THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 449 February 28, 1913 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________ man, was held in Edinburgh on Tuesday, when the claim by the miners for 25 per cent, increase was argued. At the close of the meeting, which lasted five hours, Lord Balfour intimated that he would consider his decision. A meeting of the executive of the Lanarkshire Miners’ Association was held in Glasgow on Saturday. The executive had under consideration reports from various parts of Lanarkshire in connection with contracting for ordinary coal-getting. After discussion it was decided that the secretary should communicate witlj the Coal- masters’ Association suggesting that a joint meeting should be arranged with a view to arriving at an amicable solution of the difficulty. Mr. Pvobertson reported that at the pits of the Summerlee Iron Company, Bellshill, the agreement referring to the employment of non-union labour had not yet been put into operation. The executive expressed dissatisfaction with the state of affairs, and instructed the agent to take steps to enforce the abolition of non-unionism by calling out the men if necessary. The monthly meeting of the executive board of the Fife and Kinross Miners’ Association was held at Dunfermline last week. Arrangements were made for a number of meetings being held in the principal mining centres of the two counties, the object being to organise the pithead workers. At the same time, it was decided to hold a series of meetings, at which there will be discussed the working conditions of colliery firemen. After a report had been submitted as to alleged partial reductions of wages of oncost workers at a colliery in the middle of Fife, Mr. James Robertson, one of the secretaries, was appointed to take whatever steps might be deemed necessary to protect the interests of the men. __________________________________________ — PROGRESS. — ...____________ By-Product Coke in America. C. W. Andrews, in the Transactions ol the American Institute of Mining Engineers, gives an account of the development of by-product coke manufacture in the United States. The first by-product coke plant in the United States, consisting of 12 ovens, was put in opera- tion at Syracuse, in January 1893. At Glassport, in 1897, for the first time, gas was sold for illuminating purposes, although it was mixed with water-gas to make it marketable. The New England Coke and Gas Com- pany started the plant in Boston in 1899, manufacturing for the first time illuminating gas, suitable for sale, without enrichment. The following list of illuminating gas plants in order of construction will give a good idea of the rapid growth of this method of combined gas and coke manufacture :—Hamilton, Ohio ; Detroit, Mich.; Camden, N.J.; Baltimore, Md.; Chester, Pa.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Duluth, Minn.; Geneva, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Indianapolis, Ind. In addition to these there are now under construction plants at Muncie, Ind.; Joliet, Ill. and Waukegan, Ill., all of which will produce illuminating gas and metallurgical coke. During the same period, plants have been built at the following points, of pig iron or steel production :—Birmingham district; Ben- wood, W. Va.; South Sharon, Pa.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Lebanon, Pa.; Steelton, Pa.; Cleveland, Ohio; Joliet, Ill.; Gary, Ind., with plants at Bethlehem, Pa., and Mayville, W is., under construction. With comparatively few exceptions, all the steel- plants and blastfurnaces lying outside the coking coal district receive almost their whole coke supply from the by-product ovens. This is a most decided change from 15 years ago, when Cambria was practically alone in the field. In 1907 the total production of coke in the United States was 40,780,000 tons, of which 5,608,000 tons were produced in by-product ovens, and 35,172,000 tons in beehive ovens. In 1911, out of 35,555,000 tons, 7,848,000 tons was by-product, and 27,707,000 tons was from beehive ovens. A very large proportion of the total beehive coke is produced in the central coking district, and the present beehive ovens are ample to take care of the demand during ordinary years, con- sequently if the by-product plants were built by the present operators it would result in the loss of the large investment in beehive ovens necessary for a corres- ponding output. In addition, the operators would practically be unable profitably to sell the gas for illuminating purposes, owing to the competition of natural gas. There is no doubt but that the gradual exhaustion of the coal and gas fields will eventually lead to the use of by-product ovens throughout the district, since the increase of practically 10 per cent, in yield obtained by the by-product ovens, and a market for illuminating gas, will eventually become of enough importance to justify the move. The completion of the plant of the Lehigh Coke Company, near Bethlehem, Pa., and that of the Minnesota Steel Company, at Duluth, together with others in prospect, will soon make most of the steel plants outside of the Pittsburg district self-contained so far as the coke supply is concerned. As far back as 1898 the use of producer-gas to heat the ovens either wholly or in part was suggested by Dr. Schniewind, and an experimental installation was actually made at Boston for this purpose. Its use, how- ever, was not extended, owing to various reasons. Within the past two or three years, however, conditions at certain points have become more favourable for this form of gas production, and several systems have been devised whereby combination ovens are constructed. These ovens are so designed that either producer gas or lean oven gas can be used for heating the brickwork. In this way the ovens can be designed to take care of the summer consumption under most favourable con- ditions, and a producer-gas plant can take care of the increase in the winter consumption. This development will, no doubt, lead to the construction of a large number of comparatively small by-product plants throughout the United States. These plants would ordinarily make sufficient metallurgical coke to supply the needs of the local foundries and sell the remainder of the production for domestic use. Apparently the final result of by-product oven con- struction will be the gradual spread of coke manufacture over practically the whole country instead of in the coking-coal districts. ___________________________________________________ C0HT1HEHTAL HIHISG ROTES. Belgium. Coke Plant at Terneuzen.—Much interest is being shown in the large coke oven installation which is being erected at Ternei zen, by an association of five large steelworks in the Longwy district of France, especially as it is intended to use British coking coal. The establishment will cover an area of about 60 acres, and it is bordered by the Ghent- Terneuzen Canal on one side and the Mechlin-Terneuzen Railway on the other. Coal handling plant has been pro- vided, capable of dealing with 100 tons of coal per hour, and there are four large silos with a total capacity of 30,000 tons. It is reported that plant is now being laid down for a production of 300,000 tons of coke per annum, whilst there is scope for eventually doubling this output. Already two batteries of Coppee regenerative by-product ovens have been installed, and one battery without regeneration; a second battery of the latter type of ovens will be in operation during March. There is, in addition, a central condensing station, sulphate and benzol purification plant and a tar distillery. The power plant comprises 14 Cornish boilers and a generating station equipped with three 600-horse power dynamos. Independent of the foregoing are a coal washery, laboratory, workshopr, &c., whilst for the employees a model township has been erected. The whole installation is expected to be in operation in April. _______________________ France. At the end of the year there were 383,879 tons of coal in stock at the various French ports, as against 326,273 tons at the end of 1911, 409,441 tons in 1910, and 327,405 tons in 1909. Of the total, 130,622 tons were in stock at Havre, 87,818 tons at Marseilles, and 27,012 tons at Bordeaux. According to the provisional figures issued, 19,887,646 tons of coal, coke, and briquettes were imported into France in 1912, valued at 458 million francs, whilst 2,338,074 tons, valued at 50 million francs, were exported ; the duties paid on entry amounted to 23,851,000 fr. In 1911 19,743,677 tons (453 million francs) were imported, 1,649,884 tons (35 million francs) exported, import duties amounting to 23,689,000 fr. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—Steady but quiet is the tone of the market. Pitch keeps very firm. Benzols and carbolics about tha same. Naphthas are unchanged. Nearest values are:— _________________ Benzols, 90’s London Do. * ’ ' Do. Do. Toluol Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.) ......... Do. crystals (40 per cent.)............... Solvent naphtha (as in quality and package) ... Crude ditto (in bulk) ..................... Creosote (for ordinary qualities) ........... Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) ................... Do. (f .a.s. "west coast) ................... Do. (gas companies)..................... [Bensols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at makers’ works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.] Sulphate of Ammonia.—There is not very much business of any moment passing, for several satisfactory reasons; but prices are well maintained, and the enquiry for forward, delivery is reasonable. Closing prompt prices are:— London (ordinary makes)........... Beckton (March-April)............. Liverpool_____...................... Hull ............................ Middlesbrough ................... Scotch ports....................... Nitrate of soda (ordinary) per cwt. ... [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2j per cent, dis- industrial buyers and retailers, and are obtaining good for refraction, nothing for excess.] Germany. Upper Silesia State Collieries New Price List.— Open- burning coals: Large 13’50-13’80 marks, cubes 13’50-13 80 marks, nuts I. 13’60-13-80 marks, II. 12-12’10 marks, washed nuts II. 12’10-12’60 marks, peas 10’30-10’50 marks, washed peas 10 20-11 marks, through-and-through 1190 marks, smalls I. 10’30-10’40 marks, screened smalls 9 20-9’30 marks, washed slack 9 30 marks, dust 5’20-5’70 marks. Gas and bituminous coals: Large 13’50-14’20 marks, cubes 13 50- 14*20 marks, nuts I. 14’20 marks, II. 12’10-12’80 marks, peas 10’20-11’50 marks, through-and-through 12’50 marks, smalls 11 marks. Coal Market in Upper Silesia.—The Coal Convention has removed all restrictions on the output of coal, and has decided not to reduce prices for the coming summer. Both these measures show the favourable state of the market.1 In industrial fuel, the iron industry is a very large buyer, and likely to remain so, and gas coals are selling well, whilst house coal is also in satisfactory demand. Owing to the requirements of the home market, the export trade has to be somewhat neglected. The coke trade continues in undiminished activity. i Coal Market in South Germany.—Merchants are now busy trymg to complete contracts for Ruhr coal with small COunt; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality; allowance prices with much difficulty. The Gas Coke Convention has not yet fixed the prices for the coming year, but they are expected to show an increase of about 1 mark per ton. The wintry weather has made the house coal trade more.active, but broken coke is the only fuel that is scarce. Ruhr Coal Market.—The fact that the Syndicate is no longer so willing to take over the whole output of coal from the pits is regarded in some quarters as a sign of coming depreesion, but is really due to over-production in certain qualities, and there seems no real reason to antici- pate any falling off in business yet awhile. The volume of traffic is enormous, and the chief coal consumer, the iron industry, is busy for a long while ahead. House coal is quiet* but gas coal active, particularly for export. Belgium’ Holland, and North Germany are all good buyers, and English coal is too dear to count. Business in South Germany is less brisk again but still very good, and stocks are generally low. The coke market is unchanged. ___________________________________________________ TBE IRISH 00&L TR£DE. Thursday, February 27. Dublin. The local trade continues to show a fair amount of activity in most branches, and prices generally remain, unchanged. There is only a moderate supply in the port although the import trade has improved during the past week, the colliers delayed by the recent fogs having been enabled to reach their berths owing to finer weather. City prices stand as follow:—Best Orrell, 27s. per ton; best Arley, 26s.; best Whitehaven, 25s.; best Wigan, 25s.; best kitchen, 23s.; best Orrell slack, 21s.; house coal, retail. Is. 5d. to Is. 7d. per sack; coke, from 23s. to 25s. per ton. The average price of steam coal is about 22s. per ton. Pit mouth prices of Irish coals, at Wolf hill, Queen’s County, are:—Large coal, 21s. 6d. per ton; small house- hold, 20?i; gas-producer coal, 20s.; culm, 6s. 8d. The coal- ing vessels arriving during the week amounted to 60, chiefly from Garston, Liverpool, Preston, Ayr, Irvine, Newcastle- on-Tyne, Manchester, Glasgow, Neath Abbey, Newport, Partington, Whitehaven, Swansea, Girvan, Ardrossan> Trcon, Workington, and Campbeltown. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 26,000 tons. Belfast. There is no particular change in any direction, the market keeping very firm and rates unchanged. The demand generally is good, and supplies are rather more satisfactory this week. City prices are:—Best Arley coal, 26s. 6d. per ton; Hartley, 25s. 6d.; Wigan, 24s. 6d.; Orrell nuts, 25s. 6d. 5 Scotch house, 22s. 6d. ; Orrell slack, 22s. 6d. Quotations ex - quay: — Arley house coal, 22s. 8d. per ton; Scotch household, 19s. 6d.; Scotch steam coal, 17s. to 18s. per ton; navigation steam, 17s. to 18s.; Welsh steam, 20s.j English steam slack, 16s. per ton delivered. Beween tha 2nd and 16th inst. the number of coaling vessels entering- the port was 117. For the two years ending December 31, 1911 and 1912, the total quantity of coal imported to Belfast was 1,317.299 tons and 1,338,915 tons respectively for those periods, and the quantity exported 23,724 tons and 34,436 tons. The quantity of coke imported was 14,018 tons and and 10,986 tons, while only 4 tons were exported. Cargoes arriving during the past week were chiefly from West Bank» Swansea, Glasgow, Sharpness, Saundersfoot, Neath Abbey* Workington, Girvan, Newport, Ellesmere Port, Point-of- Aire, Whitehaven, Garston, Ayr, Troon, Partington^ Ardrossan, Preston, Maryport and Manchester. __________________________ ..................... 50’s London ..................... .................................. 90’s North.. 50’s North .. lOf to /Il /10| /IO to 10£ /10 /10| 1/ni 1/04 /34 49/ to 49/6 47/6 to 49/ 50/ to 52/ £13/8/9 £13/17/6 £14/5/0 £14/2/6£14/3/9 £14/2/6 £14/5 to £14/10/ 12/