548 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. March 14, 1913. Genoa having been done at 9s.., and may be done at less. Coastwise and near Continental rates are on the basis of London 3s. to 3s. 3d., and Rotterdam 4s. Fixtures :—Reval, 1,700 tons, 6s. 9d. prompt (fixed last week); Cronstadt 5s. 101d. f.o.w. (twice); Genoa 9s. prompt (twice or three times) ; Bordeaux, 2,250 tons, 5s. 6d.; Rouen, 4s. lO^d. and 5s.; Rotterdam, 4s.; Bandholm, 5s. 6d.; Amsterdam (from Goole),4s. 6d. The following are the approximate prices for prompt shipment f.o.b. Hull, &c.:— South Yorkshire:— Best stofl.ni hards Current prices. 14/9 to 15/ 14/6 to 15/ 14/ to 14/3 14/6 to 14/9 13/6 to 13/9 12/ 10/ 13/6 10/9 to 11/ 10/ 14/9 15/ 15/3 15/ 13/6 13/ 14/6 14/ 15/3 15/ Last week’s prices. 14/9 to 15/ 14/6 to 15/ 14/ to 14/3 14/6 to 14/9 13/6 to 13/9 12/ to 12/6 10/ 13/6 10/9 to 11/ 9/6 to 10/ 14/9 13/ 15/3 15/ 13/6 13/ 14/6 14/ 15/3 15/ Washed double - screened nuts Unwashed double- screened nuts Washed single - screened nuts Unwashed single-screened nuts Washed smalls Unwashed smalls West Yorkshire:— Hartleys Rough slack Pea slack Best Silkstone screened gas coal Best Silkstone unscreened gas coal Derbyshire and Notts;— Best steam hards Do. (Grimsby) Derbyshire nuts (doubles) Derbyshire nuts (doubles) (Grimsby)... Derbyshire large nuts ... Do. do. (Grimsby) Nottinghamshire hards ... Do. do. (Grimsby) Chesterfield. level. It 'is satisfactory to note that confidence is being gradually restored, and enquiries for forward delivery are beginning to come to hand. The undertone is un- doubtedly good, and so long as the works themselves possess such good order books as they do, little attention need be paid to the vagaries of the pig iron warrant market. Finished iron is in active request, and the works of the district continue to be actively employed. The outlook is, if anything, more encouraging than it was at the beginning of the year. Engineers and ironfounders are very busy, and wagon builders are full of work. Nottingham. COAL. The general tone of the coal trade in Nottinghamshire during the past week has been of a satisfactory character, a fair amount of activity characterising nearly every branch. With the settlement of the trouble which threatened a railway strike, no doubt a decline will result in the demand for domestic fuel, but, at the time of writing, collieries have a goodly number of orders on hand, and most of the pits are making nearly full time. Business in this section has been good enough to justify owners in maintaining prices, and little forced selling is reported. It cannot be said that the weather is helping trade very much, for, although March opened favourably, some days have been comparatively mild. For the moment there is a moderately steady demand for steam fuel, but there are evidences of an early improve- ment, and, with the opening of the shipping season, this section will become very active. The outstanding feature at present is the sale of industrials, which is enabling owners to maintain prices in view of an improving position later on. The brisk demand for slacks is helping the market and values of this class of fuel show no tendency to relax. Gas coal is having a satisfactory sale, but coke is not having quite so good a demand. Prices at pithead. IRON. The market was well attended, but produced no material change in the outlook. There is still a tendency on the part of consumers to defer purchases in the hope that easier prices will prevail; but the opinion is held in most quarters that in view of the heavy cost of production, combined with high wages, further concessions cannot be entertained. No relief in the way of reduced wages can be expected from the next ascertainment of the Wages Board, as contracts are still running at recent high rates. Generally speaking, the mills in the district are working full time, except in the Darlas ton district, where the output is kept within bounds by allowing the men to play on Monday. Current output of pig iron goes into consumption, and prices have not further receded, though in view of the limited amount of new business on the market most makers would probably be willing to shade quotations to secure a good contract. Finished iron has an easier tendency, though the remunerative margin is fairly well maintained by reason of the cheaper pigs. For merchant bars .£8 5s. and J>8 7s. 6d. a ton delivered Birmingham are about the market level, with .£8 10b. in exceptional cases. Makers have a fair amount of work under execution. Common, in Darlaston and Wednesbury, fetches .£7 17s. 6d. to .£8 a ton, and puddled bars are 2s. 6d. to 5s. easier at £5 15s. to £517s. 6d. Small rounds range from .£8 5s. to .£8 10s. a ton | basis, with the former figure the more prevalent, and .£8 7s. 6d. as a good average. A satisfactory amount of business is doing in this department. For galvanised sheets more business is reported, though the capacity of the district is by no means taxed, and prices are unchanged at .£11 15b. to .£12 5s. delivered f.o.b. Liverpool. For the lighter gauges—28, 29, and 30—10s. extra a ton is asked on top of the basis prices. With mild steel billets and sheet bars also cheaper, black sheets for galvanising are obtainable at .£8 7s. 6d. to .£8 12s. 6d., 24 gauge, delivered in the district. In the gas strip trade there is less doing, but the association's minimum of J£8 10s. still stands. There is no falling off in the steel trade; indeed, new orders for practically all kinds of constructive work are coming in freely, and some of the larger makers are booked into the last quarter of the year. COAL. A more active condition of things prevails in the house coal trade and orders are more readily secured for prompt delivery. The fear last week of a railway strike caused a replenishing of stocks at the depots, and the cold weather has helped to a much-needed improvement in the demand. Pits producing this class of coal are enabled to work full time, and all round there is a distinctly better tone. There is not the slightest relaxation of the pressure for fuel for manufacturing purposes, and the requirements of the large iron and steel establishments of Sheffield and district are as heavy as ever. Never before has there been experienced such a strong demand for coal for Sheffield's staple industries, and this demand will almost certainly be maintained during the ensuing 12 months. Cobbles and nuts, suitable for gas- producers, are now below the needs of the market. As previously reported several of the large Cleveland steelworks now find it necessary to draw some of their supplies of fuel from this district, and enquiries for forward deliveries appear to indicate an expansion of the business, which is an entirely new connection. The demand for slack for boiler-firing, which was already extremely good, has become still stronger since the termination of the Bradford dyers' strike, and prices are distinctly firmer. Colliery sidings are quite free from stocks of slack, and whatever there is on the ground is retained for the needs of the collieries themselves. There is an active demand for steam coal for locomotive purposes, and deliveries are now on a larger scale than they have been for some time past. There is this week an improvement in the demand for steam coal for export, and prices are fully sixpence per ton dearer than they were a week ago. The market is gaining strength with the approach of the opening of the Baltic shipping season, which promises to be a very active one, with prices ruling on a much higher level than at present. The volume of trade is considerably heavier than is usual in the month of March. Quite a satisfactory business is being done in cobbles for near Continental ports, while it is impossible to meet, with anything like prompti- tude. the demand for double-screened nuts. Washed nuts and washed slack are in particularly brisk request, but here again great difficulty is experienced in obtaining a sufficient supply to meet the needs of the market, and this state of things will, in all probability, prevail during the whole of the year. Prices are very firm, and must inevitably go higher as the shipping season develops. There is not much change on the week in the condition of the coke market, which maintains a fairly strong tone with good prospects. Prices remain steady. Blastfurnace qualities are in good request, while the demand for foundry coke is unabated. Coking slack continues scarce and dear. Prices at pit. Hand-picked brights Good house coals.... Secondary do........ Best hard coals .... Secondary do........ Slacks (best hards).. Do. (seconds)..... Do. (soft)........ Current prices. 11/6 to 13/ 11/ to 12/ 10/6 toll/ 11/3 to 11/9 10/6 toll/ 8/3 to 8/9 7/6 to 8/ 7/6 to 8/3 Last week's prices. 11/6 to 13/ 11/ to 12/ 10/6 to 11/ 11/3 to 11/9 10/3 to 11/ 8/6 to 9/ 7/6 to 8/ 7/6 to 8/3 Lydney. Forest of Doan, Current Last week’s Best house coals prices. 14/6 prices. 14/6 Secondary do 12/6 12/6 Cobbles 12/ 12/ Nuts 11/ 11/ Slack 9/ 9/ IRON. The tone of the pig iron trade is more satisfactory. The fluctuations in the Glasgow and Cleveland markets during the past fortnight caused a little nervousness, and buyers have naturally been holding off until things found their Leicestershire. COAL. There has been nothing to call for any special remark in the course of business in the past week. A full and steady amount of business has been done. The collieries generally are making a full output, and stocks on hand are of no great account. The demand for household coals continues, and very fair business is being done in both the best and middle qualities. There is, if anything, a little better business for small household coals. In steam coals there is no lessening of the demand lately experienced. Steam cobbles are in fairly good request, and there is a very good demand for special slacks, and also the commoner sorts. There is still a very favourable outlook, and brisk business is anticipated for some time yet. Local merchants are generally fairly busy, though their season is advancing. The current quotations are practically unaltered from those which have ruled for a long time past. The pipe and sanitary ware works continue generally busy. COAL. The extraordinary demand for the steam coals of this district, which has been in evidence during the past two or three months, continues, and all the collieries are working at full pressure. All the coal brought to bank is quickly absorbed, and stocks have been nil for many weeks. Unfortunately the higher prices now obtainable are not helping the owners very much, as the bulk of the production has been sold under contract at lower figures. House coals are in good demand this week, and most of the collieries are engaged full time. Prices at pithead. Current Last week’s House coals:— prices. prices. Block 16/6 16/6 Forest 15/6 15/6 Rubble 15/9 15/9 Nuts 14/ 14/ Rough slack Steam coal:— 10/ 10/ Large 13/ to 14/ 13/ to 14/ Small 10/ toll/ 10/ toll/ Prices Is. 9d. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, March 13. South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Hednesford. COAL. The position of the coal trade throughout the Cannock Chase district is much the same as when last reported. On the whole a satisfactory business is being done and the collieries are being kept busy, most of them running full time. Orders are fairly plentiful for most qualities and prices are maintained. There is not much falling off noticeable as yet in the enquiry for house coal and there is a very good demand for coal for manufacturing purposes. The sale of slack is keeping up very well. Railway and canal sales are satisfactory, and there is no change of importance to report in business at the landsale depots. Birmingham COAL. The market has undergone no change on the week, and in the house department a fairly good trade is assured up to Easter, after which it will ease off. Works fuel continues in the usual brisk demand, but in no branch can any appreciable alteration in prices be observed. Quotations therefore remain as in recent weeks, namely :— Prices at pit. Current Last week’s Staffordshire (including prices. prices. Cannock Chase):— House coal, best deep 18/ 18/ Do. seconds deep 16/6 16/6 Do. best shallow 14/6 14/6 Do. seconds do. 13/ 13/ Best hard 14/ 14/ Forge coal 11/ 11/ Slack 8/6 8/6 Warwickshire:— House coal, best Ryder ... 17/6 17/6 Do. hand - picked cobs 13/9 13/9 Best hard spires 14/6 14/6 Forge (steam) 10/ 10/ D.S. nuts (steam) 9/3 9/3 Small (do.) 8/3 8/3 Wrexham. North Wales. GOAL. Things are still very serious on the Mersey side with regard to the Garston strike of dockers, with a result that vessels are being entirely diverted from the port, both as regards unloading and coaling. Daily vessels intended for Liverpool have been sent to other ports, notably South- ampton, Cardiff, and the new Immingham docks at Hull, with a consequential loss to the North Wales coalowners in regard to the supply of bunkers. The Ellesmere Port men are likely to come out in support of the Garston men. In addition to the dockers’ dispute there is also a strike at the Liverpool Gasworks. The coal trade of this locality during the past week has been of an average state, though there is inclined to be a slight falling off in the demand for the different classes of fuel. With regard to house coal, the market is easier somewhat, which is only natural now that the winter is past, but the actual fall in price is very little indeed up to now. With regard to gas coal, supplies are being taken against existing contracts in the usual proportion, and there are a few contracts on the market, and so far as it appears at present, about 13s. 6d. to 14s. 6d. is likely to be the price of new contracts for average quantities. In some cases, no doubt, considerably higher prices will be got, but all will depend upon then quantity, &c. Steam coal for locomotive purposes is in fair demand by the railway companies, and there is a fairly ready sale for coal for manufacturing purposes, but on Prices are as follow :— Prices at pit f .o.r. — Best house coal ..... Secondary do....... Steam coal ....... Gas coal .......... Bunkers............ Nuts .............. Slack.............. Gas coke (at works) Prices landsale:— Best house coal ... Seconds............ Slack.............. Current prices. tol6/ to 15/ to 13/ to 14/6 to 13/ 15/ 14/ 12/ 13/ 12/ 11/6 to 12/6 7/ to 9/6 16/8 to 18/4 18/4 to 20/ 16/8 to 17/6 10/ to 12/6 Last week's prices. 15/ to 16/ 14/ to 15/ 12/ to 13/6 13/6 to 14/6 12/ to 13/ 11/ to 12/ 6/6 to 9/6 15/ to 17/6 18/4 to 20/ 16/8 to 17/6 10/ to 12/6