January 31, 1913.

TSE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

245

— PROGRESS. —

Preservation of Mine Timbers.

The United States Department of Agriculture have
recently issued a bulletin (No. 107) dealing with the
“ Preservation of Mine Timbers,” the author being
E. W. Peters. It appears that several coalmining
companies have installed plants to secure authentic
data on the efficiency of various methods of preser-
vation, from whom the Forest Service have obtained
data. Before treatment, timber must be peeled
and seasoned. There are two general methods
of treatment, besides the brush treatment. The
latter consists in applying £two or three coats of hot
creosote or other preservative—a method advisable in
small operations. It has been found at the mines of
the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company
that whereas untreated material failed within one to
three years, brush-treated timber remained serviceable
for from three to four years. The life of untreated
peeled loblolly and short-leaf pine was from 10 to 15
per cent, greater than that of similar unpeeled material.
In wet locations seasoned timber did not appear to out-
last unseasoned material. Loblolly and short-leaf pine,
brush-treated with coal-tar creosote and Avenarius
carbolineum, proved to be from 50 to 100 per cent, more
durable than untreated material, and more serviceable
than untreated long-leaf pine, pitch pine, and red and
black oak.

Another process is known as the open-tank process,
where the preservative is forced into the pores of the
timber by atmospheric pressure. After seasoning, the
wood structure becomes more porous, and in this
condition is placed in a hot bath of preservative, the air
in the wood being expelled by the heat. Successions of
cooler immersions are then applied, which cause a
contraction of the air and a condensation of moisture in
the timber, leaving a vacuum for the entrance of the
preservative.

As a rule, dense wood is better treated by the
application of artificial pressure. Pressure processes
may be employed for either full-cell or empty-cell
treatment; the former leaves the treated portion of
the wood completely filled with preservative, while the
latter aims to inject the preservative as deep into the
timber, but leave no free antiseptic in the wood cells.
The oldest process of full-cell treatment with creosote
is termed “ Bethellising.” A similar treatment with
zinc-chloride solution is called “ Burnettising.”

It is impossible as yet to ascertain the eventual saving
from impregnation, since the timbers have not yet been
in service sufficiently long, but even for the period since
their installation they have proved more economical than
untreated or brush-treated material. A small pressure
plant, with a capacity of 750,000 cubic feet per year, may
be erected at a cost of from 12,000 to 20,000 dollars.

Coaldusl and Tuberculosis.

In a paper read before the Laennec Medical Society,
at Baltimore, Drs. Wainwright and Nichols examined
the relation between anthracosis and pulmonary
tuberculosis. Amongst other experiments guinea-pigs
were kept for two months in an atmosphere of coaldust,
and afterwards a pure culture of tubercle bacilli was
injected; animals that had not been subjected to dust
being similarly treated. It was found that, whereas the
latter had pulmonary tubercles when killed, the others
had been protected by the coating of coaldust.

The authors, however, dismiss the theory that coaldust
possesses a germicidal property, and Dr. Nichols
considers that it is possible that the soluble calcium
salts which form a large proportion of the ash of coal-
dust may at least play a part in the protective influence.
The authors also show that mine air is less germ-laden
than outside air, owing to cleansing by sedimentation ;
further, the sputa cannot dry, owing to the dampness of
the air. Their belief, however, is that coaldust in the
lungs does exert a real protective influence against
tubercle bacilli, and that the reduced mortality from
tuberculosis is due to the stimulating effect of the
coaldust on the growth of connective tissue.

In connection with this point, the authors think that
the epithelial irritation and thickening of the connective
tissue, with consequent loss of elasticity, easily accounts
for the condition inaccurately termed “ miners’ asthma.5’
This, clinically, is a chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Quite recently the authors have seen an old miner who
had distinct signs of consolidation down to the fourth
rib on the right side, which they conclude was due to
anthracosis.

The authors made 25 different determinations of the
dust in anthracite mines, the average being 0*0354
gramme per cubic metre. The screen rooms on the
breakers were much more dusty, giving an average of
0*3967 gramme per cubic metre.

HIKING AND OTHER NOTES.

A joint meeting of the Midland Branch of the Association
of Colliery Managers and the Notts and Derbyshire Branch
of the Association of Mining Electrical Engineers was held
at the Nottingham University College on Saturday. The
meeting was convened to discuss the proposed Home Office
regulations under the Coal Mines Act. Mr. H. R. Watson,
of Codnor, who presided, said the Parliamentary Committee
of the Colliery Managers5 Association had been promised
an interview with the Home Office upon any matter affecting
them, and the object of that meeting was to give members
an opportunity of stating what rules required amendment.
The proposed regulations were discussed at some length
and a number of amendments suggested.

Mr. John Slater, of Clifton, Northumberland, and of 77,
Westgate-road, Newcastle, timber merchant and colliery
owner, left estate valued at .£109,447 3s. 9d., with net
personalty £52,440 18s. 9d.

Mr. Joseph Firth, of Elsecar, who for 30 years has held
the position of manager at the Hemingfield Colliery,
belonging to Earl Fitz william, has retired. Mr. Firth
started life as a trammer at the Jump pit, and has the
record of having worked nearly 60 years for the house of
Fitzwilliam, serving under three earls.

The annual dinner of the Coalville branch of the Midland
Mining Officials* Association was held on the 18th inst.,
when a company of 120 was present, Mr. C. E. Crane, of
Coalville, the newly appointed solicitor to the association,
presiding. Mr. Geo. Glover (secretary) announced that he
had received a letter from Mr. T. Y. Hay, secretary to the
Coalowners5 Association, stating that the 5s. examination
fee would be returned to all the candidates. The associa-
tion has never been in such a flourishing state as no w. In
1900 the membership was 50, in 1905 it was 89, in 1910 it
had increased to 129, while at the commencement of the
present year the number of members is 156.

A meeting of the Scottish branch of the National
Association of Colliery Managers was held in the Heriot-
Watt College, Edinburgh, on Saturday, when an opportunity
was given the members to reply at length to the criticisms
raised by Mr. Sam Mavor, in regard to methods of mining
and mine management as practised both in this country
and on the Continent. Mr. Robert Wilson, Alloa, said that
many who read Mr. Mavor’s address might be inclined to
agree with him that our collieries were just what he said—
namely, “muddle and disorder/5 with wastage written in
large letters everywhere. Personally he (the speaker) was
inclined to take the view that cases of “ muddle, disorder
and the inefficient application of labour55 were, in Scotland’
the exception rather than the rule. Discussion was also
resumed on the paper by Mr. James Black, Airdrie, on
“ Winding Engine Controllers.55

Dr. Myer Coplans, demonstrator in public health and
bacteriology in the University of Leeds, gave the first of a
series of eight lectures on “Mining Hygiene55 at the
university on the 27th inst. It was of an introductory
character, being devoted chiefly to the explanation of terms
and methods. Dr. Coplans stated that, so far as students
of preventive medicine were concerned, the Insurance Act
would prove of great value. As regards the subject they
were considering, for instance, they would be able to obtain
reliable statistics respecting occupation and sickness, and
occupation and mortality almost immediately; whereas
under the old system, when they had to wait for the
Registrar-General’s returns, they were seven or eight years
behind the times. They would now be able to tell at once
what the incidence of sickness was among the miners, and
they would have up-to-date figures to work upon.

Sir Oliver Lodge, F.R S., presided at a joint meeting of
the University of Birmingham Metallurgical Society, the
Birmingham Metallurgical Society, and the South Stafford-
shire Iron and Steel Institute, held at the university on the
27th inst., the occasion being a lecture on “ Surface Com-
bustion55 by Prof. Bone, F.R.S.

It is announced that another new colliery is to be sunk in
the Doncaster area, a project long referred to as probable
at Harworth, which is between Bawtry and Tickhill. A
company has been formed, with a capital of .£500,000, and
will be registered as the Harworth Main Colliery Limited.
A site has been provisionally chosen, and it is stated that
sinking operations will probably be commenced within a
few months. An option on the minerals underlying the
estates of Viscount Galway, the Earl of Crewe, and other
landowners, about 18,250 acres, has been obtained. Some
of the leading colliery owners in the county of Durham are
said to be interested in the venture. It is expected that
coal will be won at a depth of about 820 yards.

At Dunfermline Sheriff Court recently Thomas Rattray,
fireman, High Valley field, was convicted of a contravention
of the Coal Mines Act, 1911 and the Special Rules.
The Procurator-Fiscal said he was glad to mention that this
was a very uncommon complaint. First of all, there was
neglect on the part of the fireman to make his official
inspection in a fiery mine, and then he signed a record book
to the effect that inspection had been made, and that every-
thing had been found safe, whereas, as a matter of fact,
when the miners went down, a place was found to be full of
inflammable gas, and it took an hour and a-half to get the
gas cleared out. Sheriff Umpherston imposed a fine of
•33, with the option of 21 days5 imprisonment.

Prof. Charles Lap worth, F.R.S., professor of geology and
geography at Birmingham University, will resign his chair
at the close of the present session. The council of the
university have decided to present him with an address, in
which it is stated that “ he was appointed to the chair so
long ago as 1881, he has had full charge of the department
ever since, and built it up into the most prominent and
successful chair of geology at any British University. The
Geological Surveys of thejEmpire also owe some of their
methods to Professor Lapworth’s genius, and his name is of
more than European reputation.55

The Board of Trade announce that the following
gentlemen have recently been appointed under the Imperial
Institute (Transfer) Act, 1902, to the Advisory Committee
of the Imperial Institute:—Sir Owen Philipps, K.C.M.G.,
by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in place of the
Right Hon. Sir Francis J. S. Hopwood, G.C.M.G., K.C.B.,
resigned; and the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie, High Commis-
sioner for New Zealand, by the New Zealand Government,
in place of the Hon. Sir William Hall-Jones, K.C.M.G., late
High Commissioner, resigned.

The North British Railway Company has made application
to the Secretary of State for Scotland for a Provisional
Order empowering it to raise £1,200,000 additional capital
by the issue of .£900,000 ordinary or preference stocks, and
£300,000 debenture stock. Power is also sought to create
debenture stock to an amount not exceeding £730,000, being
the capitalised value of the perpetual feu duties and ground
annuals, in consideration of which the company has from
time to time purchased lands.

The fourth annual dinner of the North Staffs and district
branch of the Coal Trade Benevolent Association was held
in the North Stafford Hotel, Stoke, on the 23rd inst. The
president, Mr. W. Simons, J.P., was the chairman.

The workmen and officials of the Hoyland Silkstone
Colliery have presented Mr. Horace Cooper, the manager,
with a sterling silver Queen Anne tea and coffee service, as
an expression of appreciation and goodwill on the occasion
of his marriage.

At a meeting of the East of Scotland branch of the
Association of Mining Electrical Engineers, held in the
Royal Hotel Hall, Dunfermline, on Friday, January 24,
Mr. David Beveridge, Kelty, read an informative paper on
“The Supervision of Electrical Cables Underground.55 The
author began by saying that his view had all along been
that a cable belonged to the underground stage so soon as
it entered the mouth of the shaft. He had seen cables
introduced into shafts at depths varying from 800 to 2,000
feet, and he had had experience of both armoured and
unarmoured cables at these depths. He considered it
would simplify matters very much when putting in cables
if the makers would guarantee them to carry their own
weight. The paper gave rise to a profitable discussion,
taken part in by Messrs. R. G. M. Prichard, H.M. inspector
of mines, R. W. Peters (Lochgelly), C. C. Reid (Cowden-
beath), and Neil A. Wilkie (Bowhill).

The Standard is devoting weekly a page to engineering
and shipbuilding topics.

The South Garesfield Colliery Company Limited recently
entertained their officials at the annual dinner, and a
beautiful silver cake stand and a set of gold sleeve links
were presented to the under-manager, Mr. John Lawson, by
the underground officials and deputies, in recognition of his
services in giving them instruction to enable them to obtain
their firemen’s and deputies’ certificates. In responding,
Mr. Lawson, who is lecturer on mining at Rutherford
College, Newcastle, said he had given instruction to 500
deputies and others since August of last year, and practically
all had been successful in obtaining their certificates.

The fire which broke oat on January 11 in the Yard mine
of the Moss Collieries, Ince, near Wigan, belonging to the
Pearson and Knowles Coal and Iron Company Limited, was
finally overcome last week-end. During the recovery
operations valuable assistance was rendered by the rescue
teams from the local collieries.

Mr. S. J. Bridges, the late underground manager at the
Cadeby Colliery, Conisboro5, has been appointed general
manager of the Bred bury Colliery, near Stockport, and has
just entered upon his duties.

The president, Prof. F. E. Weiss, presided at a
meeting of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical
Society on the 21st inst., at which Prof. Harold B.
Dixon, F.R S , gave an account of “ Experiments on Abel’s
Theory that Incombustible Dusts Act Catalytically on
Igniting Weak Mixtures of Methane and Air,55 carried out
by himself and Mr. H. M. Lowe. He said the experiments
on which Abel founded his conclusions had been repeated on
a similar scale at the Home Office Station at Eskmeals
during the past year with negative results, and Abel’s
explanation had been experimentally examined at the
Manchester University. Abai’s explanation involved the
assumption that an amount of combustible gas, which is
insufficient to propagate flame in a mixture, could, by
suffering partial combustion, bring the remainder into an
explosive state. The heating up of a gas mixture by an
external source of heat increased its explosive power; but
this was not found to be true if the heat is derived from
the burning of the gas itself. Prof. Dixon and Mr. Lowe
had heated up mixtures of coal gas and air, and mixtures
of methane and air by means of a long platinum spiral