August 2, 1918.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

239

prompt business buyers have no difficulty in covering their
requirements. The demand for the machine-made qualities
of the higher grades is strong, and beans and nuts are well
booked up. Peas are very scarce, and few spare parcels
available. Culm is a str< nger market, but owing to the
heavy stocks which have accumulated there is no difficulty
in executing orders. Duff shows no improvement. Steam
coals are very firm, and the better qualities of large are
difficult to secure. Th roughs, both cargo and bunker
qualities, are also a strong market, and smalls are moving
satisfactorily. Stocks of the lower grades are much reduced,
and collieries are busy. There is no easing off in the
demand for gas and manufacturing coals, and with works
pressing for extra quantities spare lots are unobtainable.

Swansea.

COAL.

During*the past week the trade of the port was fairly
good, despite the falling off in the exports of patent fuel.
The shipments of coal and patent fuel were 89,839 tons. A
very good attendance assembled on 'Change, and the
anthracite coal market was firm. Best large was stemmed
well ahead, whilst the demand for secondary qualities was
improved. Machine-made descriptions were well booked,
beans possibly showing less firmness than others. All
classes of steam coals were very active, and sellers generally
were fully stemmed for immediate delivery.

THE IRISH COAL TRADE.

Thursday, August 1.

Dublin.

There is no easing of the situation in the port. In some
instances the local coal merchants have absolutely no coal,
and no supplies are expected until next week. Many
consumers have been without coal for several weeks past,
and have been obliged to use turf and wood, very high
prices now being obtained for both. Prices of coal are
unchanged, as follow : Orrell, 55s. 6d. to 56s. 6d. per ton;
Wigan, 54s. 6d. ; Whitehaven, 54s. 6d. ; Pemberton Wigan,
53s. 6d. standard coal, 51s. ; slack, 50s. all less Is. per ton
discount; coke, 53s. per ton. Coal was being sold retail
last week by some of the hawkers at 5^d. per stone, equal
to 4s. 7d. per bag, or <£3 13s. 4d. per ton. The total
quantity of ‘coal discharged upon the quays from cross-
Channel ports during the past week was 20,500 tons, com-
pared with 20,137 tons the week previously. At a recent
meeting of the Town Tenants’ Association it was urged
that a return. should be secured at once of coal hoarded
in Dublin, and steps taken to protect the moderate user
by preventing further supplies being obtained by people
who have more coals hoarded than would suffice for the
coming winter months. The Dublin Corporation Coal
Committee decided that the views of the members on
coal economy should be put before a special meeting of
the Corporation. A deputation of coal merchants recently
waited on the committee regarding supplies and prices.
The Irish Coal Controller intimated that Irish coal pro-
duction is being rapidly speeded up, and that a much
larger supply than heretofore would soon be on the market.
He urges the great necessity for strict economy in the
use of coal in all things, public and private, in view of a
possible further cutting down of imports. • It is stated
that for the past two months the imports at some Irish
ports have fallen away 35 per cent., or even more. Coal
merchants in Midleton, county Cork, are selling Kerry
turf at £2 15s. per ton, compared with <£3 12s. for coal.

Belfast.

Prices have been further advanced Is. 6d. per ton for
house coals. Best Arley is 55s. 6d. per ton; Scotch house,
49s. 6d. ; Orrell nuts, 54s. 6d. ; Orrell slack, 51s. 6d. ;
standard coal, 48s. 6d. per ton. All qualities of coal are
exceedingly scarce in the port, and supplies of Scotch coal
are still below the normal.

THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE.

Tar Products.—Pitch prices are over 55s. at some of the
London gasworks, and no expectation of any material break
in the quotations is entertained at present. Forward busi-
ness is still hampered by the shipping problem, otherwise
the Continental makers of briquettes would be purchasers
on a much larger scale. They have an immense market
now to supply, especially in view of the certainty of acute
shortage next winter. East coast quotations this week are
32s. to 33s. f.o.b. and west coast 30s. to 31s. 6d.. The
Liverpool average is 30s. to 31s. 6d. One can buy at several
shillings less in Glasgow. Crude tar is quoted in London
at 32s. 6d. to 35s., Midlands 27s. to 29s., and North 28s. to
30s. per ton ex works. Solvent naphtha, a deal of which
appears to be on offer, is dull. Heavy naphtha represents a
rather scattered sort of business, for purchasers are taking
only small lots. Crude carbolic finds a good market, and
forward sales are reported. Other by-products are dealt
with on the ordinary lines.

Quotations:—Crude tar : London, 32s. 6d. to 35s.; Mid-
lands, 27s. to 29s.; North, 28s. to 30s. per ton ex gas
works. Pitch: London, 55s. to 57s. 6d.; east coast, 32s.
to 33s. f.o.b.; Liverpool, 31s. to 31s. 6d.; west coast, 30s. to
31s. f.a.s. Solvent naphtha: Naked, London, 90-190 per
cent., 3s. 9d.; North, 2s. lid. to 3s.; 90-160 per cent, naked,
London, 3s. 10|d.; North, 3s. 3d. to 3s. 4d. Crude naphtha:
Naked, 30 per cent., 8|d. to 8|d ; North, 6id. to 6|d.
Refined naphthalene, £30 to £32 10s. ; salts, to £7.
Toluol: Naked, London, 2s. 4d.; North, 2s. 3d. Creosote :
Naked, London, 4^d.; North, 4d. to 4|d.; heavy oil, 4£d. to
5d.; liquid, 4|d. to 5d. Carbolic acid : Crude, 60 per cent.,
east coast and west coast, 2s. 6d. to 2s. 9d. naked; crystals,
39-40, lid. to Is. Cresylic: Casks, 95 per cent, 3s.;
97-99, 3s. 3d. ex works London and f.o.b. other ports.

Sulphate of Ammonia.—A great amount of business
on scheduled terms, is reported.

Irish Lignite.—The Irish Lignite and Coal Company
applied for permission to proceed with the development
of lignite deposits in Ireland, but, according to report,
the Treasury has refused permission in regard to the
capital issue. Another application to the Treasury will
be made.

Patents in 1917.—In his report for 1917, the Comptroller-
General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks states that
the applications numbered 19,285 (18,602 in 1916), pro-
visional specifications 13,990, and complete specifications
11,539. The trade marks registered numbered 2,744.
Receipts from patent fees were <£292,215, and from de-
signs fees £5,412, being increases of £24,075 and £728
over the respective amounts for 1916. The total fees
received were £318,149.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE.
CHANCERY DIVISION—July 31.

Before Mr. Justice Sargant.

Dumping Debris on Mountain.

Attorney-General v. Cory Brothers and Company
Limited.—An action was brought by the Attorney-General,
on the relation of the Rhondda Urban District Council,
and the council against Cory Brothers and Company
Limited and Messrs. Kennard and Curre, as trustees, and
Mrs. Gordon Canning and Mrs. Curre, as the tenants for
life, of the land on which the acts complained of were
committed. In this action the plaintiffs sought an in-
junctio'h against the tipping of debris on the Pentre Moun-
tain.* Connected with this case was another brought by
Messrs. Kennard and Curre, Mrs. Gordon Canning, and
Mrs. Curre, against Cory Brothers and Company Limited,
in which compensation and the removal of the debris were
sought. The facts were reported in previous issues of
this paper.

Mr. Justice Sargant found as a fact that the landslide
was due to the placing by the defendant company of an
unduly heavy weight on a steep slope and on an unsuit-
able foundation. He said that it seemed doubtful whether,
if the colliery tips had not been placed where they were,
the quarry bank would ultimately have caused a failure
of the ground beneath it and a slide, but it was clear
that any such slide would not have happened so early as
the slide now in question, and would not have been of
the same dimensions; in other words, the present disaster
would not have occurred.

In conclusion, his lordship said : On the foregoing view
of the facts there can be no doubt of the liability of
the defendant company to the plaintiffs in the first action.
The defendant company have placed an artificial mass
in a dangerous position, and are obviously responsible
for the consequences, on the principle of Rylands v.
Fletcher. Mr. Leslie Scott, indeed, in his opening con-
tended that the defendant company would not be liable
unless they knew that the position of their tips was
dangerous ; but he cited no authority for this proposition,
and it seems to me entirely at variance with the doctrine
of Rylands v. Fletcher, which is independent of scienter
and of negligence, and, further, the defendant company’s
liability extends to any danger or aggravation of damage
caused by the presence of the quarry bank. (Manley v.
Burn.)

His lordship accordingly declared that the slide men-
tioned in the pleadings in the first action was caused
by the acts of the defendant company in tipping spoil
from their collieries, and that the defendant company were
liable for the damage already done or that might here-
after happen to the plaintiff council by such slide, and
he granted an injunction to restrain the tipping so as to
endanger or threaten, obstruct, or injure the highway,
tramways, mains and sewers in the pleadings mentioned.
He also ordered an enquiry as to the damages, and gave
liberty to apply, in case of danger, for a mandatory in-
junction to compel the defendant company to render their
tips safe or to remove them, and ordered that company
to pay the costs of the plaintiffs and the trustees.

SOUTH WALES MINING TIMBER TRADE.

As a consequence of the exploitation of the home grown
trade, the supply of mining timber has increased to an
exceptional extent. Last year the increase in the amount
of home grown wood cut and delivered was remarkable,
and the authorities determined to give every facility this
year to still further increase the supply of home grown
timber. Private enterprise has also been active, with
the result that this year ’ the deliveries of home grown
timber to collieries will undoubtedly constitute a record.
The collieries of South Wales and Monmouthshire have
no difficulty in procuring supplies; in fact, the quantity
available is greater than the consumption. Mr. E. H.
Jacob, chairman of the Pitwood Allocation Committee,
has suggested that collieries should now endeavour to
secure an eight weeks’ supply to guard .against any
periodical shortage which may be shown in the winter.
The suggestion was naturally approved, for an eight
weeks’ supply will constitute a margin of safety against
the falling off in the hohie grown supplies in the winter,
when weather conditions make cutting and transport diffi-
cult. It is also a safeguard against possible interference
with the supply by sea. The mining timber required
by collieries is no longer dependent upon foreign supplies.
No supplies have been received from Scandinavia, Spain,
Portugal or Canada this or last year, and the quantities
received from France have been limited to 40,000 tons
per month, plus a limited excess when collieries required
extra supplies. It is understood that the Controller of
Import Restrictions will not grant any excess to be
imported for the future unless special reasons are given;
for the home grown trade can now be relied upon to
give regular and adequate deliveries of timber to collieries,
and the resources of the district are such that the collieries
can rely upon large supplies for at least eighteen months.
At the end of that period, if the present rate of cutting
is maintained, the woods in No. 6 district, from which
South Wales and Monthmouthshire draws its supplies, will
be considerably denuded, for it is only in a few cases that
a rotary system of planting and cutting is in operation.

Imports of Timber.

The following table shows the quantity of foreign
mining timber imported in South Wales ports for the week
ending July 25 :—

Date.	Consignee.	Loads.

July 20 Vyvyan Kelly and Co....... 2,160

„	20	Lysberg Limited ........ 240

„	22	Lysberg Limited ...... 1,560

„	22	Morgan and Cadogan......	480

„	22	Budd and Co............. 138

„	22	Budd and Co............. 180

„	22	Budd and Co............. 120

„	23	Lysberg Limited ........ 720

„	23	Lysberg Limited ........ 240

„	24	E. Marcesche and Co..... 480

„	25	Grant Hayward and Co....	90

„	25	Grant Hayward and Co....	144

„	25	Evans and Reid .......... 30

„	25	Lysberg Limited ........ 960

Total ..........  7,542

These supplies have come in the main in sailing vessels
of small size. These vessels trade regularly to South
Wales and the Bay of Biscay ports, and in the absence
of a pitwood cargo are obliged to come home in ballast.

The idea of restricting the imports of foreign mining
timber is stated to be not so much for the conservation
of tonnage, but rather to limit the indebtedness of the
nation by relying more upon home supplies. Quotations
were at the full maximum levels, viz., 65s. per ton
ex ship Cardiff, Newport, etc.

Home Grown Supplies Good.

Supplies of home grown timber continue good, and ex-
cellent deliveries have been made to collieries. The
imports of Irish mining timber have been satisfactory,
and regular deliveries are now a feature, the smaller
class of sailing vessel being employed in this trade.
Imports from Cornwall and Devon were also good. As
regards the South Wales and Monmouthshire counties,
cutting is still proceeding on a heavy scale, and efforts are
being put forth to deliver as much as possible before the
winter arrives.

The transport workers of South Wales are demanding
an increase of 2d. per hour for time workers, and
30 per cent, increase in the case of piece workers. The
pitwood importers have been warned that this applies
to the dischargers of pitwood. The pitwood importers,
however, have only recently given an increase of 30 per
cent, to their workers, and apparently a mistake has
occurred, owing to the overlapping of the many societies
comprised under the heading of transport workers.

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—July 25.

Stanrigg Pit Disaster.

Mr. Brace (Under-Secretary for the Home Department)
informed Mr. D. Millar that a special enquiry would be
held regarding the causes of the moss subsidence at Stan-
rigg Pit, near Airdrie.

July 29.

Coal Supplies.

Colonel Wedgwood asked whether the President of the
Board of Trade was aware of North Staffordshire potteries
having to close through lack of coal, and what steps were
being taken to prevent 50,000 persons being out of employ-
ment in the winter.

Sir A. Stanley stated that a committee had been formed
relative to preference in the distribution of coal. The
Controller received a letter from the National Council of
the pottery industry, asking that the trade might be
allowed to ration itself, and he replied, expressing willing-
ness, provided it was clearly understood that this would
be done within the limits of the amount of coal to be
allotted to the industry.

Colonel Wedgwood asked whether the Prime Minister
would receive a deputation from the Potteries, and was
informed by Mr. Bonar Law that as the Coal Controller
had received one such deputation no useful purpose would
be served by the Prime Minister receiving another.

Wage Increases.

Sir A. Stanley, in answer to Major H. Terrell and
others, stated that the general wage rates as determined
by the’Conciliation Board in the South Wales coalfield on
the dates mentioned were as follows : On August 1, 1914,
60 per cent, above the 1879 standard ; on April 1, 1917,
133^ per cent, above the 1879 standard; on June 1, 1918,
133^ per cent, above the 1879 standard. No bonus in
addition to these rates was payable on August 1, 1914,
or on April 1, 1917 ; but on June 1, 1916, the war wage of
Is. 6d. per day to those over 16 and 9d. per day to those
under 16, was also payable. As from June 30, 1918, a
further war wage of Is. 6d. (and 9d.) per day had been
added to that previously paid. There were not at present
adequate grounds for believing that any increase in the
hours of work would lead to an increase in output.
Free coal was allowed to miners in only two counties, but
cheap coal is allowed in most of the coal-mining districts,
the general amount being a load every four weeks, a
load varying from 15 to 20 cwt. This coal allowance is
intimately connected with the remuneration of the miners.

Export Difficulties.

Mr. Houston asked the President of the Board of Trade
whether he was aware of the shortage of coal for export;
that, by reason of this shortage, many steamers had to
sail in ballast from this country to the Argentine and
elsewhere that many steamers had been ordered to pro-
ceed from this country in ballast to the United States,
there to load coal for the Argentine; and whether he was
aware that quantities of grain and other foodstuffs had
been purchased in the Argentine, and that, if cargoes
of coal could be sent to the Argentine, the sale of this
coal and the freights earned thereon would help to pay
for the foodstuffs purchased there, and so tend to reduce
the disparity of our imports over exports.

Sir A. Stanley replied in the affirmative. The position
was explained by the fact of the urgent extra demands
for our Allies and the reduced output of the collieries due
to the epidemic of influenza, and the calling up of 75,000
Grade 1 men for the Army.

Mr. Bonar Law, in reply to Mr. G. Lambert, who asked
whether Messrs. Pearson and Sons had offered to place
the whole of their geological and oil expert staff
gratuitously at the disposal of the Government, antici-
pating to strike oil within six months in this country, said
such an offer had been made. The Government hoped
to introduce a Bill this week to give effect to the pro-
posal. If the Bill was not passed, the question of boring
for oil would, he hoped, be dealt with in another Bill.

July 31.
Coal Control and Winter Shortage.

On the report of the vote for the salaries and expenses
of the Board of Trade,

Sir J. Walton condemned the policy of the Coal Con-
troller as imposing unnecessarily severe restrictions on
coal consumption, which would vitally affect the comfort
of every household next winter. The real fact was that
there was no shortage of coal. Although numbers of
pitmen had been called to the Colours, many collieries
w’ere working only three or four days a week, and if they
were made to work full time there would be no shortage
of coal and no need for the Order. The output would be
larger but for the needless restrictions imposed on coal
owners. Instead of interfering with the colliery owners,
the Controller should devote his energies to speeding up
the coal traffic and the unloading of trucks.

Mr. Runciman said the new Order struck at the very
root of domestic comfort and efficiency. Coal control had