The following gentlemen were nominated for election :— MEMBERS Mr. Arthur Payne Gallwey, Mining Engineer, P.O., Box 138, Johannesburg, Z.A.R. Mr. Ernest Seymour Wood, Mining Engineer, South Hetton, Sunderland. Mr. Ernest Williams, Civil and Mining Engineer, Assoc. Mem. Inst. of C.E., Johannesburg, South Africa. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Mr. Henry Heath Cochrane, Colliery Owner, Eshwood Hall, Durham. Mr. William Percy Cochrane, Colliery Owner, 6, Tankerville Terrace, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Mr. James John Joicey, Colliery Owner, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire. Mr. Frederick Richter, Merchant, Osborne Villas, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. ASSOCIATE Mr. George William Minto, Deputy Overman, Heworth Colliery, Heworthupon-Tyne. AWARDS FOR PAPERS. The Secretary read the following list of papers for which prizes had been awarded to the authors : D. H. Bayldon ... YEAR 1889-1890. The Hauraki Gold Mining District (Northern Section) T. E. Forster and H. Ayton Improved Coal Screening and Cleaning. ... ... Winding, Banking Out, and Screening Plant at East YEAR 1890-1891 (Part of). On the Bending of Beds near Veins. Some Banket Deposits of the Gold Coast, West Africa. The Annual Reports of the Council and Finance Committee were read as follows: ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. The following table shows the membership during recent years: The maximum number of Members was attained on August 1st, 1877, viz:--23 Honorary Members, 792 Members, 142 Students, and 14 Subscribing Collieries, a total of 971 Members. The effects of the Bye-Laws which came in force in 1889 are now being experienced, and there is every reason to hope that they will ultimately lead to a steady and continued increase in the membership. The class of Associates, consisting of persons occupying subordinate positions in engineering, has been successfully initiated, and must eventually tend to the efficiency of the Institute. The Federated Institution of Mining Engineers has now completed the second year of its existence, during which there have been three general meetingsNottingham on September 24th and 25th, 1890; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, January 21st and 22nd, 1891; and London, May 28th and 29th, 1891. These meetings have been attended by a large number of the members of the four Federated Institutes, and there has been a marked increase in the number of papers read at these meetings. In addition to receiving the papers read before this Institute, the members now receive, without extra cost, the papers read at the meetings of the Federated Institution of Mining Engineers, and of the Chesterfield and Midland Counties Institution of Engineers, the Midland Institute of Mining, Civil, and Mechanical Engineers, and the South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire Institute of Mining Engineers. With continued attention of the Federated Institutes, the Federated Institution of Mining Engineers ought eventually to include all of the institutes interested in mining, metallurgical, and mechanical engineering. The Committee on Mechanical Ventilators has not completed its report owing to the mass of calculations required in the reduction of the experiments, but there is every reason to hope that it will be completed at an early date. The Committee on "Flameless" Explosives hopes to commence its practical experiments shortly. Messrs. W. J. Bird and M. Walton Brown have ably trans VOL. II.-1890-91. 3 к lated the "Report of the French Commission on the Use of Explosives in Mines," for the use and information of the members of the Committee, and it has been issued to the members of the Institute by order of the Council, who are of opinion that this volume is a valuable addition to the publications of the Institute. Mr. M. Walton Brown was present, on the request of the Committee, at some experiments on explosives at Cymmer Collieries, and his interesting report was communicated by the Committee to the members. The "Borings and Sinkings" are now approaching completion, and a fifth volume will be published during the ensuing year. The Library of the Institute continues to be maintained in an efficient state, and the members in the vicinity are reminded that the books and weekly engineering papers are available daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., whilst those at a distance may avail themselves of the Library by communication with the Librarian. Material changes have taken place in the officers of the Institute through the death of Mr. F. Gosman, on September 12th, 1890, after many years of faithful attention to the interests of the Institute, and through the retirement of the Secretary, Professor Lebour, in January last. The Council trust that the appointment of their successors will tend to the efficient conduct of the business of the Institute. Mr. M. Walton Brown has been appointed Secretary and Mr. Reginald Guthrie, Treasurer. The Institute has again been placed on the list of corresponding societies of the British Association, and the Council have appointed Professor J. H. Merivale, M.A., to act as their delegate at the ensuing meeting at Cardiff. The Council deeply regret the death during the year of Mr. John Marley, PastPresident, and of Mr. James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Vice-President-two gentlemen who have at all times contributed every assistance to the well-being of the Institute. The papers contributed during the year are as follow: 66 Experiments with Explosives used in Mines." By Mr. M. Walton Brown. "On the Bending of Beds near Veins." By Mr. David Burns. "Some Banket Deposits of the Gold Coast, West Africa." By Mr. Edward Halse. "Experiments with Carbonite." By Messrs. M. Walton Brown and William Foggin. "The Waddle Patent (1890) Fan." By Mr. M. Walton Brown. "On the Present Position of the Question of Transmission of Power." By Mr. A. L. Steavenson. "On the Pumping Arrangements at Eltringham Colliery." By Mr. J. Kenneth Guthrie. "On a Duplex Arrangement of Centrifugal Ventilating Machines." By Mr. W. Cochrane. In concluding their fortieth annual report, while the Council congratulate the members upon the present position of the Institute, they ask them to bring its claims and advantages before others. FINANCE REPORT. The income for the year 1890-1 amounted to £1,790 9s. Od.; deducting from thi a sum of £200 received from the Coal Owners' Associations towards the costs to be incurred by the Explosives Committee, shows the ordinary income to be £1,590 9s. Od., an increase of £80 14s. 10d. over the preceding year. The total receipts for subscriptions and arrears amounted to £1,302 14s. Od., an increase of £93 8s. 4d. The amount of subscriptions in arrear beyond one year now amount to £141 15s. Od. The sum of £180 12s. Od. has been struck off during the year as irrecoverable. The total expenditure during the year has amounted to £2 232 8s. 3d., which is considerably in excess of that of the previous year, but during this year, two years' payments to the Federated Institution have been made. |