January 3, 1913.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

15

steadily advance, although there was very little free
coal available at the end of the month, and for open
sales it was fetching from 14s. to 15s., and latterly 16s.
f.o.b. During March and early April odd lots, of course
at rare intervals, fetched anything from 40s. in March,
until needy buyers were paying 50s. to 55s. just before
the close of the strike. By the end of April prices had
rectified themselves somewhat, and 15s. to 16s. was about
the figure. May saw a very strong contract demand,
although open sale was quiet, and prices eased rather
during that month. They commenced at 14s. to 15s.,
but by the end of the month had sagged to 12s. to
13s. 3d. Contracts were renewed between May and the
end of June, some at 2s. 3d. per ton advance ; but later
on it got down to about Is. 9d., and for open sale the '
figures stood in June at Ils. 6d. to 13s. Notwith-
standing the lack of real summer weather, the excursion
traffic, which helps the bunkering in the summer, was
this year on an exceedingly large scale. This month saw
a recurrence of dock troubles owing to the rearrange-
ments consequent upon the Insurance Act, but happily
these were not of long duration. In August Ils. 3d. to
12s. 3d. were about the ruling figures, with perhaps a
hardening of 3d. per ton towards the end of the month.
In September the strong demand continued, large
-quantities being taken on contract account, and there
was very little spare coal about. Prices varied at
the commencement of the month between Ils. 9d. and

13s., but towards the close they had risen to something !
like 12s. for ordinary and 13s. 6d. for best. The general
cargo account in October had its effect upon the J
bunkering trade, the freights being so attractive that
the minimum of bunkering was taken in order to
provide cargo room, and 12s. 6d. to 13s. 6d. may be said
to be the prices realised. This changed little during
November, except that forward business was quoted for
at advanced rates. In December the demand increased
and from one cause and another scarcely the same
amount of coal was available. Prices, which com- •
menced at 12s. 6d. to 13s. 3d., had risen at the close of
the year to something like 14s. 3d. to 15s., with the
strong tone continuing.

Coastwise and Cross-Channel Trade.

In the coastwise and cross-Channel shipments of
household fuel, January commenced with prices of best
coals at about 15s., seconds 13s. 6d. to 13s. 9d., both
f.o.b. Garston less 2| per cent., but by the end of the
month these were superseded by an advance of some-
thing like Is. per ton. In February there were far
more orders than fuel available, and prices had risen to
something like 17s. 6d. or 18s. for best coals, for what
little there was available. March may be described as a
blank as far as export for coastwise is concerned, and it
was towards the end of April before shipments were
resumed in any quantities. Something like 17s. was
then the figure. In May this had dropped to 16s. for
best, with 14s. 6d. to 15s. for second grades, and
throughout that month these still further receded until
15s. to 15s. 6d. and 13s. 9d. to 14s. were about the ruling
figures. June saw a still further weakening in price,
although the deliveries were above the average,
customers who were dependent upon their fuel supplies
by sea replenishing their stocks to a generous extent.
Notwithstanding this, the prices at the end of June
were about 14s. 6d. to 15s. for best, with 13s. to 13s. 9d.
for second grades, and these continued throughout
July. Renewals on contracts were made at advances of
Is. 6d. to 2s. per ton on the expiring contracts. A
better tone set in during August, and by the end of this
month best coal quotations for prompt shipment ruled
at 15s. 6d., with seconds grades at Is. 3d. below that.
Early September saw no change from this. By the end
of the month 16s, 6d. and 15s., both f.o.b. and net, were
more like the ruling figures, and these continued, with
perhaps a little lagging, during the month of October
and well into November. Boisterous weather in
November interfered very much with the regular
running of the coasting steamers, but, notwithstanding
this, there was an increasing demand, and the year
closed with prices having entirely recovered, 16s. 6d. for
best coal being quoted, with 15s. and 15s. 3d. for good
second qualities.

Slack Coal.

Throughput the whole of the year the demand has
been upon a heavy scale. In early January prices were t
at about 8s. 3d. for the best rough grades, 7s. 6d. for
medium sorts, and 6s. 9d. to 7s. for the commoner

qualities, but on the 17th of the month an official ( shown a gradual advance, and in the average it will be
advance of 10d. per ton was made. There was during found that costs of iron, steel, timber, oil, brattice
this month a short stoppage at some of the cotton mills cloth and colliery stores generally will be from 30 to 45
in the Oldham district, but it did not lead to any appre- per cent, higher than in the previous year. Another

ciable alteration in the demand for small fuel. In
February there was far more demanded than was
available, no doubt large quantities of this going to

stock at the various mills, and prices were respectively
9s., 8s. 3d. and 7s. 6d. All sorts of prices ruled during
March and April, 40s. per ton being quite a recognised
figure for the trifle that was available, and all sorts of
substitutes were started at the mills, including the use
of oil, pickings from the spoil heaps, and the product of
miniature mines opened by the colliers at outcrops, &c.,
to provide the necessary power. By the end of April
prices had got to the more normal figures of 9s. 6d. for
best qualities, 9s. for good medium sorts, and 8s. 3d. to
8s. 6d. for the common grades. May saw a hardening
in prices of 6d. per ton upon those last named, slack
occupying a very strong position, and there being much
' pressure for it.

■ June and July saw the same condition of things, but
in August a little change had come over the situation,
partly in consequence of the holidays at the various
manufacturing towns, and partly caused by the large
• demand for screened coal; slack was somewhat in excess
of the immediate demand, and some quantities were
being put to stock by the colliery proprietors. There
was no very accentuated weakening of prices, as the
opportunity to stock had been rather looked forward to
than otherwise by the owners in order to have some
tangible evidence at the pits of independence upon day-
to-day supplies. This surplus of production continued
to some extent during the month of October. By this
time users were in the market to renew their contracts

for another 12 months, although they only expired at
the end of the year, and advances of from 2s. to 2s. 6d.
were generally secured. November, however, saw the
demand again in excess of the supply, and the market
for renewals of contracts considerably stronger than it
had been a few weeks before ; 10s. for best rough slacks,
9s. 3d. for medium grades, and 8s. 9d. for the finer
qualities represented then the open sale prices, and, if
anything, the year closed with a hardening tendency on
these, and a general disposition on the part of the
J consumer to secure his supply over the new year on
contract rather than depend upon the open sale market.

Gas Coal.

The gas coal season opened much later than usual,
there being a natural reluctance on the part of corpora-
tions and councils to enter into negotiations until the
strike had been for some time past and gone, and things
had got into the normal state that favours the buyer.
Early quotations were made at 2s. 6d. per ton advance ;
. but later on in the season concessions upon this were
* offered, and the bulk of the fuel was booked at about
! 2s. per ton advance upon the previous year’s purchases.
Towards October, however, the gas coal market per-
'' ceptibly hardened, the consumption being very heavy—
1 probably the high price of oil being a factor in this—and
for the extra purchases which are on the market Is. per
1 ton advance upon the prices current in August is being
asked and substantiated.

Locomotive Supplies.

It was very much similar with locomotive coals when
they came upon the market. Renewals were made at
about Is. 9d. per ton, or in some cases a copper or so
less, this being in the month of July; but apparently a
sufficiency was not bought at that figure, and the railway
companies were still in the market in early November,
and for sales made then (which were by no means equal
to the quantities asked for) a full 2s. per ton was
obtained upon the 1911 price. In December further
enquiries came out, and Lancashire coals ware sold to
some extent then at 10s. 6d. per ton, this being a full
2s. 6d. advance upon the previous summer.

There seems every prospect, if nothing very unforeseen
happens, that the present year will be one of large
consumption and higher prices.

WEST YORKSHIRE.

Probably the past year has been the most remarkable
in the history of the trade. For the greater part of the
first half the influences of the strike were very keenly
felt. In September of 1911 buyers were mostly under
the influence of a panic, but the threatened strike did
not then materialise. The effect on prices was very
’ marked, and right up to the outbreak of the strike at the
beginning of March values had been very irregular.
The year as a whole will have been a successful one from
a financial point of view, even after allowing for all the
extra legislative burdens which have been put on the
industry, and also allowing for the loss caused by the
strike. The cost of materials during the year has

matter of considerable importance to the trade has been
the gradual increase in the cost of new trucks. The year
opened with 12-ton shipping trucks averaging about

£68 each. To-day, the latest specification 12-ton
shipping wagon, with five doors, cannot be bought for
less than £88, and some makers quote up to £90. Along-
side this advance in the cost of new wagons, there has
been a gradual firming up in the terms for the hire of
trucks. Just lately some of the railway companies
have entered into agreements to hire large numbers of
trucks for the next two years at 5s. per truck per week.
This rate compares with about 3s. 9d. a year ago.

The West Yorkshire district has been comparatively
free from sectional disputes, apart from the national
strike. The strike at Lofthouse was settled about the
end of January, after the colliery had been idle for
many months. As the year ended every branch of the
trade, with the possible exception of house coal, was
exceptionally brisk. The prospects for the new year are
of the brightest. Persons connected with the industry
most competent to form an opinion say that 1913 will be
a record year in every way. The general trade of the
West Riding is very brisk; a very large tonnage of
coal has been sold forward right to the end of the year
for inland consumption, and, in addition to these things,
a very big tonnage has been sold for export.

House Coal.

Collieries doing a London business have had a good
year. With the reduction in the output of house coal
in other districts, increased attention has been given to
West Yorkshire, with the result that a much bigger
tonnage has gone into consumption in the metropolis
than in any previous year. In January pit prices were
high and averaged as follow:—Haigh Moor selected*
14s.; Wallsend and London best, 13s.; Silkstone best’
13s. 6d.; Silkstone house, 12s. to 12s. 6d.; house nuts,
10s. to Ils. These prices were maintained more or less
firmly until the middle of January. About this time
alarmist articles in the daily papers caused a good deal
of reckless buying on the part of the public. Prices
were advanced on the London market 3s. per ton on best
qualities and 3s. 6d. per ton on the other qualities.
Most collieries withdrew their price lists, and each
individual transaction was treated on its merits. All
junction stocks were cleared, and there was the greatest
difficulty in coping with the demand. Early in February
the rush had spent itself to some extent, but still there
was a demand more than sufficient to absorb the output*
Transit difficulties about this time were very serious.
The railways were blocked, and instances were given
where loaded trucks occupied six days to run as many
miles. About the middle of February the weather was
exceedingly severe, and, as a national strike of miners
seemed inevitable, the public again took alarm, and
merchants poured orders into the collieries by the
hundred. Towards the end of February notices were
sent out by the collieries that, in order to keep sufficient
reserves of coal for their own use, no further orders
would be accepted for delivery before the strike. At
the beginning of March the miners ceased work, and
from that time until the settlement of the strike, London
prices fluctuated violently. During the first week of
March the Metropolitan merchants paid 21s. per ton,
and before the end of March anything from 30s. to 45s.
per ton could be got for spot lots of house coal. After
the resumption of work at the collieries, prices in London
fell very rapidly, and by the beginning of May quota-
tions were about normal. The question of contracts
with London merchants came up for consideration
about this time. Several meetings of owners were held,
and it was decided that contract prices should be
advanced 2s. 6d. per ton on fixed price contracts and
Is. 6d. per ton on sliding-scale contracts. Later on, it
was decided that no current sales should be accepted at
less than contract prices. Just after Whitsuntide the
London transport workers’ strike began. This caused a
complete cessation of supplies into the river and a
consequent increase in the demand for supplies by rail.
In July a large number of contracts were fixed at the
official advance, but prices about this time were weaker,
and some collieries accepted renewals at 2s. During
July and August heavy stocking orders were given.
One such concerned a big quantity of Silkstone best
house coal, which was said to have realised 13s. per ton
at the pit. Twelve-months contracts were booked for
Silkstone best at 12s. 9d. summer and 13s. 9d. winter,
while a number of contracts for Haigh Moor best were
accepted at 14s. summer and 15s. winter. In August
the transport workers’ strike was settled, and from that
time the house coal trade began to improve. After
Bank holiday the collieries were working full time, and
with the cold inclement weather which prevailed and a
prospect of a further advance in prices, a great
deal of stocking was done by the public.
September continued very busy, and towards the
end of the month there was a Is. advance in public
prices. In October the house coal trade was considerably
quieter. This dulness continued all through the month