768 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. October 11, 1918. MEAN MAGNETIC DECLINATION at Kew Observatory, Richmond, in Degrees and Minutes, for each Two-hour Interval in the Week September 29 to October 5, 1918. Magnetic character. Intervals—Hours G.M.T. 0h.-2h. 14° + 2h.-4h. 14° + 4h.-6h. 14° + 6h.-8h. 14° + 8h.-10h. 14° + 10h.-12h. U° + 12h.-14h. 14° + 14h.-16h. 14° + 16h.-18h. 14° + 1 18h.-20h. 14° 4- 20h.-22h. 14° 4- 22h.-24h. 14f + Mean for day. ! 14° 4- 1 ; Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Sun., Sept. 29 1 43'0 45*5 46*0 45*0 45*0 48’5 54’0 55’0 51’0 47’5 42’0 46’5 47’5 Mon., „ 30 2 44’5 39*5 45’0 44*5 44*0 49’0 53’5 53’5 46’0* 47’0 44’0 46’0 46’5 Tues., Oct. 1 2 46*0 46’0 45’5 % 45’5 46*0 50’5 54’5 53’0 49’0 46’5* 41’0* 46’5* 47’5 Wed., „ 2 1 46*0 47*5 49*0 44*5 41’0 50’0 54’5 51’5 47’0 47’0 45’0 47’5 48’0 Thurs., „ 3 1 48*5 47*5 49*5 | 45*5 45’0 49’5 54’5 54’5 46’0 46’0 45’5 45’0 48’0 Friday, „ 4 1 48*5 46*5 47*5 45*5 45’0 48’5 55’0 53’5 49’5 45’5 ; 45’0 47’0 48’0 Sat., ,, 5 * i 2 46*5 47*5 47*5 45*0 43’5 48’0 54’5 56’0 52’0 i 47’0* 39’5* 44’5* 47’5 Mean value for Diurnal i n e- Ih. 2h. 3h. 4h. 5h. 6h. 7h. 8h. 9h. lOh. Uh. 12h. 13h. 14h. 15h. 16h. 17h. 18h. 19h. 20h. 21h. 22h. 23h. 24h. month. quality (i.e., Oct. 1917 -1*5 -1*4 -1*1 -0*8 -0*8 -1*8 -3’5 -5*1 -4’7 -2’2 + 1’5 +4’4 + 5’5 +5’5 + 4’5 +2’9 + 2’1 +1’3 + 0’5 -0’1 —0’7 -1’2 -1’5 -1’8 14° 57'’5 Oct. ’17 departure from Sep. 1918 -1*2 -1*7 -2*4 -2*9 -2*9 -2*9 -3*6 -3*8 -2’3 +0’4 + 4’3 +6’6 + 7’1 4-6’3 + 4’8 +2’5 + 0’9 -0’1 -1’0 -1’4 -1’7 -1’9 -1’9 —1’5 14° 48'’6 Sep.’18 mean value for Sep. 1917 -1*2 -1*5 -1*8 -2*1 -2*4 -3*4 -5*0 *-6’0 -5’1 -2’2 + 2’6 +5’5 + 7’1 4-6’5 + 4’9 +3’2 + 2’0 4-1’1 4-0’5 4-0’1 -0’2 -0’6 -0’9 -1’2 14° 58'’4 Sep.’17 day) The day is counted from Oh. (midnight) to 21h. (midnight) G.M.T. ^Character “ 0” means a day wholly free from any but small disturbances. Character <( 133 means a day part or all of which is moderately or considerably disturbed. Character “ 233 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 i( 133 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 “ 233 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 “ smoothing33 the curves. * Large disturbances during this interval. Meteorological Office, October 9. more men are not available at the present time; they also contend that the present time is inopportune. One of the sons of Mr. T. Richards, M.P. (general secre- tary of the South Wales Miners’ Federation), Captain T. S. Richards, has been appointed to the Staff. Before joining the Army he was a surveyor at Ebbw Vale. At Swansea, last week, the return of trade compared very favourably with that of the corresponding period of last year, being 6,000 tons up. Coal exports were better, but patent fuel marked no increase. The shipments of both coal and patent fuel amounted to 65,413 tons, of which 50,773 was coal. A number of colliers who renewed their applications to the Abersychan local tribunal on Friday for further exemption were automatically exempted on account of the suspension of the call to miners to joinnthe Colours. Northumberland and Durham. The late Mr. Fenwick's Will—Fuel Overseer Appointed —Putters and Absenteeism — Addresses by Sir A. Stanley and Sir G. Calthrop. The late Right Hon. Charles Fenwick, P.C., M.P. for the Wansbeck Division of Northumberland, and a promi- nent miners’ leader, left estate valued at £2,774. Mr. R. Hodgson, a well-known Newcastle solicitor, has accepted the position of fuel overseer for the city without salary. The Coal Controller has refused an appeal for concessions for the North of England, although allowing the South of Scotland 20 per cent, additional lighting. When the names of 126 putters employed at Ryhope Colliery were called at Sunderland Petty Sessions, on Satur- day, the youths being charged with having wrongfully absented themselves from work for a week, in respect of which £5 damages was claimed from each, Mr. W. H. Bell, on behalf of the Ryhope Coal Company Limited, stated that the stoppage resulted in serious financial loss to the company. Through the good offices of Mr. H. F. Heath, representing the miners, and Mr. F. W. Hylton, the colliery manager, the defendants had admitted their error and had agreed to pay £2 per head damages, plus the cost of the summonses, the penalty to be deducted in three weekly instalments from their pay. The lowest daily pay of any of the defendants was 15s., so that the instal- ments were easy to pay. He wanted to suggest to the men’s representatives that they should endeavour to induce the defendants and others, in the event of any future grievance arising, to take the proper course of laying it before the various committees constituted to deal with it, instead of ceasing work. He asked that the summonses should be withdrawn on the terms mentioned. Mr. Heath said he would like to point out that the dispute in ques- tion had not been a sudden or altogether unreasonable strike. The Urgency Committee entrusted with dealing with certain grievances had been on with them all this year, and it was because of the committee’s failure to settle that the men had become impatient and had taken the action for which they were now summoned. Aid. Robt. Richardson, miners’ representative, added that the execu- tive committee of the Durham Miners’ Association had felt so strongly on the matter that it had passed a reso- lution empowering the men to take a ballot with a view to giving in their notices. The presiding magistrate (Mr. J. Wallace Taylor) stated that the Bench would allow the withdrawal of the summonses. He thought the company had behaved very handsomely indeed to the men, and he hoped that they would appreciate the kindness shown them, so that a similar strike might be avoided in the future. The meeting of representatives of Northumberland and Durham coal owners and miners, held at Newcastle last Saturday for the purpose of hearing addresses from the President of the Board of Trade (Sir Albert Stanley) and the Coal Controller (Sir Guy Calthrop), developed rather interestingly and unexpectedly. The Lord Mayor of New- castle presided, supported by many of the leading men, employers and workmen in the local coal trade. Sir Albert Stanley stated that the shortage resulted from the occu- pation of the coal districts of France by the Germans and the simultaneous withdrawal of men from the mines of this country to meet the military situation. He had been told that it was possible, if the miners knew the position, for the output of coal to be increased. The answer must be left with those in the coal industry. They must dis- miss from their minds the possibility of bringing back from the Army all the men necessary to make good the loss in output. Could they imagine anything more satis- factory to the Germans or to the pacifists in this country than to know that we were withdrawing men from the Army ? Sir Guy Calthrop followed, stating that 85,000 miners had joined the Forces from Northumberland and Durham, 60,000 of whom went as volunteers. The coal shortage was estimated at 30 million tons. There was little hope of any assistance in that matter from increased output in France. Of the total shortage Northumber- land’s proportion was over 1^ million tons. There were 16,000 men working at the face, and he asked these to turn out 36 cwt. more coal per week. The Durham proportion was 4,500,000 tons. There were 47,000 men at the face, and he asked from each man 35 cwt. more per week. As to absenteeism, the man they wanted to get at was he who could work and would pot. As to female labour, he did not ask for any that was derogatory to the sex. (Cries of “We will not have it! ”) If by that labour, for the period of the war only, the output could be increased and the miners would not have that labour, then they were not allowing Great Britain to put forward her full strength. It was moved by Mr, Jas. Robson, president of the Durham Miners’ Association, that, recognising the urgent need for enlarged supplies of coal, that meeting urged upon all workmen employed at the mines and persons engaged in the manage- ment thereof the immediate necessity of adopting every possible means to increase the output. Mr. Wm. Weir, president of the Northumberland Miners’ Association, seconded, and the motion was supported by Sir Lindsay Wood and Mr. Thomas - Taylor as representing the coal owners. Replying to questions, the Controller said Mr. Clynes had always been very sympathetic to representations on the food questions. The speaker considered that the war bonuses to miners had met the increased cost of living. (Cries of “ No.”) An Ashington delegate moved an amendment, substituting for the latter part of the motion the words, “ urges an increase in tonnage rates in bad districts and places, and also the working of the best coal-producing districts as a means of attaining greater production.” Mr. John Cairns, who had taken the chair when the Lord Mayor had to leave to fulfil another en/agement, put the amendment to the meeting and declared it carried. The meeting then ended. The National Service representative appealed, at a recent session of the Northumberland Appeals Tribunal at Newcastle, against the right of a colliery electrician, 34, Al, to continued conditional exemption. The National Service representative stated that he had secured two men capable of doing appellant’s work, but the manager of the colliery had refused to even give them a trial, saying they were unsuitable. Although the man was in a certified occupation, he held that the manager’s action was suffi- cient ground for cancellation. The manager urged that his was one of those collieries which had contributed their quotas to the men called from the mines, and that under the Act the electrician had a claim to conditional exemp- tion. The exemption was continued, but the National Service representative was given leave to appeal to the Central Tribunal. Mr. Wm. Braidford, of Lintz Colliery, who died some time ago at the age of 76 years, left estate valued at £4,222. A deputation from the Coal Leaders’ Association in- formed the Darlington Trades Council, the other evening, that it had been the custom for 30 years for the coal leaders to take orders from their customers and obtain supplies at the various depots in the town. At the North Eastern Railway’s depots they were now practically un- able to do this. Four or five years ago 90 per cent, of the orders came in that way through* coal leaders, but now 30 per cent, of orders were taken by depot managers over the leaders’ heads. It was urged that, as the coal leaders usually supplied the poor people, this treatment placed an additional hardship upon them. The council adopted a motion protesting against the Fuel and Lighting Order as being unfair to working people, asking that the dwellers in larger houses should be called upon to bear their fair share of the sacrifice, and suggesting that ten tons of coal should be the maximum supplied to any house. Cleveland. The October issue of the Middlesbrough Monthly Circular of Messrs. Hanson, Brown and Company Limited reports a marked shortage of foundry iron, due to the scarcity of fuel having caused great irregularity in the working of the furnaces and, consequently, a very dis- proportionate output of forge qualities as compared with foundry sorts. “ It is unfortunate,” the firm says, “ that this position of affairs has synchronised with the heavier demand from the foundries which always occurs on the eve of the winter months, and also when extra efforts are being made at the instance of the authorities to supply increased quantities to the Allies, and especially Italy.” The outlook for the winter months cannot be said to be encouraging so far as foundry iron is concerned. The hope is expressed, however, that the efforts being made to systematise the deliveries of such fuel as is obtainable and to increase as far as possible the supply will result in the more regular operation of the furnaces and in a larger supply of the better qualities. The Middlesbrough Trades Council h&s decided to endorse the Mayor’s representations to the Coal Controller as to the advisability of removing the restrictions on the use of waste gases in the borough, it being contended that unfettered use of such gases would lead to the saving of coal. Lancashire and Cheshire. It was reported on Monday, in Manchester cotton trade circles, that large numbers of mills in south-east Lan- cashire are commencing this month to work only daylight hours. The price of certain varieties of coal was advanced lOd. per ton (in bags) in various parts of south-east Lan- cashire on Monday. A correspondent learns that various leading colliery firms in south and south-west Lancashire intend following the example already set in providing wash-houses for the benefit of their pit brow lasses. It was reported in Manchester coal trade circles on Monday that a London syndicate has approached certain small colliery owners in South Lancashire with a view to acquiring their collieries if suitable terms can be arranged. Certain members of this syndicate are also understood to be interested in the purchase of several old-established cotton spinning and manufacturing concerns in the same districts. A seam of coal has been discovered at Odsal, Bradford, on a tip belonging to the corporation, and a recom- mendation that permission be granted to Messrs. Slater Bros., 1128, Manchester-road, Bradford, to get the coal and ironstone under the six acres of land at a royalty price of Is. 6d. per ton as to coal and Is. 9d. for the ironstone, is to be put before the next meeting of the council. The permit will be tenable for three years, with further option to renew. The Midlands. A. breakdown of haulage machinery at Craven Colliery, North-East Warwickshire, has thrown some hundreds of men out of work and seriously affected the output of coal. The Warwickshire Miners’ Association has advised the Coal Controller of the accident, and the deficiency of coal is being met by issuing a permit on another local colliery at Binlect, as it is not expected that the Craven Colliery will turn any more coal for some weeks. Kent. Tilmanstone Colliery output last week was 2,901 tons, and the amount of coal raised at Snowdown Colliery is also stated to be approaching 3,000 tons weekly. As the result of a ballot, the miners employed at the Til- manstone and Slowdown collieries have handed in their notices to cease work in fourteen days from October 2. The ballot resulted in 771 for cessation, and 142 against. The trouble has arisen over the surface workers’ rates of pay. The secretary of the Kent Miners’ Association, in a statement he has put forward, says that last December the association submitted to the companies a schedule of proposed rates of wages for all surface workers at the collieries, and asked the companies to ; meet their repre- sentatives at a joint conference, but this was refused. This is the first strike trouble that has occurred in the Kent coal field. At the adjourned meeting of the Sondage Syndicate Limited (one of the Kent Coal Concessions Allied com- panies) a proposition to elect a fourth member was de- feated, and the board will therefore consist of Sir Henry F. Woods, Mr. W. Egerton Martin, and Mr. Henry Hayward, J.P. LETTERS TO THE EDITORS. The Editors are not responsible either for the statements made, or the opinions expressed by correspondents. All communications must be authenticated by the name and address of the sender, whether for publication or not. No notice can be taken of anonymous communications. As replies to questions are only given by way of published answers to correspondents, and not by letter, stamped addressed envelopes are not required to be sent. Re FUEL ECONOMY. Sirs,—We note in your issue of October 4 a letter on the above subject, in which it is stated as follows: “ Something like half a million tons of anthracite duff are lying on the banks of the collieries.” Half a million tons of valuable usable coal lying there at waste with no business-like efforts made to utilise the same 1 We make bold to state that with suitable machinery and process, every ton of the above could be profitably converted into marketable ovoid briquettes, suitable for burning on house fires. With the requisite aid and encouragement from the Coal Controller authorities,. this reflection on our nation’s supineness could be speedily removed. Yeadon, Son and Co. (Leeds.) October 8, 1918. The Confederation of the Iron and Steel Trades and the Scottish Steel and Iron Workers’ Association are consider- ing proposal's for an eight hours shift in their trades. The Transport Workers’ Federation, on behalf of 200,000 workers, has submitted to the Committee on\Pro- duction a claim for an additional 4d. per hour as war bonus.