NORTH OF ENGLAND INSTITUTE OF MINING AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS. TRANSACTIONS VOL. XXXV. 1885 - 86. Newcastle upon Tyne: A. Reid, Printing Court Buildings, Akenside Hill. 1886 CONTENTS OF VOL. XXXV. Page. Page. Report of Council............... vii Ordinary Members............... xxx Report of Finance Committee ix Associate Members............... xxxii Awards for Papers in Vols. Students.............................. xxxvi XXXIII. and XXXIV....... x Subscribers under Bye-Law 9 xxxviii Treasurer's Accounts ......... xii Charter .............................. xlv Account of Subscriptions ... xiv Bye-Laws ........................... li General Account.................. xvi Barometer Readings............ 247 Patrons .............................. xvii Index ................................. 255 Honorary and Life Members xviii Abstracts of Foreign Papers, end of Proceedings. Officers.............................. xix Original Members ............... xx GENERAL MEETINGS. 1885. Page. Oct. 10.—Paper "On the Testing of Safety Lamps: An Account of Experiments made by Professors Kreischer and Winkler," by Professor P. Phillips Bedson, D.Sc. 3 Discussed ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 43 Discussion on Mr. C. C. Leach's Paper "On the Shrinkage of Paper" ... 44 Dec. 12.—Paper "On a Portable Electric Safety Lamp for Miners," by Mr. Joseph Wilson Swan, M.A. ... .. ... ... ... ... ... 51 Discussed ... ......... ... ... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... 54 Paper "On the Douglas' Patent Miners' Safety Lamp," by Mr. John Douglas ... 65 Discussed ... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 67 Paper "On an Improved Levelling Staff for Underground Work," by Mr. R. Linsley ... 69 Paper "On the Loss of Life in Coal Mines," by Mr. W. J. Bird ... ... ... ... ... ... 71 (vi) Feb. 13.—Paper "On Transylvanian Gold Mining," by Mr. Edward H. Liveing ... ... 81 Discussed ... ... ... ... ... ... 93 Paper "On a new system of Coal-getting with Burnett's Patent Roller Mining Wedge, etc” (Supplementary Remarks) by Mr. W. J. Bird ... ... 97 Discussed ... ... ... ... ... ,,. ... ... 99 April 10.—Paper "On the Iron Ores of the English Secondary Rocks," by Mr. J. D. Kendall, C.E., F.G.S................... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... .. 105 Paper "On the Transmission of Power by Steam," by Messrs. Liddell and Merivale .. 159 Discussed ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 162 Paper "Regulations for the Management of Fiery Mines in Prussia," translated by Mr. M. Walton Brown............... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 167 June 12.—Paper "On Coal Mining in New Zealand," by Mr. George J. Binns ... ... ... 173 Discussed ......... ...... ... ... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... 218 Aug. 7.—Presidential Address by Mr. John Daglish ......... ... ... ... ... 223 (vii) REPORT. It is with great pleasure the Council report that the Institute continues its career of usefulness, and that its affairs are in a prosperous condition. The first paper in the Transactions of the past year, by Dr. P. Phillips Bedson, on the "Testing of Safety Lamps," founded upon and explanatory of the experiments made by Professors Kreischer and Winkler, at the request of the Saxon Royal Commission in Freiberg, is particularly interesting, as it contains much valuable information on the action of small quantities of gas on the flame, produced by the combustion of various classes of oil. This research occurs opportunely when the use of electric lamps is being discussed as a substitute for the ordinary safety lamp, which not only affords light, but can be relied on as an indicator of the presence of gas, whether explosive or mephytic. Mr. Swan's interesting description of his portable electric lamp clearly showed the possibility of making a lamp—not unduly heavy, which would give out a light in excess of that usually obtained— at a reasonable price, and at a cost for maintenance below that usually incurred in the ordinary oil lamps. Mr. Kendall's comprehensive paper on the Iron Ores of the English Secondary Rocks forms a valuable work of reference on this subject. The Gold Mines of Transylvania form the subject of a valuable contribution from Mr. E. H. Liveing, a gentleman who has, on more than one occasion, added to the interest of the Transactions. Mr. Binns, an old student of geology in the College of Science, who is now Government Inspector of Mines in New Zealand, has given a valuable description of the coal industry of that colony, together with an account of its harbours and railways, and the geological formation of the country. Among other contributions may be mentioned the description of a new form of levelling staff by Mr. Linsley; a paper by Messrs. Liddell and Merivale, giving the details of a case in which power was by means of steam successfully transmitted a long distance in the workings of a colliery; a translation by Mr. M. Walton Brown of the Prussian laws for the regulation of fiery mines; and a valuable statistical table, coupled with remarks by Mr. Bird, which go far to prove that the loss of life by accidents in mines forms but a small percentage of the ordinary death rate of any district. (viii) The Council would draw attention to the fact that principally by having adopted a system of exchanges with Foreign and English learned societies, in about fifteen years a library of upwards of 8,000 volumes has been collected, at an expense of about £580. A catalogue of these works has been formed, in which an attempt has been made to indicate clearly the contents of the volumes, and draw attention to the large mass of original information contained in the MSS. in the Bell, Hall, Watson, and other collections, which form a remarkable feature of the Library. During the year, 1,016 books have been issued, as against 713 in the previous year, and it is hoped that in future the number of works consulted will materially increase, owing to the catalogue which has been prepared. On July 14th, at the kind invitation of Sir Lowthian Bell, an interesting excursion was made to the ironstone mines at Lumpsey and Skelton, to enable the members to examine the hydraulic drilling machines at the former mine, and those worked by compressed air at the latter. Another excursion was made to Marsden Rock, to entertain a number of Members of the Geologists' Association, on August the 3rd. In October last a discussion arose as to how the Institute could repay the hospitality many of its members had received at Douai, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Sheffield, Leeds, and other places. After much deliberation, it was decided to hold a Mining Exhibition in 1887, to which our friends might be invited. A committee was formed to report on and carry out the scheme. Singleton House was proposed as the site, and details were prepared; but so soon as the scheme became known in the City, it was taken up by the Mayor and many of the Members of the City Council, and, at a public meeting in Newcastle, was received with such favour that it was determined to expand the project, and make it a Mining, Engineering, and Industrial Exhibition (International and Colonial), worthy of the celebration of the Jubilee year, 1887. The various Committees were enlarged to carry out this extended scheme, and your President, Mr. John Daglish, was chosen Chairman of the Executive Council, as a compliment to the Institute which had initiated the movement. In conclusion, the Council think that the members will be satisfied there has been no relaxation in the efforts made during the last year to extend the usefulness and maintain the prestige of the Institute. (vix) Finance Report. The Income for the year 1885-86 has amounted to £1,714 18s. 9d., and the expenditure to £1,624 8s. 7d., leaving a surplus of income over expenditure of £90 10s. 2d. The total amount of subscriptions and arrears received has been £1,391 2s. The arrears of unpaid subscriptions are £541 16s., being £2 2s. less than last year. signed WM. COCHRANE, JOHN DAGLISH, G. B. FORSTER. July 24th, 1886. (x) AWARDS FOR PAPERS WHICH HAVE APPEARED IN VOLUMES XXXIII. AND XXXIV. OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE INSTITUTE. VOLUME XXXIII. Name. Title of Paper. Amount. £ s. D G. A. Lebour On a Great Fault at Annstead, in North Northumberland 3 3 0 E. F. Melly Notes on the Warwickshire Coal-Field 1 1 0 M. Walton Brown On the Observation of Earth-Shakes or Tremors, in order to foretell the issue of sudden outbursts of Fire-damp 2 2 0 George Lee The Endless Chain in Spain 3 3 0 B.J. Forrest The Bilbao Iron Ore District 3 3 0 Total 12 12 0 VOLUME XXXIV. Sydney F. Walker On the principles of Electric Lighting, and the construction and arrangement of Electric Light Apparatus 5 5 0 D. Tyzack Notes on the Coal-Fields and Coal-Mining Operations in North Formosa (China) 2 2 0 J. D. Kendall The Carboniferous Bocks of Cumberland and North North Lancashire, or Furness 3 3 0 C. C. Leach On the Shrinkage of Paper 2 2 0 Total 12 12 0 (xi) ADVERTISEMENT The Institute is not, as a body, responsible for the facts and opinions advanced in the Papers read, and in the Abstracts and the Conversations which occurred at the Meetings during the Session. (xii) [Table of the TREASURER IN ACCOUNT WITH THE NORTH OF ENGLAND INSTITUTE OF MINING AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS - – August 1st, 1885 to July 20th 1886] (xiii) [Table of the TREASURER IN ACCOUNT WITH THE NORTH OF ENGLAND INSTITUTE OF MINING AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS - – August 1st, 1885 to July 20th 1886] (xiv) & (xv) [Table of THE TREASURER IN ACCOUNT WITH SUBSCRIPTIONS, 1885-86] (xvi) [GENERAL STATEMENT, JULY 20th, 1886] (vvii) Patrons. His Grace the DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. His Grace the DUKE OF CLEVELAND. The Most Noble the MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY. The Right Honourable the EARL OF LONSDALE. The Right Honourable the EARL OF DURHAM. The Right Honourable the EARL GREY. The Right Honourable the EARL OF RAVENSWORTH. The Right Honourable the EARL OF WHARNCLIFFE. The Right Reverend the LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM. The Very Reverend the DEAN AND CHAPTER OF DURHAM WENT WORTH B. BEAUMONT, Esq., M.P. (xviii) Honorary Members.