290 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN February 8, 1918. management promised to do what they can to remedy matters. At Messrs. Howie’s pits in the Hurlford district of Ayr- shire exception was taken by the miners to certain increases which had been made on the cost of explosives and fuse. The management has made a concession to the extent of 6d. per pound, and this is regarded locally as satisfactory. • A new Scottish company is the Kilsyth and Gateside Collieries Limited, Glasgow. It is a private concern, with a capital of £20,000. Mr. Munro, M.P., the Secretary for Scotland, in Edin- burgh on Saturday, received deputations on the subject of housing, the first representing the Lanarkshire miners in respect to accommodation in the county. The coal shipments from Methil again show a substan- tial advance, totalling 30,590 tons, as against 27,859 tons in the previous week. SHORT TIME WORKING IN WELSH COLLIERIES. Allocation of Orders Recommended. [From Our Correspondent.] For some time past there has been considerable irre- gularity in the working of collieries in the South Wales coal district. Since the opening of the year, several collieries have been on stop for two days a week, and some for three days. The chief cause is the scarcity of vessels, which leads to accumulations of coal sup- plies and to wagon shortage, with the result that collieries are compelled to stop. The miners’ leaders advocate a five-day working week, which coal owners are much averse to accepting, believing that such a policy would be followed immediately by the demand for further concessions. The suggestion to close the least remunerative collieries is thought too drastic. The coal owners have recommended that the existing committees which arrange for coal supplies to France and Italy should equitably distribute tonnage, and that the exporters should divide their orders evenly amongst collieries. It is recommended that in order to accomplish this, a sub-committee of the coal owners-’ representatives on the French and Italian Coal Committees should be added to the District Coal and Coke Supplies Committee, and that such committee should be given full authority to allocate orders amongst collieries. They further recommend that the Coal Owners’ Committee should be informed of all orders for neutral consumers, so that they may be able to advise, and, if possible, to decide from which colliery the coal should be supplied. It is, however, questioned amongst a large section whether such allocation would result in such even dis- tribution of orders as would remedy the short time working of collieries now chronic in South Wales. The cause of short time working, they argue, is that pro- duction is greater than the number of vessels avail- able to export the coals, and that until vessels are received in a much larger number, short time working will continue. It is estimated that 30,000 workmen could be withdrawn from the South Wales mines with- out influencing the present production. The miners’ proposal for a five-day week to distribute the work evenly shows that one man out of six is not needed. Under the scheme for National Service, 25,000 men ^re required to be “ combed out ” of the South Wales mines, and “ combing out” to this extent seems the only logical policy to remedy slack time working, and, at the same time, help the nation in its endeavour to win the war. THE FREIGHT MARKET. The main feature of interest in the outward freight market this week has been the fixing of official maximum freight rates for the carriage of coal, ore, and limestone coastwise. These are typified by the list for loading coal at Tyne, Wear, Bly th, Tees, Hartlepools, or Humber, for which the London rate has been fixed at 17s., with free delivery, which works out at about 18s. 3d., and similarly for other destinations. Up to February 1, the London rate from the Tyne had stood for a few weeks at about 21s., so that the new rate is quite an appreciable reduction. As, however, the average rate to London over the whole of 1917 was 18s. 9^d., ship owners do not stand to lose very much. Nevertheless, the concession is one of some import- ance to coal shippers and to coal consumers, as lessening the cost of coal per ton delivered. On the north-east coast, tonnage has been exceptionally scarce. Only for the direction of Sweden have boats been offering at all satisfactorily—and for that direction licences have been difficult to obtain. During the week, the rate for Gothenburg from the Tyne was quoted down to 140 kr., but the one fixture reported, that of a 1,750-tonner, was done at 160 kr., which indicates an advance of 10 kr. on last week’s lowest price. Stockholm has been done at 175 kr. The Spanish Atlantic is still quoted at 180s. for Bilbao or Santander, and the Portuguese ports are steady, at about 115s. to Lisbon and 125s. to Oporto. The coaling stations are firm, at 100s. to Gibraltar, and 200s. to Port Said. Barcelona is now mentioned at up to 450s. No chartering in any of the latter directions—save one fixture for Gibraltar—has been done during the week, and the rates must, therefore, be regarded as nominal. At South Wales, business for French Atlantic destinations has prac- tically monopolised attention. Orders for neutral direc- tions are numerous, but the tonnage scarcity holds up the market. At the Mersey, a small vessel has been engaged for Huelva discharge at the high rate of 410s. Homewards, the River Plate is dull, at about 200s. from lower ports to the United Kingdom. At the United States, coal freights from Virginia to the Plate are unaltered, at about 125s. For heavy grain on Committee account, the Northern Range to the United Kingdom or French Atlantic is quoted at 50s., with 75s. for West Italian discharge. Net form business is still quoted at 260s. from Northern Range to French Atlantic, with an extra 100s. for West Italy. At the Far East, rice cargoes from Haiphong-Saigon to France are still listed at 500s. Madras Coast to Marseilles with kernels is firm, at 550s. Kurrachee on scale to the United Kingdom is steady, at 250s. Bombay to West Italy on d.w. is firm, at 440s. Mediterranean and Bay ore ports are enquiring freely for tonnage for the United Kingdom, and rates are well maintained* Tyne to Gibraltar, 1,250, 100s.; Gothenburg, 1,750, 160 kr.; Stockholm, 2,300, 175 kr.; and Treport, 700, 46s., coke. Cardiff to Caen, 600, 700, and 900, 48s., neutral; Gran-, ville, 120, 90s., sail; Rouen, 1,400 and 1,500, 48s. 9d., neutral; St. Malo, 900, 22s., Allied; 600, 48s., neutral; and St. Nazaire, 2,500, 29s., Allied. Swansea to Rouen, 1,400, 1,450, and 1,500, 48s. 9d., neutral; Dublin, 400, 26s., neutral; and Caen, 900, 48s., neutral. Mersey to Huelva, 800, 410s., neutral. Wales to Cherbourg, 750, 48s. 9d., neutral. It will be observed that Dublin has been done, Swansea loading, at 26s. for a 400-ton vessel. The maximum rate for such a vessel now, however, is only 17s., a very con- siderable saving. Later.—The following additional fixtures have been arranged:— Tyne to Gothenburg, 2,500, 160 kr.; and Trouville, 550, 73s., pitch. Cardiff to Rouen, 1,300, 48s. 9d., neutral; and St. Nazaire, 1,500, 61s. 6d., neutral. Newport to St. Nazaire, 1,500, 61s. 6d., neutral. Penarth to Caen, 600, 47s. 6d., neutral. Swansea to Havre, 1,300, 45s. 9d., neutral. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR COAL AND COKE. For Contracts Advertised in this issue received too late for inclusion in this column, see Leader and Last White pages. Abstracts of Contracts Open. Dundee, February 13.—Coal for Tay Ferries steamers (6 or 12 months). Forms from the general manager, Dundee Harbour Trustees, Dundee. Enniskillen, February 12.—100 tons prime, well- screened English, Scotch or Irish house coal tor the Guar- dians. Tenders stating description of coal, name of colliery and price, to the clerk, workhouse, Enniskillen. Leeds, February 11. — Coal (12 months). Forms from the Waterworks engineer, Great George-street, Leeds. Mitcham, February 11.—House, steam and gas coal (12 months) for the Mitcham District Council. Forms from the surveyor, Broadway House, Mitcham. Southgate, February 12.—Coke, tar or tar slack (six or 12 months) for the Urban District Council. Forms ‘from the surveyor, Council’s depot, Southgate. Stafford, February 16.—Coal, ironstone, furnace slag, etc. (12 months, or less), for the Corporation. Forms from the borough engineer, Borough Hall, Stafford. Swinford (Ireland), February 12.—Double screened Wigan, Irish or Scotch best coal, for the Guardians. Tenders to the clerk, Board Room, Swinford. Walsall, February 20.—Coal (12 months) for the Rural District Council. Forms from the surveyor, Council Offices, Daw End, near Walsall. The date given is the latest upon which tenders can be received. CONTRACTS OPEN FOR ENGINEERING, IRON AND STEEL WORK, Ac. Belfast, February 12.—Stores.—Iron castings, iron and steel, oils, pitch, tar, etc. (12 months), for the Works Committee. Forms from the superintendent of works, City Hall. Belfast, February 13.—Stores.—Iron, castings, bolts, springs, fireclay goods, petroleum oil, etc. (12 months), for the Belfast and County Down Railway Company. Forms from the secretary, Queen’s Quay Terminus, Belfast. Birkenhead, February 18.—Various.—Tubes, castings, tools, bolts, iron, steel, etc. (12 months), for the Corpora- tion. Forms from the gas engineer, Gasworks, Birkenhead. , Bootle (Lancashire), February 12.—Stores.—Pitch, creosote oil, tar, etc. (12 months), for the Corporation. Forms from the borough engineer, Town Hall. Buxton, February 16.—Various.—Pitch, creosote oil, refined tar, lubricating oils, shovels, etc. (12 months), for the Town Council. Forms from the borough engineer. Leeds, February 11.—Stores.—Cast iron pipes, sluice valves, oils, iron castings, etc. (12 months), for the Waterworks engineer. Forms from the Waterworks engineer, Great George Street, Leeds. Madrid, March 22.—Railway.—Secondary railway from Villaodrid to Villafranca del Bierzo. Estimated cost, 51,165,079 pesetas. Tenders to Direccion-General de Obras Publicas, Ministerio de Fomento, Madrid. Stoke-on-Trent, February 16. — Stores. — Picks, shovels, cast iron work, pitch, creosote oil, etc. (12 months), for the Town Council. Forms from the borough surveyor, Town Hall. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. *** Any of the following publications may be obtained on application at this office at the price named post free. Colonial Reports (Annual) : (No. 946), Nigeria, Report for 1916. (London: Published by H.M. Stationery Office). Price 4^d. Pitwood Cargo Dispute.—Judgment in a shipping case has been given by Sheriff Moffatt at Linlithgow. The pur- suers, the owners of the steamship “ Use,” Gothenburg, sued Messrs. Harrower, Welsh and Company, pit prop importers, Bo’ness, for the balance of freight due on a pit prop cargo which in 1915 was carried in the vessel from Gothenburg and landed at Leith, where defenders took delivery without demur. The cargo was not measured at the quay, but placed in railway trucks and carried to Bo’ness, where it was measured by a Customs House measurer in defenders’ yard. When the cargo was measured at Gothenburg it was found to contain 159-433 standards of 180 cu. ft., whereas the measurement at Bo’ness was found to be 137-86 standards. Defenders paid freight on the last-mentioned quantity, but declined to pay more. The pursuers refused to recognise the Bo’ness measurement, averring that portion of the cargo must have been lost or had gone astray between Leith and Bo’ness. The Sheriff found that defenders wTere bound by the measurement of the cargo made at Gothenburg, and that they were liable for the freight sued for. He held that none of the cargo went astray. ABSTRACTS OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS RECENTLY ACCEPTED. 110774. Apparatus for extracting Dust from Gases, etc. G. A. Gallot, 9, Rue Mechain, Paris, and P. M. N. Poussin, 29, Rue Etienne Marcel, Pantin (Seine), France.—The present invention relates to certain improve- ments in electric purification apparatus, designed to ensure the distribution of the electric field throughout the space separating two electrodes which will have for effect (1) ro utilise the entire surface of the electrodes and thus consider- ably increase the output, (2) to enable apparatus of greater length to be used and a better yield to be obtained, (3) to permit of the electrodes being- charged to a potential maxi- mum far higher than can be done with other similar appar- atus. Fig. 1 shows in centra] vertical section an apparatus with an outer perforated tubular electrode provided with a dielectric sleeve at each of its extremities, fig. 2 being a horizontal section of said apparatus on line A—A, fig. 1. The operation is as fol lows :—The dust-laden stream of gas introduced into the apparatus by the pipe b de- posits in the chamber a a por- tion of its dust and then, passing vertically from bottom to top of the perforated cylinder c and under the action of the electric field which is distributed throughout the length of the cylinder, the particles of dust are electri- fied and by reason of this are projected against the wall of the cylinder c and caused -S Fig.2 )=f LJ-e to pass through the holes d into the annular space / where, being no longer in the path of the gaseous stream, they finally collect, while the gas freed from dust passes out through the open end at the top of the cylinder c. (Three claims.) 110966. Improvements in Safety Appliances for Pit- cages. G. W. Lester, Sunnyside, Overton Bridge, Ruabon, Wales.—This invention is directed to that type of safety gripping apparatus in which the clutches are loosely arranged on the cage roof and the operating lever con- nected on the one hand to the hauling cable and on the other hand to the cage. Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical views taken at right angles to one another illustrative of the shock-absorbing device. According to one arrangement, only two clutches a and three guide ropes or conductors b, b , c, are provided for each cage or lift d, and of said guide ropes or conductors, b, bl are endless and capable of having movement imparted to them whilst the third c is stationary and fixed. The clutches a are arranged at the outer and opposite corners of the roof of each cage d and encircle the endless guide ropes or conductors b, bl, which endless guide ropes or conductors b b1 pass over pulleys e on the headgear f of the shaft g and round pulleys h adjustably mounted on or carried by girders i fixed in the walls and at the bottom or sump of the shaft, those portions j of said endless guide ropes or conductors b bl which pass over or around the beforementioned pulleys e and h being constituted by chains. The stationary guide ropes or conductors c are located one behind and centrally of each cage d which is provided with suitable guides k engaging its guide rope c. Between each pair of pulleys e on the headgear f there is arranged a hydro-pneumatic buffer or braking engine m, which engine consists of a cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod mx which extends through both ends of said cylinder, which is horizontally disposed, connecting rods m2 connecting the ends of the piston rod with crank pins on the pulleys e, J- I 1 e e m r the piston being normally centrally in the length of the cylinder with is partly filled each side of the piston with water, a bye-pass nV connecting the opposite ends of the cylinder and means for throttling said bye-pass. The arrangement of the clutches is the same as previously set forth (Patent No. 24341 of 1910), with the exception that means are provided for preventing said clutches leaving their base plates when said clutches are out of action. The cage d on severance of the landing rope n falls naturally for a certain distance down the shaft. How- ever, at this stage the safety device comes into action, for with the falling of the suspension chains o, cable and levers, the lock-wedges are to a certain extent forced