1288 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. June 13, 1913. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE IRISH BOHL TRADE. Thursday, June 12. ________________________________________________ Dublin. Demand for house coal has revived during the past week owing to a return of cold weather, and in other directions business continues to be active, prices of all qualities remaining unchanged. There is still a scarcity of Scotch coals owing to the large demand for these qualities from abroad, and any available supplies are bought up princi- pally by the iron works, which are very busily engaged at present. A very large contract is now open in connection with a local institution for house, steam coals, and gas coke. City prices 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 21s. to 22s. per ton delivered; best coke, 23s. per ton; house coal, retail, Is. 7d. per sack. The coaling vessels arriving during the week amounted to 41 as compared with 44 the week previously, chiefly from Silloth, Cardiff, Neath Abbey, Manchester, Swansea, West Bank, Troon, Liverpool, Ayr, Preston, Workington, Point of Aire, Newport, and Gar st on. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 18,000 tons. Belfast. Prices of the better qualities of coal continue to be firm, and there is, upon the whole, a good demand in the port, and no change in any of the quotations. Stacks are still small, although more coal has been coming in from some of the Scottish ports since the dockers* dispute was settled. City prices are as follow:—Arley house coal, 27s. 6d. per ton; Hartley, 26s. 6d.; Wigan, 25s. 6d.; Orrell nuts, 26s. 6d.; Scotch house, 23s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 23s. 6d. Current prices ex-quay:—Arley house coal, 24s. per ton; Scotch household, 20s. 6d.; Scotch steam coal, 17s. to 18s. per ton; navigation steam, 17s. to 18s.; Welsh steam coal, 20s. per ton; English steam slack, 17s. per ton delivered. A large contract for steam coal is open for supplies for the Tyrone County Council. Cargoes arriving during the week were chiefly from Ayr, Partington, Garston, Ardrossan, Troon, Port Talbot, Maryport, Manchester, Neath Abbey, Glasgow, Girvan, Preston, Point of Aire, Whitehaven, Workington, Swansea, and Sidney. The total number of coaling vessels entering the harbour from the 18th to 31st of May was 103. __________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—The market is distinctly quiet, and several products are easier. This tendency is most notice- able in naphthas and crystal carbolic. Pitch is quiet, but creosote and benzols remain steady. Nearest values are:— Benzols, 90’s ................................ Do. 50’s ................................ Do. 90’s North________.............................. Do. 50’s North........................................ Toluol...................................... Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.) .......... Do. crystals (40 per cent.)...................... Solvent naphtha (as in quality and package) ... Crude ditto (in bulk) ....................... Creosote (for ordinary qualities) ............ Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) ..................... Do. (f.a.s. west coast) ..................... Do. (f.o.b. gas companies) ................. ’JU ^JLO /10J 1/4 /5 /9| /5 /8 43/6 to 44/ 42/6 to 43/6 [Bemols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at makers’ works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.] Sulphate of Ammonia.—Though the market is very quiet, there is an undercurrent of steadiness which may be detected in the state of the forward market, and also the improvement reported in the north for both positions. THE LOHDOH COAL TRADE. Thursday, June 12. The London coal trade for the past week has slightly recovered from the absolute stagnation of the preceding week. The sudden incoming of the hot weather a week or more ago led to a complete stoppage of house coal orders, and merchants were afraid to buy until the general public were inclined to recommence ordering. The actual con. sumption in household qualities is now at its minimum rate, and until both merchants and householders are prepared to buy for stock the demand must be infinitesimal. Factors have absolutely ceased to buy unless at very low rates, and as many of them have contract coal coming forward for which they have to find a market—which has become a very serious matter in many cases—this makes them reluctant to take any further supplies on hand until the openings for disposal expand. Fortunately the manu. facturing market is unaffected by the warm weather, and the demand continues fairly good, and also for kitchen cobbles and bakers' nuts. These have felt the influence of the warmer weather, and are only moderately in demand* but still a fair quantity is disposed of. Very little change has taken place in current prices, for the simple reason that all pit prices have already been reduced to their minimum level, and in many cases much below the recognised value, in order to stimulate stocking orders. The issue of the lowest summer prices circulars has not been so freely adopted this year as in many previous years, from the fact that so much uncertainty exists as to when the public prices may be altered, especially in view of the advance in all fixed priced contracts of Is. per ton from July 1. There is a little more buying on the Exchange this week, but not of any great dimensions. The seaborne market continues in the same listless position, no offerings being made either for Durham or Yorkshire coal. A fair quantity is arriving in the Thames, but all are sold; 31 vessels are reported to have arrived on Monday and 13 on Wednesday. Some of the Scotch collieries are recommencing sending the slacks and small nuts to the river, and for a time this had an influence upon the demand for the ordinary railborne smalls, but, as the usual inland quantities are becoming scarce from the lessened output of the large coal, the demand continues well maintained and prices are firm. Very few collieries will pledge themselves beyond July and August. Merchants are pressing for the usual three months to be included in the special sales, but in nearly every case September is left over, evidently in anticipation of a brisk trade for that month. So far, the disturbances in the North and the Midlands in the labour market have not affected London, but the developments are carefully scanned by the larger merchants, as it is felt that its influence upon the gas trade and other factories may have a telling ^effect in the near future. Already the difficulties with the large wagon works are causing considerable delay to wagons. Fortunately, however, the trade is not so dependent upon the running of empties just at present, and a large number of the wagons have been withdrawn from the general running for repaint- ing and overhauling. The attendance on market lately has been very thin. Contracts are still slowly proceeding and colliery owners are able to confirm the general advance of Is. per ton on last year’s rates. A lar£e number of merchants, however, resolutely decline to give the advance at present, and those collieries who usually supply them are consequently feeling the pinch somewhat keenly. Market quotations (pit mouth) : Note.—Although every care is exercised to secure accuracy, we cannot hold ourselves responsible for these prices, which are, further, subject to fluctuations. Closing prompt values are:— London (ordinary makes)............ £12/7/6 Beckton (certain terms) ............ £12/17/6 Liverpool........................... £12/17/6 Hull ............................... £12/16/3 Middlesbrough .................... £12/15/0 ......................... Scotch ports............................ £13/7/6 Nitrate of soda (ordinary) per cwt. ... 10/10| [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2| per cent, dis- count ; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality; allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.] ___________________________ The Sub-committee on Contracts of the Gas Committee of Glasgow Corporation last week entered into contracts for the supply of about 700,000 tons of gas coal. The price of the coal shows an average advance of Is. 8d. per ton on last year's figure, which in turn was 2s. 2d. per ton higher than that of the preceding year. Thorne Colliery.—At the annual meeting of Messrs. Pease and Partners, Mr. A. F. Pease, the chairman, gave some interesting particulars of the progress at the com- pany's sinking at Thorne, near Doncaster. He . said they had rearranged the terms on which they held the leases and obtained substantial concessions, though not as much as they hoped. A contract had been entered into for freezing the shafts down to the coal measures at a depth of a little over 500 yards. They came to this conclusion, as boreholes which were put down indicated that there was water, or, at any rate, water feeders in the limestone as well as in the sandstone, and although the cost was greater, it was thought better to take every precaution and decided to freeze right through to the coal measures. The engineers estimate that from the time the contracts were entered into in November last the boring and freezing would take 37 months, to sink the two shafts from the present depth through the sandstone and limestone 18 months, to thaw the frozen ground six months, to sink through the coal measures 18 months, and after they got down to the coal it would take fully 24 months to drive through the shaft pillar, so that, according to the estimates, it would be nearly nine years before they could expect to work any large quantity of coal. Current Last week's Yorkshire. prices. prices. Wath Main best coal 13/6 13/6 Do. nuts 12/6 12/6 Birley cube Silkstone 12/ 12/ Do. branch coal 15/ 15/ Do. seconds 11/ 11/ Barnsley Bed Silkstone 12/6 12/6 West Riding Silkstone 12/ 12/ Kiveton Park Hazel 13/ 13/ Do. cobbles 13/ 13/ Do. nuts 12/ 12/ Do. hard steam 11/ 11/ New Sharis ton Wallsend 14/ i. 14/ Wharncliffe Silkstone coal 14/ 14/ Do. Flockton Main 13/6 13/6 Do. Athersley house coal 11/6 11/6 Newton Chambers best Silkstone 15/ 15/ Do. Grange best Silkstone 14/ 14/ Do. Hesley Silkstone 13/ 13/ Do. Rockingham selected 13/6 13/6 Do. Rockingham Silkstone 13/ 13/ Derbyshire. Wingfield Manor best 11/ IV Do. large nuts 10/9 10/9 Do. small nuts 10/ 10/ Do. kitchen coal 9/6 IV/ 9/5 West Hallam Kilburn brights 11/ 111 Do. do. nuts 10/9 10/9 Do. London brights 10/ 10/ Do. bright nuts 9/6 9/6 Do. small nuts 10/ 10/ Manners Kilburn brights 11/ 11/ Do. do. nuts 10/9 10/9 Shipley do. brights 11/ 111 Do. do. nuts 10/9 10/9 Mapperley brights 11/ 11/ Do hard steam 10/9 10/9 Cossall Kilburn brights 11/ 111 Do. do. nuts 10/9 ___________________________ 10/9 Tro well Moor brights 11/ 11/ Do. do. nuts 10/9 I. 10/9 Grassmoor Main coal 12/6 12/6 Do. Tupton 11/ 11/ Do. do. nuts 12/ 1. 12/ Current prices. Last week'a Derbyshire— (cont). prices.. Clay Cross Main coal 12/6 12/6 Do. do. cubes 12/ 12/ Do. special Derbys 11/9 ■ 11/9 Do. house coal 11/ 11/ Pilsley best blackshale 126 12/6 ■ Do. deep house coal 10/6 10/6 Do. hard screened cobbles 10/ 10/ Hardwick best Silkstone 12/6 12/6- Do. Cavendish brights 11/6 11/6 Do. cubes 11/6 11/6. Nottinghamshire. Clifton picked hards 12/ 12/ Do. small hards 11 11/ Do. deep large steam 12/ 12/ Annesley best hards 12/6 12/6- Do. bright cobbles 11/9 11/9- Linby best hards 12/6 12/6 Do. bright cobbles 11/9 11/9 Digby London brights 12/ 12/ Do. cobbles 12/ 12/ Do. top hards 13/ 13/ Do. High Hazel coal 14/ 14/ Best wood hard steam coal 12/ 12/ Do. bright cobbles 11/3 11/3 Hucknall Torkard main hards 12/3 12/3 Do. do. cobbles 11/3 11/3 Do. do. nuts 11/ n/ Do. do. High Hazel H.P. ... 14/9 14/9 Do. do. London brights 12/3 12/3: Do. do. large nuts 12/3 12/3 Do. do. bright nuts 11/3 11/3 Sherwood H.P. hards 12/ 12/ Do. hard steam 10/6 10/6 Do. brights ... 11/3 11/3 Do. cobbles 11/3 11/3 Do. large nuts 11/9 11/9 Warwickshire. Griff large steam coal 10/9 10/9'* Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. bakers' nuts 11/ 11/ Do. loco Two Yard hards 14/ 14/ Do. Ryder nuts 11/6 ■ 11/6 Do. do. cobbles 12/6 12/6 Nuneaton steam coal ... 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. nuts 11 11 Haunchwood steam 10/9 10/9- Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. nuts 11/ 11/ Wyken steam coal 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. nuts 11/ 11/ Exhall Ell coal spires 12/6 12/6 Do. large steam coal Leicestershire. 10/9 10/9- Snibston steam 10/6 10/6 Do. cobbles 10/3 10/3 Do. nuts 10/6 10/6- South Leicester steam 10/ 10/ Do. cobbles or small hards 10/6 10/6 Do. nuts 10/6 10/6 Whitwick steam 10/6 10/6 Do. roasters 10/6 10/6 Do. cobbles 10/6 10/6- Do. nuts 10/6 10/6 Netherseal hards 17/ 17/ Do. Eureka Do. kitchen 12/6 10/6 12/6 10/6 Ibstock kibbles 10/ 10/ Do. large nuts 10/ 10/ Do. bakers' nuts 9/6 9/6. Do. Main nuts 10/ 10/ Do. hards 9/6 9/6 Granville New Pit cobbles 11/6 11/6 Do. Old Pit cobbles 10/6 10/6 North Staffordshire. Talk-o’-th'-Hill best 13/6 13/6 Sneyd best, selected 14/6 14/6- Do. deeps 14/ 14/ Silverdale best 15/ 15/ Do. cobbles 14/ 14/ Apedale best 13/6 13/6- Do. seconds 13/ 13/ Podmore Hall best 13/6 13/6- Do. seconds 13/ 13/ South Staffordshire [Cannock District). Walsall Wood steam coal, London brights 13/ 13/ Do. shallow one way 12/ 12/ Do. deep nuts Cannock steam 11/6 11/ 11/6- 11/ 13/ Coppice deep coal 13/ Do. cobbles 12/ 12/ Do. oneway 12/ 12/ ■ Do. shallow coal 12/ 12/ Cannock Chase deep main 17/ 12/ 17/ Do. Deep kitchen cobbles ... 12/ Do. best shallow main 14/ 14/ Do. shallow kibbles Do. best brights 13/6 13/ 13/6 13/ Do. yard cobbles 13/6 13/6 Do. yard nuts 12/6 12/6 Do. bakers'nuts 10/3 10/3 Do. screened hards 11/ 11/ from Keim. Dinham, Favoni and (fo.’i Report. Friday, June 6.—The seaborne house coal market wa& again quiet to-day, with no sales reported. Cargoes 22. Monday, June 9.—There was no alteration in the seaborne house coal market to-day—no transactions reported. Cargoes 31. Wednesday, June 11.—The seaborne house coal market . was very quiet to-day, with no cargoes reported sold of either Durham or Yorkshire. Cargoes 14. The new Central School of Stoke is expected to be ready but the whole of the work will end of the year. Science and Technology at > for occupation in September, not be completed before the *