4X2 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. February 27, 1911. obtainable. There has been a big demand during the last few days for wasters, and 18| x 14 sheets have been advanced from Ils. to ils. 6d. It is stated that no fewer than 460 Welsh mills are included in the proposed pooling arrangement, and efforts are being made to bring this scheme into operation as from April 1 next. Thanks to an increasing demand from India business has been rather better in the galvanised sheet trade, and some good orders are reported to have been secured. The quotation still remains .£11 5s. to £11 10s. for 24-gauge corrugateds, but it is reported that as low as £11 as been accepted for prompt specifications in the case of works which were short of orders. For steel rails the new business in sight has been reduced to very small proportions, and the growing competition is having an adverse influence on prices generally. A portion of the South African order has been secured by Messrs. Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds, but the re- mainder has been held over for future decision. There seems little likelihood that the Chinese business will come to this district, as Americans have made very strong running and will probably secure the entire order. Tin bars are firmly quoted at £4 Ils. 3d. for Siemens qualities and £4s. 10s. for Bessemer. Notwithstanding the fact that foreign bars are being quoted at 84s. net. c.i.f. Imports of foreign plates, bars, billets and blooms last month amounted to over 30,000 tons at Newport, 7,500 tons at Cardiff, 8,000 tons at Swansea, and 2,300 tons at Port Talbot. Welsh pig iron is still quoted at 65s. f.o.t. The iron ore market is stagnant, best rubio being offered at 18s., second qualities 16s. 6d. to 17s., and Almeria at 17s. 6d. per ton. In scrap metals, business is slack, new steel crop ends are 58s. 6d. to 59s. 6d., double-headed iron rails 65s., steel ditto 60s., mixed sections 52s. 6d., new steel scrap 53s., wrought 51s. and cast 55s. Llanelly. COAL. Only a fair market is experienced locally, and whilst collieries are still able to put in full time only a few qualities have anything like a good demand. No improve- ment is expected for a while, and it is thought more than likely that the market will get quieter as time goes on. There is a big weakness in the demand from inland, and it is really difficult for collieries to dispose of some of the machine made kinds. The mildness of the weather has had a lot to do with the falling off, but consumers are also using other fuel than anthracite in their stoves, green- houses, and suction gas plants. The absence of frost is also causing an easing off in the enquiry of Red Vein qualities. Steam coals are keeping in poor demand, and bunkers are down in price, but the bituminous smalls are going very well, and prices are being maintained. This week’s quotations are:— Prices f.o.b. IRON. Trade conditions during last week were considerably brighter. Progress was shown at the blast furnaces at Landore, there being a large production of pig iron. There was an average production of steel ingots, but the dumping of foreign bars which still goes on was a drawback. The galvanised sheet industry showed improvement all round on the position of a few months ago. Tin-plates were in better demand at higher prices than have ruled for some months past, and nearly all the mills in the district were fully operating. The shipments of tin-plates last week were 58,678 boxes, receipts from works 132,217 boxes, and stocks remaining in the dock warehouses and vans 415,276 boxes. TIB LM001 TOMB. Anthracite:— Best malting large .. Secondary do......... Big Vein large....... Red Vein do.......... Machine-made cobbles German nuts.......... French do............ Paris do............. Machine-made beans ... Do peas......... Rubbly culm.......... Duff ................ Other sorts:— Large steam coal..... Through-and-through... Small................ Bituminous small coal... Current prices. 21/ -23/ 19/ -21/ 18/ -20/ 14/6-15/6 21/ -22/ 22/ -24/6 23/ -25/ 22/ -24/6 18/ -22/ 12/6-13/6 5/9- 6/3 3/9- 5/3 16/ -17/ 11/6-12/ 9/ -10/ 11/ -11/6 L’st week’s prices. 21/ -23/ 19/ -21/ 18/ -20/ 14/6-15/ 19/ -22/ 22/ -25/ 23/ -25/ 22/ -25/ 18/ -22/ 12/6-13/6 5/9- 6/3 3/9- 5/ 6 Last year’s prices. 23/ -24/ 20/ -22/ 18/ -20/ 14/6-15/6 20/ -21/ 23/ -25/ 23/ -25/ 24/ -26/ 20/ -22/ 12/6-13/6 8/ - 8/6 5/ - 6/ 16/ -17/ 12/ -12/6 9/ -10/ 11/ -11/6 17/ -18/6 14/ -15/6 12/6-13/ 13/ -14/ Thursday, February 26. The London coal trade for the past week has shown very little improvement in the actual demand. The weather has been slightly more favourable, as the cold nights have kept the actual consumption fairly regular, but the volume of trade doing has been very slow. Some considerable competition also has been noticeable in the prices both for the wholesale and retail markets. The cessation of orders from the public has created some alarm in the minds of a section of the merchants, and where a reduced price has been quoted in certain districts by smaller merchants, it has been followed by others in a larger way of business, until an anomaly has been created showing a lower price for delivery purposes in places where the railway rate is higher, and of course, the cost more pronounced, than in districts where the cost per ton is lower. Pit prices also have been very uncertain. The official lists have once more been issued, but frequently departed from where heavy stocks have accumulated. The Warwickshire district has suffered most from severe competition, and very heavy consignments have been unloaded on the market at unusually low prices. One factor alone is said to have bought 100 wagons at a clear 2s. 6d. to 3s. per ton below the recognised value, and naturally the distribution of so much of this coal on the market has considerably undersold the colliery prices. Altogether the business doing in London is very small, and the Exchange has been very sparsely attended. The end of the month also has something to do with the buying, for as a rule merchants do not care for heavy consignments during the few last days of the month, for the simple reason that the “ pay day ” soon arrives, but with the first week of the new month, the “ pay day ” is delayed practically a month. The general tone is also very flat just now. Seaborne qualities are unaltered, and prices remain the same, but all the vessels arriving are sold under contract. Sharlston Wallsend are quoted at 22s., and Sharlston Main at 20s. 6d. 27 vessels were entered for Monday’s market as having arrived in the Thames, and 13 for Wednesday’s. The winter contract prices with the merchants close in March, and every endeavour is made to keep stocks down as low as possible at this season of the year, so that buying is restricted to the barest necessities. Steam coals continue fairly firm, but all qualities of slack and small nuts are unusually weak. The reports from the Port of London Authority show a considerable increase in the shipping returns. 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. Swansea. GOAL. The stormy weather during the past week had an adverse effect on the trade of the port. The coal shipments were below the average, but there was some improvement in patent fuel exports, which included a cargo of 9,600 tons for Italy, one of the largest yet loaded. The shipments of coal and patent fuel amounted to 99,946 tons. There was a good attendance on ’Change this morning, and the anthracite coal market opened quieter, enquiries for all descriptions having fallen off considerably. Swansea Valley large was freely offered for immediate delivery at reduced figures. Red Vein large, however, continued strong. Of the machine-made sizes cobbles were firm, and nuts were without movement. Rubbly culm and duff were easy. There was no material alteration in the steam coal market, bunkers remaining easy; Prices of coal f.o.b. Swansea (cash in 30 days). Aiitiiracite :~ Best malting large (hand picked) (net) Secondary do. Big Vein large (less 2| per cent.) .......... Red Vein large do. ... Machine - made cobbles (net) ..........-.... Paris nuts (net) .. French do. do. ..,... German do. do. Beans (net) ......... Machine - made large peas (net) .......... Do. fine peas (net) Rubbly culm (less 2| p.c.) Duff (net)........... Steam coals:— Best large (less 2| p.c.) Seconds do. Bunkers do. Small do. Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large (less 2| p.c.) ... Through-and-through (less 2| p.c.) .... Small (less2| p.c.) ... Patent fuel do......... Current prices. 21/6-24/ 19/ -21/ 17/6-18/6 15/6-16/6 22/ -25/ 23/6-26/ 23/6-26/ 23/6-25/6 16/9-18/3 12/9-13/9 5/ - 5/6 4/ - 4/6 18/6-19/6 14/9-15/9 10/6-11/6 7/ - 8/3 L’st week’s prices. 21/6-24/ 19/6-21/ 19/ -20/6 15/9-16/9 21/6-24/6 23/6-26/ 23/6-26/ 23/6-25/6 16/9-18/9 13/6-14/6 5/6- 6/ 4/3- 4/9 19/ -20/ 14/9-15/9 11/ -12/3 7/ - 8/3 Last year’s prices. 22/6-24/6 20/ -21/6 16/6-18/ 14/9-15/ 21/9-23/9 23/6-26/ 23/6-26/ 23/6-26/ 18/ -20/ 11/3-13/ 8/ - 8/3 5/3- 5/9 17/6-19/ 14/9-16/ 13/6-15/6 12/6-14/ 18/ -19/ 14/ -15/9 10/3-11/3 17/3-17/9 18/ -19/ 14/ -14/9 10/3-11/3 17/3-17/9 18/ -19/ 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ 20/ -20/6 Yorkshire. Current prices. Last week’s prices. Last year’s prices. Wath Main best coal 14/ — 13/ Do. nuts 13 — 12/ Birley cube Silkstone 13/6 — 11/6 Do. branch coal 16/ — 15/ Do. seconds 13 — 11 Barnsley Bed Silkstone 14/ — 12/6 West Riding Silkstone 13/6 — 12/ Kiveton Park Hazel 13/ — 13/ Do. cobbles 13 — 13 Do. nuts 13/ . — 12 Do. hard steam 11/6 — 11/ New Sharlston Wallsend 15/ — 14/ Wharncliffe Silkstone branch 16/ — 14/ Do. Flockton Main ... 15/6 — 13/6 Do. Athersley house coal 12/ — 11/6 Newton Chambers best Silks. 16/6 — 15/ Do. Grange best Silks. 15/6 — 14/ Do. Hesley Silkstone... 14/ — 13/ Do. Rockingham selec. 14/6 — 13/6 Do, Rockingham Silks. 14/ — 13/ Derbyshire. Wingfield Manor best............ 13/ —. 12/ Do. large nuts... 12/6 — 11/9 Do. small nuts... 9/6 — 9/6 Do. kitchen coal 10/ — 10/ West Hallam Kilburn brights 13/ — 12/ Do. do. nuts ... 12/6 — 11/9 Do. London brights H/ — 11/ Do. bright nuts 10/6 — 10/9 Do. small nuts 9/6 — 9/6 Manners Kilburn brights 13/ i — 12/ Do. do. nuts 12/6 — 11/9 Shipley do. brights : 16/ — 12/ Do. do. nuts 12/6 — 11/9 Mapperley brights 13/ — 12/ Do. hard steam 11/6 - 11/9 Cossall Kilburn brights......... 13/ — 12/ Do. do. nuts 12/6 — 11/9 Tro well Moor brights , 13/ — 11/6 Do. do. nuts 12/6 — H / Grassmoor Main coal 14/ — 12/6 Do. Tupton 13/ — 11/ Do. do. nuts 11/6 .—i 12/ Clay Cross Main coal.. . 14/ — 12/6 Do. do. cubes . 14/ — 12/ Do. special Derbys . 13/ — 11/9 Do. house coal . 13/ — 11/ * Where no quotation is given, information as to changes in price was not to hand at the time of going to press. Derbyshire—(cont). Current prices. Last week’s prices. Last year’s prices. Pilsley best blackshale 14/ — 12/6 Do. deep house coal 13/ — 10/6 Do. hard screened cobbles 11/3 — 10/ Hardwick best Silkstone 14/ — 12/6 Do. Cavendish brights... 13/. — 11/6. Do. cubes 14/ — 11/6 Nottinghamshire. Clifton picked hards 12/6 — 12/ Do. small hards 12/3 — H/ Do. deep large steam 12/6 — 12/ Annesley best hards 12/6 — 12/ Do. bright cobbles 12/6 — 11/3 Linby best hards 12/6 — 12/ Do. bright cobbles 12/6 — 11/3 Digby London brights 14/ — . 12,' Do. cobbles 14/ — 12/ Do. top hards 13/ — 13/ Do. High Hazel coal 15/6 — 14/ Bestwood hard steam coal 12/6 — 12/ Do. bright cobbles 12/6 — 11/3 Hucknall Torkard main hards 12/9 — 12/3 Do. do. cobbles 11/6 — 11/3 Do. do. nuts 11/ — 11/ Do. do. High Hazel H.P. 15/3 — 14/9 Do. do. London brights.. 12/9 — 12/3 Do. do. large nuts 12/9 — 12/3 . Do. do. bright nuts 11/9 — 11/3 Sherwood H.P. hards 12/6 — 12/ Do. hard steam 11/6 — 10/6 Do. brights 11/9 — 11/3 Do. cobbles 11/6 — 11/3 Do. large nuts 11/9 — 11/9 Warwickshire. Griff large steam coal 11/6 — 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 12/j — 11/ Do. bakers’ nuts 12/ — 11/ Do. loco Two Yard hards ... 14/ — 13/6 Do. Ryder nuts 12/6 — 11/6 Do. do. cobbles 13/6 — 12/6 Nuneaton steam coal— 11/6 — LO/9 11/ Do. screened cobbles ... 12/ — Do. nuts 12/ — 11/ Haunchwood steam 11/6 — 10/9 Do. screened cobbler 12/ — 11/ Do. nuts 12 — 11/ Wyken steam coal 11/6 — 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 12/ — 11/ Do. nuts 12/ — 11/ Exhall Ell coal spires 13/6 — 12/6 Do. brights — — Do. large steam coal 11/6 — 10/9 Do. best screened cobbles — — — Do. large nuts — — — Leicestershire. Snibston steam 9/6 — 10/6 Do. cobbles 10/6 — 10/3 Do. nuts 10/6 — 10/6 South Leicester steam 9/6 — 10/ Do. cobs, or small hards 10/6 — 10/6 Do. nuts 10/6 — 10/6 Whitwick steam 9/6 — 10/6 Do. roasters 10/6 — 10/6 Do. cobbles 10/6 — 10/6 Do. nuts 10/6 — 10/6 Netherseal hards 11/6 — 17/ Do. Eureka 12/6 — 12/6 Do. kitchen 12/6 — 10/6 Ibstock kibbles 10/ — 10/ Do. large nuts 10/6 — 10/ Do. bakers’ nuts 10/6 — 9 6 Do. Main nuts 10/6 — 10/ Do. hards 1°/ — 9/6 Granville New Pit cobbles 10/6 — 11/6 Do. Old Pit cobbles 10/6 — 10/6 North Staffordshire. Talk-o’-th’-Hill best 14/ — 13/6 Sneyd best, selected 14/6 — 14/6 Do. deeps 14/ — 14/ Silverdale best 14/ — 15/ Do. cobbles 13/ — 14/ Apedale best 14/ — 13/6 Do. seconds 13/ — 13/ Podmore Hall best 14/ — 13/6 Do. seconds 13/ — 13/ South Staffs. (Cannock District). Walsall Wood steam coal, London brights 9/6 — 13/ Do. shallow one way 12/6 ' — 12/ Do. deep nuts 11/ — 11/6 Cannock steam 9/6 — 11/ Coppice deep coal 12/ — 13/ Do. cobbles 11/ — 12/ Do. one way H/ — 12/ Do. shallow coal 12/6 16/ 12/ 17/ Cannock Chase deep main — Do. Deep kitchen cobs. ■ 12/ ■ — 12/ Do. best shallow mair 1 14/ — 14/ Do. shallow kibbles ... . 13/9 — 13/6 Do. best brights . 13/6 — 13/ Do. yard cobbles 13/6 — 13/6 Do. yard nuts . 12/6 . 10/9 - 12/6 10/3 Do. bakers’ nuts — Do. screened hards ... . 11/9 — 11/ fsons Meism. Sahara, Fawou® aad Co.’s Report. Friday, February 20.—There were no cargoes of Durham or Yorkshire seaborne house coal on offer at to-day’s market, which remained unaltered in tone. Best Durham 21s. 6d., seconds 20s. 6d., Sharlston W.E. (Yorks) 22s., Sharlston Main (Yorks) 20s. 6d; Cargoes 25. Monday, February 23.—The seaborne house coal market was quiet to-day, and there are no transactions to report in either Durham or Yorkshire sorts, the general tendency favouring buyers. Best Durham 21s. 6d., seconds Durham 20s. 6d„ Sharlston W.E. (Yorks) 22s., Sharlston Main (Yorks) 20s. 6d. Cargoes 27. Wednesday, February 25.—There was no business doing in cargoes of seaborne house coal to-day, and the market remained quiet for what little was offering. Best Durham 21s. 6d., seconds Durham 20s. 6d., Sharlston W.E. (Yorks) 22s., Sharlston Main (Yorks) 20s. 6d. Cargoes 13.