THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN __________________________________________________________________________________ 138 July 19, 1918. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late for inclusion in this column, see Leadeb and Last White pages. Abstracts off Contracts Open. Bantry, July 23.—50 or 60 tons best house coal. Tenders to the board room, Workhouse, Bantry. Bermondsey, July 25.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, 283, Tooley-street, S.E. Darlington, July 24.—500 tons screened cobbles and 60 tons steam coal for the Corporation. Forms from the town clerk. Gorey (Ireland), July 27.—100 tons (or less) of good house coal for the Guardians. Tenders to the clerk. Plymouth, July 24.—100 tons best house coal for the St. Germans Union. Particulars from the clerk, 4, Buck- land-terrace, Plymouth. Salford, July 24.-6,300 tons best screened furnace coal and 25 tons best house coal for the sewage works. Particulars from the borough engineer, Town Hall. Stirling, July 24.—Coal (3, 6, or 9 months) for poor- house. Forms from the governors. ________ The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. _____________________________ THE FREIGHT MARKET. On the north-east ucoast, outward chartering this week has been almost entirely confined to fixtures for Norway and Sweden at 175 kr. for Christiania, 200 kr. Halmstad, and 215 kr. for Gefle or Stockholm, rates which indicate a very well-maintained market for Scandinavia. The only other fixture reported is that of a 3,000-ton vessel for Middlesbrough, loading with pig iron to Huelva at 300s., which represents a very big drop when compared with 420s., at which rate a coal cargo was shipped some little time ago for the same port. Business in other direc- tions is at a standstill. The supply of neutral tonnage on offer is rather better than it was some time ago, but the conflict of opinion between exporters and ship owners as to what rates of freight should be would alone cause a deadlock even in the absence of other factors obstructive to business. Thus, whilst ship owners are asking up to 450s. for Barcelona, merchants are not prepared to pay much over 250s. In the absence of transactions where- with to test the market, Bilbao or Santander continues quoted at from 300s. to 310s., Lisbon at 115s., Oporto at 125s., Gibraltar at 100s., and Port Said at 200s. At South Wales there has been a fair amount of chartering for French Atlantic ports at scheduled figures, but, ex- cepting for a couple of fixtures to Gibraltar at 100s., nothing has been done for any other direction. / Homewards, the enquiry for tonnage at the River Plate is improving, and rates are firm at 225s. to the United Kingdom, and 250s. to Western France from the lower ports. Virginia coal freights are quoted at from 18^ dols. to 19^ dols. to South American ports, and there is a good demand for general cargo carriers for Buenos Ayres, Australia and South Africa. At the Northern Range on net form rates for Europe are all well maintained, as is the case also at the Gulf ports. Far Eastern figures are firm, with an enquiry considerably in excess of the supply. There is a good demand for tonnage at the Mediterranean and Bay ports, and rates are well upheld on the basis of 18s. to Bristol Channel from Bordeaux, and 20s. from Bayonne. Pyrites carriers from Huelva to the United States are in good request at fully late figures. Tyne to Christiania, 1,700, 175 kr.; Gefle, 2,200, 215 kr. ; Halmstad, 1,800, 200 kr.; and Stockholm, 2,700, 215 kr. Cardiff to Bordeaux, 3,000, 69s., neutral; Brest, 1,700, ‘ 45s., neutral; Caen, 600, 700 and 900, 48s., neutral; 1,350, 46s. 6d., neutral; Gibraltar, 7,000, 100s., Allied; Gran- ville, 300, 53s., neutral; Nantes, 3,000, 61s. 6d., neutral; Rouen, 1,300, 1,500 and 1,700, 48s. 9d., neutral; and St. Brieux, 130-150 and 180-200, 75s., sail. Swansea to Rouen, 1,300, 1,400, 1,600, 1,650 and 1,800, 48s. 9d., neutral; 2,600, 2,700, 2,750 and 2,850, 47s. 9d., neutral; Caen, 800-820, 48s., neutral; 1,100, 1,300, and 1,400, 46s. 6d., neutral; Tonnay Charente, 1,800-1,850, 61s. 6d., neutral; Dieppe, 700-900, 48s. 9d., neutral; and Trouville, 400, 48s., neutral. Newport or Cardiff to Gibraltar, 3,500, 100s., Allied. Barry to Nantes^,000, 61s. 6d., neutral. Middlesbrough to'THuelva, 3,000, 300s., pig iron, neutral. Later.—The following additional fixtures are reported :— Tyne to Gothenburg, 1,850, 205 kr., and 1,600 and 2,000, 200 kr. Cardiff to St. Brieux, 200, 75s., sail. Swansea to Dieppe, 800^ 48s. 9d., neutral. Port Talbot to Trouville, 600, 48s., neutral. __________________________ COAL, IRON AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES. REPORTS AND DIVIDENDS. Bessemer (Henry) and Company Limited.—Five per cent, per annum (6d. per share), less income tax, on ordi- nary shares for half-year (interim). Last year, dividend same. Blackball Coal Company Limited.—Report for 1917 shows loss of £5,202. After deducting £1,017 brought for- ward, there remains £4,185 to debit of profit and loss. Output 132,464 tons, decrease 71,347 tons, accounted for by serious fire. Some development done, but serious trouble again caused by water. Bristol Wagon and Carriage Works Company Limited. —The accounts for the year ended March 31 show a divisible balance of £10,081, after adding £6,524 to the depreciation fund. Final dividends of 3 per cent, are pro- posed on the preference and ordinary shares, making 5 per cent on each class for the twelve months, and carrying forward £6,781. Brown, Bayley’s Steel Works Company Limited.—As an outcome of the war-time extensions, the directors propose to wind up the present company and form another with the same name and new articles in place of the old ones, to take the concern over. The new company will be registered with a capital of £800,000, divided into £300,000 ordinary shares and £500,000 preference shares. The shareholders in the old company are to receive four £5 ordinary shares for each old £10 share, and two £5 ordinary shares for each old £5 share. Cassel Coal Company Limited.—Five per cent. (Is. per share), less income tax, on ordinary shares (interim). Last year, no interim dividend. Cortonwood Collieries Company Limited.—Net profit for past year was £92,687, making with the amount brought forward £93,851. Dividends already paid and £1,000 bonus to directors leave available £27,226. Further dividend recommended amounting to £24,609, leaving £2,617 to be carried forward. Greenwood and Batley Limited.—The net profits for the year ended March 31 were £93,006, and after pro- viding for debenture interest and excess profits tax, and £13,488 was brought forward. A final dividend of 10 per cent, is proposed on the ordinary shares, making 17^ per cent., free of income tax for the twelve months, and adding £50,000 to the reserve and £5,000 to the deprecia- tion fund, and carrying forward £13,982. Hadfields Limited.—The directors announce an interim dividend of Is. per share, free of tax, on the ordinary shares. Millom and Askam Haematite Iron Company Limited.— The accounts for the year ended September 1917 show £80,780 for appropriation, including £11,139 brought for- ward, after paying preference share dividend. The direc- tors have transferred £50,000 to the reserve, and paid dividends on the ordinary shares amounting to 15 per cent., leaving to carry forward £12,030. More iron was produced than in any previous year. In conjunction with Barrow Haematite Steel Company and the North Lonsdale Iron and Steel Company, they have purchased the majority of the shares in the Ullcoats Mining Company, one of the largest ore producers in Cumberland. The price paid for the shares acquired by the Millom Company was £148,114. Rickett, Cockerell and Company Limited.—The directors announce a dividend of 5 per cent, for the financial period to March 31, and £10,000 is to be added to the reserve, making that item £70,000. The profit, after providing for excess profits duty and depreciation, amounted to £56,015, and the available balance to £64,413. NEW COMPANIES. Champion Engineering Company Limited.—Private com- pany. Registered office : St. James’ Chambers, 38, Church- street, Sheffield. Registered July 9, 1918. Objects indi- cated by title. Nominal capital, £2,000 in 2,000 shares of £1. Directors: A. Fletcher and P. Thomson. Qualification of directors, £500. Draycott Engineering Company Limited.—Private com- pany. Registered office: 97, New Bond-street, W. Regis- tered July 12. Objects indicated by title. Nominal capital, £5,000 in 5,000 ordinary shares of £1. Subscribers (1 share) : H. Pierot and C. Nathan. Heginbotham, Gregson Company Limited.—Private com- pany. Registered office : Hartley Works, Lees-street, Stalybridge. Registered July 11, to carry on the business of an engineer, machine tool maker, manufacturer of rotary pumps, etc. Nominal capital, £1,000 in 1,000 shares of £1. Directors: E. Heginbotham and F. C. Gregson. Qualification of directors, £50. Ives Engineering Company Limited.—Private company. Registered office: 97, New Bond-street, W. 1. Registered July 12. Objects indicated by title. Nominal capital, £5,000 in 5,000 ordinary shares of £1. Subscribers (1 share) : A. Ramper and C. Nathan. ________ This list of new companies is taken from the Daily Register, specially compiled by Messrs. Jordan and Sons Limited, company registration agents, Chancery-lane, E.C. _________________________ GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. *#* Any of the following publications may be obtained on application at this office at the price named post tree. Cloud Forms according to the International Classifica- tion—The Definitions and Descriptions approved by the International Meteorological Committee in 1910, with an Atlas of Photographs of Clouds, issued by the Authority of the Meteorological Committee, price 7cL; Memoirs of the Geological Survey—Special Reports on the Mineral Resources of Great Britain (Vol. 6); “Refractory Mate- rials : : Ganister and Silica Rock—Sand for Open-hearth Steel Furnaces—Dolomite—Resources and Geology,” price 8s.; Colonial Reports—Annual (No. 959), Cayman Islands (Jamaica)—Report for 1916-17, price IJd; (No. 961), Mauritius—Report for 1916, price 2^d. (London: Pub- lished by H.M.S.O.). _________________________ PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. “ The Journal of the Institute of Metals ” (Vol. 19, No. 1), 1918, edited by S. Shaw Scott, M.Sc., Seer. (London : Published by the Institute of Metals, 36, Vic- toria-street, Westminster, S.W. 1), price 21s. net; “ Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological So- ciety ” (Vol. 44, No. 187), July, 1918, edited by a Committee of the Council (London : Edward Stanford Limited, 12, 13 and 14, Long Acre, W.C. 2)., price 5s.; “Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers” (Vol. 54, Part 6), June, 1918 (London: Published at the Offices of the Institution, Albany Buildings, 39, Victoria-street, Westminster, S.W. 1), price 6s. ; “ The Journal of State Medicine ” (Vol. 26, No. 7), July 1918 (Published by the Royal Institute of Public Health, 37, Russell-square, London, W.C. 1), price 2s. net; “ Monthly Bulletin of the Canadian Mining Institution ” (No. 74), June 1918; “Journal of the Western Society of Engineers ” (Vol. 23, No. 2), February 1918, 50 cents a single number; “Bulletin of the American Institute of Mining Engineers ” (No. 139), July, 1918; “ Pamphlet of the County of London—Royal Engineer Volunteers— London Army Troop Companies; Headquarters: Balder- ton-street, Oxford-street, W. 1.” ____________________________ Exports and Imports of Mining Machinery.—The value of imports and exports of mining machinery during June is given below :— June. Jan.-June. ______________ ______________ 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. £ £ £ £ Imports ......... 10,020 ... 17,451 ... 87,515 ... 70,202 Exports ......... 22,464 ... 57,547 .. 356,620 ...271,148 These figures are not inclusive of prime movers or elec- trical machinery. The following shows the value of ex- ports of prime movers other than* electrical :— June. Jan.-June. ______________ ______________ 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918L All prime movers £ £ £ £ (except electrical)... 265,837 ...420,592...1,898,855...1,819,500 Rail locomotives .... 108,616 ...100,613... 742,159... 792,426 Pumping ............. 38,039 ... 27,558... 224,859... 131,296 Winding ............. 479 ... 280... 5,302... 13,199 ___________________________________ ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 108668. Surveying Instruments. By J. X. Gosselin, 14, Torrington-square, London, W.C.—Many forms of re- flecting apparatus for measuring angles, such as sextants and other surveying or astronomical instruments, have the drawback that only angles less than 120 degs. can be measured thereby, owing to the obliquity of the reflec- tions and the loss of light in the images. The apparatus forming the subject matter of the present invention enables any angle from 0 to 360 degs. to be measured without the angle of incidence of the rays with the normal to the mirrors ever becoming greater, if desired, than 45 degs. in the least favourable case. In a sextant and similar instruments the graduated arc must be equal to half the greatest angle to be measured. In the apparatus forming the subject matter of the present invention this arc may be reduced at will to any length ; for. example, any angle from zero to> 360 degs. can be measured by means of a divided arc of 45 degs. The apparatus has the further advantage over a sextant that all observations made by it can be made conveniently, without having to hold it in an inconvenient position even when taking a measure- ment in the neighbourhood of the zenith. Moreover, the apparatus enables the use of numerous new methods of observations, which cannot be carried out with the reflect- ing apparatus hitherto in use. According to the present invention, a reflecting instrument of the type defined is provided with two object mirrors, each manually rotatable during an observation independently of the other and of any angle-measuring device to produce alignment of their two images in combination with means for subsequently clamping one to the frame of the instrument, and the other to an alidade. The term “ object-mirror ” is em- ployed to denote a mirror in which an object is viewed by reflection. The object of this construction is to enable both mirrors to be used at a favourable angle of incidence of the rays, and also to enable the instrument to be held in a more convenient position than sometimes it can be when only one mirror is rotatable. This invention further provides one of the mirrors with means whereby it may be repeatedly rotated about its said axis through a pre- determined angle, in addition to the said aligning rota- tion. The object of this arrangement is to enable this mirror to be rotated through an angle, and at the same time measure that angle, when the angle is greater than the magnitude of the said predetermined angle. (Five claims.) 114149. Automatic Stoker with Moving Dump Plate. R. S. Riley, 25 Foster-street, Worcester, Massachusetts.— Hitherto the performance of automatic stokers has been not wholly satisfactory in regard to separation of unburned or incompletely consumed fuel from the incombustible refuse prior to the discharge of the latter, and the pre- vention of formation of clinker or slag on the refuse deposi- tories, and its adhesion to the walls of the furnace adjacent to the outlet; but with such stokers there has heretofore always been a more or less considerable loss of combustible material with the discharge refuse. The main object of this invention is to furnish a means for effecting an auto- matic separation between the refuse and the residue of unburned fuel which passes to the discharge point, and a selective discharge of a larger proportion of the refuse than heretofore, leaving the remainder of the fuel in position to continue burning until substantially all com- bustible matter is wholly consumed. It is a further object in this connection to crush and agitate the refuse adjacent to the discharge outlet and push the same through the outlet in a substantially positive manner, whereby the refuse is prevented from adhering to the walls and other parts of the furnace, and from forming into masses too large to pass through the discharge opening. These ob- jects are accomplished by providing one or a number of depositories for refuse arranged at the discharge point of the furnace, and forming, in fact, one boundary of the outlet through which refuse is discharged, and by giving such depository or depositories such a compound move- ment as to act in the manner of a crusher jaw in co- operation with the further boundary of the outlet, and also as a pusher to propel the matter resting upon it toward and through the outlet, and as an agitator to shake up the mass of material resting thereon in such manner as to separate more completely than heretofore the heavy, compact and dense masses of refuse from the lighter par- ticles of unburned or incompletely consumed fuel, causing the lighter particles to be displaced to the top of the mass, and the heavier refuse to descend to the bottom and rest upon the depository, whereby the movement of the latter propels it to and through the discharge outlet. Preferably a number of such depositories are arranged side by side with capacity for movement, having a substantial hori- zontal component as to the forward portion thereof, and a substantial vertical component as to the rear part, inde- pendently of one another and otherwise than in unison. To some extent these. motions of adjacent depositories may take place oppositely to one another, and in some respects in the same direction, but at different rates of speed, whereby relative motion exists. The refuse deposi- tories are made in the form of imperforate plates which are so mounted, as normally to support matter upon them, but with capacity for being sharjVy inclined so as to dump or discharge at once the entire mass of material resting on them. The capacity for inclining the plates so as to pump their contents is also available for adjusting them at different inclinations and in such manner as to enlarge or restrict the discharge opening, so as to govern the rate of refuse discharge according to the character of the fuel and the proportion of incombustible matter which- it contains. The dumping plates are not necessarily im- perforate, but may be formed with openings for passage of air so as to act as grates, in addition to performing the functions above indicated. (Fourteen claims.) 115956. Pit Prop. J. S. Jones, Skipton Cottage, 14, Southend Buildings, Tredegar.—This invention relates to an improved construction of pit prop of the kind in which tubular elements are adapted to telescope one within the other, the tubes being partially occupied by sand, shot, or such-like material, and provided with a vent or cock for transferring the material from the top tube to the lower one in order to regulate its height. The space within the tubular prop is divided into compartments by a partition disc provided with apertures, through which the sand contained within the prop can be transferred from one compartment to that next adjoining. These apertures are commanded by a turn plug in which similar apertures are formed, the outside ones being at right-angles to the centre one, whereby the outside passages through the partition disc can be commanded by corresponding aper- tures in the turn plug in a manner to provide, when desired, a free flow of the sand for the purpose of adjusting the virtual length of the prop ; the central passage through the partition and the turn plug being provided to permit