Shipping Facilities at Newcastle, (N.S.W.)

Progress, Volume II, Issue 6, 1 April 1907, Page 232

Shipping Facilities at Newcastle, (N.S.W.)

Consul F. W Gocbng, writing from Newcastle, New South Wales, says that amongst experts it has been recognised for some tune that the appliances for loading vessels with coal in that port of Australia weie antiquated. He adds : "As an instance, in England the coal cars with a capacity of 15 tons are so manipulated that 500 tons per hour are loaded at each berth, whilst in America 2,000 tons per hour is usual. In Newcastle 1,000 tons of coal are loaded pei hour at 18 berths, showing how far behind the system is The engineer in charge has evolved a system of gravitation which will allow vessels to be fed without cessation or interruption until loaded. Under this system 41 or more coal cars, of an average capacity of 7§- tons, will be unloaded at each crane per hour, two cars being handled at the same time. This means that a vessel will be fed at the rate of 640 tons per hour at each crane instead of 80 tons per hour as at present. There is a strong probability that the capacity of the coal cars will be increased to 17 tons in the near future, which would allow the handling of 1,200 tons per hour at each berth, reducing the cost of loading coal at this port by 20 per cent. The Government is determined to bring the system of loading coal here up to the highest point of efficiency, which effort all those having any connection with the commercial of the port heartily second."

The electric steel furnace has reached England at last In October last, a working model was recently shown in connection with the Sheffield Corporation Electrical Exhibition. The production of crucible steel without fire was in itself a feature of exceptional interest to the Sheffield man. Such a process is of particular value, says the Electrical Magazine, for the production of high grade steels, such as tool steels, tungsten steel, chromium steel, &c. ; the heat can be regulated to a nicety and readily maintained ; thus there is little risk of burning the charge, and, moreover, the material cannot possibly be affected by the method of heating. It is claimed that the method is economical both as regards energy, consumption, and labour. There are several of these furnaces in steady commeicial use in Sweden, the first being put down in the year 1899 ; since then its great value has been fully confirmed and there is every reason to expect its early adoption in this country.