664

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

' April 7, 1916.

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—March 31.

Sulphate of Ammonia Exports.

The Earl of Selborne, replying to Lord Strachie, said
the general prohibition of the issue of licences for the export
of sulphate of ammonia had been in operation two and a half
months, and farmers had had an ample opportunity of pur-
chasing their supply. It had been decided to resume the
issue of licences after the end of March. Some of the places
where sulphate of ammonia was produced were absolutely
congested, and unless the sulphate could be disposed of, it
would not be possible to go on with the manufacture of other
articles essential for munitions, off which the sulphate was a
by-product. The Government were taking care, so far as-
they had influence and power, that, both for the purpose of
munitions and agriculture, enough sulphate of ammonia was
kept in the country. He had no power to fix the price of
this article.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—March 30.

Bunker Coal.

Mr. Annan Bryce asked the President of the Board of
Trade whether, to .meet the complaints made in Italy regard-
ing the high freights of coal, the benefit of which was largely
reaped by neutral vessels, ho would try the effect of with-
holding bunker coal from such vessels at ports under the
control of his Majesty’s Government.

Mr. Bunciman said that any steps that could usefully be
taken in this question of freights were being and would be
taken, but a general withholding of bunker coal, such as
was suggested in the question, would drive the neutral ships
out of the trade, and increase the difficulty.

April 5.

Coal Prices : Foreign Bunkers.

Mr. Pretyman, replying to Sir A. Markham, said it
was the duty of the Board of Trade to do everything they
could to keep the price of coal within the actual limits
imposed by the Act. The Act did not impose, on the Depart-
ment the duty of prosecuting in every case in which an alle-
gation was made that the price charged was higher than
the Act allowed. ’Where a complaint was made to a court
that the price charged was higher than the price imposed by
the Act, then the matter was referred to the Board of Trade,
and it was the duty of the Board to determine what was the
.proper price. The Department got seme complaints and some
enquiries from day to day, and these were all gone into; but
as a matter of fact-, only one case had been taken into court,
and on that the Board of Trade agreed to fix the price on
which the court would have to give its decision. The con-
clusion they had come to was that the Act was working satis-
factorily in the main, that the price of coal was being very
largely kept down by it, and that it would do more harm than
good now, when people were accustomed to the working of the
measure, to lay down a totally new basis.—On Thursday,
Mr. Pretyman, replying to Mr. Bryce, stated that bunker
coal was obtainable at several ports not under the control of
the British Government. The importance of the control which
this country exercised over the supply of bunker coal was
fully recognised.

THE LONDON COAL TRADE.
Thursday, April 6.

The London coal trade shows very little change from the
active demand during the intensely cold weather of the past
few weeks, and the return to warmer weather has not
-slackened the pressure for any of the qualities of household
fuel, nor has the termination of the winter contract prices
had any appreciable effect upon the public -demand. The
scarcity continues unabated, -and merchants are eagerly
buying any of the qualities offering. Colliery representa-
tives, however, -are still refusing all orders, and the disloca-
tion in the railway traffic has led to a serious shortage at
all the wharves and depots. The collieries complain that
loaded wagons have been standing untouched for days in
the colliery sidings, and the London merchants .are com-
plaining of the non-removal of empties from their depots,
and the absolute cessation of loaded wagons coming forward.
Special efforts 'are understood to have been made during
the week-end to ease the position, and -an improvement in
this respect is clearly noticeable during the current week.
The depot reports -still show a considerable number of orders
on hand unexecuted, and as the spring advances, the out-
look as regards supplies is distinctly better. Manufacturing
coal is still in active demand, 'and the Government require-
ments are only rarely met. Seaborne coals are moving
briskly, but all the steamers arriving in the Biver Thames
are loaded with contract cargoes, so that none are available
for the open market. The question of the revised prices as
from April 1 wTas duly considered by the committee of the
Coal Merchants’ Society, and on Monday last the following
notice was posted on the door of the committee room :—
“ The Coal Prices Committee .announce that they -are making
no alteration in delivery prices until further notice, and the
Board of Trade have been.notified accordingly.—By authority
of the Committee.” The contract prices, where a summer
and winter price has been -arranged, were lowered on
April 1, but the important question of the arrears has not
yet been settled. The bulk of the collieries claim a rebate
from the ordinary monthly quantity on account of the
shortage in output, but in a few cases arrangements have
been made for an extension of the period of the contracts so
as to enable the collieries to fulfil .all their contract obliga-
tions, but in these cases the .approximate quantity at the
winter price will undoubtedly be taken before the summer
price commences. On Monday’s market 25 cargoes -were
returned as arriving in the Biver Thames, and nine for
Wednesday’s market. The freight market continues high,
but the tonnage is scarce and chartering is quiet; £5 per
ton has been secured from the Humber to Genoa, and
42s. 6d. per ton from Hull to Bouen. Fixtures to London
have been made at 17s. 6d. from the Tyne, -and 14s.- from
the Humber. Thejiavoc caused by the gale last week has
left a very vivid memory on the river trade. Messrs. W.
Cory and Son alone lost over 40 barges loaded with coal,
sunk in the Biver Thames, and the damage done to many of
the riverside wharves Avill take a considerable time to repair.
The Great Eastern Bailway Company somewhat startled
London traders by giving notice that from May 1 they
intend entirely closing the stations at Barkingside, Bethnal
Green, Bradfield, Buckenham, Cambridge Heath, Chigwell
Lane, Coburn-road, Earl-sham, Geldeston, Globe-road,

Leman-street, London Fields, Mardock, Shadwell, Stanboe,
and West Mill. This will fall very heavily on many of
the London coal merchants who have depots at the stations
named, but the traffic manager explains that the step has
been., taken entirely on account of the military necessities
and the serious shortage of railway staff. The stations
selected, however, are within easy reach of other stations
w’hich will remain open, -and every consideration has been
given to the travelling public. The hardship, however, will
be felt mostly by the cessation of the goods and coal traffic,
and pre-eminently by those London merchants who have
a working staff, coal storage and stabling, etc., at the
closed stations.

From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Co.’s Report.

Friday, March 31.—The seaborne house coal market -was
quiet to-day, with no business reported. Cargoes, 21.

Monday, April 3.—The seaborne house coal market was
again without supplies to-day, but the enquiry was fair; no,
transactions reported. Cargoes, 25.

Wednesday, April 5.—The seaborne house coal market
was somewhat quiet to-day, with no cargoes reported.
Cargoes, 9.

INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES.

Africa.

South African Goal. — Since the diversion of Eastern
shipping to the Cape route, the South African coal position
is evoking more interest, a .circumstance which helps to
account for the recent activity of Transvaal Coal Trust
shares; and other colliery companies connected with the
Cape also stand to benefit. At the present time the relative
suitability of Durban and Cape Town for coaling purposes
is being discussed in South Africa. The importance of coal
to the Band cannot be over estimated, and now that the
manufacture of munitions .at the Cape is being energetically
pushed there is an additional reason for paying attention
to the Claims of South African coal. The growing dimen-
sions of the industry in the Transvaal may be gauged from
the fact that whereas in 1901 the sales of coal amounted to
794,144 tons, valued .at the pit’s mouth at £329,113, by
1914 the output had increased to 5,157,268 tons, and the
pit’s mouth value had risen to £1,150,746. The adoption of
the South African route by shipping from the Far East has
given a decided fillip to the bunkering trade, for it is
estimated that Table Bay alone has lost hitherto to the
extent of over a million tons of -shipping per annum through
the Avar.

Australia.

Coal Loading at Newcastle, N.S.W. — The coaling
facilities of the port have just received an important addition
by the completion of a first 'Section -o-f a new wharf at
Carrington, on the western side of the basin in the harbour.
The wharf is one-third of a mile in length, and has been
built by day labour at a cost of £43,000. As six quick-
speed 15-ton electric travelling cranes, each weighing over
200 tons, are .to be installed upon this section, a heavy
system of diagonal bracing has been placed horizontally
between the superstructure and high-water mark, with the
view of eliminating the trouble due to the rails carrying the
cranes getting out of -alignment, and to distribute the surge
from large vessels over a considerable length of wharf.' The
reinforced concrete plates holding up the filling behind the
wharf, upon which the “ feeder sidings ” Avill be laid, are
designed to bear the weight of heavy main line locomotives.
A depth -of 30 ft. has been provided along the face line
of the wharf, and the work will allow7 of deepening to 35 ft.
in the future. Each of the six loading cranes will lift
15 tons at 55 ft. radius, and pl-ub a distance of 39 ft. from
face line of wfliarf, with frame work of crane 3*6 ft. clear
of front of wharf, and they will have 101 ft. more radius,
11^ ft. more headway on face line of wharf, 23 ft. more
headway under hopper when raised to full height at end
of jib, and lift 3 tons (or 25 per cent.) more than the existing
hydraulic cranes. The revolving weight of crane is equally
distributed on the live ring of rollers, giving an easy running
turntable, and a small slewing effort. The cranes are
estimated to ship over 2J- million tons of coal per annum.

Canada.

The Canadian Coal and Coke Company has been practically
Avound up by the judicial sale of its assets, under a recent
judgment of the Supreme Court of Alberta, to satisfy the
claims of the bondholders amounting to 3,000,000 dols. The
property w7as bought in for that figure on behalf of the bond-
holders, mostly Montreal capitalists, who have organised a
new company, under the name of the North American
Collieries Limited, Avith Mr. H. A. Lovett, K.C., of Montreal,
as president. Operations will be continue^ witli a larger
force, and mines which had closed down will be re-opened.
The properties affected are the Lethbridge Collieries, Leth-
bridge; Beaver Colliery, Beaver Mines; St. Albert Colliery,
St. Albert; and Pacific Pass Colliery, Lovett. The Kootenay
and Alberta Bailway, a short line between Pincher Creek
and Beaver Mines, is also included.

Gold Coast.

The imports of coal in 1914 amounted to 68,031 tons,
value £139,228, as compared Avith 51,666 tons, value £84,475,
in 1913, -an increase of 54,753 tons, which wa-s mainly due to
the .increase of stocks by the mining companies in the
Western Province and to the Bailway Department -at
Sekondi.

New Zealand.

A scheme has been submitted to the New Zealand Minister
of Mines, for the erection of an electric power station for-
th e purpose of supplying electricity to the shaft-head of each
mine on the three lines of reef at Bendigo, and to operate
special pumping plant for drainage purposes.

Staffordshire Iron and Steel Institute.—The fourth meet-
ing of the session will be held to-morrow (Saturday) at
7.15 p.m., in the Institute, W-olverhampton-street, Dudley.
Mr. - H. Brearley Avill lecture on “ Ingots and Ingot
Moulds.”

Holland’s Coal Imports and Exports in 1915.—Imports
from :—Great Britain, 1,792,349 tons (1,716,090 tons in
1914); Germany, 4,409,456 tons (9,400,655 tons); Belgium
696,470 tons (159,782 tons); total, 6,962,940 tons (11,281,782
tons). Exports to :—Germany, 239,558 tons (859,263 tons) ;
Belgium, 30,248 tons (605,746 tons); France, ml (746,490
tons); total, 273,502 tons (3,746,502 tons).

MINING AND OTHER NOTES.

Important correspondence with regard to coal contracts
is included with a report of the Army Comptroller and Auditor-
General. The War Office, in May 1914, submitted for the
consideration -of the Treasury a claim for compensation in
respect of loss -suffered during the recent Dublin labour
troubles in fulfilling a contract for the supply of coal at
Curragh, Newbridge, Naas and Birr. A firm of coal
importers of Dublin had accepted by the War Office on
June 7, 1913, a tender for the -supply of coal to the four
stations for one year. They made a contract w7ith a
Workington company for regular deliveries of coal by
steamer at the North Wall, Dublin. In September 1913,
OAving to the labour trouble, the Port of Dublin Avas clo-sed,
and in order to fulfil their contract the Dublin company
purchased in Warrenpoint, Newry and Waterford during the
period October 1913 to January 1914, nearly 3,000 tons of
coal, at an increased - cost of £997 12s. 7d., made
up of (a) increased cost of coal; (b) increased rail-
way charges; (c) demurrage. The contract in ques-
tion contains the following condition :—‘‘ Strikes.—If by
reason of any strike amongst the Avorkmen or any accident at
the pits included in this contract over Avhich the contractor
shall have no control, he shall be unable at any time to
supply the description of coal required by the contract, upon
the Secret-ary for War being furnished with satisfactory
evidence of such inability, the contract Avail be suspended
during such -strike or obstruction, unless the contractor elect
to supply -other approved coal on the same terms.” The
contractor urged that, wdien taking the contract, they read
this clause -as meaning the suspension of the contract during
a -strike among the workmen employed in executing it. They,
therefore considered that their contract should have been
suspended between September 1, 1913, -and February 9, 1914.
On the advice of the Chief Crown Solicitor, Ireland, the
clause quoted was held to refer only to strikes at the pits
named in the contract, and the contract was accordingly
not suspended. The first contract was subject to suspension
under a Avider clause. The Major-General in charge of
Administration, Irish Command, who has -scrutinised the
details of the claim very thoroughly, emphasises the satis-
factory manner in Avhich the firm carried out their obliga-
tion in the face of extreme difficulty. He considered -that
the contractors’ efforts to comply with requisitions were
made 'in good faith, that they Avould be reimbursed any
pecuniary loss they might sustain, and he recommended that,
the claim be favourably considered. The Army Council
considered that the whole of the loss should be borne by
the public -and accordingly the War Office asked for the
concurrence of the Treasury. The reply from the latter was
that they were unable to agree that the whole of the loss
(£997 12s. 7d.) should be borne by the public. They thought
the merits of the case would be met by relieving the con-
tractors of half their loss, and they accordingly sanctioned
the charge to. Army funds of that amount, namely,
£498 16s. 4d.

While plans for the development of the Maryland Steel
Company’s properties at Sparrows Point, near Baltimore
(U.S.A.) have not yet been completely Avorked out, it has
been authoritatively announced by President E. G. Grace,
of the Bethlehem Steel Company, that an expenditure of any-
where from 10,0'00,000 to 20,000.000 dols. Avill be made 'in
the expansion and improvement of the steel making and ship
building facilities and capacity of the plant. It is hoped to
double the present blast furnace capacity, and add a corre-
sponding amount of steel ingot producing capacity, possibly
in both the open hearth and Bessemer plants, this steel to
be utilised in finished products selected from the following,
such as tin-plate, merchant bars, wire products, and plates.

Prof. H. E. Armstrong read a paper at a meeting of the
London section of the Society of Chemical Industry on “ The
Federation of the Interests of Applied and Pure Chemistry
in an Imperial Union of Bodies Bepresenting the Various
Branches.” He instanced the Boyal Medical and Chirur-
gical Society, and argued that it was desirable to effect a
similar union in the interests of chemistry throughout the
Empire. Chemical societies generally, scientific and indus-
trial, should be included, Avith subsections, if found desirable,
for agricultural chemistry, chemistry of fuel, ferrous and
non-ferrous metallurgy, etc.

The question of industrial research in relation to the engi-
neering industry 'was discussed at a- meeting convened by the
council for Organisation of the British Engineering Industry
at Manchester this Aveek. Air. Fleming, of the British
Westinghouse Company, said big advances in future in this
country could only come by concentrating advanced research
in a large central or national laboratory. This seemed to
him to be the best way to prepare successfully to meet foreign
competition. It would be an excellent investment if manu-
facturers would devote the necessary percentage of gross profits
arising from industrial processes to establishing a research
laboratory on a comprehensive scale.

Grimsby Coal Exports. — Bet urns for the week ended
March 31 sIioaa’ that the coal exported from Grimsby was as
folloAvs :—Foreign : To Bagnoli, 2,150 tons; Dieppe, 517:
Esbjerg, 2,237; Gothenburg, 1,667; Haugesun-d, 157; and
Treport, 1,220 tens—-total, 7,948 tons foreign, compared with
8,240 tons foreign and 1,232 tons coastAvise during the corre-
sponding Aveek last year.

Manchester Geological and Mining Society. — The next
ordinary meeting will be held at Queen’s Chambers, John
Dalton-street, Manchester, on Tuesday, April 11, at
2.15 p.m. A paper -on “ Economies in Goal Washing,” by
Mr. SherAvood Hunter, will be read. Prof. X. S-tainier’s
paper, “ The Connections between the North-Western
European Coal Fields ” will be open for discussion.

Coal Shortage in Spain.—For want of British steam coal,
many blast furnaces, foundries, and factories in Spain are
on -short time; some threaten to close, some have closed
already. The fact that England allows coal to those
industries—and there are many—which are working to
supply the needs pf the Allies is no consolation to the rest;
nor to Spanish Ministers, who foresee a further rise in prices
and a further spread of unemployment. A fcAv days ago
Senor Maura petitioned the Government -on behalf of the
fishermen of Santona in Santander, Avhose trawlers cannot
put to sea for want of coal. To save this valuable industry
from ruin 2,000 tons of coal per month are said to be
required, while the whole of Spanish industrial needs for
the next 12 months goukl be met by 1,500,000 tons. This is
the greatest need of Spain to-day. England alone can
supply the hard stea-m. coal that is essential to the great
Span ish in. dus tries.,