lifd THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN December 4, 1914 alone that British makers have to consider. The American production also is increasing, and its guarantee is on a basis of 25 per cent, of ammonia. It is clear, therefore, that a high standard of purity is essential, and it is to be hoped that British manufacturers will rise to the occasion, and take to heart the experience which has been gained at so high a cost both to trade and reputation. This subject furnishes a most instructive lesson on the ease with which commercial reputations may be jeopardised by paying insufficient regard to the exact requirements of customers. The warning, however, comes fortunately not too late. Great Britain is still the largest exporter of sulphate, and makers in this country should cordially welcome the action of the Sulphate of Ammonia Association in bringing to their notice the reasons underlying the losses which have been inflicted upon them by the invasion of markets in which they once stood pre-eminent, and in which they may yet recover whatever position has been lost. MINING AND OTHER NOTES. In the House of Commons, last week, Sir William Bull asked the Home Secretary if he had any information as to the ownership of the Whitworth Collieries in Glamorgan shire. Mr. McKenna said he was informed that a German syndicate purchased the Whitworth estate about eight years ago, floated a company, and prepared to open a large colliery. In March 1911 the estate was taken possession of by a receiver for the debenture holders, and subsequently, in December of that year, all operations ceased and have not been resumed. The estate is now, he understands, in the hands of a mortgagee, who is a British subject. Messrs. Switchgear and Cowans Limited ask us to state that they are in no way connected with the new company which has recently been formed under the title of the Switch- gear Construction Company Limited. Their own title, Switchgear and Cowans Limited/5 was adopted with the object of retaining the identity of the Switchgear Company Limited and Cowans Limited, when in 1911 they acquired and amalgamated those two old-established companies for the purpose of continuing the business of^ manufacturing electrical switchgear. We are informed that Simon-Carves Limited, of Man- chester, the well-known coke-oven and coal-washing engineering firm, have started a new mining department to deal principally with the sinking of pits by the freezing and cementation processes. This department is under the management of a Belgian mining engineer, who has had a long experience in this class of work. Simon-Carves Limited have obtained a first contract for the sinking of two shafts. To-day (Friday) Mr. B. W. Bryan, chief engineer South Essex Waterworks, will deliver the Thomas Hawksley lecture (prepared by his father, the late Mr. William B. Bryan) on “Pumping and other Machinery for Waterworks and Drainage/5 at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers at 8 p.m. The lecture will also be given in the Portico Library, Mosley-street, Manchester, on Tuesday, December 8, at 8 p.m., and in the Medical Lecture Theatre of the University, Edmund-street, Birmingham, on Thursday, December 10, at 7.45 p.m. Sir John S. Barwick, Bart., presiding over the annual meeting of the Weardale Steel Coal and Coke Company Limited at Newcastle on Friday referred to the Black Prince Colliery which had been closed in August, and Hedley Hill Colliery which had been temporarily laid in until the outlook of the coal trade improved. They were unable to work these pits at a profit, and therefore they thought it better to close them. During the year special expenditure arising out of recent legislation amounted to .£2,497 2s. 4d., while the amount paid by the company under the National Insurance Act was £4,211 18s. 2d. A disaster in a mine resulting in 437 deaths is reported from Hokkaido (Japan). A list is in course of preparation of members of the Institution of Mining Engineers who have joined the naval or military services for home or abroad in connection with the war, together with their rank, regiment, &c. Sir Hugh Bell, Bart., presiding at the ordinary general meeting of the Horden Collieries Limited, held at Darlington on Friday last, said that it was proposed to increase the capital of the company from £800,00G to £1,000,000. All the £800,000 had been paid up, the last call becoming payable on October 1. The debenture stock stood now at £300,000, or with accruing interest £303,750. Alluding to the expenditure, he said that a year ago he anticipated that at Shotton they would expend someth ing between £260,000 and £270,000. It now stood at £227,000. The coke ovens were now ready and would shortly be in operation. They were of a modern type, and he hoped they would yield satisfactory results to the company. The expenditure on Blackhall now stood at £343,812, and they had reached a point at which it would cease before long. At an extraordinary meeting held subsequently, the reso- lutions in favour of increasing the capital of the company were agreed to. A sitting had been appointed before Mr. Registrar Hood in the Bankruptcy Court, on the 26th ult., for the public examination of Sir John Pepys Lister-Kaye, Bart., who was adjudged bankrupt on November 9 last. A statement of the bankrupt’s affairs showed gross liabilities £137,367, of which £56,027 was expected to rank for dividend. The assets were valued at £7,842, book debts of the face value of £70,210 being treated as bad. The bankrupt attributes his insolvency to certain coal companies in Croatia. These, he said, had failed to repay moneys advanced or to pay £30,000 for which he became liable on their behalf. It was stated that the trustee had not yet completed his investi- gation, and his Honour adjourned the examination until January 14. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, December 3. Dublin. If there has been any change during the week it has been in the direction of improvement, and upon the whole there is a good demand, both for household and steam coals, although business in the former branch is not yet up to a full winter average. Stocks are not large, and Scotch coals are difficult to obtain at the collieries owing to increased requirements at the ironworks. Prices of these qualities are no higher at this side, however, and there is no difficulty in getting the coal across. The following are the present quotations for coals in the city:—Best Orrell, 27s. per ton; Hulton Arley, 26s.; best Wigan, 25s.; best Whitehaven, 25s.; Pemberton Wigan, 23s.; kitchen nuts, 22s.; Orrell slack, 21s.—all less Is. per ton discount for cash ; house coal, retail, Is. 7d. per sack; steam coals about from 22s. to 23s. per ton; best coke, reduced to 22s. per ton delivered. Irish coals at Arigna, County Leitrim, are:— Best coal, 15s. lOd. to 18s. 4d. per ton; nuts, 13s. 4d. per ton; culm, 10s. per ton—all at the pit mouth. There has been a considerable falling off in the imports of coal during the past week, the coaling vessels arriving in this port amounting to 38, as compared with 42 the week previously, chiefly from Garston, Preston, Ayr, Glasgow, Newport, Partington, Troon, Cardiff, and Llanelly. The total quan- tity of coal discharged upon the quays was only 15,281 tons, as against 22,000 tons in the previous week. Belfast. Practically there is no change here except that the demand is more general, and the tendency still towards improvement now that the winter has fully set in. Here, as elsewhere, Scotch coals are somewhat difficult to obtain, and prices are tending upwards, although at the moment they are no higher. The following are the current quota- tions Best Arley house coal, 27s. 6d. per ton; Scotch house coal, 23s. 6d. per ton; Orrell nuts, 26s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 23s. 6d.; Scotch steam coal, 16s. to 17s. per ton ; Scotch steam slack, Ils. 6d. to 12s. 6d.; Welsh steam coal, 17s. to 18s. per ton delivered. Coal-laden vessels arriving during the week were chiefly from Newport, Ardrossan, Ayr, Lydney, Preston, Garston, Maryport, Partington, Ellesmere Port, Glasgow, Workington and Silloth. THE COLLIERS’ MARCH, 1914. By F. W. Gray. The following stirring lyric was composed by Mr. F. W. Gray for the annual dinner of the Midland Insti- tute of Mining, Civil and Mechanical Engineers. Mr. Gray, who is an official of the Dominion Coal Company, Nova Scotia, is a valued contributor to the Colliery Guardian. They come, with muscled chests and horny hands, With limbs enured to toil with pick and spade : They come to swell the far-drawn gathering bands Pressing to Britain’s aid. They whose stark backs shone ebon in the gleam Cast by the safety lamps’ uncertain light; Their eyes illumined by the patriot’s dream, Now gird them for the fight. For they have read how, when the German tramp Was heard on Belgian ground, the ruthless Hun Forced the swart miner, carrying safety lamp, By bayoneted gun, To walk before the coward host, and shield Their craven hides against the flaming ire Of freemen, who disdained their place to yield, And answered fire by fire. The men who drove the wedge ’twixt coal and thill And swung the pick, prone on the damp mine-floor. Shall prove in swimming trench their strength and skill, When guns are to the fore. Who daily bores the hole and rams the shot, And hears the shattering crack reverberate Through stall and heading, he will falter not, To dare the Teuton’s hate. The weary march with gun and heavy pack, The dank and clammy trench, the long day’s end, Will find the collier’s toil-accustomed back Erect and last to bend. He who through flame and smoke has burst, To snatch from fiery death a comrade true, Will he not dare the mitrailleuse’s worst, And “ see this business through ”‘? They come, from far and near, from East and West, From York and Lancaster, the “ Koylies ” come; Cape Breton’s highlanders, Alberta’s best : Follow the sounding drum. From hills of gallant Wales, Australia, New Zealand and Natal. Lanark and Fife, From Crow’s Nest Pass, and from far India. They hear the thrilling fife. The German hosts his well-tried arm shall know, Sfiall dread the collier's bayonet, and shall rue In blood and anguished tears the coward blow Which laid poor Belgium low. THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, December 3. Scotland.—Western District. COAL. Conditions in the coal trade of the West of Scotland continue satisfactory, and the outlook is promising. Practically all sorts of large coal are in strong demand, steam coal presenting the only weakness, while washed produce is moving off in good volume at recent prices. It was anticipated that the unusually high rate of freights would have the effect of restricting business, but the very reverse would appear to be the case, and no difficulty seems to be experienced in getting customers to pay the enhanced prices. Shipments from the district during the week amounted to 121,733 tons against 111,038 in the preceding week, and 119,194 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Glasgow. | Current L’st week’s Last year’s ; prices. prices. prices. Steam coal 110/9-12/9 10/9-12/9 13/ -14/6 Ell 13/ -13/3 12/3-12/6 13/3-13/9 Splint 12/ -14/9 12/ -14/6 13/ -16/6 Treble nuts 11/3-11/6 11/3—11/6 13/ —13/3 Double do 1 10/3-10/6 10/3-10/6 12/3-12/6 Single do -10/ -10/3 10/ -10/3 10/9-11/ IRON. Considerable improvement has taken place in the Scotch iron trade during the past week. Owing to the placing of more shipbuilding orders, and the more satisfactory news regarding the progress of the war, a healthier tone pervades the trade generally. . In the pig iron trade enquiries have been more numerous, and consumers seem more disposed to anticipate their requirements, and to abandon their policy of hand-to-mouth purchasing which they have followed for some considerable time. Prices of Scotch makers’ iron have again been increased, and are as follow:—Monkland is quoted f.a.s. at Glasgow, No. 1, 63s. 6d., No. 3, 62s.; Govan, No. 1,63s., No. 3, 62s.; Carnbroe, No. 1,67s. 6d., No. 3,63s.; Clyde, No. 1,68s. 6d., No. 3,63s. 6d.; Gartsherrie, Summerlee, Calder and Langloan, Nos. 1, 69s., Nos. 3, 64s.; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, No. 1, 70s., No. 3, 65s.; Eglinton, at Ardrossan or Troon, No. 1, 63s., No. 3, 62s.; Dalmellington, at Ayr, No. 1, 64s., No. 3, 62s.; Shotts at Leith, No. 1, 69s., No. 3, 64s.; Carron at Grange- mouth, No. 1, 70s. 6d., No. 3, 65s. 6d. per ton. Scotch haematite is now quoted 70s. per ton for West of Scotland delivery. There are 72 furnaces in blast in Scotland, the same number as in the preceding week, and three fewer than in the corresponding week of 1913. The improve- ment in the trade position is reflected in the Glasgow pig iron warrant market, which has been much stronger throughout the week. The total turnover was round about 14,000 tons of Cleveland warrants, and prices were con- siderably firmer. In the course of the week business was done at 51s. 6d. per ton cash, and the closing quotation of 51s. 4|d. per ton cash buyers represents a gain of Is. l|d. per ton on the week. Warrant stores have increased by over 2,000 tons, and now amount to 104,138 tons compared with 150,350 tons at this time last year. Enquiries in the various branches of the finished iron trade have beep more numerous recently. Black sheet makers are, generally speaking, as fully employed as the plants in operation will permit, but owing to the state of the labour supply work is somewhat restricted. Malleable iron makers report that specifications are rather scarce, and although outputs of bars, hoops and strips are fairly regular, it would be quite possible to increase them, if the orders were forthcoming. Malleable iron prices continue on the basis of £7 12s. 6d. per ton, less 5 per cent., for “ crown 55 bars, for home delivery. Scotland.—Eastern District. COAL. The coal trade in the Lothians district is rather uneven and uncertain, and some anxiety is expressed regarding the future. At present, however, a fair amount of work is on hand, but the bulk of the business passing is for washed produce. The extra pressure at the Leith docks is almost bound to have an adverse effect on the Lothian collieries. In ordinary times Leith is quite able to deal with the Lothian shipments, but the closing of Bo’ness and Grange- mouth will put a severe tax on the Leith cranage. Shipments for the week amounted to 49,549 tons compared with 52,779 in the preceding week and 100,074 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Leith. Current L’st week’sLast year’s Best screened steam coal... prices. 11/ prices, j prices. 11/ -11/3 | 13/ -13/9 10/ i 12/ -12/6 11/6-11/9 : 13/6-13/9 Secondary qualities 10/ Treble nuts ! 11/3-11/6 Double do 1 10/ 10/3 10/3-10/6 ! 12/3-12/9 Single do 10/ 10/3 10/9-11/ The position of the trade in Fifeshire is fairly satisfac- tory. The greater proportion of the business passing is for washed produce, and in some cases collieries are refusing to quote unless a proportion of round coal is taken with the nuts. Clearances amounted to 62,319 tons against 60,468 in the preceding week and 116,499 tons in the same week last year.