them on the top side, so as to hold the wagon to its place, where the sidings are on an incline. In place of putting the wheels carrying the chain vertically, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 (Plate V.), they may be placed horizontally and the return-chains carried outside of the rails. If thought advisable, in place of making the chain slide along and in the iron bed below, rollers or balls might be used; over which the chain would pass and so reduce friction to a minimum. With this arrangement, should any wagons run away, they would simply pass over, and no damage would ensue.

Mr. THOMAS THOMSON (Hamilton) said that he could not see the advantage of erecting a brick column, which would be very expensive, for the purpose simply of raising the dirt-heap. He was afraid that they must lose something, to make up for this supposed saving.

The PRESIDENT (Mr. H. Aitken) said that they lost the bricks, but they saved much in labour and in ground covered.

Mr. T. THOMSON asked whether the chain to which Mr. Aitken referred in his fourth idea kept the wagons stationary, or did it propel and shift them?

The PRESIDENT replied that the chains carried the wagons, and moved them forward as desired.

Mr. CUTHBERTSON said that he could not understand how the endless chain propelled the wagons. He thought that the tendency would be for the chain to make the wheels revolve instead of moving the wagon.

The PRESIDENT explained that a recess was formed in each link of the chain, in which the wheels of the wagon rested.

Mr. MORTON said that he presumed there would be a block on which the wheels of the wagons rested; and he asked how the wagons were transferred from the rails to this chain.

The PRESIDENT replied that this was done on the same line of rails, by the chains carrying the wagon forward and delivering the wagon on to the rails.

THE SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE AND EAST WORCESTERSHIRE INSTITUTE OF MINING ENGINEERS.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING,

HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY, BIRMINGHAM, OCTOBER 6TH, 1902.

PROF. CHARLES LAPWORTH IN THE CHAIR.

The minutes of the last General Meeting and of Council Meetings were read and confirmed.

The Annual Report of the Council was read as follows:

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL, 1901-1902. Under the presidency of Prof. Lapworth the Institute has accomplished an interesting and useful year's work. The meetings have been well attended: and 5 General Meetings, 5 Council Meetings, and 2 meetings of the University Mining School Committee have been held.

During the year 3 members (Messrs. W. B. Scott, Arthur Wilks and E. Kidson) have died, 6 have resigned, and 4 have been struck off for non-payment of subscriptions: but as 8 members have been elected, there are now 171 on the register as against 176 in the previous year.

The receipts for the year amount to £154 9s. 4d.: the expenditure has been £181 1s. 1d., including contributions of £85 10s. 4d. to The Institution of Mining Engineers; there is a deficiency of £26 11s. 9d.: and the bank-balance has been reduced by that amount, and stands at £261 16s. 1d. This loss is owing to the heavy arrears in subscriptions, amounting to £209 11s. 6d., and the Council regret to have again to call attention to this matter. Repeated applications have been made, and a special letter has been sent by the instructions of the Council, but so many members neglect this important duty that more drastic measures will shortly be taken with the defaulters.

IN ACCOUNT WITH THE SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE AND EAST WORCESTERSHIRE INSTITUTE OF MINING ENGINEERS, FOR THE YEAR ENDING JULY 31ST, 1902.

The President, Prof. Charles Lapworth, delivered an Inaugural Address, mainly devoted to the subject of the education of mining engineers; and the following papers have also been read: --

"A Method of Working the Thick Coal-seam in two Sections." By Mr. W. Charlton.

“Legislation and the Ownership of Properties containing Coal." By Mr. Daniel Jones.

"The Determination of the Calorific Power of Fuel." By Mr. S. L.

Thacker.

"Sparkless Electric Plant for Use in Mines and Ironworks." By Mr. J. H. Whittaker.

The President's Address gave rise to an interesting discussion, and, as an outcome, a joint committee of the Council of this Institute and of representatives of the North Staffordshire Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers was formed, to assist the authorities of Birmingham University to formulate the course of mining engineering. This Committee had a meeting with Profs. Charles Lapworth and R. A. S. Redmayne, and afforded assistance in regard to the scheme, now inaugurated at the University.

The members have had the use of rooms for meetings at the Birmingham University, and your thanks are due and are hereby tendered to the authorities.

The Institution of Mining Engineers, with which you are associated, continues to prosper, and now has a membership of 2,504. The Institution had charge of the Mining and Metallurgy Section of the International Engineering Congress held at Glasgow in September, 1901; and the usual London meeting was held in May last. The many papers read are printed in the Transactions, and are of the usual interesting and instructive character.

The Council feels strongly that individual members could and should take greater interest in the working of this Institute, and if the subscriptions were more promptly and regularly paid, the work could be more prosperous, considerable expense would be saved, and the Transactions could be promptly forwarded without delay.

The CHAIRMAN (Prof. Charles Lapworth), in moving the adoption of the Annual Report of the Council and Accounts, congratulated the Institute on its prosperity. He had enjoyed his