March 7, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 509 Coal Testing by Calorimeter. H. R. Carter. “ Pract. Engin.,” vol. 47, 1349, p. 6-7. Direct and Indirect Methods of Determination of Heating Values. “ Gas World,” vol. 58, 1485. P‘17-8. lOd. The Storing of Coal in Heaps. (Lagerung der Kohlen in Stapeln.) “ Kohle Erz,” 1912,13, p. 289-92. 2s. The Low-temperature Modification of Bituminous Coals to Form a Smokeless Domestic Fuel. “ Eng. News,” vol. 68, 26, p. 1192-3. 2s. The Clinkering of Coal Ash. E. B. Wilson. “ Coal Age,” vol. 2, 25, p. 862-4 ; 1 fig. (A proposal has been made that coals should be rated not so much on their calorimetric heat value, but on the minimum tempera- ture at which their slags are formed. The determina- tion of these slags by analysis to find their silicate type.) Is. 3d. The Determination of Water in Coal. “ Colliery Guard.,” vol. 105, 2719, p. 277; 2720, p. 326; 2721, p. 399 ; 2722, p. 437. (Report of International committee on analyses presented at eighth International Congress of Applied Chemistry.) XXV.—Steam Engines and Boilers. The Estimation of Smoke Damages in the Rhenish. Westphalian Industrial District. (Beitraege zur Beurteilung von Rauchschaden im rheinischwestfaeli- schen Industriegebiet.) P. Rippert. “ Gliickauf,” December 7, 1912, p. 1992 ; December 14, p. 2026 ; ill. 5s. Modern Steam Turbines for the Production and •Utili- sation of Low Pressure Steam. (Moderne Dampf- turbinen fuer Abgabe und Verwertung von Nieder- druckdampf.) Clemens -Meuskens. “ Braunkohle,” vol. 11, 1912, 9, p. 129-36. 8d. A New Method of Stoking Brown Coal and Brown Coal Briquettes. Pradel. (Ein neues Verfahren zur • Verfeuerung von Braunkohlen und Braunkohlen- briketts.) “ Braunkohle,” vol. 11, 1912,14, p. 209-10; 2 fig. 8d. A Steam-Gas Turbine. “ Colliery Guard,” vol. 105, 2719, p. 282. 6d. XXVI —Compressed Air. Advances in Air Compression and their Industrial Significance. Bernstein. (Die Fortschritte auf dem Gebiete der Drucklufterzeugung und deren . wirt- schaftliche Bedeutung.) “ Dingier s Polytechn. JI.,” October 5,1912, October 19, p. 660-65, November 2, p. 720. XXVII.—Electricity. Electric Equipment and Operation in Mining. L. Reiss. (Die elektrischen Anlagen in den Bergwerken.) “Bull. Soc. Ind. Mulhouse” 1912, p. 175-87. Electrical Safety Devices. John C. Preston. “ Pract. Elec, and Engin.,” November 1912, p. 14. Electrical Transmission for Mining and other Purposes in the Maritime Provinces, Canada. C. H. Wright. “ JI. Min. Soc. Halifax, vol. 17,1912, p. 45. Electrical Accidents in the Mines of Prussia in 1911. (Unfaelle in elektrischen Betrieben auf den Berg- werken Preussens im Jahre 1911.) “ Z. Bergw. Preuss vol. 60, 3, 1912, p. 255-75; ill. Electric Cables in Mines. W. T. Anderson. “ Colliery Guard,” vol. 105, 2720, p. 330; 2721, p. 399; 5 fig. (Abst. paper read before Manch. Geol. Min. Soc.) Is. XXVIII.—Surface Transport. The Bleichert Suspended Electric Railway Applied to the Exploitation of Mines. (Les Chemins Electriques suspendus Bleichert Appliques a 1’Exploitation des Mines.) “ Fer et Acier,” 1912, p. 150. New Achievements in Wire-rope Tramways for Mining and Metallurgical Purposes. (Neuere Ausfiihrungen von Drahtseilbahnen fur Bergbau- und Hiitten- zwecke.) E. Blau. “Montan. Rdsch,” 1912, p. 1205. 2s. 6d. Scheme of Loading from Stock Piles. (Vorschlag zur Enstapelung der Haldenbestaende.) Th. Mohrle. “ Kohle Erz,” December 9, 1912, p. 1274; ill. 2s. Equipment of an American Fleet Collier. R. L. Irvine. “ Page’s Weekly,” vol. 22,434, p. 14-8 ; 2 ill., 2 fig. Turntable for Mine Railways. (Plaque Tournante pour Voies de Mines, Montee sur Billes.) “ Genie Civil,\ 1912, vol. 61, 13, p. 267. A 100-ton Coal Car : Norfolk and Western Railway. “ Eng. News,” vol. 69, 3, p. 116-117. Opening of the New Methil Dock. “ Colliery Guard,” vol. 105, 2719, p. 284 ; 1 fig. 6d. XXIX. —Sanitation, Diseases, &c. Miners’ Nystagmus and the Illumination of the Coal Face. Dr. T. L. Llewellyn. “ Trans. Inst. Min. Eng,” vol. 44, 1, p. 273-97; 5 tab. 1 diag. 8s. Ankylostomiasis in Sicily. “ Colliery Guard,” vol. 105, 2721, p. 388. 6d. XXX. —Mining Laws, Royalties. The Taxation of Coalmining in Alsaca-Lorraine. (Die Besteuerung des Steinkohlenbergbaues in Elsass- Lothringen.) H. E. Boeker. “ Gliickauf,” Novem- ber 23,1912, p. 1917. 2s. 9d. Notes on Historical Development of Mining Law. H. C. Hoover and L. H. “ Engin. Min. JI,” 1912, p. 823. Is. 6d. Proposed Workmen’s Compensation Act for Penn- sylvania. “ Coal Tr. Bull,” December 2, 1912, p. 30. BOOK NOTICES. Coal: Its Origin, Method of Working and Preparation for Market. By F. H. Wilson. London: Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons. Price Is. 6d. A readable little book. It forms one of Messrs. Pitman’s series on the “Common Commodities of Commerce.” It may be commended as being well adapted as a reader in the higher standards of elementary schools in the colliery districts. The Mining Manual and Mining Year Book, 1913 By Walter R. Skinner. London: W. R. Skinner and Financial Tinies. Price 15s. net. “The Mining Manual,” which has now reached its 27th year, has been amalgamated with its more youthful congener, and the dimensions of this indispensable publication continue to expand, yet the price remains unaltered. Particulars of no less than 3,050 companies are given in the body of the work, covering 1,034 pages, whilst an alphabetical index refers to no less than 5,350. There are also alphabetical lists of mining directors, secretaries, engineers and mine managers, these being supplemented by a dictionary of mining terms. The whole is surprisingly up to date, and we cannot imagine anyone closely associated with the mining industry who can afford to be without Mr. Skinner’s famous annual. The Russian Year Book for 1913. Compiled and edited by Howard P. Kennard, M.D, assisted by Netta Peacock. London: Eyre and Spottis- woode Limited. This is the third issue of the Russian Year Book, and testifies to the growing commercial sympathy between this country and Russia. The contents are encyclo- paedic, and amongst them the coalowner and exporter will find much to interest him, notably in the sections on mining, ways of communication, ports and shipping, and exports and imports. In the first of these will be found a useful list of the principal mines and their output, and a concise account of the country’s resources both in Europe and in Asia. There are some excellent maps, including one showing the average dates of opening and closing of navigation. Explosives. By H. Brunswig. Translated and anno- tated by C. E. Munroe and A. L. Kibler, xvi. + 350 pp. New York : Wiley and Sons. London : Chapman and Hall. Price 12s. 6d. net. This book just falls short of being good, but it is useful. From previous experience of German hand- books of the same type we can imagine that the original was excellent, but the American “ annotation ” is not an improvement. The book is described as “ a synoptic and critical treatment of the literature of the subject as gathered from various sources.” The “ synoptic ” treatment involves the collecting together of references to as many original papers in technical and scientific journals as may be considered to have any bearing, direct or indirect, on the subject of explosions and explosives. This makes the book useful. It is in the “ critical ” treatment that failure is apparent, and we cannot but believe that the annotation mentioned above has included the cutting out of much theoretical and explanatory material. However, anyone who reads the book can draw his own conclusions from the facts quoted, and if he thinks that all the facts have not been properly set forth, he can consult the original papers to which references are given. The Gas Engineer’s Annual. Edited by Charles W. Hastings. London and Birmingham: J. G. Hammond and Co. The main feature of this annual, which has reached its thirty-fourth year, is a directory of gas undertakings, both in this country and in the colonies, showing officials, population, capital, amount of coal carbonised, make and sale of gas, prices, &c. Other features are a directory of gas industries, and a useful gasworks daily journal. The Gas World Year Book. 1913. Edited by John Douglas. London: John Allan and Co. Price 7s. 6d. A considerable portion of this widely-appreciated year book consists of an interleaved diary printed on superior ruled paper. This is followed by a gasworks directory, with an index to officials. The remainder comprises numerous handy tables for gas managers, a “ model ” gas Bill, and an article on the law relating to the gas industry. South Staffordshire and Warwickshire Institute of Mining Engineers.—A special general meeting will be held at the University, Edmund-street, Birmingham, on Monday afternoon, March 10, at 3 p.m., when the following paper, “ Suggestions on the Development of^New Colliery Districts, with special reference to Support of Surface,” will be read by Mr. Hubert Bradshaw. The adjourned discussion of the paper : “ Notes on the Valuation of Mineral Properties,” by Mr. T. A. O’Donahue, will be continued. Hull Coal Exports.—The official return of the exports of coal from Hull for the week ending Tuesday, February 25, 1913, is as follows: — Antwerp, 350 tons ; Algiers, 553; Amsterdam, 1,077; Alexandria, 4,172; Bandholm, 1,271; Bilbao, 1,509; Bruges, 609; Buenos Ayres, 3,544; Bremen, 2,744; Copenhagen, 2,969; Christiania, 955; Drammen, 447; Dunkirk, 1,461; Drontheim, 108; Fredrikstad, 392; Genoa, 4,097; Guernsey, 229; Gothenburg, 402; Ghent, 399; Harlingen, 1,207; Hamburg, 9,093; Harburg, 2,099; Karachi, 410; Libau, 6,267 ; Leghorn, 215; Nakskov, 1,599; Naples, 1,010; Odense, 2,222; Oporto, 896; Oxelosund, 3,407; Pernambuco, 5,562; Ronneby, 1,390; Rouen, 1,639; Reval, 5,179; Riga, 1,050; Rotterdam, 1,351; Stettin, 2,586 > Santos, 5,332; Uddevalla, 803; Venice, 793; total, 81,398 tons; corresponding period last year, 69,967 tons. ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 2657 (1912). Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Overwinding at Collieries, Mines or Other Places. W. H. Ashton, of 147, Hodges-street, Wigan, Lancashire.—It has been suggested to prevent excessive speed in apparatus of this type to provide an independent stop member to co-operate with a further treadle member which is brought into engagement with it by the action of a governor to actuate the shutting off of the steam or application of the brake whenever the cage is exceeding a predetermined speed limit. According to the present invention, however, the same stop member which is moved into contact with the treadle for shutting off the steam or applying the brake at a predetermined point of the wind, is moved nearer to the treadle by a governor so that the steam is shut off at an earlier point from the end of the wind whenever the speed is excessive. A rotary shaft is, for instance, arranged 7^3 to be turned at a predetermined position in the wind operate a beaked cam to bring it into coptact with a treadle on the operating lever for the brake. In the construction, for instance, in which the above mentioned stop member takes the form of beaked cams, according to the present invention there is arranged a connection between the beaked cams and the shaft whereby the angular position of these latter relatively to the shaft may be altered by the opera- tion of a governor. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus ; fig. 2 an end elevation thereof ; fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus looking in the direction of the arrow, fig. 2; fig. 4 is a plan view ; and fig. 5 a detail view of the shaft that works the beak cams, showing how the latter are adjusted by the governor. (Six claims.) 2944 (1912). Improvements in Doors for CoIce Ovens and the like.—H. J. Limberg, of 47, Hollandstrasse, Gelsen- kirchen III., Germany.—Tris invention relates to firedoors especially for coke ovens intended for the dry distillation of pit coal, brown coal, peat, wood, and the like, and to that type of door which is tapered or bevelled along its closing edge to fit a corresponding seating in the door frame and is provided with asbestos or other similar packing either upon or adjacent its face or upon the seating in the doorframe for the purpose of securing an efficient sealing of the door