May 16, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN, 1017 and there were ample orders on hand at the foundries and engineering shops. The shipments of tin-plates last week were 185,763 boxes, receipts from works 120,174 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and vans 437,999 boxes. Llanelly. GOAL. There is very little doing in the coal trade this week, and most of the collieries were idle until Thursday morning. Outputs at all the pits were considerably less than usual, but in the case of the anthracite trade this does not much matter, as the stocks of nearly all kinds which have accumulated are more than sufficient to keep customers supplied. So far there is no alteration noticeable in the demand for any of the kinds made, and prices are not in fhe least firmer. Large of the several qualities and the machine-made kinds being difficult to dispose of. The position in the steam and bituminous sorts are better at the moment, but this is no doubt due to the scarcity caused by the holidays. Many of the manufacturing works worked through the holidays, and are short of smalls. This weeks prices are:— Prices f .o.b. Current Last week's Anthracite:— prices. prices. Best malting large 22/ to 23/ 22/ to 23/ Secondary do 20/ to 21/ 20/ to 21/ Big Vein large 17/ to 18/ 17/ to 18/ Red Vein do 13/6 to 14/ 13/6 to 14/ Machine-made cobbles ... 18/6 to 20/ 18/6 to 20/ German nuts 22/ to 24/6 22/ to 24/6 French do 22/ to 24/6 22/ to 24/6 Paris do 22/ to 24/6 22/ to 24/6 Machine-made beans 19/ to 21/ 19/ to 21/ Do peas 11/3 tc 13/ 11/3 to 13/ Rubbly culm 9/ to 9/6 9/ to 9/6 Duff 6/ to 6/6 6/ to 6/6 Other sorts:— Large steam coal 18/ to 18/6 18/ to 18/6 Through-and-through ... 15/ to 16/ 15/ to 16/ Small 10/6 to 11/6 10/6 to 11/6 Bituminous small coal ... 13/6 to 14/6 13/6 to 14/6 THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, May 15. Dublin. Except for the interruption occasioned by the Whitsun- tide holidays, the coal trade has been quite active in most "branches, and demand for household qualities is still influenced by unseasonable weather. There is no change in prices of any class of coal, and as there will be very little coal available at the other side for the next few days they will probably remain as they are for the present. Quotations in the city are as follow:—Best Orrell, 27s. per ton; best Arley, 26s-.; best Whitehaven, 25s.; best Wigan, 25s.; best kitchen, 24s.; best Orrell slack, 21s.; steam coals from 22s. per ton upwards; best coke, 23s. per ton; house coal, retail, Is. 7d. to Is. 8d. per sack. Irish coals at Arigna, from 9s. 2d. to 15s. lOd. per ton at the pit mouth. The coaling vessels arriving during the past week amounted to 62, as compared with 56 the week previously, chiefly from Ellesmere Port, Garston, Preston, Liverpool, Newport, Ayr, Girvan, West Bank, Cardiff, Manchester, Workington, Whitehaven, Troon, Irvine, and Llandulas. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 26,387 tons. Belfast. A steady business is being done in all qualities, and there is no change in prices, which are keeping firm generally. Quotations for some of the usual 12 months' contracts are much in advance of those of last year, both for renewals and otherwise. City prices remain as follow:—Best Arley coal, 27s. 6d. per ton; Hartley, 26s. 6d.; Wigan, 25s. 6d.; Orrell nuts, 26s. 6d.; Scotch house, 23s. 6d.; Orrell slack, ,23s. 6d. Quotations ex-quay:—Arley house coal, 24s. per ton; Scotch household, 20s. 6d.; Scotch steam coal, 17s. to 18s.; navigation steam, 17s. to 18s.; Welsh steam coal, about 20s. per ton; English steam slack, 17s. per ton delivered. Business with the Scottish ports has been active, and the high prices are maintained. The demand for manufacturing and works fuel continues to be very active, and up to the time of the stoppage for the holidays the supplies were a fair average. Between April 13 and May 3 the total number of coaling vessels entering the harbour was 187. Colliers arrivin g during the week were chiefly from Troon, Glasgow, Ayr, Workington, Maryport, Preston, Ellesmere Port, Partington, Point of Aire, Whitehaven, Newport, Garston and West Bank. THE TIH-PLATE TRADE Liverpool. Business has been greatly interfered with by the holidays. The tone of the market, however, is unchanged, and prices are about the same as reported in our last. Makers, on the whole, are not prepared to sell forward to any extent unless at an advance on to-day's figures, which stand:—Coke tins, I C 14 x 20 (112 sh. 108 lb.), 14s. 3d. to 14s. 6d. per box; IC28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 lb.), 28s. 6d. to 29s. per box; I C 14 x 18f (124 sh. 110 lb.), 14s. 6d. to 14s. 9d. per box; I C 14 x 19| (120 sh. 110 lb.), 14s. 6d. to 14s. 9d. per box; IC 20 x 10 (225 sh. 156 lb.), 20s. 6d. to 21s. per box; IC squares and odd sizes, 14s. 6d. to 15s. basis. Ternes are quiet at 25s. for I C 28 x 20. Charcoal tins run 17s. 6d. basis and upwards according to tinning. Coke wasters are in moderate request, and are quoted : — C W 14 x 20, 13s. 3d. per box ; C W 28 x 20, 26s. 9d. to 27s. per box ; C W 14 x 18f, 13s. per box; C W 20 x 10, 18s. 6d. per box —all f.o.b. Wales, less 4 per cent. At a meeting of the Newcastle City Council last week, a letter was read from Principal Hadow, of Armstrong College, Newcastle, suggesting that the council should invite the British Association to meet in Newcastle in 1916, and stating that if the invitation were given he understood it would be accepted. The council unanimously agreed to give the invitation. IHDIAR ARD COLOHIAL ROTES. India. Indian v. American Pig Iron,—Mr. J. A. Farrell, the president of the United States Steel Corporation, giving evidence in the suit by the Government for the dissolution of the corporation, testified that the cost of steel produc- tion in America was greater than in European countries. The wages paid abroad were 37 to 38 per cent, less than those paid in America, while freight rates were lower and shipping facilities better. Mr. Farrell stated that pig iron could be manufactured in India and laid down in Calcutta at 5’88 dols. per ton. There was now under way from Calcutta to San Francisco, he said, the first cargo of Indian pig iron ever brought into the United States. The freight rate was 5’50 dols. per ton, and under the new tariff the duty would be 11 cents per ton. Thus, this pig iron could be laid down in San Francisco at a cost of about 11| dols. per ton, and Chinese pig iron could be similarly supplied at 10’78 dols. per ton, while the present market price of pig iron on the Pacific coast was 21£ dols. Africa. Transvaal Export Coal Trade,—There does not seem to be much prospect, says our Johnnnesburg correspondent, of the Portuguese Government accepting any of the local tenders recently sent in for the supply of coal-loading appliances at Delagoa Bay. The question has been under consideration for a long time; tenders at different times have been requisitioned, but, owing to some reason or another, their acceptance has always been declined. Recently, 10 tenders were sent in at prices ranging from .£23,250 to .£43,118, but the objections urged against all the local tenders were that they would take up too much of the wharf frontage available for coal-loading purposes. In this respect, the port of Lourengo Marques has always been crippled, and with the constantly-increased demands made on the port for ordinary shipping, the length of wharf frontage available for coaling purposes is limited. According to the conditions laid down when asking for tenders for this coal- loading plant, only four appeared to fully meet the require- ments, and the tender most favoured and recommended by the Portuguese colonial authorities for acceptance was that of Messrs. McMylers, of Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. It is understood that this plant will be erected and ready for work about the beginning of next year. This plant is to be erected on the western side of the old Nether- lands Pier, and so arranged as to encroach to a minimum extent on the wharf frontage. The latest discouraging feature with regard to the further development of the Transvaal export trade at Delagoa Bay, is the recent state- ment made by the Minister of Railways and Harbours, to the effect that there was little prospect of any further reduction in coal rates in South Africa. Without a further reduction in railway rates on export coal, even with an up-to-date plant for loading coal at Delagoa Bay, the prospects of a material increase in the shipments of coal to India and the Far Eastern markets, cannot be considered as promising. As frequently pointed out, the recent rebate allowed of Is. per ton on export coal is quite inadequate for the purpose, and the announcement that no further reductions in the railway rate for the carriage of coal in South Africa are likely to be made, has caused much disappointment to be expressed in South African coal trade circles. Natal Coal Trade.—From figures recently published, says our correspondent, it would appear that the coal trade of Natal made the least progress last year of any during the preceding 10 years, the increased output as compared with the preceding year only amounting to 33,181 tons. The total output in 1912 was 2,435,181 tons as compared with 2,402,000 tons for 1911. The only branch of the Natal coal trade to show any increase last year was the export trade— not to foreign ports, however, but principally to the ports of South Africa, and more especially to Cape Town. The total tonnage sent to other ports of the South African Union last year increased from 270,314 tons in 1911, to 402,967 tons in 1912, to Cape Colony, and from 86,236 tons to 182,782 tens to foreign ports. The number of vessels that called for coal only at the port of Durban last year was 358 as against 681 in 1911, and 738 in 1910. The quantity of coal taken by these vessels last year was only 329,451 tons, as com- pared with 600,384 tons in 1911, and 650,998 tons in 1910. The total tonnage bunkered at Durban in 1912 was 1,118,350 tons, a decrease of 10 per cent.; consumed by railway and harbour administrations, 413,750 tons, a decrease of 6 per cent. The quantity sold locally and sent overland by rail was 317,334 tons, a decrease of 5 per cent., whilst there were exported by sea, principally to the Cape Ports, 585,747 tons, an increase of 64 per cent. Against this large increase of coal shipped to other ports there was, however, a decline of 45 per cent, in the tonnage taken by ships calling at the port for coal alone. The total tonnage handled by the coaling appliances at the port amounted last year to 1,041,211 tons. As already stated, the most striking feature of the Natal coal trade last year was the greatly increased tonnage sent to the Cape ports, the bunkering trade at Cape Town having increased from 167,589 tons in 1911 to 345,349 tons in 1912. There are, however, signs that the demand for Natal coal for bunkering purposes at Cape Town is declining, as several of the steam- ship owners find that it is more economical to bunker at Durban. The small amount of coal exported from Durban to other than Cape ports—viz., 182,782 tons—is considered very unsatisfactory; and until the alternate line of railway to the port is built, or the railway rates lowered, there does not seem much hope of a material improvement taking place. Canada. According to the report of Thomas Cantley, general manager of the Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Company, the tonnage of coal mined during 1912 was 841,000 tons, of which 256,000 tons were used by the company, 240,000 tons sold in the maritime provinces, and 330,000 tons shipped to Montreal. A much larger output is anticipated for the current year, as a new seam of - very high quality has been discovered adjacent to Sydney mines, which the company is desirous of operating as soon as possible. To do so, how- ever, will require an addition of 1,500 men to the present force of 5,600, and at present there is a great scarcity of labour. The company[are largely increasing the shipment of iron ore from their mines at Wabana, Newfoundland, and have closed a contract to deliver a large amount of high- grade ore to the Krupp firm of Essen, Germany, to be used in their armament works. With the removal of the duty of 15 cents per ton on shipments to the United States, a great increase of the trade with that country is anticipated. The Maritime Coal, Railway and Power Company, of Nova Scotia, having raised the necessary funds, by the disposal of a large block of its securities, is preparing to increase its coal output by making considerable extensions to its power ,plant at Chignecto, and the electrification of the colliery at Joggins mines. The Crows' Nest Pass Coal Company, operating at Fernie and adjacent points in British Columbia after a series of unprofitable years, considerably improved their position in 1912. The annual statement showed net profits of 471,454 dols., which wiped out the deficit carried forward from the previous year, and left a credit balance of 419,423 dols. Coal was mined during the year to the amount of 1,064,791 tons as compared with 359,456 in 1911, when a prolonged strike curtailed the output, and coke to the amount of 245,229 tons was produced, as compared with 60,659 tons. INSTITUTION OF MINING ENGINEERS. Programme of Annual Meeting. The fifty-eighth general meeting of the Institution of Mining Engineers will be held in London on Thursday, June 5, at 11 a.m., in the rooms of the Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W. Arrangements have been made for visits to the Chingford reservoir of the Metropolitan Water Board Company, and the Beckton works of the Gas Light and Coke Company, on Friday, June 6. The institution dinner will be held at the Waldorf Hotel on the evening of June 5, at 7.30 p.m. The following papers will be read, or taken as read:— “ Recent Methods of the Application of Stonedust in Mines," by W. E. Garforth, LL.D., M.Inst.C.E. “ The Reopening of Norton Colliery with Self-contained Breathing Apparatus after an Explosion," by Mr. J. R. L. Allott. “ The Heat Produced in the Slow Oxidation of Coal at Ordinary Temperatures," by Mr. F. E. E. Lamploughand Miss M. Hill, of Cambridge University. “Insulated and Bare Copper and Aluminium Cables for the Transmission of Electrical Energy, with Special Reference to Mining Work," by Mr. B. Welbourn. The following papers will be open for discussion:— “ Recent Legislation in Relation to Land and Mines," by Alexander Smith, M.Inst.C.E. “ The Bellevue Explosions, Alberta, Canada: An Account of, and Subsequent Investigation Concerning, Three Explosions Produced by Sparks from Falls of Roof," by John T. Stirling, H.M. inspector of mines, Alberta, Canada, and Prof. John Cadman, D.Sc. The members are invited to attend (immediately after the conclusion of the general meeting) the great Mining Machinery Exhibition to be held in the Royal Agricultural Hall, London, N. A demonstration of the use of the “ P.P.' safety shot-firing appliances will be given in the Lecture Hall of the Exhibition at 5.15 p.m. The president (Dr. W. E. Garforth) will preside at the demonstration. Resignation of Mr. J. B. Atkinson.—Mr. J. B. Atkinson, H.M. chief inspector of mines for the Newcastle district, in resigning his post in order to establish a practice in Newcastle as a consulting mining engineer. Mr. Atkinson held his first appointment as assistant inspector under the late Mr. T. Bell in the Durham district, and was transferred to Northumberland under the late Mr. Willis. After some years he was promoted to the position of chief inspector in the East of Scotland, where he remained for 12 years, returning to Northumberland 11 years ago on the death of Mr. Hedley. He was one of the first students at the College of Mining in Newcastle, and, on his return to Northumber- land 11 years ago, the University of Durham conferred upon the honorary degree of Master of Science. His resignation takes effect from the end of the present month.