July 26, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 177 _________________________________________________ has been taken as representing the capital outlay. The following is an estimate of the expenditure in a plant carbonising 300 tons of coal per day. Assum- ing 300 working days a year, 90,000 tons of coal per annum would be treated. Coal washing.—Assume unwashed coal at 10s. per ton. Cost of washing 6d. per ton. Assume 25 per cent, loss in washing. Then cost of coal to ovens = 14s. Expenditure.— 4 £ Coal, 90,000 tons at 14s. ... ... 63,000 Labour ... ... ... ... ... 9,000 Repairs and maintenance _______ 1,500 Steam and power ... ... ... 1,500 Interest and depreciation ... ... 9,000 £84,000 Receipts would be made up of the values of the coke, tar, sulphate of ammonia, and light spirit produced. Coke.—The character of the resulting smokeless fuel would depend on a number of factors, the most important being the nature of the coal used, tempera- ture of carbonisation, time of carbonisation, thickness of coal charge, type of retort used, and gas pressure under which carbonisation is effected. Of these the first is easily the most important. In most low tem- perature schemes it is assumed that the resulting fuel has a value (on a pre-war basis) of from 25s. to 35s., but if low temperature carbonisation were adopted on a large scale it is extremely doubtful whether the price would be much greater than that of the large coal. As a general rule, the difference in price between large and small coal varies from 7s. to 10s. per ton. With the small coal in this case at 10s. per ton, and allowing for the fact that it has been washed, it is perfectly justifiable to take the value of the resulting fuel at 20s. per ton. For purposes of this estimate it is assumed that the yield of large fuel is 70 per cent., together with 10 per cent, of breeze. The breeze could probably be reduced by the preliminary preparation, but even then it would be higher than is the case in coking practice. The value of the breeze is taken as being equal to that of the initial unwashed small coal. Tar.—The value of this substance is difficult to ascertain under present conditions. Further, the cost of purification is difficult to calculate. Taken alto- gether, the value of low-temperature tar would pro- bably prove to be at least as high as that of high- temperature tar; it may easily be higher, but to be on the safe side a value of 2d. per gallon has been assumed, with a yield of 15 gallons per ton of coal carbonised. Light spirit should prove an excellent motor spirit. A yield of two gallons a ton is assumed, and a value of Is. per gallon. Sulphate of Ammonia.—The yield of this substance varies considerably with different coals, and rapidly rises after a temperature of 500 degs. C. is passed. As far as the author’s experience goes, the yield of ammonia at 500 degs. C. is considerably lower than the 20 to 30 lb. per ton of coal usually quoted, and a figure of only 10 lb. per ton of coal has therefore been taken for purposes of this estimate. Gas.—The yield of gas at 500 degs. C. is usually given as 5,000 cu. ft. per ton. This again is considerably higher than the quantity found by the author with most coals. Humic coals sometimes yield large quan- tities of gas at low temperatures, but this is often con- taminated with high percentages of carbon dioxide. On the whole, it is better to assume a gas yield suffi- cient to heat the oven, but insufficient to give any surplus. On the basis of these assumptions, the revenue side of the accounts gives the following figures: — Receipts— £ Coke, 63,000 tons at £1 ... ... 63,000 Breeze, 9,000 tons at 10s. ... ... 4,500 Tar, 1,350,000 galls, at 2d__________11,250 Light spirit, 180,000 galls, at Is. ... 9,000 Sulphate of ammonia, 400 tons at £10 per ton ... ... ... ... ... 4,000 £91,750 Profit per annum, £7,750. The resulting profit can scarcely be described as startling, and it certainly does not attain the glowing dimensions generally promised in the initial prospec- tuses of companies interested in low temperature carbonisation. On the other hand, the figures are distinctly con- servative, and err probably on the low side. There is also ample room for improvement on both the debit and the credit sides of the account. Reduced labour and capital charges would make a great difference to the cost sheet. On the other side also there is ample scope for considerably improved figures. As far as the carbonisation of bituminous coal is concerned, the author is not inclined to fix too high a value for the tar. The profits will be made primarily on the solid fuel; the coalite process certainly showed that there was a demand for smokeless fuel, and if the country wants this fuel it will certainly pay for it. There is no reason also why the temperature should be limited to the 500 degs. C. assumed in the above estimate. This figure has been selected because the solid residue at that temperature is a free-burning, easily ignitible product. But, under certain conditions, the carboni sation temperature could be increased considerably beyond 500 degs., and still leave an excellent fuel. The finest domestic fuel ever tested by the author had been carbonised at temperatures up to 800 degs. C., and contained^ only 4 per cent, of volatile matter. The author is of opinion that the logical line of develop- ment in coal carbonisation lies in the direction of a fractional distillation of the coal, the tars being extracted at a temperature sufficiently low to avoid the possibility of secondary reactions, and the tem- perature afterwards raised to drive off the ammonia and a large proportion of the gas. Such a procedure would not only increase the yield of by-products, but would result in a firmer and denser coke with a con- sequent considerably reduced proportion of breeze. Lastly, there is the question of the coal used. The estimate has been based on the use of high-grade small coal (an unwashed small coal fetching a pre-war price of 10s. per ton can certainly be considered a fairly good product). A system capable of dealing on a commercial scale with all kinds of coal may perhaps not yet have been perfected, the problems involved—and they are serious problems—may not have been completely solved, but, with a detailed preliminary study of the coal which it is proposed to treat, with an accurate knowledge of the conditions involved in its carbonisation, and with the whole-hearted co-operation of the chemist who in- vestigates those conditions with the engineer who has to meet them, there is no reason why this last resting place of so many lost hopes should not attain an ultimate success which will give it a position of pre- dominant importance in the mining and chemical industries. ___________________ MINING EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS. The Board of Trade Labour Gazette for July states that employment in coal mining continued good during June. There was a decrease of 4,681 (or 0'9 per cent.) in the number of workpeople employed at collieries making returns, as compared with a month ago, and a decrease of 30,471 (or 5'6 per cent.) on a year ago. Of the 517,325 workpeople included in the returns for June, 286,545 (or 55'4 per cent.) were employed at pits working 12 days during the fortnight to which the returns relate; a further 195,118 (or 37*7 per cent.) were employed at pits working 11 but less than 12 days. Average No. of days worked per week by the collieries in fort- night ended Inc. (4-) or dec. (—) in June 1918 on a Work- people Districts. em- _______ ployed, t—A--------------(-------A----------\ in June June May June MAnfh 1918* 22, 18, 23, Iyiontn xear 1918. 1918. 1917. ag0' ag0' England 3c Wales. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days Northumberland ... 39,965...5'50...5'49...5'09... +001... + 0'41 Durham .......... 89,709...5 58...5'51...5'03... + 0'07... +0'55 Cumberland ...... 4,803...5'56..5'32...5'95... +0'24...—0'39 South Yorkshire ... 57,390...5'79.. 5 81...5'88...-0'02...-0'09 West Yorkshire.... 21,164...5'86...5'43...5'84 .. +0'43 +0'02 Lancs. & Cheshire... 47,263 ..5'96...5'85..:5'90... +0'11... +0'06 Derbyshire ........ 30,275...5'86...5'86 . 5'75... — ...+0*ll Notts and Leicester 30,529...5'64...5'61...5'65... + 0'03...-0'01 Staffordshire ...... 27,533.. 5'90...5'85...5'91... +0'05...-0 01 W ar wick, W orcester and Salop........ 7,597...5'81...5'90...5'85... -0'09...-0'04 Gk/ster & Somerset 5,354 ..5'92...5'92...5 94... — ...-0'02 North Wales ...... 8,858.. 5 96...5'91..,6'00...+0'05...-0'04 South Wales & Mon. 103,101...5'88 5'66. ..5'76... + 0'22... +0'12 Total _______ 473,546...5 77..5'67...5'61... + 0'10... +0'16 Scotland. West Scotland ____ 19,007...5'48...5 49...4 90...—0'01... + 0'58 The Lothians ....... 2,119.5'54...5'45...5'31... +0'09... +0'23 Fife ................ 22,188 ..5'65...5'62...4'43... +0'03... +1'22 Total ...... 43,314...5'57...5'56...4'67...+0'01...+0'90 Ireland ........... 465...5'50...5'12...5'39... +0'38... +0'11 Total, U.K______ 517,325.. 5'75...5'66...5'53... +0'09... + 0'22 * At the collieries included in the table. The following table shows the numbers employed and the average number of days worked, distributed accord- ing to the principal kind of coal raised at pits at which the workpeople were engaged:— Average No. of days worked per Inc. (+) or Work- week by the pits dec. ( — )in people in fortnight June 1918 em- ended on a ployed <--------------\ t-----A-----\ J22,6 J2“ Description of coal. 710. AO. 1918. 1918. 1917. **<>■ a*°- Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. 5,570 . 5'61...5'72...5'43...-0'11...+ 0'18 ......... Coking ............. 26,443...5'80...5'75...5 57... + 0'05... +0'23 Gas.................. 35,990...5'52 ..5'30...4'99... +0'22... +0'53 House............... 51,276 ..5'77...5'72 ..5'70...+0 05...+0'07 Steam................ 173,926...5'78...5'64...5 64... +0’14... +0'14 Mixed................ 224,120...5'76...5'71...5'50... +0'05... +0'26 _______ _______ _______ All deseriptions ... 517,325...5'75...5'66...5 53... +0'09 . +0'22 *At the collieries included in the table. Iron and Shale Mining.— Employment continued very good at iron and shale mines. Returns received for each of the three periods named below, relating to the same mines and open works in each case, show that 18,082 workpeople were employed at mines included in these returns in June 1918, an increase of 69 (or 0'4 per cent.) on the previous month, and of 1,326 (or 7'9 per cent.) on a year ago. Average No. of days worked per week by mines in fortnight ended Inc. (+) or dec. (—) in June 1918 on a Districts. Month Year ago. ago. Work- people em- ___________ ployed (-n-X in June June May June 1918 * 22, 18, 23, 1918. 1918. 1917. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. Cleveland......... 7,678 ...5'96...5'98...5'96...-0'02 — ......... Cumberland and Lancashire ..... 5,679 Scotland ............ 650 Other districts ... 4,075 ,5 79..6 00...5'56...-0'21... +0'23 .6'00...6'00...5'55... — +0'45 .5'85.. 5'89...5'92...-0'04...-0'07 Total ..... 18,(82 ...5'88...5’97...5’81...—0'09.. .+0'07 *At mines included in the returns. Shale.—The returns show that 5,057 workpeople were employed in the fortnight ended June 22,1918, compared with 5,059 workpeople in May, and with 4,920 in June 1917, at mines which worked six days in each period. Pig Iron Industry.—Employment continued good during June. Shortages of labour and of materials were reported. The six furnaces reported as damped down owing to a dispute at the end of May were working in June. Districts. No. of furnaces, included in the returns, in blast at end of A ____ Inc. ( + ) or dec. (-) in May 1918 on a June May June Month Year England Wales: 1918. 1918. 1917. ago. ago. Cleveland 75 ... 76 ... 78 ... - 1... - 3 Cumberland & Lancs. 34 ... 34 ... 34 — — S. and S. W. Yorks ... 12 ... 12 ... 13 - 1 Derby & Nottingham... 35 ... 34 ... 32 ... +1... + 3 Leicester, Lincoln and Northampton 30 ... 30 ... 27 ... — ... +3 Staffs and Worcester... 31 ... 30 ... 30 ... + 1... + 1 S. Wales & Monmouth 13 ... 7 ... 12 ... + 6... + 1 Other districts 4 ... 4 ... 5 ... — ... - 1 234 ... 227 ... 231 ... + 7... + 3 Scotland 66 ... 67 ... 66 ... - 1... — Total, U.K. 300 ... 294 ... 297 ... + 6... + 3 Iron and Steel Works.—Employment continued very good, and showed an improvement on a year ago. Shortage of labour was reported from all districts. Disputes.—In mining and quarrying 14 new disputes occurred during June. A dispute, near Sunderland, was settled by granting a basis wage of 4s. 9d. per shift to stonemen engaged on certain work. Near Rother- ham, a dispute was settled by an arrangement regarding the release of mechanics, and in thp same area an amicable settlement was effected regarding payment for certain work. A temporary concession was made to miners, etc., near Castleford, and an advance of 3d. per ton on contract rates was granted to hauliers, coal miners, etc., in the Rhondda Valley. Work was resumed unconditionally by iron ore miners and other workers in West Cumberland relative to the calling up of young miners. Wages.—In the case of colliery workers the war wage granted in 1917 was increased from Is. 6d. per day to 3s. per day for workpeople 16 years of age and over, and from 9d. per day to Is. 6d. per day for workpeople under 16 years of age. In the six months ended June 30, the net weekly increase in wages amounted to £400,700, and it affected 900,000 persons in coal mining. Accidents.—During June 86 persons were killed at mines, a decrease of 34 on a year ago. __________________________ CENSUS OF PRIVATE OWNERS’ RAILWAY WAGONS. The Board of Trade has made on Order under the Defence of the Realm Regulations providing for a census of all railway wagons not owned by railway companies. The form of return, which has been drawn up with the assistance of the Railway Clearing House, provides for a statement of the size, capacity, and description of wagons, the traffic for which they are designed or mainly used, and the station, colliery or works at which they are generally loaded. The obligation to furnish the return is placed upon the person or firm on whose behalf the wagon is run- ning on August 1, 1918, except in the case of wagons hired for less than three months. In the latter case the owner is required to obtain and furnish the par- ticulars. A part of the information now required was obtained some time since by colliery owners’ associations, so far as related to the wagons used by collieries. No complete information regarding other railway wagons appears to have been compiled hitherto. The Board of Trade has prepared a list of owners, and forms for the purpose of making the return will be despatched to them. As, however, the return is obligatory, under penalty, owners who do not receive a form before August 1 should apply to the Board of Trade, Statis- tical Department, 68, Victoria-street, London, S.W. 1, for a copy of the form. The return is required to be completed on or before August 14. It is generally believed that half the standard gauge railway wagons in the country are privately owned, and that, although collieries and coal merchants are the most important owners of such wagons, the numbers not owned by them are as great as those which belong to the collieries and coal merchants. It is important to determine whether this state of things does represent the facts, and owners are asked to co- operate in obtaining a reliable estimate of this part of the national resources. The terms of the Order appear below: — 1. This Order applies to all railway wagons (in- cluding tank wagons) which are not owned by a rail- way company. 2. Any person who on the first day of August, 1918, is for the time being in possession of a railway wagon to which this Order applies shall on or before the fourteenth day of August, 1918, make a return to the Board of Trade in the form set out in the schedule hereto, giving the information specified in such form with regard to every such wagon in his possession. 3. The owner of any such wagon shall supply the person liable to make a return in respect thereof with any information relating thereto which such person may require to enable him to make such return. 4. Where any person who on the first day of August, 1918, is in possession of any such wagon has hired the same from any other person for a less period than three calendar months, such person shall, in lieu of making such return as aforesaid, furnish to the Board of Trade the name of the person from whom he has hired the said wagon, and the distinguishing number thereof and the return relating to such wagon shall be furnished by the person by whom such wagon has been let on hire. 5. Failure to make a return, or the making of an untrue return, or the supplying of false informa- tion, are summary offences against the Defence of the Realm Regulations. 6. This Order may be cited as the Railway Wagons Census Order, 1918, and does not apply to Ireland. ______________________________ Lord1 Glanely has given £25,000 to Cardiff College to establish a chemical laboratory.