876 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. October 25, 1918. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late tor inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last White pages. Abstracts of Contracts Open. Durham, October 30.—Coke (about 7 months) for camps. Forms from the O.C., A.S.C., Northumbrian Dis- trict, 34, Old Elvet, Durham. Egypt, November Io.—Fuel (1919-1920) for the Egyptian Postal Administration. Forms from the Central Stores, Egyptian Postal Administration, Alexandria. Forms may be inspected at the Enquiry Office. Department of Overseas Trade (Development and Intelligence), 73, Basinghall-street, London, E.C. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, Ac. Dublin, November 7.—Stores, axles, tires, tubes, iron plates, castings, forgings, electric cable, wire, springs, tin- plates, creosote oil, etc., for the Great Northern Railway Company, Ireland. Forms from the secretary, Amiens- street Terminus, Dublin. London, October 30.—Tires.—Steel car and bogie tires for the Agent-General for Victoria, Melbourne-place, Strand, London. Forms from John Coates and Co., Ltd., 115, Victoria-street, Westminster. York, November 1.—Stores.—Bar iron, steel, and iron sheets, castings, tubes, springs, shovels, tin plates, wire ropes, etc. (6 or 12 months), for the North Eastern Rail- way. Forms from the stores superintendent, Gateshead. COAL, IRON AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES. REPORTS AND DIVIDENDS. Algoma Steel Corporation.—The report for the year ended June 30 last shows net earnings from operations 6,001,892 dols., and dividend from Lake Superior Coal Company 45,000 dols., together 6,046,892 dols. After making all deductions, including sinking funds, deprecia- tion and dividend on preference stock for the year to June 30, 1914, there remained a surplus of 257,396 dols., which, with the credit of 506,643 dols. brought in, gave 764,039 dols. to be carried forward. Baldwins Limited.—The directors announce that it has been impossible to complete the company’s accounts, but they are satisfied that the profits are sufficient to permit of the payment of the following dividends, all free of income tax, namely: On the ordinary shares as issued on May 20 last a dividend of Is. lOd. per share, being 2s. 4d. per share for the year ended June 30 last, less interim dividend of 6d. already paid; on the capitalised shares issued in accordance with the resolutions and circu- lar of May 21 last a dividend of 7d. per share. The directors do not anticipate that any further dividend for the financial year will be recommended. Callender’s Cable and Construction Company Limited. —Interim dividend of 5s. per share. Locket’s Merthyr Collieries Limited.—Dividend of 10 per cent, on the ordinary shares for the half year to February last; also interim dividend of 6 per cent, per annum on the first preference and 10 per cent, per annum on the second preference shares for. the half year ended August. It is not intended to pay a further dividend on the ordinary shares at present. For the four years to February 1917 10 per cent, per annum was paid. Newton, Chambers and Company Limited.—Interim divi- dend of 5 per cent., free of tax, on both the ordinary and preference shares. Pearson and Knowles Coal and Iron Company Limited. —The report states that, owing to the intricacy and constant overlapping of the transactions and settlements between the company and the authorities, it has been found difficult to separate the profits attributable to each of the years 1916, 1917 and 1918, and the directors have decided to publish the figures as finally adjusted on June 30 last, which embrace the results of the three years’ transactions. After making due allowance for special taxation and excess profits duty, the available profits for the three years amount to £527,476; £26,061 was-brought forward, making £553,537. Dividends have been dis- tributed, amounting to £285,557, leaving a net balance of £267,980. After transferring £120,000 to the reserve fund and writing off capital expenditure for the three years, £52,621—a disposition of the surplus which, for the purpose of making the position quite clear, is incorporated in the balance sheet, and which the shareholders are in- vited to confirm—there remains a final balance of £95,359, which the directors propose to carry forward. It is pro- posed, subject to the assent of the Treasury and with the sanction of an extraordinary general meeting, to in- crease the nominal capital of the company to £2,500,000, to alter the denomination of the shares from £5 to £1 each, to capitalise £366,000 of the reserve fund, or such further sum as may be determined, and to issue fully paid bonus shares of £1 each to ordinary shareholders in proportion to their holdings. Wilsons and Clyde Coal Company.—The directors of Wilsons and Clyde Coal Company announce an interim dividend for the half-year ended August 31 last of Is. per share on the ordinary shares, subject to income tax. NEW COMPANIES. Canal Development (Founders) Syndicate Limited.— Private company. Registered office: 26, Victoria-street, Westminster. Registered October 14, to carry on the business of marine and general engineers, founders, etc. Nominal capital, £10,000 in 1,000 shares of £10 each. Directors to be appointed by subscribers. Qualification of directors, one share. Remuneration of directors, £100. Subscrbers, P. A. N. Dunn and H. E. Lyall. National Fuel Oil Company Limited.—Private company. Registered October 16, to carry on the business of pro- ducers and sellers of oils. Nominal capital, £21,000 in 20,000 participating preference shares of £1 each and 20,000 deferred shares of Is. each. Directors : H. N. Prentice, P. Still, H. S. Russell and F. B. Warner. Quali- fication of directors, one share. Remuneration of directors, £50. New Tranwell Colliery Company Limited — Private company. Registered October 16, to carry on the business of colliery proprietors, coke manufacturers, iron and steel makers, engineers, etc. ‘ Nominal capital, £20,000 in 10,000 preference shares of £1 each, 9,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, and 1,000 deferred shares of £1 each. Directors to be appointed by subscribers. Qualification of directors, £100. Remuneration of directors to be voted by company. Subscribers, J. Ancoll and J. R. Haslop. Penkydd Colliery Company Limited.—Private company. Registered October 17, to acquire any coal mines, iron or other mines, mining ground and minerals, etc. Nominal capital, £1,000 in 1,000 shares of £1 each. Directors to be appointed by subscribers. Qualification of directors, one share. Remuneration of directors to be voted by company. Subscribers, F. E. Jacole and J. P. Jacole. Tymaen Colliery Company Limited.—Private company. Registered October 17, to acquire any coal mines, iron or other mines, mining ground and minerals, etc. Nominal capital, £5,000 in 5,000 shares of £1 each. Directors to be appointed by subscribers. Qualification of directors, one share. Remuneration of directors to be voted by company.. Subscribers, F. A. Jacole and J. P. Jacole. 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. THE FREIGHT MARKET. Outward chartering in the north-east coast freight market has been of exceptionally small dimensions thus far this week, the only fixtures being two for Gothenburg at 125 kr., and one for Flalmstad at 137^ kr. The former rate shows practically no change on the week; the latter is a reduction of 2^ kr. on late business. The announce- ment that Norwegian coal freights have been officially reduced by 25 kr. per ton for any Norwegian port has called a halt to business for Scandinavia, for merchants are anxious to have full particulars before operating further. As yet no like announcement has been made with reference to rates for Sweden and Denmark, but these are almost certain to be reduced to some extent. For no other direc- tion has any chartering been done, albeit any amount of business continues on offer for Spanish, Portuguese and Western Mediterranean directions. At South Wales Allied destinations have attracted most attention, as usual, but it is of interest to note that Dakar has been done at 90s. 9d. for a cargo of patent fuel—a fairly steady rate— and that Rio de Janeiro has been fixed for at 107s. for a 5,600 ton steamer. The latter rate compares with 120s. paid a few weeks ago. The only other rate worthy of note is the 100s. agreed upon for Liverpool-Lisbon. Homewards, dock strikes at the River Plate are inter- fering with business there, but only to a slight extent, shipments having been well advanced ere the trouble broke out. Late rates are nominally quoted. At the United States New York to Liverpool is listed at 230s., with 360s. to Western Italy; for Gulf loading the rate is about 30s. higher. There is no change in the position at the Far East. The Mediterranean and Bay ore ports are steady, with a good demand for mineral tonnage at firm figures. The time charter market shows rather more animation, but the amount of business actually being done is comparatively small in view of the uncertain outlook. Tyne to Gothenburg, 1,800 and 3,000, 125 kr.; and Halm- stad, 1,800, 137£ kr. Cardiff to Bordeaux, 2,500 and 5,600, 69s., neutral; Brest, 4,000, 45s., neutral; Caen, 500 and 600, 48s., neutral; 1,200, 46s. 6d., neutral; Cherbourg, 650-700, 48s. 9d., neutral; Dakar, 2,100, 90s. 9d., patent fuel; Havre, 1,300, 45s. 9d., neutral; Rio de Janeiro, 5,600, 107s., Allied; Rouen, 1,100, 1,300 and 1,500, 48s. 9d., neutral; 1,835, 74s. 3d., coke, neutral; and St. Brieux, 200 and 300, 75s., neutral. Cardiff or Newport to La Rochelle, 1,600, 61s. 6d., neutral; and 2,600, 61s. 6d., neutral. Swansea to Havre, 1,100 and 1,200, 45s. 9d., neutral; Caen 500, 700, 750, 800, 850 and 900, 48s., neutral; Rouen, 1,050, 1,200 and 1,400, 48s. 9d., neutral; 500, 700 and 900, 50s. 3d., neutral; Bordeaux, 1,800, 69s., neutral; and Sables d’Olonne, 1,100, 63s., neutral. Liverpool to Lisbon, 3,200, 100s. Colombian Coal.—An Anglo-American company has been organised to take over the bituminous coal deposits at Buenaventura, Colombia. The coal is of middle grade steam quality, and will be marketed at the Panama Canal terminals. The company’s plan includes the formation of a steamship company to run small vessels, and efforts to persuade Colombia to permit the use of the German ships interned in her harbours, lhe capitalisation, of the company has been completed, and operations are dependent upon the action of Colombia regarding the ships. The Irish Coal Mines.—It is announced that the Irish Coal and Lignite Company Limited is about to commence operations in County Tyrone at an early date. Systematic borings will be mad*e at Coalisland and in the country be- tween that town and Lough Neagh, under which both coal and lignite exist, it is believed. About £5,000 will be spent in this way, before shafts are sunk, to prove the existence of coal in paying quantity. The Tyrone coal burns with an intense heat, and largely is of a good quality. With regard to the lignite, operations are to be started at once, the machinery, if not actually in situ, being on the way from London. The lignite will be separated from its bed by a rotary cutter, taken to an elevator and there pressed into briquettes ready for use within three hours. It is estimated that the machinery will be capable of turning out from 10,000 to 15,000 tons of briquettes per week. The deposits of lignite round Lough Neagh are very extensive, and other deposits exist in County Aiitrim, County Derry, etc. Consumers and Weekly Returns.—The Board of Trade has made an Order directing that all persons who consume two tons or over of fuel in any week, or whose yearly con- sumption is estimated, having regard to their past con- sumption, to exceed 100 tons a year, shall make a return of fuel received, consumed, and in stock during the week ending Saturday, October 26, to the Controller of Coal Mines, Room 412, Holborn Viaduct Hotel, London, E.C. 1. not later than Wednesday, October 30. Similar returns must be made by the consumers in question not later than each Wednesday after October 30 with reference to the week ending the previous Saturday. Fuel means “ coal, coke, slack, breeze, and any solid fuel of which coal or coke is a constituent.” The exceptions to the Order are as follows : («) Fuel in respect of which weekly returns are already made; (5) fuel supplied under the provisions of the Household Fuel and Lighting Order, 1918, and th? Household Fuel and Lighting (Scotland) Order, 1918 : (r) fuel used solely for agricultural purposes; (d) fuel used solely for steam lorries. ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 112419. Manufacture of Besins from Benzol Plant Residues. H. Koppers Company, Union Arcade Building, Fifth Avenue and Grant-street, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.— This invention relates to the recovery of useful resins from the by-products resulting from the recovery of benzol from gas or tar. In obtaining benzol from by-product coke ovens, for example, the gases from the coke ovens are passed through a tower where the benzol hydrocarbons are absorbed in a heavy petroleum oil. This petroleum oil is then taken off and distilled to obtain said hydrocarbons in the form of an oil, technically termed light oil, this oil containing a large percentage of benzol. The light oil is then distilled to obtain the benzol content and other constituents such as toluol. This distillation of the light oil produces residues of variable composition. These resi dues have heretofore been thrown away. There are also residues which separate from the oil which flows from the tower or scrubber where the gases pass in contact with the petroleum oil, these also being discarded. This scrubbing process is for the removal of light oils from the gas, con- sisting chiefly of benzol and toluol. This is effected by bringing the gas and oil into very intimate contact, the gas passing upwards through a series of hurdles, or bubbling chambers, or the like, and the oil flowing down- wards and out of the scrubber into a pre-heater preliminary to steam distillation for removal of the light oils. It is usually at this point that gummy and viscous residues separate from the system. A process has been discovered for recovering commercially useful resins from these resi- dues, and have thus overcome the difficulty heretofore experienced in attempting to utilise them. The present process produces resins of good uniformity from a wide variety of these benzol plant residues, and by su’table variation of this treatment resins of different melting points may be obtained up to the resins having a melting point of 115 degs. Cent. This invention consists essentially in dissolving these residues in a suitable solvent or com- bination of solvents and then distilling the solution until the temperature of the vapours passing off reaches a cer tain point which depends upon the nature of the solvent and the consistency of the desired resin product. As a solvent it is preferred to use solvent naphtha, though other hydrocarbon oils or solvents may be used which are capable of dissolving the residue without affecting the essence of the invention. After the solution is formed it is subjected to distillation until the temperature of the vapour passing off is between 150 and 300 degs. Cent. The lower the temperature of these vapours, the softer is the grade of resin produced. Different grades of resin may thus be produced by carrying the distillation to a higher or lower vapour temperature. In this distillation the major portion of the solvent, together with some oily matters contained in the residues, pass off and are con- densed. Part or all of the solvent can be re-used for distilling further residues. As soon as the temperature of the vapour has reached the desired point for producing the desired grade of resin, steam, air, or a gaseous fluid is blown through the hot liquid mixture of resin and heavy oils remaining in the stills, and sufficient heat is preferably applied to maintain the solution at approxi- mately the same temperature. This step of blowing effects additional removal of oily materials, together with naphthalene and similar substances, and preferably con- tinued until tests of the material remaining in the still show that it has reached the desired consistency. The residual resin thus obtained is then drawn hot from the still and solidified by cooling. (Four claims.) 119049. Ammonia Recovery Gas Producer Process. A. H. Lymm, 40, Westminster Palace Gardens, Victoria-street, S.W., and N. E. Rambush, 40, Westminster Palace Gardens, Victoria-street, London, S.W.—The present in- vention provides an economical ammonia recovery producer gas process and apparatus whereby a clean ammonia salt may be produced and an economical process carried out even when using such acids as are unstable at the tempera- tures of the present process. The steam and tar are simul- taneously condensed and separated from the gas in one operation, while the ammonia remains in the gas, so that practically all the ammonia leaving the gas producer will be contained in the cleaned gas, which is then absorbed by washing it with an acid in the cold. For this purpose the gas is passed through condensing means acting on a principle similar to reflux condensers. Said condensing means are kept near the zone where the gas enters at a temperature just at or above the dew point, i.e., not materially below 80 degs. Cent, (if necessary by additional means), so that ammonia which may have been absorbed by the condensate is continuously volatilised, whereas near the zone where the gas leaves the temperature is kept at such a degree not materially above 40 degs. Cent, that the steam and tar are condensed while the ammonia passes away with the gases. Additional means may be provided for volatilising any small amount of ammonia that may not have been completely volatilised from the condensate prior to its flowing from the reflux condenser, such as, for instance, heating the condensate with or without the addi- tion of lime or other alkali. Means are also provided to utilise the heat of the gases which is communicated to the cooling water for pre-heating the air of the producer blast. In the following one way of carrying-out the invention is given by way of example : The hot products leaving the producer are passed in a known manner through a gas washer wherein the dust contained in the gases is removed in a wet state and in which the gases are cooled down to a temperature not materially lower than about 80 degs. Cent. In order to recover any fixed ammonia (ammonium sulphate, ammonium chloride, etc.) which may be dissolved in the washing liquid, some lime may be introduced into the washer in a known manner. Instead of passing the gases to the ammonia absorber, as is usually done, according to the present invention the gases are passed upwards through a tubular or other suitable con- denser, or through a plurality of such condensers arranged in series or in parallel acting on a principle similar to reflux condensers, wherein the steam and tar are condensed from the gas practically without absorption of ammonia. These condensers are, however, worked differently from the way in which condensers are usually worked in so far as the condenser is kept near the zone where the gas enters at a temperature which is just at or above the dewpoint, i.e., not materially below 80 degs. Cent, (if necessary by outside means), so that ammonia which may have been absorbed by the condensate is continuously volatilised, whereas near the zone of said condenser where the gas leaves the temperature is kept at such a degree not materially above 40 degs. Cent., so that the steam and tar are condensed, while the ammonia passes away with the gases. The tar and practically all the moisture are thus removed from the gas simultaneously and in one operation, except such portions as correspond to the dew- point of the cooled gas leaving the condensers. By this