April 5, 1918.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

701

COAL RESEARCHES IN FRANCE AND ALGERIA.

The prospecting which has been actively carried on in
the vicinity of Lyons has resulted in the location of a
rich deposit of coal more extensive, in all probability,
than that of the St. Etienne field, of which it is an
extension. Various borings had been put down in the
north, south and west of this district; but one, sunk, at
a venture, some distance to the east and outside the
assumed coal arca., turned out an unexpected success—a
seam being found at a depth of approximately 650 yards.
The borings were carried out by the Soc. d’ Etudes et de
Recherches de Bugey, the sites being selected by
M. Termier, Inspector-General, and M. Friedel, Chief
Engineer of the Department of Mines and Director
of the School of Mines, St. Etienne.

Up to the present the French colonies, with the excep-
tion of Tonkin, have proved remarkably poor in coal.
Algeria, so rich in other minerals, did not possess a
single colliery, and therefore the recent discovery of a
workable coal seam has created profound satisfaction
in the colony. Work has already been commenced at
the outcrop, and deep mining is contemplated. This
deposit is situated at Kenadsa, on the extreme south of
Oran, on the southern slope of the Atlas Mountains,
and so far an outcrop of coal between 16 in. and 20 in.
has been traced for a distance of over three miles. The
State Railway authorities have put down plant for
opencast working to get the maximum, output as
quickly as possible, and plans are in preparation for
sinking shafts.

Kanadsa is a native village situated about 430 miles
from the coast, in a desert region with a dry and healthy
climate. The present railway terminates about 16 miles
away, but the line is being extended as far as the mine.

This discovery, though small in itself, gives promise
of the existence of further seams, and of the possibility
of opening up the Sahara oases.—Echo des Mines.

INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES.

Australia.

Coal Output of New South Wales.—The Minister for
Mines for New South Wales has furnished a statement
of the production of coal and shale in the State for the
year ended December 31, 1917. The output for 1916 was
8,127,161 tons, valued at <£3,336,419, whilst the production
for 1917 amounted to 8,292,867 tons, valued at <£4,422,740,
an increase of 165,706 tons, and <£1,086,321 in value, com-
pared with the previous year. The shale raised during 1917
totalled 31,661 tons, valued at <£36,565, as against 17,425
tons, valued at <£17,772, in 1916, thus showing an increase
of 14,236 tons and <£18,793 in value. The persons
employed in coal mining in New South Wales numbered
17,197, of whom 141 are engaged in the production of
shale.

Possible “ Surprise ” by Government.—During the great
industrial upheaval the New South Wales Government
assumed control of all coal mines in the State. With
regard to the questions of nationalising the mines the
Premier states that when the Government considers the
question of the coalfields of New South. Wales there may
be a proposal brought forward which will be a very con-
siderable surprise to the parties concerned. The mines
are at present the property of the Government, but this
is only a nominal ownership, and the Government derives
no benefit from it. This state of things cannot go on
for ever. One way to terminate it would be to introduce
full nationalisation. Information has been collected. as
to the sum involved, and, consideration is also being
bestowed on several alternative courses.

Canada.

Coal Production in Nova Scotia.—The quantity of coal
produced in Nova Scotia was slightly under recent
estimates, the official figures showing 5,660,000 long tons,
compared with 6,171,424 tons in the previous year. In the
following list of the principal producers in 1917, the, pre-
vious year’s output is added in parentheses Dominion
Coal 'Company: Cape Breton Collieries, 3,551,800
(4 091,790), Springhill Collieries, 364,700 (351,315) ; Nova
Scotia Steel and Coal Companv, 582,000 (605,650); Acadia
Coal Company, 390.000 (392.065) ; Intercolonial Coal
Mining Companv, 180,000 (143.748); Inverness Coal and
Railwav Company, 195.000 (265.427); Maritime Coal and
Bailway Company, 203.000 (197,101); Minudie Coal
Company, 30,000 (54,191); Bras D Or Coal Company,
44.000 (44,357).	„ ,	.	, •

Alberta Output.—The output of bituminous coal m
Alberta last year amounted to 2.206.868 short tons, com-
pared with 2,335.259 short tons in 1916. The production
of anthracite, 118.717 tons, was 21.827 tons less than
that of 1916. On the other hand, the output of lignite
improved from 2.172.801 tons in 1916 to 2,537,829 tons
in 1917, and this accounts for the total of all tuel
(bituminous, anthracite and lignite) considerably exceed-
ing that of the previous 12 months. The actual figures
are 4,863.414 tons, compared with 4,648,604 tons.

India.

Census of Coal Consumption.—Under orders of the
Government of India a special census has been taken by
the Department of Statistics with regard to the con-
sumption of coal in the various industrial establishments
in India during 1916. The total quantity of coal con-
sumed, arrived at from the returns thus obtained, amounts
to 6,116,000 tons. Adding to this 5,509,000 tons consumed
by railways (according to figures furnished by the Railway
Board) and 1,752,000 "tons shipped as bunker coal (accord-
ing to figures furnished by the Collectors of Customs),
the total comes to 13,377,000 tons. The total quantity
of coal produced in India in 1916 was 17,254,000 tons.
The quantity imported from abroad was 34,000 tons, and
the quantity exported to foreign countries 882,000 tons.
The quantity available for consumption, therefore,
amounts to 16,406,000 tons, as against 13,377,000 tons
stated above. The balance (3,029.000 tons) may be
debited to (1) consumption at collieries, and wastage.

(2)	consumption in those industrial establishments which
did not furnish returns, and (3) domestic consumption.
The consumption at collieries and wastage amount to
about 2.071,000 tons, estimated at 12 per cent, of the total
production from all mines (Act and non-Act mines) in
India. The Indian Mining Association are, however, of
opinion that recently, in "consequence of the falling off
in output, the wastage has been nearer 14 per cent, than
12 per cent. Something like 32 per cent, (or about a
third) of the total production of coal in India was con-
sumed by railways, and 10 per cent, was exported as
bunker coal. The important industries consuming coal

to a considerable extent were : jute mills, cotton mills,
and iron and brass foundries, (including engineering work-
shops), 5 per cent., inland steamers, 3’4 per cent., and
brick and tile factories (including potteries and cement
works) 2'6 per cent.

MINE DRAINAGE BY AIR LIFT.*

By 8. H. Brockunier.

The recent unwatering of the Herman mine at West-
ville, California, presented some unusual features. The
large pump bad been submerged through the careless-
ness of a foreman, and the small pumps, while efficient,
were not capable of handling the water rapidly. It was
therefore decided to try air lifts.

The shaft was inclined at an angle of 52 degs., and
was 400 ft. deep. When the mine was closed down
three years before, 256 ft. of 4 in. air column was left
in the shaft, with the expectation of using it for air to
run the pumps and drills at a higher level. The lower
end was therefore closed, but water leaked in, and the
column was found full. In order to use this air pipe
for the lift, it was necessary to shoot the lower end off,
and this was successfully accomplished.

The factors for the air lift were now.- 5,000 ft.
elevation, compressor capacity 1,250 cu. ft. free air per
minute compressed to 100 lb., 253 ft. of 4-in. pipe in
shaft at slope of 52 degs., giving a vertical head of
199 ft. From these data it was decided that a H-in.
air pipe within the column would furnish sufficient air
to lower the water to the second level, at 164 ft.,
starting with a submergence of 100 per cent., and
stopping with a submergence of 33 per cent. As a
matter of fact, the air lift began to baulk at 40 per cent,
submergence, and failed to unwater as far as the station
by 20 ft., thus necessitating the lowering of the air lift
to reach it.

A pump head was made by grinding down a 1| in.
return elbow until it would slide inside the 4-in.
pipe. To one side of this was screwed the II in. air
pipe, and to the other side a L2 in. nipple 9 in. Jong.
On the upper end of this nipple was screwed a cap per-
forated with in. holes, to act as the air vent for the
lift. This pump head, with air pipe attached, was then
lowered inside the 4 in. pipe to near its bottom, and
the air turned on, with the usual result of inexperience
—too much air used, resulting in shower baths for
onlookers. However, the flow of air was soon regulated,
and the water flowed for several weeks, night and
day, averaged 180 gals, per minute, as measured
over a dam. Subsequently, two additional lifts were
put in, consisting of 2 in. with side inlets, of 1 in. pipe
with | in. nozzles. These delivered 40 gals, per minute
each. All failed below 40 per cent, submergence. The
consumption of air and power to operate these lifts was
much higher than the theoretical figures; but this is
partly explained by a break that was found in the large
water column after unwatering. After reaching a depth
of 164 ft., the remainder of the unwatering had to be
done by pumps. This was much slower, even with the
smaller amount of water contained in the lower
workings.

* Engineering and Mining Journal.

THE UTILISATION OF FURNACE GASES AND
STEAM.

At the Congress of French Civil Engineers, held on
the 18th ult. in the Sorbonne, Paris, impoitant papers
were read on subjects relating to the coal and metal
industries, including one by M. Alexandre Gouvy,
“ The Utilisation of Gases and other By-products
Derived from the Iron Industry.”

The summary of the conclusions drawn by the author
is as follows :—

(1)	At each new coke oven plant the question of the
recovery of all the rich gaseous products should be con-
sidered, the heating apparatus being arranged for weak
gas fuel of the cheap variety as supplied by gas engines
or is procurable from blast furnaces situated in the
neighbourhood.

(2)	At the same time a methodical combination of the
rich coke-oven gases, with those from other sources,
ought to be studied and developed in order that they
may be variously applied.

(3)	As the recovery of coke by-products was
practised in the industrial world before the
war, no comment on this point is offered. How-
ever, the extraction and use of thick, heavy
oil from tar deserves more than a passing notice
on account of its value not only for Diesel motors but
also for metallurgical furnaces with a view to coal
economy. As a wise precaution against a possible
shortage in the home supply, the importation of naphtha
or crude petrol in specially designed ships and trucks
could be encouraged.

(4)	Coke oven gas might also be developed into a
means of lighting towns and industrial works, of course,
under a modification of existing regulations as to
quality.

(5)	In order to store in either a liquid form (nitric
acid) or a solid form (nitrates of different kinds) that
amount of spare gas available at certain times in the
day or during holidays, or if they are not needed for
motors, heating or lighting, the Haeusser process could
be employed. Experiments in storing the coke ovt-n
gas in accumulators could be carried out at the
same time.

(6)	For the complete utilisation and augmentation of
blast-furnace gases the three principles are—(a) purifi-
cation (preferably by a dry process) of all the gases for
blast stoves, gas motors, or steam heaters; (b) using
for the blast, gas motors consuming only 3 cu. m. per
h.p., instead of steam blowers requiring upwards of
9 cu. m.; (c) reorganisation of the working of the blast
apparatus by substituting ventilators for the chimney
draught for the admission of the air of -combustion,
which would allow of the entire utilisation of the
heating surface of the chequerwork and a maximum
recovery of the heat of the gases by the interposition of
economisers between the apparatus and the chimney.

(7)	In the same way, the heat lost by the gas issuing
from the open-hearth furnaces should be recovered for
steam production, a result obtained by installing
with the furnace, boilers and economisers, the latter
cooling the gas to a suitable temperature for the fans,
direct-acting suction pumps being more economical than
the induction type. The air of combustion and the gas
will both be taken to chambers, and thence to the
furnace, under the right pressure.

(8)	All works having reversible or other steam
engines, steam hammers and presses, with or without
condensation, should utilise to the fullest extent all
exhaust steam, diverting it to the production of motive
power by the installation of steam accumulators and
low-pressure turbines and thus make a further reduction
in the boiler coal bill.

(9)	The several uses of other by-products derived
from the industry, such as blast furnace dust, slag, etc.,
would then be determined in accordance with the local
conditions of each works.

Technical commissions under the auspices of qualified
bodies might also be organised, each association
delegating its most competent engineers and advisers to
sit on these commissions.

NAPHTHALENE AS A PEST DESTROYER.

In a paper read before the Newcastle Section of the
Society of Chemical Industry, Mr. S. H. Collins
stated that various mixtures which depended for their
efficiency solely upon the proportion of naphthalene
present, were much used in horticulture with the
object of mitigating attacks of wireworm, leather
jackets, slugs and other pests. In agriculture, also,
such substances had received some recognition. Some
method of determining the amount of naphthalene
present in those materials which owed their pesticidal
properties to that substance was desirable. Owing
to its volatility naphthalene was difficult to estimate
by simple methods, but the following gave good
results with ordinary apparatus:—By fractionating
common methylated ether, about one-fourth of the
whole distilled at between 27 and 33 degs. Cent.,
providing a very volatile solvent. Such a solvent
would extract naphthalene in a Soxhlet apparatus
without loss. If not more than one-half of the special
ether was recovered and the remainder was blown
away by a current of air, no loss of naphthalene
occurred at that stage. The residue could be dried
at the ordinary atmospheric pressure and tempera-
ture in two days, without loss, in a desiccator con-
taining equal parts of granulated fused calcium
chloride and naphthalene balls. In such a desiccator,
the calcium chloride absorbed any moisture, but, as
the atmosphere was saturated with naphthalene
vapour, no loss of naphthalene occurred. The
naphthalene also served to absorb ether vapour. The
following example showed the accuracy of the
method:—Naphthalene, one ball, taken, 4-363 grains;
after extraction as above and after one day in
naphthalene and calcium chloride desiccator, 4-373
grains; at end of second day in desiccator, 4-364
grains; at end of third day in desiccator, 4-362
grains; after heating in air oven for three hours
and blowing air in five times, 0-006 grain. Result:
Volatile extractives, 99-86 per cent.; non-volatile,
0-14 per cent.

THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE.

Tar Products.—The market this week is of the quiet
and steady sort, and changes are few in number. As
reported last week the price of pitch in London has become
substantially higher, and in that respect the event answers
precisely to expectations. Holders have shown confidence
all along. For both pitch and tar we have now reached a
period of greater use and lessened output. Consequently
it is not surprising to find quotations here and there
tending upwards, but so far as actual transactions this
week are concerned it is difficult to compile a record of
prices. Most of those which were current before Easter
are still quoted without material alteration. The rise in
London pitch may produce official action, which has already
done so much to standardise by-product prices. Provincial
quotations offer less scope for intervention because some of
the figures there are comparatively low. The market for
solvent naphtha is unequal. Toluol is in good demand, and
cresylic acid is steady. The other by-products do not call
for notice.

Sulphate of Ammonia.—The demand in London and
the provinces continues at scheduled prices. No change in
these quotations has be«n notified, and consequently one
can only speak of the market as being practically unaltered.
A large output will be required for the autumn.

Coal Situation in Austria.—The Austrian Minister of
Public Works, speaking at the joint meeting of the three
combines of manufacturers (the League of Austrian
Manufacturers, the Manufacturers’ Club, and the Central
Union of Austrian Manufacturers) on the subject of the
coal supply, gave statistics of the quotas required per day
by various consumers, viz.: railways, 34,000 metric tons;
Army, 2,800; Navy, 900; households, 30,000; industries
connected with food supply, 5,680; sugar industry, 470;
hospitals and charitable institutions and schools, 2,400;
public and other offices, 1,664; gas, electrical, and water
works, 8,000; coal mines, 9,790; coke industry, 11,090.
Just at the time when quotas of coal were being allotted
to the various groups there was an extraordinary shortage
of trucks, owing to military exigencies. Instead of the
usual 7,710 trucks ordinarily available for daily transport
of coal, only 3,858, or about 50 per cent., were to be
had at the end of October; enough, that is, to transport
52,000 tons out of 85,000 tons ready for despatch. In
the last few days, the Minister said, conditions had
improved. The transport difficulties necessitated a cur-
tailment of the coal quota assigned to industry. War
industries, of course, have the greatest consideration.
Other industrial groups are either left altogether without
coal or receive only a percentage of their ration. It was
hoped to increase the amounts in December. Though the
coal ticket in Vienna does not entitle the holders to a
specified amount, the ration provisionally fixed was
20 kilos. (441b.) per room per week for cooking and 20
for heating. The former allowance is being continued,
but the latter is now reduced by half.