January 24, 1913. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 19) THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. THE LOBDOB COAL TRADE. Thursday, January 23. ............... The London coal trade for the past week has shown very little signs of activity. In the earlier part of the week the tone of the market was distinctly dull, and the colliery orders very small. Merchants were wholly concerned in clearing off the stocks on the ground, and factors were anxious to sell whatever stock of loaded wagons they had on hand, so that colliery orders were severely neglected. The month of January is usually a very questionable month, brisk if the weather is frosty, but invariably slack if the weather is open and mild. Stocks on the ground are usually held until after Christmas in the hope of picking them up at a profit, but if the demand is slow, and prices have a tendency to shrink, merchants are often feverishly . anxious to clear off all stock with as little delay as possible, and totally disregarding the recognised fact that March is often colder than January. All pit prices remain stationary, and without any actual change, but very few orders have been given to the colliery representatives unless at some special price or for contract orders. The clear indication of frosty weather, and a slight fall of snow on Wednesday, gave a distinct impetus to the market, and although very few orders were interchanged, yet the general tone was improved. One day's frost, however, would not induce the factors to speculate, so very little purchasing was done. The day’s frost, however, was sufficient to show that for the most part the wharves and depots have been slowly depleted of the stocks in hand, and very severe weather now would bring the collieries and the general public demand into very close touch. The closing down of the Thames ironworks . makes an unusual gap in the Eist London trade, not only from the works themselves, but also from the thousands of families and households concerned. Some considerable criticism has been evoked during the week by the reports in the daily Press of the anomalous position traders find themselves in with regard to public prices during the present month as compared with the advertised prices of a year ago. In January 1912 the advertised prices were best Wallsend 29s., Best Silkstones 28s., and Derby brights :27s. 6d., and at the present moment the prices are, best Wallsend 39a., best Silkstone 28s., and Derby brights 27s. But when it is realised that all pit prices under contract and in the open market advanced from 2s. to 2s. 6d. in the summer of last year, and have since fully maintained this . position, it will be seen at once that merchants are in a most precarious position, and fears are entertained that when the summer trade begins, unless some decided changes take place, many of the smaller merchants who are at present buying from hand to mouth will find themselves in a hope- lessly insolvent position. On the other side colliery owners say the advance in pit prices is fully warranted by the distinct extra expense incurred through recent legislation and the action of the miners’ leaders, and the London . merchants reply that the mild weather prevents any attempt to increase the present advertised price list. The question naturally resolves itself into one of supply and demand. The domestic trade has been the quietest during the week, but manufacturing qualities continue in good demand. Prices, however, are not firm, but the quantity coming forward continues good. No cargoes of either Durham or Yorkshire were offering on the market. Quotations are withheld. Forty-four cargoes are reported as arriving in the Biver Thames on Monday’s market, and 14 on Wednesday. Slacks continue in good demand and buyers are endeavouring to book forward over the year. Many of the better qualities are difficult to obtain. York- shire hards are still strongly in demand for shipment, and many of the principal collieries report themselves oversold. Forward business is firm. On Wednesday’s market West Yorkshire coal was offering at 14s. 61. per ton. Market quotations (pit mouth) : Note.—Although every care is exercised to secure accuracy, we cannot hold ourselves responsible for these prices, which are, further, subject to fluctuations. Yorkshire. Wath Main best coal................. Do. nuts........................ Birley cube Silkstone............... Do. branch coal .................. Do. seconds....................... Barnsley Bed Silkstone.............. West Biding Silkstone .............. Kiveton Park Hazel ................. Do. cobbles................. Do. nuts.................... Do. hard steam.................. New Sharlston Wallsend ............. Wharncliffe Silkstone coal.......... Do. Flockton Main .............. Do. Athersley house coal........ Newton Chambers best Silkstone...... Do. Grange best Silkstone Do. Hesley Silkstone .... Do. Bockingham selected Do. Bockingham Silkstone .Derbyshire. Wingfield Manor best................ Do. large nuts........... Do. small nuts........... Do. kitchen coal............. West Hallam Kilburn brights......... Do. do. nuts ................... Do. London brights ..........__ Do. bright nuts............. Do. small nuts ........... Manners Kilburn brights............. Do. do. nuts ..................... Shipley do. brights ................ Do. do. nuts ..................... Mapperley brights................... Do hard steam .................. Cossall Kilburn brights............. Do. do. nuts...................... Trowell Moor brights................ Do. do. nuts..................... Grassmoor Main coal......__.......... Do. Tupton ..................... Do. do. nuts.................... Current Last week’s prices. prices. 13/ 13/ 12/ 12/ 11/6 11/6 16/ 15/ 11 11/ 12/6 12/6 12/ 12/ 13 13/ 13 13/ 12 12 11 11/ 14/ 14/ 14/ 14/ 13/6 13/6 11/6 11/6 15/ 15/ 14/ 14/ 18/ 13/ 13/6 13/6 13/ 13/ 12/ 12/ 11/9 11/9 9/6 9/6 iO/ 10/ 12 12/ 11/9 11/9 11/ 11/ 10/9 10/9 9/6 9/6 12/ 12/ 11/9 11/9 12/ 12/ 11/9 H9 12/ 12/ 11/9 11/9 12/ 12/ 11/9 11/9 11/6 11/6 11/ 11/ 12/6 12/6 11/ H/ 12/ 12/ Current Last week’s Derbyshire—(cont). prices. prices. Clay Cross Main coal 12/6 12/6 Do. do. cubes V2! 12/ Do. special Derbys 11/9 11/9 Do. house coal 11/ 11/ Pilsley best blackshale 12/6 12/6 Do. deep house coal 10/6 10/6 Do. hard screened cobbles 10/ 10/ Hardwick best Silkstone 12/6 12/6 Do. Cavendish brights 11/6 11/6 Do. cubes 11/6 11/6 Nottinghamshire. Clifton picked hards 12/ 12/ Do. small hards 11/ 11/ Do. deep large steam 12/ 12/ Annesley best hards 12/ 12/ Do. bright cobbles 11/3 11/3 Linby best hards 12/ 12/ Do. bright cobbles 11/3 11/3 Digby London brights 12/ 12/ Do. cobbles 12/ 12/ Do. top hards 13/ 13/ Do. High Hazel coal 14? 14/ Best wood hard steam coal 12/ 12/ Do. bright cobbles 11/3 11/3 Hucknall Torkard main hards 12/3 12/3 Do. do. cobbles 11/3 11/3 Do. do. nuts 11/ 11/ Do. do. High Hazel H P. ... 14/9 14/9 Do. do. London brights 12/3 12/3 Do. do. large nuts 12/3 12/3 Do. do. bright nuts 11/3 11/3 Sherwood H.P. hards 12/ 12/ D o. hard steam 10/6 10/6 Do. brights ... 11/3 11/3 Do. cobbles 11/3 11/3 Do. large nuts 11/9 11/9 Warwickshire. Griff large steam coal 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. bakers’ nuts 11/ 11/ Do. loco Two Yard hards 13/6 ____________________________ 13/6 Do. Byder nuts 11/6 11/6 Do. do. cobbles 12/6 12/6 Nuneaton steam coal 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. nuts 11/ 11/ Haunchwood steam 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. nuts 11/ 11/ Wyken steam coal 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. nuts 11/ 11/ Exhall Ell coal spires 12/6 12/6 Do. large steam coal...., 10/9 10/9 Leicestershire. Snibston steam 10/6 10/6 Do. cobbles 10/3 10/3 Do. nuts 10/6 10/6 South Leicester steam 10/ 10/ Do. cobbles or small hards 10/6 10/6 Do. nuts 10/6 10/6 Whitwick steam 10/6 10/6 Do. roasters 10/6 10/6 Do. cobbles 10/6 10/6 Do. nuts 10/6 10/6 Nether seal hards 17/ 17/ Do. Eureka 12/6 12/6 Do. kitchen 10/6 10/6 Ibstock kibbles 10/ 10/ Do. large nuts , 10/ 10/ Do. bakers’ nuts 9/6 9/6 Do. Main nuts 10/ 10/ Do. hards 9/6 9^6 Granville New Pit cobbles 11/6 11/6 Do. Old Pit cobbles 10/6 10/6 North Staffordshire. Talk-o’-th’-Hill best 13/6 13/6 Sneyd best, selected 14/6 14/6 Do. deeps 14/ i, 14/ Silverdale best 15/ 15/ Do. cobbles 14/ 14/ Apedale best i. 13/6 13/6 Do. seconds 13/ 13/ Podmore Hall best 13/6 13/6 Do. seconds 13/ 13/ South Staffordshire {CannockDistrict). i Walsall Wood steam coal, London brights 13/ 13/ Do. shallow one way 12/ J.V/ 12/ Do. deep nuts 11/6 11/6 Cannock steam 11/ 11/ • Coppice deep coal 13/ 13/ Do. cobbles 12/ 12/ Do. one way 12/ 12/ Do. shallow coal I. 12/ 12/ Cannock Chase deep main I. 17/ 17/ Do. Deep kitchen cobbles ... 12/ 12/ Do. best shallow main 14/ 14/ Do. shallow kibbles 13/6 13/6 Do. best brights 13/ 13/ Do. yard cobbles 13/6 13/6 Do. yard nuts 12/6 12/6 Do. bakers’ nuts 10/3 i 10/3 Do. screened hards 11/ 11/ From Meiire. Dinham, Favour and Co.’i Report. Friday, January 17.—The seaborne house coal market continued quiet to-day, with very little enquiry, and no sales reported. Monday, January 20.—The seaborne house coal market was exceedingly quiet to-day—no enquiry for supplies and no cargoes on offer. Wednesday, January 22.—The seaborne house coal market was without alteration to-day, although the weather was slightly in favour of the trade. Prices :— Jan. 17. Jan. 20. Jan. 22. Best (Durham) .......... 21/6 ... — ... — Seconds do. __............... 20/6 ... — ... — Sharlston W.E. York ...... — ... — ... — No. of cargoes............ 17 ... 44 ... 14 THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, January 23. Dublin. There has been a brisk demand for nearly all classes of coal during the past week, the inclemency of the weather being very favourable to business in the household branch and compensating for the lack of vitality at the latter end of last year. There is no change in prices to report. Quo- tations in the city are :—Best Orrell, 27s. per ton; best Arley, 26s.; best Whitehaven, 25s.; best Wigan, 25s.; best kitchen, 23s.; best Orrell slack, 21s.; house coal, retail, from Is. 5d. to Is. 7d. per sack ; best coke, 23s. per ton, or 18s. per chaldron. Pit mouth prices at Wolf hill, Queen’s County, are:— Large coal, 21s. 6d. per ton; small household, 20s.; gas producer coal, 20s.; culm for household, lime and brick burning, also briquette and ball making, 6s. 81. per ton. The coaling vessels arriving during the week amounted to 47, as compared with 42 the week previously, chiefly from Garston, Saundersfoot, Glasgow, Point of Aire, Preston, Troon, Partington, Girvan, Newport, Liverpool, Maryport, Campbeltown, Ayr, Whitehaven, Irvine, and Manchester. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 20,600 tons. Belfast. The demand generally continues to be active, but the difficulty experienced by steamers in cross-Chanuel passages of late has seriously affected the supply, and stocks are rather low at present. There is no further change in prices this week, quotations in the city being 26s. 61. per ton for best Arley coal; Orrell nuts, 25s. 6d. ; Scotch house, 22s. 6d. ; Orrell slack, 22s. 6d. Current prices ex-quay :— Arley house coal, 22s. 8d. per ton; Scotch household, 19s. 6d.; Scotch steam coal 17s. to 18s. per ton; naviga- tion steam, 17s. to 18s.; Welsh steam coal, 20s. per ton; English steam slack, 15s. per ton delivered. Cargoes arriving in this port during the past week were chiefly from Ayr, Preston, Maryport, Neath Abbey, Garston, Newport, Troon, Ellesmere Port. Irvine, Whitehaven, Girvan, Manchester, Sharpness, Workington and Glasgow. THE TIH-PLATE TRADE Liverpool. The market is in a very unsatisfactory state. Several makers are taking absurd prices for prompt specification in order to keep their mills going, although they are holding out for their own figures for forward shipment. A good deal of “ bearing” is, however, taking place. We shall probably see more mills close down during the next few weeks, as the output just now is without doubt exceeding the demand. Makers’ quotations for shipment over next few months may be called:—Coke tins : I C14 x 20 (112 sh. 108 lb.), 15s. per box ; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 lb.), 30s. to 30s. 3d. per box; I C 28 x 20 (56sh. 1081b.), 15s. 61. per box; I C 14 x 18f (124 sh. 110 lb.), 15s. 4|d. to 15s. 6d. per box; I C 14 x 19$ (120 sh. 110 lb.), 15s. 4^d. to 15s. 6d. per box; I C 20 x 10 (225 sh. 156 lb.), 22s. to 22s. 3d. per box; I C squares and odd sizes, 15s. 6d. basis. Ternes are quiet at 25s. 9d. for I C 28 x 20. Charcoal tins are steady at 17s. 61. basis and upwards. Coke wasters are quoted :—C W 14 x 20, 14s. per box ; C W 28 x 20, 27s. 6d. per box; C W 14 x 18|, 13s. 9d. per box; C W 20 x 10, 19s. 9d. per box—all f.o.b. Wales, less 4 psr cent. __________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—There is very little change in the general position, but prices as a whole are keeping up to the level. Benzfls are steady, and the same may be said of pitch and crude carbolics. Toluol is easier, while crystal carbolic keeps on the low side. Napthas and creosote firm. Nearest quotations are:— Benzols, 90’s ................................ Do. 50’s................................ Toluol....................................... Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.) .......... Do. crystals (40 per cent.)................. Solvent naphtha (as in quality and package) ... Crude ditto (in bulk) ........................ Creosote (ordinary qualities)................. Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) ..................... Db. (f.a.s. west coast) ..................... Do. (gas companies)........................ /9j to /10 /10 to 110i /10i 2/1 to 2/2 /6^ to /6| 1/1 /5i /3I 44/6 to 45/ 43/ to 45/ 47/6 [Beniols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at makers’ works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.] Sulphate of Ammonia.—The market is very firm in all positions. For prompt there is a fair enquiry. Although there is not much actual business passing for forward, sellers hold firmly to £14 15s., which is reassuring to holders. American advices are satisfactory and 3'20 dole, per 100 lb. may be taken as current equivalent as regards price. Closing prompt prices are:— London (ordinary makes)...... ............... £13/12/6 ............................. Beckton............................. £14/ Liverpool........................... £14/11/3 ............................... Hull ............................... £14/10 Scotch ports........................ £14/10 to £14/12/6 Nitrate of soda (ordinary) per cwt. ... 11/7| [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2| per cent, dis- count; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality j allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.] ______________________________ Grimsby Coal Exports.—The exports of coal from Grimsby during the week ended Friday came to 30,328 tons to foreign destinations, and 334 tons in the coastwise trade. The shipments were shown in the official returns as follow :— To Antwerp 300 tons ; Blaze, 183; Christiania, 2,412; Dieppe, 567 ; Egersund, 500; Esbjerg, 296 ; Gefle, 985; Gothenburg, 1,869 ; Hamburg, 845; Harburg, 1,986; Haugesund, 565 ; Horsens, 758 ; Kristianssand, 1,139; Landscrona, 1,294; Malmo, 3,936; Norrkoping, 3,992 ; Oxelosund, 3,934; Beval, 1,685 ; Bostock, 1,312 ; Botterdam, 771; and Skiensfjord, 999. The coastal shipments were;— London, 72 tons ; and Whitstable, 262 tons.