Ma.rch 7, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 495 import of 5,169 tons, was'the largest receiver of manufac- tured iron, India being second with 3,954 tons. India was by far the heaviest importer of steel, taking 13,664 tons, and other principal customers were the Argentine 6,113 tons, Cape Colony 5,103 tons, Japan 2,467 tons, and West Australia 2,364 tons. The pig iron market is unsettled, owing 'to erratic movement of Middlesbrough warrants due J’to speculative operations. Quotations for early delivery of pig iron are higher than rates obtainable on; forward account. No. 3 g.m.b. Cleveland pig has this week sold at 64s. 3d. for this month’s f.o.b. delivery, but the price iis now 63s. 3d., which is also the figure named for No. 4 foundry; No. 1 being 65s. 9d.; No. 4 forge, 63s.; and mottled, and white iron each 62s. 6d.—all for early delivery. East coast haematite pig is scarce, and for this month’s delivery mixed numbers range from 81s. to 82s., but forward business can be done at 80s. Business in foreign ore is at a standstill, and market rates remain nominally on the basis of 21s. 91. ex-ship Tees for best rubio, but it is understood that purchases could be made at the rate of 21s. 6d., and perhaps at even less. There is very little new business in manufactured iron and steel, and quotations are stationary # South-West Lancashire. COAL. There is little change in the household trade from the report of last week, and this branch of trade may be summarised as below the average for the winter. Shipping is considerably affected this week through the complete stoppage at Garston Docks, where the men left work on Monday morning on the question of the employment of non-members of the Dockers’ Union. A good deal of traffic is being diverted to the Liverpool tips, where the resulting congestion is already causing delay. At the time of writing there is no sign of any settlement. Apart from this stoppage there was every prospect that the good demand for bunkering fuel would become even better in view of the holidays, and, if anything, quotations had slightly advanced on the figures given last week. Coal is now, however, bound to be held up to some extent through the reduced shipping facilities, and the effect of this on the market has yet to be seen. With regard to coastwise shipments of household coal, everything is disorganised in consequence of the dispute previously mentioned. In many cases vessels with cargoes on hand which could not be loaded have left for other ports to take up new charters. Slack keeps firm in tone and not too abundant in quantity, and there is a disposition growing on the part of users to try and purchase odd lots to put down to stock. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ... Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Kitchen Common (f.o.b. Garston, net) Screened forge coal Best screened steam coal (f.o.b.) Best slack Secondary slack Common do Current prices. 16/3 16/6 to 16/9 14/6 15/ to 15/3 12/3 13/6 12/6 to 13/ 13/6 to 14/6 10/6 9/9 9/3 Last week’s prices. 16/3 16/6 to 16/9 14/6 15/ to 15/3 12/3 13/6 12/6 to 13/ 13/3 to 14/3 10/6 9/9 9/3 Sotfllh LansashlFB and Cftrnhira. COAL. There was si full attendance of members on the Manchester 'Coal Exchange on Tuesday. The house coal market is without special feature. The demand is only fair, but prices are steady. Furnace coals are still meeting with steady enquiry, but shipping coal is much easier and there is a little giving way in prices in cases. Slack continues in good demand, with supplies fairly plentiful. Prices are as below:— Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Current prices. Last week’s prices. Best 16/6 to 17/ 16/6 to 17/ Medium 15/3 to 16/ 15/3 to 16/ Common 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 to 13/ Furnace coal . 12/6 12/6 Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) 14/ 14/ Best slack 10/ to 10/6 10/ to 10/6 Common slack 9/ to 9/6 9/ to 9/6 IRON. In consequence of the sweeping reduction made in the prices of pig this week, any would-be buyers are holding aloof hoping the market will still drop further. Good foundry iron can be bought in the neighbourhood of 72s., with forge iron ranging from 68s. for Derbyshire, 69s. for North Staffordshire, 71s. 2d. for Lincolnshire, but even these prices do not commend themselves to the forge- masters, and they are holding aloof. Ic is felt that the prices of pig were all along unduly high, and they have yet to come down to make a remunerative margin between the prices of pig and the price of finished iron. In the meantime forges are all full of work, although specifications are not coming in as rapidly as they have been. Bars remain at Jj8 15s. for crown, second quality J>8 5s., hoops 4>8 17s. 6d., sheets j89 7s. 6d. Steelworks are also full of I work, although billet buyers are not in evidence. There ' have been some low prices taken for tinplate bars for delivery in Lancashire. Wagon works and foundries are very busy. Yorkshire and Darbyshlroi Leeds. COAL. The attendance at the Hotel Metropole on Tuesday was large and representative. There was a bigger demand for prompt supplies of most qualities, but the bulk of the business done was in steam-raising sorts. Considerable discussion took place as to the probabilities of a railway strike, and local merchants ordered extra quantities in view of eventualities. The pits have worked practically full time, and wagons have been fairly plentiful. House Coal.—The demand for house coal during the week has been fairly good. Contract tonnage has been ordered forward in bigger quantities, and current sales also show some improvement. Business with London is maintained at about the level noted last week, although reports from the depots indicate a falling-off in the retail trade. Pit prices are unchanged, but are firmly held. A fair quantity of medium house coal has been shipped this week at Goole and Hull for the south coast and Thames wharves, and on the whole f.o.b. prices are more in sellers’ favour. In the local markets the demand, as indicated above, is fairly satisfactory. Many of the merchants are lifting ground stocks, but there is also considerable buying for prompt delivery. Siding stocks at the collieries are very light, and the following pit prices are firmly maintained:—Haigh Moor selected, 18s. to 19s. ; Wallsend and London best, 17s. to 18s.; Silkstone best, 16s. to 17s.; Silkstone house, 15s. to 15s. 6d.; ordinary house, 14s. to 15s.; secondary sorts, 13s. to 14s. Gas Coal.—There is very little change in the position of this branch of the trade. The pits are still working at full pressure, with a ready outlet for the whole output. Prompt deliveries are still on a winter scale, and there is also a fair amount of open market business. Sellers’ ideas of forward business are represented by an advance of Is. to Is. 6d. a ton on the old contracts, and current sales are being made on this basis. The export demand shows some signs of falling off, but f.o.b. Hull prices remain about as under:— Screened gas coal, 14s. 3d. to 14s. 9d.; gas nuts, 13s. 3d. to 13s. 9d.; unscreened gas coal, 13s. 3d. to 13s. 9d. Manufacturing Fuel.—All descriptions sell readily, and there are no stocks at the collieries. The settlement of the Bradford dyers’ strike has made a great difference in this department, and the weakness in rough slacks manifest during the past few weeks has nearly disappeared. There is a growing preference for washed fuel, and these descrip- tions have a hardening tendency. Washed Furnace Coke.—There is a very strong demand from the Frodingham district and the Midlands, but prices continue to show weakness. Sales of patent oven coke are made at 183. to 19a. per ton at the ovens, with short term contracts at about the latter figure. Very little coke is at present being sent into the Middlesbrough district, and about average supplies to the iron and steel works in the Leeds district. House coal:— Current Last week’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 13/9 to 14/3 13/9 to 14/3 Wallsend & London best 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 to 13/ Silkstone best 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 to 13/ Do. house 12/ to 12/6 12/ to 12/6 House nuts Prices f.o.b. Hull : 11/ to 11/6 11/ to 11/6 Haigh Moor best 16/6 to 17/6 16/6 to 17/3 Silk stone best 16/ to 16/6 16/ to 16/6 Do. house 15/ to 15/6 15/ to 15/6 Other qualities Gas coal:— Prices at pit: 13/ to 14/3 13/ to 14/ Screened gas coal 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 to 13/ Gas nuts 11/6 to 12/6 11/6 to 12/6 Unscreened gas coal ... Other sorts :— Prices at pit: 10/9 to 11/6 11/ to 11/6 Washed nuts Large double-screened 11/6 to 12/ 11/6 to 12/ engine nuts 11/ to 11/6 11/ to 11/6 Small nuts Rough unscreened 10/6 to 11/ 10/9 to 11/3 engine coal 10/9 to 11/3 10/9 to 11/3 Best rough slacks ...... 9/ to 9/6 8/9 to 9/3 Small do. 8/3 to 8/9 8/ to 8/6 Coking smalls Coke.-— Price at ovens: 8/ to 8/6 8/ to 8/6 Furnace coke 18/ to 19/ 18/ to 19/ Barnsley^ COAL. sorts is particularly heavy, and exporters experience con- siderable difficulty in securing all the supplies which they Prices at pit. Current Last week’s prices. prices. Best house coals 14/6 14/6 Secondary do 12/6 12/6 Cobbles 12/ 12/ Nuts 11/ 11/ Slack 9/ 9/ In most sections of the steam coal trade there was greater firmness evidenced at the local market this week, which is due to several causes. The demand on shipping account has gradually strengthened and home works are seeking larger deliveries of fuel, apparently due to the grave situation of the railway dispute. Holders of contracts were pressing for delivery of double the ordinary amount and there was a good deal of enquiry for spot lots of small coal, but the dollieries in this district are generally so well employed that there was very little tonnage to offer. It is however, ominous that there should be so strong a rush for extra supplies for works which are served by the Midland Railway Company, and, of course, if this continues much higher prices will be realised. The stronger enquiry for large steams on export account indicates that shippers are getting ready for the possible early opening of the Baltic ports, but generally a bigger tonnage is being dealt with at the port than has been the case during the last few weeks. The values of the best hards have recovered a little and are worth about 3d. per ton more than last week, but in respect as secondary sorts prices still continue to be comparatively easier, and of a more variable description, owing to the considerable bulk of tonnage which is still available. The position in regard to forward business, however, is very little changed and exporters are still faced with the determination of the coalowners to hold off until they obtain settlement on the basis of 12s. 6d. per ton for the best hards or, in the alternative, their expectations do not materialise. In regard to small steam coal the demand appears to have once again come pretty near to the level of the output, and, for reasons already stated, prices, especially of the best class of fuel, are back again to something like the rates which were prevailing a month ago. The position is still not so firm, however, in regard to secondary qualities of both nuts and slacks, and with the settlement of the Bradford dyers’ strike a bigger demand will naturally follow, and with coke ovens still requiring more than ordinary tonnage, there is every prospect of prices going higher. In the gas coal section of the trade the pressure for supplies is still easy, but yet very substantial cousidering the period of the year, and prices remain fairly firm. The question of next year’s contracts is already attracting some attention* and, whatever the result may be, there appears to be a strong determination to obtain an advance, which shall be so substantial as will level up prices where less than the agreed advance was accepted a year ago. In the house coal trade a strong demand is still sustained and prices are very firm for all descriptions, particularly so in cases of the better class coal. The coke industry also shows little variation, and although the rather weaker position in regard to prices still exists, it is believed that before very long there will be considerable recovery. Prices at pit. Current Last week’s House coals:— Best Silkstone Best Barnsley softs Secondary do Best house nuts ...-. Secondary do 1 Steam coals:— prices. 14/6 to 15/ 14/ to 14/6 11/6 to 13/ 11/6 to 12/6 10/6 to 11/6 prices. 14/6 to 15/ 14/ to 14/6 11/6 to 13/ 11/6 to 12/6 10/6 to 11/6 Best hard coals Secondary do Best washed nuts Secondary do. Best slack Rough do Gas coals:— 11/9 to 12/ 11/ to 11/3 12/ 11/3 9/ to 9/6 8/ to 8/6 12/ 11/ to 11/3 12/ 11/ to 11/3 9/ to 9/6 8/ to 8/6 Screened gas coals Gas nuts Furnace coke 12/6 to 13/6 12/ to 12/6 19/ to 19/6 12/6 to 13/6 12/ to 12/6 19/ to 19/6 Chesterfield. COAL. There has been an active demand for house coal during the past week, the fear of a railway strike causing buyers to make some provision against such an event. There has also been a quickened demand for fuel for manufacturing purposes, and consumers have been buying special lots for putting into stock, and thus to prepare to some extent for a possible suspension of work on the railways. All the large steelworks of Sheffield and district are at present so briskly employed that a railway strike now would be a calamity. There has been a run on cobbles and nuts for gas producers, and substantial prices have been paid for available supplies outside contracts. There has also been a very active demand for slack, but as nearly all collieries have already disposed of the whole of their production of this fuel, additional lots are difficult to find. Steam coal for locomotive use continues in brisk request, and railway companies are eager to be well supplied. Gas coal moves freely, and considerable pressure is put upon collieries to increase their deliveries. When the time of the year is taken into account the business that is being done in the export branch of the coal trade is very satisfactory, and it speaks well for the prospects for the approaching shipping season. Prices are exceptionally firm and are showing signs of advancing when the season fairly begins. Most collieries have already sold a considerable proportion of their output of steam coal for the remainder of the year, and they are therefore in a strong position. This applies equally to their position with regard to the smaller classes of coal both washed and unwashed. The demand for these