456 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. August 30, 1918. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late for inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last White pages. Abstracts of Contracts Open. Gravesend, September 11.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk, 13, Victoria-place, Gravesend. Kinsale, September 4.—80 tons of coal for Guardians. Tenders to the clerk. Lambeth.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the offices, Brook-street, Kennington. Macclesfield, September 16.—Fuel for the Cheshire County Asylum, Parkside, Macclesfield. Forms from the clerk. Shoreham-by-Sea, September 3.—Coal and coke for the Guardians. Forms from the clerk. Slough, September 4.—Furnace and house coal and coke (6 months) for Royal British Orphan Schools. Forms from C. T. Hoskins, 27, Clement’s-lane, London, E.C. Weymouth, September 9.—Coal for the Guardians. Forms from the office, Bank-chambers, Weymouth. Windsor, September 9.—Coal and coke for the Guar- dians. Forms from the clerk, 3, Sheet-street, Windsor. Wrexham, September 13.—Coal for Croesynewydd Mili- tary Hospital. Forms from the matron. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. COASTWISE SHIPMENTS IN JULY. According to the returns issued by the Commissioners... of H.M. Customs and Excise, the following quantities of coal were shipped from the United Kingdom during July:— From Total cargo. Total bunker. Bristol Channel ports North-western ports North-eastern ports Humber ports Other ports on east coast Other English ports Total from England and Wales Ports on east coast of Scotland Ports on west coast of Scotland Total from Scotland Irish ports . Total from United Kingdom 1917. 1918. 1917. 1918. Tons. 125,877 168,561 549,553 41,428 ■ 740 6,137 Tons. 153,609 117,219 248,752 25,798 12,210 8,613 Tons. 10,397 38,631 20,737 3,897 4,916 1,949 Tons. 9,957 35,296 10,395 3,659 1,786 1,336 892,296 566,201 89,527 62,379 64,612 177,146 25,863 144,253 6,613 16,333 3,983 17,191 241,758 170,116 22,946 21,174 — — 1,874 653 1,134,054 736,317 105,347 84,206 The destination of cargo shipments was as follows July 1917. July 1918. To ports in England and Wales Scotland .......... Ireland t.............. Tons. Tons. 735,205 ... 384,771 26,027 ... 18,142 372,822 ... 333,404 COAL, IRON AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES. REPORTS AND DIVIDENDS. Albion Steam Coal Company Limited.—Interim dividend for half-year ended June 30 last at rate of 5 per cent, per annum, less tax. Dalmellington Iron Company Limited.—The directors have declared a final dividend on the ordinary shares of 6s.-3d. per share, making 10 per cent, for the year, free of income tax. Glencoe (Natal) Collieries Limited.—Interim dividend of 5 per cent, per annum for the half-year ended June 30. Insoles Collieries Company Limited.—For the year ended June 30 net profits were £34,345. A final dividend of 5 per cent, and a bonus of 10 per cent, are proposed on the ordinary shares, making 20 per cent. Locket’s Merthyr Collieries Company Limited.—The dividend will be on the preference shares, but the question of the payment of a final dividend of 10 per cent, on the ordinary shares will be deferred until the accounts have been approved. Metropolitan Coal Company of Sydney.—Report for year ended March 31 last states that the output of coal from the mine was 180,504 tons (122,379 large and 58,125 small), as against 192,442 tons the previous year. After pay- ment of debenture interest and other charges, and deduct- ing £3,000 for depreciation of buildings and plant, profit amounted to £3,412; £17,087 was brought forward, making £20,499. The directors propose to pay a dividend of 8 per cent, on the first preference shares for year ended March 31, 1917, also a dividend of 8 per cent, for the past year, and to carry forward the balance of £15,921. The directors regret that, owing to disastrous general strike in Australia in 1917, the reasonable anticipations entertained of a prosperous year have not been realised. The company have secured a renewal for another year of the contract for the supply of coal to the New South Wales Govern- ment Railways Department. New Monckton Collieries Company Limited.—Report for past year shows a profit, after full depreciation, of £40,867; £59,136 was brought in, making £100,003. De- ducting debenture interest, preference dividend and interim on ordinary shares, there is left £81,606. The directors propose a further dividend of Is. per share on ordinary shares, making 10 per cent, for the year, free of tax, to place to reserve £29,824 (making £100,214, including £214 on account of new shares not yet issued), and to carry forward £43,303. A very considerable reduction in profits is due to a fortnight’s strike which took place last Feb- ruary, and caused considerable damage to the coke ovens and consequent loss of yield in by-products, while the great increase in the cost of labour and materials was for some months considerably in excess of the increased price which the company was allowed to charge for coal and coke. The additional coke ovens and by-product plants referred to in last year’s report have been considerably delayed, but are expected to be in operation at an early date. Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Company Limited.—The directors of the Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Company recommend a final dividend of Is. 6d. per share on the fully paid shares and 7-2d. per share on the 8s. paid, free of tax, South Hetton Coal Company Limited.—For the past half-year the profits of the South Hetton Coal Company amounted to £24,739, and the available balance to £34,455. The dividend is to be 2^ per cent., in contrast with 7^ per cent, for the corresponding period of last year, and the undivided balance will be reduced from ^£20,731 to £8,955. Staveley Coal and Iron Company Limited.—The directors recommend a dividend of per cent., free of tax (Is. 6d. per share on the fully paid and Is. l^d. on the 15s. paid), making 12| per cent, for the year, as against 15 for 1916-17 and 20 for 1915-16. Summerlee Iron Company Limited.—The directors, in addition to an interim payment the amount of which is not disclosed, have declared a dividend of 30s. per share, free of tax, on the ordinary shares, and after making provision for contingent liabilities £12,850 is carried forward. Waste Heat and Gas Electrical Generating Stations Limited.—The directors have declared an interim dividend of per cent, in respect of the half-year ended July 31. Wigan Coal and Iron Company Limited.—The directors announce that, in consequence of the unavoidable delay in settling the amount to be paid for excess profits and special taxation, they regret they are still unable to present the accounts for 1916 and 1917. They consider, however, that the profits available justify them in paying an interim dividend at the rate of £4 per cent, for the six months ended June 30 lasj, free of tax. The directors propose calling a general meeting of shareholders at as early a date as practicable. NEW COMPANIES. Albion Iron Company (London) Limited.—Public com- pany. Registered August 23. Objects indicated by title. Nominal capital, £5,000 in 300 preference shares of £10 and 2,000 ordinary shares of £1 each. Subscribers (1 share): F. H, Brown and W. Cook. Metallurgical Foundries Limited.— Private company. Registered August 21, to carry on the business as founders, workers, merchants and dealers in metals, general engi- neers, general merchants, etc. Nominal capital, £5,000 in 5,000 shares of £1 each. Subscribers (1 share) : C. R. Richards and S. O. Martin. Mineral Oil and Power Investments Limited.—Private company. Registered August 22. Objects indicated by title. Nominal capital, £1,000 in 20,000 shares of Is. each Subscribers (1 share) : E. C. Sallars and A. Bendall. Tawle Vale Collieries Company Limited.—Private com- pany. Registered August 21. Objects indicated by title. Nominal capital, £10,000 in 10,000 shares of £1. Sub- scribers (1 share): D. Thomas and G. I. David. Waste Metals and By-Products Limited.—Private com- pany. Registered August 21, to carry on the business of discoverers, patentees and producers bf process for ex- tracting tar, oil, motor spirits and products from the carbonisation of coal, etc. Nominal capital, £75,000 in 1,500,000 shares of Is. each. Directors : A. M. Mandeville and A. F. Greek. Qualification of directors, £100. Sub- scribers (1 share): F. S. Kerrison and A. J. Green. 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. Economies on the Railways.—The request of the Coal Controller that the railway companies shall curtail their train services to an extent which will save the consump- tion of a million tons of coal a year is causing the rail- way authorities a good deal of difficulty. Already the essential train services are at a practical minimum. It is probable that some of the saving will be effected by reducing purely local traffic to an absolute minimum. Use of Various Grades of Coal in Boilers.—By using higher grade coal, boilers can be made to deal with a peak load which they could not carry when burning the cheaper and poorer fuel used during the remainder of the day. It will often pay, says the Electrical World, to use an auxiliary bunker so that either of two grades of fuel may be burned at will. This expedient may reduce the number of boilers required. The Moline Rock Island Manufac- turing Company burns Iowa coal normally, but has an auxiliary bunker on each 500 horse-power boiler for three tons of Illinois coal. By using the latter, 300 per cent, rating can be obtained from the boilers using underfeed stokers, and 175 per cent, rating using chain grate stokers. The Fort Dodge Company has 17 ton bunkers divided into two equal parts on its 500 horse-power boilers, and finds it possible to obtain at least 20 per cent, higher boiler output with Illinois coal than with Iowa coal. In this case, the use of better coal during the heavy loads permits 22,000 dols. saving in the first cost of the boiler equipment. » THE FREIGHT MARKET. With official tonnage arrivals on the north - east coast still falling short of the requirements of,the.coal. trade, the opening for neutral business -is -still available. This fact, however, does not seem to have stirred up neutral ship- owners, for the outward freight market is as dull as it has been at any time during recent months. Apart from fixtures for French Atlantic ports at scheduled figures, business done has been confined to three engagements of tonnage for Scandinavian destinations—one for Chris- tiania at 184 kr. and two for Gothenburg at 205 kr., rates which reveal a firm market. For other directions, orders are numerous, but scarcely any tonnage is offering and no fixtures are reported. Late rates are still quoted. At South Wales very little business outside of French Atlantic destinations has been considered, the only fixture apart from these ports being for Dakar at 90s. 9d. for patent fuel. There is a brisk demand for tonnage for neutral directions, but vessels offer so scantily and at such high figures that business is barred. Like conditions prevail at other coal shipping centres in the kingdom. Homewards, most of the business done at the River Plate is for requisitioned or controlled tonnage. Neutral shipping is worth 225s from Buenos Ayres to the United Kingdom, with 250s. to French Atlantic. North American rates show no change from those detailed last week. At the Far East tonnage is very scarce, and quotations are largely nominal. The Mediterranean and Bay ore markets are fairly active. Bordeaux to Bristol Channel is still listed at 18s., with Bayonne loading at 20s. Bilbao to Boulogne continues to be quoted at 50s. Huelva to Savannah with pyrites has been done at 40s., a rate which could be repeated. Tyne to Bordeaux, 1,800, 23s., excluding war risks; Christiania, 1,550, 184 kr.; Gothenburg, 1,850 and 2,650, 205 kr.; and Rouen, 750, 48s., coke. Cardiff to Bordeaux, 1,300-1,400, 34s., Allied; 1,400, 28s., excluding war risks, Allied; Caen, 700, 500 and 800, 48s., neutral; Dakar, 1,100, 90s. 9d., patent fuel; Rouen, 1,350 and 1,500, 48s. 9d., neutral; 700, 23s., excluding war risks, Allied; and Treguier, 200, 80s., sail. Port Talbot to Trouville, 600, 48s., neutral. Swansea to Rouen, 1,100 and 1,600, 48s. 9d., neutral; ' Granville, 900, 19s., excluding war risks, Allied; 600-650 and 700, 48s., neutral; Havre, 1,200 and 1,500, 45s. 9d., neutral; Boulogne, 1,050, 25s. 6d., Allied; 900, 26s. 6d., Allied; Caen, 1,100, 46s. 6d., neutral; 600, 48s., neutral; and Perros Guirec, 120, 80s., sail. Later. ■— The following additional fixtures are re- ported :— Tyne to Gothenburg, 2,200, 205 kr., and 2,700, 195 kr.; and Stockholm, 2,100, 225 kr. Cardiff to Caen, 600, 48s., neutral; and Seville, 2,100, 250s., neutral. Swansea to Havre, 400, 500, 800 and 875, 47s. 3d., neutral; Granville, 500, 48s., neutral; and Marans, 600, 67s. 6d., neutral. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. *** Any of the following publications may be obtained on application at this office at the price named post free. Statutory Rules and Orders:— 1918, No. 980: Mines, Coal Mines Act—Safety Lamps Order, July 30, 1918; price 3d. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. University of Illinois Studies in the Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 4, December, 1916, “ Mine Taxation in the United States,” by Lewis Emanuel Young, E.M., Ph.D. (pub- lished by the University of Illinois, Urbana), price 1-50 dol.; “Industrial Management—The Engineering Maga- zine,” Vol. 56, No. 2, August 1918, price 25 cents; “ Bulletin of the British Chamber of Commerce for Italy (Incorporated),” Vol. 6, Nos. 1-2, January-March, April-June, 1918; Vol. 6. No. 1a, “List of Members of the British Chamber of Commerce for Italy, 1919”; “Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers,” Vol. 55, No. 4, August-September 1918 (London: Pub- lished at the Offices of the Institution, Albany Build- ings, 39, Victoria-street, Westminster, S.W. 1), price 12s.; “ Transactions of the Mining Institute of Scotland, Vol. 40, Part 6 (London : Published at the Offices of the Institution, Albany Buildings, 39, Victoria-street, Westminster, S.W. 1); “ The South African Journal of Industries,” Vol. 1, No. 9, May 1918; also Vol. 1, No. 10, June, 1918, and Vol. 1, No. 11, July 1918, price 6d. each; “ Monthly Bulletin of the Canadian Mining Institute,” No. 76, August 1918; “Chemical Engi- neering and Mining Review,” Vol. 10, No. 117, June 1918; United States Bureau of Mines, De- partment of the Interior : Bulletin 120, “ Extraction of Gasoline from Natural Gas by Absorption Methods,” by G. A. Burrell, P. M. Biddison and G. B. Oberfell; Bulletin 133, “ The'Wet Thiogen Process for Recovering Sulphur from Sulphur Dioxide in Smelter Gases—A Critical Study,” by A. E. Wells; Bulletin 136, “Dete- rioration in the Heating Value of Coal during Storage,” by H. C. Porter and F. K. OvitZ; Bulletin 138, “ Coking of Illinois Coals,” by F. K. Ovitz; Bulletin 139, “Con- trol of Hookworm Infection at the Deep Gold Mines of the Mother Lodge, California,” by Dr. J. G. Cumming and J. H. White; Bulletin 152, “Abstracts of Current Decisions on Mines and Mining Reported from January to April 1917,” by J. W. Thompson; Technical Paper 141, “ Laboratory Determination of the Explosibility of Coal Dust and Air Mixtures,” by J. K. Clement and J. N. Lawrence; Technical Paper 147, “ Absorption of Methane and Other Gases by. Coal,” by S. H. Katz; Technical Paper 167, “Men who Received Bureau of Mines Certificates of Mine Rescue Training— July 1, 1914, to June 30, 1916,” compiled by D. J. Parker; Technical Paper 173, “Coke-Oven Accidents in the United States during the Calendar Year 1916,” compiled by Albert H. Fay; Technical Paper 175, “ Pro- duction of Explosives in the United States During the Calendar Year 1916,” compiled by Albert H. Fay; Technical Paper 176, “Bibliography of Recent Litera- ture on Flotation of Ores, July to December 1916,” compiled by D. A. Lyon and others; Technical Paper 179, “ Preparedness Census of Mining Engineers, Metal- lurgists and Chemists,” by Albert H. Fay; “Advanced First-Aid Instructions for Miners — A Report on Standardisation,” by a Committee of Surgeons: G. H. Halberstadt, A. F. Knoefel, W. A. Lynott, W. S. Rountree and M. J. Shields; “Monthly Statement of Coal Mine Fatalities in the United States, June 1917— List of Permissible Explosives, Lamps and Motors tested prior to July 31, 1917,” compiled by Albert H. Fay.