Ma.y 30, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1125 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Forthcoming Annual Meetings. _______ International Geological Congress— August 21, 1913 (Toronto) North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers _________________ August 2,1913 Manchester Geological and Mining Society— October 14, 1913 Institution of Mining Engineers— June 5 & 6, 1913 (London) Sept. 24, 25 & 26, 1913 (Manchester) Midland Institute of Mining, Civil and Mechanical Engineers _________________ July 20, 1913 Midland Counties Institution of Engineers, Sept. 1913 South Staffordshire and Warwickshire Institute of Mining Engineers____________October 20, 1913 ___________________________________________ W (Mierij Guardian. LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1913. _____________________ After a secession extending over some months, the anthracite district of miners have now decided to re-join the South Wales Miners’ Federation. The London meeting of the Institution of Mining Engineers will be held at Burlington House on Thursday next. The annual dinner takes place the same evening. Dr. W. N. Atkinson, the divisional inspector •of mines, was on Thursday of last week appointed to fill the post of president of the South Wales Institute of Engineers to the end of the year, the vacancy having been caused through the death of the president, the late Prof. A. C. Elliott. It was decided that a grant of £100 be made to the widow and children of the late Prof. Elliott, in recognition of his valuable services to mining, and that a subscrip- tion list be opened to members to supplement the grant. A valuable paper on “ Underground Conveying ” was contributed by Mr. S. Mavor. The Home Secretary gives notice that on the retirement, at the end of this month, of Mr. J. B. Atkinson, H.M. inspector of mines, the present Newcastle and Durham mines inspection districts will be amalgamated to form a northern mines inspection division. Mr. J. R. R. Wilson, the inspector now in charge of the Liverpool and North Wales district, has been appointed to dbe divisional inspector in charge of the new division, and Mr. A. D. Nicholson, now in charge of the Durham district, has been appointed to take charge of the Liverpool and North Wales district in place of Mr. Wilson. The concluding conference of the Mining Association of Great Britain representing the coalowners and of the Miners’ Federation repre- senting the men, was held on Friday, at the Westminster Palace Hotel, London, for the purpose of further considering the amendments to the draft regulations made by the Home Office for the administration of the Coal Mines Act of 1911. Some further progress towards agreement was made by the parties. The parties will now meet the Home Secretary on Tuesday next. An important conference was held at New- castle on Tuesday between members of the Northumberland Miners’ Association and repre- sentatives of the Coalowners’ Association to discuss the working of the three-shift system in the county. The matter was discussed for three hours, and at the close it was announced that the owners were unable to agree to the abolition of the three-shift system. They were willing however, to consider any proposal that might be submitted to them for a modification of it. Further meetings will probably be held. The wages of Northumberland miners were advanced by 6J per cent, at a meeting of the Wages Committee and the coalowners, held at the Coal Trade Offices, Newcastle, on Saturday. This advance raises wages to 48f per cent, above the basis of 1879 in the case of under- ground workers and banksmen, and 39 per cent, in respect of other classes of surface labour. The Mining Machinery Exhibition at the Agricultural Hall was opened yesterday before a distinguished company by Lord Ellesmere. The King has been pleased to award the Edward Medal of the first class to G. Fisher and H. Hulley, colliery deputies of the Cadeby Mine; and the Edward Medal of the second class to J. E. Chambers, colliery manager, Cortonwood Colliery ; W. H. Prince, colliery contractor ; Herbert Williamson, mechanical engineer at the Denaby and Cadeby Collieries ; and Sergeant W. Winch, instructor at Wath Rescue Station. An Order has been issued approving the “ Ceag ” miners’ safety lamp for use in mines. A meeting of the Scottish Coal Trade Con- ciliation Board was held on Monday in the North British Station Hotel, Glasgow, for the purpose of considering a claim by the Scottish Miners’ Federation for an increase of wages and a counter claim by the Coalowners’ Association for a reduction. No decision was come to, and the meeting of the Conciliation Board was adjourned till June 10. _________________________ Only a few weeks ago the Mining first English translation of Machinery. Agricola’s De re Metallica was published by the Mining Magazine, London, the result of the arduous labours of Mr. Herbert Clark Hoover and his accomplished wife. The original work was written in Latin and published in Germany in the year 1556, and is an elaborate description of mining methods and mining machinery as known at that time. If the author, Georgius Agricola, or Georg Bauer, were, by some psychical means, to visit the Royal Agricultural Hall (curious association of names!) and see the perfection at which mining machinery has arrived to-day, he would, no doubt, still be able to trace much of its origin in the primitive mechanisms with which he was familiar. The tendency of inventive genius has ever been to find new applications or modify and adapt old ones to meet the advancing needs of civilisation, and the progress which has been made in mining machinery has been so steady that change can only be fully realised by comparing relatively distant periods. The ceremony of opening the Mining Machinery Exhibition was performed by the Earl of Ellesmere, who is one of the largest coalowners in the United Kingdom. His lordship’s collieries, which are situated near Worsley, in Lancashire, employ about 5,000 men below and above ground, and form part of the Bridgwater estate, which was left in trust by the third and last Duke of Bridgwater in 1803, the trust only expiring a few years ago. The coal industry of Lancashire is particularly indebted to the family of the Earl of Elles- mere, for his lordship’s ancestor, the last Duke of Bridgwater, constructed the famous Bridg- water Canal. The canal extended in the first instance from Worsley to Manchester, a distance of 7 miles, and was designed by the great engineer, James Brindley, who superintended its con- struction. The canal was subsequently extended to Liverpool, and to the tideway of the Mersey. “ This immensely profitable navigation origi- nated with the late excellent and patriotic Duke of Bridgwater, who individually and courageously undertook to expend an almost princely fortune in effecting this scheme, the object of which was to supply the manufactories, &c., of Manchester, with coal from his estate at Worsley.” (The Beauties of England and Wales, by John Britton, F.S.A., 1807). Although the primary object of the canal was to provide an outlet for the minerals of the Bridgwater estate, it had the effect of generally opening out the industries of the locality, and has been of enormous public benefit. As has been usual with all the Exhibitions with which Mr. H. Greville Montgomery has been associated, the Mining Machinery Exhibition now being held at the Royal Agri- cultural Hall is purely of a business character, and there are no side-shows. This, and the fact that the Exhibition is entirely devoted to mining, in distinction from the International Exhibitions which have been from time to time promoted by Government, make it thoroughly worth the while of all mining men who have the opportunity to visit it. There is ever a fascina- tion to the lay mind in moving machinery, and it would be next to impossible for a visitor to leave the Exhibition without having added something of value to his store of knowledge. ___________________________ Trade Summary. The London coal trade for all household qualities is exceedingly quiet. The depots are working very slowly, and the stocks are gradually accumulating. The actual consumption is at its lowest level. Kitchen qualities and stove coals are the only qualities used. The seaborne market, however, continues brisk, very little being on offer, and gas coals are also firm. Manufacturing coals are unaffected by the hot weather, and are in good demand. Small nuts and slacks are selling freely. The prompt market at Newcastle is very dull, and prices have fallen. The collieries, however, are well stemmed. The Durham coal trade is dull, and supplies of all descriptions are more freely offered. Tonnage difficulties loom ahead. The demand for Lancashire house coal is easier, but prices remain firm. Other branches of the trade are steady, although slack is rather more readily procurable. West Yorkshire house coal is less in request, and a portion is being led to stock. Manufacturing sorts are in fair demand. South Yorkshire hards are fairly firm, but the demand for household varieties is easier. The coke output is large. There is a diminished demand for Derbyshire house coal, but the call for manufacturing fuel is as great as ever, and the export trade continues active. At Cardiff there is little change to record. The output is still below the normal, and prices vary but little, with high rates for forward shipment. The small coal market i8 weak. Monmouthshire coals are slightly easier, and house coals are also weaker. Labour troubles have interfered with shipments in Scot, land and, generally speaking, supplies are more plentiful. __________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. 1/H /10i /10 /lot 1/4 to 1/5 44/6 to 45/ 43/6 to 44/ Tar Products.—There is not very much business passing* Pitch is easy, and in spite of the warmer weather prevailing carbolics continue to fall away in price. Benzols are steady, but solvent naphtha and creosote are inclined to be easier. Nearest values are:— Benzols, 90’s .............................. Do. 50’s .............................. Do. 90’s North........................ Do. 50’s North............................ ...... 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. (f.o.b. 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.—Things are very quiet in all positions. In the present state of the market forward business is naturally out of the question. The outlook in some directions is not very encouraging, but the season of shortened production among gas companies is almost at its height, which is a factor of considerable importance. Prices, though lower, are more or less nominal, closing prompt prices being:— London (ordinary makes)............ JH2/12/6 Beckton (certain terms) ............ JB12/17/6 Liverpool.................................. -£13 Hull ............................... JH2/I8/9 Middlesbrough .................... J812/17/6 Scotch ports......................... 4*13/5/ to JJ13/7/6 Nitrate of soda (ordinary) per cwt. ... U/H [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2| per cent, dis- count-, 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality-, allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.]