766 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 20, 1917. MINING EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS. The Board of Trade Labour Gazette reports that employment in coal mining during March was dull in Northumberland and only fair in Durham and Fifeshire, but continued good in every other district. On the whole, it showed a decline as compared with either a month ago or a year ago. There was an increase of 27,608 (or 5'4 per cent.) in the number of workpeople compared with a year ago. Of the 536,429 workpeople included in the returns for March 1917, 249,069 (or 46'4 per cent.) were employed at pits working 12 days during the fortnight to which the returns relate, while a further 139,952 (or 26T per cent.) were employed at pits working 11 but less than 12 days. Districts. Work- people em- ployed in Mar. 1917* Average No. of days worked per week .by the collieries in fort- night ended Inc. (4-) or dec. ( —) in Mar. 1917, on a Iron and Steel Works.—Employment in iron and steel works continued very good, and showed an improvement as compared with conditions a month or a year ago. Shortage of labour was again reported from every district. Tinplate.—The number of mills working at the end of March showed no change compared with the previous month, but a decrease of 148 compared with March 1916. Much short time continued to be worked owing to the restriction in the supply of steelware. Steel and Galvanised Sheets.—The number of mills working at the end of March showed an increase of three as compared with February, but a decrease of 28 on a j ear ago. Employment at sheet mills showed an improvement on account of Government orders. Tubes.—Employment with tube makers in the Mid- lands was good, with a scarcity of skilled labour. Wire.—Wire workers continued fully employed, and there was a shortage of labour and materials in some centres. England Wales. Northumberland ... Durham __.......... Cumberland ..... South Yorkshire ... West Yorkshire... Lancs. & Cheshire... Derbyshire ....... Notts and Leicester Staffordshire ..... W ar Wick, W orcester and Salop........... Grk/ster & Somerset North Wales ..... South Wales & Mon. Mar. Feb. Mar. 24, 24. 26, 1917. 1917. 1916. Days. Days. Days. Days. Days 42.203.. .3’68...4*24...5’47... ~ 88.227.. .4’86...4’95...5’57... 7,433...5’70...5’82...5’83... 62,046...5’88...5 86...5’83... 21.402.. .5’93. “ 51.632.. .5’92., 33 125 5’82 35,074...5'71.,.5’69...5'53...+0'02... s-0'18 29.449.. .5'81...5'73...5'75... +0'08... +0'06 Month Year ago. ago. ..'5'93...5*66 . .5'79...5'84.. .5'74...5'85.. -0'56...-1'79 -0'09...-0'71 -0'12...-0'13 + 0'02...+0'05 — ... f0'27 + 0'13... +0'08 + 0'08...-0'03 8.449.. .5'84...5'68...5 86...+0'16...-0'02 6,250. ..5'93. ..5'93. ..5'97... — ...-0'04 9.939.. 5'98...5'96...5'91 + 0'02... + 0'07 93,766...5'55 . 5'52...5'88...+0'03...-0'33 Total ...... 488,998...5 43.5'46...5'74 ..-0’03 ..-0'31 Scotland. West Scotland ____ 19,556 . 5'21...5 S9...5 44...-0'18...-0'23 The Lothians ...... 1,952 . 5’58...5'45...5'48... +0’13... +0'10 Fife ................................ 25,476 ..4'54...4'91...5'51...-0'37...-0'97 Total ...... 46,984...4’86 . 5'13...5'48...-0’27...-0’62 Ireland .......... 447...5'23 5'66 ..5'03...-0 43.. + 0 20 _______ Total, U.K..... 536,429.. 5'38...5'43...5'71...-0'05...-0’33 * At the collieries included in the table. The following table shows the numbers employed and the average number of days worked, distributed according to the principal kind of coal raised at the pits at which the workpeople were employed:— Description of coal. Average No. of days worked per Work- week by the pits people in fortnight em- ended Inc. (+) or dec. (—) in Mar. 1917 on a ployed in Mar. 1917* '--------------(---------------_____________ Mar. I eb. Alar. 24, 24, 26, Month Teal 1917. 1917. 1916. ag0' ag0. _______________ THE HORSLEY AND NICHOLSON AUTOMATIC COMPOUND SYPHON.* By George R. Nicholson, F.I.L Introduction.—This syphon (figs. 1 and 2) has been specially designed to work with any intermittent supply, such as in mines, irrigation, drainage, quarries, wMls/etc., and the writer claims that it will do every- thing that .any other syphon will do. Syphons are the cheapest means of removing wafer or liquids in given circumstances. The defects of the ordinary syphon are that it requires a certain amount of attention to keep it in action, because if air should enter the inlet-pipe, or the intake-pipe should be exposed to air, it will immediately snore up, break up the column, and empty the whole apparatus. The syphon then requires to be recharged, and that means expense and loss of time. The Horsley-Nicholson automatic compound syphon is designed to overcome these defects. There are no valves and no wearing or moving parts to get out of order. When once fixed and started, the syphon requires no further attention, such as repriming to start it again if the inlet should become uncovered or the supply of water stopped for a time. Further, it will pick up and deliver automatically, and without any adjustment or attention, a drop-by-drop supply, a dribble, a quarter, half, or full bore, according to the Fta. 1. Anthracite ...... Coking .......... Gras............. House........... Steam............ Mixed............ Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. 7,472.. 4'89...4'75...5'05...+0 14...-0’16 28,547...5'72...5’72...5 77... — ...-0'05 33.149.. .4'59...4'77...5'55...-0'18,..-0'96 50.768.. .5'60...5'49...5’67... +0'11...-0’07 181,112...5'34...5 44...5'80... -0'10...-0'46 235,381...5'45...5'58...5'69...-0'03...-0’24 All descriptions... 536,429...5'38...5'43...5'71...-0'05 .. -0'33 * At the collieries included in the table. Iron WUning.—At iron mines employment continued very good, and was much better than a year ago. It continued good at shale, tin and lead mines, and fairly good on the whole at quarries. Returns received for each of the three periods named below, relating to the same mines and open works in each case, show that 14,306 workpeople were employed at mines included in these returns in March 1917, an increase of 81 (or 0'6 per cent.) compared with February, and of 895 (or 6'7 per cent.) compared with a year ago. Districts. Average No. of days worked per Work- week by mines people in fortnight em- ended ployed (-------A---------s in Mar. Mar. Feb. Mar. 1917.* 24, 24, 25, 1917. 1917. 1936. Inc. (+) or dec. ( —) in Mar. 1917 on a __________ Month Year ago. ago. Cleveland.... Cumberland Days. Days. Days. Days. Days. .... 6,078 ...5'92...5'87...5'43... +0 05... + 0’49 and Lancashire ....... 4,815 ...5’94...5 90...5'94... + 0’04... — Scotland ........... 718 ...6’00...5'93...5'72...+0'07...+0'28 Other districts .... 2,695 ...5'96.. 5’89...5'67... + 0'07... +0'29 All districts.... 14,306 ...5'94...5'89 . 5'67...+0'05...+0’27 * At mines included in the returns. Pig Iron.—Employment continued good, and showed an improvement as compared with either a month ago or a year ago. Shortage of labour was reported. No. of furnaces, Inc. (+ ) or included in the dec. (-) returns, in blast in Mar. 1917 District. at end of on a (— i f ““ ~\ Mar. Feb. Mar. Month Year England Wales: 1917. 1917. 1916. ago. ago. Cleveland 77 ... 75 ... 69 ... + 2... + 8 Cumberland & Lancs. 32 ... 30 ... 29 ... + 2 .. +3 S. and S. W. Yorks ... 13 ... 13 ... 11 ... — ... +2 Derby & Nottingham... 28 ... 28 ... 27 ... — ... +1 Leicester, Lincoln and Northampton •28 ... 28 ... 27 ... — ... +1 Staffs and Worcester... 30 ... 30 ... 29 ... — ... +1 S. Wales & Monmouth 13 ... 10 ... 11 ... + 3... + 2 Other districts 5 ... 5 ... 5 — . . — - — ■ ■ ■ ■■ 226 ... 219 . . 208 ... + 7... +18 Scotland 70 ... 71 ... 56 ... - 1... +14 ■ ■! N - — ■■■— „ „ Total 296 ... 290 ... 264 ... +6... +32 Afterwards any water (even a dribble) entering C will displace any water over the lip K, and continue to run; if the intake-C is covered, the water will flow at full bore through the bend M, driving the air out of the supplementary syphon through the trap R, when com- pound action commences and pulls through from C to the outlet H, until the intake is uncovered; the supple- mentary syphon then breaks the column and the main syphon remains charged. The intake can be exposed to the air indefinitely. Where the automatic compound syphon is required to work as a gravitation scheme—that is to say, where the outlet-water is not allowed to run continuously to waste, but is to be controlled by a cock or valve at the outlet that is opened only as required—then, instead of a short expansion pipe and an air intake only a few inches higher than the syphon bend M,' it is necessary to either extend the height of the expansion pipe to the height of the water level at the intake (otherwise the water will continue to run out of the expansion pipe when the outlet is closed and will continue to flow until the water level is reduced to the level of the expansion pipe outlet), or, instead of lengthening the expan- sion pipe, to fix on the air intake connection D an ordinary non-return valve, which would allow air to enter and control the compound action, but would not allow any water to run to waste. Its action would be similar to the air inlet and expansion pipe, N, S, N. When the water level dropped to the level of the intake at C, the pressure would drop at D, where the valve is connected. Air would be drawn in by the supplementary syphon, and would thus cut out any compound action. A non return check valve as an air intake control is preferable. Where the extended air pipe is liable to be exposed to frost, as in this case, the expansion pipe would become frozen, and air could not enter. Provision should always be made to guard against the frost ever freezing the air inlet. Theoretical Exposition.—Fig. 3 shows another method that may be applied, this syphon being virtually a twin barometrical syphon of compound action. The main syphon A, which is trapped at E and F by a U-bend, is in reality a twin-syphon water barometer. The atmo- sphere acts on it in exactly the same way as in the usual single-tube barometer, the twin barometer connected on the top forming a single sealed top in the form of an inverted bend, When a vacuum is created in the tubing and water flows into it, the outside atmospheric pressure being equal at both inlet and outlet, and they being level, it follows that the water Figs. 1, 2, and 3.—The Nicholson AuivMatic Compound Stfhon. B Fro. 2. supply. There is nothing to adjust, and nothing to choke, as there is always a full free bore, irrespective of the supply. Any size of pipe maybe used according io circum- stances or output required. The syphon will deliver at the dead level of the intake, if necessary, or it may be extended or dropped to any depth or level required. Its action is remarkable and practicable, and is the nearest approach to perpetual motion in a practical form possible, as it will work indefinitely without any attention so long as the air, the water and the pipes last. In addition, it will pull through any ordinary air- lock that would break up any other syphon, which is a great advantage. The intake pipe can be exposed to air indefinitely; it will never “ snore ” and break up the column as any other syphon would if the intake were uncovered. These decided advantages must appeal to everyone who has had experience and worry with the ordinary syphon, which at its best requires so much attention. Another advantage of importance, since it affects the ever- present problem of business expenses, is that any existing syphon can be altered to the automatic com- pound syphon system. Description.—The apparatus comprises a main syphon A (fig. 1), which is trapped at E and F ; a supple- mentary syphon G, M, B, H, which is trapped at R and connected at D; and an air inlet and expansion pipe, which is trapped and connected at the junction of the main syphon A and supplementary syphon G, M, B, H, at the point D. The outlet H may be extended or dropped any length. In order to start the syphon, the air inlet N is temporarily closed, either by a plug or cock, or other- wise, and the syphon is charged by any of the usual methods. After charging, the air inlet N is open to the air. The syphon will continue to flow until the water drops below C, which is covered preferably by a hood or bend P, or by the hood Q (fig. 2), which prevents eddying. When the water falls below C, the pressure falls at D; the pull of the supplementary syphon then draws through the tap S, and the air following through N, S, N, and through D, breaks up the column at D, the main syphon A remaining charged and sealed at E and F ready for action again. * Paper read before the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, April 14, 1917. is retained in the syphon and will not move till an excess of pressure is added to the inlet. To the outlet end of the U-trap F is connected a supplementary syphon G, M, B, H, which is prefer- ably also trapped at R (although this is not absolutely necessary). At the junction of supplementary syphon G, M, B, H and the main syphon A an air intake and expansion pipe N, S, N is connected so as to control the two syphons, its action being to cut out the water connection when the excess pressure fails at the inlet C, on account of the head of water dropping to the level of the intake. When an excess of water is allowed to lise above the inlet C, this disturbs the equilibrium of the two columns to the extent of the difference of weight of water between the two levels of the twin barometer or main syphon A. When the water rises sufficiently high over the intake C, it rises first in the air intake and expansion pipeN, S, N to a height which is sufficient to drive any air out of the supplementary syphon G, M, B, H. When this occurs, compound action commences; the air expansion pipe is emptied, and syphonic action then pulls through from C to H. At the commencement of compound action there is an affinity or physical attraction which, to a certain extent, reduces the atmospheric pressure at the second U-trap F of the twin barometer (or main syphon A). As the atmospheric pressure at the intake C is now in excess to the outlet F, this' creates force, in addition to the head of vater, to quicken the flow throughout the entire syphon, which continues till the water drops below the intake C. When the head of water drops to the level of the intake C, the pressure fails at D, the junction of the two syphons. The pull of the supplementary syphon G, M, B, H then draws through N, S, N, through D, and breaks up the column at D, the main syphon remaining charged and sealed at the traps E and F ready for action again. Any water (even a dribble) afterwards entering at C will displace the water over lip K, and continue to run; if the intake C is covered with water, it will flow at full bore through the bend M, driving the air out of the supplementary syphon through the trap R, when com- pound action commences and pulls through from C to H until the water fails at the intake. The intake can be exposed to the air indefinitely. It is advisable to fix a T-piece fitting to the intake C, its purpose being to prevent the atmospheric pressure from striking directly on the centre of the intake, as this would tend to cause an eddy or swirl, when air might enter unnecessarily when the compound syphon was pulling strongly. As central atmospheric pressure is eliminaled, any water entering at C ensures the presence of a solid head at the intake. ______________________________ The Controller of Coal Mines has issued a circular with reference to the appointment of an inspector to superintend the transport of coal in each colliery area.