April 12, 1918.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

753

SOUTH WALES MINING TIMBER TRADE.

The British Admiralty Pitwood Committee at Boucau, we
understand, has organised an important lighterage system
on the River Ad our, to remedy the scarcity of trucks and to
relieve the intense pressure on the railways. These lighters
carry the mining timber destined for South Wales from all
the small ports on the Ad our between Bax and Boucau.
The committee purchased two small tugs to tow these
barges, with the result that, instead of taking four or five
days to come down to Boucau and back to the wood depots,
they are able to make the double journey daily. The
system has materially helped to relieve the pressure and,
at the same time, speed up the deliveries of mining timber
destined for the important collieries of South Wales.
Mining timber is abundant at both Bordeaux and Boucau,
the difficulty being in procuring available steamers.

The French Imports.

For the week ending April 5, the imports of foreign
mining timber were slow, owing to the holidays. A total
of 7,140 loads were received, of which 6,720 loads were taken
by the Admiralty Pitwood Committee. The following were

the consignments :—

Cardiff:—

Date.	Consignee.	Loads.

March 28	Lysberg	Limited........... 3,000

April	2	Lysberg	Limited........... 1,800

„	4	Morgan	and Cadogan.........	120

„	5	Lysberg	Limited............. 720

„	5	Lysberg	Limited........... 1,200

Total....6,840

Newport:—
April — E. Marcesche and Co........... 300

Total..... 7,140

Supplies go quickly into consumption, but no collieries
are short, for the Allocation Committee arrange for even
distribution, the system working now with considerable
success.

Home-Grown Supplies.

Home-grown supplies are increasing, owing to the better
weather experienced, and also to the more satisfactory
arrangements for the haulage of supplies to the collieries.
The South Wales Coalowners’ Pitwood Association has, it
is understood, largely increased its scope, and the delivery
of home-grown supplies to its members is increasing.
Private enterprise has also done well, and, in general,
supplies are increasing—the possible danger of foreign
supplies being cut off being now no bogey to collieries,
which, with further pressure, would be run on home
supplies. Quotations were at the scheduled levels.

FURTHER INCREASE IN FRENCH COAL PRICES.

By a Ministerial Decree, dated March 22, the maxi-
mum prices of all kinds and qualities of French coal
have been raised as follows :—

Alais.

Bassin du Gard.— Soc. des Houilleres du Nord
d’Alais, 8T0 fr.; Cie. des Mines de 1’Arc, Prades et
Sumene (Prades-Nieigles Mines), 5’55 fr.; Soc. des Mines
de Gagnieres, 5*20 fr.; Cie. des Houilleres de Besseges,
2*20 fr.; Cie. Nouvelle des Mines de Fortes et Senechas,
1’50 fr.; Cie. des Mines, Fonderies et Forges d’Alais
(Trelys Mines), 4’50 fr.; Soc. Anon, des Houilleres de
Rochebelle, 3*30 fr.; Cie. des Mines de la Grand-Combe,
2’25 fr.

Bassin du Gard et de VArdeche (Lignites). — Soc.
Anon. des. Charbonnages de Barjac, 8’0 fr.; Soc. des
Lignites et Asphaltes du Gard, 1*50 fr.

Bassin de VHerault.—Cie. des Quatre-Mines Rennies
de Graissessac, 4 fr.

Arras.

Bassin de Valenciennes. — Bethune, Neeux, Bruay
Maries, Ferfay-Cauchy, Ligny-les-Aires, la Clarence,
and Vendin-les-Bethune Mines, 2fr.

Chalon-sur-Saone.

Bassin des Vosges Meridionales.—Soc. des Houilleres
de Ronchamp, 4T5 fr.

Bassin de Bourgogne.—Soc. Anon, des Houilleres
et du Chemin de Fer d’Epinac, 5'50 fr.; Soc. Anon, des
Mines de Houille de Blanzy, 1*05 fr.; Cie. des Mines
de Perrecy, 2 10 fr.

Clermont-Ferrand.

Bassin de Commentry.—Cie. des Forges de Chatillon-
Commentry et Neuves-Maisons: Noyant Colliery,
8’25 fr.; Ferrieres Colliery, 5 95 fr.; Soc. des Mines du
Bourbonnais, 3*95 fr.

Bassin de Saint Eloy.—Soc. Anon, des Mines de la
Bouble, 3’35 fr.; Cie. des Forges de Chatillon-Oommentry
et Neuves-Maisons: (Saint-Eloy Colliery) coal, 5 fr.;
briquettes, 10 fr.

Bassin de la Machine.—Houilleres de Decize (Schneider
et Cie.), 7 fr.

Bassin Allier et Buy-de-Dome.—Mines de Buxieres-
la-Courolle, 3T5 fr.; Soc. des Mines de Bourbon-Saint-
Hilaire, 3’45 ; Cie. des Mines de Houille de Bert et de
Montcombreux, 2*35 fr.; Soc. Nouvelle de la Condemine
(Plamores Colliery), 2 fr.

Bassin de Champagnac.— Soe. Anon, des Houilleres
de Messeix, 1’20 fr.; Soc. Anon, des Mines de Oham-
pagnac : Coals, 5*0 fr.; briquettes, 9'0 fr.

Bassin de Brassac.—Soc. Anon, de Commentry-Four-
chambault et Decazeviile (Brassac Colliery), 8T0 fr.;
Houilleres de Megecoste, 5T0 fr.; Soc. Anon, des
Houilleres de la Haute-Loire, 5*85 fr.; Houilleres de
Marsanges, 4’75 fr.; Charbonnages du Centre (Char-
bonnier Mines), 8’0 fr.

Grenoble.

Bassin du Dauphine.—Cie. des Mines d’A.nthracite de
la Mure, 1 fr.

Poitiers.

Bassin de la Vendee—Soc. Anon, des Mines de
Faymoreau, 3 fr.

Bassin de la Creuse et de la Correze.—Cie. Anon, des
Houilleres d’Ahun, 8 fr.; Soc. des Houilleres de
Bosmoreau, 5fr.

Saint-Etienne.

Bassin de Saint-Etienne.—Soc. Anon, des Houilleres
de Saint-Etienne, 6’50 fr.; Soc. Anon, des Mines de la

Loire, 5’30fr.; Mines de Houille de Janon-Terrenoire
7'0 fr.; Soc. Anon, des Houilleres de Montrambert et la
Beraudiere, 5’0 fr.; Cie. des Mines de Villeboeuf, 7’50 fr.;
Cie. des Mines de Roche-la-Moliere et Firminy, 3’30 fr.;
Mines du Cros, 3 30 fr.; Soc. Anon, des Houilleres de
Saint-Chamond, 8’0 fr.

Bassin de Rive de Gier.—Soc. Anon, des Mines de la
Haute-Cappe, 9fr.; Cie. des Mines de la Peronniere:
coal, 6 fr.; ovoids, 9 fr..

Toulouse.

Bassin de Tarn.—Soc. Anon, des Mines d’Albi, 3’05 fr.;
Soc. des Mines de Carmaux, 1’70 fr.

Bassin de VAveyron.—Soc. Anon, de Commentry-
Fourchambault et Decazeviile: Decazeviile Colliery,
5’40 fr.; Campagnac Colliery, 6’15 fr.; Soc. Anon, des
Acieries de France (Aubin Colliery), 4’55 fr.; Soc.
Metallurgique de 1’Ariege (St. Michel Colliery), 2’60 fr.;
Southern Coal Fields of France Limited (Gages et
Bertholene Collieries), 8 fr.

For mines not included in the list, and whose average
monthly output for the second half-year of 1917 did not
exceed 1,000 tons, the increase is to be fixed by the
chief Government mining engineer of the district.

The above increases are applicable to deliveries made
since February 1,1918. Special Decrees will fix the prices
of the various grades produced at each colliery on the
basis of classification and ash content, consideration
being given to the desirability of increasing the output
of certain special grades, whilst maintaining the mean
sale prices established by the present Decree. In each
mining district a control service is to be set up under
the authority of the Mines Department. In order to
check the quality of the supplies samples will be taken
and analysed, independently of the colliery companies,
and the results obtained will serve to make any neces-
sary adjustments of the invoice prices.

INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES.

Canada.

Output Statistics.—The preliminary report of the
Canadian Department of Mines for 1917 shows a total
mineral production, valued at 192,982,837 dols., as com-
pared with an output of 177,201,534 dols. in 1916. This
increase in value is due to the higher prices obtaining,
and not to augmented production, as the actual tonnage,
especially of the metallic items, is in many cases less than
that of the preceding year. This is the case as regards
the production of coal, which was mined to the amount of
14,015,588 short tons, of the value of 47,643,646 dols. as
compared with 14,483,395 short tons, of the value of
38,817,481 dols., in 1916. This included 108,225 tons of
anthracite, 11,135,095 tons of bituminous, and 2,772,268 tons
of lignite. The provinces of New Brunswick, Sas-
katchewan, Alberta and the Yukon territory increased
their aggregate production by 284,780 tons, and the output
of Nova Scotia and British Columbia was decreased by
752,588 tons. Exports of coal showed a decrease of
402,203 tons, while imports aggregating 17,580,603 tons
had increased by 18-6 per cent, over 1916. The total
consumption of coal in Canada was 33,139,892 tons, an
increase of 10-7 per cent. The output of oven coke was
1,231,865 tons, as compared with 1,448,782. The quantity
used or sold by producers during the year was 1,245,862
tons, valued at 6,713,073 dolg., as against 1,469,741 tons,
of the value of 6,049,412 dols., in 1916. At the close of
the year 1,657 ovens were in operation, and 875 were
idle. Seventy-four per cent, of the total output was made
in by-product recovery ovens, and among the by-products
were 9,941 tons of ammonium sulphate, and 8,277.078 gals,
of tar, in addition to benzol, toluol and naphtha.

Inquiry Regarding Explosion.—The coroner’s jury sum-
moned to investigate the fatal explosion in the Allan shaft.
New Glasgow, N.S., which occurred on January 23,
brought in a verdict on March 4 to the effect that the
disaster was probably due to the act of an enemy, and
recommend that the provincial Government be asked to
appoint an expert commission to investigate all the con-
ditions of the explosion. Their finding was based on the
discovery, the day after the explosion, of a piece of wire,
12 ft. in length, with one end looped as if it had been
attached to a battery. It was picked up at a point where
one of the explosions had taken place. An electrician
employed by the company swore that the wire was
altogether different from any used by the company.

Coal Substitutes.—The question of finding a substitute
for the coal imported from the United States, on which
the provinces of Ontario and Quebec are mainly dependent,
and supplies of which are uncertain, is engrossing much
attention. It is announced that the Dominion and Ontario
Governments will co-operate in experimental work during
the coming season to ascertain the possibilities of peat
as a fuel. The Canadian Department of Mines has investi-
gated 140,000 acres of peat bogs, favourably situated as
regards transportation and proximity to inhabited
districts, and estimates the quantity of peat in this area
as approximately 120.000,000 tons, 25 per cent, being
moisture which will have to be eliminated in the manufac-
turing process. It is claimed that the feasibility of
making peat into a usable domestic fuel has already been
demonstrated by experiments made some years ago, and
that the main problem to be solved is that of cheap
handling and transportation. Another project, which
finds many enthusiastic supporters among experts, is the
briquetting of the lignite coal of Saskatchewan and
Alberta, which is also undergoing investigation. The
Canadian Government has already spent 40.000 dols. on
a briquetting plant at Estevan Sask, which is now in
operation. According to a statement by Dr. F. D. Adams,
of McGill University, Montreal, the success of the process
has been proved beyond’ question. Two tons of lignite
can be carbonised to produce one ton of briquettes, which
can be sold in most of the cities of the prairie provinces
cheaper than the imported anthracite.

The annual meeting of the Iron and Steel Institute is to
be held in London on May 2 and 3. The Bessemer medal
for 1918 will be presented to the retiring president. Sir
William Beardmore.

Mr. Thomas Edward Heath, F.R.A.S., late manager
and director of the Star Patent Fuel Company Limited,
the author of a number of astronomical works, left property
of the value of £15,342, including personalty of the net
value of £15,256.

Notes from the Coal Fields.

[Local Correspondence.]

South Wales and Monmouthshire.

Financial Position of Swansea Docks—Miners and the
Comb-out—Colliers Volunteering Freely—Allocation
Scheme Postponed—Parliamentary Candidates.

The position of Swansea in relation to other coal ports
on the Bristol Channel is set forth by the Special Com-
mittee representative of the Harbour Trust, the Corpora-
tion, the Chamber of Commerce, and other bodies, as
drawn up for submission to the Government. It points out
that the control of collieries, also control of British ship-
ping, deprives Swansea of the opportunities of utilising
its harbour facilities to the fullest extent; and that the
port is doubly penalised owing to the diversion of traffic
to other places. Whereas in 1913 there were 7| million
tons of total trade, this had declined in 1917 to 4| millions,
so that the Harbour Trust deficiency in income last year
was £49,000—it having exceeded £40,000 per annum for
the past three years.

The miners’ executive met at Cardiff on Friday, and
an application was made to them that they would receive
a deputation from the unofficial conference which had taken
place on the preceding Tuesday. The executive finally
concluded that it was inadvisable to comply with the
request.

The whole matter has relation to the combing-out of men
from the mines—the objection of the unofficial party being
that the Federation executive has acted contrary to the
decision of the workmen’s ballot, which was to the effect
that the Federation should not assent to the comb-out and
that a conference of the coalfield should have been called
before further action was taken.

A resolution was passed for submission to the conference
in the following terms :—“ The Council is of opinion that
in exercising supervision a far more equitable method of
taking the men required can be secured than if the military
authorities have to act without the knowledge which is
within reach of the council, the officials, and committees
at each colliery. Further, this procedure will secure more
consideration of domestic and family interests in cases
where some members of the family are already in military
service.”

Since then, the members of the deputation have issued
a manifesto to the miners protesting against the refusal
of the executive to meet them, and charging the executive
with having now become “ an unconstitutional body inas-
much as they consulted the Government without the con-
sent of the organisation who, by ballot vote, decided against
the proposals which they themselves had agreed to carry
out ” ; and the signatories of the manifesto ask : “ Could
autocracy go further than this?”

Mr. Vernon Hartshorn has, in return, criticised the posi-
tion of the unofficial committee, whom he declares to be
self-elected and self-appointed ; and he challenges them to
prove that their leadership is accepted by the men as has
been that of the executive members through direct action.
Not one of the unofficial committee, he says, has secured
a position as miners’ agent or of membership in the
executive council, although some of them have tried.

At Port Talbot on Saturday Mr. W. Jenkins (miners’
agent) spoke with regard to the difficulty which exists,
and he commented upon the fact that a large number of the
men had volunteered without waiting for calling-up notices
to the Army. Expressing his belief that this applied to the
whole coalfield, he thought it desirable that the Federation
should exercise some supervision over the comb-out, or
otherwise some families, which had already lost some men,
might not secure fair treatment. He expressed the hope
that that district would loyally support the executive.

It is noteworthy that in Monmouthshire large numbers
of miners are coming forward and surrendering their certi-
ficates of exemption—the critical state of affairs in France
having greatly stimulated voluntary enlistment—over 100
miners per day having presented themselves during the
holidays, and the men coming tn the office in batches.

The Ebbw Vale miners, and also the iron and steel
workers in that district, have decided to support the
executive in utilising the Federation organisation to assist
the National Service authorities; but the steel workers
desire that men who have come into employment since
the outbreak of war should be first taken.

The return to work of the miners after the Easter holi-
days was on the whole fairly satisfactory—one estimate
being that the output was about 60 per cent, of the average.

The manager of the Copper Pit Colliery, near Swansea,
was summoned by four colliers for an alleged breach of
the Coal Mines Regulation Act, their case being that he
had deducted Is. 2d. from the wages in two cases and
Is. 5d. in the other two cases without authority. In
defence it was stated that the deductions had been made
because of the dirty coal which was sent to the surface;
and it was admitted by the plaintiffs that serious complaints
had been made as to the quantity of dirt sent up ; also
that notices had been posted up requesting that clean coal
only should be filled. Insufficient light was pleaded as
an excuse for non-compliance. It was stated on behalf
of the defence that there was an agreement between the
company and the men’s representatives by which any man
sending out dirty coal was liable to instant dismissal. After
a hearing which lasted several hours, the magistrate decided
that the manager had not complied with the Mines Act,
not having properly interpreted it; and they imposed the
nominal penalty of 10s., including costs. They agreed
to state a case, if desired.

The scheme for allocation of orders, which amounts to
restriction of output at certain collieries, did not come into
operation on Monday, as was expected : and although no
explanation was given it was understood that, inasmuch
as the whole output was being moved off easily, it would
be well to postpone the application of the new system until
Monday next. The contrast between the position of the
past few days and that which preceded the holidays has
been very striking. Before the Easter holidays, sidings
were loaded up with full trucks, but since the pits were
idle for three days these have been cleared off and the
new production as well.

Further consideration of the allocation scheme and its
probable affect has given rise to doubt whether further
entire suspension is not likely. It has been regarded as
of only temporary character, and the view is becoming
more strongly held that it would not be effective in regard
to its especial purpose. The different colliery companies
will, it is understood, make representations to the local
Coal and Coke Supplies Committee, and afterwards the
Coal Owners’ Association will meet to further discuss and
reach a decision upon the matter.

At the Public Hall, Cwmaman, Aberdare, on Monday
Mr. W. J. Oliver, late assistant manager of the Cwmaman