TRADE TOPICS NEWS AND NOTES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 75, 30 March 1914, Page 3

TRADE TOPICS NEWS AND NOTES

GERMAN COAL FOR LONDON GAS. (IT.OM OUR OWN CORRESPONDLMO LONDON, 18th February. It was reported on the Newcastle Coal Exchange that the London gas companies had purchased as much us a million tons of coal horn Westphalia. The price mentioned is 13s c.i.f., which, allowing for 3s a ton freight leaves about 10s a ton for the coal. The companies are paying about 16s 3d c.i.f. London upon the contracts now closing with the Durham coalowners, 13s 3d for the coals and 3s for the freight, so that the significance of the German price is that it has established a drop of 3s a ton, which is a, much greater reduction than operators thought possible. The t-wo big London gas companies buy yeaily about 3,500,000 tons, nearly all from Durham, where t?us German competition is being considered seriously. 'Hie secretary of one company said lie was not at liberty to discuss the subject. This was a. new experiment and they could not say whether a better yield would be obtained from the new coal until it had Ueen used extensively. ANNUAL OUTPUT OF DIAMONDS. Presiding at the annual 'meeting of the Premier Diamond Mining Company, Mr. Gustav Imroth estimated that in no one year more than £5,500,000 was spent on lough _ diamonds*, Government statistics showed that the production within the Union for 1912 was over £10,000,000. 'Taking German SouthWest Africa into account,' it was probable that the value of the lough diamonds won in 1913 would be over £12,000,000. In spite of this general expansion, he said, the temporary demand naturally varied considerably, and the only way to avoid danger from such irregularities and to ensure that the output did not increase at a greater rate than the de tnand was by a combination of all inteiested in production and sale of diamonds, whereby the output of each producer might be regulated on fair and equitable lines, and at the same time' only such quantities of diamonds might be put on the market as were necessary to supply a definite demand. The big producers had not only practically recognised the piinciplo of adjusting production to demand, but had also recogrised the importance of maintaining prices, and the continuation of that policy was assured. ELECTRIC MILK. A thousand Liverpool babies are now being supplied with milk sterilised by electricity. - This is an experiment, and the advantage claimed over sterilisation by steam is that the milk tastes the same as when it leaves the cow. The sterilisation is carried on in the centre of a working-class district. Here a current of electricity of high voltage is passed through the milk while it is m now. Mr. J. M. Beattie, Professor of Bacteriology at Liverpool University (and one time of New Zealand), is closely watching the process. During tjie last ten years 25,000 infants have been fed from Liverpool's milk depots. The babies are visited Uy women inspectors, who report the reaulte to headquarters. The milk supply k maintained ly 17,000 cows. FACTOEY ACT FINES. A Clerkenwell firm has been fined for employing four young persons without the certifying surgeon's certificate, and three others contrary to the provisions of the Acts. Miss Squire, Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops, said that the firm appeared to be feather-' 1 curlers, etc. Three of the girls had been refused the medical certificate on the ground that they were verminous about the head. One girl was not in the register at all, and three others had done overtime work at home, contrary to the provisions. The employment of the uncertified girls was said to have been due to the carelessness of a manageress. The overtime work was very light. GOLDEN CARPETS. A carpet valued at over 1000 guineas, which until recently was in the palace of the ex-Sultan ,of Turkey, is among the exhibits of rare and 'costly Oriental rugs and carpets at the Royal Horticultural Hall. This carpet is woven in threads of real gold and silver, and was made and is signed by a Turkish nobleman. It was presented to Abdul Hamid for use in his royal palace. Another carpet, a 15th century Aubusson, with a rare old tapestry panel, is said to have been at one time in the possession of Napoleon. Although it is so old the colours a-re still delightful. There are rugs of early Chinese design, and one from a Persian palace. One very early Tabriez is valued at between £3000 and £4000. One very large carpet represents a Persian garden, with the walks laid out, and in each of the 120 squares is a_ design representing the trees and fruits growing in the garden. Another Tabriez has round it a number of texts from the Koran. There is a copy of the famous Ardebil carpet, the original of which was purchased for the nation at a cost of several thousands of pounds. Many of the carpets have come from royal palaces in, the East, and have been hung upon the walls unstead of pictures. PRICJ3 OF SABLES. It is possible that real tables will advance in price shortly owing to the action of the Russian Government. The Governor of Kamtchatka has equipped and sent an expedition of twenty-live natives under two Russian officials to the northern parts of the peninsula for sable protection and land survey purposes. Th^ district :s: s the haunt of sablee, and it is because of the recent activities of American poachers that the expedition has been sent. "There is no doubt," said the head of a large firm of furriers, "that poachers have been at work in the Kamtchatka district of late. Some time ago the Russian Government passed a special law providing a three-years' close season in order that the sablei should hay» a chance of multiplying. Skins had gone steadily up in price, and the best kinds are now very expensive. Last year only about 18,000 Russian sable skins ramo to London, and for some years the supply has been getting lower and lower, but if the expedition now sent to the grounds carries out its mission there will bo very iew fin-t-elaas skins to be had. It is not usually known that the sables, according to Russian law, aro tribute to the (Jrown, and are not marketable; but the present Sovereign, like the two who preceded him waives thy right, n.nd Russian jobbers have come to London markets for them and take them back to St. Petersburg They are worth in London ab present from £30 to £100.