August 23, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 393 T^or Sale, 200 Second-hand Tip Wagons, .I 1 3 ft. gauge, in good condition. For a prompt sale, low price will be taken. JOHN F. WAKE, Darlington. OLD COLLIERY SITES. "TXT'anted to Purchase Old Colliery Sites V ▼ for planting, or otherwise improving. Address in confidence Box 7114, Colliery Guardian Office, 30 & 31 Furnival-street, Holborn, London, E.C. 4. To be Sold by Tender, pursuant to an Order of Mr. Justice PETERSON made in an Action re Oil and Carbon Products Limited, 1918, O. No. 135, All the Patents and Patent- rights belonging to the Company in respect of a process for the low tempera- ture distillation of Oil Shale, Coal, and Carbonaceous Materials, together with the Leasehold Interests of the Company’s Premises at Church Wharf, Chiswick, and a Corrugated Iron Building thereon erected, and the Machinery, Plant, Stock, Tools, Stores and Material upon the said premises, subject to and with the benefit of certain Agreements entered into by the Company with various persons to grant Licenses for the working of the patented process. TENDERS are to be sent to Sir WILLIAM BARCLAY PEAT, at 11, Ironmonger-lane, London, E.C. 2, not later than the 7th day of September, 1918. PARTICULARS and Conditions of Sale, and Forms of Tender, may be obtained of Sir WILLIAM BARCLAY PEAT, and of Messrs. LEADAM & CO., 1, Austin Friars, London, E.C. 2, Solicitors. DATED this 23rd day of August, 1918. Wanted, Disc Coal Cutter, 4 feet under- cut, suitable for either A.O. or D.C., 450/500 volt.—Write, stating fully particulars, condition, price, etc., Box 7131, Colliery Guardian Office, 30 & 31, Furnival-street, Holborn, London, E.C. 4. READY SHORTLY. In Foolscap 8vo. Pp. i.-x. + 127. Cloth. 6s. net, plus Postage. MILL AND CYANIDE HANDBOOK, Comprising Tables, Formulae, Flow Sheets, and Report Forms. Compiled and Arranged for the Use of Metallurgists, Mill-Men, and Cyanide Operators. By A. W. ALLEN, M.A., M.A.I.M.E., &c., Metallurgical Engineer. LONDON : CHAS. GRIFFIN & CO. LTD., Exeter St., Strand, W.C. 2. J. W. BAIRD AND COMPANY, PITWOOD IMPORTERS, WEST HARTLEPOOL. YEARLY CON TRACTS ENTERED INTO WITH COLLIERIES. OSBECK & COMPANY LIMITED, PIT-TIMBER MERCHANTS, NEWOASTLE-ON-TYNE. SUPPLY ALL KINDS OF COLLIERY TIMBER. Telegrams—“ Osbecks, Newcastle-on-Tyne.” *** For other Miscellaneous Advertisements see Last White Page. AND Journal of the Coal and Iron Trades. Joint Editors— J. V. ELSDEN, D.Sc. (Lond.), F.G.S. HUBERT GREENWELL, F.S.S., Assoc.M.I.M.E. (Atpresent on Active Service). LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST^ 1918. The London market still suffers from short supplies. The demand is increasing. Coal was abundant in Newcastle market this week, as prompt tonnage happened to be scarce, and prices for spot shipment weakened in conse- quence. Neutrals, could obtain coal but not vessels. Forward supplies are strongly quoted. Best Bly th steams (odd lots) have been offered at 70s. Durham collieries are particularly pressed for gas coal in order that gasworks may accumulate some stock. Lancashire, Yorkshire and the Midlands report the usual condition of scarcity, extreme pressure for supplies and firm prices. The position in Scotland remains unsatisfactory. Collieries are unable to execute half the export business offered. Chartering remains quiet. Spot tonnage is scarce at Newcastle and rates are firm. The congestion of stems at Cardiff for immediate loading affected business, and the strike of tippers at the docks added to the difficulties. The exports of coal, coke and manufactured fuel in July amounted to 3,044,174 tons, valued at £4,658,878, a decrease of 351,161 tons and an increase of £58,534 on the figures for the corres- ponding month last year. The special conference of the Federated mining districts in England and North Wales, meeting at Southport to-day under the presidency of Mr. Stephen Walsh, M.P., decided to continue the Coal Conciliation Board for the period of the war. The Miners’ (Federa- tion annual conference agreed to the establishment of a National Wage Board, but it is realised that it cannot be brought into existence during the war. The Coal Controller, addressing the delegates of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain, appealed for a greater output to win the war. He read messages from Marshal Foch (who declared that “coal is the key to victory”), Admiral Beatty, Sir Douglas Haig, and M. Clemenceau. South Wales coalowners supplying Admiralty coals have been informed that in regard to the recent increase in the price of coal imposed to meet the cost of the increased war wage, the Admiralty will pay an increase of Is. 6d. per ton in the case of all coal despatched from the colliery on or after June 30 last. The final report of the Committee appointed to consider what improvements could be effected on the present method of mining coal states, as the Com- mittee’s principal proposition, that the problem of the conservation of coal is the question of economy in the use of coal through supplying electricity for power and other forms of energy. The Scottish Mine Workers Union on Saturday passed a resolution in favour of an immediate demand for a further increase of 50 per cent, on the present wages of all workers, exclusive of the war bonus. About 8,000 ex-miners have been released from the Home Army for return to the coal fields, and it is hoped to transfer 2,000 more ; but the War Office states that soldiers serving abroad cannot be allowed to return to the mines. The Ministry of Reconstruction has Coal issued the Final Report of the Coal Conserva- Conservation Committee, appointed tion : by Mr. Asquith in July 1916. The Final Report, purpose in view was to consider what improvements might be possible (1) in the mining of coal, (2) in the utilisation of coal, and (3) in the development of new coal fields. The con- sideration of so large a subject by a single body was wisely deemed inadvisable, and five subsection committees were accordingly appointed to deal with the several aspects of the question, particularly as regards methods of mining, power generation and transmission, metallurgy, carbonisation of coal, and geological considerations. The present report is mainly a confirmation of the separate reports of these sub-committees, the metallurgy and carbonisa- tion committees having in the meantime amalgamated. Thus, there are five appendices to the Final Report, one of which—viz., that on power generation and transmission, has already been published separately as an interim report. The report of the Geological Sub-Committee was also originally intended to be an interim report. Each of these must, however, now be regarded as final, for reasons which the Coal Conservation Committee explain in their report. Thus, the five appendices referred to consist of the above two interim reports, an interim and a final report on Mining and a Carbonisation report—not, perhaps, the most lucid arrangement, but doubtless a compromise for purposes of war-time economy. We do not propose on the present occasion to traverse the wide field covered by this enquiry, and our remarks will accordingly be limited to the more general aspect of the question. The portion of the report dealing with power generation and transmis- sion has already been the subject of considerable discussion, both upon a technical and industrial standpoint, and the bearing of the report upon the various interests concerned has already received a large share of attention. Lord Haldane admirably sums up the position in his prefatory remarks when he says that whatever conflict there may be between the interests of existing local electrical authorities and the initiation of a comprehensive scheme, there is no conflict between the interests of local com- munities and those of the nation as a whole. The main feature of the report i« that it necessitates a complete reversal of the policy adopted hitherto in this country, which has led to local instead of national development; and to supersede this system, after thirty years of growth, will not be an easy matter. It would, however, be a great mistake to pursue an unsound policy indefinitely merely because com- pensation will have to be provided for existing rights and financial obligations, and we are glad to see that the Coal Conservation Committee has adopted the wider view, in favour of a comprehensive system of electrical supply upon lines which must be admitted to be both technically and commercially sound. Returning to the general question, although the reports of the various sub-committees have been adopted as a whole, subject to reservations made by individual members, there are certain matters of importance upon which the Committee abstains from expressing an opinion. It will be recalled that a Fuel Research Board was recently established, and the Conservation Committee has accordingly taken the view that they are thereby relieved of responsi- bility in regard to this part of the question. It appears, however, that the Carbonisation Sub- Committee has adopted some of the conclusions of the Fuel Research Board, particularly those con- cerning the reservation of the best seams of coking coal for the exclusive use of the home metallurgical industries. The Carbonisation Sub-Committee calls attention to the fact that large quantities of first-class coking coal have been shipped for bunker and other purposes, and it is held that this involves a serious waste of national resources. The subject of fuel economy in steel works is further enlarged upon by Mr. Benjamin Talbot in an elaborate appendix to the Carbonisation report, in which he advocates, in the interests both of steel works and collieries, an extensive use of coke oven gas, involving a complete revolution in present-day practice. All these matters are considered by the Coal Conservation Committee to lie outside the scope of their reference, and to demand further investigation. There is also a further point of divergence of opinion. Sir Guy Calthrop and Dr, Carpenter disagree with the conclusions of the Mining Sub- Committee in regard to coal left for support, on the ground that it involves questions having little or no bearing upon the conservation of coal. The Coal Controller appears to take exception to any distinction being made between private surface owners and public companies, and he seems to be inclined to attach more importance than the other members of the Committee to the maintenance of the Mining Code as applied to statutory undertakings. Upon a future occasion we may return to this matter and consider it in greater detail, and we only refer to it here for the purpose of pointing out the difference of opinion that exists upon it. As regards other matters dealt with in the report, considerable attention is given to the part which the carbonisatien of coal is calculated to play in recon- struction. Steps are suggested not only for making more efficient use of those grades of coal at present burned in a raw state, but also for putting to valuable use inferior coal, shale and coal dust, now regarded as waste. Another matter of which the Committee emphasise the importance, is the necessity of obtaining fuel oils, motor spirit and the raw materials for explosives, drugs and dyes. It is considered practically certain that larger supplies can be obtained from coal by the new methods of working which are proposed. The Committee recommend the combined working in groups or units of coke ovens, blast furnaces, steel furnaces and rolling mills, each unit to have a capacity of from 300,000 to 500,000 tons of finished steel per annum. One of the conditions of success will be the grouping of these united plants in suitable districts. The necessity of replacing old with modern plant, especially in the smaller colliery undertakings, is pointed out as a further means of economising in fuel. The establishment of a Ministry of Mines and Minerals is recommended. It is proposed that, with certain exceptions, those functions connected with the coal mining industry now vested in various Government departments shall either at once or after the war be transferred to a Ministry presided over by a Minister with a seat in Parliament. It appears that no fewer than seven Government departments are now intimately concerned with mines and minerals. It is pointed out also, that there are considerable possibilities in connection with the location of new coal fields and the extension of those already being worked. It is possible, as the report shows, that a large increase in our mineral wealth might be found were systematic exploration carried out by the Geological Survey. One of the authors of “Eclipse or From War Empire ? ” has returned to the task to Work. of pointing out a constructive policy for this country after the war by the publication of a booklet entitled “From War to Work,”* in which the author, Mr. Samuel Turner, endeavours to get at the root cause of the labour trouble so far as this country is concerned. With excellent judgment he first contrasts the American point of view with that of the Labour Party in Great Britain. Mr. Gompers, President of the American Federation of Labour, declares boldly for increased production combined with a reasonable limitation of the hours of labour. The British Labour Party, on the other hand, aims at a more equitable division of the surplus by means of nationalisation, municipalisation and ruthless taxa- tion of private wealth. The fundamental distinction between these two policies is that whereas the American ideal is constructive and evolutionary, that of British Labour is destructive and visionary. It is visionary in the sense that its proposed methods are merely of hypothetical efficacy. It would be easy to argue that they are even subversive of accepted doctrines of economics. Mr. Turner, how- ever, adopts a better plan, and, in discussing these questions, examines them in the light of realities rather than of theories. He believes in natural law. He holds that education begins when schooling ends, and that the three greatest educational influences in the world are environment, example and opportunity. The old industrialism has given great results not- withstanding the fact that it was unregulated and disordered; and it is from the disorder, and not from the system, that evils have come. The inference is obvious, viz., that the proper policy is to introduce order into the system, and not to destroy it. Mr. Turner develops his case by an appeal to history, both ancient and modern, and his object is to show, that no ordered, happy life is possible, either for individuals or communities without a con- scious aim. He holds that Labour’s discontent arose mainly from the aimlessness of life, which led to the acceptance of an array of false notions of the Karl Marx pattern, based upon the obvious fiction that all wealth is the creation of labour, that we owe everything to muscle and nothing to brain. The first step in Mr. Turner’s scheme of reconstruction, therefore, is to supply to the worker a conscious aim in life. Attention is next turned to a consideration of some of the prevalent fallacies which have served as catch- *Fro»n War to Work. By Samuel Turner. London: Nisbet and Company Limited; 1918. Price, Is. 6d. net.