November 26, 1915.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

1097

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS.

The Editors are not responsible either for the statements
made, or the opinions expressed by correspondents.

All communications must be authenticated by the name and
address of the sender, whether for publication or not.
No notice can be taken of anonymous communications.

As replies to questions are only given by way of published
answers to correspondents, and not by letter, stamped
addressed envelopes are not required to be sent.

“ THE RIGHT TO ORGANISE.”

Sirs,—Will you kindly allow me a small space in your
paper to ventilate “ The moral right to organise.”

When we were boys at school we were taught the
necessity of organisation. The best men of to-day would
not and could not have existed had it not been for the
lesson taught by the teachers in the early days of
childhood ; but we are living in an age when organising
is not allowed to a certain grade of British employees,
who are engaged in one of the most important industries.
All other grades in this great industry are allowed
without demur to have their various associations. Yet
the particular grade of colliery officials I refer to are
not allowed to associate or join any of these other
associations. We are bound by the laws that are made
from time to time, and yet we have not a voice in the
making of these laws ; while those people for whom we
are held responsible are allowed a voice and power to
say what shall be and what shall not be; but we have a
right also to that same voice and power.

Nearly three years ago an association was formed to
connect up this grade already referred to. They have
submitted to their official superiors their rules and
objects, the principal objects being (a) “ Education,”
(b) “ Legislation,” (c) “ Protection,” (d) “ Mutual Aid,”
but as yet we have not even been granted a hearing.

It is a well-known fact that when unity exists between
“ capitalists” and “ laboureis ” it results in a profitable
concern. Now this grade has been told that they are
not to associate, otherwise they will not be employed.
It is fair and true to say that 1,000 of these have joined
the association, while over 1,000 have shown their
willingness to join hands, yet have been prevented from
doing so. I cannot conceive the reason why our masters
should object to any of their employees joining a
separate association which would, I feel sure, prove to
our masters’ interest. Our official superiors some few
years ago thought it necessary to form an association,
and we have not a word to say against this. But if
their object is right and honourable, surely, then, we are
perfectly in order in following in their footsteps. And
all we ask for is fair play, proper treatment—-namely,
protection, conditions of employment and satisfactory
remuneration, according to our positions. Now, this is
granted to all classes of labour; and the Government
and associations have been the means of bringing this
about. The same power can be put in operation for the
grade referred to.

I am of opinion the matter can be settled in our own
circle without going outside to gain recognition. I
don’t know whether our superiors are aware of the fact
that in this great industry of ours there is a power on
foot to try and unite all the associations together, so
that when any grade is affected the whole universe
would suffer.

If this comes about it will not be the employees who
are to blame, but those who refused recognition to the
various grades. The grade of employees who has
applied to their superiors for recognition has only to
join hands with this Great Britain Federation, then it
will have no difficulty at all. They will be allowed to
organise and demand what all other grades demand
according to their positions. We honestly believe that
if we were granted an interview we should arrive at a
commonsense understanding, and be able to remove the
stigma that seems to exist.

I trust that all concerned will peruse this letter, and
I feel sure that if they will express themselves through
the Press there can be only one conclusion, and that all
that has been said is only what all fair citizens in this
free country of ours desire, namely, a fair hearing and
redress for all genuine grievances.

Yours faithfully,

November, 1915.	Masters’ Well-wisher.

[As the writer does not state to what class of colliery
officials he refers, it is difficult to discuss the merits
of the case he presents.—Eds. C.G.]

MECHANICAL VENTILATION UNDERGROUND.

Sirs,—Under the above heading in the Colliery
Guardian of the 19th inst., I find a letter signed
“ Ozonair Limited—Edward L. Joseph,” in which
exception is taken to something I am alleged to have
said in a paper I read before the members of the
Institute of Marine Engineers on the 2nd inst., which
calls for a reply.

Your coriespondent writes that I stated that “the
London tube railways cannot by any stretch of imagina-
tion be said to be well ventilated,” and proceeds to read
me a diatribe for my carelessness or ignorance. I am
under the impression, however, that before Mr. Joseph
has finished reading this letter he may possibly come to
the conclusion that he is mistaken.

To begin with, I may say that I never used such words
at all in reference to the London tube railways, and,
whatever may be my own views as regards the effect of
say one smell killing another smell, I feel that I am quite
innocent of the particular charge attributed to me.

From the official printed report of my lecture furnished
by the Institute of Marine Engineers, I find that what
I did say in the paragraph from which your correspondent
has evidently taken his quotation, was the following:—

On the contrary, unlike the main London under-
ground railway but like the London “ tube ” railways,

the “ undergrounds ” or “ subways ” of Paris and New
York are generally unprovided with open stations or
with spaces or areas throughout the lines open to the
outside air, and, although electrically worked and
well equipped, cannot by any stretch of imagination
be said to be well ventilated.

As regards ventilation, these Paris and New York
lines were designed to work on practically the same
principle as that originally applicable to the London
“ tube ” lines—z.e., the “piston action” of the trains
when running was fallaciously expected to be sufficient
for the perfect ventilation of the tunnels.

I find also in another paragraph further on I stated
that:—

. Indifferent though the ventilation of the London
deep “tubes” may be, it is perfect in comparison
with that of the New York “ subways,” which during
summer time have an atmosphere that is quite
intolerable.

Which excerpts ought, I think, to be sufficient to con-
vince your correspondent of the mistake he has made.
—Yours, &c.,	James Keith.

Assoc.M.Inst C.E., M.I.Mech.E.,
M.I.Mar.E.

Dunottar, Brondesbury, London, N.W.,

November 22, 1915.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Munificent Gift by Fuel Merchants—The Merthyr Parlia-
mentary Election—Ebbw Vale Company's New Ore
Field—High Cost of Pit Wood—American Coal Export
Competition—Colliery Assessment Appeals.

The question of inexperienced outsiders coming into the
district and taking the place of miners who have enlisted
has led to notices being tendered by no fewer than 4,000
men in the Garw Valley. Their allegation is that there has
been an influx of men from North Wales and West of
England taking the places of those who had enlisted, and
that the bulk of these new comers are non-unionists. In
the House of Commons on Monday, the President of the
Board of Trade stated that he was informed that during
the past 18 months no men of recruit able age had, in fact,
been transferred from North Wales to work in the South
Wales pits.

Mr. F. Cory Yeo, of the Graigola Fuel Company,
Swansea, has granted the use of his fine residence on the
sea coast between Swansea and Mumbles to be a military
hospital; and his partners in the company (Messrs. W. F.
Farr and S. L. Gregor) have shared with him the cost of
adaptation and equipment, as well as maintenance. The
hospital will contain between 60 and 70 beds, and was
opened on Friday for use.

Probably the most interesting election to South Wales
miners is that which has this week been waged in Merthyr
constituency, for the seat of the late Mr. Keir Hardie.
The Labour Party being recognised as in possession, the
president of the South Wales Federation (Mr. J. Winstone)
was chosen as the official candidate, the voting at the
selection meeting being approximately 17,000 as contrasted
with 700 for Mr. Stanton. The latter, miners’ agent for
Aberdare district, has resigned that position, and contested
the Parliamentary seat on independent lines.

On Friday morning, Messrs. Thomas Richards, M.P.
(secretary), and Vernon Hartshorn, Frank Hodges, Alfred
Onions (treasurer), and George Barker, representatives of
the South Wales Miners’ Federation, left London for the
front in France. The object of the journey to the firing line
is to visit the large number of Welsh colliers who have
enlisted, and to enable the men’s leaders to see from actual
experience how the war as being waged. The whole party
returned on Tuesday evening, and have brought home strong
expressions of confidence by the soldiers as to ultimate
victory.

When the Sharpness New Docks, and Gloucester and
Birmingham Navigation Company met on Wednesday, the
17th inst., Mr. R. G. Foster, presiding, said that the Severn
Commissioners had recently been approached by the Ebbw
Vale Iron and Coal Company regarding the passage of ore
from Northampton to Newport. Several thousand tons
weekly would be required. The representatives of eight
companies concerned had met, but it was then found that a
railway company refused to afford facilities at suitable rates.
He advocated that the waterways should be freed from the
domination of railways by the appointment of a waterways
board. Special interest attaches to this matter, because
a sum of over £20,000 was contributed, some years ago,
by different commercial interests in South Wales, in order
to improve the navigation of the Severn, specifically to
facilitate the carriage by water of the heavier commodities
between the Midlands and the Bristol Channel ports.
Cardiff Corporation, the Bute Docks Company, and others
subscribed, and with subscriptions from Worcester Corpora-
tion and Midland firms, a t Jal sum of £30,000 was raised;
and it was spent in dredging a rock shoal in the river
which hindered the passage of craft.

The award of the D.C.M. is announced to Lance -Corpl.
A. Allsopp, Llwynypia, who, prior to enlistment, was
engaged at the Bwllfa Ddu Colliery, Ystrad. Lance -Corpl.
Allsopp on October 2 entered a mine gallery which was full
of gas, and rescued a man who had been overcome by the
fumes.

The miners at the Cyfartha pits assert that they felt
four successive earthquake shocks one day last week. House-
holders at Troedyrhiw and other parts of Merthyr Vale also
state that shocks were felt; but a theory that the earth-
quake caused a fall at the South pit, Troedyrhiw, which
resulted in the death of a collier, is discredited.

The vacillation which has been manifest in regard to
cargoes for Greece ha.s had peculiar effect in South Wales.
First came the order of the Government that ships which
had already completed loading should be allowed to proceed
to their destination, and that vessels in course of loading
would also be permitted to complete and to get -away; but
that no further loading would be permitted. Subsequently,
these apparent restrictions were withdrawn; but in the
meantime shippers had abstained from chartering Greek

tonnage, much to the advantage of shippers of other
nationalities, who were thereby able to harden their rates.

The scarcity in foreign supplies of pit wood has given
higher values to home-grown timber. At Ystradfellte, in
the Neath Valley, a large area of trees will be felled, and
a railway siding is to be constructed for its transport. With
pit wood running up to the exorbitant figure of 52s. per
ton—practically double the cost of ordinary times—it is
not surprising to find very keen discussion as to the use
of substitutes. Although home-grown timber is being
gathered in every direction, the high price has made it
worth while to cut and carry in districts where previously
the felling of plantations would have been unremunerative.
Some collieries are better placed than others, especially
those which have Admiralty coal, these having- the advan-
tage of the organisation which was established at the outset
of hostilities. Colliery owners outside this privileged circle
are called upon to pay double the ordinary prices; the price
being maintained in part by the extravagant rates of freight.
Discussion as to the use of iron, cement, and other sub-
stitutes is, of course, general, but the difficulty is very
little, if at all, mitigated by resort to substitutes.

In view of the shortage of tonnage, the suggestion is no"w
being put forward that the members of the Coal Trimmers’
Union should be asked to work after 1 o’clock on Saturdays
in cases where a few hours would mean the finishing of a
vessel’s loading. A correspondent states that in the coasting
trade this would represent about 25 per cent, on the
steamer’s work.

With regard to the scheme for facilitating railway work
around the Cardiff docks, Col. Denniss, general manager,
informed the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday
that inasmuch as the scheme for bringing all the work under
one management had not secured unanimity, no Parliamen-
tary notice had been given to obtain the necessary powers.
He said that the matter was only postponed; and sought the
support of the Chamber for the scheme when put forward at
a later date.

The Cardiff Chamber of Commerce had before it on
Wednesday the question of loss of coal trade and the develop-
ment of American competition. Mr. T. E. Watson, who
presided, pointed out that American exports of coal, which
in 1913 were only two million tons, had now increased to
12 million tons per annum; and he said that unless energetic
steps were promptly taken to increase the shipment of Welsh
coal, there was grave risk of many markets being lost.
American exporters had made contracts for three, four, and
five years ahead with British customers in France and Italy.
Freights had risen five- and sixfold; there seemed to be no
limit. Vessels built in 1913 could, at present rates, earn
their cost in a twelve-month; and this meant a dividend of
100 per cent. He blamed the Government for commandeer-
ing at 7s. to 14s. per ton; and said that it was on account
of the inequality of treatment that the difficulty had arisen.—
Mr. H. Radcliffe, a member of one of the leading firms
owning “ tramp ” steamers, said that there was no owner
who desired rates to be at the point they had reached.—A
resolution was passed to await the result of the Order in
Council restricting British ships to British trade; and it was
decided to urge upon the Government the desirability of
appointing commercial men to assist in obtaining greater
efficiency in working requisitioned vessels.

At Glamorgan Quarter Sessions this week, colliery assess-
ment appeals have been under adjudication. Nixon’s Navi-
gation Company appealed against the Pontypridd Union
authorities in respect of an assessment amounting to over
£95,000 gross and £27,402 ratable. Counsel explained that
for many years the assessment had been fixed in accordance
with a sort of rule of thumb, prices of large and small being
taken subject to certain variations. In the spring of 1914,
however, the Assessment Committee decided to have a re-valu-
ation of the collieries, and instructed surveyors to act. These
gentlemen asked for particulars as to tonnage of coal, and
so forth; and it was the trading accounts of three collieries
which were the subject of the present appeal. The appellants
had appointed a surveyor to assist them in making calcula-
tions, and these showed that the assessment ought really to
be reduced. At the end of 1914 the Assessment Committee
decided that they would*go no further with the re-valuation.
The appellants, however, considered they were entitled to a
reduction in their assessment; and they served notice of
objection upon the committee. A number of accounts had
been got out for three years ended December 1913, and these
showed the assessment to be high. — Evidence was then
tendered by Mr. H. E. Gray, general manager, and one of
the directors of the company, who submitted particulars as
to output, royalties, selling prices, working expenses, etc.—
The further hearing was adjourned till January.

Northumberland and Durham.

Coal Company and Workmen's Insurance.

The Durham miners’ contributions to the Red Cross Fund
now amount to £1,193 8s. 5d., an increase of £659 7s. 6d.
when compared with the total three months ago.

The capacity of the new staiths of the Harton Coal
Company at South Shields to deal with large cargoes in
expeditious fashion is shown by the fact that a steamer of
6,000 tons dead weight was fully loaded in 23 hours last
week.

The Ashington Coal Company has subscribed £100 to a
local fund established for the purpose of providing Christmas
gifts to Ashington soldiers and sailors. The Duke of
Portland has sent a donation of £25 to the fund. The total
amount required to put the scheme into full operation is
£650, and already over £500 has been subscribed.

Amongst those who responded to an urgent “ whip
round,” initiated by Mr. Samuel Storey, with the object
of placing the Sunderland and Durham County Royal
Institute for the Blind, on a sounder financial footing were
the following gentlemen connected with the coal trade of
the county:—Sir Hugh Bell, who contributed £50; Lord
Furness, £50; Col. H. T. Fenwick, £50; Mr. Thos. Taylor,
£50; Mr. Tom John Taylor, £52 10s.; Sir Lindsay Wood.
£105; Mr. W. O. Wood, £15; Mr. Geo. S. Barwick,
£5 5s.; and Lord Joicey, £25. It is pleasing to know that
the effort -was completely successful.

Before the Whitley magistrates on Wednesday of last
week, the Seaton Delaval Coal Company was summoned
upon 10 counts under Part II. of the National Insurance
Act. In the first case, the company was charged with
having failed to pay a contribution of 5d. in respect of the
employment of John Robert Robson, for the week ended
July 31 last, he being engaged in an insured trade, namely,
building. The other nine charges were similar. William
Lilburn, an inspector on behalf of the Board of Trade, said
that on May 17, this year, he saw Mr. Ornesby, the agent