May 2, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 911 ordinary grades of screened Lancashire steam coal, and up to 14s. 6d. f.o.b. for the best. Shipments of household coal for the coastwise and cross-channel trade continue very satisfactory, indeed, in some of the grades there is difficulty in getting forward the full quantities that are pressed for. There is little to comment upon with regard to slack. As a general rule the extra large output is absorbed as produced, and prices, both for open sale and forward contracts, continue firm. With regard to gas coal, a large number of enquiries are now upon the market and quotations are firm at the advances previously named. It seems very probable that the market will finish stronger than it began. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current Last week’s House coal:— prices. prices. Best 16/3 16/3 Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 16/9 to 17/ 16/9 to 17/ Medium 14/6 14/6 Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 15/3 to 15/6 15/3 to 15/6 Kitchen 12/3 12/3 Common (f.o.b. Garston, net) 13/9 to 14/6 13/9 to 14/6 Screened forge coal Best screened steam coal 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 to 13/ (f.o.b.) 13/9 to 14/6 13/6 to 14/6 Best slack 10/6 10/6 Secondary slack 9/9 9/9 Common do 9/3 9/3 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The house coal trade is only quiet, and the demand some- what slower, without any change in prices. Furnace coal maintains its position, and there is a little more briskness in shipping coal, with prices maintained at full list. Slack and boiler fuel generally keep strong, with prices firm. In gas fuel there is every indication that the season's purchases will be concluded much earlier this year than usual, and the advances sought are Is. and upwards, dependent on the prices obtained last year. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ................ Medium .............. Common .............. Furnace coal .......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack............. Common slack........... Current prices. 16/6 to 17/ 15/3 to 16/ 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 14/ 10/ to 10/6 9/ to 9/6 Last week's prices. 16/6 to 17/ 15/3 to 16/ 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 14/ 10/ to 10/6 9/ to 9/6 IRON. There was a fair attendance on 'Change in Manchester on Tuesday last, and there is no material change to report as regards pig iron. The forges are rather anxious for more orders; prices remain at j£8 15s. for crown bars, second quality 10s. less, hoops «£8 17s. 6d. Steelworks are fairly well off for orders, but some low prices are being quoted. .Engineers continue busy, and wagon works are full of work. Yorkshire and Oarbyahlrai Leeds, COAL. The attendance on the Yorkshire Coal Exchange on Tuesday was below the average of recent weeks, but business generally was brisk. All sections of the trade were represented, there being a good attendance of exporters and also several representatives of London merchants. The pits have worked a full week, but the output has been less than the average, the reason given being the high percentage of ■absentees among the miners. Empty wagons still continue plentiful, especially those supplied by the railway companies. There are no stocks at the pits. House Coal.—There is a slight falling off in the demand from the distant markets, but the collieries have still sufficient orders in hand to absorb the output. A fair amount of attention is being given to the better class house coals, and London merchants and factors are still pressing for good deliveries. Contrary to expectations there is to be no reduction in London public prices, at all events, until after Whitsuntide, when it is expected that there will be a shilling reduction to the public and the declaration of lowest summer prices on this basis. Con- siderable progress has been made with the fixing up of new contracts in the London district, and we understand that in all cases an advance of Is. per ton has been paid. The coastwise trade keeps up pretty well, a fair quantity of the medium qualities of Silkstone house coal being consigned to the south coast and Thames wharves. Freights continue easy, and under 4s. has been quoted for small steamers from Goole to London. At the West Riding depots merchants are a shade quieter, but there is still a brisk demand for the cheaper grades. Pit prices:—Haigh Moor selected, 18s. to 19s.; Wallsend and London best, 17s. to 18s.; Silkstone best, 16s. to 17s.; Silkstone house, 15s. to 16s.; other qualities, 13s. to 14s. 6d. Gas Coal.—A large number of tenders have been sent out this week, and in every case at an advance of Is. to Is. 6d. per ton over the expiring commitments. Gas nuts are exceedingly scarce, and many of the contract deliveries are in arrear. There is a full demand also for export, and in spite of full time working at the pits there are no siding stocks. Manufacturing Fuel.—Rough slacks, washed nuts and small nuts are very scarce, and prices show a marked tendency to advance. One or two collieries have sent out circulars this week intimating an advance of 6d. per ton from 1st May. Considerable difficulty is being experienced in the Bradford and Spen Valley districts in keeping the larger mills fully supplied with fuel. Further strength has been added to the demand for coking smalls during the week, and sales have been made at 9s. per ton at the pits. Washed Furnace Coke.—There is very little change in this department, open market sales realising about 18s. 6d. per ton at the ovens. Very few contracts are being made, as buyers prefer to risk the open market. There is an increased demand from the Frodingham district and also from the Midlands, but a slight falling-off in the demand from the Leeds districts. House coal:— * Current Lasc week's Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 14/ to 14/6 14/ to 14/6 Wallsend & London best 13/ to 13/6 13/ to 13/6 Silkstone best 13/ to 13/6 13/ to 13/6 Do. house 12/ to 12/6 12/ to 12/6 House nuts Prices f.o.b. Hull: 11/6 to 12/ 11/6 to 12/6 Haigh Moor best 17/ to 17/6 17/ to 17/6 Silkstone best 16/6 to 17/ 16/6 to 17/ Do. house 15/6 to 16/ 15/6 to 16/ Other qualities Gas coal:— Prices at pit: 13/6 to 14/6 13/6 to 14/6 Screened gas coal 12/3 to 12/9 12/3 to 12/9 Gas nuts 11/6 to 12/6 11/6 to 12/3 Unscreened gas coal ... Other sorts :— Prices at pit: 11/ to 11/6 11/ to 11/6 Washed nuts Large double-screened 12/ to 12/6 12/ to 12/6 engine nuts 11/3 to 11/9 11/3 to M/9 Small nuts 11/ to 11/6 11/ to 11/6 Rough unscreened engine coal 11/ to 11/6 11/ to 11/6 Best rough slacks 9/3 to 10/ 9/3 to 10/ Small do. 8/3 to 9/ 8/3 to 9/ Coking smalls Coke:— 8/6 to 9/ . 8/6 to 9/ Price at ovens : Furnace coke 18/ to 18/6 18/ to 18/6 Barnsley^ COAL. There has been nothing to interfere with the active state of business during the week, and, excepting house coal, collieries are fully engaged in meeting orders, which practically consume the whole of the output. The demand on export account is again of a very extensive character, and fully justifies the early prediction that a very heavy tonnage would be required on foreign account. The absence of congested traffic on the railways has done a great deal to keep business at its present high level, and shipping from Hull is very animated. There is no doubt that if collieries were able to produce a larger tonnage this would be readily taken, particularly at the present juncture, when prepara- tions are being made for the holdays which are shortly due. Shippers in particular are showing not a little anxiety to avoid any interruption in the daily tonnage to the port, with the result that there is little coal on offer on the market. Consumers are able to fully enforce the high prices of last week, especially so in regard to the best Barnsley hards. Values are also firm in respect of other classes of large steam coal. The enquiry for all kinds of small steam coal required for large industrial firms continues to be of a phenomenal character, and the output continues to be insufficient to meet the needs. Enquiries to fix up contracts to the end of the year are still being made very freely, and, although favourable prices are offered, not much headway is being made in this direction, and apparently the feeling exists that prices will reach a still higher level. The position in regard to coking slacks is perhaps unique. With the coke trade still in a sluggish position, some firms are disposed to reduce their output, thus liberating a large quantity of fuel which is now making such high prices, and no doubt, if the market continues firm, further steps will be taken in this direction. Thera is no difficulty at the present if it was desired to arrange for the bulk of the output for a very long time ahead. In regard to gas coal, general reports are to hand that gas companies are showing more willingness to fix up contracts than for some time ago. There is no difficulty in obtaining the advanca of from Is. to Is. 3d. per ton, whilst for the best-class fuel Is. 6d. per ton advance is being secured. The warmer weather, as expected, has affected the demand for house coal in.a considerable degree, but the collieries are yet fairly well placed with orders. At the local market on Wednesday, there was no disposition shown to take less than the winter prices which have prevailed of late. There is very little change in regard to coke, and whilst the demand continues fairly good, little forward business is possible and late prices are fairly well maintained. Prices at pit. Current Last week's House coals:— prices. prices. Best Silkstone 14/6 to 15/ 14/6 to 15/ Best Barnsley softs 14/ to 14/3 14/ to 14/3 Secondary do 11/6 to 13/ 11/6 to 13/ Best house nuts 11/6 to 12/6 11/6 to 12/6 Secondary do Steam coals:— 10/6 to 11/6 10/6 to 11/6 Best hard coals 13/ to 13/9 13/ to 13/9 Secondary do 12/9 to 13/ 12/6 to 12/9 Best washed nuts 12/3 to 12/9 12/3 to 12/9 Secondary do. 11/6 11/6 Best slack 9/3 to 9/9 ! 9/3 to 9/9 Rough do Gas coals:— 8/6 to 8/9 8/6 to 8/9 Screened gas coals 12/3 to 12/9 12/3 to 12/9 Gas nuts 12/ 12/ Furnace coke 17/6 to 18/ 17/ to 18/ Hull. COAL The activity in the Humber coal trade continues, and there are no signs of the firmness, which has been a marked characteristic of the last few weeks, in anywise declining. The Baltic shipping season has now begun in earnest, and, plenty of tonnage being available, shipments have proceeded as quickly as the collieries could supply the coal. Happily j it has thus far come along in fairly large volume, and there has been little or no difficulty. A great deal is under contract for Cronstadt and the upper ports, which at the opening of the water have been found to be practically denuded of British coal. Germany is also taking very large quantities—unusually large— and now that the Belgian strike is over, heavier shipments of small coal are going in that direction also. Steam hards have again stiffened for prompt delivery, the demand for South Yorkshires being particularly strong, while Derby- shires and Nottinghams are worth nearly as much for ship- ment from Grimsby and Immingham, and, of course, more at Hull. Secondary sorts are in steady demand and show little variation in price, though slacks are a very good market at as high as 12s. f.o.b. House coal is also steady at late rates, the continuance of cold weather having some little effect. Gas coal of the best sorts is quoted down, the demand having apparently been satisfied to a large extent. The freight market is again in favour of exporters, Baltic business having been done throughout the week on the* basis of 5s. 3d. Cronstadt. In the Mediterranean direction there has been little or nothing doing, 9s. 6d. being asked for Genoa for a large carrier. Fixtures from Hull: Petersburg steamer 2,800 tons, 5s. 9d.; Cronstadt, 5s. 3d. (several times); Kiel, 1,200 tons, 5s. l