[i] NORTH OF ENGLAND INSTITUTE OF MINING AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS TRANSACTIONS VOL. XXIII 1873-74. NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE: A. REID, PRINTING COURT BUILDINGS, AKENSIDE HILL. 1874. [iii] CONTENTS OF VOL. XXIII PAGE. Report of Council v Finance Report ix Account op Subscriptions x Treasurer's Account xii General Account xiv Patrons xv Honorary and Life Members xvi Officers, 1874-75 xvii Ordinary Members xviii Students xxxviii Subscribing Collieries xli Rules xlii Barometer Readings, Appendix I Patents Appendix II End of Volume Index GENERAL MEETINGS 1873 PAGE. Sep. 13.—Paper by Mr. Henry Davey "On the Differential Expansive Pumping Engine" 3 Discussed 8 Paper by Mr. Emerson Bainbridge "On a New Description of Safety Lamp" 15 Discussed 20 Oct. 11.—Paper by Mr. D. P. Morison "On Fowler's Patent Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Pit Cages" 29 Discussed 35 Mr. Lebour's Paper "On the Geology of the Redesdale Ironstone District," discussed 41 Paper by Mr. John Wallace "On the Combustion of Coal Gas to produce Heat" 47 Discussed 60 Dec. 6.—Report of the Committee as to the advisability of admitting Colliery Engineers 65 Mr. John B. Simpson's Translation of M. F. L. Cornet and M. Briart's "Notice of Natural Pits in the Coal Measures of Belgium" 67 Discussed 74 [iv] Mr. Bunning's Translation of a Paper "On Raising Coals from Great Depths by Atmospheric Pressure, on the system of Mons. Z. Blanchet" 81 Discussed 89 1874. Feb. 14.—"Notes on Further Researches on the Natural Pits of Hainaut, with Remarks on their Probable Origin," by Mr. G. A. Lebour 95 Further communication on the subject by Mr. J. B. Simpson 102 Discussed 104 Paper by Mr. Frederick Hurd "On Hurd and Simpson's Coal Getting and Air Compressing Machinery" 107 Discussed 112 Mar. 7.—Paper by Mr. T. F. Hedley "On the Valuation of Mines for the purpose of Local Taxation"117 Discussed 131 Apr. 11.—Supplementary Paper "On the Valuation of Mines for the purpose of Local Taxation," by Mr. T. F. Hedley 137 May 2.—Remarks on Mr. Hedley's Paper "On the Valuation of Mines," by Mr. G. C. Greenwell 145 Discussed 149 June 6.—Mr. Hedley's Paper "On the Valuation of Mines" further discussed 154 Artificial Stones exhibited by Dr. David Page 158 Sub-Wealden Boring discussed 160 Aug. 1.—(Annual Meeting)—Officers for 1874-75 elected, Reports, &c. 163 Paper by Mr. W. O. Wood "On Morton's Ejector Condenser" 165 Notes "On the Coal Measures and Lower Carboniferous Strata of Western Newfoundland," by Mr. Edwin Gilpin 167 Aug 4, 5.—(Meeting at Cardiff)—Paper by Mr. A. Bassett "On the Diamond Drill" 179 Discussed 188 Paper by Mr. W. Topley "On the Sub-Wealden Exploration" 185 Paper by Mr. Thomas Forster Brown "On the South Wales Coal-Field" 197 Paper by Mr. John Wallace "On the Warsop Rock Drill" 259 Index at end of volume. [v] REPORT The Council, in presenting their Annual Report to the Members, have again to announce the continued prosperity of the Institute, 86 new members having been elected during the past year. The total number now on the register, after deducting losses by deaths and resignations, is 779, being a net increase of 56 over the preceding year, and considerably above the average number annually elected. The Papers read since last August, though not numerous, contain much useful information, and will form a valuable addition to the Proceedings of the Institute. Mr. T. F. Hedley's Paper, "On the Valuation of Mines for the Purposes of Rating," will, no doubt, be of much interest to colliery owners, the subject matter having been treated of only once before in the Transactions, namely, in 1865, when Mr. G. C. Greenwell read a Paper on the subject. It will be remembered that in October, 1872, it was resolved that Prizes of Books, not exceeding £50 in value, should be awarded annually to writers of such Papers, afterwards printed in the Transactions, as the Council should recommend; and, in pursuance of this resolution, the first distribution has taken place, the sum of £25 having been awarded for the following Papers which appeared in Vol. XXII. of the Transactions, namely:— "On the Experience afforded in the Manufacture of Coke during the last Twelve Years," by Mr. A. L. Steavenson. "On Coppée's Patent Coke Ovens, and the extent to which their Waste Gases can be Utilized," by Mr. Emerson Bainbridge. "On the Geology of the Redesdale Ironstone District," by Mr. G. A. Lebour. "On the Pictou Coal-Field," by Mr. E. Gilpin. "On the Different Systems of Opening Bridges," by Mr. Charles Wawn. And the compilation of the "Barometer and Thermometer Readings at Kew and Glasgow, List of Patents," etc., by the Secretary. It was stated in the Report of last year that arrangements had been made to publish, in a separate volume, the Sections of Strata contained in [vi] the Boring and Strata Books of the late Mr. John Watson, and that, in order to make the volume additionally valuable as a reference, it had been decided that the members of the Institute should be invited to contribute such descriptions of borings and sinkings as they might be willing to have published. In reply to this invitation, particulars of a large number of sinkings and borings have been received, and many more are promised. The progress of the work has necessarily been somewhat slow, but it is hoped the volume will soon be ready for publication. During the past year, arrangements have been made with the following Societies for an exchange of Transactions:— The Civil Engineers of Ireland. The Cleveland Institute of Engineers. Les Ingenieurs Civils de France. In December, 1873, a Deputation from the Institute of Colliery Engineers waited upon the Council, with a view to effecting an arrangement whereby their members might join this Institute on payment of a reduced subscription. As it appeared such a proceeding would involve a change in the Rules of this Institute, a Committee was appointed to give the subject consideration. This Committee having subsequently recommended that no such change should be made, the application was declined. On the recommendation of the Council, it was decided last year that the surplus funds of the Institute should be invested in shares of the Institute and Coal Trade Chambers Co. Limited, and that the sum of £2,000, invested with the Tyne Commissioners, should be withdrawn, and applied for that purpose, as opportunity occurred. Shares to the amount of £2,040 have already been bought up, upon which a dividend, at the rate of £6 per cent., was received last March, for the year then ending, which is a much higher rate of interest than was received when the money was invested with the Tyne Commissioners, and a yet more important advantage is gained by the step, in securing to the Institute the building which it now partly occupies as offices, and of which it may thus, in the course of a few years, become wholly possessed. [vii] ADVERTISEMENT The Institute is not as a body responsible for the facts and opinions advanced in the Papers read, and in the Abstracts of the Conversations which occurred at the Meetings during the Session. [viii] [blank page] [ix] FINANCE REPORT The Finance Committee have to report that the income for the past year shows an increase, as compared with the preceding year, of £214 5s. 7d. The receipts, from all sources, in 1872-3 being £1,730 12s. 1d., and in 1873-4, £1,944 17s. 8d. The expenditure has been £510 10s. 9d. below the income of the year. In accordance with the recommendation of the Council, agreed to by the General Meeting in June, 1873, the Stephenson legacy of £2,000, invested with the Tyne Commissioners, has been withdrawn for the purchase of shares in the Institute and Coal Trade Chambers Co. Limited, and the Committee recommend that a similar investment be made of the present surplus funds. Signed on behalf of the Finance Committee, WILLIAM COCHRANE. [x] [see in original text Table of the treasurer in account with subscriptions, 1873-74.] [xi] [see in original text Table of the treasurer in account with subscriptions, 1873-74.] [xii] [see in original text Table of treasurer in account with the north of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers.] [xiii] [see in original text Table of treasurer in account with the north of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers.] [xiv] [see in original text General Statement, July 1874] [xv] 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 GREY. The Right Honourable the EARL OF DURHAM. The Right Honourable the EARL OF RAVENSWORTH. The Right Honourable LORD WHARNCLIFFE. The Right Reverend the LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM. The Very Reverend the DEAN AND CHAPTER OF DURHAM. WENTWORTH B. BEAUMONT, Esq., M.P. [xvi] HONORARY MEMBERS ELECTED. Ordinary Hon. WILLIAM ALEXANDER, Esq., Inspector of Mines, Glasgow 1863 *JAMES P. BAKER, Esq., Inspector of Mines, Wolverhampton 1853 1866 LIONEL BROUGH, Esq., Inspector of Mines, Clifton, Bristol 1855 JOSEPH DICKINSON, Esq., Inspector of Mines, Manchester 1853 THOMAS EVANS, Esq., Inspector of Mines, Pen-y-Bryn, Duffield Road, Derby 1855 PETER HIGSON Esq., Inspector of Mines, 94, Cross Street, Manchester 1854 1856 *RALPH MOOR, Esq., Inspector of Mines, Glasgow 1866 *G. W. SOUTHERN, Esq., Inspector of Mines, 17, Wentworth Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1854 1866 *THOMAS E. WALES, Esq., Inspector of Mines, Swansea 1855 1866 *FRANK N.