November 22, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1079 COAL MINING IN INDIA IN 1917. The annual report of Mr. G. F. Adams, Chief In- spector of Mines in India, contains the appended par- ticulars relative to mining work during iyl7. Persons Employed. During the year 1917 the average number of persons working in and about the mines regulated by the Indian Mines Act was 211,881, of whom 133,042 worked underground and 78,839 on the surface. This is an increase of 13,9b2 workers, or 7-05 per cent.; 131,672 were adult males, 72,770 were adult remales, and 7,439 were children under 12 years of £ge. Those employed in coal mines numbered 153,683, which is an increase of 10,224 compared with those employed in 1916. In spite of this increase the owners of the larger coal mines in Bengal and in Bihar and Orissa were badly off for labour, specially during the latter part of the year, and complaints were rife that such labour as did attend did far less work than usual. The reasons were partly the good harvest of 1916 and an abnormal monsoon in 1917, which gave heavy rain and which lasted beyond the usual period, but the unusual condition of the coal trade undoubtedly played its part and influenced the distribution of labour. In Assam Sirdari recruiting resulted in 491 labourers being re- cruited by 245 sirdars, as against 491 in 1916 by nearly 400 Sirdars, while 113 Makranis were obtained, as against 175. There was, however, an increase in the recruitment of Nepalese, the figures being 949, as against 661. The figures include women and children. Tne birdari recruiting appears to have been affected by war recruiting. The same remark applies to the collieries in the Central Provinces, where labour was scarce and there was a difficulty in inducing coolies to leave their homes. Output of Coal. There was a large increase in the output, which was 17,326,384 tons. This is an increase of 907,302 tons, or 5-53 per cent, over the output of 1916, the average increase during the previous ten years being 730,641 tons. This is the first year in which the seventeenth million has been reached, and the increase represents an addition of nearly 1,000,000 tons in two years. The opening stocks were 697,276 tons, and the closing stocks were 518,838 tons. The despatches amounted to 14,977,190 tons, and the colliery con- sumption to 1,835,510 tons (10-59 per cent, of the output). The amount of coal delivered to coking was 690,122 tons, from which 190,329 tons of hard coke and 225,120 tons of soft coke were made. This increase was general throughout British India, and only in five of the seventeen coal fields was there failure to respond to it. Amongst these five, however, were the important Raniganj and Giridih coal fields, the other three being small fields. The main increase was in the Jharia coal field, the output of which was 833,470 tons more than in 1916, and there were substantial increases in the coal fields of the Central Provinces, the Bokaro-Ramgarh field, and the portion of the Raniganj coal field lying to the west of the Barakar River, generally known as the Mugma area. If it had not been for the increase in the last named, the decrease in the Raniganj coal field on the whole would have been even more marked than it was. Of the total output, 16,562,712 tons, or 95-59 per cent, were raised in Bengal and Bihar and Orissa, the percentage of the previous five years being 95-89. It is difficult to draw any comparison between the conditions in these two coal fields in 1917 and those previously existing, as they were to such a large de- gree influenced, even dominated, by war requirements. All the better coals were requisitioned by Government for military purposes, direct and indirect, at fixed prices, and these coals naturally had the benefit of priority as regards transport. The result was that the demand for the non-requisitioned coals exceeded the available supply, and prices for such coals ranged far above the prices of the requsitioned coals, and were abnormally high, especially if their inferior quality is taken into consideration. It may be safely stated that by the end of September there was not a mine in the Jharia coal field capable of being worked which was not being worked, many of them being minute concerns, raising inferior coal, which had been closed down for years. The same remarks apply to the Mugma area of the Raniganj field. Of the 25 largest concerns in both fields only five showed increases, and some showed considerable decreases, compared with 1916. Towards the end of the year a Coal Controller was appointed. In the other provinces there were increases in Assam 5-00 per cent., the Central Provinces 29-06 per cent., the North-West Frontier Province (output negligible) 186-66 per cent., and the Punjab 5-10 per cent., and there was a de- crease only Baluchistan of 3-26 per cent. No coal was worked in Burma, from whence a negligible output was obtained in 1916. The output per person employed during the year was (a) below ground 182 tons, and (b) above and below ground 113 tons. The figures for the five years preceding were (u) 178 and (b) 115. Taking each group of coal fields separately, these figures were as follow: Bengal and Bihar (u) 186 and 181, (b) 115 and 116; Assam (a) 156 and 170, (b) 192 and 112; Baluchistan (u) 67 and 69, (b) 43 and 45; the Central Provinces (a) 135 and 120, (b) 88 and 82; and the Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province (a) 72 and 71, (b) 48 and 46. The whole question of the output of Indian coal is one of labour. Given a sufficient supply, the output from the existing workings could be increased 50 per cent. During the year the effects of scarcity and machinery and plant, and the inability to obtain replacements and additions for development from Europe, began to be felt. Naturally, this con- stituted a greater drawback to the owners of the larger and deeper mines. Accidents. During the year 1917, at mines regulated by the Indian Mines Act, 1901, there were 175 fatal acci- dents, being an increase of 35 as compared with the number in 1916, and an increase of 5 as compared with Number of Coal Mines Regulated by the Indian Mines Act, 1901, Number of Workers and Output of Minerals, during the Year 1917. Province, district and mineral field. Number of mines under the scope of the Act. Worked by mechanical power.! Total output. Average number of persons employed daily in and about the mines. Below ground. Above ground. Total. Assam— Tons. Lakhimpur 6 4 291,484 1,809 770 '2,579 Naga Hills 1 — 8,906 100 234 334 Sibsagar 1 — 915 18 10 28 Total 8 4 301,305 1,927 1,014 2,941 Baluchistan— Kalat 9 — 6,469 105 20 125 Loralai 1 — 104 10 8 18 Quetta-Pishin 11 — 4,695 66 13 79 Sibi-Khost . 7 2 29,517 426 307 733 Total 28 2 40,785 607 348 955 Bengal— Bankura, Raniganj 3 — 5,214 57 43 100 Birbhum „ 1 2,554 20 12 32 Burd wan „ 186 153 4,623,803 24,063 14,390 38,453 Total 190 153 4,631,571 24,140 14,445 38,585 Bihar and Orissa— Hazaribagh— Bokaro-Kamgarh 17 1 359,605 2,123 2,047 4,170 Giridih 9 4 824,007 6,969 2,947 9,916 Jharia 5 4 108^704 567 381 948 Manbhum— Jharia 315 158 9,675,084 49,534 29,918 79,452 Raniganj 89 12 739,334 4,465 4,545 9,010 Palamau, Daltonganj 1 1 79,627 479 383 862 Sambalpur, Hingir-Rampur 1 1 52,892 385 157 542 Sonthal Parganas— Jainty 3 Q 86,771 443 453 896 Raniganj 4 — 5,117 62 52 114 Total 444 183 11,931,141 65,027 40,883 105,910 Central Provinces— Chanda, Ballarpur 3 3 95,303 671 521 1,192 Chhindwara, Pench Valley 7 6 204,502 1,265 415 1,680 Narsinghpur, Mohpani 1 1 71,693 819 538 1,357 Yeotmal 1 — — — 16 16 Total 12 10 371,498 2,755 1,490 4 245 North-West Frontier Province— Hazara 1 215 8 6 14 Panjab— Jhelum 6 40,322 605 230 835 Mianwali 3 — 2,916 26 18 44 Shahpur 2 — 6,631 55 99 154 Total 11 49,869 686 347 1,033 Grand total (coal) for 1917 694 352 17,326,384 95,150 58,533 153,683 Grand total of preceding year 565 332 16,419,082 91,886 51,573 143,459 Difference + 129 + 20 + 907,302 + 3,264 + 6,960 + 10,224 the average number of the last five years. These accidents involved the loss of 201 lives, which is a decrease of 5 as compared with 1916. There was no accident causing loss of life on a large scale. In four cases three lives, and in 18 cases two lives, were lost. Of these accidents (a) 91 are regarded as being due to misadventure, (b) 46 to the fault of deceased, (c) 7 to the fault of fellow workmen, (d) 10 to the fault of subordinate officials, and (e) 21 to the fault of management. The largest increase was in falls of roof and sides, which numbered 92. This is an in- crease of 22 over those of the previous year. Fifty- four of them occurred in the coal fields of Bengal and Bihar and Orissa, and in 19 cases they were due to the fault of the deceased. Going through fences to rob pillars caused 9 of such accidents. The method of testing the roof was found to be faulty in more than one case. Merely to strike the roof or over- hanging side with a rod or pole is often a useless precaution where there are “slips” and, conse- quently, large masses ready to fall. The roof should be felt by hand, and in high galleries by means of a second pole, while being sounded. In two cases persons were killed by the fall of ironstone nodules or boulders in the roof. It is safest to remove such as soon as they are encountered. The next largest increase was in haulage accidents, which were 19 in number as compared with 12 in 1916, and in sundries underground, w’hich were 15 as compared with 7. In four cases of haulage accidents the couplings were found to be faulty. In many mines there are two or more different types of couplings which have proved to be a source of danger. It is far safer to have one standard type. Whatever type is adopted, regular examination and periodical annealing are essential. Shaft accidents showed a slight decrease, and surface accidents remained stationary. Shaft accidents in metalliferous mines tend to increase, and the condition of such shafts should be a matter for attention by the management. There were three accidents causing deaths from electricity, a decrease of one. The death-rate per thousand persons employed was 0-95, while that of the preceding five years was 1-08. At coal mines only these figures were 1-06 and 1-20, and at mines other than coal 0 64 and 0-70. The death-rate per million tons raised at coal mines only was 9-41, while that of the preceding five years was 10-53. Of the 201 persons killed, 183 were males and 18 were females, and 163 occurred in coal mines. One person lost his life by explosion of gas, 61 by falls of roof, 50 by falls of side, 16 in shafts, 3 by suffo- cation by gases, 9 by explosives, 4 by falling into water, 20 by haulage, 15 by other accidents under- ground, and 22 on the surface. In addition to this, there were 30 other accidents causing the death of 30 persons. In the Bengal and Bihar coal mines, where most of the statistical acci- dents occur, there were 118 deaths, compared with 157 in 1916. Health and Sanitation. The Asansol Board of Health held 13 meetings. There was no change in the personnel of the unofficial members. The Compulsory Vaccination Act (Bengal Act V. of 1880) and the Bengal Vaccination Amend- ment Act (Bengal Act II. of 1911) came into force on January 15 and November 27, 1917, respectively. Vaccination is now compulsory and free throughout the Asansol mining settlement. During the year the board issued plans of standard well parapets and bathing ghats, and these are now in use in all the collieries of the settlement. Seventy-five burning ghats have also been established and are now in use. Regulations for the prevention and control of cholera in the settlement were brought into force during the year, and measures have been adopted to prevent and suppress epidemic diseases. There were 226 cases of cholera and 138 deaths, the figures for small-pox being 320 and 42, as compared with 671 cases of cholera and 241 deaths and 564 cases of small-pox and 90 deaths in 1916. The Jhairia Board of Health held 16 ordinary and four special meetings. The provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act were extended to the whole of the mining settlement, and several new regulations were brought into force. There were 698 cases of cholera and 344 deaths. The figures for small-pox were 148 and 4, as compared with the preceding year’s figures, which were, for cholera 898 cases and 137 deaths, and for small-pox 292 cases and 10 deaths. Outside the coal fields of Bengal and Bihar and Orissa 46 deaths from cholera were reported from the Bengal Iron and Steel Company Limited’s iron ore mines in the Singhbhum district, and 19 deaths from the manganese mines in the Bhandara district of the Central Provinces. Thirty-one deaths from plague occurred also at a manganese mine in the Chhindwara district of the Central Provinces. The rainfall in the Jharia coal field was 72-09 in., in the Giridih coal field it was 6916 in., in the Raniganj coal field it was 71-9 in., and at the New Jharia Waterworks it was 72-87 in. These figures for 1916 were 57-79, 77-50, 54-11 and 72-87 in. respectively. Mining Education. The lectures in the coal fields continued to be given. The syllabus was revised. The average attendance was 23-3, which is nearly as good as in the previous year. At the sessional examination in May, 33 candi- dates sat for examination, and 26 passed. The examiners reported that there was a distinct improve- ment over previous years in the answer papers. The Bengali and Hindi lectures were also delivered. Mining Boards. The Bengal Mining Board held two meetings during the year, when the following subjects were con- sidered : (1) Draft rules under section 20 of the Indian Mines Act, 1901, for providing adequate acquaintance on the part of mine officials with the number of persons working in mine at any given time; (2) Amendment of section 9 of the Indian Mines Act, 1901; (3). Proposed addition of a sub-section to sec- tion 20 (2) of the Indian Mines Act, 1901, to regulate the employment of all kinds of labour. 1 The Bihar and Orissa Mining Board held one meet- ing during the year, when the following subject was considered: (1) Draft rule under section 20 of the Indian Mines Act, 1901, for providing adequate acquaintance on the part of mine officials with the number of persons working in mine at any given time. The Central Provinces Mining Board was constituted in May 1917, but no meetings were held by the board during the year.