556

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

March 24, 1916.

now not only speculating on the contermination of the
Warwickshire and Staffordshire coal fields, but as to the
probability of the existence of an entirely hidden coal
field in Southern England. Much, however, yet
remained to be done in the way of exploratory work.
Thus the eastern and western limits of the Warwick-
shire field had not yet been determined. In respect of
the Staffordshire coal fields west of Birmingham, the
area between Wolverhampton and Shifnal still remained
to be proved, and he inclined to the belief that in the
latter area there were. considerable deposits of coal.
Another large and apparently profitable area of investi-
gation was in Lancashire, where there was every reason
to believe that there was, immediately under the red
rocks to the south-west of Manchester, a very large tract
of Middle coal measures, “the accessibility of which
depended only on the thickness of the Permo-Triassic
cover.” Much good work could be done there by corre-
lation of existing information, but the area-was so com-
plicated by faults and the like, that borings would seem
to bo absolutely necessary to prove the value of the
extension of the coal field in this direction. Coming
south, many borings had been put down round and to
the north of London—well into Buckinghamshire—and
the underground geology of this area was broadly known.
But to the west, viz., the area between London and
Bristol, remained unproved.

It was eminently desirable that further extensions of
our coal fields should be defined, and hidden fields, if
they existed, be discovered, to replace the dying fields
of South Staffordshire, Bristol, and elsewhere. It was,
to his mind,, essential that the exploratory work neces-
sary to prove the areas indicated should be placed in
the hands of persons thoroughly competent in respect
of both geological and engineering knowledge. It was
equally so that we should know more concerning the
calorific and chemical values of the various coals at
present being worked. We were sadly lacking in infor-
mation in this respect. Not only was it probable that
many of the existing chemical analyses were incorrect
in some details—not intentionally incorrect, but faulty
methods of analyses had been adopted (recent investi-
gation by the Departmental Committee on Spontaneous
Combustion of Coal in Mines led to the conclusion that
the exact chemical analysis of coal was little under-
stood)—but the information available required to be
correlated, systematised, and extended in order that
the coal fields might be mapped out, area by area,
according to similarity of quality, in order that a
chemical survey of the coal areas might be accomplished.
Such a survey, constituting, as it would, a complete
compendium of chemical and metallurgical knowledge
in respect of our fuel supplies, would be of great value
to consumers, and form the basis of further enquiry.

In connection with the national coal supply, two main
questions which suggested themselves for answer wore :

(1)	Was the conclusion of the Royal Commission on
Coal Supplies, to the effect that the rate of increase
of output would become lower, remain stationary, and
then decline, sufficient ground for not taking steps to
conserve our coal supplies?

(2)	Should not prevention of wastage, and not
restriction of output, or (except in abnormal times)
restriction of export, be aimed at; would not con-
siderable advantage result from the appointment of a
standing committee of experts to advise on the subject
from time to time on : (a) The rate of exhaustion; (b)
duration of supplies; (c) as to steps to be taken to
conserve and utilise to the best advantage to the
nation the remaining supplies?

These queries might be replied to as follows :—(1) The
conclusion arrived at by the late Commission on Coal
Supplies in respect of the probable “ curve of produc-
tion ” was not sufficient ground for assuming that no
steps were necessary for the conservation of coal; (2)
the appointment of a small standing committee of
experts to advise on the subject from time to time had
been mentioned, and was worthy of serious considera-
tion, though there would be difficulties in the way of
its being an effective committee. The first two of the
items which such a committee would have to investigate,
viz., the rate of exhaustion, and duration of our supplies
of coal, presented small difficulty, but the steps which
should be taken to conserve and utilise to the best
advantage the remaining supplies, the prevention of
waste in “ getting ” and waste in “ using ” coal,
bristled with difficulties.

Some sources of waste in getting coal, and means for
the reduction of waste in working coal, might be
noticed :—

Certain portions of seams were being left in the goaf
(gob or waste). This coal might be of an inferior
quality to that portion of the seam which was sent out
of the mine, and more difficulties might, in some cases,
result were the whole of the seam extracted. In some
cases, however, the coal left was not of bad quality, and
if left in the waste, could be recovered.

It sometimes happened that when two seams were
close together, ;.h®t of highest quality was worked first,
and in consequence much damage might b? done, with
attendant loss of coal, in respect of the seam or seams
of poorer quality. From a national point of view the
order of working should be determined with a view to
causing as little total loss as possible.

Th? Royal Commission on Coal Supplies had evidence
brought before them that much coal had been, and was
being, lost through the practice of leaving unnecessary
barriers between royalties and properties, but the present
tendency to take large areas under lease was reducing
the loss from this cause, and in many cases barriers
between properties- were worked out by mutual agree-
ment. In this direction much more might be done.

In the past, extensive areas of partially worked coal
had been temporarily or entirely lost through indis-
criminate working, e.p., in the Black Country, South
Staffordshire. By the erection of central pumping
statipns -such areas could and had been to some

extent recovered—means should be taken to ensure that
in the future there was no recurrence of such
unsystematic and wasteful mining. The Staffordshire
Mines Drainage Scheme, though not, perhaps, an ideal
one in practice, could probably be improved on and
extended. On the Continent, the practice of hydraulic
stowage of wastes was much in vogue, with consequent
greater recovery of coal.

Many seams were at present being worked by
mechanical coal cutters—especially thin seams—-which
would otherwise be left unwrought. Possibly there was
room for improvement in the machinery applied to coal
getting, and probably its use was capable of wider
application. Improved methods of working, viz., of
thick seams, might also be suggested.

The Royal Commission on Coal Supplies endorsed the
recommendation of the Mining Royalties Commission
that greater facilities should be afforded to tenants for
life on settled estates in dealing with mineral property.

Before the abandonment of any mine was permitted,
plans and conditions might be examined and
investigated.

As to the question of waste, how could we, for
instance, compel a colliery owner to work and raise to
the surface coal which was less profitable than other coal
in his mine—even though his not doing so might result
in a seam or portion of a seam being irretrievably lost?
It was lamentable that such loss should occur, but one
means suggested itself for the prevention of this form
of loss, viz., the imposition of a- fine or tax on lessors
of mining property (not the lessee) in respect of all
coal (1) worked and left below ground; or (2) unworked
and abandoned—by abandonment he meant irretrievably
lost. The lessor would then presumably impose on the
lessee or intending lessee of the royalty such terms by
way of rent, etc., as to insure all available coal being
got.

As to the uneconomical use of coal—it might naturally
be supposed that persons who purchased coal were

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desirous of making it go as far as possible, i.e., of using
it to the best advantage. This to a great extent was
true, but on the other hand two important factors were
largely absent : (1) Knowledge as to how to use fuel to
the best advantage; and (2) lack of facilities for render-
ing its economic use possible.

Whether or not the creation of some such organisation
as that mentioned, in respect of wastage in the working
of our coal supplies, was one of practical politics or not
was open to doubt; but there could be little difference' of
opinion as to the advisability, and the great advantage
resulting from, a thorough investigation of the subject
of the more economical use of coal as a means of creating
power (in steam and internal combustion engines) and
for the production of coke and the by-products resulting
from the distillation of the coal.

Prof. Bone had indicated many directions in which
greater value might be obtained from the utilisation of our
coal resources, and had pointed to the need of systematic
research; and the British Association had lately
appointed a committee to consider the whole question
f-rom a national standpoint; but it was, he thought, a
matter for consideration whether work of such national
importance covering so extensive a field, requiring for its
successful completion the whole'.ime service of able
chemists and the expenditure of large sums of money,
could not be better carried out by a body of a more
' permanent character than a committee of the British
Association. Personally, he felt that the State should
undertake and finance such an enquiry.

The work could be divided perhaps into sections :—
(a) Documentation—gathering together and summarising
the information available in works, transactions and
periodicals; (b) the carrying out of a chemical survey
of the coal deposits of the kingdom—seam by seam—
and mapping the areas in accordance with quality and
chemical characteristics. The information which such a
survey would provide, would be of the greatest value to
consumers of fuel and would be preliminary, to some

extent, to (c) the scientific and industrial research relat-
ing to the more economical use of coal in the production
of energy, and its carbonisation and the recovery of
by-products.

The work would have to bo carried out in the office,
the laboratory, and on a large scale in the factory. It
would require for its effective consummation the
co-operation of the chemist, the mining engineer,
geologist, and manufacturer.

He thought the solution of the problem of the
economical consumption of fuel in the production of
energy, really lay in the more extensive employment of
electric motive power—the establishment of large dis-
tributing power stations which use fuel most economic-
ally. This was the surest way to secure general
economical use of fuel energy.

He had recently discussed the subject of the more
economical use of coal with Mr. Merz, and would like
to place before them a brief summary of the conclusions
come to on that occasion.

Firstly, a saving in the consumption of fuel could bo
made by more scientific use of the fuel. The present
power requirements of the country, speaking of power
in its broadest sense, could be met by utilising one-third
of the fuel consumed at present if, . instead of the fuel
being utilised in small units of machinery, its use were
concentrated in large generating centres where the
highest expert skill (chemical and engineering) could be
devoted to its proper consumption.

Such a result could only be attained by such centralisa-
tion of production and transmission being in the hands
of bodies specially constituted for the purpose of
generation and transmission of power, as distinct from
every user making his own power in his own way.

Then came the question : How was it possible . Io
accelerate this development? The proper development
of such a business meant spending capital upon which
it was probably not possible to secure a return of more

than 1 per cent, during the first year, rising by, say,
1 per cent, per annum up to a proper return.

The German Government, and particularly the
German States, had appreciated this point, and there
wore now in force in large areas in Germany arrange-
ments by which loans were granted to operating
companies, commencing at a very small rate and rising
gradually to a reasonable rate of interest.

Something of the kind was. certainly necessary in
this country to enable a more rapid rate of progress
to be attained, the rate of progress now being much
curtailed by the difficulty of financing.

On the question of financing such undertakings—this
could be done by the State, or by a modification of the
present system of banking. In either case it should be
remembered that the amount of capital involved in
dealing, as suggested, with the problem, with a view ta
accelerating progress, was not really large—4,2,000,000
or 4,3,000,000 a year for .10 years properly spent, would
go a very long way to starting things on right lines, and
in five years’ time the S.ate (if it were the financing
agent) would be getting a very satisfactory revenue in the
shape of rentals.

The need in Great Britain for the financial organisa-
tion of enterprise was very great. The part played by
the banks in Germany in the past in assisting enter-
prise was described in a letter quoted in a recent issue
of the Engineering Supplement of The Times, the writer
stating that the great strength of .he electrical engineer-
ing industry in Germany was due to the Systematic
financial aid which had enabled them to meet all
demands as they arose, while giving the easiest possible
terms ;o their foreign clients.

It was possible that the Government would have to
give financial assistance to industry after.the war. The
erection, of buildings and the formation of roads, for
instance, would not constitute, financially, remu.nera.ave
undertakings; that is to say, the State would not receive
a monetary return on the capital expended thereon,