THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

AND JOURNAL OF THE COAL AND IRON TRADES.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______

Vol. OVII.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1914.

No. 2766.

________________________________________________

The Coal Trade of 1913.

NORTHUMBERLAND.

There has been very little t5 complain of so far as
the Newcastle coal trade is concerned. Substantially,
there has been a marked freedom from stoppages of
production due to labour disputes and very little has
occurred to interfere with the even tenor of the year’s
market. As prophesied in our last year’s review would
be the case, however, it is in every way probable that
the end of 1913 has synchronised with the virtual
termination of the general trade boom which has been
so material a factor in assisting the coal market during
the last two years, and it may very well be, therefore,
that coal prices during the ensuing year will be on a
very much lower level than was the case during 1913.

In the steam coal market, as will be seen from
the table of prices given on this page, best Blyth
steams have been remarkably steady during the year
and have finished up very little below the figures at
which the year began. The same is true of best Tynes.
When, however, we come to the cheaper descriptions of
steams, we find marked variations.

As it is with inferior steams, so it is with smithies.
The gas coal market has been very steady during the
year, as has also the market for Durham bunker coals.
Coke has fallen, in the case of foundry sorts, nearly
9s. per ton on the year and from 7s. to 8s. in the case of
blastfurnace coke, and proportionally in the case of gas
coke. In sympathy with the downward movement of
coke, coking coals have fallen. There has been remark-
ably little variation in the price of house coals, the
closing quotation being identical with that at the
beginning of the year.

State Railways at about 15s. 6d., an order placed with
Russian merchants.

April.—A quantity of Blyth smalls for April-December
shipment at Ils.; 20,000 tons best Blyths for May-
_____________________________________	August shipment at 17s.; 80,000 tons bests for delivery

to the British dockyards over the financial year at about
current prices ; Blyth smalls for shipment from July to
the end of the year at Ils. 3d.; 7.000 tons best Blyths
for May-September loading at 15s. 7^d.; 15,000 tons
Tyne seconds for May shipment to Alexandria at about
current prices.

May.—A quantity of best Blyths for the St. Petersburg
electricity works over the season at 16s. 6d. for large
and Ils. 6d. for smalls; 100,000 to 120,000 tons for
shipment over the season on account of the Finnish
State Railways at about 16s. 6d. for bests and 13s. 6d.
for seconds; a considerable quantity of Tyne seconds
for early shipment at 14s. 6d; 11,000 tons Broomhill
bests for delivery to the Russian Government from
June to September at from 15s. 6d. to 16s.

June.—30,000 tons Blyth bests for June-September
shipment at 15s. 3d.; 20,000 tons Blyth smalls for July-
August delivery to the Kellner Ironworks, Christiania,
at 8s. 3d., a second-hand sale; 15,000 tons best Blyths
for prompt delivery at 15s.; 20,000 tons bests for
delivery over 12 months to the Bas-Indre Ironworks at
14s. 6d. for large and 9s. 6d. to 10s. for smalls; 16,000
tons Lambtons at about 15s. and 1,500 tons Tyne seconds
at 14s. 6d., for shipment over the next three months to
the Norwegian State Railways; 150,000 tons Blyth
smalls at from Ils. 6d. to 11s. 9d., c.i.f. East Norway,
for delivery over 1914 to Christiania paper mills ; several
large sales of similar fuel for shipment to Norwegian
ports from January to June next at 7s.

July.—315,000 tons, a contract allotted to St. Peters-
burg merchants, for delivery to the Russian State Rail-,
ways to the end of the season, on the basis of about
20s. 9d. per ton, c.i.f. Cronstadt, Libau, Riga, Reval,

tons as bunkers—a total increase of 1,387,772 tons—and
42,780 tons of coke. In 1912, of course, there was a
lengthy stoppage of shipments due to the miners’
national strike. Taking, therefore, the 1911 shipments
as affording a fairer basis of comparison, we find that,
last year, the shipments showed an increase of 176,570
tons of coal as cargo, but a decrease of 249,504 tons as
bunkers—a net decrease of 72,934 tons—and a decrease
of 42,257 tons. Thus, the 1913 shipments showed an
increase of 1,430.552 tons of coal and coke, 8'34 per
cent., when compared with 1912, but a decrease of
115,191 tons of coal and coke, 0’61 per cent, when com-
pared with those for 1911.

During the year, the Northumberland underground
workers received wages advances aggregating 13J per
cent., leaving wages 521 per cent, above the basis of 1879.
The Durham miners’ wages advances totalled 13J per
cent., also leaving their wages at 60 per cent, above the
basis. The Northumberland owners have had to com-
plain of a considerable increase in the amount of working
time lost by miners during the year. They state that
for the fourteenth to the twentieth pays of 1912, the
average time lost in that way was 11*72 per cent, for the
corresponding pays of 1913, the time lost amounted to
15*53 per cent.

Highest and. Lowest Prices.

The following table gives the highest and lowest
prices which ruled during each month of last year for
each of the various descriptions of fuel dealt with on
Newcastle coal market. The quotations are per ton
f.o.b. for prompt shipment:—

Jan. Feb.

March.

April.

May. June.

July.

Aug. Sept. Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Best steams, Blyths (D.C.B.)............
,,	,, Tynes (Bowers, &c.) .......

Second steams, Blyths..................

„	„ Tynes (Hastings or West

Hartleys)............................
Unscreened steams,.....................
Steam smalls, Blyths...................

,,	„	Tynes....................

„	„	specials ..................

Smithies ..............................
Gas bests (New Pelton or Holmside) .....
,, seconds (Pelaw Main'or similar).....
„ specials ...........................
Unscreened bunkers, Durhams..........

„	„ Northumbrians ...

Coking coals ...........................
„ smalls .........................
Households ...........................
Coke, foundry .........................
,, blastfurnace.....................
,, gas .............................

14/9—15/6
15/ —15/9
14/ —14/3

14/ —14/3
12/6—13/6
10/6—13/
10/ —11/6
10/6—13/
15/ —16/
15/ —16/
14/3—15/3
15/3—16/
14/ —16/

13/ —14/
15/ —16/
14/6-15/
15/6—16/
30/ —32/

27/

19/ —22/

14/3—15/
14/6—15/3
13/6—14/

13/6-14/3
12/6—13/
10/ —10/6
9/6—10/

10/6—11/6
14/ -15/
14/ —15/
13/3—14/3
14/6—15/
13/3—15/
12,6—13 6
14/ —15/
12 6—14/6
15/6—16/
27/6—SO/
24/6—25/
17/6—18/6

14/9—18/

14/6—16/

13/6—14/6

13/6—15/
12/6—13/6
10/6—11/
10/ —10/6
11/ -12/
14/ —15/6
14/6—15/6
13/9—14/9
15/ —15/6
14/3—15/9

13	—13/6

14	3—16
13/6—15/
15/6—16/
26/'—27/6
23/ —24/6
16/6—17/6

15/3—16/9
15'6—16/9
13/9—14/6

14/ —15/
13/ —14/
12/ —13/
11/ —11/6
12/3—13/

15/6

15,9-16/

15/ —15/3
15/9—16/
15/ —16/3
13/6—14/
15/ -16/
14/6—15/

16/ -17/

27/6

24/ —24/6
17/ -18/

15/3—16/9
15/3—16/6
13/9—14/

14/ —14/3
13/ —13/6
10/ —12/

9/6—11/
10/ —12/
15/ —16/
15/6—16/
14/9—15/3
15/6—16/
11 9—15/9
13/ —14

15/ —16/

15/

16/ —17/

27/ —27/6
24/ —24/6
17/6—18/6

14/9—15/
14/6—15/3
13/ —13/6

13/ —13/6
11/6—12/6
8/3— 9/6
7/3— 8/

W
13/6—15/
14/3—15/3
13/ —13/9
14/6—15/6
13/ —14/3
11/6—12/9
13/3—14/6
13/ —14/
15/6—17/
23/ —27/
20' —24/
18/ —18/6

15/ —15/6

14/9—15/3

13/

13/ —13/6
11/9—12/6
9/3— 9 9
7/9— 8/
to/
13/6-14/
14/9—15/
13/6—14/
15/ —15/6
13/ —14/3
12/ -12/6
13/3—14/
13/ —13 6
15/6—16/
20/ —24/
19/ —20/
16/6—18/

15/ —15/6
15/ —15/6

13/

13/3—13/6
11/6—12/6

8/6- 9/9
7/6— 8'
9/ -10/

13/6—14/

15/ —15/1/
13/6—14/ ‘
15 3—15/6
13 3—14 6
12 —12 6
13/6—14/6
13/3-14/

15/6

20 —22/6
19/ —20/
16/6—18/

14/3—15/
15/ —15/3
12/ —13/

12/3-13/6
11/6-12/6

8/ — 8/9
6/9- 7/6
9/ — 9/9
14/

14	9—15/6
13/6—14/3

15	3—16/
12/6—14/3

11 6—13/

13 6—14/

13/6

15/6

18/ —20/
17/6

16/6—18/

14/6—15/
15/ —15/3
12/6—13/

12/6—13/3
11/6—12/3
7/9— 8/3
6/6— 7/
8/6— 9/6
13/6—14/
15/ -15/6
13/6—14/
15/ —16/3

12/6—13/9
12/ —13/
13/ —13/9
13/ —133

15/6 '
19/ -22/6
17 6—18/6
16/6—18/

14/6-15/
14/6-15/
12/6-12/9

12/6—13/
11/ —12/6

7/6— 7/9
6/6— 6/9
8/6— 9/
13/6—14/
15/6—16/
13/6—14/
15/ —16/
12/6—14'
10/6—12/6
13/3—14'
12 —13/3

15/6

20/ —23/
17/6 20/
16/ —17/9

14/6—15/
14/6—15/

12/6

12/6—13/
H/ -12/

6/9— 7/9
6/ — 6/6
7/6— 8/6
13/6—14/

15/6

13 6—14/
15/6—16/
13/3—14 6
10/6—12/
13/3—14/
12/ —13/
15/6—16/
21/ —23/
19/ —20/
14/9—17/3

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the year’s
market has been the great demand from Russia for
fuel. A scrutiny of the lists of contracts which follow
will show to what extent orders from Russia came to
this district. It is unfortunately true, however, that
nearly all the Russian business entered into during the
year* was given to Russian merchants, who had the
option of drawing their coals from a large range of
districts and had accepted the business at considerably
cut prices. The result was that, while huge quantities
of fuel were wanted, not merely for shipment to the
Baltic but for the Black Sea ports also—there being an
acute fuel famine in Russia—a very large proportion of
Russian requirements went to Westphalia. It has been
impossible to follow the merchants’ sub-contracts, but it
is safe to say the fuel famine in Russia is not satisfied
yet by any means, and it is not impossible that there
may still be considerable orders for fuel given out to the
various districts in the country.

For the rest, although there have been instances, and
considerable instances at that, of contracts which,
hitherto placed with this district, have been given else-
where, the Newcastle market has held its own with
other coal-producing districts in very satisfactory
fashion, and some exceedingly large items of business,
especially for coking coal and bunkers, have come this
way during the 12 months.

At the time of writing the figures for the coal and
coke shipments from the Tyne during 1913 are not yet
completed. Up to the end of November, however,
16,257,292 tons of coal as cargo, and 2,026,059 as bunkers
—a total of 18,283,351 tons—were despatched from the
river, together with 281,739 tons of coke, increases,
when compared with the corresponding eleven months
of 1912, of 1,251,907 tons of coal as cargo, and 135,865

Steam Coal Contracts.

Steam coal contracts entered into during the year in-
cluded the following,f.o.b. prices being given, as elsewhere
throughout this article, save where otherwise specified:—

January.—18,000 tons best Blyths for April-December
shipment at 15s.; 5,000 tons, October-December ship-
ment, at 14s. 6d.; 35,000 tons ordinary Durham smalls
for shipment to the Paris Electric Works, via Rouen,
over 1913, at about current prices; 50,000 tons best
Blyths, delivery over the Baltic season to the Russian
State Railways at 15s.; 30,000. Tyne seconds for the
Chilian. Railways, over the first half of the year, price
not stated; 80,000 tons best Blyths, delivery to the
Russian Marine over the Baltic season, price not
stated.

February.—232,000 tons Northumberland and Durham
steams for delivery over the season to the Swedish State
Railways at from 20s. 7|d. to 21s. 2d. per ton c.i.f.
Stockholm for Blyth bests, a price estimated to work
out at 14s. 9d., f.o.b.—about 256,000 tons Scottish and
5,000 tons Westphalian were also taken; 100,000 tons
for delivery to the Gefle-Dala Railways over the Baltic
season at about 21s., c.i.f., 80,000 tons of the total to be
supplied through Swedish merchants; 10,000 tons
Newbiggin for shipment to Norrkoping from April to
November at 21s., c.i.f.; 8,000 tons Blyth smalls for
April-December shipment at 10s. 3d., a second-hand
sale.

March.—From. 45.000 to 60,000 tons Tyne seconds for
War Office use at Woolwich Arsenal and Enfield over
the year at about current figures; 10,000 tons best
Blyths for shipment to the Spanish Sugar Works over
the next few months at about 25s., c.i.f. Motril; 128,000
tons bests for delivery before May 12 to the Russian

&c., for best Blyths and South Yorkshire hards, Tyne
smalls for delivery to Norway over 1914 at from 7s. to
7s. 3d. and Blyth smalls at from 8s. 3d. to 8s. 6d; 15,000
to 20,000 tons best Blyths for August-February ship-
ment at 13s. 9d.; 20,000 tons best Blyths for August-
January shipment (excluding October) to the Windau
Railways, placed with Russian merchants at 19s. 6d.,
c.i.f.

August.—30,000 tons West Hartley Mains for delivery
to the Finnish State Railways over the autumn at about
13s., a contract placed with Russian merchants ; a con-
siderable quantity of best Blyths sold direct, by the
colliery for October-December delivery at the low price
of 13s. 9d.

September.—12,000 tons South Hetton for October-
January shipment to the Norwegian Trunk Railways at
about 15s. 3d.; smalls, {f any class,” a second-hand sale,
for delivery over 1914 at 6s. 6d.; 100,000 tons for
delivery on account of the Russian State Railways to
Black Sea ports up to the end of the year ; 35,000 tons
Northumberland or Durham for shipment to Baltic
ports, on Russian State Railways account, up to the end
of the year; Tyne primes for delivery over the next six
months at from 14s. to 14s. 3d.; 20,000 tons best Blyths
and 10,000 tons Lambtons for October-March shipment
to the Egyptian State Railways at about 14s. 9d. for the
former, no price mentioned for the latter.

October.—50,000 tons Blyth bests for delivery at
Constantinople to the order of the Chirket Steamship
Company, over 12 months, at 22s. 8d., c.i.f. an order
placed with German merchants; 15,000 tons Blyth
seconds for November-February delivery at 13s. 6d.;
a considerable quantity of Blyth smalls for delivery to
the end of the year at 8s.; best Blyths for delivery on
Russian account over the first three months of 1914 at