March 27, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 687 Delays have already occurred and heavy demurrage charges are being paid. Shipments during the week were rather better than in the preceding six days, and amounted to 394,857 tons, compared with 400,747 tons in the corresponding week of last year, or a decrease of 5,890 tons. At Newport there was an increase of 40,269 tons, and at Port Talbot an increase of 13,103 tons, but at Swansea there was a decline of 14.160 tons. Chartering has been on a fairly satisfactory basis, and the amount of tonnage reported as having been engaged represented a total of 354,200 tons, or 15,970 tons more than in the preceding week. For current business, 18s. has been readily accepted by collieries for best Admiral- ties, and in some cases where difficulty was experienced in keeping the pits working, even this figure has been shaded. For April shipment salesmen are quoting 18s. 3d. to 18s. 6d., and the opinion prevails that the present depression of the market is only of a temporary character, due to extraordinary circumstances. That this view is shared to some extent by middlemen and outside buyers is shown by the fact that considerable business has been offered at the low rate ruling, but collieries are not disposed to accept these figures. It is believed that as the season advances prices will have a tendency to harden, and that when the contracting period arrives in October and Novem- ber quotations will be materially higher than at present, owing to the uncertainty of the labour position in the spring of next year, and the necessity of obtaining increased supplies to cover emergencies. Another matter which has exercised a prejudicial influence on the Cardiff market is the recent lock-out at Genoa, to which such large quantities of Cardiff coal are shipped. With reference to the contracting business, there are several large orders in the market. The Swedish Government invite tenders for 30,000 tons fcr delivery between April and July, and it is considered that they will take best Admiralty coal. The French Government are also buyers of 110,000 tons, to be delivered between the middle of April and the end of the year, for the French Navy. The coals specified are Cambrian Navigation, and/or Coryns Merthyr, Ferndale, Hill's Plymouth, Hood's Merthyr, Insole's Merthyr, Nixon's Navigation, United National, Ocean Merthyr, and Penrikyber. Tenders have to be in by the 30th inst. and will probably be considered in Cardiff by a commission appointed by the French Government to purchase coals for the Navy. It is currently reported that the White Star, Dominion and American contract has been placed with the Lewis Merthyr Colliery Company, but, as usual, the figure has not been disclosed. Nothing is yet known with regard to the Royal Mail contract beyond the fact that the quotations of several firms have been declined. As previously indicated, current quotations of best Admiralties are principally on the basis of 18s., although for April shipment 18s. 3d. to 18s. 6d. is being asked. Superior seconds are 17s. 9d. and ordinary qualities 17s. 6d., although even lower than this figure has been accepted. In sympathy with best steams, Monmouthshire coals have also been irregular and quotations very wide, according to circumstances. Black Veins do not command more than 17s., westem-valleys 16s. 6d., and the best eastern qualities 16s. to 16s. 3d. Nuts are a little cheaper, 16s. now being accepted for best and Is. less for secondary grades. The small coal market is firmer, best bunkerings being sold at Ils., ordinaries at 10s. 6d. to 10s. 9d., and cargo sorts from 8s. 3d. to 8s. 6d. In bituminous coals, there is no change to report in No. 3 qualities, but No. 2 varieties are slightly lower, and do not fetch more than 14s. to 14s. 3d. The coke market is practically unchanged. There is very little free coke cffering, and this probably accounts for the fact that quotations for prompt shipment remain nominally unaltered. Exports of patent fuel last week reached a total of 38,317 tons, of which the Crown Company despatched 14,982 tons, Newport 2,950 tons and Swansea 20,385 tons. It is reported that the Bone Guelma contract has been secured by the Anchor Fuel Company, but the details have not been divulged. Current quotations over the whole year are 21s. for best brands, with second grades in proportion. Owing to the difficulty of obtaining empty wagons, pitwood is still weak and does not command more than 19s. 6d. to 20s. per ton. The following table shows the total amount of coal shipped from the chief Bristol Channel ports to the principal foreign countries of the world and British possessions during the first two months of the year, and also the increase or decrease as compared with the corresponding period of last year :— Russia 1914. Tons. 14,046 . Increase. Tons. Decrease. Tons. 13,598 Sweden 32,470 . — 23,325 Norway 17,484 . .. — 3,495 Denmark 3,120 . — . . 3,988 Germany 28,743 . — 4,451 Netherlands 13,091 . — 16,092 Java Other Dutch posses- — — 6,466 sions in Indian Seas 10,425 . 4,989 ... — Belgium 60,912 . — 7,835 France 1,394,771 . .. 189,537 ... — Algeria 128,772 . — 19,112 French Somaliland... 15,851 . .. 4,358 ... — Portugal 127,883 . — 22,940 Azores 2,546 . — 4,426 Madeira 14 747 . — 14,159 Spain 224,251 . — 4,386 Canary Islands 98,808 . .. — 46,719 Italy 1,020,242 . .. 171,285 ... — Austria-Hungary ... 33,464 . .. — 55,766 Greece 71,723 . .. 18,213 ... — Bulgaria 11,519 . .. 11,519 ... — Turkey (European) 31,777 . .. 17,322 ... — „ (Asiatic)... 16,713 . 5,458 ... — Egypt 347,241 . 3,782 ... — Tunis China (exclusive of Hong Kong, Macao, and leased 22,459 . 4,064 ... territories) 4,935 . .. — 830 Mexico 588 . — 7,316 Peru 10,541 . 7,952 ... — -1 Chile 46,823 . — 37,145 Brazil 234,262 . — 12,678 Uruguay 102 992 . — 9,966 Argentine Republic 585,470 . .. 29,125 ... — Channel Islands 8 414 . 531 ... — ■ Gibraltar 36.575 . 3,466 ... — Malta and Gozo 62,393 . .. — 69,738 1913. Tons. Increase. Tons. Decrease. Tons. Cape of Good Hope Anglo- Egyptian 12,451 . 7,129 .. . — Sudan Mauritius and De- 12,933 . .. 12.933 .. — pendencies Aden and Dependen- 2,063 . .. — . 4,435 cies 23,560 . .. — . 4,076 British India Straits Settlements and Dependencies 18,616 . • • — . 4,958 (including Labuan) Ceylon and Depen- 1,066 . — . 5,165 dencies 64,745 . .. 26,691 .. — Wei-hai-Wei — — . 5,807 Hong Kong 1,997 — . 11,892 West Africa: British 26,820 . .. 11,529 7. — „ French 22,798 . — . 4,986 „ Portuguese 31,278 . IRON. — . 28,489 From the manufacturers standpoint the position of the tinplate trade is again considered unsatisfactory, and prices are being shaded by some firms who are short of orders, and who desire to reduce their accumulated stocks. Shipments last week were not so heavy as in the previous week, and only amounted to 152,044 boxes, whilst receipts from works totalled 124,596 boxes, leaving in stock in the dock ware- houses and vans 354,863 boxes, compai ed with 517,391 boxes in the corresponding week of last year. Nominally the quotation for Bessemer standard cokes is 13s. to 13s. 3d., but it is reported that business has been done at even a fraction lower than this figure. Oil sizes are 13s. 4|d. to 13s. 6d. and 19s. respectively. New specifications are coming in slowly, and with the heavy stocks on hand buyers are firm in their demands for concessions. Extensive additions are being made at the works of Messrs. Richard Thomas and Co., by which their output will be largely increased. Two new furnaces are also about to be built at the Port Talbot Steel- works. The galvanised sheet trade continues in a depressed condition, and inland makers are complaining of the competition of works on the seaboard. For 24 gauge corrugateds some makers are firmly quoting £11 5s., but it is stated that other manufacturers who are more favourably situated are offering at .£11. Some of the coast firms are agitating for a compulsory minimum selling price, but so far as can be seen at present there is no likelihood of sufficient unanimity to assure the success of the proposal. Notwithstanding heavy imports of foreign steel last week, amounting to over 17,000 tons, the association price for Welsh tin bars is firmly adhered to, and the quotation is without alteration. Pig iron is slightly easier at 64s. 6d. f.o.t. The steel rail industry is quiet, and there is a dearth of new business. Iron ore is weak, and there is little doing in scrap metals, which are practically unchanged. Swansea. SOIL. Dulness characterised the trade of the port during the past week, due to the falling off in the demand for coal and patent fuel and the bad weather that prevailed. The ship- ments of cosl and patent fuel were 76,749 tons. There was a good attendance on 'Change, but the condition of the anthracite coal market has not undergone any material change, the quiet tone of the last few weeks being still in evidence. Swansea Valley large was easy, with supplies plentiful, whilst Red Vein large also met with a very poor demand, and prices were again slightly reduced. Machine- made nuts and cobbles displayed no appreciable movement. Rubbly culm was in good demand, and values were much higher. Duff was steady. In the steam coal market there was still an easy tone, whilst the demand for most classes was quiet. Prices of coal f.o.b. Swansea (cash in 30 days). Current L'st week's Last year’s Anthracite:— prices. prices. prices. Best malting large (hand picked) (net) 21/6-24/ 21/6-24/ 22/6-24/6 Secondary do. 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 20/ -21/ Big Vein large (less 2| per cent.) 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 16/6-18/3 Rad Vein large do. ... 14/6-15/6 15/ —15/9 14/3-14/9 Machine - made cobbles (net) 22/ -24/6 22/ -24/6 22/ -23/9 Paris nuts (net) 23/ —24/6 23/6-25/ 23/6-26/ French do. do 23/ -24/6 23/6-25/ 23/6-25/6 German do. do 23/ -24/6 23/6-25/ 23/6-25/6 Beans (net) 16/ -17/6 16/ -17/6 18/3-21/6 Machine - made large peas (net) 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ 11 3-13/ Do. fine peas (net) — — Rubbly culm (less 2| p.c.) 6/6- 7/ 6/ - 6/6 8/6- 9/ Duff (net) 4/ - 4/6 4/ - 4/6 5/6- 6/ Steam coals:— Best large (less 2| p.c.) 18/6-19/ 18/6-19/ 19/ -20/ Seconds do. 14/9-15/9 14/9-15/9 16/3-17/ Bunkers do. 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/6 16/ -17/ Small do. 7/ - 8/3 7/ - 8/3 13/ -15/6 Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large (less 2|p.c.) ... 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ Through-and-through (less 2| p.c.) 14/ -15/9 14/ -15/9 16/ -17/ Small (less 2| p.c.) ... 10/3-11/3 10/3-11/3 14/9-16/ Patent fuel do 17/ -17/6 17/3-17/9 20/ -20/6 IRON. The condition of the iron and steel trades last week was satisfactory on the whole. The yield of pig iron at the blastfurnaces was good, and there was a heavy production of steel ingots at every steelworks, all the works being amply supplied with bars. In the tin-plate trade, condi- tions while fairly satisfactory as regards production, were affected by the high cost of raw materials. All the works were engaged full time. The galvanised sheet trade showed considerable improvement on the position of a few months ago. The shipments of tin plates last week were 152,044 boxes, receipts from works 124,596 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and vans 354,063 boxes. Llanelly. ML The coal trade of the district is again unsatisfactory and orders received are not now sufficient to take the demand with the result that collieries are often idle. Stocks are very heavy and empty wagons are scarce. There is every appearance of the market settling down to a slump, which will probably last over the next few months. Prices have not been so weak for a long time and collieries are accepting figures little thought of some time back. The most difficult market is anthracite and orders are getting more difficult to obtain. There has been a falling off from the Continent and it looks as though stocks are still heavy. Inland enquiries are also scarce and no amount of circularising seems to do any good. The only qualities with any firmness are culm and duff. Steam and bituminous qualities are about the same as last week. Steams are weak, but there is a good demand for bituminous smalls. Prices this week are:— Prices f.o.b. Anthracite:— Best malting large .. Secondary do......... Big Vein large....... Red Vein do.......... Machine-made cobble > 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. 21/6-22/6 19/ -21/ 16/ -17/ 14/6-15/6 19/ -21/ 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ 15/ -20/ 12/ -13/ 6/ - 6/6 4/ - 6/ 16/ -17/ 11/ -11/6 9/ -10/ 11/ -11/6 L'st week's- prices. 21/ -23/ 19/ -20/ 16/ -18/ 14/6-15/6 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ 17/ -21/ 12/ -13/ 5/9- 6/3 4/ - 5/9 Last year's prices. 22/ -23/ 20/ -21/ 17/6-19/6 14/ -15/ 20/ -21/ 22/ -24/6 22/ -24/6 23/ -25/ 19/ -21/ 12/ -12/6 8/ - 8/6 5/ ~ 6/ 16/ -17/ 11/ -11/6 9/ -10/ 11/ -11/6 18/ -18/6 14/6-15/6 13/ -14/6 12/6-13/ L« INTELLIGENCE. SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE. COURT OF APPEAL.—March 18. Before Lord Sumner, Lord Justice Kennedy, and Mr. Justice Lawrence. The Responsibility of Masters. Pilling v. South Kirkby, Featherstone and Hemsworth Colliery Company.—The defendants in the case of Pilling v. South Kirkby, Featherstone, and Hemsworth Collieries Company appealed from a judgment of a King's Bench Divisional Court reversing the decision of the county court judge of Pontefract. Pilling had been employed by the defendants for some years, but on July 4 there was no work in his own stall and he became a “ market man." He worked for a day with a man named Jones, and, according to custom, Jones drew the money for both of them, but absconded without paying the portion owing to the plaintiffs. The defendants denied all responsibility, saying that Jones was the agent of the plain- tiff, and that if he had any remedy it was against Jones. It was stated that the matter was an important one, and was really a fight between the plaintiff's union and the masters' association. On appeal to the Divisional Court, Justices Channell and Coleridge reversed the county court judge's decision and entered judgment for the plaintiff for 7s. 6d., with costs. The appeal was dismissed. Judge Benson, in the county court, held that the system of payment obtaining in the mine became an implied term of the plaintiff's contract; that that constituted Jones impliedly plaintiff's agent to collect the money for the particular shift in question, and that the defendants having paid Jones had discharged their obligations to the plaintiff. Lord Sumner said he was dealing with the case only on the evidence that Pilling was a market man and not a man regularly employed in the sett. The case came to little more than this, that Pilling was suing for 7s. 6d. for work done for the defendants, and to that amount he was entitled. He declined to assume that such cases as Jones's were fre- quent ; and it was manifest that if such a case did occur this same question would be litigated, with perhaps a very much fuller selection of evidence. Lord Justice Kennedy and Mr. Justice Lawrence con- curred. INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—March 19. Workmen’s Inspectors’ Reports. Mr. Wing asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he was aware that at an inquest on the body of Thomas Nain, aged 25, a putter employed at the Rush Pit, Ether ley, Bishop Auckland, Mr. Charlton, Home Office inspector, intimated that local inspectors inspecting mines following a fatal accident were not under any obligation to present a report thereon; that an impression prevails that a report should be presented with recommendations, if any, miners being of opinion that a coroner's court is too limited in its scope, ascertaining cause of death only, being powerless to enforce any remedy; and if he would issue instructions that full reports in future be presented under such circumstances ? Mr. McKenna : Section 16 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, requires that the representatives appointed by the workmen under the section shall, after completing one of their ordinary inspections of the mine, forthwith make and sign a full and accurate report of the result of the inspection in the book kept at the mine for the purpose, but it is expressly provided in the section that this obligation shall not apply in the case of a special inspection made for the purpose of ascertaining the cause of an accident. I understand that there has been some misapprehension on the point among the Durham miners, but that the miners' representatives in the county have now taken steps to explain to their members that reports are not required in the case of inspections after accidents, and that this is in accordance with the wishes of the miners. The matter is not one in which I have any power to give instructions.