January 3, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 39 shipping power of the docx. A new departure is made by the use of ferro-concrete in the supports of the railways to the tips. Messrs. Armstrong (Newcastle) have the contract for erection; and the tips will be 60 ft. high, with all latest improvements. Two will be movable, and the remainder fixed. Arising out of discussion as to the success or failure of students in respect of gas-test examinations, the suggestion is made that there should be a photo- metric test and analysis of town gas supplied to various centres, these to be compared with similar tests of the gas used during examinations. Colliery banksmen met at Pontypridd on Boxing Day to discuss their sectional affairs, and reports were submitted as to satisfactory dealing with their claims throughout a wide area of the coalfield. In some cases the conditions were unsatisfactory, and a meeting is summoned for February 1, whereat the questions at issue will be further dealt with. As nearly every district is alive on the banksman question, a resolution was passed calling upon the Federation to take action— in what direction is not clear, except that there is an allegation as to extra work entailed by the Mines Act. Rhymney Valley miners have decided that during the present month there shall be a “ show-cards ” day; and that, if the result be not “ satisfactory,” twenty - four hours’ notice shall be given at all the collieries. The feeling against non-unionists is strong, they being regarded as “dangerous because they do not demand what the Act of Parliament has granted.” Maesteg notices against non-unionists, which expired with December, have been held over until to-morrow (Saturday), there being comparatively few men still “ out of compliance.” Mr. Vernon Hartshorn, miners’ leader, Maesteg, has made an appeal for continuance of the present relationship between medical men and miners, and points out the risks of disagreement arising from the Insurance Act. Good feeling has hitherto prevailed, and this he thinks should be cultivated. Under the old arrangement both married and single men pay 3d. in the £ for the doctor, but the single men have had the feeling that they have been levied for the help of the former. The miners’ executive are anxious to meet the doctors, but if the medical men stand aloof the prospect (Mr. Hartshorn indicates) is that the married men may cling to the old attendant, whilst the single men may choose a stranger who will come into the neighbourhood under the Act. Thus discord will be introduced, with heavy pecuniary loss to the old practitioners ; for, as the single men join the ranks of the married, the new doctor will secure the family work. Meanwhile the old practitioners might be forced to ask for increased subscriptions from their patients. “ The miners’ leaders,” he says, “would be prepared to advocate a continuance of present arrangements subject to necessary modifications due to the Insurance Act.” In response to a letter from the secretary of the doctors’ organisation, who desired a conference upon the working of the Insurance Act, the Federation executive declined to meet the medical men, and sug- gested that each district should act independently. At Tredegar, an agreement has been reached, one outcome being that the practitioners receive substantial increase of salaries. The Welsh Commissioners met, on Monday, a deputation of works and colliery doctors, who submitted a scheme for continuance of their practice; but it is understood that this was not favourably received. No difficulty of medical service is, however, anticipated. A more important incident in this connection is the issue of a letter by the Welsh Commissioners, to the Miners’ Federation, a lengthy document which reviews the position of affairs in relation to colliers’ medical attendance, and suggests that a representative deputa- tion should confer with the Commissioners on the subject. Three courses are outlined—(1) The present arrangement to be continued; (2) appointment of salaried doctors by the miners; and (3) participation in a State medical service. A provisional arrangement for six months is also suggested. In Cardiff, on Monday, Mr. Ben Davies (Pontypridd), miners’ agent, presided over a conference representing nearly 27,000 members of “ approved societies,” the idea being to form one approved society for the whole of the colliery workmen of South Wales. Differences of opinion were so wide that agreement proved imprac- ticable; and a committee was appointed to make a draft for submission to the several societies, so that, after this has been voted on locally, a further conference should be called. An important step was taken by the executive committee of the South Wales Federation on Monday, when the rules for administering the Minimum Wage Act came under discussion. Lord St. Aldwyn, in his award, provided that the wages should be averaged over a fortnight in order to arrive at the daily rate, but to this the men object. Their contention is that under the law, the independent chairman has no right to take such an average for the purpose of ascertaining the minimum wage; and it was resolved that the committee confer with the solicitor in order to decide upon a particular case for legally testing the validity of the rule. Another subject of discussion was the question of dividing by five the wages of colliers on the afternoon and night shifts (instead of by six) for the purpose of ascertaining the average wage of the men affected. In all probability, this matter will come before a special meeting of the Joint District Board, which it has been decided to ask for; and, with it, the further questions of the bonus turn and the double shift. Afterwards a conference of the whole coalfield will be called to con- sider the result of the Joint Board’s deliberations. For the Phoenix Patent Fuel Company, whose new works are to be constructed upon the side of the King’s Dock, Swansea, an outlay of £40,000 or thereabouts is anticipated ; and the works, when in operation, will (it is said) have an output of over 20,000 tons per month. THE FREIGHT MARKET. The Christinas and New Year holidays have checked outward chartering considerably, especially on the north- east coast, where the New Year is observed as an equally important holiday with Yuletide. The following are repre- sentative rates for Tyne loading:—Hamburg 4s, Havre 4s. 9d. to 5s. 6d., Marseilles 9s. 6d., Kiel 6s., and Genoa 10s. to 10s. 3d. At South Wales, the amount of business done is rather small. Mediterranean rates are firm, and those for the River Plate show an advancing tendency. The Bay is firmer. The River Plate is dull. At the Clyde the enquiry is very quiet, and business is inactive. At the Humber the market is dull, but fairly steady. Homewards, the Black Sea market is firmer, with tonnage offering more sparingly. Grain stocks are small, however, and arrivals are very meagre. The Danube and Azof are similarly affected. Eastern markets are quiet, but firm. The Mediterranean and ore ports are unaltered. The Baltic is unchanged. America is quiet. The River Plate is firm and rather more active. Tyne to Algiers, 1,000, 9s. 3d., from Dunston ; 2,100, 9s. ; Cette, 3,000, 10s. 6d. ; Genoa, 3,200, 10s. 3d ; 3,200, 10s.; 4,000, 10s. ; Hamburg, 3,000, 4s. ; 1,800, 4s.; Havre, 1,350, 5s. 6d. ; 1,700, 4s. 9d.; Husum, 800, 6s. 3d., from Dunston; Kiel, 1,600, 6s. ; Malta, 2,300, 9s. 6d.; Marseilles, 3,000, 9s. 6d. ; 1,300, 9s. 6d. ; Port Said, 4,600, Ils. 3d. ; 3,800, Ils.; Terneuzen, 1,600, 4s. 6d. Cardiff to Alexandria, 4,000, Ils. 6d., 500, ppt. ; Algiers, 3.600, 1137| fr.; 2,800, U| fr.; 2,300, 11| fr., ppt.; 4,000. 11| fr. ; Brindisi, 3,300, Ils., 600, 10s. 9d, 800, spot; Bar- celona, 2,200, 10s. ; Brest, 1,000, 5s. ; ppt. ; Bari, 1,100,12 fr.; Cape Verds, 1,300,10s. ; Chatham, 1,900, 3s. 4|d., Admiralty; Copenhagen, 1,400, 6s. 3d. ; Cadiz, 1,600, 9s. 6d., 250, January 6 ; Granton, 740, 5s. 10|d. ; Genoa, 3,200,10s. 3d. ; 5,000, 10s. 9d., 3,300, 10s. 6d.; Las Palmas, 4,000, 9s. 6d. ; 1,300, 9s. 9d. ; La Pallice, 3,300, 6| fr. ; 2,300, 6| fr., ppt.; Lisbon, 2,000, 7s. 6d., 500, ppt.; 2,600, 7s. 9d., 350; Mar-, seille% 3,600, 12fr.; 4,800, 12 fr., ppt. ; Monte Video, 5,000, 17s. ; 6,000, 17s., January 10; Malta, 2,700, 10s., ppt., 1,700, 10s.; Nantes, 1,500, 8 fr., ppt.; Oporto, 900, 9s. 6d ; Penzance, 320,4s. 9d.; Passages, 3,950,6s. 6d.; Port Said, 5,400, Ils., spot; 5,000, Ils. 3d., spot; 4,000, Ils. 6d., spot; 5,400, Ils. 10|d., ppt. ; 3,300, Ils. 10|d. ; 1,150, 11s. 6d. ; 5,500, Ils. 6d. ; River Plate, 5,000, 18s., lower ports, early January ; 6,000, 18s., January 10; Rio de Janeiro, 5,000, 18s. 6d.,fuel; 6,700, 17s. 6d, 500, ppt.; 18s.; Savona, 3,200, 10s. 3d.; 4,800, 10s. 9d.; St. Nazaire, 2,900, 7|fr.; 3,300, 6f fr.; Spezzia, 4,800, 10s. 9d.; St. Brieux, 700, 6s. 6d.; Teneriffe, 4,000, 9s. 6d.; Valencia, 2,000, 9s. and 9s. 9d., ppt. Blyth to Sveaborg, 1,600, 8s. 6d. Hull to Rotterdam, 1,800, 3s. 3d.; Rouen, 2,000, 5s. 6d., ppt.; 1,450, 5s. 6d. ppt.; Reval, 2,800, 6s. 9d., early January. Grimsby to Riga, 2,400, 6s. 9d. Birkenhead to Christiania, 8s. Clyde to Buenos Ayres, 18s. 6d. Forth to Calais, 500, 6s.; Reykjavik, 800, 14s. 6d. coal, option 100 tons coke, 16s. January. Wales to West Coast of South America and home to United Kingdom-Continent, sail, about 47s. 6d.; 48s.; Algiers, 2,500, U£fr., ppt. Birkenhead to Havana, sail, 17s., coke, ppt. Amble to Tonning, 1,400, 5s. 3d. Leith to Hamburg, 2,500, 4s. 3d. Rotterdam to Barcelona, 3,000, 10s. 6d., January 9; 2,200, 10s. 4|d.; Naples, 3,400, 10s.; January 5-15; Port Said, 4.600, 10s. 9d., January; Pauillac, 2,200, 8s, 3d. Hull, Grimsby or Immingham to Riga, 2,400, 6s. 9d., January ; 2,500, 7s., January. Dieppe to Philadelphia, 4,000, 10s. ppt. Swansea to St. Nazaire, 1,750, 8 fr.; Caen, 9,000, 6s., ppt.; Brest, 700, 7s. 6d., spot; Bremerhaven, 1,500, 5s. 9d.; Pola, 5,200, 12s., coal, 12s. 9d. fuel. Newport to Algiers, 2,500, 11| fr., ppt.; Naples, 3,600, Hs., 800, ppt.; Genoa, 5,200, 10s. 9d., January 10; 2,700, 10s. 9d.; Savona, 5,200, 10s. 9d., January 10; 2,700,10s. 9d. Wear to Piraeus, 5,2.0, 12?., ppt. Penarth to Algiers, 2,100, 11| fr. Barry to Algiers, 2,100, ll£fr. Port Talbot to Algiers, 2,100,11| fr. Homeward charters :—Nicolaieff or Odessa, 6,400, London or Rotterdam 10s. lid., Weser or Hamburg, 10s. 7|d., with 3d. less barley, ppt.; 6,000, Rotterdam 10s. 3d., Hamburg 10s. 9d., option Kherson and Nicolaieff or Odessa, with ice clause, Ils. 3d., London, 3d. less barley, ppt.; Gulf, 850 stds., 10 per cent., River Plate, 167s. 6d., January-February, 1,322 net, Rotterdam 57s. 6d., Hamburg 60s, two ports loading, Form O, January; San Lorenzo, 4,500, 10 per cent., United Kingdom-Continent, 23s. o.c., less 6d., Jan. 15-Feb. 15; 4.500, 10 per cent., 23s. 3d. o.c., less 6d., days, January 10; 23s. o.c., less 6d., April-May 10; 3,400, 10 per cent., 23s. o.c., less 6d., seed Is. extra, France excluded, with northern options, February 25-March 25; 4,700, 10 per cent., 24s. o.c, less 6d., seed Is. extra, January 15-February 15; 5.500, 10 per cent , 24s. o.c., less 6d., January 22; 5,200, 10 per cent., 23s. o.c., less 6d., January 28- February 28; 4,000, 10 per cent., 24s. o.c., less 6d., option Portugal 2s. extra, January 25-February 25; 4,900, 10 per cent., 23s. o.c., less 6d., with Mediterranean options, April-May; 3,800, 10 per cent., 23s. 6d. o.c., less 6d., seed Is. extra, early January; 4,000, 10 per cent., 23s. 6d. o.c., less 6d., ppt.; 5,200, 10 per cent., 23s. o.c., less 6d., days, January; 4,500, 23s. 3d. o.c., seed Is. extra; Nantes, 2,000, Middlesbrough, 4s. 9d., end December; Garrucha, 2,400, Rotterdam, 6s., ppt.; Santander, 2.000, Rotterdam, 6s., ppt.; Bilbao, 3,000, Cardiff, 5s., ppt.; 2,000, 5s. 6d., Rotterdam, January; New York, sail, about 34 c, Brazil, case oil; Rangoon or Bassein, 5,750, 32s. 6d. United Kingdom- Continent, 32s. Holland, February; Halifax, 70s., United Kingdom-Continent, January; Kurrachee, 19s, one p.p. United Kingdom-Continent, ex France; time charter, States and West Indies, 6s., one round trip, delivery and re-delivery north of Hatteras; 6s. 3d., about seven months, delivery Cuba, re-delivery north of Hatteras; 6s. 9d., delivery Bermuda, re-delivery north of Hatteras, four months; Conception Bay, sail, 27s., United Kingdom- Continent, March 1; 27s. 6d., less 9d., March 1; time charter, European trade, delivery Hamburg, re-delivery United Kingdom-Continent, 3,100, £950, one round trip; time charter, Eastern round, delivery and re-delivery United Kingdom-Continent, 5s. 6d., early January; time oharter, River Plate round, delivery United Kingdom, re-delivery United Kingdom-Continent, £1,750, January; time charter, delivery Tyne, re-delivery Scandinavia, via States, £1,750, spot; Cuba, 34s., Vancouver, sugar, February ; Hornillo Bay, 6s. 3d., Glasgow, early January ; Philadelphia or Baltimore, 20s., Algiers, January; nitrate ports, 33s., United Kingdom-Continent, March-April; sail, 27s. 6d., 1913 season ; Melbourne, sail, p.t., United Kingdom - Continent, December-January ; Madras Coast, 4,000, Marseilles, 35s., less 5 per cent., January ; 3,300, Marseilles, 33*. 3d., Northern ports, 33s. 9d., January- February ; Australia, 7,000, United Kingdom-Continent, about 43s. 3d., January 1-31 ; 7,000, 43s. 6d., January- February ; Novorossisk, 5,600, Denmark, 17s. 6d., oilcake, ppt. ; 3,000, basis, 15s., oilcake, ppt. ; 3,500, United Kingdom-Continent, Ils. 6d., barley cargo, option Sulina to Antwerp Ils., charter terms, ppt. ; Nicolaieff, 4,600, Marseilles, 13| fr., 600 tons oats 2 fr. extra, ppt. ; Buenos Ayres, 5,000, United Kingdom-Continent, 19s. o.c., less 6d., spot; 19s., Belfast, spot; Pensacola, 1,500 stds., 10 per cent., Holland or Antwerp and Grangemouth, 122s. 6d., January; Buenos Ayres or La Plata, 2,207 net, United Kingdom- Continent, 19s. o.c., less 6d., ppt., 4,600, 20s. o.c., ppt.; Bahia Blanca, 6,000, United Kingdom-Continent, 10 per cent., 23s. o.c., less 6d, January 20 - February 20, 6,600, 10 per cent., 23s. o c, less 6d., France excluded, seed Is. extra, option Genoa 2s. 6d. extra, February; 6,400, 23s. o.c, option named ports West Italy 2s. extra, February ; Rosario, 4,500, 10 per cent., United Kingdom-Continent, 22s. o.c, less 6d. heavy grain, January; Sulina, 3,500, Marseilles, 14ffr., ppt.; 3,400, Antwerp or Rotterdam, Hs. 6d., ppt.; 4,800, Ils. 7|d., ppt.; Bombay, 2,598 net, Genoa and/or Marseilles, 23s. one port, 23s. both ports, on d.w., January ; Thermia, 4,400, Rotterdam, 7s., 1,000-1,000 ppt.; Bona, 3,700, Rotterdam, 6s. 6d., phosphates, ppt.; Alexandria, 1.500, Hull, 9s. 6d., ppt.; Portland, Or., sail, 58s. 9d., Sydney and Newcastle, N S.W., option Melbourne or Adelaide 70s., Fremantle 74s.; Melbourne, sail, 35s., United Kingdom- Continent, January; 36s. 9d., January ; time charter, Brazil and River plate trade, 5s. 8|d, one round trip, delivery and re-delivery United Kingdom-Continent; Kustendje, 5,300, Antwerp or Rotterdam, 10s., with 700 tons load, ppt.; Australia, 7,700 max., United Kingdom-Continent, basis 12s. 6d., with Mediterranean options 2s. extra and Adriatic 3s. extra, January - February; Port Arthur, 1,775 net, Denmark, 22 s. one port, 22s. 6d. two ports, 23s. three, 23*. 6d. four ports, end January ; Colastine, 3,800, 10 per cent., United Kingdom-Continent, 23s. 3d. o.c., less 6d., completing San Lorenzo Is. less, spot; Villaricos, 5,000, Emden, 7s. 6d., f.t., ppt.; Carthagena, 5,000, Rotterdam, 5s. 6d., ppt.; Algiers, 5,000, Rotterdam, 5s., ppt.; Castro Alon, 810 net, Boulogne, 6s. 9d., ppt.; 1,600, Rotterdam, 6s. 5d., ppt.; Antofagasta, sail, 23s. 6d., United Kingdom- Continent, less 9d., spot ; Port Pirie, sail, 40s., United Kingdom-Continent, option Callao 29s, wheat. February- March ; time charter, Australian trades, 9,500, £2,725, 10 or 13 months, delivery Australia, redelivery Australia or the East; Rosario, 22s., United Kingdom-Continent, o.c., heavy grain. Kohsichang, 8,000, United Kingdom-Continent, 33s. 9d., January ; Kurrachee, 5,600, United Kingdom- Continent, 18s. one port, 18s. 6d. two ports, January ; 9,000, Birkenhead 17s. 6d., Hull 17s. 9d , with options, January; Santa Fe, 3,800, 10 per cent., United Kingdom-Continent, 23s. 6d. o.c., less 6d., seed Is. extra, early January; Huelva, 4,100, Mobile or Pensacola, 10s. 9d., f.d., January; Gulf timber ports, 850 stds., River Plate, 167s. 6d., January- February. The directors of the Kent Collieries Limited, in their report state that a bore-hole has been put down from the bottom of No. 3 Pit to the heading in the coalseam, enabling the water to be conducted to No. 2 fpit and the sinking proceeded with in a dry shaft. During the year, in the course of opening up roadways, some 1,100 tons of coal have been raised. The workings show the coalseam to be practically horizontal, with a good roof and floor.