The rope can thus advantageously be made exceedingly flexible, with the result that the tendency for the wires to become brittle is minimized by reason of the less resistance offered by small wires in the way of compression and tension in work. Flattened stranded ropes being more compact are also stronger, size for size, than ordinary ropes.

The rope is made up with all the wires in the strands, and the strands in the rope laid in the same direction, or reversely.

The flattened surface in the strands is effected in various ways. Flat, oblong, or oval (Figs. 12 and 13, Plate XXIII.), and triangular or other suitable sections may be employed as centre wires, or two or more round wires or strands as may be desired (Figs. 9, 10, and 11), over which external wires are spirally wound, the form and make of the strands being modified to suit the particular work the rope may have to do.

These ropes splice readily with themselves or with ordinary ropes.

Mr. J. A. LONGDEN (Teversal) did not dispute the accuracy of the statements, but they should have had figures, comparing the tensile strain of these ropes, their life and other facts, with those of ordinary ropes. The life of a rope was a matter of great importance to colliery owners nowadays. If a rope lasted a long time, and an accident, from any unforeseen cause, occurred, a jury would say that rope ought to have been taken off, although its life was not yet completed. For that reason some of them had for years objected to use plough steel, because its life was so great that they could not keep the ropes on long enough to make them pay.

Mr. W. FOGGIN said as to the life of these ropes, that the Yarlside Mining Company ran a small winding rope for four years, raising a 2-ton load of iron ore; it was then taken off, and is now used as a hauling rope, being replaced by another locked wire rope of greater length. The Bridgewater Trustees have had two winding ropes working over four years at their Moseley Common pits, each 764 yards long and 4 inches circumference. The Rose Bridge and Douglas Bank Collieries Company, Limited, have three ropes in use, one 850 yards long and 2 inches circumference, used eighteen months in a sinking pit and found to be without twist, and has for the last two years been winding a 3-ton load of coals from a depth of 750 yards, and is still perfect.

Mr. J. R. BRECKON said the paper appeared to state that crucible steel was more unsuitable for ropes than steel made by some other process; he would be glad if the author would explain the reasons for this.

Mr. FOGGIN said he did not wish to convey that impression at all, because the ropes in question were made of crucible steel.

Mr. BRECKON said he referred to page 261, in which the words, "notably where crucible steel wire is employed in ropes, the flattening by percussion hardens the wire and renders it brittle," etc., occurred.

SEAM