NoVEMBEtt 6 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 987 Liquid and Solid Fuels Company Limited.—Private com- pany. Registered office, Palace-chambers, Westminster. Registered October 28. To enter into an agreement and to work and develop the patents and inventions mentioned therein in relation to the production, treatment, storage, distribution, etc., of gas, tar, oils, ammonia, etc. Nominal capital, .£15,000 in £1 shares. Directors :—Kenneth M. Chance, 49, Queen Victoria-street, E.C., director of a public company; A. McD. Duckham, Wareda, Highfields-, Ashtead. engineer; Alex. Duckham, Vanbrugh Castle, Blackheath, chemist. Qualification of directors,. £100. Middleton’s (A.) (Normanton) Limited. — Private com- pany. Registered office, 21, High-street, Normanton. Registered October 24. Wholesale druggists, manufactur- ing chemists, veterinary and agricultural chemists, manu- facturers of and dealers in colours and chemicals of all kinds; also business of colliery proprietors, brick and pipe makers, dealers in clay, etc. Nominal capital, £1,000 in £1 shares. Directors :—Edward Booth Fillingham, Blacker Lodge, Outwood, near Wakefield, manufacturing chemist (100 shares); Marion Fillingham, of same address, married woman (20 shares). Qualification of directors, £20. This list of new companies is taken from the Daily Register specially compiled by Messrs. Jordan and Sons Limited, company registration agents, Chancery-lane, E.C MINING AND OTHER NOTES. A research prize of the value of £200 has been placed by Sir Robert A. Hadfield, F.R.S., past president, at the disposal of the council of the Iron and Steel Institute, to be awarded by the council for original research work on the subject of the different forms or combinations of carbon in iron, steel, and alloys of iron with other elements. Competition for the prize is open to metallur- gists, chemists and others interested in metallurgy, and it is proposed that the prize shall be awarded at the annual meeting of the institute in May, 1916, for the best report presented before February 1, 1916. Sir Robert Hadfield is also prepared to offer a second prize for the report next in merit to the one which gains the first prize, provided it is adjudged to be a really meritorious paper. It is not desired to limit the scope Of the research too closely, but it is suggested that the work should be in continuation of, or based upon, the work of previous investigators, such as Jullien, Abel, Muller, Ledebur, T. Sterry Hunt, Akerman, Arnold, E. D. Campbell, Hogg, Parry and others. Intending competitors should communicate, in the first place, with Mr. G. C. Lloyd, secretary of the Iron and Steel Institute, 28, Victoria-street, London, S.W. The first meeting of the Institution of Civil Engineers for the session was held on Tuesday, when the address of the new president, Mr. Benjamin Hall Blyth, was delivered. In it he gave an account of the development of engineering in Scotland during the last 50 years, dealing among other topics with railways, docks, water supply, water power, and municipal works. Mr. R. G. McConnell has been appointed Acting Deputy Minister of Mines for Canada, and becomes Deputy Minister on December 1 of the present year, in succession to Mr. R. W. Brock, who has resigned the office. Mr. McConnell was born at Chatham, Quebec, on March 26, 1857. He joined the staff of the Geological Survey, and much of the most important exploratory work by the Survey in western Canada was conducted by him. His most notable work, from the strictly economic standpoint, has been that in connection with his study of the igneous and metamorphic rocks and ore deposits in British Columbia and the Yukon. By a disastrous gas explosion which occurred on 27th ult. in the Mitchel Mine, Royalton, Illinois, 100 men were killed outright and at least 200 others, who, it is hoped, have now been rescued, were entombed. It is stated that 30 bodies have been recovered, but 70 others are still under the debris of the explosion. Rescuers declare that 200 others trapped in the mine are still alive. To-morrow (Saturday) at 7'30 p.m., Mr. A. Vennell Coster, of Messrs. Crossley Brothers Limited, will deliver a lecture on “ Blastfurnace and Coke Oven Gases ” before the Rotherham Engineering Society. M. Jules Taffanel, the great authority on coal dust, is a colonel in the French Reserves. Lievin has been the scene of violent warfare. An important deputation, consisting of Messrs. G. F. Adams (Chief Inspector of Mines), Glen George, general manager, Bengal Coal Company, and Prof. Robertson, Calcutta, are now on a visit to this country on behalf of the Government of India to enquire into and report upon the various methods adopted for the teaching of mining. On Saturday they visited Cardiff and inter- viewed Principal Griffiths and Mr. Henry Davies. In the rooms of the Junior Institution of Engineers, Mr. Robert Rankin, B.Sc., lectured recently on “The Working of Storage Batteries.” The different types of battery were described briefly and particular stress was laid on the absolute necessity of giving a battery a good send-off by seeing that it received a proper first charge. The principal battery troubles caused by working, as against those caused by the use of impure electrolyte, were gone into at some length, the effects being described and also fnethods of meeting and overcoming the troubles. It was specially emphasised that bells are not like machines, but, in fact, rather resemble animal workers in their characteristics. When this fact is properly realised battery troubles will be greatly decreased. One fruitful source of trouble being excessive discharging, Mr. Rankin described an instrument which he has invented to enable battery operators to keep within proper limits, the instruments and curves showing the variations of battery capacity with rate of discharge amongst other things being shown on lantern slides. Lord Merthyr has been appointed a director of the Cardiff Railway Company, in the place of his late father. Notice is given that Fuel Limited have made application for the restoration of the patent granted to Richard Sloane Richards and Robert William Pringle for an invention entitled “ Improvements in apparatus for the distillation of coal and the recovery of the products,” numbered 15643 oe 19 9. and bearing date July 5, 1909, which expired on July 5, 1913, owing to the non-payment of the prescribed renewal fee. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late for inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last White pages. Abstracts of Contracts Open. Beverley, November 21.—Coal for the Corporation. Par- ticulars from J. W. Mills, clerk to London Education Autho- rity, 31, Lairgate, Beverley. Cairo (Egypt) December 1.—4,330 tons of large Cardiff and Newcastle coal for the Egyptian Coastguard Adminis- tration. Specification from Director-General, Cairo.* London, S.E., November 10.—Coal for the St. Giles, Camberwell, Guardians. Forms from C. S. Stevens, clerk, Guardians’ Office, 29, Peckham-road, Camberwell, S.E. London, S.W. November 16.—About 4,000 tons of steam coal for H.M. Government. Forms from Crown Agents for the Colonies, Whitehall Gardens, S.W. Wakefield, November 10.—Coal for the electricity works of the Corporation. Forms from City Electrical Engineer, Old Town Hall, Wakefield. Ware, November 9.—About 60 tons of Newstead, Linby, or Annesley nutty small coal; 40 tons of Newstead or Annes- ley hand picked hards; and 30 tons of Bolsover large cobbles house coal for the Guardians. Tenders to G. H. Gisby* clerk, Union Offices, Town Hall, Ware. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, Ac. Barnet (Herts), December 7. — Boilers, etc. — Steam boilers and heating and warming plant, electrical power and lighting plant, electric lift, water softening plant, for the Guardians. Form from Messrs. Williams and Cox, 34, Henrietta-street, Covent Garden, W.C., on deposit of £2 (returnable). Croydon, November 17.—Motors, etc.—New engine house of two electric motors, pumps, and connections for pumping sewage sludge for the Corporation. Specification from Borough Engineer, Town Hall, on deposit of £1 Is. (return- able). Dundalk (Ireland), November 16.—Well and Pump.— Sinking a well and erecting pump for the Rural District Council. Specification from P. Cahill, Francis-street, Dun- dalk. Port Elizabeth, November 26.—Plant. — Engine room plant : turbo-generators, high-tension switchgear, converting plant, boiler house plant, boilers, and coal conveyor. Speci- fication from Messrs. Davis and Soper, 54, St. Mary Axe, E.C., on deposit of £5 (returnable). Wigan, November 16. — Cornish Boilers.—Two Cornish boilers for Corporation. Specification from A. T. Goose- man, borough engineer, Wigan. * Specifications, particulars, etc., may be seen at the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall-street, E.C. THE FREIGHT MARKET. The volume of shipping business possible in the North Sea appears to be coming “ smaller by degrees and beauti- fully less.” The Admiralty’s most recent announcement that the whole of the North Sea must be considered a mili- tary area is one of very serious import to all concerned in ocean transport in that part of the world. All vessels are warned of the dangers they encounter by entering the area except in strict accordance with Admiralty directions. There- fore, it behoves all who desire safe navigation to adhere very strictly to the routes prescribed by the Admiralty. Despite the great upset caused to the outward freight market by recent military occurrences, a fairly large volume of business is to be recorded this week. On the North-East Coast tonnage arrivals have materially improved, and busi- ness being at present only limited by the supply of vessels, much more chartering has been done. Shipowners have not •been slow to improve the occasion by demanding very high rates of freight, and just now they are able to dictate terms. Coasting rates are practically unaltered on the week. North France is rather firmer. The Bay has re-appeared in the fixture list, and several vessels have been chartered in that From Total cargo. I Total bunker. — — — Q. 1913. 1914. 1913. 1914. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Bristol Channel ports 340,058 208,607 22,000 21,921 North-western ports 255,140 265,155 65,408 67.085 North-eastern ports 691,088 622,909 22,852 31,896 Humber ports 207,478 173,857 13,997 17,255 Other ports on east coast 8,916 7,227 8,568 8,454 Other English ports 3,152 2,115 4,921 3,294 Total from England and Wales ... 1,505,832 1,279,870 137,746 149,905 Ports on east coast of Scotland 115,056 80,595 16.431 16,374 Ports on west coast of Scotland 114,324 115,211 36,814' 33,425 Total from Scotland 229,380 195,806 53,245 49,799 Irish ports — — 2,793 2,810 Total from United Kingdom 1,735,212 1,475,676 193,784 202,514 The destination of cargo shipments was as follows :— direction at about 9s. 9d. to Bordeaux. The Mediterranean has advanced materially, Genoa being done at up to 12s. fid. 'rhe Baltic and Adriatic ports are not mentioned. At South Wales a good many vessels have been arranged for. Coast- ing rates are Well maintained. These for the Bay are firmer. Tonnage offers sparingly for the Mediterranean at very strong rates. The River Plate is steady. Brazil is in shipowners' favour. Homewards, the Australian market is dull for wheat, but there is some enquiry for coal tonnage from Newcastle, N.S.W. Nitrate ports are steady but rather dull. The rice ports rule firm, but Burmah is quiet. The East Indies are inactive, with only a few orders mentioned. The ore ports are able to get cheap tonnage, Carthagena paying 5s. 6d. for a proffipt boat to Maryport, with Bilbao at about the same price. The American market is very steady, and fairly busy? The northern ports have chartered for oats to the French Atlantic at 3s. 3d., and for heavy grain shippers have fixed from New York, option Gulf, on the basis of 4s. 10|d. to Spanish Mediterranean destinations, while Baltimore to Bayonne has been done at 4s. 6d. For cotton, Savannah to Liverpool or Manchester has been done at 51s. 3d. At the River Flate November tonnage is scarce and is firmly held for rates too high for the fancy of shippers. Owners are asking from 30s. to 32s. 6d. for suit- able vessels, and 30s. for November and 27s. 6d. for December are reported to have been paid? Tyne to Bagnoli, 4,000, 12s. 3d.; Boulogne, 1,300, 8s. 6d.; Bordeaux, 3,400, 9s. 9d.; Bayonne, 2,900, 10s.; Brest, 3,000, 9s. 6d.; Chantenay, 3,500, 9s. 3d.; Civita Vecchia, 5,200, 13s.; Catania, 3,000, 12s., 500; Dieppe, 3,700, 7s. 6d.; 1,900, 8s.; Genoa, 3,800, Ils. 6d.; 4,500, 12s.; 6,000, Ils. 9d.; 3,800, 11s. 9d.; 4,800, 12s. 3d. ; 3,500, 12s.; 4,500, 12s. 6d.; Granville, 800, 9s. ; Havre, 1,300, 8s.; 1,400, 8s. l|d., from Dunston; Las Palmas, 3,300, 10s.; 3,300, 9s. 3d.; 5,000, 9s. 4Jd.; London, 1,900, 4s.; 3,000, 4s. IJd., from Dunston ; 3,900, 4s.; 1,900, 4s. 3d.; 3,000, 4s.; La Rochelle, 1,800, 9s. 6d.; Lisbon, 4,000, 10s., from Dunston; 5,000, 10s.; Leg- horn, 3,300, 13s., reported; Marseilles, 1,300, 10s. 9d.; 4,000, 11s. 6d.; Oran, 4,800, 9s. 6d.; 4,200, 9s. 9d.; 2,600, 10s.; Port Said, 2,200, 12s. 9d.; Porto Ferrajo, 4,000, 12s.; 5,000, Ils. 6d., reported; 3.000, Ils. 6d., reported; Rouen, 1,400, 9s.; 2,400, 9s.; 4,200, 8s. 4Jd.; 3,600, 8s. 4|d.; Rochefort, 2,700, 9s. 3d.; Savona, 4,800, 12s.; 3,800, Ils. 9d.; 6,000, Ils. 9d.; St. Vincent, 3,200, 10s. 3d. Cardiff to Almeria, 1,300, 9s. 6d., 250; Barcelona, 3,900, 9s. 3d.; Boulogne, 750, 8s. 3d.; Buenos Ayres, 2,500, Ils. l|d., early Dec.; 3,600, Ils. 6d.; Bordeaux, 3,300, 6J fr.; 4,000, 6| fr.; Caen, 1,600, 7s.; Christiania, 1,000, 8s.; Djibouti, 5,100, 14s. 6d.; Gibraltar, 4,000, 4s. lOJd.; Genoa, 4,600, 10s. 6d.; Honfleur, 1,500, 7s.; 680, 7s.; Havre Canal, 1,400, 7s. 3d.; Islands, 2,700, 10s. 6d.; Lisbon, 3,300, 7s.: La*Rochelle, 2,900, 61 fr.; Naples, 3,500, 8s. 3d.; Nantes, 3,200, 6f fr.; 3,000, 7| fr.; Oporto, 8-900, 8s.; Port Said, 5,000, Ils. 3d.; 6,600, 10s. 6d.; 5,000, 12s. 6d.; Rio de Janeiro, 13s.; River Plate, 6,000, Ils. 9d., Nov.; 5,000, Ils. 9d., end Nov.; Rouen, 2,800, 7s. 3d.; 3,500, 7s.; 2,400, 7s. 6d.; 5,000, 6s. 9d.; 2,100, 7s. 9d.; Santos, 18s., charterers paying dock dues; St. Paul de Loanda, 1,500, 16s.; St. Nazaire, 3,000, 71 fr. ; 3,700, 7| fr.; 4,000, 6J fr.; St. Malo, 1,000, 7s.; Torre Annunziata, 3,500, 8s. 6d.; Venice, 4,000, 12s. 6d.; 4,000, 13s. 6d.; 3,400, 13s. 6d. r Swansea to Marseilles, 1,000, 10| fr.; Honfleur, 850, 7s.; London, 4,800, 4s. l|d.; Rochefort, 2,100, 84 fr.; Venice, 3.300, coal 12s. 6d., fuel 13s. 3d.; Belfast, 360, 3s. 6d.; Dieppe, 1,700, coal 6s. 9d., fuel 7s. 3d.; Havre, 1,300, 7s.; Cherbourg, 1,300, 7s. l|d‘. Forth to Sundswall, 2,000, 8s. Liverpool to Havre, 9s. Blyth to Rouen, 3,600, 8s. 6d.; 1,400, 9s.; 1,800, 8s. 9d.; Havre, 750, 8s. 6d. Garston te Fremantle, sail, 14s. 6d. Wear to Lisbon, 3,100, 10s. Hull to Rouen, 2,700, 8s. 6d.; 1,150, 8s. 3d.; Tuborg, 1,450, 7s. 6d.; Amsterdam, 8s. 3d., linseed in bags. Goole to Rouen, 650, 9s. 6d. Newport to Buenos Avres, 4,500, Ils. 6d.; Rouen, 2,500, 7s. 3d.; 2,400, 7s. 6d. Ayr to Stockholm, 2,000, 8s. Port Talbot to Rouen, 1,100, 7s. IJd.; Chantenay, 2,400, 8 fr. Hartlepool to London, 30,000, 4s. 3d.; Havre, 1,050, 8s. 6d. Humber to Gefle, 2,700, 7s. 9d.; 2,300, 7s. 10jd. Methil to Iceland, 1,050, Ils. COASTWISE SHIPMENTS DURING SEPTEMBER. As will be seen, there was a decrease in the quantities of coal shipped coastwise during September as compared with the corresponding month of 1913. The following figures have been extracted from the tables issued by the Commissioners of H.M. Customs and Excise:— To ports in England and Wales Scotland.......... Ireland ........... Sept. 1913. Sept. 1914. Tons. Tons. 1,236,208 ... 1,019,447 112,289 ... 70.347 386,715 ... 385,882 Total shipments to London during the month were 686,045 tons.