January 18, 1918.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

121

cranes, the transporter structure can be supported on
a pontoon or on a barge carrying coal. In one design
of floating transporter the pontoon is about 70 ft. long
and 40 ft. wide, with a depth of 8 ft. It is con-
structed of steel throughout and has six bulkheads,
arranged to suit the position of the transporter frame.
This pontoon supports two transporters, the centres
of which are 30 ft. apart. The height of the trans-
porter track from the deck of the pontoon is 32 ft.,
and the working distance from the centre of th*
transporter structure to the discharge position at the
end of the track is 36 ft. Underneath the track of
each transporter, on the opposite side of the pontoon,
there is a coal hopper or bunker to take the discharge
from the grab, and from the side of this hopper are
two hinged chutes for delivering the coal. Each of
the transporters is operated by a double-cylinder
engine which serves the respective duties of lifting,
travelling, lowering, opening and closing the grab,
which is of the double-rope type. One boiler supplies
steam to both engines. The delivery end of the chutes
can be extended to 15 ft. from centre to centre, so
that deliveries can be effected through four side ports
of a vessel at one time. The capacity of this equip-
ment is about 100 tons per hour, the hoppers being
each capable of holding about eight tons of coal. An
alternative to this construction provides no hoppers
or chutes, but the track of the transporter extends
over both sides of the pontoon, the distance of dis-
charge being increased to 42 ft. 6 in. from the centre
of the transporter, instead of 35 ft. as in the previous
case.

It has only been possible, on account of limited
space, to give a very brief indication of types of
mechanically equipped bunkering craft, some of which
serve to discharge coal barges alongside, whilst others
carry and discharge their own cargoes, and yet others
provide for both operations. Coal bunkering is a
problem which has occupied many minds with the
object of devising improvements, not only in the rate
of handling, but also to reduce the costs and minimise
breakage of the coal and the dust riuisance. The
conditions vary to such an extent that the require-

L

PLAN

Fig. 4.—Self-Discharging Bunkering Craft, Equipped with Conveyors.





ments at each port must be considered independently,
no one system being suitable to all conditions. Take
for example the great difference in the types of vessels
requiring to be supplied. On the one hand we may
have the great passenger liner needing several
thousand tons, distributed mostly in wing or side-
port bunkers, and on the other the small cargo vessel
with cross bunkers requiring to be supplied with
comparatively small quantities at a time, through
deck hatches, whilst some of the bunkers are difficult
of access. The altitude of delivery is an important
consideration, as also are the preparation costs, which
may amount to a high figure, in comparison with the
total costs, if only a small tonnage is required.
Furthermore, bunkering deliveries cannot, of course,
be effected at one side of the vessel only, so that
duplicate equipment is usually required, and a large
fleet of barges is generally necessary. Trimming in
the bunkers frequently involves a large labour gang,
and upon the trimming really depends the rate of
delivery, as the bunkering craft used may be capable
of supplying at a greater, rate than the coal can be
dealt with or trimmed in the bunkers.

Labour is a most important question in connection
with steamship bunkering, and the men are likely to
resent innovations tending to improvement in des-
patch with reduction in operatives and therefore
expense. It should, however, be remembered that
the reduction of labour justifies a capital expenditure
of £200—£300 for each man, so that to reduce labour
to the extent of even twenty men should permit of a
capital expenditure of at least £4,000. These figures
will not apply where labour is plentiful, for example
in the East; but then the numbers employed are
considerably increased, a circumstance which
frequently adds to confusion and causes delay. At
one depot in the East, gangs totalling about 500 are
necessary for supplying 3,000 tons to four vessels in

12 hours, this representing deliveries to each vessel
at the rate of over 60 tons per hour. It should be
added that, in this case, about half the labour is
employed in filling the coal into bags on shore, and
the deliveries referred to represent about 57 lighter
loads.

At many coaling depots a large floating storage is
kept and much of the coal discharged from the colliers
is not landed at all; whilst in other cases floating
storage is kept in hulks. To what extent it is desir-
able to have floating storage, and whether in lighters
or hulks, must also depend upon the conditions at the
port and facilities at the depot. With storage in
hulks, vessels requiring bunker supplies go alongside
the hulk, and handling of the coal may be effected
therefrom in a manner similar to that for discharging
colliers or barges; and at least some of the classes
of equipment referred to herein and in the previous
issue of this series may be adapted for this purpose.

MANCHESTER GEOLOGICAL AND
MINING SOCIETY.

At a meeting of the Manchester Geological and
Mining Society on Tuesday last, the President,
Mr. W. Pickup, expressed a hope that the war might be
brought to a successful termination within the year just
entered upon.

The following gentlemen having been duly nominated,
were elected members:—Members (Federated) H. G. A.
Hickling, Dalegarth, Romiley, nr. Stockport; S. C. Laws,
Wigan and District Mining and Technical College,
Wigan. Associated members (Federated) T. Lund,



74, Church-street, Burnley; T. J. Aston, 215, Penny-
lane, Haydock, nr. St. Helens.

Presentation of Portraits,

The President said he had that afternoon a very
pleasing duty to perform. Some time ago the council,
in considering another subject, realised that on that
body there were gentlemen who from their length of
membership and the value of the services they bad
rendered to the society, and the mining community,
were not only eminently worthy of but were entitled to
have their portraits hung in the rooms of the society
with the one of the late Mr. Joseph Dickinson, already
hanging there. He referred to Prof O. W. Boyd-
Dawkins and Mr. John Gerrard. Prof. Dawkins
was the father of the society, having joined in 1869, and
being now the oldest member. He filled the office of
joint honorary secretary with Mr. G. C. Greenwell for
three years, 1870-71-72-73. He was a past president of
the society, having on three separate occasions, 1874-5,
1876-7 and again 1886-7,.been elected to the chair, and
was now the oldest past-president and the only one
remaining of those who bad the honour of election on
three occasions. He was elected an honorary member
in 1910, and was now one of the trustees of the society
and a member of the council. He had always taken the
greatest possible interest in the work of the society,
having read numerous papers on the “Antiquity of
Man,” “Cavesand their Contents.” “ Mammalia,” etc.;
always sparing himself neither time nor trouble when
anything required to be done. His position at the
Manchester University was well known and appreciated,
not only by the mining and geological community, but
by the public at large. His outstanding work, however
would always be that in connection with the discovery’
proving and eventual opening up of the Kent coal field.’

Mr. John Gerrard became a member of the society
in 1892, was president in 1904-5, and was elected an

honorary member in 1915. His work for the society,
like Prof. Dawkins’, had been continuous and unre-
mitting in all matters connected with the practical
side of mining, geology and palaeontology. He was
chairman of the Fossil Mollusca Committee during the
whole period of its .existence from 1907 to 1911, and
contributed very largely to its success. Mr. Gerrard,
too, hacl done most valuable work in connection with
the correlation of the coal seams in the different parts
of the Lancashire and Yorkshire coal fields, and was ’
solely responsible, at enormous trouble, for the compi-
lation of the very valuable Yorkshire to Lancashire
section from Pontefract to Burnley which he presented

* to the society.

As chief inspector of mines for the Manchester
district for a long period, he was always a most faithful
and zealous official, while the mining community could
always depend on his being absolutely fair, and,
whenever possible, even sympathetic; one to whom in
times of exceptional difficulty or danger they could turn
and depend upon receiving from him the best advice
and assistance. Under these circumstances, the
council felt that they would like to honour these two
gentlemen, and be honoured, by having their portraits
hung in the rooms of the society, and that their efforts
and labours on behalf of the community in the past
might be recorded in a fitting manner. On being
approached, Prof. Dawkins and Mr. Gerrard not only
readily fell in with the suggestion, but had been good
enough to present the portraits.

Prof. Boyd Dawkins said it might be interesting to
take stock of what the situation was in connection with
the society in 1869. It was then divided roughly into
two sections. First of all, there were those interested
in mining, and a large section who represented the
geologists, and what struck him was the extra-
ordinary way in which the geological section kept itself
apart from the mining section, and vice versa. Mining,
in those days, and geo ogical science were not on the
perfectly familiar footing they were now. In the course
of time that changed, and like all other technical bodies
of similar nature, the society had done a great deal in
raising the standard of education, and was one of the
factors in establishing the University in Manchester.
In the future he looked to the society to do a great deal
for the advancement of education on those subjects
which more specially related to the mining industry,
and hoped the time would come when a mining school
would be established in Manchester, which would render
it quite unnecessary for accomplished miners to go to *
Germany in order to finish their education. He had
great pleasure in presenting the photograph.

Mr. Gerrard expressed his appreciation of the
honour bestowed upon him. His connection with the
officials of the society had always been very pleasant
and he must confess that, candidly, he had received
more from the society than he had given.

The President said he had the greatest pleasure in
accepting the portrait on behalf of the society.

Coal Washing.

Mr. J. T. Drakeley read a paper on “Coal Washing,”
which is given on p. 125 of this issue.

DISCUSSION.

The President, in moving a vote of thanks to the
author, said that coal washing was a subject which had
not received the attention in the past it had merited ;
but in the future it would be of the utmost importance
that collieries should not only send away their production
in the best marketable condition, but the highest selling
prices per ton would require to be realised in after the
war conditions. Mr. Drakeley had dealt with the subject
in a most complete and scientific manner. What was
required was that the value and necessity of washing
inferior coal should be recognised, and that it should be
raised from a haphazard to a scientific operation.

Mr. J. Gerrard, in seconding, remarked that the
colliery at which he served his time put up the first
washer in Lancashire, but it was not for washing inferior
coal. In fact, it was to wash the very best Arley
coal, and was a great success. He had seen many
systems of washing coal, and was satisfied it was the
right thing to do. Laboratory experiments did not
always show the same results when carried out on a
large scale, and he would like to know whether the .
author had considered calcium chloride washing from
that point of view—whether it was possible to wash on
a large scale.

The resolution was adopted.

Mr. P. L. Wood said that though he did not agree
with all the conclusions Mr. Drakeley arrived at, most of
them were absolutely right. The author had had
unique opportunities of confirming his conclusions, and
was, undoubtedly, able to say with a good deal of
definiteness which particular washer was the best for
Lancashire coals. The testing of the efficiency of the
washers by the float and sink principle was excellent, and
quite a simple method. At their colliery Mr. Drakeley
was now engaged in making special tests in order to
arrive at the actual efficiencies of the washers, and when
the results were out they would be very useful.

Mr. D. Paton said he had had some experience of
the washing of coal, and had come to the conclusion
that the coal ought to be examined before it was washed.
With regard to slurry and small coal, the objective in
washing should be, first of all, to remove the small
coal; correct washing could not be performed if there
was a viscous heavy matter in the washery. What was
required^ was a distinctive action in as thin a medium
as possible. The line of development on the continent
before the war was in the direction of drying the small
coal. Large tunnels, from 40 to 50 yds. long in some
cases, had been built and the small coal below fth
was rushed through and dried down to a 5 per cent,
maximum water content because it was then possible,
in a percussion system, to extract the very fine coal.

Further discussion was adjourned to a future meeting.

Messrs. R. H. Longbotham and Company Limited, Wake-
field, have recently acquired the generating plants which
are being released by the Leeds Corporation Electricity
Works, and replaced by larger plant.