1282 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. June 13, 1913. feature of the market. Business in gas coal is satisfactory with prices steady. Slacks are selling well, but coke is in slow demand. Prices at pithead. Hand-picked brights Good house coals Secondary do Best hard coals Secondary do Slacks (best hards) Do. (seconds) Do. (soft) Current prices. 12/6 to 13/6 11/ to 12/ 10/6 to 11/ 12/ to 12/6 11/ to 12/ 8/6 to 9/ 7/6 to 8/3 7/9 to 8/6 Last week’s prices. 12/6 to 13/6 11/ to 12/ 10/6 to 11/ 12/ to 12/6 11/ to 12/ 8/6 to 9/ 7/6 to 8/3 7/6 to 8/6 Leicestershire. COAL. The situation in this district has not altered to any very appreciable extent since last week. The demand for house- hold coals of all sorts has been less, especially so for the better qualities. The output of this coal has decreased and stocks are, on the whole, heavier at the collieries. There is a continued good demand for steam coals of all kinds. Steam cobbles and coals are in request and there is quite a brisk demand for nut slacks for special uses and for slacks generally. There is a none too plentiful supply of these coals. Local merchants are not at all busy. Business has generally assumed a summer aspect, but the present quiet- ness is not likely to be of long duration. The quotations current continue very firm and, though there is not so much being done, there is no downward movement, or any probability of one. South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Hednesford. COAL The coal trade of the Cannock Chase district is quiet and somewhat unsettled, but the falling-off is not so noticeable as it was last week. The collieries are working irregularly, in some cases little more than half time being turned. Prices are not quite so well maintained. In some cases stocks have been increased during the past week. The labour troubles are still causing a reduced demand for fuel for manufacturing purposes, and the house coal trade is in much the same quiet condition as when last reported. Business is about as usual at the landsale depots. Birmingham COAL. Trade has gone quiet, but rather than reduce prices owners prefer to put the pits on short time to avoid working for stock. They are accordingly going about four days a week. Of course, concessions are obtainable here and there for good orders, but there are no quotable reductions, and quotations remain as under:— Prices at pit. Current Last week’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase):— prices. prices. 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 H/ 11/ Slack Warwickshire:— 8/6 8/6 House coal, best Ryder ... Do. hand - picked 16/ 16/ cobs 13/9 13/9 Best hard spires 14/6 14/6 Forge (steam) 10/ 10/ D.S. nuts (steam) 10 10/ Small (do.) 9 9/ IRON. The market remains unsettled by labour troubles. The flow of business is sadly interrupted, and the position is one of marking time. Pig iron shows further weakness, and sales are limited. For Northamptonshire the figures are 58s. to 60s., according to quality, and an order for any reasonable quantity would probably be gladly accepted at less. South Staffordshire cinder iron is 56s. to 58s., and part-mine 3s. more. The high grade irons are in a more satisfactory position, as there is a large quantity of superior engineering work to consume it. So far the strike has not seriously affected this industry, but it is a question how long this will be so. The gas strip trade is entirely suspended, and makers had to take advantage of the strike clause in their contracts. Makers of standard bars state they are still receiving good support, and that there would be no advantage in altering the basis meantime, as in the present state of the market it would certainly not stimulate business. Unmarked bars remain as last week, and prices in the nut and bolt branch are undermined by the increasing quantities of Belgian iron being poured into the district at, it is stated, as low as 2s. 6d. to ^66 5s. a ton, a difference of at least 25s. compared with the local product. The basis for North Staffordshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire bars of 15s. has not been officially altered, though it is understood 5s. under that figure is nearer the mark, and Lancashire makers are offering considerable quantities of unbranded iron down to as low as £7 10s. Galvanised sheets are weak, the reduced cost of production by no means compensating for the big fall in selling prices, which this week are as low as ^811 to Jill 5s. for export orders. Black sheets for galvanising are selling at 4>8 5s. delivered in the district. Steelmakers are busy on old contracts, and are ready to take new business at reduced rates. Forest of Dao. Lydney, GOAL. Since last writing there has been a considerable falling off in the demand for the house coals of this district, and work at the pits has fallen from full time to about four days in the week. Stocks, too, show much increase, and are heavier now than for some months past. Orders from the inland merchants are very few, whilst stems at the docks are light. Steam coals on the other hand are main- taining a good market, and all the pits are busily engaged. Smalls, perhaps, are easier, but prices as yet are firm. 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 13/6 to 14/ 13/6 to 14/ Small 10/6 to 11/ 10/ toll/ Prices Is. 9d. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, June 12. North Wales. Wrexham. GOAL. There has been no material change in the state of trade here during the past week. Orders for house coal for the ordinary merchants’ trade are somewhat scarce, and the chief business done in this department at the present time is in regard to fixing up contracts for forward deliveries during the coming six or 12 months. Good prices are being realised all'round. Merchants, are, however, showing a tendency to grumble at the high figures they are having to settle at. Steam coal is readily sold, and all the collieries are able to get rid of the whole of their raise. Orders for steam fuel for manufacturing purposes are also satisfactory, and so is the trade for shipping coal. Prices remain pretty much the same as reported last week. Gas companies are pressing for the completion of their contracts, and as soon as this is done the new prices will come into force. With the advance in favour of the colliery owners, the latter are not loth to comply with the requests for deliveries. The business of settling the new contracts is going forward quickly, and this work will be completed much earlier this time than in former years. Nuts, as usual, are scarce, and are easily sold at fair rates, and so is good rough slack. The gas coke trade remains unaltered, with, a slight slackening in demand. Current Last week’s Prices at pit f.o.r. :— prices. prices. Best house coal 15/ to 16/ 15/ to 16/ Secondary do 14/ to 15/ 14/ to 15/ Steam coal 12/9 to 13/9 12/9 to 13/6 Gas coal 13/ to 14/ 13/ to 14/ Bunkers 12/6 to 13/ 12/3 to 12/9 Nuts 12/ to 12/3 12/ to 12/6 Slack 6/6 to 9/ 6/ to 8/6 Gas coke (at works) Prices landsale:— 15/ to 16/8 • 15/ to 16/8 Best house coal 18/4 to 20/ 18/4 to 20/ Seconds 16/8 to 18/4 16/8 to 18/4 Slack 10/ to 12/6 10/ to 12/6 Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days, less 2| per cent. Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. GOAL. The very limited business now passing is being done at a marked reduction upon the values recently prevailing. Very few collieries are now in a position to adhere to last week’s quotations, and although colliery salesmen talk confidently of a quick recovery, expressing the belief that the present slump will pass more quickly than it developed, they seem quite prepared to do business for prompt and early shipment even at considerable reductions from current rates. Buyers continue to maintain an indifferent attitude, making general business slack, while the scarcity of tonnage in the freight market and the advancing tone of outward freights forbids any aid from that quarter for the present. Smalls, which two months ago were quoted at 15s. to 15s. 6d., and difficult to secure at those prices, are now pressed upon buyers at 9s. House coals relatively have not lost value so much, while pitwood has fairly well maintained its position. It may be taken that buyers who are able to command prompt tonnage can obtain substantial concessions from the following :— Steam coals:— Current prices. Last week’s prices. Best Black Vein large ... 18/ to 18/3 19/ to 19/3 Wes tern-valleys, ordinary 17/6 to 17/9 18/6 to 18/9 Best Eastern-valleys 16/9 to 17/ 17/9 to 18/ Secondary do. 16/ to 16/3 16/6 to 17/ Best small coals 9/ to 9/3 11/ to 11/6 Secondary do 8/ to 8/6 10/3 to 10/6 Inferior do 7/6 to 8/ 9/3 to 9 /6 Screenings 9/ to 9/3 11/3 to 11/6 Through coals 14/3 to 14/9 14/6 to 15/ Best washed nuts Other sorts:— 15/ to 15/3 15/ to 15/3 Best house coal 18/ to 19/ 18/ to 19/ Secondary do 17/ to 18/ 17/ to 18/ Patent fuel 20/6 to 21/ 21/ to 22/6 Furnace coke 27/ to 28/ 27/ to 28/ Foundry coke 29/ to 31/ 29/ to 31/ IRON. Locally the conditions of the iron and steel trades are somewhat easier than last week. The labour troubles in the Midlands are seriously reacting on the South Wales markets. Prices in most departments have slightly eased, but a feeling is expressed in many quarters that there will be considerable expansion in business in the early future now that prices give buyers a better opportunity. Work at bar mills is reported good with enquiry somewhat irregular. Prices in this department remain steady. Imports for foreign bars were about 7,000 tons for the week, and for these prices have a downward tendency. The rail depart- ment continues busy with prices nominally unaltered. Hardly so much business as could be wished is being done for blastfurnaces, where good outputs continue, but prices for Welsh haematite are Is. down. There is no improvement to report in tinplates, official quotations of which are down 3d. per box. Following will be found latest approximate ruling values :—Steel rails: Heavy sections, £6 10s. to 15s.; light ditto, .£6 15s. to £7. Tin-plate bars: Bessemer steel, £5 5s.; Siemens steel, £5 5s. to £5 7s. 6d. Tin-plates: Bessemer primes, 20 x 14, 14s. ; Siemens ditto, 14s. to 14s. 3d. Finished black plate, J>10 to ^810 5s. Pig iron: Welsh hematite, j84 4s. to j84 5s., delivered locally. Cardiff. GOAL. The main feature in the coal market this week has been the sharp and unexpected fall in small coal. This has amounted to as much as Is. 6d. to 2s. per ton, and is due to several causes. Foremost perhaps has been the suspension of shipments to France and Belgium. The stocks laid in in these countries prior to the national strike in Belgium, have not yet been cleared, and in view of the high prices for Welsh coals which have prevailed buyers generally have shown no disposition to come into the market. At the beginning of last week it was reported that the French State Railways had placed orders for the supply of about 130,000 tons for delivery between June 15 and November 30, but unfortunately all these orders were subject to confirma- tion by the directors of the railway. Before this was forthcoming, the slump had commenced, and at the time of writing quotations for bunkerings were 10s. 9d. to Ils., and for cargo qualities 8s. 6d. to 9s. per ton. As a con- sequence of this fall, it is reported that the directors of the French railways have asked for fresh prices, but some of the collieries say they know nothing of this. Another cause of the reaction in the market was the return of cooler and unsettled weather, which sent many of the colliers home from their holidays, with the result that the output was considerably increased. People with ready tonnage at command have been able to buy at very low figures from collieries who were pressed for wagons, and t is said that inferior qualities of small have changed hands at as low as 7s. to 7s. 6d. per ton, or 2s. to 2s. 6d. per ton under last week. Dock screenings have fallen to 10s. per ton, or 3s. to 4s. less. Another factor that had to be reckoned with was the delay in the arrival of tonnage, owing to the boisterous weather. Together with the decrease in chartering transactions, to the extent of some 68,000 tons as compared with the previous week, this has resulted in the stiffening of freights and put a check on some of the negotiations which were going on between buyers and sellers. But, notwithstanding all these adverse influences, a stronger undertone has manifested itself the last few days. Advices from across the Channel seem to point to a renewal of shipments to both France and Belgium within the next fortnight, and therefore collieries are not disposed to accept present rates for forward delivery. In fact, some sellers, even far next week’s loading, are demanding 12s. per ton for best bunkerings. As regards Admiralty large coals, there has not been the same irregularity in prices. Very little business has taken place, as buyers indulge the hope that with such a sharp decline in small coal, there is almost sure to be a substantial reduction in large in the near future, but very little has transpired to justify this opinion. As a rule, collieries producing best steam coals are well situated and are but slightly discounting present prices, which are 21e. 6d. to 21s. 9d. Second Admiralties range from 19s. to 20s. 9d. Of course, these prices are now net. Some of the middlemen have not yet fallen into line with some of the collieries on this question, and cases are reported in which ordinary Admiralty seconds have been sold at 18s. 10|d., less 2j per cent. There is very little enquiry for forward deliveries, but as the British Admiralty will soon be pressing for heavy supplies for the naval manoeuvres, this does not concern sellers much. It is noteworthy that during the recent French naval manoeuvres, Welsh coal was, for the first time, exclusively used. Its superiority over French coal was very marked. The much appreciated absence of the trail of smoke which had hitherto marked the progress of a French warship was considered to be even less advantageous than the more economical production of steam, and the accelerated speed that was obtained, and it is believed that in future there will be a more general use of Welsh coal for their Navy. The Garman Naval Depart- ment are in the market for about 15,000 tons of best steams. The administrators of the Egyptian States Railways are also asking for tenders for the supply of 12,000 tons for delivery between July and October, whilst the adminis- trators of the Bombay and Baroda Railway are likewise negotiating for several cargoes. Despite the restricted trade, from the port of Cardiff the shipments last week amounted to over 347,000 tons, an increase of 38,000 tons as compared with the corresponding week of last year, and as when the present week opened there were in dock 226 vessels, there is every prospect of the present rate of ship- ment being maintained. In Monmouthshire coals there has been a drop of about Is. per ton, but in cases where shippers were prepared to take forward delivery much less than this was accepted. Black Veins are 18s. 6d. to 18s. 9d., and western valleys 18s. to 18s. 3d., f.o.b. Cardiff. There has been a rather better enquiry for house coals, and prices of fancy qualities are steady, but Rhondda bituminous coals are cheaper, No. 3 large offering at 17s. 6d. Small is very plentiful, and does not realise more than 14s., or Is. 6d. under last week. No. 2 Rhondda large is selling at 16s. 3d. 16s. 6d., or 6d. to 9d. less, whilst small is obtainable at 9s. 6d. per ton, a drop of Is. 9d. According to returns published by the Cardiff Journal of Commerce, the average declared price per ton of coal exported from the chief Welsh ports during April was as follows:— Cardiff. Newport, Swansea. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Large steam.........17 5 ... 16 4 ... 16 5 ... 15 10 Through-and-through 15 0 ... 15 0 ... 11 6 ... 11 4 Small...............11 10 ... 12 8 ... 12 2 ... 10 4 Large anthracite....18 11 ... — ... 15 5 ... 17 9 Household...........18 0 ... — ... t15 0 ... —