No. 178.

Contents.

240

... 242 ..... 243 ........ 244

Report on Manure Material

....

Imports Exports ...244 ...... 245 Prices Current 245

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Correspondence

Trade Notes...

The Metal Markets

Notices.

. 249 ... 252

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NA

Vol. VII.

VOLATILE HYDROCARBONS AND FIRES.

APHTHA and similar hydrocarbons has played a some. what prominent part in several recent fires. The fire which occurred in London on Monday, on the premises of Messrs. Rowley and Brock, accompanied as it was by such fatal results, and being due to the ignition of a liquid of which solvent naphtha was an important ingredient, shows the necessity for increasing precautions in dealing with a liquid so dangerously inflammable. Our readers will readily recognise this from the statement of the foreman who heard a muffled report," an expression which very aptly conveys the sound produced by the ignition of the more volatile hydrocarbons, an ignition so sudden as to be fittingly described as incipient explosion, hence the "muffled report."

Not long since, another fire took place in a shed under the Vine-street Bridge of the Metropolitan Railway, and here naphtha was stored for the purposes of the company.

Naphtha is one thing, and petroleum another, but in the present connection we use, preferably, the expression, volatile hydrocarbons, to cover all substances of this type. There is an old saying, that a worse thing than sinning is being found out. In the cases referred to, the volatile hydrocarbon found the user out, but we wonder how many persons or firms there are in the kingdom who have been using, are using, and, in spite of those warnings, will continue to use these dangerous substances without due precautions, until they in their turn are found out by this most circum. stantial evidence.

The legislature has endeavoured to grapple with the subject, scientific chemists have given it much consideration, and from a scientific standpoint, all that is necessary appears to have been accomplished. What is known as the ABEL close test, condemns a liquid as dangerous, when it shows that such liquid gives off imflammable vapour at a tempera. ture below 75° Fahrenheit.

The present state of legislation is this: that if a person or firm is proved to possess quantities of such an inflammable liquid, without having a licence to do so, such persons or firms are liable to conviction, and the enforcement of penalties. It is scarcely to be expected that all firms using quantities of these hydrocarbons, will pay special visits to the authorities to inform them of the fact, and they do not receive an annual inquisition upon the subject like that, so familiar to Income Tax-payers. So there is nothing for it but the inspectors. This brings us to another point. The inspectors had for sometime believed that petroleum was kept by railway companies in contravention of the law; but, having no right of entry to the suspected premises, they were unable to obtain evidence of the fact. Since the fire the inspectors have obtained what they regard as sufficient proof that the liquid in the shed at Vine-street was petroleum within the meaning of the Acts; but, as the whole of the suspected material was consumed by the fire in question, the flashing test, required by law, could not be applied.

If the inspectors are in this dilemma with such obvious users of hydrocarbons as railway companies, they must be

similarly placed with other firms. It is of course possible that they were not aware of the presence of dangerous hydrocarbons on the other premises in the country, at which fires have occurred.

This is a state of things which calls for an enlargement of the powers of inspectors. Casual criticism is of no avail. The subject wants to be pertinaciously hammered out, to be made a burning question in another sense, and the public should not lose their grip of it until some sufficiently effective method of dealing with it has become law. For our own part we do not see why, when these substances are used, as they appear to have been at Messrs. Rowley and Brock's, the vapours could not be drawn off from the operator, and discharged in some safe and suitable manner. And, again, we think that if some properly constituted authority received, what it considered, well-founded suspicions from an inspector, such authority might send in a requisition to the person or persons, on the same lines as the one sent requiring them to declare their incomes, so worded as to leave them no option but yes or no to the question "Do you store or use such and such substances ? We have sufficient faith in the public spirit of the average firms of the country to believe that they would honourably answer the question. And where the inspector had sufficient reason to believe the contrary, the law should give him the right of search under proper conditions. will only add, that if makers of these articles issued a handbill with each lot, giving a list of their dangerous properties, risks, and precautions to be taken, it would do much to dis seminate a better knowledge of their safe employment than is at present possessed by those who use them.

We

EXPLOSION AT THE SWINTON CHEMICAL WORKS.

EAL

ARLY on Saturday morning, the 11st inst, the unusual sound of the fire bell was heard at Mexbro'. It transpired that an explosion had occurred at the chemical works at Swinton, and that a great destruction of property had been the result. This was the third disaster at the works within a comparatively brief period. About a year ago a workman lost his life by the poisonous fumes emanating from one of the large vats in which he was working, and a mate was only" brought round" with great difficulty. Prior to this, a quantity of the inflammable liquid became ignited, and considerable loss was sustained by the owners, Messrs. Ellison and Mitchell, who also carry on similar works at Cleckheaton. It appears that about ten minutes to eight on Saturday morning, an employé named James Lawrence, of Doncaster, was on duty at the works. He had been firing up a still which was preparing about 3,000 gallons of benzoline.

One of

the proprietors would have been engaged near the same spot, in all probability, had he not met with a slight accident to one of his feet the previous day. He had interrogated Lawrence just before the accident as to whether all was right, and received a reply in the affirmative. Suddenly, however, there was a terrific report, with a simultaneous flash of fire, which appeared to envelope the whole premises. Before it was known what had happened, residents at Swinton and Kilnhurst had feared an explosion had occurred at the Thybergh Hall Colliery, and the wildest rumours were afloat. The workman, Lawrence, considers himself fortunate that he was not killed on the spot. When the explosion occurred he was not far from the still, and the concussion "carried" him several yards away. The flames caught him, and the partial disfigurement of his face is proof of the great danger he was in. It is remarkable that he was not more seriously injured. He was promptly removed to the hospital at Mexbro', after previous treatment by Dr. M'Call, of Kilnhurst, and it is hoped he may soon recover, the burns appearing to be only facial and superficial. He has sustained no internal injury, beyond the shock to the nervous system. Another workman named Joseph Lee was on the ground, but he escaped unscathed. As an illustration of the force of the explosion, the top of the still, constructed of half-inch boiler plates and said to weigh seven or eight tons, was carried through the air some 50 or 60 yards, finally alighting in a large tank of water. In its flight it just missed a tall chimney, which thus escaped demolition. The masonry

of the benzoline shed-containing ten large boilers, capable of containing 3,000 gallons of liquid each-collapsed with a great crash, while the flames were darting heavenwards. The mechanism which ensured the security of the boilers also gave way, and the flames then consumed the benzoline inside. The boilers were fortunately by no means full, but there was ample liquid to cause a startling conflagration, which lasted a long time, until the benzoline had all been destroyed. There was no wind at the time, otherwise the consequence would have been much more disastrous. The width of the building was about 11 yards, and the length about 40 yards. When the members of the fire brigade arrived from Mexbro', their endeavour was to save that portion of the works which had thus far escaped. Between 30 and 40 benzoline barrels were on the ground, and these were removed to a safe distance from the fire. Water was poured upon the contiguous property in as large volumes as possible, though at the first the jet appeared very inadequate for the purpose. The labours of the brigade were not only arduous, but dangerous, while they stood in the vicinity of the blazing building, which every now and again gave ominous cracks, as though the whole would collapse. But no one was hurt. Captain Humphries (who is surveyor to the Mexbro' Local Board) had charge of the brigade. Amongst others who zealously assisted were Mr. H. A. Fenner, the company's analyst, Mr. W. H. Mitchell, and Mr. J. C. Haller, surveyor of the Swinton Local Board. Large crowds assembled from Mexbro', Swinton, and Kilnhurst, having been attracted by the fire bell and the flames. The extent of the damage is at present a matter of speculation, though it is calculated to amount to £2,000 or £3,000. The loss will be only very partially met by insurance. The cause of the explosion is not definitely known, but it is surmised that the "worm at the top of the still had become clogged, thus preventing the escape of vapour from the benzoline, under which was the furnace.

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF MINING AND METALLURGY.

(FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.)
(Continued from Page 209.)

PASSING from the noise of the Machinery Hall, the well-arranged

desert termed the west corridor, gives one a welcome sense of undisturbed quietude. The stand of the Mining Journal, which seems to have taken the exhibition under its special protection, gives evidence of being, at the worst, in a condition of suspended animation, as opposed to the state of total collapse, into which some of its neighbours have fallen, and yet there is much that is interesting. A glance at the catalogue sends the visitor straight to stand 4, belonging to the Uranium Mines, Ltd., in the hope of seeing specimens of the metal as ingot bar, or at least plating; his disappointment is complete, for the gold-coloured material which was said to be destined to replace most of the dearer metals is conspicuous chiefly by its absence. Specimens of Uranium salts there certainly are, but they are surprisingly similar to those from less sensational sources. The Aluminium Company, of Neuhausen, show some fine samples of aluminium and its alloys, the applicability of the former for art metal work being proved by some very tasteful statuettes with a matte surface. There is little doubt that aluminium, at least in the state of impurity, that at present seems inevitable, is a failure for purposes where a bright surface is required, but if a dull one be permissible, there is little to be said against it. A most interesting stand-and, of course, one entirely neglected-is that of Messrs. Chance Bros., who show recovered sulphur, sulphuric acid, made from sulphuretted hydrogen, as an alternative product, and samples of cement. With regard to the latter, but little can be said, as a few ounces of greyish powder unac companied by a series of briquettes and pats do not tell one much; but as far as can be judged by the colour of the specimens exhibited by no means a bad criterion-cement makers on the Thames and Medway may at least pause ere they seek suicide in those pellucid streams; there is still some hope for them. Splendid specimens of antimony ore and antimony, the latter bearing the impress of purity on its face, in the shape of its characteristic star-like fracture, are shown by the Lixa Mining Co., Ltd.; while not far off is the "weather plant," perennial as the gigantic gooseberry, and having about as much connection with a mining exhibition. Now that white lead is attracting the attention of inventors and investors to an almost unprecedented degree, such an exhibit as that of the White Lead ·Company, Limited, cannot fail to be of interest. The company claims innocuousness for its product with some justice, as lead sulphate appears to be the principal constituent. The covering power another matter altogether. One little "stand," in sore danger of being entirely overlooked, is a frame of photographs of the microscopic structure of steel of different degrees of hardness, annealed, tempered, and hardened, shown by F. Osmond, of Paris, whose researches have

perhaps contributed more to our knowlege of the nature of that mysterious material, than those of any of his co-workers in the field. The growing importance of boron in the form of its oxide, and the sodium salt formed therefrom, is proved by the excellent case filled with specimens of the products of the Borax Co., Ltd., and grumblers who object to it in their milk, must try to derive consolation from the lustre of the enamelled iron advertisement signs which it aids in producing. As for the rest of the exhibits in the west corridor, and the firms showing them, are they not written in the official catalogue of the Mining Exhibition?

New South Wales has been the mainstay of the whole undertaking. This is indubitable, as officials connected with the Government Commission, charged with its conduct, have said so themselves. Every imaginable mineral appears to exist, or have been found in New South Wales, and the mere catalogue of those shown would fill columns. The laity, with one accord, flock to the stands holding the gold specimens, and feast their eyes upon the "yellow dirt" from the time it emerges from the Chubb's safe, wherein it resides during the night, until its return thither, and is seen gazing at the colossal silver shaft, representing the output of the Broken Hill Proprietary Mine up to date. A custodian, by nature civil, but rendered surly by perpetual worrying by irresponsible badauds, guards the former, and will be relieved by the close of the Exhibition, and the termination of this

torture.

A magnificent collection of New South Wales minerals, including such rarities as diamonds, tourmalines, and zircons, has been arranged by Professor Liversedge, of Sydney, but is, of course, ignored by the gazers aforesaid.

A glance round the galleries, shows endless cases of minerals, piles of ore, masses of building stones, and woods in endless variety, shown by the same colony, and similar exhibits by South Australia, South Africa, Scandinavia, Mexico, and sundry Australasian mining countries, but are in no way distinctive, nor do they possess any special claim for description.

It is a noteworthy fact that, in the whole exhibition, modern wet methods of gold extraction are, with the exception of the Newberry Vautin process, completely unrepresented, thus markedly diminishing its interest and importance. It is also significant that the attendance has been poor, and, in consequence, the closing of the exhibition is imminent. The key to this enigma is to be found in the distance of the Crystal Palace from the haunts of busy people, and the natural distaste for rational enjoyment of the idlers, which factors are permanent and unavoidable in any case, but disastrous in this.

THE RAILWAY AND CANAL TRAFFIC ACT.

THE

BOARD OF TRADE CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS.

HE powers of railway companies, says the Manchester Examiner, originally limited as a set-off to the great privileges granted to them, are about to be radically and completely changed; and the classification is an important factor in that change, being the basis on which the new powers of charging rates will rest.

When the Act of 1888 became law the railway companies were invited by the Board of Tride, under its provisions, to submit their proposals for a new set of maximum rates and charges, and a new classification, which should be considered a basis for the new legisation: They did so, but the classification (with which only we are dealing at present) was very meagre as compared with that in actual

use.

At the long inquiry which ensued many witnesses and representatives were heard on the special question of the classification of different goods in which they were interested, and, had time allowed, hundreds more were ready and could have been heard. But time did not allow. The result of all this is that the Board of Trade (acting under section 24 of the Act) have framed a new classification, which in default of alteration before a Parliamentary Committee (before which their bill is pretty sure to come) will become law all over the country, taking the place of, and entirely cancelling, the old powers under the hundreds of special and general Acts.

The list shows, we believe, subject to explanations to follow, all the changes in classification which would take place were the Board of Trade schedule to become law. That schedule is compared here with the present Railway Clearing House classification, which is not a Parliamentary one, but has been formed by the railway companies for their own convenience in making and dividing charges. It is the practical result of their experience in dealing with traffic since the formation of railways. The Clearing House book contains a great many more articles than the Board of Trade schedule, and also much more minute and specific descriptions of them and of the various modes of packing, and other matters affecting the classification. This is one source of difficulty in making a true comparison; another is the constant use in the Board of Trade schedule of the letters "e. o. h. p."

(except otherwise herein provided). This not only makes it necessary to look in every other class to see whether, or how, the article is otherwise provided, but in some cases evidently refers to provisions affecting the article which are not found under the same name.

The following list does not include all the changes which are, or might be, the effect of the non-insertion in the Board of Trade schedules of an immense number of names and descriptions of articles occurring in the present classification. The cases are very few in which an article has simply been transferred from one class to another. Where articles appear in both classifications, and there has been no real change, the articles do not appear in our lists. Again, the words descriptive of the method of packing, limits of quantity, and other particulars in our list will sometimes not be found in the Clearing House list or in that of the Board of Trade. They are rendered necessary to define the net result of the changes. We give examples to show the principles on which our list is made.

I. In class 2 of our list will be found "biscuits, ship and dog," as being transferred from class I. The fact is that only the word "biscuits" is found in the Board of Trade proposals, and it is in class 2. In the Clearing House book "biscuits, except ship and dog," are in class 2; and "ship and dog" in class 1. There is, therefore, no alteration except for ship and dog biscuits, which it is proposed shall come under class 2, along with all other biscuits; and this change we indicate. In this case, as "biscuits includes all biscuits, it cannot be said that any sort are unclassified by the Board of Trade.

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2. On the other hand, in our list, under class 2, will be found "Cotton, raw, not press-packed bales," as transferred from class I. In this case only the words "Cotton, raw,' are found in the Clearing House list (in class 1). The actual words of the Board of Trade list are Cotton, raw, e.o.h. p." We find "Cotton, raw, in press-packed bales" in the proposed class 1 (in which class it now is). It, therefore, is the "otherwise herein provided." All other cotton comes into class 2. We, therefore, take no notice of the p.p. bales, which are unchanged, but indicate the change in the other cotton. In this case, again, no cotton can be said to be unprovided for in either list. "Cotton means all cotton, and "Cotton e.o.h.p." means all cotton except press-packed bales, which are provided for in class 1.

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In the following list "e oh p." signifies except otherwise herein provided;" it refers of course, to the Board of Trade shedules, and not to our list. "Hyd. p.P., s. p. p.," m. p. p." signify respectively hydraulic press packed, steam press packed, machine pressed packed. "X.," "y," or "z" appended to the number of a class refer to articles which are now carried at a reduction from the ordinary class rates when at owners' risk, thus practically forming different classes; they are indicated by these letters in the present Clearing House book. No similar provision is made in the Board of Trade schedule. "O.r." at owner's risk. We have not noticed the addition of the words "or steel" to the description of many iron articles, as they would cause no practical alteration; nor have we taken account of many slight alterations of phraseology and description. The following lists include merely the articles of interest to the chemical trade.

THE PROPOSED CLASS A

(the lowest) corresponds with class MA, the lowest in the present Clearing House classification. As the number of articles in it are few, we set them all out. The proposed class contains the following articles, which are at present in class MA: Cannel, coal cinders, coal, coke, culm, ganister, iron ore, ironstone, slack, blast furnace slag or scoria, and also the following articles which are now in the Class Clearing House, M.B. (second lowest). Basic slag, (unground), chalk in the rough for manufacturing purposes, clay in bulk, coprolite and rock phosphate (unground), creosote, coal tar, gas tar, and gas water, in owners' tank waggons; gas lime, or gas purifying refuse; gravel, hammer scale, iron pyrites, unburnt and burnt; limestone, in bulk; manure, street, stable, farmyard, in bulk; nightsoil, in owners' wagons; purple ore, sand, stone, stone in the rough, tap or mill cinder, and waste sulphate of lime.

out.

PROPOSED CLASS B.

In this and all the following classes the articles which are contained in each proposed class, and also in the corresponding class of the present Clearing House classification, are too numerous to be here set Those which are contained in the Clearing House book, but are not contained in any of the proposed classes, are still more numerous. Subject to these latter articles remaining unclassified, we deal with changes of classification only. The new class B contains the following articles, which are now in class S of the Railway Clearing House book (which corresponds to class C of the proposals). They would, therefore, be lowered one class :

Basic slag, ground, packed; blooms, billets, or ingots, iron or steel (foreign); China clay in bulk; copperas, green, in bulk; coprolites and rock phosphate (ground); draff, or brewers' or distillers' grains; ferro-manganese, in bulk; gypsum, for manure; iron and steel, un