February 8, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 285 THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, February 7. Reports from depots show that the pressure for coal is distinctly less than in any preceding week since the winter trade began. Mild weather contributed largely towards this, but, on the other hand, supplies have come forward with increasing regularity, and the actual consumption has been reduced. At many of the outlying districts, and particularly on the London and South-Western Railway, Great Western Railway, and Great Eastern Railway, the scarcity is still noticeable and merchants and factors are turning their attention particularly in these directions. The volume of business doing in the London market is still very small, and colliery representatives are unable to book orders except to contractors. Considerable arrears have yet to be overtaken, but the tone of the market is much more satisfactory. The seaborne market has been well supplied lately, which means that the gas companies have received good quantities. For Monday’s market 23 cargoes were returned as having arrived in the River Thames, and 15 for Wednesday—all contract cargoes. Hard steam coals continue scarce, and there is a strong demand. Bakers’ nuts and small nuts are difficult to obtain. Kitchen cobbles are selling freely, but the demand for best house coal is weakening. From Messrs. Dinham, Faweus and Company’s Report. Friday, February 1.—The return of much colder weather caused a good enquiry for seaborne house coal, but the supply was very small, and no sales were reported. Cargoes, 5. Monday, Februaby 4.—The seaborne house coal market was in good demand, but the supply limited. No sales recorded. Cargoes, 23. Wednesday, February 6.—The seaborne house coal market was quiet, with a small attendance and short supply. Cargoes, 15. SOUTH WALES MINING TIMBER TRADE. Supplies of Foreign Wood Heavier. There were heavier supplies of foreign timber available this week, the imports being upon a much better scale. The total quantity imported for the week ended February 1 amounted to 26,734 loads, of which the bulk was consigned to the Pitwood Committee supplying the Admiralty collieries. The actual quantity of wood imported from abroad during the week was as follows:— Cardiff (Barry and Penarth):— Date. Consignee. Loads. Jan. 24 A. Bromage and Co. ....... 540 „ 24 Lysberg Limited......... 1,800 „ 24 Vivian Kelly and Co.......... 600 „ 26 Lysberg Limited........... 720 „ 26 Lysberg Limited......... 1,200 „ 26 Lysberg Limited......... 1,200 „ 26 Lysberg Limited........... 720 „ 26 M. Thompson ............ 1,000 „ 28 Grant Hayward and Co...... 66 „ 28 Vivian Kelly and Co....... 780 „ 28 Budd and Co................ 72 ,, 28 Lysberg Limited........... 240 „ 28 Lysberg Limited........... 600 „ 28 Lysberg Limited........ 2,040 „ 28 Lysberg Rimited.......... 3,000 „ 28 Vivian Kelly and Co. ... 1,800 „ 29 Lysberg Limited.......... 1,800 „ 29 Lysberg Limited........... 204 „ 30 Grant Hayward and Co....... 84 „ 30 Grant Hayward and Co...... 48 „ 30 Morgan and Cadogan....... 720 „ 30 Morgan and Cadogan....... 1,200 „ 31 A. Bromage and Co........ 240 „ 31 Budd and Co............... 1,200* „ 31 Lysberg Limited.......... 1,200 „ 31 Lysberg Limited............ 540 „ 31 Lysberg Limited.......... 1,440 „ 31 Lysberg Limited.......... 1,440 Feb. 1 Lysberg Limited............ 240 Total..26,734 The prices of wood remain at the maximum scheduled levels. The pitwood importers are contemplating a com- bination to purchase from French growers at a price which will leave them (the importers) a fixed rate of profit, by selling to collieries at the maximum levels. A number doubt whether this would be attended with success, seeing that France is very short of wood, there being a tremendous demand for military purposes. It is suggested that the French authorities should be approached with a view of fix- ing the price of pitwood f.o.b. at the French ports, and giving the same facilities with respect to wood as is extended by Great Britain with respect to coal. Importers wish to have a guaranteed minimum of profit, as the finan- cial risks involved with respect to demurrage are ofttimes heavy. Irish Pitwood Imports. The imports of Irish and Cornish timber were upon a fair scale. Representations were recently made to the Controller of Mines, asking that Irish timber should be placed upon the same basis as that of foreign wood with respect to prices. The selling price of French fir is 65s. per ton ex ship South Wales ports, while that of Irish (soft) wood is 65s. delivered to collieries. As the freight rates from Ireland to South Wales are ‘much about the same as from France to South Wales, the Irish trade is penalised by the heavier cost to deliver the wood to the collieries. The Controller of Mines has replied to the effect that, having regard to the margin of profit made, he sees no reason why the prices and delivery conditions relating to Irish pit wood should be altered. Imports from Spain. No supplies of mining timber have been received from Spain for about a year and a half, owing to the policy of the authorities. It is understood that arrangements have been made whereby the two nations will exchange commo- dities, and very shortly supplies of mining timber will be allowed to be imported from Spain. Importers of Spanish timber, therefore, are making application to import supplies. Home-Grown Timber. Notwithstanding the inclement weather, supplies of home-grown wood were upon a good scale. It is hoped that the rationing scheme will soon be working smoothly, as a large amount of dissatisfaction was created amongst the workmen owing to the difficulty encountered in procuring foodstuffs. Hauliers were still hard to procure, and many thousands of tons of wood are lying in the forests await- ing delivery. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products. — Such changes as have occurred in the market this week favour sellers. Pitch is unaltered, but crude tar in the North has advanced to 28s. to 29s. ex gas works. This is scarcely more than Is. dearer compared with last week’s quotations, but the tendency appears unmistakable, and another advance, as spring begins to draw near, would not be surprising. The only salient business in pitch this week is the booking of a time-charter for pitch, Tyne to Trouville, at 73s. The fixture is a com- paratively small one, but it attracts notice as being the second cargo of pitch consigned to Trouville recently. Naphthas are going well, and naphthalenes are rather scarce. Anthracene is noticeably stronger, and the 48-50 B quality is now quoted 2d. to 2^d. The other by-products are unchanged. Full quotations are appended :—Crude tar : London, 32s. 6d. to 35s.; Midlands, 26s. to 28s.; North, 28s. to 29s. per ton ex gas works. Pitch: London, 50s.; East Coast, 25s. to 30s. f.o.b.; Liverpool, 22s.; West Coast, 23s. to 24s. f.a.s. Solvent naphtha: Naked, London, 90-190 per cent.,.3s. to 3s. 3d.; North, 2s. 9d. to 3s.; 90-160 per cent, naked, London, 4s. 3d. to 4s. 6d.; North, 4s. to 4s. 3d. Crude naphtha: Naked, 30 per cent., 8^d. to 8^d.; North, 7|d. to 8|d. Refined naphthalene, £32 10s. to £35; salts, 80s. Toluol : Naked, London, 2s. 4d.; North, 2s. 3d. Creosote: Naked, London, 4^d.; North, 3|d. to 4d. (Government price equal to 4|d. per gallon f.o.r.). Heavy oil, 4^d. to 4^d. ; liquid, 4^d. to 4^d. Carbolic acid : Crude, 60 per cent, east coast and west coast, 3s. 4d. to 3s. 6d.; crystals, 39-40, Is. 3d. Cresylic: Casks, 95 per cent., 2s. lOd.; 97-99 per cent., 3s. ex works London, and f.o.b. other ports. Anthracene, 40-45 A, 4^d.; 48-50 B, 2d. to 2^d. Aniline oil, Is. 2d., casks free; salts, Is. 2d., drums free. Sulphate of Ammonia.—A steady business is being put through at the official prices for the home trade—£16 7s. 6d. February-May delivered net cash, or 10s. less at works. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, February 7. Dublin. Demand continues active, and, so far, prices remain unchanged, as follows :—Best Orrell, from 51s. to 52s. per ton; best Wigan, 49s., less Is. per ton discount; slack, 46s. ; steam coal, 50s. per ton; coke, 49s. per ton delivered. Deliveries are still much below the average. The total quantity of coal arriving in port during the past week was 25,660 tons, as compared with 29,100 tons the week previously. At the Castlecomer collieries, county Kilkenny, present prices at the pit head are :—Best small coal, 30s. per ton; best large coal, 28s. 4d. ; bottom coal, 25s. ; breakage, 16s. 8d. ; culm, 13s.' 4d. Work is tem- porarily suspended at the Wolf hill collieries, Queen’s County, and at present no coal is being sent out. At a recent meeting of the Dublin Corporation, the Lord Mayor stated that the committee appointed to deal with the coal question in the city had made satisfactory progress. As a result of an important interview with the Irish Shipping Controller, it was anticipated that cheaper fuel would soon be supplied to consumers. A reduction in freights for the transit of coal between cross-Channel ports and Dublin is expected to take place shortly, the amount of the reduction being, probably, 7s. per ton. Belfast. Following recently advanced rates of freight prices of coal delivered in the city are 3s. per ton higher this week, quotations now standing as follow :—Best Arley coal, 49s. per ton; best Orrell nuts, 48s. ; English kitchen, 48s. ; best Orrell slack, 45s. ; best Scotch household, 44s. per ton. There is a good demand for house coal, but stacks of some qualities are still below the average. The Controller of Coal Mines has appealed to consumers to minimise the consumption of gas and electricity as much as possible by means of the most sparing use of burners and switches. A bare sufficiency of illumination in dwell- ing houses, shops, or public buildings should be the limit. Colliery Firemen and Non-Unionist Question.—The annual report of the Lancashire and Cheshire Colliery Fire- men’s Association shows that the year was commenced with 24 branches and a membership of 2,300. During the year, branches have been formed at Atherton,, Bradford (Manchester), Haigh, Rossendale, and West Leigh. The year concludes with a total of 30 branches and a member- ship of 2,642. It is estimated that the association includes 90 per cent, of the total number of deputies, and the members of the organisation are desirous of making mem- bership a condition of service, practically similar to the system in operation among the miners, the contention being that the non-unionist deputy is as great a danger as the non-unionist miner. It is explained that the matter has been submitted to the Coal Controller, whose decision is now being awaited by the association. The, question of the deputy being represented at the examination and re-examination of deputies has been taken in hand by the association, which originally asked that some representa- tive of the organisation should be present during exami- nation. “ We find, however,” it is stated, “ a reluctance on the part of the authorities to,allow anyone to interfere between the pupil and the examiner. We have, however, been successful in obtaining permission from the Wigan and District Mining and Technical College to nominate members of the association to fill the position of examiner.” The qualification for this position is a first-class certificate of competency, and it is pointed out that there are members of the organisation possessing this qualification. , “ We can scarcely afford to ignore the question of absorption by the Miners’ Federation,” the report goes on,to say. “Whilst we locally have an expression of opinion that we have nothing to fear, yet we cannot ignore statements recently made by prominent officials of the Miners’ Federation., who still adhere to the principle of one union for the mining industry. We are, however, trying to fortify ourselves against our being swallowed up. We are perfectly willing to co-operate in matters of national importance, but. at the same time, we are of the opinion that we can best look after the interests of the deputy ourselves. Our present com- plaint is that, being under the control of the management, we cannot exercise our authority to the full. Would the fact of being under the control of the workman ease the position ?” The secretary of the association ventures to say it would not. COAL TAR AND CHEMICALS. Dr. P. Phillips Bedson, M.A., D.Sc., F.I.C., V.P.C.S., etc., Professor of Armstrong College, New- castle, addressed the members of the Northern Section of the Coke Oven Managers’ Association, at their meeting in the lecture theatre of the North of Eng- land Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Newcastle, last Saturday afternoon, on “ The Rela- tion of By-Product Coke Oven Practice to the Manu- facture of Fine Chemicals.” Mr. W. Diamond, chair- man of the section, and manager of Messrs. John Bowes and Partners’ Marley Hill Coke Ovens, pre- sided. Dr. Bedson remarked that when previously he addressed the members of that section, he spoke of coal from the energy point of view; he would now speak of the treatment of coal from the point of view of substance. He proposed to restrict the term “ fine chemicals ” entirely to synthetic dyes, drugs, per- fumes, medicinal preparations, etc., in the production of which coal tar was the raw material. Of the four products of the by-product coke oven, therefore, they were concerned in that address almost entirely with the tar, which might be described as essentially iden- tical with coal tar in its composition and nature. Whilst recognising the complexity in composition and the possibility of variation in the composition of tar, resulting from the differences in the coal employed in its production, and the influence of the temperature at which the coal was carbonised, they might define coal tar as a mixture of hydrocarbons, both paraffinoid and aromatic, with certain oxygen-containing compounds acidic in character and nitrogenous compounds more or less basic in properties, together with those sulphur- containing substances which so nearly resembled hydrocarbons like benzene, such as thiophene. Industrial Coal Tar Products. He showed on the screen the following tables as to the products of coal tar distillation: — Light benzol Gastar. Tarlr°“oC0ke ovens. Per cent. Per cent. 1’5—2 ... 0’1—0’5 Heavy benzol 0’5—1 0’5—1 Phenol 0’5—1 0’5—1 Naphthalene 4—6 6—9 Anthracene 0-5 025 Pyridine bases 0’25 0-25 Heavy oils 20 20 Pitch 50—60 50 Finely-divided carbon 20 10 Light oil Tempera- ture of Per cent, distillation, of tar. Degs. C. Up to 170 ...2—8... Specific gravity. 0’90—0-95 Middle or carbolic oils 170—230 ... 8—10 ... 1-01 Heavy or creasote oils 230—270 ... 8—10 ... 1-04 Anthi acene oils 270—400 ...16—20... 1-10 The industrial use of the products of coal tar dis- filiation might be summarised as follows :—The “ light oil” yielded benzene, toluene, and xylene; the “medium oil” yielded phenol, naphthalene, and lubricating oil; and- the “heavy tar oil” yielded creosote oils and anthracene. Many of these materials had their industrial applications in the crude state, but it was only in the purified condition, a result of further treatment by the tar distiller, that they were employed as the starting point in the manu- facture of dyes, explosives, drugs, etc. These sub- stances all belonged to the group of organic com- pounds described by the term “ aromatic.” They were characterised by a relatively high proportion of carbon as compared with the paraffin compounds. The literature of chemistry since 1865, when Kekule advanced a theory of the constitution of benzene, and showed how all aromatic compounds were to be regarded as derivatives of that hydrocarbon, provided abundant evidence of the inspiration to research which that theory provided, an inspiration seen not only in the advance of the science on its theoretical side, but also in many of the notable contributions to indus- trial chemistry which had followed as a natural con- sequence from the extension of knowledge and the insight into the nature of the substance which had resulted. Some of the main features of Kekule’s benzene theory were exemplified by the constituents of coal tar. Benzene itself, CfiH6, was the parent sub- stance of all aromatic compounds, the hydrogen being replaced by different radicals, e.q., toluene, C6H5CH3; xylene, CfiH5(CH3)2 ; and phenol, CfH50H. Certain reactivities of benzene served to distinguish it and its allies from other hydrocarbons, e.q., the paraffins, and it was some of these reactions which contributed to their utility in synthetic chemistry, and were utilised on the industrial side in the manufacture of dyes, drugs, explosives, perfumes, etc. German Dyestuff Industry. German firms engaged in these products had a com- bined capital of about £12,000,000, paying average dividends of about 28 per cent, per annum. In 1912, these firms produced dyestuffs valued at £12,500,000, of which £10,000,000 worth were exported. Germany exported explosives valued at £3,000,000 in 1912. The estimated annual production of artificial perfumes in Germany was £2,500,000. The annual value of dye- stuffs used in Britain was £2,000,000, supplied to trades with a capital of £200,000,000, and employing workpeople to the number of about 1,500,000. The total value of dyestuffs imported into this country in 1913 was £1,892,055, of which £1,730,821 worth was supplied by Germany. Of the dyestuffs used in this country, only one-tenth was produced here. Yet Ger- many was, at one time, largely dependent upon this country for the raw material. In 1878, Prof, von Baeyer said: “Germany, which, in comparison with England and France, possesses such great disadvan- tages in reference to natural resources, has succeeded, by means of her intellectual activity, in wresting from both countries a source of national wealth. Germany has no longer to pay any tribute to foreign nations, but is now receiving such tribute from them, and the