1016 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. May 16, 1913. IRON. Advantage was taken of the Whitsuntide break to carry out repairs, and during the interval there has also been a slight accumulation of orders. On the whole, although trade is passing through a period of quietude, the tone is quietly optimistic in view of the improved international outlook. Forge pig iron is bought in small parcels, and prices are on the weak side. Northamptonshire brands, largely used in this district in the manufacture of common iron, average 61s. 6d. to 62s. 6d., and consumers affirm that there will be no real improvement in business till prices reach a level 60s. Staffordshire quotations are 61s. to 62s., with the customary 3s. a ton extra for best quality. High class Midland pigs show no variation, and the demand is exceptionally good. So also is that for standard bars, and producers consequently show no inclination, to alter the .£10 basis at works. Second-class bars are sold steadily in relatively small quantities, immediate delivery being required; prices remain at .£8 to .£8 5s. delivered Birmingham. Common iron for bolts and nuts is about £7 15s. to £7 17s. 6d, and has to compete with Belgian iron at .£6 7s. 6d. a ton. This competition has had its effect in a reduction in small rounds, fths basis, to £7 15s. a ton for common, and £8 for best quality, at makers’ works. While the output of galvanised sheets is fairly good, values keep weak. Business in special lines is done at .£1110s., which, makers say, does no more than cover cost of production, and the general level is £11 12s. 6d. to J>11 15s., delivered f.o.b. Liverpool. Largetsand billets can now be bought for £5 7s. 6d. to £5 10s. for Bessemer qualities, with 2s. 6d. to 5s. a ton extra for Siemens—prices which do not permit of much Continental competition. A reduction in gas strip from .£8 10s. to .£8 for lots of 25 tons and upwards had been discounted, as the association basis had not been adhered to. The steel trade is prosperous. Forast of Doan. Lydney. COAL. All the collieries were at work on Wednesday, so that only two days were lost owing to the holiday. The demand for the steam coal of the district is as keen as ever, and all the pits have as much business on hand as they can possibly manage for a month or two. House coal orders continue to come in well. Shipments especially are well above the average, though stems this week are rather easier. Orders from the railborne districts are still very satisfactory. Slack coals are selling well. Prices at pithead. House coals:— Block Current prices. 16/6 . 15/6 15/9 14/ 10/ 13/6 to 14/ 10/ toll/ Last week’s prices. 16/6 15/6 15/9 14/ 10/ 13/ to 13/6 10/ toll/ Forest Rubble Nuts Rough slack Steam coal:— Large Small Prices Is. 9d. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, May 15. North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. The holiday season has materially affected the output of this district during the past week, and as is always the case after Bank Holiday, it was found to be particularly difficult to get sufficient men to work on Tuesday in order to make it worth while working the collieries at all on that day. Most of the collieries were able to recommence on Tuesday, but the first day’s output was very much below the average. By Wednesday, however, things had assumed their normal phase. The household coal trade is down a little, but the coal is readily disposed of in other quarters, and there are no stocks on hand at any of the pits. Contracts are being fixed up for future deliveries at good figures. There is a brisk demand for all kinds of steam and gas coal, and in this trade too the new contracts are being settled in good numbers. Prices are practically identical with those mentioned in last week’s issue, being as below :— 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. 15/ to 16/ 14/ to 15/ 12/9 to 13/9 13/6 to 14/6 12/6 to 13/6 11/ to 12/ 6/6 to 9/6 15/ to 16/8 18/4 to 20/ 17/6 to 18/4 10/ to 12/6 Last week’s prices. 15/ to 16/ 14/ to 15/ 12/3 to 13/6 13/6 to 14/6 12/ to 12/9 11/6 to 12/3 7/ to 9/3 15/ to 17/6 18/4 to 20/ 16/8 to 18/4 10/ to 12/6 Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. COAL. Nothing important has been done as yet in the steam coal market since the holiday interruption, and from all appearances little will be attempted this week. Work is now being gradually resumed at the pits where a full output will scarcely be recovered during this week. Tonnage supplies continue scarce, although for the time being sufficient to meet requirements. The present position is difficult to gauge, and accounts for their general disinclination to quote for the restricted enquiry which is to be met with. The freight market re-opened with a limited enquiry and rates steady to firm for all directions. While nominally prices remain exactly as last week, it is certain that they are equally as firm as then quoted. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days, less 2| per cent. Steam coals:— Best Black Vein large ... Western-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. 19/3 to 20/ 18/9 to 19/3 18/ to 18/6 17/3 to 17/9 14/ to 14/6 13/ to 13/3 12/6 to 12/9 14/3 to 14/6 16/ to 16/3 15/9 to 16/ 18/9 to 19/ 17/6 to 18/ 22/ to 23/ 27/ to 28/ 29/ to 31/ Last week’s prices. 19/3 to 20/ 18/9 to 19/3 18/ to 18/6 17/3 to 17/9 14/ to 14/6 13/ to 13/3 12/3 to 12/9 14/3 to 14/6 16/ to 16/3 15/9 to 16/ 18/9 to 19/ 17/6 to 18/ 22/ to 23/ 27/ to 28/ 29/ to 31/ IRON. Despite the interruption occasioned by the Whitsuntide holidays, reports are satisfactory in most departments of the local iron and steel trades. Enquiry is more plentiful and more inclination is shown on the part of buyers to enter into forward contracts. Work was resumed yesterday at some works, but most will again be in full swing by to-day. There is little change to report at bar mills, where fairly good order books are held, and quotations are on last week’s basis for both Bessemer and Siemens qualities. Imports of foreign bars on the week are around 5,000 tons, and quota- tions for these are steady. Reports from rail mills are quite satisfactory, output is above the average, enquiry is better, and prices incline upwards. At blast furnaces, arrears of delivery are not yet wiped out, but there is hardly as much business passing here as could be wished; prices, however, of Welsh haematite are strong. Iron ore is an idle market at recent values. Considerable inclination has been dis- played during the past week by buyers to book forward for tin-plates, but at present unremunerative prices works are not showing a corresponding willingness to sell, and conse- quently only small transactions have taken place. There is no change to note in official figures. Cardiff. GOAL. The stoppages over the non-unionist question last week had a material effect on the output, and it is estimated that the yield over the whole coalfield was diminished by a day’s production. This circumstance was reflected in the ship- ments, which totalled 379,038 tons, as compared with 458,931 tons in the corresponding week of last year, or a decline of 79,893 tons. The total exports of coal from the four principal Bristol Channel ports aggregated 559,947 tons, as against 637,169 tons in the corresponding period, so that it will be seen that the decrease was occasioned entirely by the diminished shipments from Cardiff. At the Aberaman and Cyfarthfa pits work was resumed at the end of the week, but the men employed at the Ferndale and Tylorstown collieries of Messrs. Davis and Sons, numbering about 7,000, still remained out, and at the time of writing these pits continued idle. So far as the market generally is concerned, a holiday feeling prevails, and very little business is actually being done, but for small parcels big prices are being realised, whilst high figures are also being quoted for the remainder of the month, and also for June. The quotation for best Admiralties is in the neighbourhood of 22s. 6d. to 23s., and the latter figure has been obtained in more than one instance. Superior seconds are 22s. to 22s. 6d., ordinary qualities 21s. Tips are still scarce, but it was anticipated that a large quantity of coal would be cleared during the miners’ holiday, and that the congestion would be considerably relieved. Charterings this week amounted to 240,980 tons, or a decrease of 4,850 tons compared with the preceding six days. Freights show no particular Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Current Last week’s Steam coals:— prices. prices. Best Admiralty steam coals 22/6 to 23/ 22/ to 23/ Superior seconds 22/ to 22/6 21/6 to 22/ Ordinary do 21/ 20/ to 20/6 Best bunker smalls 15/6 15/ Best ordinaries 15/ 14/6 Cargo qualities 14/3 to 14/6 13/9 to 14/3 Inferior smalls 13/6 to 13/9 13/ to 13/6 Best dry coals ....* 21/ to 21/6 20/6 to 21/ Ordinary drys 19/6 to 20/6 19/6 to 20/ Best washed nuts 17/6 to 18/ 17/6 Seconds 16/ to 16/6 16/6 Best washed peas 16/6 16/ Seconds 15/6 15/ Dock screenings 15/9 15/3 to 15/6 Monmouthshire— Black Veins 19/9 to 20/ 20/3 Western-valleys 19/6 to 19/9 19/9 Eastern-valleys 18/9 19/3 Inferior do 18/ to 18/3 18/3 Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) 19/6 19/6 Second qualities (at pit) 17/6 17/6 No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 18/6 to 19/ 19/ Thr ough-and-through... 17/6 to 17/9 18/ Small 16/ to 16/6 16/6 No. 2 Rhondda— Large 17/ to 17/6 17/ Through-and-through... 16/ 16 Small 14/ 14/ Best patent fuel 26/ 26/ Seconds 24/ 24/6 to 25/ Special foundry coke 31/ to 32/ 32/ Ordinary do. 29/ 29/ to 30/ Furnace coke 25/ 25/ to 26/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 1 21/ 20/ Coal and patent fuel quotations are for cash in 30 days less 2£ per cent. Rhondda bituminous coals at pithead are roughly Is. 3d. per ton less. All pithead prices are usually net. Coke is net f.o.b. change, although quotations are firm for the Plate and on the easy side for the Mediterranean and Bay ports. The French Navy are again in the market for 8,500 tons of best Steams for prompt shipment, and also for 15,000 tons for shipment during June, and this further request, coming, as it does, on to an already stiff market, will undoubtedly have the effect of further strengthening prices. The small coal market is somewhat firmer, probably owing to the diminu- tion of output last week and during the holidays, when collieries retained a considerable amount in hand for their own consumption. For best qualities as much as 15s. 6d. was being obtained, and ordinaries 15s., whilst cargo qualities are firmly held at 14s. 3d. to 14s. 6d. There is also an appreciable advance in dock screenings, which were done at 15s. 9d., or an advance of 3d. to 6d. on last week’s prices, and it is anticipated that even higher figures will be realised. As the Belgian workmen have now practically returned to work, it is expected that the reopening of the Belgian market will have a further beneficial effect on small coal prices, and that higher prices will be obtained. The application by the miners for a 2$ per cent, advance in wages has been conceded by the coalowners, and the maximum under the Conciliation Board agreement has now been reached, viz, 60 per cent, above the standard of 1879. It is not anticipated that this will have any direct effect on prices, however, although one of the miners’ leaders has computed that the advance will mean an addition in wages over a period of 13 weeks of about £130,000. Indirectly, however, it may have a stiffening effect on the market,, because with a high standard of wages there is always a tendency towards a diminution of output. Shipments of patent fuel during the week amounted to 25,708 tons, of which the Crown Company exported 8,472 tons, other local makers 4,000 tons, Swansea 13,236 tons, and Newport nil. Arrivals of pit wood have been fairly heavy, and the price is now 21s. IRON. The position of affairs in the tinplate trade shows a considerable improvement, the shipments last week amounting to no less than 185,763 boxes, whereas the receipts from works were 120,174 boxes, leaving the stocks in the dock warehouses at 437,999 boxes. With the prospect of immediate peace in the Balkans, it is anticipated that the Roumanian markets will soon be reopened, and that the trade will, in the course of a few months, resume its normal condition. It is estimated, however, that the interruption caused by the national coal strike last year has seriously affected some markets, especially in the Far East, and the president of the Conciliation Board estimates that the Americans have taken over business representing no less than three million boxes, or the product of about 85 mills. This has had a disastrous effect on the Welsh trade and it may take some time to bring up the demand to equalise the supply. At the meeting of the Conciliation Board last week, the wages agreement was renewed, but there was a consider- rable difference of opinion on the question of the restriction of output. Prices have rather a firmer tendency, although no alteration is shown in the official prices, 14 x 20 being still quoted at 14s. 3d. to 14s. 6d., 14 x 18| 14s. 6d. to 14s. 9d., and 20 x 10 at 20s. 9d. to 21s. There has been a better demand for galvanised sheets, and the shipments during the- week have been heavier than usual; 24-gauge corrugateds are held for £11 5s. per ton, and some makers are asking for an advance of 2s. 6d. on these rates, consequent upon the improving trade from India, Canada and the Dutch East Indies. Siemens bars are quoted nominally at, £5 12s. 6d., with 7s. 6d. less for Bessemer. Imports of foreign steel for the week were between 5,000 and 6,000 tons. The rail mills are busy, but prices are unaltered. Iron ore imports have been rather heavier, but there is little new business, prices for best rubio still ranging from 20s. to 20s. 6d., and for second qualities 19s. 6d. to 20s. Swansea. GOAL. Last week the trade of the port was not quite so good as the preceding period, both the coal and patent fuel trades- were dull. The shipments of coal and patent fuel together amounted to 91,278 tons. Owing to the Whitsun holidays, the collieries were idle, and there was practically no business doing on ’Change this morning. The following were approximately the closing quotations:— Prices f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Current Last week’s Anthracite:— prices. prices. Best malting large (hand picked) (net) 22/ to 24/ 22/ to 24/ Secondary do 19/ to 20/ 19/ to 20/ Big Vein large (less 2$ per cent.) 16/ to 18/ 16/ to 18/ Red Vein large do 13/9 to 14/6 13/9 to 14/6 Machine - made cobbles (net) 22/ to 23/6 22/ to 23/6 Paris nuts (net) 23/ to 24/ 23/ to 24/ French do. do 23/ to 24/ 23/ to 24/ German do. do 23/ to 24/ •23/ to 24/ Beans (net) 16/6 to 19/6 16/6 to 19/6 Machine-made large peas (net) 11/3 to 13/ 11/3 to 13/ Do. fine peas (net) — — Rubbly culm (less 2| p.c.) 9/3 to 9/6 9/3 to 9/6 Duff (net) 6/ to 6/6 6/ to 6/6 Steam coals:— Best large (less 2| p.c.) ... 19/6 to 21/ 19/6 to 21/ Seconds do. 16/3 to 17/ 16/3 to 17/ Bunkers do. 15/6 to 16/ 15/6 to 16/ Small do. 13/6 to 15/6 13/6 to 15/6 Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large (less 21 p.c.) 19/ to 20/ 19/ to 20/ Through - and - through (less 2| p.c.) 16/6 to 17/6 16/6 to 17/6 Small (less 2| per cent.) 14/9 to 16/ 14/9 to 16/ Patent fuel do 21/ to 22/6 21/ to 22/6 IRON. Trade in this district during the past week was, on the whole, quiet. The tin-plate and steel trade conditions were very quiet, very little alteration being noted since last week. There has been an enormous reduction of outputs in the tin-plate trade since the war in the East, and several mills at the various works are now rendered idle. At the Mannesmann Tube Works, full time was registered,