April 7, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

665

BOOK NOTICES.

Engineering Geology. By H. Ries and T. L. Watson.

Size 9 in. x 5% in. 722 pp.; 353 illus. New York :
John Wiley and Sons, Inc. London : Chapman and
Hall Limited; 1915. Price, 17s. net.

The publication of a second edition, revised and
enlarged, of the work on Engineering Geology, by Drs.
Heinrich Ries and Thomas L. Watson, at so short an
interval after its first appearance, speaks eloquently for
the great change which has been noticeable in recent
years in the attitude of civil engineers towards the
science of geology. Not so very long ago, students, of
engineering were launched into their professional
careers without any adequate knowledge of the laws
governing the structure of the earth’s crust. Indeed., a
considerable proportion of the older school of engineers
firmly believed that the earth’s crust had no law, and
that any difficulties that might be encountered in the
progress of works were merely unfortunate occurrences,
incapable of prevision, and altogether beyond the limits
of human ken. To them a geological map was a kind
of puzzle, pretty to look at, but without any practical
application, and certainly not a thing in which to place
any trust, or from which to draw any. conclusions as to
what might be expected below the surface. Fortu-
nately, however, things are now different, and it is a
recognised fact that the structure of the earth’s crust,
so vital an element in most engineering operations, far
from being of the nature of a surprise packet, is capable
of a degree of foreknowledge which is only limited by
the pains that may be taken to unravel it.

Messrs. Ries and Watson have written this book for
the express purpose of assisting students of engineer-
ing in this laudable object. And perhaps the first lesson
that any thinking student will learn from a perusal of
these pages will be to realise that, although the funda-
mental principles of geology can be gathered from a
book, the science itself can only be properly mastered
by practical work in the field and in the laboratory.
There may, therefore, be some difference of opinion as
to whether a knowledge of abstract principles should
precede or follow practical experience. Our own opinion
is that each of these views is in a sense correct. It is
better that an engineering student should know only
the former than that he should be ignorant of geological
principles. But it is equally certain that the more
practical his knowledge, the more useful it will be from
a professional standpoint.

In the book now under review, the authors have taken
care at every stage to emphasise the importance of
practical work, without which, indeed, many of' the
chapters will be found difficult to assimilate. It is not
easy, for example, to conceive, of a student deriving
permanent benefit from the descriptions of minerals and
rocks, to which the authors devote the first hundred or
so pages, without having had access to actual examples,
cither in the field or museum. But, with this addi-
tional experience, lie will certainly reap untold advan-
tages from the clear and interesting description given by
the authois, of their properties and practical applica-
tions. Instances are innumerable of the disadvantages
suffered by engineers from a want of proper knowledge
of common minerals and rocks.

Under the head of structural features, Messrs. Ries
and Watson next consider the modes of arrangement of
rocks. A mastery of this subject is invaluable to the
mining engineer. It will enable him to see into the
depths of the earth in a way that is not otherwise
possible. It will not, of course, stand always as a
substitute for trial boreholes; but it will assist him to
make proper use of borehole information, and to judge
more accurately the number and location of boreholes
requisite to give trustworthy data for constructing an
accurate section. Borehole information has often led to
misleading conclusions. Even a book knowledge of
tectonic geology will be helpful in such cases, for it will
convince the student that without a suitable surface
survey a'few random boreholes may give very uncertain
data. An engineer may often be in doubt as to the
amount of geological information that may be necessary
before carrying out a certain work. Let him read these
pages, and ponder over the accumulation of experience
recorded therein, and he will be in a far better position
to form an accurate judgment when he is called upon
to give a responsible opinion. There are numberless
examples of serious mistakes arising from ignorance of
the most elementary principles of stratigraphy. Against
many of these the authors of this book provide adequate
safeguards.

There are few branches of geology that the mining
engineer can afford to ignore. He requires a complete
course of engineering geology, such as this work of
Messrs. Ries and Watson embraces, and although some
portions of the book might be lightly passed over, there
are but few pages that could safely be omitted from an
ideal course, while there are also some chapters that
may be considered all too brief in their treatment. This
is inevitable in any single text book embracing so wide
a field.

In reviewing a text book of this nature it would, of
course, be possible to notice many points of legitimate
criticism. We do not propose, however, to take that
course. Works of this kind are loo few to warrant a'
hypercritical attitude towards such as are available.
British readers will do well to note that this book applies
more particularly to the United States, to which country
most .of the examples and illustrations refer. This is,
perhaps, the worst that can be said of it from an English
standpoint, but this very feature has its advantages, if
only to show how universal is the application of the
general principles of geology all the world over.

The pages dealing directly with coal include the usual
description of the different varieties and composition of
coal, with some typical analyses, structural features.of

coal-bearing strata, the classification of coal, and a brief
•account of its origin. This is followed by a section on
the technology of coal, and its geographical and
geological distribution in the United States. A chapter
is also devoted to petroleum and natural gas, while the
metal miner will find a concise account of the chief ore
deposits.

A word may also be said respecting the chapter on
historical geology, which has been added in this edition
for the first time. This chapter, dealing, as it does, with
American stratigraphy, may prove somewhat bewildering
to students in this country. It is a debatable point
whether this addition really adds much to the value of
the book. An engineering student can rarely devote
much time to historical geology, nor does he often
require to know more than is .required for the interpreta-
tion of a geological map? A distinction must naturally
be drawn between the engineer and the professional
geologist. No small part of the geological training of the
engineer consists in helping him to understand the value
of the assistance which the professional geologist can
render in limes of need. It is not necessary for the
engineer to be 'also an expert geologist. This text book
is admirably printed, and thoroughly well illustrated with
249 figures and 104 plates, mostly excellent half-tone
reproductions from photographs of natural occurrences.
The success with which it has met in the universities of
the United States, and its authors’ reputation as teachers
of economic geology, are a sufficient guarantee of its
value.

FUEL ECONOMY.

Prof. W. A. Bone was to have addressed the members
of the Nottingham section of the Society of Chemical
Industry at the University College on March 29, on the
subject of fuel economy, but was prevented by the storm
from fulfilling his engagement. Nevertheless, the
society having invited members from the Derby Society
of Engineers, the Leicester Association of Engineers,
the Midland Counties Colliery Owners’ Association, the
Midland Counties Institution of Engineers, the National
Association of Colliery Managers, and the Nottingham
Society of Engineers, it was deemed advisable to discuss
the subject in its various aspects.

Prof. Bulleid, of the Nottingham University College,
drew attention to the obstacle of expense which faced
owners of small plants, where the saving in fuel con-
sumption would be nullified by the interest on the
capital outlay on special economising apparatus. Of
course, the proper way to deal with a large collection of
shops was electric driving from a central station, and
then great economies could be effected. He instanced
the giant collection of power stations stretching from
Morpeth to Middlesbrough, from which stations power
could be obtained at something like §d. per unit. It
had been suggested that one could bo put down between
Nottingham and Derby, to use the waste blast furnace
gases in the district, and ho believed such .a scheme
would have been very successful if carried out.

Mr. H. Senior, of Lincoln, said that power from gas
was the cheapest method known, and a great saving
would bo effected if coal wore utilised in that way so that
house fires would be replaced by gas or electric fires.
The speaker also said ho looked forward to steps being
taken to impose a duty on export coal.

Mr. R. F. Percy, mining engineer, Nottingham,
believed that economies might begin in the mine itself.
The development of our coal seams was in the handis of
private individuals, and of companies, who. had only
one object, and that was to pay large dividends. In
some coal fields at present, owing to considerations of
economy in working, he believed a loss approaching
25 per cent, of the entire contents of the seam occurred—
stuff which was simply “ gobbed.” Then in some
collieries, only the best seams were selected for working,
other seams being thereby spoiled. Vast quantities of
coal, also, were left round the collieries to protect one
colliery from its neighbour and to prevent an inundation.
Probably, if the working of the collieries were subject to
Government control in this , matter, half the coal at
present left in the pit might be raised. He did not
advocate too much paternal legislation, but. the mines
ought to be so developed and worked that the interests
of posterity should be protected.

Mr. Rushworth (Nottingham), alluding to the sug-
gestion that 10 per cent, of the coal raised should be.
saved, said that a saving of 25 per cent, in the big
industrial plants-could be made if they were tackled in
the right way. Mr. Senior had advocated the use of
more gas .and less steam; he believed in more steam
and less gas. The greatest culprits in the extravagant
use of coal were the colliery proprietors themselves, who
forgot that by saving a ton in their own furnaces they
had an extra one for the market.

Mr. F. H. Carr (Nottingham) emphasised the neces-
sity of burning coal in such a way that the chemists
should obtain the maximum amount of by-products for
the manufacture of explosives and medicinal and other
substances. It ought to be remembered that every
pound of coal saved postponed the date of the decline of
our industrial supremacy. Moreover, we must not
export the distillates from coal to other countries.

Mr. Edgcumbe (Derby 'Society of Engineers) explained
that his firm had used the small ash from the smoke
boxes of locomotives as fuel, and in this way had been
able to save 120 tons of steam coal per week without
loss of efficiency. They had also tried coke from the
ovens and gas works, but without success. The great
difficulty in the matter of fuel economy was that of cost,
for unless they could get gas at 9d. or lOd. per 1,000 ft.,
power would cost far more than at present. In con-
clusion, the speaker said that the scientific societies
could greatly help engineers I y undertaking a proper
classification of coals.

LABOUR AMD WAGES.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

The South Wales Conciliation Board: met at Cardiff on
Monday, and dealt with a number of disputes. Most of
them, however, 'being of a relatively small nature, the Board
referred them to a representative of each side for investiga-
tion, or advised that further effort should be made to settle
locally. When the question of Easter holidays came before
the Board, the workmen’s delegates insisted that no holidays
should be fixed without consulting the workmen, and as they
purposed to hold a coal field conference on April 17, they could
not deal with the question at the Board meeting.

Judge O’Connor having been appointed conciliator with
regard to the three points in dispute in the coal field, namely,
the Sunday night shift, the bonus turn to ostlers, and the
rates for craftsmen, a joint sub-committee will deal with the
enquiry when it is held by his Honour; and the two sides
of the Board will arrange a date for taking up the matter.

Judge O’Connor has also to conduct the anthracite enquiry
into the “ lost 5 per cent.” of the anthracite men, a compli-
cated question as to which much ancient history has to be
unravelled. One contention already submitted on behalf of
the employers was that, prior to 1880, wages were not calcu-
lated by percentages on a fixed standard, but that there were
varying rates in operation, as might be agreed upon from
time to time; and that the alleged 5 per cent. “ concession ”
was not in the nature of a loan, as supposed by the men, but
was really a variation in the wage rate.

The coal trimmers and tippers of Cardiff and Barry met on
Sunday, and received a report from the deputation who
visited London to interview the Ports and Transit Executive
Committee. The meeting was attended also by a deputation
from that Committee—Lieut.-Com. Underwood, with Mr.
Gosling (president of the Transport Workers’ Association)
being in attendance. The meeting discussed the position
with regard to the Saturday stoppage at one o’clock, and
the request that tippers and trimmers wmuld work on after
that hour upon general work, as they already do in regard
to Admiralty work. Finally, those present agreed to adopt
the recommendation of the joint conference of Bristol Channel
ports—that the existing rule should be relaxed, the idea being
that, owing to the diminution of tonnage, and the great need
of encouraging shipments, everyone should do his utmost to
release tonnage.

The Newport Trimmers’ and Tippers’ Association also had
a meeting on Sunday on the same subject,, being addressed
by the same two gentlemen; and they unanimously passed
a resolution to the same effect as. that which was adopted
in Cardiff.

The Swansea Coal Trimmers’ Association also discussed
the question of Saturday half-day, and by a small majority
they decided to take similar action to that of the other ports.

A sub-committee of tippers and trimmers met in Cardiff
on Tuesday, and reports were presented from mass meetings
in all the Channel ports, these meetings having agreed to
work on Saturday afternoons. It was decided . that the .
following should be the terms :—British ships, 3s. fid. per
hour per man; neutral ships, 5s. per hour; and, if necessary,
in order to permit the vessels getting away to sea, the men
would work on until 8 p.m.

The contention of the trimmers has been that it is through
failure to apportion work between the different docks at a
port, as well as the lack of supervision, that has caused great
delay at the week-end, and that if proper arrangements were
made, there would be no need to work on Saturday after-
noons, but that requirements of the trade would be fully met.

The Cardiff Coal Trimming Board met on Tuesday, and
dealt with a request of the men that the Board would'assent
to an increase in bonus from 124 per cent, to 25 per cent,
in respect of vessels engaged in British and Allied Govern-
menf account; also an increase of Id. per ton on present rates
for British tonnage not on Government requisition, the bonus
to remain at 124 nor cent. Double rates were asked for work
on neutral vessels, also on Allied vessels not employed on
Government account, the bonus in this case to remain
unaltered.—The reply of the owners’ representatives was that
when the bonus of 12}. per cent, was granted, it had been on
the understanding that this prevailed for the duration of
the war.—The other requests were not acceded to.—It is
understood that the subject is to be further considered at
the conference of coal trimmers’ representatives summoned
from all the South Wales ports.

The Western Valleys miners’ council.meeting on Saturday
had before it the report of a deputation which had been
appointed to investigate the state of lamps in certain collieries,
and a resolution was passed that if no improvement be made
by April 10, the district would grant the request of the
workmen to tender 14 days’ notice.

The wages of a certain section of the iron and steel workers
of South Wales are arranged under a sliding scale agreement;
and it is characteristic of labour conditions to-day that,
inasmuch as the wages have now reached the maximum, and
the men are not able to claim further advance, special effort
is being made to remove the barrier of the maximum. The
Ebbw Vale men who are under this sliding scale system
have passed a resolution wherein they express dissatisfaction
with the result of the recent awrard. They also desire that
the general secretary should call a conference of delegates,
so that the whole district may take united action.—A meet-
ing held at Dowlais has agreed entirely with the resolutions
of the Ebbw Vale men, and the Dowlais men go so far as
to suggest that six months’ notice should be given termi-
nating the sliding scale agreement.

The workmen under the Dockers’ Union of Cardiff are
making certain demands, their desire being that the tariff
of the port paid by the Cardiff Railway Company should
be revised. On the other hand, it has been contended that
the company, wdio are the owners of the Bute Docks, should
adhere to present rates, and not make any alteration. The
matter has been taken to the Board of Trade, and Sir George
Askwith on Monday met representatives of the union, whilst
the general manager of the company appeared on behalf of'
the employers. Sir George Askwith is to give a decision
after consideration of the representations that have been
made to him.

North of England.

Despite the high wrages at present being earned by the
miners, the quarterly audit of the Northumberland Miners’
Association’s books shows that the arrears of contributions, at
the end of the year amounted to £347, as compared with
£386 at the end of September.

At a meeting of the Wages Board of the Northumberland
Miners’ Association last week, the quarterly statement
regarding the county wages was considered.. The
accountants’ ascertainment of the average net selling price of
coal at the pit head showTed that there had been an advance
of Is. 6d. per ton during the three months December,