March 20, 1913.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

697

portion never gave the value that it was supposed to give.
In other words, it was not pure methane. Now that he had
got an easy and not too expensive method of making
methane in quantity, he hoped to be able to settle the
problem of what percentages oxygen was necessary to
prevent gas ignition in a mine and to determine the limits,
lower and higher, for not only ordinary air but with air
containing less oxygen, such as was generally found in
mines in the return airways and at the working faces*
Some members might recall that he stated last year that
when air containing only 17 per cent, of oxygen was used,
an ignition was impossible, but he explained at the time
that these were merely preliminary experiments, and that
he was not at all satisfied with the purity of the methane.
He was still less satisfied with the results of other
investigators, who stated that they could get ignitions of
methane mixtures containing as little as 12 per cent, of
oxygen. Personally, he could not see how such mixtures
could be tested by applying a candle flame, for such a
method could only prove mixtures to be non-inflammable;
if they inflamed it proved nothing, because the gas mixed
with air richer in oxygen much more rapidly than some
people realised. The only way to really settle this problem
was to have a mixture of air with reduced oxygen passing
in a steady current through a vessel containing a burning
jet of acetylene, and to introduce into the current varying
quantities of methane. He was getting this fixed up now,
and would try the experiments within the next few days.

One process of making methane for experiments in the
laboratory which he tried was to take coal and pump off the
gas by means of a vacuum pump. One could easily obtain
large quantities of gas by this means, but it must be tested,
as it always contained other gases, such as oxygen and
nitrogen, carbon dioxide, &c., and he found that from most
coals the inflammable gas was not pure methane, and in
some cases, indeed, it was on the average as high in carbon
as to correspond to C3H8 and in one case to C4H10.
Usually, however, it corresponded to something between
marsh gas and ethane, indicating about 10 to 20 per cent, of
ethane and 90 to 80 per cent, marsh gas.

The question of the composition of firedamps, more
especially of the inflammable parts of them, as they occurred
in mines, was of great importance, and likely to become
more so. He wanted to call special attention to it because
the methods at present in use of estimating the inflammable
gas in mine air samples were only correct when the
inflammable part consisted of methane and nothing else.

The lecturer next referred to provisions of the Coal Mines
Act in regard to percentages and to the fact that the Home
Office was having many samples of mine air tested—with
a view, no doubt, to classifying the coalmines. He main-
tained that it would have been just as well to make sure
that the method of analysis used was approximately
correct before adopting it for use under the Act. Con-
sidering the lack of experience of the Home Office staff in
these matters, it would have been a prudent course for
them to have employed someone with at least some little
knowledge of fundamental chemistry to advise them.
Incidentally one would like to know what was meant by
| per cent., 1| per cent, and 2| per cent., which were used
so glibly in this Act. No doubt most chemists would take
it for granted that the volume percentage was implied. It
was of importance in the case of marsh gas, as 2| per cent,
by volume was only about 1| per cent, by weight. The
present method of assuming that the inflammable gas in
firedamp] was pure methane was not correct. It was not
fair to mine managers that they should be liable to prose-
cutions on these faulty methods of analysis. Worse still, it
was dangerous to go by the standards set up in the Act. A
mine atmosphere containing 2| per cent, of pure methane
in the absence of dust (a condition which rarely occurred)
might be regarded as safe, but with 2| per cent, of heavy
hydrocarbon gas it was very distinctly dangerous, even
without dust.

The results of further tests and analyses were submitted,
and Dr. Harger concluded : “ Firedamp appears to be held
in coal in two distinct, and possibly three distinct, physical
conditions. One part is given off rapidly at the working
face as soon as the coal is broken. This is contained in the
numerous small cavities in the coal under pressure, and the
pressure soon comes down to atmospheric. Another part of
it is held occluded by the surface, and a third partis dissolved
or absorbed in the coal substance. The evidence for this is
that part of the gas comes off very readily at ordinary
temperature when placed in [vacuo, and when no more can
be sucked off at ordinary temperature on heating the coal to
100 degs. Cent, a further large quantity comes off with a
rush. It is natural to regard the one portion as being held
by surface attraction and the other as being in solution, and
this is boiled < ff by increase in temperature. Coal is not
peculiar in this respect, as the same kind of phenomena have
been observed by various gases held by charcoal and by
palladium?'

It was agreed to let discussion on the paper be taken
at another meeting.

The Umpire has decided that unemployment contributions
under Part II. of the National Insurance Act are payable
in respect of workmen engaged wholly or mainly in the
manufacture or repair of coal and coke conveyors.

PITCH CANCER.

Home Office Enquiry.

Mr. Commissioner A. H. Lush, at Swansea, on the 12th inst.,
resumed the enquiry instituted by the Home Office into draft
regulations proposed to be adopted in the Welsh patent fuel
trade, with the object of preventing the occurrence of pitch
cancer, which has for some time prevailed amongst the
patent fuel workmen.

Evidence was given by medical .men as to cases which
have come under their notice and the treatment they have
received. Dr. Richard Edwards, consulting medical officer
in charge of the electrical department of the Swansea
Hospital, said malignant warty growths on the eye and
back of the neck yielded to electrical treatment.

A number of workmen were then called to speak as to
the conditions, and to express their opinions on the
precautions suggested. The general opinion was that the
men objected to compulsory bathing, but had no objection
to baths if sufficient facilities were provided. At presents
however, they had to wait so long for their turns that
some of the men went away without bathing. Washing
was a good thing, but the accommodation was insufficient.
A workman at the Pacific Works described the baths as
" grand,” and said only 25 per cent, of the men did not use
them. Asked why these did not avail themselves of the
opportunity, he said there were no facilities for keeping
clean underclothing.

On the 13th inst., Mr. Sydney Smith, special inspector of
dangerous trades to the Home Office, gave evidence as to
enquiries which he had made in regard to explosions in
certain works in the north which were found to have been
caused by the dust of the substances used. Explosions
that were thought to be due to gas were found to have been
caused by the dust in the atmosphere, and thereupon
recommendations were made as to encasing machinery and
keeping the upper spaces and beams clear of dust. He con-
sidered these important as applicable to the patent fuel
problem.

Mr. Hilditch (his Majesty's inspector, Swansea) gave
evidence as to the improvements effected at various works
in the district. On the whole, the men were making free
use of the bathing facilities. He did not consider the
facilities adequate in certain works. He thought the
recommendations of the Commissioner had had a fair trial.
More might be done in the direction of reducing dust than
was being done at present. There had been substantial
steps taken with regard to encasing the machinery and
regular sweeping out of the works. The use of overalls
had, he thought, not been so successful, and there had been
difficulty in finding the proper type of goggles. Experi-
ments had been tried of various classes of soap—some
specially prepared by manufacturers—and he had himself
recommended to the men and supplied to them a kind of
soap called pine-tar-oil soap, which was to follow the use of
the carbolic soap, and had a very soothing effect on the
skin. He agreed that employers had gone as far as, and
even exceeded, the recommendations made by the Com-
missioner.

On Friday the enquiry was transferred to Cardiff, Mr.
Commissioner A. H. Lush sitting at the Cardiff Law Courts.
During the course of the day evidence was given by a
number of patent fuel workers at factories in the Cardiff
district, many of whom had undertaken the experiments
suggested by the Commissioner in his report after the
preliminary enquiry. Most of these witnesses appeared to
be against the taking of baths at the works at the close of
the day's work in consequence of the burning sensations
and pain experienced when they went into the open air
especially on sunny days, or when there was a keen wind.
One witness declared the sensation after the bath to be
unbearable, and expressed the opinion that it would be much
better for the men to wash when they got home.

Mr. D’Arcy Hammett, assistant works manager at the
Crown Preserved Fuel Company's Works, Cardiff, referred
to the experimental baths and wash basins which had been
provided at these works since last summer. They had, he
said, a full equipment for the baths, and a general invitation
had been extended to all classes of workers to use the baths,
but with the exception of the nine men who volunteered
to have baths immediately after work for experimental
purposes there had been no regular users. Overalls had
also been tried for use at work, but the men complained
that they had no freedom, and that the heat was too great.

Mr. Jenkin Evans, manager of the Arrow Works of the
Cardiff and Newport Patent Fuel Company, said it was a
mystery to him how the men at Swansea could say that
they had derived relief from the use of baths immediately
after work. He had been a pitch worker in all the stages
of the industry and was firmly of the opinion the men
should be allowed to continue the old system of washing at
home in preference to the works when they were perspiring
and when they would be liable to catch cold walking home.
Referring to the fact that the epitheliomatous warts were
prevalent at some works and not at others, Mr Evans said
he could not say whether the difference in the cargoes
would explain it. Some cargoes of pitch burnt the men's
faces more than others, and he had noticed that the cargoes
that burnt most were those of richer pitch with a volatile
percentage of 56 to 66. The Arrow Works could not dea}
with pitch of that richness, but dealt with pitch with 50 to

> 56 percentage, and the men at the Arrow Works, Newport,
were not known to have been troubled with the warts. He
said they had spent .£200 at the Arrow Works, Newport
but the men had taken no advantage whatever of the bath
conveniences provided for them.

Mr. Ernest Heath, manager of the Star Patent Fuel
Works, Blackweir, urged that some of the suggestions put
forward by Captain Edwards in his evidence at Swansea on
Thuisday were not practical without the reconstruction of
the whole of the works. All the men employed at his works
lived within a few yards of the works.

The enquiry reached its close on Saturday at the Law
Courts, Cardiff.

The Comm ssioner said that on Friday he had visited the
Crown Patent Fuel Works at Cardiff, and he sincerely
congratulated the proprietors of those works on the
admirably-designed set of baths and storage for clothing
which they had installed at the works.

Mr. H. C. Downing was the first to address the Commis-
sioner on behalf of the Southampton Patent Fuel Company,
and he asked that they should be exempted from the
regulations on the ground that work was intermittent.

Mr. Gaskell, speaking on behalf of the employers, pointed
out that if further regulations were imposed upon the
patent fuel' manufacturers in some of the directions
suggested it would mean that in one or two cases the works
would have to be reconstructed, and no one could pretend
that regulations which would necessitate that .came
under the definition of “ reasonably practicable.” The
employers had responded very generously to the recom-
mendations made by the Commissioner in his report
both with regard to the encasing of machinery and
in the provision of washing facilities at the works.
The employers were anxious and willing to do what they
could, but it would be a very unfair thing to call upon
them to expend a great deal of money in putting up expen-
sive installations of baths unless there was a guarantee that
they would be made use of by the men. With regard to
the question of dust, he pointed out the impossibility of
ensuring that works of this character should be spotlessly
clean, but the companies had tackled the problem effectively,
as was shown by the evidence of the factory inspectors.
He thought that further regulations were unnecessary,
especially in view of the probable early discovery of a
process of eliminating the dangerous and deleterious sub-
stances from the pitch before it reached the patent fuel
manufacturers. It was perfectly obvious that the men were
strongly opposed to any compulsory order.

Mr. Llewelyn Williams, K C., who appeared for the Home
Office, reminded the Commissioner of his experience of two
years ago, at the first enquiry, when*a relay of decrepit men,
haunted by the fear of a terrible disease, entered the
witness-box, and assured the court that they and their mates
would welcome bathing and washing facilities, even at the
expense of a restriction of their liberties by the inclusion
of an element of compulsion. The experiments that had
been tried since that time—although they showed that the
men, particularly at Swansea, were adverse to compulsion—
also proved that a great improvement had been effected,
not-only in the appearance, but in the health of the work-
men, and it would be a regrettable thing if the washing
and bathing facilities already provided at some of the
works were not extended to every factory in the patent fuel
manufacturing districts. He (Mr. Williams) contended
that, even if the experiments of Dr. Ross in the elimination
of the dangerous elements in pitch were entirely successful,
it would still be necessary, owing to their limited know-
ledge, to put forward regulations for the protection and
comfort of the men. They had not yet ascertained the
reason why pitch warts and cancer were common in some
works and almost unknown in others. That and other
unexplained facts which still existed necessitated a
continuation and extension of protective measures.

Coal Imports at Scottish Ports.—A meeting of the
Arbroath Harbour Trustees was held on the 11th inst., at
which it was decided to defend an action raised in the
Court of Session by the Arbroath Friendly Coal Society
against the Trustees in connection with the importation
of English coal. It appears that Messrs. Henry and
Macgregor, steamship owners, Leith, have a composition
with the Arbroath Harbour Trustees for the importation of
coal from Scottish pits, and the Arbroath Friendly Coal
Society approached the Trustees asking a composition for
the importation of English coal, which the Trustees have
refused on the ground that composition is only granted for
Scottish coal. The society hold that the Trustees cannot
differentiate between the various kinds of coal. They have
accordingly raised an action in the Court of Session against
the Harbour Trustees for declarator that the Trust, in
arranging with owners or masters of vessels engaged as
regular packets or traders or with any other persons using
the harbour for the payment of rates and duties less than
the rates and duties which they are authorised to levy
under the Harbour Acte, are not entitled to make any
discrimination between coal imported from any port or
place in Scotland and coal imported from any port or place
in England, or between coal produced in Scotland and coal
produced in England.