January 31, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 237 Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days, less 2| per cent. Steam coals:— Best Black Vein large ... Wes tern-valleys, ordinary Best Eastern-valleys .. Secondary do. ......... Best small coals ...... Secondary do........... Inferior do............ Screenings ............ Through coals.......... Best washed nuts ...... Other sorts:— Best house coal ....... Secondary do........... Patent fuel ........... Furnace coke .......... Foundry coke........... Current prices. 17/6 to 18/ 17/3 to 17/6 16/9 to 17/ 16/ to 16/6 13/9 to 14/3 12/6 to 13/ 12/ to 12/3 14/ to 14/3 14/6 to 15/ 14/6 to 14/9 18/6 to 19/ 17/6 to 18/6 22/ to 23/ 24/ to 25/ 27/6 to 30/ Last week’s prices. 17/6 to 18/ 17/3 to 17/6 16/9 to 17/ 16/ to 16/6 13/ to 14/ 12/3 to 12/9 11/9 to 12/ 13/9 to 14/ 14/6 to 15/ 14/6 to 14/9 18/6 to 19/ 17/6 to 18/6 22/ to 22/6 22/ to 24/ 27/6 to 30/ IRON. Whilst generally speaking the local iron and steel trades remain quiet, there is now a little more actual business passing than a week ago, and rather more confidence felt ! as regards the future. All departments continue well i engaged, and with the sole exception of the tin-plate department quotations have not been eased. A good output is again reported from the bar mills, where quota- tions are maintained at .£6 Bessemer and .£6 2s. 6d. for Siemens Welsh bars. Imports from the Continent have again been heavy, reaching the abnormal total of 12 500 tons for the week. For foreign bars, quotations rule strong. Work continues satisfactory at rail mills, enquiries for new business being scanty, while quotations show no change at .£6 10s. to £6 15s. for heavy sections, with the usual 5s. extra for light ditto. A slightly more confident feeling is shown in the pig iron market, where values remain strong at 90s. for Welsh haematite delivered to works locally. Iron ore rules unaltered at 21s. 6d. to 22s. for best rubio c.i.f. Newport. Tin-plates are again an uncertain market, and officially prices have now been lowered 3d. per box. Quota- tions are now based upon 15s. Bessemer, and 15s. to 15s. l|d.. for Siemens 20 x 14 x 112. Finished black-plate <£10 17s. 6d. to £11 per ton. Cardiff. COAL. Owing to the non-arrival of tonnage through the con- tinuation of the stormy weather some of the collieries have found it rather difficult to provide empties so as to keep the pits fully at work. In consequence thereof merchants who had vessels under tips, and were prepared to ship coal promptly, were in aposition to obtain substantial concessions from the market prices. Since the commencement of the present week, however, this state of affairs has changed for the better, as a considerable quantity of tonnage has come to hand. The market is accordingly once more in a healthy condition, and from all appearances is likely to continue so for some time to come. Current values of best steam large are round about 19s. 6d. Even a little more than this figure is quoted by some of the best collieries who are well sold for February. Notwithstanding the fact that outputs are so large, and the shipments correspondingly heavy, there is not the slightest indication of any break in the market. Last week over 466,000 tons of coal were shipped at Cardiff, Barry, and Penarth, which is considerably above the normal rate. Chartering, too, last week was on a very extensive scale, the number of vessels engaged representing a carrying capacity of over 400,000 tons. This is, of course, exclusive of the tonnage—by no means infinitesimal in quantity—which is continually taken up without any record of it appearing in the local freight register. This is a very usual proceeding, as for private reasons vessels are frequently . chartered without the rate of freight being disclosed. There are very few buyers in the market, the only contract of any note recorded since last week being with the Russian Marine, who have purchased between 30,000 and 40,000 tons . of best Admiralty coal for shipment over the Baltic season. Although it is extremely difficult to obtain any reliable / information respecting prices, our correspondent says he has every reason for stating that the price paid works out at about 19s. per ton, colliery screened less 2| per cent. It is no secret that this coal might have been arranged for at a considerably lower price during the contracting period—say in October or November last. The policy of waiting has, in this instance at any rate, cost the Russian ; Marine Is. per ton more for their coal. Rumours have been rife that the British Admiralty have recently been heavy takers of coal, but there is nothing extraordinary in this. Since the outbreak of war between the Balkan League and Turkey, they have naturally been desirous of filling their depots, both at the home dockyards and at Malta, but they have made no further purchases. It was not necessary that they should do so, with the heavy commitments they . entered into towards the end of last year. The 35,000 tons which they are reported to have taken up tonnage for > within the last 10 or 12 days are simply part of the contracts already made. Germany continues to take large quantities of Welsh coal, and the same may be said of Italy and Greece. Many enquiries have been received for coal for consumption in Turkish water, but shipowners hre very diffident about taking out cargoes there. They refuse to ship, even to . Salonica, though that port is in possession of the Greeks, for they say that Turkish warships, having already been outside - the Dardanelles, there is no certainty that coal bound to any port, either at present or recently in possession of the Turks, would not be seized. The small coal market continues as firm as ever. Best cargo qualities have been sold at as high 14s. for prompt shipment. This emphasises the fact that, notwithstanding the large quantity which is being placed on the market, the supply is not equal to the demand. As long as there is such great activity in all manufacturing centres, this state of affairs is likely to prevail. The wide difference at present existing between the price of small coal and that of large coal is quite abnormal. Usually the price of small coal is roughly only a little more than half that of large, whereas at present, whilst best Admiralty large is selling at about 19s. 6d., ordinary cargo small is fetching anything between 13s. 6d. and 14s. Those middlemen who sold small coal in advance without having covered themselves must be losing heavily. In fact, instances are mentioned where it is costing some of them between 4s. and 5s. a ton extra to fulfil their obliga- tions. Bunkering smalls are quoted at 15s. 3d. to 15s. 6d.