024 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. August 7, 1914. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ falls into the bunkers K K, whilst part of the dust passes over into the bunkers K St, the remainder being retained by the filters B. This dust is automatically knocked off the filter bags, and also drops into the bunker K St. About 90-100 tons of fine dust, with about 9 per cent, of ash, are collected in a day of 12 hours, and added to the washed coal at the cokery. The suction fans also draw dust from the tippler room and other parts of the classifying plant, and thus improve the hygienic condi- tion of the whole. ________________________ THE HESWALL BORING/' By A. Strahan, Sc.D., LL.D., F.R.S. This boring was made in the year 1908 on the shore of the Dee Estuary, west of Heswall. The site, which is about 20 ft. above O.D., is 40 yds. inland from the edge of the cliff, and 180 yds. north of Bank-road. We were indebted to Mr. F. W. North, F.G.S., for an opportunity of examining the cores while the boring was in progress, and for permission to publish this account of them. The boring commenced below the glacial deposits in the upper mottled sandstone.f The site is 1,100 yds. west of the base of the lower keuper sandstone, and about 290 ft. below it. Allowance being made for an assumed average dip of 2 degs., it may be estimated that the section commences about 400 ft. below the top of the upper mottled sandstone. Except in the upper part the hole was kept at a uniform diameter of 3 in. to the lowest depth reached. Section of the Heswall Boring. (Abstract of a section drawn up by Mr. Schill and communicated by Mr. F. W. North.) Depth from surface. Thickness. Glacial— Ft. in. Ft. in. Clay, pebbles and gravel....... 60 0 ... 60 0 Upper mottled sandstone— Soft red and white sandstone ... 1(8 0 ... 168 0 Pebble beds— Red quartzitic sandstone, mica- ceous in parts, with pebble beds from 903 to 1,064 feet, and from 1,098 to 1,102 feet............ 934 0 ...1,102 Lower mottled sandstone— Mottled and red-spotted sand- stone, yellow and white in parts ; quartzitic sandstone from 1,311 to 1,337 feet....... 1,270 0 ...2,374 0 Brown-black shale............ 7 0 ... 2,381 0 Brown-black shale, micaceous ... 4 0 ... 2,385 0 Sandy-black shale............. 5 0 ... 2,390 0 Purple shale.................. 15 0 ... 2,405 0 Purple shale, calcareous....... 18 0 ... 2,423 0 Grey and purple shUe......... 86 0 ... 2,509 0 Marly sandstone.............. 5 0 ... 2,514 0 Purple shale with sandstone bands ...................... 18 0 ... 2,532 0 Ironstone .................... 1 6 ... 2,532 6 Marly sandstone___.................... 1 10 ... 2,534 4 ........... Ironstone .................... 0 8 ... 2,535 0 Purple, grey (calcareous) and green shale ................ 43 3 ... 2,578 0 Purple and black or brown shale 31 3 ... 2,609 0 Dark-brown shales with some sandstone .................. 39 11 ... 2,649 5 Greyish-black sulphurous shale 3 7 ... 2,653 0 Black sluly sandstone......... 0 9 ... 2,653 9 Coal.......................... 0 9 ... 2,651 6 Grey and black shale ......... -28 8 ... 2,683 4 Coal.......................... 0 3 ...2,683 7..... Grey sandstone .............. 11 7 .. 2,695 2 Grey and black shale __............__ 14 4 ... 2,7( 9 6 Dark-grey sandstone........... 4 10 ... 2,713 4 Black and grey shale ......... 61 8 ... ?,775 0 Dark-grey sandstone........... 11 0 ... 2,786 0 Black shale .................. 1 0 ... 2,787 0 Coal......................... 1 0 ... 2,788 0............. Grey shale.................... 2 3 ... 2,790 3 Coal..............,.............................. 1 3 ... 2,791 6 Grey and black shale ......... 63 6 ... 2,855 0 Calc-reous micaceous shale ... 25 0 ... 2,88o 0 Grey micaceous sandstone_____ 6 7 ... 2,886 7 Grey shale...................... 33 5 ... 2,920 0 Grey micaceous sandstone..... 83 0 ... 3,003 0 Grey shale.................... 4 0 ... 3,007 0 Grey rosa. ? rosy sandstone ... 13 0 ... 3,020 0 Grey and black shale ......... 99 0 ... 3,119 0 Grey oily shale .............. 113 0 ... 3,232 0 Coal.......................... 1 0 ...3,233 0 Grey shale.................... 1 8 ... 3,277 8 Grey shaly sandstone ......... 11 0 ... 3,288 8 Micaceous sandstone........... 33 4 ... 3,322 0 Fireclay...................... 4 0 ... 3,326 0 Grey micaceous san-;stone_____ 13 0 ... 3,339 0 Grey sandy shale ............. 7 0 ... 3,316 0 Hard grey sandstone ....... 16 0 ... 3,362 0 Carbonicola aquilina (J. de C. Sow.) was obtained by the late J. Lomas in the purple strata above the depth of 2,585 ft. From the shales between the depths of 2,837 and 2,863 ft. and of 3,220 and 3,264 ft., Mr. Pringle identified Posidoniella laevis (Brown), P. sp., Pterinopecten papyraceus (J. Sow.), Gastrioceras car- bonarium? (von Buch), G. sp., Glyphioceras reticulatum (Phill.), and involute forms of goniatites. Between the depths of 3,000 and 3,172 ft. also he identified Glyphioceras reticulatum (Phill.), G. sp. and involute form of goniatites. Neuropteris schlehani Stur was found at a depth of 3,270 ft. This plant was identified *From the Summary of Progress, Geol. Survey of Great Britain. f An account of this boring was published by Mr. A. Wade in the Trans. Inst. Min. Eng., vol. xxxix., 1910. In this Mr. Wade gives a classification of the strata, which differs in some important particulars from that set out below. He believed the highest rock proved below the glacial drift to have been lower keuper sandstone, and certain purple beds to have been upper coal measures. by Dr. Kidston, and is stated by him to be characteristi- cally a middle coal measure form, and never to have been seen by him below those measures. The trias calls for little remark. The uper mottled sandstone presented its usual characters, and the base of it was drawn as nearly as might be where a more quartzitic character set in. The base of the pebble beds also was a matter of doubt. A red quartzitic sandstone 26 ft. thick occurred at a depth of 1,310 to 1,337 ft. To include this in the pebble beds would have involved including also 209 ft. of mottled and spotted red sand- stone which seemed to have more the character of lower mottled sandstone. The total thickness of the bunter in the neghbourhood appears to be :— Ft. Ft Upper mottled sandstone, upper part estimated 400 Upper mottled sandstone, lower part proved ... 108 ---------------------------------------------------508 Pebble beds _____________________________--------------------------------------934 Lower mottled sandstone __________________ 1,272 ' 2,714 The colour and marly character of the strata between the depths of 2,374 and 2,609 ft., were suggestive of upper coal measures, but it is to be noticed that there were no limestones in them, though thin bands of that rock wrere proved to be of frequent occurrence in the upper coal measures which underlie part of the estuary of the Dee.* The only fossil found, moreover, Car- bonicola aquilina, is a middle coal measure form, which is not known to range up into the upper coal measures. From a depth of 2,857 ft. downwards, the fossil evidence, apart from the plant mentioned above, indi- cated that the strata were older than the productive measures of Flintshire and Parkgate. The fossils occurred in great abundance, and the assemblage resembled 'that which is found in the Holywell shales of Flintshire, and which is not known, and is certainly very rare, in or above the productive measures of the Flintshire coalfield. Some of the fossiliferous bands in the black shales were highly calcareous, and closely resembled the limestones which have been worked for cement making in the Holywell shales, near Holywell, f The sandstones near the bottom of the boring had much the aspect of millstone grit. Some of them might be described as coarse quartz grit, and a few contained quartz pebbles. The boring, therefore, has proved a disappointment in the sense that it indicates that this part of Cheshire cannot be included in the area of possible coal reserve. The explanation of the absence of productive measures must remain at present a matter for surmise. There is a possibility, but no clear evidence, that the boring 'traversed a fault large enough to cut out all the workable coals. High dips were noticeable in some of the cores, especially at a depth of 2,674 ft., as observed by Mr. Wade. The fossiliferous shales and the grits in the lower part of the boring were gently inclined. It is equally possible, however, that the boring happened to be situated on a carboniferous anticline, by which measures below the productive series were brought into unconformable contact with the base of the new red sandstone. A third hypothesis remains, namely, that the purple beds rest unconformably upon the supposed Holywell shales, having overstepped the productive series. There is some evidence suggesting an overstep of part of the productive series by red unproductive strata near Flint. ________________________________________________________ * Sealands Boring No. 3 in the “ Supplement to the Geology of Flint, Mold and Ruthin ” (Mem. Geol. Survey), 1898, p. 5. f “ Geology of Flint, Mold and Ruthin ” (Mem. Geol. Survey), 1890, p. 65. _______________________________ American Railway Rates. — The Inter-State Commerce Commission has given its long deferred decision on the peti- tion of the Eastern railway companies for an advance in freight rates. The companies win their case on some points; but the Commissioners McChord and Daniels have filed dissenting opinions. The contention of the railway com- panies that their present revenues are inadequate has been sustained. The Commission holds that the operating income in the official classification territory is smaller than is demanded in the interests both of the public and of the railroads. The official classification territory consists of (1) the New England territory, which includes a small part of New York and the New England States, containing 11,000,000 people and 8,070 miles of railroad; (2) the Trunk Line territory, which extends west from the Hudson River and the Atlantic seaboard north of the Potomac to a line drawn from Buffalo through Pittsburg to the Ohio River, containing 21,000,000 people and 23,777 miles of railroad; and (3) the Central Freight Association territory, lying between- the Buffalo-Pittsburg line and the Mississippi River, containing 19,000,000 people and 37,661 miles of rail- road. The Commission holds it consistent with the national policy, which invites private ownership of the railways, that there should be a liberal return upon particular railway investment, when wisely planned and the property honestly constructed and managed. It finds that the rates in the Central Freight Association’s territory are lower than else- where in the United States, and considers the carriers in this territory entitled to an increase not exceeding 5 per cent, on all class and commodity rates on shipments wholly within the said territory, except for coal, coke, iron ore, cement, brick, tile, clay, starch, and other rates at present specific- ally provided for under the rules of the Inter-State Commerce Commission. The Commission disallows the proposed increase in rail-and-lake rates, and in rates between the Central Freight Association’s territory and other parts of the official classification territory. The Commission holds that the financial condition of the carriers in the Trunk line territory does not warrant a general increase ; also that the lines in the New England territory are being locally cared for, and it disallows the proposed increase in these terri- tories, but suggests numerous economic reforms which will increase the revenues without raising the rates. It is esti- mated that the increase in freight rates granted by the Com- mission will add $15,000,000 to the revenues of the railway companies. Notes from the Coalfields. [Local Correspondence.] South Wales and Menmouthihire. Chaos on Cardiff Exchange—Admiralty Demands—Colliers and their Holidays — Pitwood Shortage — Patriotic Students—Home Office Prosecution at Abertillery. Conditions on Cardiff Exchange are chaotic. Business has been paralysed, except on Admiralty account, and the declaration of war introduces such extreme uncertainty that any early revival is regarded as impracticable. Towards the end of last week the Government took up the whole output of collieries on Admiralty list, and also all the available tonnage; so that besides clearing the market of the best quality, the operation also hindered chartering for seconds and lower grades. A desire was expressed that the men should abandon their holiday on Tuesday and Wednesday and get to work especially in the pits to supply the Admiralty. The colliers and coal trimmers, in view of the crisis, were both approached as to continuing at work; but, whilst the latter extended their hours in order that the ships might be loaded, the former, at a special meeting summoned on Saturday, decided that they would not work on the Tuesday and Wednesday. Their original arrangement for holidays was for three days, and the request made to them was that, after taking holiday on Monday, they would work the second and third days. A special meeting of the Federation council was summoned for Saturday afternoon, and a resolution carried unanimously that they did not consider it necessary for defensive purposes to ask the miners to work on the two days specified, and they declined to encourage or in any way countenance the policy of active intervention of this country in the present European conflict. Other points were mentioned in a voluminous resolution, amongst them an expression of opinion that the miners of Europe should make an endeavour to enforce their views upon their Governments, and that the general secretary of the Federation should get into communication witn officials of the international miners’ organisation, so that an international conference of miners should be immediately called to consider what attitude should be adopted in the present crisis. There was complete unanimity in the meet- ing, the general opinion being that on that day they did not consider any special preparation for war to be necessary. An emergency meeting of the federation execu- tive, called specially on Monday, re-affirmed the decision not to work; and though the pits were opened on Tuesday, only a few hundreds of men went down. About 30,000 miners were represented in the Rhondda district meeting on Saturday, when the question of the holidays came up, and it was then decided that the request to continue work had come too late, as so many of the men have already left home. With regard to the marine engineers’ strike, which has affected a number of vessels, it is understood that upon invitation to a conference at the Admiralty, the joint executive of the Marine Engineers, the Amalgamated Society and the Steam Engine Makers’ Society agreed to remove their strike ban from vessels which had been chartered by the Admiralty, provided the increase of pay were conceded. One of the striking features of the situation was a demonstration of the rapidity with which loading can be effected in times of need, full cargoes being tipped in a few hours. In Barry Dock alone, between 50 and 00 vessels were on charter for the Admiralty at the week-end, and at least 200,000 tons of coal were said to be then in readiness for despatch. For the first time in its history, Cardiff Docks was at work during Sunday. Among the business problems created by the war, that relating to pit wood stands out foremost, the calling up of French labourers having restricted a chief source of supply. Already prices have advanced materially, by some shillings per ton—so far as price can be stated in a market that has practically no dealings—and the outlook is serious, for alternative sources will be blocked (the Baltic, for instance), whilst the cost of getting pit wood from North America, if the right kind were readily available in sufficient quantity, would be very onerous. Fortunately, Spain and Portugal remain open, and there should be no difficulty in gradually bringing the home supply into use. A striking incident has to be recorded in connection with the Glamorgan Summer School of Mining, whose inaugural lecture was delivered on Monday. The whole of the students signified their intention of submitting to a course of drill, and to place themselves at the disposal of the Government for national defence. An hour later, upon call from Mr. H. Davies, the county lecturer, they all confirmed this decision. In the normal proceedings, Mr. Davies des- cribed the gratifying progress that had been made, stating that when mining education commenced in the county there were only 70 students, whereas now there were over 70 classes, with 17 full-time specialists as teachers. Nearly 10,000 lads received instruction in the schools as to the nature of mine gases, etc.; there were 3,000 students of elementary science; and at 60 different centres instruction was given in mining, chemistry, and the like. Two thousand students attended the evening classes, and advanced courses were provided at the South Wales College in Cardiff, home and Continental tours being arranged also. He mentioned the recent visit to Germany, and spoke of the great kindness the students had met with there/ • Lord Plymouth, who was in the chair, afterwards pre- sented the Sir W. Thomas gold medal to Mr. A. M. Morgan and Mr. W. Samuel, for achieving highest honours in mining and mining surveying respectively. In view of the military situation it is interesting to note that a few days ago members of the National Reserve, a large number of whom are employed in the collieries, gathered together at Pentre, in the Rhondda Valley, and paraded the town headed by Cory workmen's band. A meeting afterwards took place, and addresses were delivered upon the necessity of protecting the coalfield. Mr. A. Beasley, general manager of the Taff Vale Rail- way Company and Penarth Dock, has been re-elected president of the Bristol Channel Dock Owners’ Association. Mr. J. Boyd Harvey, who retired from the management of North Navigation Collieries, has decided to remove from Maesteg to London. Swansea Harbour Trustees will shortly take over one of the tips in their Prince of W'ales Dock, and will, as neces- sity arises, erect tips in their King Dock, where both the