March 23, 1917.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

591

OIL v. ELECTRIC SAFETY LAMPS.

At a meeting of the Midland branch of the National
Association of Colliery Managers, held at University
College, Nottingham, Capt. E. Muschamp (branch pre-
sident) in the chair, further discussion took place upon
the subject of the relative merits of oil and electric
safety lamps.

Mr. Edward W. Stephenson (Garswood Hall
Collieries) wrote that he had about 2,400 electric lamps,
and, after the experience of the last four years, he was
a firm believer in the future of the electric lamp as a
lighting medium in coal mines. In his opinion, they
now exceeded the best oil lamp made, for he had not
seen an oil lamp to equal the light of an electric lamp,
and be as reliable and safe at the same time. In point
of safety, an oil lamp in the hands of the average miner
could not be but a source of danger in the pit, where the
possibility of lamp glasses being broken by blows was
always present. Given proper organisation, qualified
lamp attendants, and nothing more than reasonable care,
no installation of electric lamps should cost more than
the figure given by the president (4d. per week in 1914).
Mr. Maurice had spoken of the leakage of acid from cell
lamps as being a source of trouble and expense, but it
was easy to render leakage almost impossible, as is done
by the makers. Leakage in the case of the lamps was
only rendered possible by over-filling and faulty atten-
tion. In the four years that acid cell lamps had been in
use, they had not had a single case of fire. The English
electrodes were just as good as, if not better than, the
German-made ones.

Mr. Stephenson sent for inspection a lamp which, he
explained, had been in use at the colliery, almost with-
out losing a shift, since January 1913 until February 8,
1917, and must have done something like 1,200 shifts.
It was taken casually from the lamps put in at the lamp
store window. All that had been done in relation to the
lamp case was to put a new bottom in 12 months ago,
when also the present bulb was put in. The positive
plate was put in in March 1916, and was good for
another four month’s run. The negative plate was put
in in May 1915, and was also good for a few months’
wear. The lamp was showing an excellent light after
nine hours in the pit. It was quite a common occur-
rence for these lamps to be in use for 16 hours on repair
jobs, etc.

Pi of. McMillan exhibited several lamps from the
Mining Department of Nottingham University College,
and drew attention to some tests which he had made in
connection with the relative illuminating power of some
of these lamps, using the Simmance-Abady-Flisker
photometer, which to a great extent eliminated the ques-
tion of the colour of the light obtained. He found that
there was at least one form of oil lamp which, towards
the end of the shift, gave a higher candle-power than the
electric lamps he had tested.

Messrs. John Mills and Sons, Newcastle-on-Tyne,
manufacturers of the “ Joel-Fors ” electric lamp, sent
three sample lamps for inspection, and wrote that the
“ Joel-Fors ” circular cells had been manufactured in
this country for a number of years.

Mr. W. Maurice explained that he had meant to
* convey that there were no circular cells for mining pur-
poses. His remarks had no reference to the “ Joel-
Fors ” cell, which for other purposes than mining had
an established reputation.

The Branch President said it was the desire of mem-
bers, as practical men who had tried these lamps, to
point out to the makers in what detail they thought they
could be improved, so that if possible, by combining the
best points of the various lamps, they could arrive at
the perfect lamp. He would like from the members
their experiences of lamps from a practical point of view.
They had found certain points about various lamps; and
he had hoped to present exhibits to put before the meet-
ing that day. But they had not arrived, and therefore
he would leave that over for a future time.

Mr. Strachan said he had found there had been cor-
roding through the outer cases after five or six months.
He did not know whether it was owing to lack of atten-
tion, but that had been the experience at their colliery.

Mr. W. Wall work emphasised the importance of due
attention in the lamp room, otherwise there was liability
to considerably increased cost of upkeep. From his own
experience, the cost of upkeep, apart from labour, ought
to be something like 2|d. per lamp per week. He
thought the cost of labour should not be more than
another 2d. per week. On the first introduction of elec-
tric lamps at a colliery with which he was connected,
the men scrambled for them, and it was very seldom one
heard of men turning against them in any way whatever.

There were then placed before the meeting, for inspec-
tion, specimens of the Edison and “ T.K.” miners’
lamps, and their construction and properties were fully
explained by representatives of the manufacturing firms.

In thanking the makers, through their representatives,
for sending the exhibits and giving the explanations, the
Branch President said they would extend the same
privileges to any other manufacturers in the country if
they liked to avail themselves of it. He thought that
would only be fair. They were seeking information with
regard to lamps which they had not used, with a view,
as he had said before, of combining the good points of
each lamp, if that was possible.

A grant in aid of £1,000,000 is taken in the Education
Estimates for 1917-18, to encourage scientific and industrial
research. This grant will be paid to the account of the
Imperial Trust. Grants will be made by the directions of a
Committee of the Privy Council over an agreed period to
approved trade associations for research, to supplement the
funds of the associations.

LABOUR ARD WAGES.

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

At a meeting of the Rhymney Valley miners on Saturday,
an announcement was made of advances in wages for engine-
men and craftsmen; and an intimation was given that young
miners attaining the age of 18 years should immediately
inform the management.

The Welsh Artisans’ United Association is one of those
dealing with the tin-plate trade, and its annual council was
held in Swansea on Saturday. Mr. James Jenkins, Briton
Ferry, who presided, said that the association had won record
success during the past year. A meeting of the Tin-Plate
Conciliation Board would shortly be held to consider the
application by the trade unions for additional war bonuses.
Approval was given by the council to the scheme for trans-
porting tin-platers to steel works which was adopted at the
recent conferences.

North of England.

The St. Helen’s Colliery at Siddick near Workington,
employing upwards of 700 men and boys, was thrown idle
on Monday morning, owing to a dispute with the winding
enginemen. The men reached the pit as usual for the
morning shift, and some of them had secured their lamps
ready for going underground, but the enginemen, it is stated,
for some reason or other, refused to let them down, and the
whole of the men had to return home again. A settlement
was reached later in the day, .and the men returned to work
with the first shift on Tuesday morning.

Federated Area.

At meetings of Lord Ellesmere’s, Hulton Colliery Com-
pany’s, Messrs. A. Knowles and Sons’s, and Clifton and
Kersley Coal Company’s miners on Monday, it was reported
that the bulk of the men in those areas were in favour of
commencing work one hour earlier during the time the Day-
light Saving Act was in operation.

Scotland.

Mr. W. Bauld, under-manager at Leven No. 4 pit, ha3
received an appointment as manager of an important colliery
at Cambuslang.

The Stirlingshire Miners’ Union have agreed to allow cer-
tain collieries to work on the recognised idle Saturday, in
view of certain development work and diminution of output
taking place.

A settlement has been arrived at in connection with the
ton rates dispute at Bothwell Park Colliery. The manage-
ment based the claim on a change in the method of working,
and that the proposed new rate was similar to that previously
paid when the same method of work was in operation.

At a meeting of the Fife Miners’ Union, Mr. W. Adamson
(general secretary) submitted a review of the coal trade of
the county for the,month. He pointed out that in conse-
quence of present limitations, there had been short working
time at a number of collieries. After the matter had been
fully discussed,. Mr. Adamson was instructed, in the event
of his considering it desirable, to bring the matter before
the Controller of Mines, with a view to a greater share of
the trade being secured for the district.

INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES.

Africa.

South African Goal Output.—The output of saleable coal
for December for all the South African provinces was the
lowest of any month, during the half-year, the Transvaal,
Natal, and the other provinces all showing declines. The
Transvaal sales reached a total of 545,945 tons during
December, and realised exactly the same price as for the
preceding month, namely, 4s. 7-62d. per ton. The Middel-
burg coal field now produces three-fourths of the total output
of the Transvaal, and realises the best pit top price, which
in December was 4s. 8Jd. per ton. On the other hand, the
Springs coal field has fallen to only 47,368 tons, and the
average price to 4s. 6d. per ton. This, however, was better
than the collieries scattered throughout the Transvaal, where
the average selling price was but 4s. 3d. per ton, although
the sales in December increased to 74,149 tons. The Natal
output also showed a decline in the last month of the year
from 95,672 tons in November, to 91,259 tons, but the average
pit top selling price increased to 7s. 4d. per ton. The half-
dozen collieries working in the Cape Province only disposed
of 2,755 tons, which is the lowest output for many years,
although the selling price at the pits was Ils. 4d. per ton.
In the Orange Free State, with one colliery less, the sales
reached 67,263 tons, whilst the selling price was 5s. Id. per
ton at the pit mouth. For the whole of South Africa, the
number of tons sold in December reached 864,507 tons, the
average price realised at the pit being 5s. 5d. per ton. The
December returns of the Mines Department show that the
total output of coal for the year 1916 was 10,007,472 tons,
and has quite made up for the declining output which was
experienced during the first two years of the war. What "s
perhaps more to the point is the fact that all round prices
have strengthened, but the actual improvement in this
respect is so slight, that it is scarcely worth recording. The
Transvaal, with its 30 working collieries, produced more
than half the total output of coal for the whole of South
Africa, and more than double that of Natal, the amount
being 6,136,913 tons, as against 5,202,805 tons in the pre-
vious year. The improvement in the selling price only set
fin during the last six months of the year, and spread over
the whole of the 12 months only shows an improvement of
2d. per ton. Last year, the average selling price at the pit
tops was only 4s. 6d. per ton, as against 4s. 4d. for the
preceding year. In some quarters it is considered that full
advantage was not taken by the Coal Owners’ Association
during the year, of the altered position of affairs in the coal
trade as a result of the war, to lift the prices of coal, but
the position of the Transvaal coal trade is somewhat peculiar,
and it takes time to bring about an all-round improvement
where the bulk of the output has been previously contracted
for over a period of years. When the Coal Owners’ Associa-
tion during the year attempted to obtain better prices for
locomotive coal on the expiration of the contracts, advantage
was taken of the move by the non-associated collieries, with
the ultimate result that the association lost a fair proportion
of the railway sales. Seeing that the railways in the Trans-
vaal consume nearly million tons per year, the railways
are by far the best individual customer, and the association
cannot afford to lose such a large amount of business,
although the selling price is a low one.; Then, again, the
Transvaal Coal Owners’ Association is anxious to build up
a good bunkering trade at Cape Town as well as Delagoa

Bay, and do not see the expediency of raising the price of
coal after several years’ efforts to attract the business. In
Natal, the improvement commenced with the beginning of
the year, and has been fairly well maintained throughout.
The total production of saleable coal was 3,066,232 tons, as
against 2,304,116 tons for 1915. Prices, too, advanced from
6s. 9d. to 7s. 3d. per ton at the pit tops, and remained firm
at this figure all throughout the year. The Natal coal field
has benefited more by the diversion of shipping to the Cape
than any of the other coal fields of South Africa, and been
in a better position to take advantage of the altered position
of affairs. The collieries in the Orange Free State only
showed an advance in the output from 188,364 tons in 1915
to 198,699 tons last year, with only a similar slight improve-
ment in the average selling price. The collieries in the
Cape Province did the worst business for many years past,
only selling 41,752 tons, being about half the sales easily
disposed of five years ago.

Australia.

Victorian State Mine.—The annual report of Mr. G. H.
Broome, general manager of the ■Victorian State Coal Mine,
at Wonthaggi, showed that, after paying working expenses,
including interest, and providing for depreciation, estimated
at £30,954, and the sinking fund contribution of £10,760
(£41,714), the working of the mine during 1915-16 resulted
in a net surplus of £1,589. The depreciation for the whole
period from the opening of the mine to June 30, 1916, was
estimated at £130,954. Owing to the faulted nature of the
coal seams, and the shallow depth of the coal, the main
factor in depreciation was obsolescence, not wear and tear.
The gross output for the year was 452,798 tons. The
average earnings of the miners were 14s. 6T6d. a day, after
deducting the cost of explosives and lights. Great difficulty
had been experienced in filling the places of employees who,
to the number of about 400, enlisted in the Australian
Imperial Forces, and the efficiency of the persons appointed
was considerably lower than that of the men whose places
they took. A new winning has been started to the east of
the Wonthaggi township to develop the eastern area, which
has been proved by boring and. calculation to contain over
6,000,000 tons of coal, occurring in three benches at different
levels, due to the faulting of the coal seam. It is proposed
to enter this area by means of an inclined tunnel, which will
cut the three’benches. This has already been driven 167 ft.,
and it should reach the first bench, 759 ft., if driven without
stoppage, about April 1917, and the second bench, 782 ft.,
about February 1918.

BOOK NOTICES.

Registration of Business Names. By Herbert W. Jordan.

7 in. x 4| in. 32 pp. London : Jordan and Sons
Limited. Paper covers, 6d.

Those who desire a concise statement of the provisions
of a much discussed Act passed at the close of last year
will find it in this pamphlet. The attention given to
the subject in the daily Press, to say nothing of the fact
that, owing to a strange oversight, the Act has proved
largely abortive, so far as its immediate purpose was
concerned, renders any lengthy comment unnecessary.
Considered by many to have been desirable before the
war, and to be absolutely imperative during the war and
the hard times to follow, the Bill in one form or another
was before Parliament for two years before receiving the
Royal Assent, and now it is found that, as the Act only
applies to limited liability companies in certain special
cases, naturalised and other traders chiefly aimed at can
evade its provisions by registering under the Companies
Acts. An amending Bill has therefore been promised,
and when passed a new edition of this pamphlet will be
useful.

Butterworths’ Workmen’s Compensation Cases. Voh IX.
(New Series), xxiii. pp. + 714 + (14). 8^-in. x 5J in.
London : Butterworth and Company.

As. we have previously had occasion to draw attention
to the general features of this excellent and exhaustive
series of reports edited so carefully by Judge Ruegg,
K.C., and Mr. Douglas Knocker, assisted by Mr. Edgar
T. Dale, it is only necessary to say that the new volume
deals with appeals heard from October 1915 to October
1916, and, as in the case of previous volumes, contains
all the English appeals and a selection of Irish and
Scottish. As usual, a considerable proportion of the
appeals consist of colliery cases, the majority of which
have been noted from time to time in our columns.
House of Lords cases of special interest to our readers
were Baker v. Earl of Bradford, Clayton v. Hardwick
Colliery Company Limited, Glasgow Coal Company-
Limited v. Welsh, and Herbert v. Samuel Fox and Com-
pany Limited.

Dr. H. G. Cooper has been appointed certifying surgeon
under the Factory and Workshop Acts for Altrincham.
Vacancies exist at Atherstone (Warwickshire) and Mine-
head.

Timber from Norway.—The Norwegian Board of Supplies
have submitted an urgent request to the Government that
the export of timber from Norway shall be strictly forbidden
until the country’s requirements of fuel have been provided
for. It is further proposed that communities shall be per-
mitted to expropriate timber floating in the rivers. It is
also suggested that a compulsory exploitation of forests be
organised.

Easter Holidays.—The Controller of Coal Mines has been
in consultation with the Admiralty and the Ministry of'
Munitions on the subject of the holidays that might be taken
by coal miners at Easter, and it is proposed that holidays
not exceeding two days shall be taken in the various dis-
tricts. The necessary arrangements should be made between
the local coal owners’ and miners’ organisations. It is to
be understood that arrangements will be made by the District
Coal and Coke Supplies Committees to ensure adequate
supplies in cases which have been brought to their notice
where stocks in hand are too small to admit of any inter-
ruption of deliveries.