March 6, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 521 nuts. There is a continued good demand for steam-raising coals of all qualities, and a very good demand for special nuts. The collieries are working a good week, and stocks are not accumulating to any extent. The output is still well delivered. Local merchants are fairly busy. Taking business all round, the amount doing is cheerful, and there are small grounds for complaint. Quotations are unaltered, - and for the time being they appear co be stable. South Staffordshire, lorth Worcestershire and Warwickshir®. Hednesford. ' COAL. Although a fairly satisfactory business is still being done in connection with the coal trade of the Cannock Chase district, there is a gradual falling off noticeable and there is a weaker tendency in prices. Some of the collieries are still well employed, but in a few cases they are not kept running full time. Owing to the prevalence of mild weather the demand for house coal is not so pressing, and orders are not coming in so freely for fuel for manufacturing purposes. There is a slight falling off in railway and canal sales ;and business is not quite so brisk at the landsale depots. COAL. The coal trade is slackening off, though it is just pursuing a normal course as the season advances. Tnere is still a lot doing at the pits, and full time is being worked in most instances. The retail demand for household coal is quieter. • Slacks are fairly abundant. No wavering is noticeable in prices, which remain :— ___________________Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase) :— prices. prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 18/6 18/6 18/ Do. seconds deep 16/ 16/ 16/6 Do. best shallow 14/9 14/9 14/6 Do. seconds do. 14/ 14/ 13/ Best hard 15/ 15/ 14/ Forge coal 11/ 11/ 11/ Slack Warwickshire:— 7/6 7/6 8/6 House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 16/6 16/6 17/6 cobs 14/ 14/ 13/9 Rest hard spires 15/ 15/ 14/6 Forge (steam) 11/ 11/ 10/ D.S. nuts (steam) 10/ 10/ 9/3 Small (do.) 8/3 8/3 8/3 iRcm. Thursday’s market was fairly well attended, but the amount and nature of the business done only served to accentuate the dulness which at present prevails in the South. Staffordshire iron and steel industries. The works throughout the district are employed three to four days a week; even the good second class bar houses are not doing more than four days. No progressive movement could be detected in pig iron. If anything sales are further • curtailed. There are some arrears of contracts placed early in the year to be cleared off, and new orders do not -command the same value. Equally unsatisfactory are the finished iron branches. Rolling stock makers and engineering firms are taking regular supplies of branded bars at £8 10s. a ton, but consumers of merchant qualities find no difficulty in meeting their requirements at .£6 12s. 6d. a ton delivered Birmingham. Common nut and bolt iron is offered at £6 7s. 6d. a ton delivered Darlaston and Wednesbury districts, and there is not likely to be any improvement so long as Belgian material can be obtained at 15s. to £1 a ton less. The tube trade all round is weak. Contracts for gas strip are readily accepted at £6 10s. a ton for reasonable orders, although the official basis is still given at £6 15s. to £7. German tube strip is to be purchased at £5 10s. A good demand is still experienced for galvanised corru- gated sheets, and quotations are upheld at £11 5s. to .£11 7s. 6d. f.o.b. Liverpool. In contrast, the black sheet ^branch is lifeless; hard doubles for galvanising are as low ;as £7 12s. 6d. to £7 15s., with 2s. 6d. extra for merchant qualities delivered in the district. Steelmakers are kept moderately busy by reason of the considerable amount of constructive work going on throughout the country, but ’there is room for improvement. In the semi-finished branches Bessemer sheet bars are quoted at £4 15s. and ^Siemens £5. Continental bars are only 2s. 6d. to 5s. below these figures. Til TOM. Thursday, March 5. The London coal trade continues exceedingly depressed. The weather during the past week has not improved the demand for household fuel, and the rush of orders from the general public during the partial strike of the loaders and carmen at the London depots has had a tendency to fill up the cellars of the ordinary householder, and at the present moment the delivery trade is unusually slow. The merchants who have contract coals bought are finding it exceedingly difficult to place the loaded wagons coming forward each day, unless they put the coal into stock or sell at a reduction, whilst factors have, for the past week or more, studiously refrained from buying. The unfortunate sales by some of the colliery representatives during the previous week in order to clear the colliery sidings of loaded wagons in stock has had a distinct tendency favouring the issue of a lower price list, but the bulk of the collieries are holding firmly to the recognised market quotations and, consequently, very little buying is taking place. Meanwhile, stocks are increasing on every hand, and nothing but the return of colder weather can save prices from coming down. No alteration has as yet taken place m any of the advertised public prices, but the reports from all the depots show that the delivery trade is exceedingly slow. Manu- facturing qualities are maintaining a firm position and all the best qualities of hard steam coal are in fair demand. The cheaper qualities of steam coal are moving slowly, and kitchener cobbles and bakers’ nuts are severely neglected. Smalls of all kinds, especially peas and slacks, are over plentiful and prices have fallen considerably during the week. On the other hand, colliery quotations have been more firmly maintained, but the few orders obtainable are making the stock on hand a serious difficulty. The lessened output in the Yorkshire qualities, owing to the various strikes in that neighbourhood, is keeping the shipping trade fairly firm, but the enquiries are not nearly so large as formerly. March is always a precarious month, for with the summer contract prices coming into effect on April 1 and the lessened tonnage required by the various gas companies on account of the lengthened days, the tendency is to reduce prices, but the factors and merchants are equally afraid of holding over any stock on hand, with a prospect of a falling market. The great scheme brought forward by the Clay Cross Company, of co-operating with the merchants in the upholding of the public prices and more firmly maintaining the retail price, has been brought to nought, the necessity of cohesion and cementing of the various interests involved having proved impossible. The seaborne market continues unchanged. Prices are still quoted at 21s. 6d. best Wallsend and 20s. 6d. for seconds. Twenty-seven vessels are reported as arriving in the Thames for Monday’s market and 11 for Wednesday’s. Yorkshire prices are still 22s. for best Sharlston and 20s. 6d. for Sharlston Main. The stocks at the various wharves and depots at the metropolitan coal centres are gradually increasing and the reports at Jbhe various “ wait-order ” stations show that a very large number of loaded wagons are on hand. The attendance on market lately has been comparatively small, but the fear of being tempted to buy more than is needful may have deterred many of the merchants from attending. 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. Current Derbyshire—(cont). Pilsley best blackshale ..... Do. deep house coal ....... Do. hard screened cobbles Hardwick best Silkstone ..... Do. Cavendish brights... Do. cubes ............... Nottinghamshire. Clifton picked hards ........ Do. small hards............ Do. deep large steam ..... Annesley best hards ......... Do. bright cobbles ....... Linby best hards............. Do. bright cobbles.......... Digby London brights ........ Do. cobbles ................ Do. top hards .............. Do. High Hazel coal......... Bestwood hard steam coal..... Do. bright cobbles ........ Hucknall Torkard main harde Do. do. cobbles......... Do. do. nuts ........... Do. do. High Hazel H.P. Do. do. London brights.. Do. do. large nuts ..... Do. do. bright nuts..... Sherwood H.P. hards......... Do. hard steam......... Do. brights ... ....... Do. cobbles ............ Do. large nuts ........... Warwickshire. Griff large steam coal...... Do. screened cobbles ....... Do. bakers’ nuts ........... Do. loco Two Yard hards ... Do. Ryder nuts.............. Do. do. cobbles ............ Nuneaton steam coal ... .... Do. screened cobbles ... Do. nuts.................. Haunchwood steam ........... Do. screened cobbles Do. nuts ........... Wyken steam coal ........... Do. screened cobbles ...... Do. nuts................... Exhall Ell coal spires...... Do. brights .............. Do. large steam coal...... Do. best screened cobbles Do. large nuts ........... Leicestershire. prices. 14/ 13/ 11/3 14/ 13/ 14/ 12/6 12/3 12/6 12/6 12/6 12/6 12/6 14/ 14/ 13/ 15/6 12/6 12/6 12/9 11/6 H/ 15/3 12/9 12/9 11/9 12/6 11/6 11/9 11/6 11/9 11/6 12/. 12/ 14/ 12/6 13/6 11/6 12/ 12/ 11/6 12/ 12/ 11/6 12/ 12 13/6 11/6 Last week’s prices. 14/ 13/ 11/3 14/ 13/ 14/ Last year’s prices. 12/6 10/6 10/ 12/6 11/6 11/6 JLydnsy. GOAL. The steam coal pits generally are making good time, but the enquiry is not a pressing one. Most of the collieries are practically free of stock, but all orders are given prompt . attention. The demand for the house coal of the district shows no improvement, and the pits are only employed four and five days this week. The enquiry for slack is easier. Prices at pithead. Current L’st week’s Last year’s . House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Block 17/6 17/6 16/6 15/6 Forest 16/6 16/6 Rubble 16/9 16/9 15/9 Nuts 15/ 15/ ’ 14/ Rough slack - Steam coal:— 6/6 6/6 10/ Large 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ 13/ -14/ Small 8/6- 9/ 8/6- 9/ 10/ -11/ Prices Is. 9d. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. The Parliamentary Bills deposited this session relating to railways, canals, tramways, &c., number 112, or eight more than last session. The amount of money which it is proposed to raise is £19,666,170, or £1,482,240 less than last year. There are 34 Bills relating to railways and canals, the length of new line proposed being 115 miles and the new capital to be raised £12,357,433. Yorkshire. Wath Main best coal Do. nuts Birley cube Silkstone.. Do. branch coal Do. seconds Barnsley Bed Silkstone West Riding Silkstone Kiveton Park Hazel Do. cobbles Do. nuts Do. hard steam New Sharlston Wallsend Wharncliffe Silkstone branch Do. Flockton Main ... Do. Athersley house coal Newton Chambers best Silks. Do. Grange best Silks. Do. Hesley Silkstone... Do. Rockingham selec. Do. Rockingham Silks. Derbyshire. Wingfield Manor best Do. large nuts... Do. small nuts... Do. kitchen coal West Hallam Kilburn brights Do. do. nuts ... Do. London brights Do. bright nuts Do. small nuts Manners Kilburn brights Do. do. nuts Shipley do. brights Do. do. nuts Mapperley brights Do. hard steam Cossall Kilburn brights Do. do. nuts Trowell Moor brights Do. do. nuts.. Grassmoor Main coal Do. Tupton Do. do. nuts Clay Cross Main coal Do. do. cubes Do. special Derbys Do. house coal Current prices. 14/ 13/ 13/6 16/ 13/ 14/ 13/6 13/ 13/ 13/ 11/6 15/ 16/ 15/6 12/ 16/6 15/6 14/ 14/6 14/ 13/ . 12/6 9/6 TO/ 13/ 12/6 11/ 10/6 9/6 13/ 12/6 13/ 12/6 13/ 11/6 13/ 12/6 13/ 12/6 14/ 13/ 11/6 14/ 14/ 13/ 13/ Last week’s prices. 14/ 13/ 13/6 16/ 13/ 14/ 13/6 13/ 13/ 13/ 11/6 15/ 16/ 15/6 12/ 16/6 15/6 14/ 14/6 14/ 13/ 12/6 9/6 10/ 13/ 12/6 11/ 10/6 9/6 13/ 12/6 13/ 12/6 - 13/ 11/6 13/ 12/6 13/ 12/6 14/ 13/ 11/6 14/ 14/ 13/ 13/ Last year’s prices. 13/ 12/ 11/6 15/ 11/ 12/6 12/ 13/ 13/ 12/ 11/ 14/ 14/ 13/6 11/6 15/ 14/ 13/ 13/6 13/ 12/ 11/9 9/6 10/ 12/ 11/9 11/ 10/9 9/6 12/ 11/9 12/ 11/9 12/ 11/9 12/ 11/9 11/6 IV 12/6 11/ 12/ 12/6 12/ 11/9 11/ Snibston steam............... Do. cobbles ............... Do. nuts .................. South Leicester steam ....... Do. cobs, or small hards Do. nuts .............. Whitwick steam............... Do. roasters ............ Do. cobbles ............. Do. nuts................. Netherseal hards ............ Do. Eureka............ Do. kitchen........... Ibstock kibbles ............. Do. large nuts ........... Do. bakers’ nuts ......... Do. Main nuts............. Do. hards ................ Granville New Pit cobbles.... Do. Old Pit cobbles ...... North Staffordshire. Talk-o’-th’-Hill best ....... Sneyd best, selected ........ Do. deeps............... Silverdale best.............. Do. cobbles .............. Apedale best ................ Do. seconds............... Podmore Hall best........... Do. seconds............. South Staffs. (Cannock District). Walsall Wood steam coal, London brights Do. shallow one way Do. deep nuts ..... Cannock steam............... Coppice deep coal .......... Do. cobbles .............. Do. one way............... Do. shallow coal ......... Cannock Chase deep main..... Do. Deep kitchen cobs. Do. best shallow main Do. shallow kibbles ... Do. best brights ....... Do. yard cobbles .... Do. yard nuts .......... Do. bakers’ nuts .... Do. screened hards ... 9/6 10/6 10/6 9/6 10/6 10/6 9/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 11/6 12/6 12/6 10/ 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/ 10/6 10/6 14/ 14/6 14/ 14/ 13/ 14/ 13/ 14/ 13/ 9/6 12/6 11/ 9/6 12/ H/ 11/ 12/6 16/ 12/ 14/ 13/9 13/6 13/6 12/6 10/9 11/9 * Where no quotation is given, information as to changes in price was not to hand at the time of going to press. 12/6 12/3 12/6 12/6 12/6 12/6 12/6 14/ 14/ 13/ 15/6 12 6 12/6 12/9 11/6 12/9 12/9 11/9 12/6 11/6 11/9 11/6 11/9 11/6 12/ 12/ 14/ 12/6 13/6 11/6 12/ 12 11/6 12/ 12 11/6 12/ 12/ 13 6 11/6 12/ 11/ 12/ 12/ 11/3 12/ 11/3 12/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 12/ 11/3 12/3 11/3 11/ 14/9 12/3 12/3 11/3 10/6 11/3 11/3 11/9 10/9 11/ 11/ 13/6 11/6 12/6 L0/9 11/ 11/ 10/9 11/ H/ 10/9 11/ 12/6 10/9 9/6 10/6 10/6 9/6 10/6 10/6 9/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 11/6 12/6 12/6 10/ 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/ 10/6 10/6 14/ 14/6 14/ 14/ 13/ 14/ 13/ 14/ 13/ 9/6 12/6 11/ 9/6 11/ 11/ 12/6 16/ 12/ 14/ 13/9 13/6 13/6 12/6 10 9 11/9 10/6 10/3 10/6 10/ 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/ 10/ 9/6 10/ 9/6 11/6 10/6 13/6 14/6 14/ 15/ 14/ 13/6 13/ 13/6 13/ 13/ 12/ 11/6 11/ 13/ 12/ 12? 12/ 17/ 12/ 14/ 13/6 13/ 13/6 12/6 10/3 11/ Feom iSoEB'ffa. EMaiians. EPawacsa and So.’s Report. Friday, February 27.—The seaborne house coal market remained quiet in tone to-day, with no sales of Durham, and only a part cargo of Yorkshire seconds changing hands. Best Durham 21s. 6d., seconds 20s. 6d., Sharlston W.E. (Yorks) 22s., Sharlston Main (Yorks) 20s. 6d. Cargoes 23. Monday, March 2.—-Owing to the colder weather, there was a slightly better tone in the the seaborne house coal market to-day, but no sales recorded. Best Durham 21s. 6d., seconds 20s. 6d„ Sharlston W.E. (Yorks)22s., Sharlston Main (Yorks) 20s. 6d. Cargoes 27. Wednesday, March 4.—There were no sales of Durham or Yorkshire seaborne house coal at to-day’s market, the tone of which was quiet, with no enquiries. Best Durham 21s. 6d., seconds 20s. 6d., Sharlston W.E. (Yorks) 22s., Sharlston Main (Yorks) 20s. 6d. Cargoes 11.