effective device in the manner indicated. The original conception of combining a steam jet with an air pump was due to Mr. James Atkinson, of London. In 1902 it was developed by Sir Charles Parsons for use with steam condensers, and since then Mr. D. B. Morison, of Hartlepool, has made further improvements in this “ kinetic ” system. From the standpoint of economy, the effects of adopting the jet system are extremely valuable. As is well known, a reciprocating air pump is a highly impor- tant auxiliary on a steamship. Its cost depends on its size; its wear and tear on its speed of working, and its economy in operation on the quantity of steam that it uses. The report shows that, for a given duty, the combination of a steam jet on the kinetic system will allow the speed of a given pump to be reduced from 60 strokes per minute to 20, and the consumption of steam to be reduced by one third, the pump mechanism remaining exactly as at present. Alternatively and obviously, the pump may be made smaller for a given duty, or in the case of cargo vessels in which the air pump is driven by the main engines, the entire economic influence of the steam jet may be utilised in reducing the size of the main condenser and the pumps in con- nection therewith. Herein lies the present value of the report, for at no time in our industrial history have savings in the use of labour and of metals been of such paramount importance as now. Apart altogether from the techni- cal value of the results obtained, the investigations show, as indicated above, how such savings can be made in the manufacture of a particular .joart of the equip- ment of a steamship. The lead given by the North- East Coast Institution in the matter of active research, with the practical demonstration of how labour and material can be saved in manufacture, and, as in this case, higher efficiency obtained in operation, becomes, therefore, of national importance, and is worthy to be followed by every engineering institution in the kingdom. The committee appointed by the council of the North- East Coast Institution to carry out the tests consisted of: Mr. Edwin Orde, of Messrs. Armstrong. Whitworth and Co., president of the institution; Dr. Morrow, M.Sc., of Armstrong College, the well-known authority on steam turbines, and Mr. Waldie Cairns, M.Sc., con- sulting engineer, of Newcastle-on-Tyne. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—By being placed under control, tar offers less scope for comment regarding market movements. Pitch still retains strength, at about 50s. asked at London works, although 48s. is sometimes quoted in print. A would-be buyer at 48s. has to reckon with sellers who are confident of present values and coming increases. At North of England gas works, business proceeds at an average of about 28s. for tar, and .pitch has attained even the same m,ark (maximum, not average) on the east coast, but is considerably lower in most localities. Transport is a great factor in the case regarding the cheap quotations in Manchester and Liverpool, but local users, of course, are favourably situated in that respect. Very little pitch is being sent out of the country, only one small cargo coming under notice last week (as noted in our columns at the time), and nothing of any consequence this week. In the competition for freight fixtures, pitch stands a poorer chance than coal, and buyers for export must be prepared for a continuance of difficulties. Even if the cabled news be correct that 1,400 vessels are nearing completion in the United States, the reported tonnage is not large enough to cover requirements for war supplies, including food, but the general position will be eased, and possibly British pitch will be one of the items to receive direct or indirect benefit from the new shipping. Solvent naphtha still com- mands good support, and benzol is well enquired for at control quotations. The latest figures for the latter in London are Is. 0|d. 90 per cent, naked, and lO^d. to ll|d. north, with Is. 3^d. to Is. 4^d. naked, north, for 50 per cent. Naphthalenes are steady. Other by-products show little or no material change. Indeed, the control system is so general now in the by-products market that the position tends to stereotype itself. Sulphate of Ammonia. — The official rate remains at £16 7s. 6d. January-May, all delivered net cash, or 10s. less at works. Nitrate of soda, ordinary, is 27s. to 28s. Liverpool. 27s. 6d. spot. Cleveland Pig Iron Prices.—The secretary to the Cleve- Ironmasters’ Association intimates that the average net selling price of No. 3 Cleveland pig iron for the last quarter of 1917 was 97s. 9-21d. per ton.