May 19, 1916.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

949

THE GERMAN GOAL AM IROH
TRADES.

We give below further extracts from German
periodicals that have reached us, showing the course of
the coal and iron trades in Germany :—

German Output of Medium Steel in March.

The report of the German Iron and Steel Manufac-
turers’ Association states that the output of medium
steel in the Customs Union for the month of March
amounted to 1,361,502 tons (1,236,845 tons in
February), or an average of 50,426 tons (49,474 tons)
per working day. This total includes 652,377 tons
(591,388 tons) of basic steel, 12,353 tons (11,155 tons)
of acid steel, 550,332 tons (508,278 tons) of basic open
hearth steel, 34,588 tons (26,835 tons) of acid open
hearth steel, 56,012 tons (47,374 tons) of basic cast
steel, 29,838 tons (29,400 tons) of acid cast steel, 9,773
tons (8,564 tons) of crucible steel, and 16,092 tons
(13,851 tons) of electro-steel. The production in the
various districts was as follows :■—Rhenish Westphalia,
768,865 tons (702,070 tons); Silesia, 122,633 tons
(113,413 tons); Siegerland and Hesse-Nassau, 29,869
tons (27,581 tons); North, East, and Mid Germany,
56,132 tons (51,322 tons); Saxony, 28,919 tons (25,092
tons); South Germany, 14,061 tons (12,438 tons); Saar
district and Bavarian Rhinepfalz, 112,147 tons (101,037
tons); Elsass Lothringen, 116,954 tons (103,878 tons);
Luxemburg, 111,922 tons (100,011 tons).

German Coal Syndicate Report for March.

The total amount of coal raised in March was 8,334,000
.tons (6,369,000 tons in March 1915), or 308,659 tons
(235,888 tons) per working diav; total distribution,
8,317,000 tons (6,470,000 tons), or 308,037 tons (239,614
tons) per working day; participation, 9,670,000 tons
(7,932,000 tons); calculated distribution, 6,354,000 tons
(4,956,000 tons), being 235,351 tons (183,542 tons) per
working day, or 65-11 per cent. (62*48 per cent.) of the
participation. The total deliveries of coke amounted to
2,067,290 tons (1,357,888 tons), or 66,687 tons (43,803
tons) per working day; briquettes, 350,481 tons (364,845
tons), or 12,981 tons (13,513 tons) per working day.
The report states that the demand was very active
throughout the month, and, in comparison with the pre-
ceding month, the calculated distribution showed an
increase of 9*27 per cent. The distribution allocated to
the sales participation of the members was 65*11 per
cent. (64*35 per cent, in February) for coal, 66*55 per
cent. (62*40 per cent.) for coke, and 66*87 per cent.
(70-71 per cent.) for briquettes. The consumption of
coal for coking showed an increase of 10*72 per cent, in
comparison with the preceding month. The supply of
railway wagons was not altogether commensunate with
requirements, especially in the case of coke wagons.
The shipping traffic in the Ruhr harbours was normal,
and the conveyance of fuel on the Rhine-Herne canal
increased to 328,444 tons.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—May 15.

Before Viscount Haldane, Lords Sumner, Parmoor, and
Wrenbury.

A Miner’s Needless Risk.

Baker v. Earl of Bradford.—In this appeal, arising out of
the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1906, the question was
whether a fatal accident to a collier arose out of his employ-
ment. Mrs. Mary Baker, widow of Joseph Baker, collier,
was the appellant, and the Earl of Bradford, in whose Great
Lever Collieries, near Bolton, the accident occurred, was the
respondent. Deceased enlisted, but was not called up owing
to bad teeth. On March 5, 1915, the date of the accident,
he obtained permission to leave the mine earlier than usual,
in order to visit a dentist. When miners were about to leave
the workings, the jig brow and the jig brow “ level ” were
made safe by stopping the running of the tubs, and letting
down a stop-block at the rear of any empty tubs remaining
stationary on the jig brow “ level.” The deceased left his
working place, and went to the jig brow “ level.” He asked
the “ jigger ” whether he 'was ready, and received the reply,
“ If you will wait till I have ‘ jigged ’ these four tubs, you
can go down, as there will not be any more coal going down.”
Four tubs were sent down the brow, and four empty ones
came up, but before the stop-block had been let down the
deceased forced the centre tube apart in order to pass between
them. Released by this action, the four tubs moved down
.the incline, dragging the deceased with them. He was
fatally injured. In a claim for compensation, it was held
that the accident did not arise out of the collier’s employment,
and the Court of Appeal upheld that decision. The House
of Lords concurred, and dismissed the appeal, with costs.

Viscount Haldane said that Baker acted in disregard of the
jig brow man. It must be taken that the learned county
court judge had found that there was no right to leave the
pit except under conditions which were well ascertained, and
which at any other time than 2 o’clock must conform to the
directions of the only person who could direct, namely, the
jig brow man. The risk was not incidental to the employ-
ment when either it was not due to the nature of the employ-
ment, or it was an added peril due to the conduct of the
servant himself. He considered that the risk in this case was
not incidental to Baker’s employment.

The other law lords expressed a similar view.

HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE.

KING’S BENCH DIVISION.—May 11.

Before Mr. Justice Scrutton.

Damages for Subsidence.

Jones v. the Consolidated Anthracite Collieries and another.
—The -action of Jones v. Consolidated Anthracite Collieries
and another came up for judgment upon the findings of the
referee.

Mr. Walter Jones, of Corporation-road, Garnant, claimed
damages from the colliery company and Lord Dynevor for
subsidence of a house. He had purchased the land, on which
the property was erected, from Lord Dynevor, who was the

ground landlord, and who had granted to the colliery com-
pany the right to work the minerals underneath the land, and
as this was done subsidence took place. The claim for com-
pensation was made by the plaintiff against both defendants.
When the case was tried before the judge, the colliery com-
pany were dismissed from the -action, but there had been a
finding in favour of the plaintiff as against Lord Dynevor.

Mr. Justice Scrutton gave judgment for £550 with costs
according to the findings of the referee.

May 12.

Before Mr. Justice Darling.

A Question of Commission.

Ford v. Brynn Hall Colliery—In this action the plaintiff,
James Ford, mining engineer and estate agent, Doncaster,
sought to recover from the Brynn Hall Colliery, near Wigan,
the sum of 200 guineas, remuneration, stated to have been
agreed upon for arranging the purchase by the defendants of
a property known as the Tryddyn Lodge Collieries. Defen-
dants denied that any purchase of those collieries was
arranged, and, alternatively, that if -it was, plaintiff did not
arrange it. .	.

Mr. Douglas Hogg, on behalf of the plaintiff, said that his
client had carried out his part of the negotiations, and it was
only because the defendant company did not go through with
the matter that he did not get his commission. He wrote
asking for his remuneration, but failed to obtain it, and the
present action was the result.

Air. Hume-Williams, K.C., for the defendants, submitted
that the agreement had not been fulfilled. Plaintiff was to
arrange a purchase, which had not been carried through. All
that he had been the means of doing was to procure a simple
form of option to purchase a colliery which had been closed
down for four years, the purchase of which the defendants
apparently thought better of.

In giving judgment for the defendants with costs, his
lordship said his opinion was that plaintiff was entitled to
200 guineas only if the purchase was arranged. Stay of
execution on the usual terms was granted.

May 15.

Before Mr. Justice Scrutton.

A Pre-War Contract.

Borch and Sonner v. Raine and Son.—A case had been
stated by the arbitrator relative to a dispute between Messrs.
A. F. Borch and Sonner, of Drammen, Norway, and Messrs.
J. Raine and Son, coal exporters, of Sunderland. By a con-
tract made in May 1914, Raine and -Son agreed to supply the
Norwegian firm with 8,000 tons of coal by monthly deliveries
spread over 1915. On December 31, 1914, the sellers gave
notice, through their agents in Ghristiania, that shipments
could not be made against pre-war contracts, owing to reduced
output. In April 1915 the Norwegian firm wrote that other
English firms were fulfilling pre-war contracts, and they
expected Raine and Son to do the same.

Mr. R. A. Wright, for the Norwegian firm, urged that
there was no evidence that the buyers had waived their
rights under the contract, that the sellers’ announcement in
December 1914 excused them from sending tonnage month
by month, and that as the buyers had acted reasonably in
not covering themselves in the open market earlier, they
were entitled to £2,500 damages.

Mr. T. D. Mackinnon, K.C., for Raine and Son, submitted
that' the Norwegian firm had acquiesced in the cancellation
of the contract. If there were to be any damages, he sub-
mitted that they should not exceed .£800, as the buyers could
have covered themselves earlier.

His lordship entered judgment for the Norwegian firm for
£2,500.

TRADE AND THE WAR.

The Wolf Safety Lamp Company, Sheffield, is being
wound up under the Trading with the Enemy Amendment
Act, 1916.

Last quarter the London County Council purchased about
36,180 tons of coal for use at the Greenwich generating
station at a cost of about £48,038.

The Transvaal Coal Owners’ Association declares that it
is able to supply practically unlimited quantities of steam
coal at Delag-oa and Cape Town for bunkering and export
purposes.

The iron ore trade of Coquimbo, Chile, shows signs of
growing importance, according to a consular report. Last
year 147,000 metric tons of El Tofo iron ore were shipped to
Philadelphia.

In connection with the delivery of coal to schools from
the coal depots, the London County Council, from reasons
of economy, tried jute coal sacks, but the trial has shown
that hemp sacks are more satisfactory.

Cyprus imported iron and steel manufactures of the value
of £5,753 last year. The value of such imports in the
previous year was £11,931. The imports of machinery,
parts, fittings, etc., were valued at £4,818, against £17,076
in the previous year.

To meet the competition of new companies formed in
previous consuming countries, a close working agreement has
been arranged between the large German coal tar colour
producers. It is stated to be their intention to exchange
manufacturing processes, and jointly to take whatever steps
are considered necessary.

Politiken, of Copenhagen, commenting on the “ black
list ” of Danish firms in the London Gazette, says that most
of these firms are small concerns run by German capital and
started since the war began. The Copenhagen Coal and
Coke Company (Kjobenhavns-Kul-Koks-Kompagni, A/S),
Islands Brygge 22, Copenhagen, is in the list.

Special forms of guarantees have been approved for use in
connection with the export of prohibited goods to Norway, and
any guarantee in the old form- will not be accepted on and
after June 1. Intending exporters of goods to Norway should
instruct their consignees to apply to H.M. Consular Officers
there for information as to the terms of the guarantees in
question.

In accordance with a recent decision, the London County
Council has made arrangements for the supply of coal for
various services. It has decided to continue the use of the
coal depots at Maiden-lane, Wands worth-road, and Tulse-
hill, and has entered into negotiation with colliery owners
for a continuance of supplies during the year 1916-17. For
some supplies the Council is still dispensing with formal con-
tracts, and accepting quotations month by month.

Danish colliers which recently left English ports only
obtained licences after declarations bad been signed that they
would take back cargoes to England. The British authorities
did not formulate any spcific demand concerning the nature
of the cargoes,- and some owners promptly sent their vessels
to Norway to load ore and silex.. The expenses of the indi-
vidual ship owners arising from the longer journey will
easily be made good by the return freights, and now that the
ice is melting, cargoes of wood may also be obtained in
Sweden. The real difficulty, however, is that the Danish
demand for coal will be very insufficiently supplied.

After considering a report of the sub-committee of the
Advisory Committee of the Board of Trade on Commercial
Intelligence regarding British industry after the war, the
Central Executive Committee of the Employers’ Parliamen-
tary Association passed a resolution laying particular stress
upon the necessity of increasing the number of chemists
trained in research work, and the necessity of making special
effort to enlist the co-operation of manufacturers, who have
been “ lamentably apathetic ” in this matter. The executive
committee took note of preferential railway rates to foreign
competitors, and suggested that the railway companies- should
be compelled to show the actual rates for the inland carriage
of imported goods. Another resolution called for the estab-
lishment of a Ministry of Commerce.

Despite shipping difficulties, Germany has been successful
in cutting into the Northumberland and Durham coal trade
with Scandinavian countries. Norway, Sweden, and Den-
mark were, and still are, amongst the largest customers for
North country fuel, but recent advices received on Newcastle
Commercial Exchange point to the fact that the present extor-
tionate rates of freight are giving Teutonic producers their
chance in the Scandinavian market. Several of the most
recent enquiries from Denmark and Sweden have gone to
Germany. One communication received on Tyneside from
Swedish agencies stated, with regard to the latest contracts
for the Swedish State Railways, that there was to be no
buying of the British article at anything like present c.i.f.
prices, as German coal could be obtained in plenty at very
substantially lower figures.

The Lancashire Bar Manufacturers’ Association objects to
the personnel of the Departmental Committee of Iron, Steel
and Engineering Industries, and suggests that the trades
unions ought to be represented. It is alleged that the
Committee is not represent active of the trade, and at least one
member openly favours- German competition.

In the four months, January-April, of this year, the
.United Kingdom imported coal, coke, and manufactured fuel
of the value of £2,245, a decrease of £974 on the corre-
sponding period of 1915, and a decrease of £11,256 as com-
pared with 1914.

Addressing a meeting in Glasgow on Tuesday, Mr. T. C.
Elder, of the British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers’
Association, argued that the key to the future control of the
commercial and industrial situation was mastership in the
engineering and allied industries. The first question that
should be discussed at any economic conference of the Allies
was how Germany might be kept permanently disarmed and
disabled; and there was no hope whatever of doing that if
she was permitted to be again a sort of mechanical and
chemical universal provider for Europe and other parts of the
world. Our object was to keep Germans occupied with
labours that could not be turned to frightfulness. National
-and Imperial safety depended on the maintenance of a pro-
gressive and prosperous engineering industry. The decisive
influence of machinery in warfare became more -and more
marked, and we could -not -again take the risk of allowing
Germany to attain mechanical military superiority on land
or sea, or under the sea, or in the air. Engineering was
in peace also the key industry. If we kept Great Britain
a well-engineered country we were going far to ensure that
it would be a well-populated, a well-capitalised, and a well-
employed country.

The Swedish steamer “ Thorsten,” bound for Newcastle,
has been captured by the Germans.

A Petrograd report states -a large company has just been
formed, under the style of the Societe Metallurgique de
1’Altai, with a capital of £2,500,000, to erect a large plant
in Siberia for the manufacture of railway material. The
undertaking will be under the control of the Putiloff Com-
pany, the principal Russian firm of munition makers.

An article on the French coal crisis in the Journal (Paris)
concludes as follows :—“ Great Britain, who alone possesses
this precious combustible, without which no vessel can sail
the seas, ought to reserve it for the use of those who employ
their vessels to the best advantage, and refuse it to those
who misuse their tonnage, and solve the coal crisis, in
France by fixing freight rates and declining to supply coal
to neutral ship owners who refuse to agree to such rates.”

The Stepney Borough Council is communicating with
other authorities owning electricity undertakings, stating
that it has had under consideration the difficulty experienced
in obtaining the supply and delivery of coal for its electricity
undertaking, from which such large consumers as the London
Hospital, the Port of London Authority, and a number of
manufacturers engaged in the production of munitions of
war are supplied with current. The Council intimates
having made representations to the Board of Trade -and to
other authorities concerned as to the necessity, in the national
interest, of action being taken to ensure the proper supply
and delivery of coal to the electricity undertaking, and asks1
other councils to support the action that has been taken.

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—May 17.

Shipments and Miners.

Dr. Macnamara, replying to Mr. Houston, explained that
requisitioned or directed steamers which took coal from the
United States to River Plate ports had to make ballast voyages
in the first instance, and a voyage to North America was
shorter than one to South America.

Mr. Hancock asked whether Nottingham miners who
enlisted in October 1914 in the Railway Supply Department
were promised 3s. a day, but received only Is. 8d. per day.

Mr. Forster replied that the men were enlisted in error
at 3s. a day, and were afterwards given the option of ordi-
nary pay or taking their discharge. Replying to another
question, he said he did not know whether any man who took
his discharge would be conscripted under the new Bill.

Plans for the extension of the Speedwell Iron Works have
been passed. The estimated cost is £3,000.