84 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. July 12, 1918. MEAN MAGNETIC DECLINATION at Kew Observatory, Richmond, in Degrees and Minutes, for each Two-hour Interval in the Week June 30 to July 6, 1918. Magnetic character. Intervals—Hours G.M.T. 0h.-2h. 14° + 2h.-lh. 14° + 4h.-6h. 14° + 6h.-8h. 14° + 8h.-10h 14c + 10h.-12h U°+ 12h.-14h. 14° + 14h.-16h. 14° + 16h.-18h. r 14° + 1 ! 18h.-20h. 14° 4- 20h.-22h. 14° 4- 22h.-24h. 14p4- ! Mean for day. 14° 4- Sun., June 30 0 Min. 49’5 Min. 49*5 Min. 47*5 Min. 45’5 Min. 46’5 Min.' 51’5 Min. 57’5 Min. 55’5 Min. 52’5 Min. 50’5 Min. 50’0 Min. 50’5 Min. 50’5 Mon., July 1 0 50’0 48*5 46’5 45’5 47’0 53’5 5o’5 57’5 55'5 52’5 52’0 52’5 51’5 Tues., ,, 2 1 51*5 48*5 45*5 45’0 47’5 51’0 55’0 55’5 55’0 53’5 53’0 49’5 51’0 Wed., 3 1 50’5 50*5 48’0 47’5 48’5 53’0 56’5 55’5 51’0 50’5 1 51’0 53’0 51’5 Thurs., „ 4 0 51*5 48*5 46’5 48’0 49’5 53’5 58’5 58’0 56’0 53’5 52’0 51’5 52’0 Friday, „ 5 0 50*5 49*0 46’5 47’0 48’5 52’0 57’0 54’5 53’0 52’5 1 52’5 51’0 51’0 Sat., „ 6 0 50*0 49*5 47’0 46’5 49’5 54’0 57’0 55*5 53’5 i 51’0 50’5 50’0 51’0 Diurnal ine- quality (i.e., July 1917 Ih. 2h. -0*2 -0’4 3h. 4h. -0*3 -1*2 5h. 6h. -3’3 -5’2 7h. 8h. -6’5 -6’7 9h. lOh. -5’6 -3’0 Uh. 12h. + 0’8 +4’6 13h. I4h. + 7’1 +7’9 15h. 16h. + 6’2 +3’9 17h. 18h. 4-1’7 0’0 19h. 20h. -0’4 —0’1 21h. 22h. 4-0’2 4-0’4 23h. 24h. 4-0’3 -0’1 Mean value for month. 14° 59" 1 July *17 departure from Junel918 -0’8 -1’0 -1*6 -2*8 -4’0 -4’9 -5’2 -5’1 -3’9 -1’3 + 2’5 +4’9 + 6’4 +6’4. 4-5’3 4-3’5 4-1’7 4-0’7 0’0 -0’1 4-0’1 4-0’1 -0’4 -0’8 I4C51'’2 June’18 mean value for Junel917 -1’2 -1’2 -1*4 -2*1 -3’8 -5’5 -6’5 -6’4 -4’9 -2’3 + 1’5 +4’7 + 6’5 +7’4 4-6’5 4-4’7 4-2’8 4-1’2 4-0’3 4-0’4 4-0 2 4-0’1 -0’2 -0’8 14° 59'’7June*17 day) The day is counted from Oh. (midnight) to 21 h. (mi Inight) G.M.T. Character “0” means a day wholly free from any but small disturbances. Character “ 1 ” means a day part or all of which is moderately or considerably disturbed. Character “2” means a day part or all of which is highly disturbed. The normal value for an hour is the mean declination for that hour in the month, derived from quiet days only, or from all days excluding those of character “2” On a day of character “ 0” declination at any hour will usually be within about 3' of the normal. On a day of character if 1 ” the departure from the normal will usually not exceed 5', but it may occasionally be as much as 10', or even more. On a day of character “ 2” the departure from the normal will seldom exceed 20', but departures of 30' or even on extreme occasions of 1° or more may occur. The above values were obtained from measurements made after “ smoothing” the curve. Meteorological Office, July 6. under which their industry was carried on, they had suc- ceeded in making 20,800 tons more pig iron than in 1916, the total output reaching 342,033 tons. On the other hand, whilst their output of coal was nearly 1,000,000 tons in 1916, it was only 769,768 tons last year. Conditions in the coal trade were so complicated that he doubted whether there was any man in the kingdom, including—or, he might say, especially—the Coal Controller, who could give the least idea of the way in which coal was now got in England. They had succeeded in increasing their output of ironstone by 211,500 tons, 100,000 tons of which came from Kilton, to a total of 956,935 tons. The firm had enquired as to the possibility of acquiring ironstone from further afield, and had finally obtained the lease of iron- stone at Burley, in Norhamptonshire, where they had acquired the Burley ironstone quarry, which contained from 600,000,000 to 8,000,000 tons of ironstone. Cumberland. The Baggrow Colliery, near Brayton, was closed last week owing, it is stated, to the fact that all the coal has been worked out. The place is now being dismantled. The pit has been a good one, and for some years proved a great boon to the district. The majority of the men have secured employment at the other pits. At the annual meeting of the Cumberland Coal Minimum Wage Board, held at Workington last week, Mr. Wm. Graham was unanimously elected chairman; Mr. George Todhunter, vice-chairman; Messrs. T. Cape and T. P. Martin, joint secs. ; and Sir Wm. Job Collins, M.P., was elected independent chairman of the board. Yorkshire. At meetings of the coal merchants’ section of the Brad- ford Chamber of Trade it was reported that Mr. E. Witton Booth had been appointed by the Coal Mines Department as overseer for the Yorkshire area, and that Mr. A. W. Mills had been selected by the Yorkshire Federation as the divisional supervisor on behalf of the trade. The fol- lowing resolution was carried : “ That this section agrees to pay a proportionate amount of the divisional super- visor’s expenses on a tonnage basis, but suggests that the payment to the local supervisors shall remain in the hands of the local merchants; and that the Federation be asked to state what quota would be required from Bradford.” It was ascertained that the area overseer (Mr. Booth) would be in a position to specify which men—both em- ployers and employees in all branches of the merchanting trade—were essential to the maintenance of business, pro- vided that they did not come within the scope of the Decertification Order. In the matter of carters’ wages, it was generally agreed that, as the coal merchants had been given to understand that they had no locus standi in the proceedings leading up to the national award to trans- port workers, and had been entirely unrepresented, it was to be taken that they would not be affected in the matter of payment of the wages under the award. A deputation from the Horse' Owners’ Association met the Coal Mer- chants’ Section, and it was agreed that no action be taken by either party of employers without mutual notifi- cation. The South Yorkshire Collieries are keenly interested in the proposal to establish a ship canal between Doncaster and Goole. Col. Somerville, of Doncaster, who is the prime mover in the matter, states that negotiations are steadily proceeding. The matter is being taken up by the Waterways Association, of which Mr. Neville Cham- berlain is president. It is also rumoured that the Sheffield Corporation intends negotiating for the canal rights of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Company between Sheffield and Doncaster. Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Information as to the developments of the Butterley Company’s undertaking at Kirkby and Low Moor pits was forthcoming upon the occasion of a visit of inspection last week by members of the Midland branch of the Colliery Managers’ Association. Absenteeism from pit work upon the part of a consider- able number of men of military age who have been exempted from military service resulted in the determjina- tion of the County Tribunal to withdraw certificates or to institute prosecutions in many of the more flagrant cases. Kent. In addition to the option on <£75,000 of the Tilman- stone Colliery debentures which they were recently granted by the East Kent Colliery Company, Messrs. Schneider and Company, of the Creusot Armament Works, France, have approached Kent Coal Concessions and Allied Companies for an option on an area of 7,500 to 8,500 acres of the coal field, including the Wingham and Stour Valley col- lieries. The idea of the French firm is to establish two collieries with a larger area of coal land than these two Wingham and Stour Valley collieries were originally planned for. Several of the allied companies are interested in the area to come under this option, and meetings of the * shareholders have been called to consider the matter. In Kent it is felt that the entrance of such firms as the Creusot Armament Works and the great northern coal and iron firms who have recently been displaying so much interest in the coalfield must result in a rapid development of the area as soon as peace conditions return. The two working Kent collieries, Tilmanstone and Snowdown, are now raising about 5,500 tons of coal weekly —rather less than the output was several months ago. Labour shortage accounts for the reduction. Scotland. At a meeting of the Scottish branch of the National Association of Colliery Managers, held in 'Edinburgh on Saturday, letters were read from the Coal Controller setting forth his views on the question of managers’ salaries. The Controller pointed out that the instructions sent to all colliery owners provided that the written authority of the Controller was necessary for an increase of salary to any member of the managing, clerical, and administrative staff whose present remuneration exceeded <£250 per annum. It was necessary, he added, in connection with the finan- cial control of collieries to keep a watch on increases of remuneration to all colliery employees, including the higher officials, but there was no intention of interfering with any proposed increases of salary of a legitimate nature. It was pointed out on behalf of the association that cer- tain coalowners were taking up the position that as they personally had no instructions from the Controller they were powerless to act. In reference to the latter point, the Coal Controller’s latest letter observes : “ It is diffi- cult to understand how any owner can say that he is powerless to apply to this department for permission to grant an increase in salary.” Mr. J. Kirkpatrick, branch president, read a paper describing the operations in driving a long stone mine and securing it with steel arched girders. He explained that the job was started and completed at a Lanarkshire colliery inside 21 months, and the average cutting speed per month was 61 yards. The total inclusive cost of the undertaking was £15,388—an average of <£12 per yard. Up to the present time the maximum output delivered from the mine has been 600 tons in eight hours, but the mine is capable of delivering 750 tons in the same period. The consensus of opinion amongst the members present at the meeting was that the operations described in the paper constituted quite a triumph in Scottish mining engineering. Mr. David Gilmour, who for many years has been an official of the Lanarkshire Miners’ Union, has issued a .statement regarding his position. Mr. Gilmour explains that he understands the council of the union has decided not to allow the members to vote on his nomination for either the post of general secretary or an agent of the National Union. In tendering his resignation he did so, he states, On the clear stipulation in writing that the members should have an opportunity to decide whether they desired to continue his services or otherwise. He adds that it has been clearly demonstrated that the attacks to which he has been subjected have been due to his views on the war, and not to the work which he has done in the Labour Advisory Committee of the Ministry of National Service. At Burntisland Harbour 50,306 tons of coal were despatched outwards during June, as compared with 38,643 tons a year ago. Of this quantity 38,183 tons were coastal shipments and over 8,000 tons for foreign destinations. Last week 13,400 tons of coal were shipped, an increase of 7,050 tons on the corresponding week of last year. South Wales and Monmouthshire School of Mines.— The 1918-19 session commences on Monday, October 7. Courses of full time instruction will be given in mining engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, and chemical engineering, in any one of which students may be apprenticed (without premium) to one of the thirty colliery companies connected with the school. For par- ticulars of admission, fees, courses, scholarships and apprenticeships apply to the principal, Prof. G. Knox, South Wales and Monmouthshire School of Mines, Tre- forest. Coal Rationing in the United States.—The Fuel Adminis- tration announces that the rationing of coal to householders is among the plans to prevent the threatened coal shortage next winter. Each householder will be allowed only as much coal as is scientifically necessary to heat the house to a temperature of 68 degs. Fahr, provided that the ut- most conservation is practised. A system of coal allot- ments will immediately be instituted whereby coal will be furnished in accordance with the rating of a house. All doubtful cases will be checked by house inspection. The announcement says that the allowance is sufficient for comfort, but that the thoughtless and wasteful consumer whose allowance has gone before the end of the winter will have only himself to thank if he has no fuel with which to heat his house. EXPLOSIVES IN COAL MINES. The following is a complete list of Permitted Explo- sives to date:— Part 1.—Explosives which have Passed the Rotherham Test. Explosive. Permissible maximum charge in oz. Pendulum swing in inches.* Abbcite No. 2 ... 18 2’54 Abelite No. 1 14 2’85 Abelite No. 4 18 2’79 Ajax Powder 12 2’69 Ammonite 18 2’44 Ammonite No. 1 24 2'42 Ammonite No. 4 30 1’76 Anchorite 11 2’73 A. 1. Monobel 28 2’78 A. 2. Monobel 22 2’44 Arkite No. 2 40 2’41 Bellite No. 1 20 2’74 Bellite No. 2 32 2’42 Bellite No. 4 18 2’92 Black Bellite ... 30 2’48 Britonite No. 2 21 2’26 Britonite No. 3 24 2’17 Cambrite 30 1’98 Cambrite No. 2 24 2’00 Denaby Powder 18 2’74 Dreadnought Powder 32 2’05 du Pont Permissible No. 1 18 2’82 Dynobel 22 2’61 Dynobel No. 2 24 2’46 Dynobel No. 3 18 2’50 Dynobel No. 4 30 2’35 Essex Powder 34 2’17 Expedite 32 2’62 Fa ver sham Powder No. 2 24 2’61 Haylite No. 1 10 2’18 Hay lite No.2 18 1’96 Haylite No. 3 16 2’44 Herculite 16 2’72 Kentite 18 2’64 Kent Powder 32 201 Kynarkite 20 2’21 Kynarkite No. 2 28 2’06 Mellin g Powder 12 262 Mersey Powder 18 2 60 Monarkite 26 2’67 Monobel No. 1 10 2’81 Nationalite No. 1 12 2’92 Nationalite No. 2 20 2’68 Negro Powder No. 2 20 2’21 Neonal 16 2’56 Neonal No. 1 30 2’51 New Fortetf 10 2’61 Nitro-Densite 28 1’47 Pit-ite No. 2 32 2’15 Pitsea Powder No. 2 8 2’64 Rex Powder 20 2'61 Roburite No. 4 18 2’86 Stomonal No. 1 20 2’68 Stomonal No. 2 30 2’57 Sunderite 16 2’66 Super-Cliffite No. 1 26 • ... 2’53 Super-Cliffite No. 2 3) 2’53 Super-Curtisite 16 2’71 Super-Excellite 10 2’74 Super-Excellite No. 2 14 2’72 Super-Excellite No. 3 36 2’73 Super-Kolax 30 2’10 Super-Kolax No. 2 32 2’21 Super-Rippite 18 2’53 Swale Powder 20 2’50 Thames Powder 32 2’78 Thames Powder No. 2 22 2’59 Victor Powder 18 2 96 Victor Powder No. 2 16 2’63 Viking Powder No. 1 26 2 41 Viking Powder No. 2 18 2’59 Westfalite No. 3 12 2’55 Part 2. Bobbinite. (Permitted only for the purpose of bringing down coal in certain mines for a period of five years from 1st Jan., 1914.) * This is the swing given to the ballistic pendulum at the Home Office Testing Station by firing at it a shot of 4 oz. of the explosive. It may be compared with the swing of 3’27 in. given by a shot of 4 oz. of gelignite containing 60 per cent, of nitro-glycerine. An International Trades Union Bureau.—A conference of British trade unionists was held at the House of Commons on Tuesday to consider the advisability of form- ing an International Trades Union Bureau, and bringing about a closer relationship between the British, American, Colonial, Allied, and neutral workers. The delegates present represented million British trade unionists, and it was unanimously decided to adopt the proposal of the Parliamentary Committee for the establishment of such a Bureau. A sub-committee has been appointed to prepare a scheme.