■ ■ ..>,"

574

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

March 13, 1914.

also been well upheld and this, with the good enquiry for
household coals, will give a busy and full week's working
to the pits. There is no accumulation of stock at the pits
of any note. Local merchants are generally fairly busy.
The present state of business and the outlook is decidedly
cheerful. The current quotations are as they have been
for some weeks and they appear likely to be maintained at
this level for some time to come.

Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast,

Plymouth.

GOAL.

Messrs. W. Wade and Son report that there has been a
fair amount of enquiry for wholesale supplies of coal, and
the imports by steamer have been above the average in
quantity. At the same time, it may be said that but very
few importers hold large stocks. Offers of contract quan-
tities are being received on rather more favourable terms
than those of last year and steam freights rule rather lower.

South Staffordshire,, fSorth Worcestershire
and Warwickshire.

Hedncsford.

ML.

There has been very little falling off noticeable since last
report in the condition of the coal trade of the Cannock
Dhase district, and for the time of the year a fairly satis-
factory business is being done, and most of the collieries are
well employed. There is very little change in prices. The
colder weather experienced this week has checked to some
extent the falling off in the house coal trade. The demand
for fuel for manufacturing purposes is much the same as
last week. A fairly satisfactory business is being done at
the landsale depots.

BkmlnghML

CO&L,

Domestic fuel has been in better request than for a
fortnight. Trade in manufacturing fuel is on the slow side.
The pits are working full time and stocks are prevented
from accumulating. There is, therefore, no temptation to
alter prices and there is not likely to be any change this
side of Easter. Here and there a slight concession may be
given for special lots. Quotations :—

Prices at pit.

THE WELSH COIL AM IM TRADES.

Thursday, March 12.

	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
Best 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

Rorth Wales.

Wrexham.

GOAL.

The good state of trade reported for the past few weeks
still prevails. As a result of this all the pits are working
at full strength, and there is not the slightest difficulty in
disposing of the output, with perhaps the exception of
slack at some of the collieries. The general outlook with
reference to future business appears to be also in favour of
sellers. Those collieries that make a speciality of the
house coal trade are exceptionally busy, and the demand is
far beyond the available supply for the best class of fuels.
Naturally this demand has a bearing on prices, which are
on the rising scale, and during the past week there has
been a keen frost and snow, which has further helped
matters. In the gas coal trade there is little variation in
the tonnage disposed of, as the average weekly contract
quantity is determined at the time the contracts are made,
and, with few exceptions, during the past year supplies
have been well maintained, and there has been no accumu-
lation of arrears as in other years. There a few enquiries
abroad for prices for new contracts, but apparently no
important contracts have yet been settled. It is generally
anticipated that the average prices realised will work out
at pretty much the same as those which rule for existing
contracts. There are also several large contracts on the
market for steam coal, and it is hoped these will be settled
very soon at not less than last year's prices. The tonnage
of steam coal sold during the past week has been satis-
factory for railway, industrial and shipping contracts.
There has also been a fair open market. In the case of
coal for shipment the prices and tonnage are little varied
from those which were quoted last week. Slack is still
weak in supply, but nuts are hardly obtainable apart from
contracts. Gas coke is unaltered.

Brices at pit.

IRON.

Thursday's market was fairly well attended, but the pre-
vailing tone was one of sluggishness. Manufacturers are
simply marking time in the hope that some improvement
will follow the quarterly meeting early in April. Makers
of marked iron report continuous business, and are better
employed than the second-class houses, which find it difficult
to get in more than four days a week. The cheaper rates
prevailing in other districts tend to keep down prices, and
the bulk of the business is done at .£6 12s. 6d. Slightly
better reports were available from Darlaston and district
concerning the common branches. Works, which for some
time have been starting on Tuesday, were this week in
operation on Monday morning. Prices, however, are no
better. Bolt iron is obtainable at .£6 7s. 6d., and nut iron
about .£6 5s. Quietude prevails in the strip branches.
The output of gas strip is limited, and the requirements of
tube makers seem to be diminishing. The lighter gauges
of steel strip are in moderate demand at £7 5s. a ton, and
heavier stuff for common purposes may be had without
difficulty as low as £7. German competitors are keen
cutters in these branches. They are also making inroads into
the rolled metal business, a branch which has hitherto
been almost exclusively in the hands of English makers.
The best galvanised sheet houses uphold the .£11 5s.
minimum, though in some directions business can be placed
at 2s. 6d. less. The demand is fairly well maintained,
though there is not the same activity as existed a month
or two ago. The black sheet mills are running three
to four days a week only, and prices are in the
neighbourhood of £7 12s. 6d. to £7 15s. for sheets for
galvanising, with 2s. 6d. extra open annealed sheets.
Makers of stamping sheets say they are hampered
in their sales by the large quantity of waste sheets which
come into the district from South Wales and one or two
other places. Pig iron is difficult to sell and small quantities
only are asked. Prices are weak. Steelmakers report a
few better enquiries. Current orders represent fair require-
ments for constructive work and for wagon builders.

Prices at pit f .o.r.:—

Best house coal ......

Secondary do.........

Steam coal...........

Gas coal ............

Bunkers .............

Nuts .................

Slack ...............

Gas coke (at works) ...

Prices landsale:—

Best house coal ......

Seconds ..............

Slack ...............

Current
prices.

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

6/6- 8/6
13/4-15/

17/6-19/2
16/8—17/6
10/6-12/6

L’st week's
prices.

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

13/4-15/

Last year's
prices.
15/ -16/
14/ -15/
12/ -13/
13/ -14/6
12/ -13/
11/6-12/6
7/9- 9/6
16/8-18/4

17/6-19/2 18/4-20/

16/8-17/6 16/8-17/6

10/ -12/6 10/ -12/6

Monmouthshtre, Smith Wales,

Newport.

GOAL.

Business in the steam coal market has been remarkably
stagnant all the week, the result being that values are
easier, although to what extent it is difficult to accurately
say. It really amounts to this, that buyers who are able to
take delivery can command up to Is. reduction off most
coals, while the indications of the market show rather that
there will be a further weakening than any recovery. In
addition to tonnage being delayed by weather conditions,
the chartering throughout last month was not of a volume
sufficient to maintain the market, this really being the
cause of the present weakness. New business is very scarce.
Smalls are equally weak as large, bunkering demands being
at a minimum, while stocks have accummulated heavily.
Quotations for house coal and patent fuel remain unchanged.
Pitwood is sixpence easier than last week at 20s. 3d. to
20s. 6d. for good Drench wood ex ship. The freight market
continues doing easy business at unaltered rates, there has
been no improvement during the week either in the volume
of business done, or in the rates of fixtures.

Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days, less 2| per cent.

nominally unaltered. Rather more is doing in the rail
department. Mills are well engaged while specifications
are coming along rather more freely in this quarter.
Enquiry has also somewhat improved, leaving values steady
at last quoted figures. At blast furnaces work is again
reported good, with order books fairly filled well on towards
midsummer. Welsh haematite is a good market at last
ruling prices. Rather more business has been put through
in iron ore, for which quotations are inclined upwards.
With tinplate works well placed with orders up to July,
there has been very little fresh business put through, except
at makers' own figures. Officially, there is no change in
quotations, but some mills are to-day asking l|d. per box
more for orders now booking.

Cardiff.

GOAL.

Owing to the stormy weather which prevailed during the
latter portion of last week, the tonnage position became
rather difficult, due to the delays occasioned to steamers
which had been engaged for prompt shipment, and for
several days the market showed considerable irregularity,
with the result that some merchants were able to obtain a
reduction in current quotations, in order that empties might
be cleared and returned to the collieries. During the week
however, charterings were on a more satisfactory scale than
has been the case for some time, the amount of tonnage
taken up being close on 399,000 tons, or an increase of
134,000 tons compared with the previous six days. This
naturally had a stiffening effect on the market, and sellers
were not disposed to modify their quotations. The ship-
ments too, were fairly satisfactory, and from Cardiff
amounted to 385,396 tons, or a decrease of 14,887 tons
compared with the corresponding week of last year.
Newport also showed a decrease of 40,186 tons, Port Talbot
a decrease of 1,117 tons, but Swansea, on the other
hand, had an excess of 9,916 tons. Best Admiralties
are firmly held at 18s. 6d. to 19s., and superior seconds
at 18s. to 18s. 3d. Ordinary qualities were obtainable at
17s. 6d. Monmouthshire coals continued steady, best Black
Veins realising 17s. 6d. to 17s. 9d., western valleys 17s. to
17s. 3d., and the best of the eastern valleys 16s. 6d. per ton,
in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. The statement made in this
column several weeks ago that a portion of the Egyptian
State Railways contract would in all probability be placed
in the North of England has been confirmed. The total
requirements asked for amounted to 260,000 metric tons,
and alternative tenders were asked for both Monmouthshire
and North-country coals. This was quite a new departure
and was considered to be attributable to the high prices
at present ruling for South Wales coals. From advices
which were received on the Cardiff market on Tuesday,
it would appear that offers of North-country firms have
been accepted for about 100,000 tons of Northumber-
land, Durham or Yorkshire coals, and that the balance
of 160,000 metric tons has been secured by Cardiff
shippers. Although the actual prices have not been
divulged, it is reported that the North-country coal
has been sold at between 13s. and 13s. 6d. f.o.b., whilst the
Cardiff prices are stated to be on the basis of about 16s. 6d.
per ton, which is a few pence higher than the amount con-
tracted for in the autumn. The local firms who are reported
to have secured the Welsh contracts are Messrs. Moxey,
Savon and Co., Messrs. Tabb and Burletson, Messrs. Thomas
and Stephens, and Messrs. H. C. Vivian and Co. The small
coal market has been rather irregular, and at the time of
writing prices were fractionally lower than they were a
week ago. Best bunkers were offered at Ils. to Ils. 3d.,
but buyers were not disposed to exceed the former figure.
Ordinary qualities ranged from 10s. 6d. to 10s. 9d., and
cargo sorts from 8s. 9d. to 9s., although it was stated that
several transactions had been completed as low as 8s. 6d.
In Rhondda bituminous coals there was little change, but,
if, anything, No. 3 large exhibited a slightly higher ten-
dency. Through qualities were steady at 14s. 9d. to 15s.,
and smalls were a trifle easier at 12s. to 12s. 6d. No. 2
qualities were without appreciable alteration. The Cardiff
Journal of Commerce publishes a table compiled from the
Custom House returns showing the average declared price
per ton of coal exported from the chief Bristol Channel
ports during the month of January, from which we extract
the following particulars :—

	Cardiff. Newport.				Port Talbot.		Swansea.	
	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
Large steam		... 17	7 .	.. 16	3 ..	. 17	3 .	... 16	2
Through-and-through 13		3 .	.. 14	3 ..	. 11	10	... 11	4
Small 		... 9	5 .	.. 11	1 ..	. 8	5	... 10	2
Large anthracite ...	...26	8 .	.. 28	3 ..	. 18	2 .	... 18	8
Household		... 13	0 .		—	. 15	0		

In January 1913 the figures were as follow:—

Cardiff. Newport. ip^lbot Swansea.

Feiwt

LydEiey.

SOIL.

Only a moderate demand can be reported for this district's
house coal. Orders are scarce for nearly all qualities and
the collieries are running irregularly—four to five days in
the week. The mild character of the weather is responsible
to some extent for this state of affairs. The steam coal pits
are fairly busy, but outputs generally are less. Prices are
firm.

Prices at pithead.

	Current	L’st week's	Last year’s
House coals:—	prices.	prices.	prices.
Block 		17/6	17/6	16/6
Forest		16/6	16/6	15/6
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.

Steam coals :—

Best Black Vein large...
Western-valleys, ordin'y
Best Eastern-valleys ...
Secondary do.

Best small coals .....

Secondary do..........

Inferior do...........

Screenings............

Through coals ........

Best washed nuts......

Other sorts:—

Best house coal .........

Secondary do..........

Patent fuel ..........

Furnace coke .........

Foundry coke .........

Current
prices.
17/ -17/3
16/3-16/6
15/9-16/
15/3-15/6
8/ - 8/3
7/6- 7/9
7/ - 7/3
8/3
12/9-13/
13/6-13/9

18/ -19/
17/ -18/
19/9-20/
20/ -20/6
23/ -25/

L’st week’s
prices.

17/ -17/6
16/6-16/9
16/ -16/3
15/6-15/9
8/ - 8/6
7/6- 8/
7/3- 7/6
8/3- 8/6
12/9-13/
13/6-13/9

Last year’s
prices.
17/6-17/9
17/ —17/3
16/ -16/6
15/9-16/3
14/3-14/9
13/6-13/9
12/9-13/
14/6-14/9
15/3-15/9
14/3-14/6

s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d.

Large steam......... 16	8	...	15	4	...	16	1	...	17	1

Through-and-through 14	7	...	14	O	...	11	3	...	10	9

Small.............. 10	6	...11	3...	9	9...	9	3

Large anthracite... 27	11	...	—	...	18	2	...	17	11

Household............. —	... —	... 15 4 ... 14 1

18/ -19/
17/ -18/
19/9-20/
20/ -20/6
23/ -25/

18/6-19/ .
17/6-18/6
22/ -23/
28/ -28/6
29/ -32/

IRON.

There are few fresh features to report in the local condi-
tion of the iron and steel trades. Hardly the average
amount of new business is passing, while enquiry is not
coming along as might be wished. Generally speaking,
prices are about up to the level of the past few weeks, and
there are very few instances of any serious fluctuation.
Bar mills are fully engaged with current orders, with
outputs normal and values steady. Imports for the past
week exceed 11,000 tons, with Continental quotations

Information was received on 'Change on Monday that a
portion of the Belgian State Railways contract had been
given out, and that orders for 41,600 tons had been
secured by Cardiff, firms. It will be remembered that
invitations were issued for 187,000 tons of bituminous
small coals for delivery at Antwerp or Ghent during
April, May and June. It is understood that the
tenders accepted were those of Messrs. H. C. Vivian and
Co. of 5,200 tons at 14*99 fr. and 10,400 tons at 15'59 fr.,
Messrs. Pyman, Watson and Co. 20,800, at 15*58 fr., and
Messrs. Tabb and Burletson, 5,200 tons at 15*75 fr.
Altogether seven tenders were sent in,. the prices ranging
from 14*99 fr. to 16T0 fr. The coke market is still in a
depressed condition, and very little new business is obtain-
able. Quotations are purely nominal, and in some instances
very substantial concessions are made in order to secure
business. Special foundry is still quoted at 27s. to 28s.,
ordinary at 22s. to 25s. and furnace coke at 19s. to 20s.
Shipments of patent fuel during the week have been
exceptionally heavy, amounting to no less than 45,184 tons,
which is the highest total reached for many months. Of
this quantity the Crown Company despatched 16,949 tons,
other local makers 10,750 tons, Swansea 16,055 tons and
Newport 1,430 tons. The total shipments from the four
chief Bristol channel ports during the month of February