128

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

January 17, 1913.

be collected in a small temporary sump and conveyed from
there to the permanent settling ponds, and ultimately to the
shaft sump in pipes.

In conclusion, it is to be hoped that in the event of
hydraulic stowing being attempted in this country advan-
tage will be taken of the experience of other mining districts
—where the system is already in use—in choosing the plant
and method of working it, and thus avoid repeating the
errors of those who pioneered this work during the past
20 years. To those who may still be in doubt regarding the
efficiency of hydraulic stowing, its advantages in eliminating
gob fires, reducing the loss of mineral wealth, dangers from
falls of ground and surface damage, also the possibility of
its successful application to many of the mines of this
country, a visit to Silesia or Westphalia might be recom-
mended. The writer feels certain that could many of our
colliery engineers and mine managers find it convenient to
make such a visit, Great Britain would soon take its place
alongside other nations in the use of this system to its own
advantage.

Mr. Gerrard expressed his personal indebtedness to
Mr. Knox for his able elucidation of this most interesting
and important subject. From what he had seen and
what he had been told, it appeared to him that the
system had done away with gob fires, with their
attendant anxiety and costliness. He was at a loss to
know why this system had not hitherto found favour in
this country. We were remarkably slow in adopting
what had been adopted on the Continent. There was
not the slightest shadow of a doubt about it. Apparently
the fact of its being a success in Germany was a reason
why we should not have it in Great Britain. .Mr.
Gerrard ridiculed this attitude of mind, and pointed out
that Continental mine managers came over to this country,
inspected our collieries, and did not scruple to adopt
any plans which seemed to them better than their own.

Mr. Knox corroborated this statement, adding that
the only thing that the foreigner did not copy was our
splendid haulage arrangements. That, however, was
the only thing that the Continent was behind us in.

Mr. Hugh V. Hart-Davis had written saying
that Mr. Knox had mentioned the increased cost
of pumping as a great disadvantage to hydraulic stowage
if applied to Lancashire collieries. It would have been
of additional interest to have had some figures relating
to the amount of water that was needed per cubic foot
of stowage, also the minimum required velocity and
pressure of water in the pipes. The system described
was that of supplying water and the necessary material
from the surface. To deep mines this would lead to
high pressures, and if at the coal face the outlet of the
pipes was suddenly checked, severe water hammer would
be set up. The pipe line, therefore, would have to be of
heavy section, and would be costly to instal. The power
required to pump this water to the surface would be high,
and unless the water was well filtered the pipe of the pumps
would be short. He would like to ask Mr. Knox if it was
not possible altogether to dispense with pipe lines in the
shaft, and to adopt the following system :—To instal a
large low-lift pump at the shaft bottom, and to fix
between this pump and the working face a plant for
grinding and forcing the necessary material in a dry
state, and in the correct proportions, into the pipe line.
The water after filtration at the goaf would be pumped
back to the shaft sump. The advantages of this system
would be:—A reduction in first cost, a minimum of
power and maintenance charges, freedom from freezing
troubles, an independent installation for each seam,
debris need not be sent to the surface but could be
ground at the shaft bottom, the surplus (if any) could
be used for treating roadways, there could be no danger
of flooding the shaft bottom in case of a broken pipe.
He would be interested to hear if this proposal was at
all feasible, and if it had been tried on the Continent.

In reply, Mr. Knox admitted the utility of the system
suggested by Mr. Hart-Davis—if the conditions were
favourable—but in his view there would be difficulties
in practice.

The Hull and Barnsley Bailway Company has deposited
its Bill for introduction into Parliament next session.
Part 2 proposes to empower the company to acquire 10 acres
of additional lands, principally in connection with the Wath
branch railway and the South Yorkshire junction railway.
Part 3 proposes to deal with a railway sanctioned by the
North-Eastern Bail way Act, 1909. The Hull and Barnsley
Company now proposes, by agreement with the North-
Eastern Company, to acquire an undivided half-share in the
southern portion of this railway, and in the jetty, and the
two companies propose jointly to construct railways con-
necting with the 1909 railway, and forming junctions with
the railways authorised by the Hull Joint Dock Act, 1899.
The Hull and Barnsley Company also acquires equal rights
with the North-Eastern Company in the Salt End Works.
By part 4 the Hull and Barnsley and Great Central railway
companies are proposed to be empowered to construct two
short junction lines—one in the parish of Thorpe-in-Baine,
and the second in the parish of Bentley-with-Arksey. No
additional capital powers are authorised by this Bill.

THE CENSUS OF PRODUCTION.

A bulky volume has been published [Cd. 6320]
containing the revised tables summarising the returns
received under the Census of Production Act, 1906,
together with a report on the whole Census and reports
on the various trades by the Director of the Census.

The census was taken in the year 1908 in respect of
the year 1907.

In the course of the years 1909-11 nine reports were
published containing preliminary tables summarising
the information furnished. (An abstract of that for
coalmines was published in the Colliery Guardian,
October 15, 1909, p. 780.) These tables have been
carefully revised, and, in addition to the information
included in them, particulars are now given relating to
the kind and capacity of engines and dynamos owned,
and the quantity of electricity generated or purchased
in each trade.

The results of the census of production, so far as they
relate to the industries dealt with in the Census of
Production Office, are shown in summary form in the
following table:—

—	Gross output. Selling value or value of work done.  (1)	Materials used. Cost.  (2)	Work given out. Amount paid to other firms.  (3)	Net output Excess of column (1) over columns  (2) and (3).  (4)	Persons ! employed (except outworkers).  Average number.  (5)	Net output per person employed (excluding outworkers).  (6)	Horse-power of engines at factories, mines, &c.  (7)
	£ million.	£ million.	£ million.	£ million.		£	H.P.
England and Wales ...	1,490	868	19	603	5,808,269	104	9,097,869
Scotland 		208	117	5	86	885,403	98	1,397,733
Ireland		67	43	1	23	291,304	78	259,407
United Kingdom...	1,765	1,028	25	712	6,984,976	102	10,755,009

About one-quarter of the total engine power was
required for driving dynamos for the production of
electricity for power and lighting purposes. After
making the best estimates, available, there is shown
for the value of the output of the United Kingdom,
taken at the point where the agricultural, mining,
manufacturing, or other processes are completed and
distribution for final consumption or export begins,
a sum between £1,433,000,000 and £1,448,000,000.
Deducting exported goods, there remain for consump-
tion in the United Kingdom goods of a value between
£1,003,000,000 and £1,038,000,000. The imports into
the United Kingdom in 1907 (after deducting re-exports)
included goods which appear to have passed into con-
sumption without further manufacture valued at the
port of landing at £232,000,000 (including duties). It is
further roughly estimated, on the basis of enquiries that
have been made, that from £428,000,000 to £563,000,000
have to be added to the value of goods at the factory or
the port of entry in order to cover the expenses and
profits of distribution and transport before they reach
the hands of the consumer. The total value of all the
goods consumed in 1907 in the United Kingdom
(including, as consumed, goods converted into fixed forms
such as buildings or machinery) thus appears to lie
between £1,663,000,000 and £1,833,000,000. The goods
represented by this total of somewhat over 1,700 million
pounds sterling were not all available for immediate
personal consumption, since, in order that production
might continue on a permanent basis, provision had to
be made for the maintenance of plant and other forms
of capital. The sum required for that purpose is roughly
estimated at between £170,000,000 and £180,000,000,
including from £75,000,000 to £85,000,000 for the main-
tenance of the mining, manufacturing, and building
capital of the country. That capital is estimated to have
been about £1,500,000,000 in 1907. A deduction
for the necessary maintenance and replacement of
capital being made, the remainder of the £1,700,000,000
represents the total income of those classes whose
services in production, distribution and transport
are represented by the value of the goods produced.
The total income of the country is made up of the value
of the goods consumed or saved and of services, not
embodied in material goods, rendered by some of its
inhabitants to others for payment. It is estimated for
1907 at about 2,000 million pounds sterling, of which a
sum lying between 320 and 350 millions sterling served
to provide for additions to stocks of durable goods for
personal enjoyment (such as furniture or jewellery), and
for new capital investments at home or abroad. Com-
paring the net output (£712,000,000) of the industries
dealt with in returns made to the Census of Production
Office, after allowing for renewals of plant, &c., with
this estimate of the total income of the United Kingdom,
it would appear that the values created by those
industries form about one-third of the available income
of the country.

Coal and Ironstone Mines.

Output.—The tables are based on returns obtained
from mineowners working coal and ironstone mines
under the Coal Mines Regulation Acts. A few quarries
where coal was worked are also included. The aggregate
value of the output of such mines and quarries amounts
to £122,637,000, and, in addition, about 2,000 tons of
steam coal, valued at about £1,000, was returned on
schedules for other trades, raising the total value to
£122,638,000.

Mineowners were required to state as their output
the total quantity and value of all coal and other
minerals raised in 1907, including in the case of coal
that used for colliery purposes and “ allowance coal ”
given to miners. The value of the coal and other
products sold was to be based on the actual price
obtained, calculated as at pit, i.e., the price less charges
for carriage, discount, and commission; the cost of
carriage over private colliery lines to a public railway
line or to point of shipment or sale was to be estimated
and deducted from the selling price. Goal used for
colliery purposes, allowance coal/’ and coal transferred

to cokeworks owned by the mineowner making the
return were to be valued as if sold in the ordinary
course. In cases where a mineowner supplied coal to
an owner of cokeworks and received back the coke, while
the coke oven proprietor retained the by-products, the
mineowner was instructed to include in his return of
output the coal supplied as if it had been sold, but to
exclude the coke. Including the small quantity of coal
entered on schedules for other trades the output in 1907
of coal and ironstone mines under the Coal Mines
Regulations Acts was returned as follows:—

	Quantity.	Value.
Coal—	Tons.	£
Anthracite 		3,909,000 ...	2,297,000
Steam 		128,204,000 ...	• 58,704,000
Gas		29,039,000 ...	12,779,000
Household 		53,060000 ...	25,705,000
Other sorts, including coal		
not separately distin-		
guished 		52,348,000 ...	20,069,000
Total coal		266,560,000 ...	119,554,000
Ironstone 		8,184,000 ...	2,328,000
Iron pyrites 		11,000 ...	5,000
Fireclay 		2,538,000 ...	519,000
Clay and shale, other than		
fireclay and oil shale		518,000 ...	59,000
Limestone 		391,000 ...	63,000
Sandstone, including ganister	238,000 ...	92,000
Whinstone, barytes, fluor spar, ]	1 Recorded f	
and other mine products !	■ by value < ...	16,000
Other products 	J	1 only, (,...	2.000
The total value of the above products,		as already

stated, amounts to £122,638,000.

The figures shown above as to the output of coal in
1907 differ slightly from those given in Part III. of the
General Report on Mines and Quarries for 1907
[Cd. 4343], the quantity being less than the total
returned to the Home Office by rather less than the
half of 1 per cent., and the value less by about four-
fifths of 1 per cent. The difference is believed to be
accounted for mainly by the exclusion from the returns
to the Census Office of a certain quantity of unsaleable
coal which was included by the mineowners in their
returns to the Home Office. With regard to the
classification of coal into the five classes shown in the
statement, it is to be observed that in some cases colliery
proprietors working more than one class of coal have
not been able to give exact particulars of the output of
each class, and were accordingly instructed to furnish
estimates. In other cases, mineowners have included
as “ other sorts ” coal which, according to the state of
the market, might be used as steam, or gas, or household
coal. A little under 24 per cent, of the coal raised was
exported, and about 7 per cent, was shipped for the use
of steamers engaged in the foreign trade. Of the steam
coal raised, 36*4 per cent, was exported and 14’5 per cent,
shipped as bunkers on foreign-going vessels; these per-
centages must, however, be modified by the consideration
that part, at least, of the coal returned by colliery
proprietors as “ other sorts ” was probably classified by
exporting merchants as “ steam,” “ gas,” or “ household,”
its destination being then known. It should also ba