1020 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. May 8, 1914. obtained. There are no signs of improvement in the tin- plate trade. At present consumers seem to be holding off the market, and little business is being done. The following may be taken as latest approximate quotations :—Steel rails : Heavy sections, T6 10s. to £6 15s.; light sections, £6 15s. to £7. Welsh tin-plate bars : Bessemer steel, £4 10s. to £4 11s. 3d.; Siemens steel, £4 Ils. 3d. Tin- plates : Bessemer primes, 20 by 14, 12s. 10Jd.; Siemens do. do., 13s. Finished black plate, T9 10s. ton. Pig iron : Welsh hematite, 66s. to 67s. delivered locally. Cardiff. COAL. The coal trade still continues in a very quiet condition, which doubtless has been accentuated by the stoppage on the day taken by the miners for their annual demonstration. At times like the present, when work is plentiful on all sides, wages are at their maximum, and money abundant; there is a slackness on the part of the miners, which is not so apparent when the trade is less prosperous. At the time of writing there was a considerable pressure for prompt coal, which, so far as the best qualities are concerned, is very difficult to get direct from the collieries, as most of them are fully sold, and are in a position to demand and obtain very high prices. It is reported that several tran- sactions for large quantities have been carried through at 20s. for the very best coal, for shipment during May. For June the same figure is firmly quoted. There is no ques- tion that the best coals are anything but easy to obtain, and stocks on all sides are at a low level, as with prices any- where in the neighbourhood of 19s. to 20s., buyers are reluc- tant to lay in supplies, and are therefore living from hand to mouth. For some time past there has been very little chartering to Italian ports, and particularly to Genoa, and a large demand is expected from this quarter in the near future, as Italian consumers take very extensive quantities of Welsh coal, particularly of the best descriptions. A Turkish railway order for about 12,000 tons for delivery between July and September is now in the market, and wfill no doubt be placed for Welsh coal, as has been done in previous years. , There is also an enquiry for a cargo for Kobe (Japan), which is believed to be intended for the Japanese Government, and quotations are also being invited for several cargoes for Bombay. The demand from South America continues greater than ever, and much diffi- culty is being experienced in obtaining the class of coal which is usually supplied to the depots in this market. Ship- ments last week were again of a disappointing character, and with the exception of Port Talbot there was a decrease all round. From Cardiff the quantity amounted to 320,222 tons, or 79,495 tons below last year; from Newport, 81,972 tons, or 32,660 tons less; and from Swansea, 59,955 tons, or a decrease of 8,827 tons. From Port Talbot there were shipped 48,818 tons, or an increase of 4,265 tons. Charter- ing, too, has been on a much smaller scale, the total amount of tonnage reported to have been taken up being 277,650 tons, compared with 420,770 tons in the previous six days, or a decrease of 143,120 tons. According to present pros- pects it is not likely that the volume of trade will be much in excess of last year, even if the figures of 1913 are reached. The following table shows the quantity of coal exported from the chief Bristol Channel ports to the principal foreign countries and British possessions during the month of March, as compared with March 1913 :— I first quarter, 1914. Tons. Increase. Tons. Decrease. Tons. Russia 25,980 ... ' .. 10,559 Sweden 34,799 ... 34,078 ... . 38,449 Norway 6,165 Denmark 7,709 ... — . 1,350 Germany 42,093 ... — . 13,723 Netherlands 20,958 ... — . 17,202 Java Other Dutch posses- 6,251 ... — 215 sions in Indian Seas 10,425 ... 4,989 .. — Belgium 98,559 ... — . 50,426 France 2,054,396 ... 286,326 — Algeria 185,588 ... — . 34,114 French Somaliland... 21,521 ... — 662 Reunion (Bourbon) 5,498 ... 688 — Portugal 211,453 ... 1,385 .. — Azores 9,950 ... — 190 Madeira 22,342 ... — . 11,302 Spain 362,609 ... 28,196 — Canary Islands 149,895 ... — . 49,881 Italy 1,399,575 ... 25,870 ” — Austria-Hungary ... 49,028 ... — . 91,481 Greece 91,804 ... 24,564 .. — Bulgaria 20,878 ... 20,878 .. — Roumania 31,877 ... 26,763 .. — Turkey (European) 56,577 ... 42,122 .. — „ (Asiatic)... 36,480 ... 21,265 .. — Egypt 538,050 ... 89,589 .. — Tunis China (exclusive of 29,090 ... — 9,416 Hong Kong, Macao, and leased territories) 4,935 ... — 830 Peru 13,380 ... 10,791 .. — Chile • 81,218 ... — . 41,527 Brazil 325,935 ... — . 103,015 Uruguay 159,357 ... 12,922 .. — Argentine Republic 866,471 ... 67,674 ... — Channel Islands 16 623 ... 4,809 .. — Gibraltar 69,420 ... 4,120 .. — Malta and Gozo 119,378 ... — . 94,485 Cape of Good Hope Anglo - Egyptian 14,594 ... 6,923 .. . — Sudan Mauritius and De- 12,933 ... 12933 .. . — pendencies Aden and Dependen- 2,564 ... — . 5,297 cies 52,651 ... 20,037 .. — British India Straits Settlements 30,830 ... — . 6,115 and Dependencies Ceylon and Depen- 11,007 ... 4,405... — dencies 80,710 ... 25,942 .. — Wei-hai-Wei — — ’ 5,807 Hong Kong 1,997 ... — . 18,552 West Africa (British) 35,493 ... 6,498 .. — „ (French) 33,124 ... — . 9,494 „ (Portuguese) 45,006 ... — . 32,520 IRON. The reduction is the price of tin has enabled tinplate makers to make concessions, and a rather better enquiry has resulted, but the market is still in a depressed condition, and. production is in excess of the output. Shipments last week were heavy, amounting to 171,904 boxes, as against 166,173 boxes received from works, but stocks remain at 325,770 boxes, compared with 331,501 boxes the previous week, and 503,588 boxes at the corresponding date of last year. Busi- ness is reported to have been done as low as 12s. 7Jd. for Bessemer standard cokes, but the market quotation remains at 12s. 9d. to 13s. The latter price, however, is out of the question, and many makers in want of specifications would gladly accept 12s. 9d. There is a feeling that many orders are being kept off the market until a more settled state of affairs prevails, and manufacturers are unwilling to modify their quotations below present figures. For oil sizes, 18f by 14 sheets, merchants are offering freely at 12s. lOJd., but makers’ ideas are 13s. l^d. to 13s. 3d. For 20 by 10 sizes 18s. 6d. is demanded, but difficult to obtain. The galvanised sheet trade is quiet, and although the quotation remains at Til to Til 5s. for 24 gauge corrugateds, it is reported that some manufacturers have accepted as low as T10 17s. 6d., in order to keep the works employed. The steel trade is going from bad to worse, and very few new orders are about. For tin bars T4 Ils. 3d. and T4 10s. are quoted for Siemens and Bessemer qualities respectively, but firms outside the association are accepting several shillings less. Welsh pig iron is 64s. f.o.t. In iron ore the market is very weak, best Bubio not commanding more than 17s. to 17s. 3d., seconds 15s. 9d. to 16s. 6d., and Almeria 16s. 6d. Scrap metals are unchanged, and very little business doing. Llanelly. COAL. There was some improvement in the trade of the port during the past week; the coal trade w'as better, but the exports of patent fuel were lower. The shipments of coal and patent fuel were 108,138 tons. A very good attendance assembled on change this morning, and steady conditions were in evidence on the anthracite coal market. Swansea Valley large met with good demand, and values moved in an upward direction. Bed Vein large, however, was unaltered, the enquiries for this commodity being very poor. Machine-made nuts and cobbles moved off slowly, but both rubbly, culm and duff were steady at previous figures. There was no alteration in the steam coal market, most classes continued quiet. Prices of coal f.o.b. Swansea (cash in 30 days). Mar. 1914. Mar. 1913. Tons. Tons. Russia 11,934 8,895 Sweden 2,329 17,453 Norway 16,594 6,934 Germany 13,350 22,622 Netherlands 7,867 8,977 Java 6,251 — Belgium 37,647 70,238 France 659,625 562,836 Algeria 56,816 71,818 French Somaliland 5,670 10,690 Beunion (Bourbon) 5,498 4,810 Portugal . 83,570 59,245 Azores 7,404 3,168 Madeira 7,595 4,738 Spain 138,358 105,776 Canary Islands 51,087 54,249 Italy 379,333 524,748 Austria-Hungary 15,564 51,279 Greece 20,081 13,730 Bulgaria 9,359 — Roumania 28,784 2,065 Turkey (European) 24,800 — „ (Asiatic) 19,767 3 960 Egypt 190,809 105,002 Tunis 6,631 20,111 Chili 34,395 38,777 Brazil 91,673 182,010 Uruguay 56,365 33,477 Argentine Republic 281,001 242,452 Channel Islands 8,209 3.931 Gibraltar 32,845 32,191 Malta and Gozo 56,985 81,732 Aden and Dependencies 29,091 4,978 British India 12,214 13,371 Straits Settlements and Dependencies (including Labuan) 9,941 371 Ceylon and Dependencies... 15,965 16,714 Hong Kong — 6,660 West Africa (British 8,673 13,854 (French) 10,326 14,834 „ (Portuguese) 13,728 16,759 With regaid to current prices, as above indicated, 19s. 6d. and 19s. 9d. is being freely paid, and some collieries are obtaining 20s. Seconds are 19s. 3d., and ordinaries, which are relatively weaker than other qualities, command from 17s. lO^d. to 18s. The strike at Ebbw Vale has had a firm- ing effect on Monmouthshire coals, which are scarce, and there is no difficulty is obtaining 18s. for Black Veins, 17s. 6d. to 17s. 9d. for Western Valleys, and 17s. for the best of the Easterns, in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. Bhondda bituminous coals are steady, but quotations are practically unaltered, No. 3 large being 17s. 6d. to 18s., through 15s., and small about 12s. 3d. to 12s. 6d. In No. 2 qualities large is quoted at 14s., through at Ils., and small at 8s. 9d. to 9s. The coke market has been a trifle irregular, and con- cessions have been made to meet special requirements. Nominally prices for special foundry are 28s. to 29s., foundry 23s. to 25s., and furnace 18s. to 19s. per ton. Ship- ments of patent fuel last week amounted to 37,028 tons, of which the Crown Company despatched 18,163 tons, other local makers 2,210 tons, Swansea 11,605 tons, and Newport 5,050 tons. Best grades are still quoted at 21s. and seconds at 19s. to 20s. Pitwood is 19s. to 19s. 6d. per ton. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Anthracite:— prices. prices. prices. Best malting large (hand picked) (net)... 21/6-23/ 21/6-23/ 22/ -24/ Secondary do. 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 19/ -20/ Big Vein large (less 24 per cent.) 15/ -16/3 14/6-15/6 T6/- 18/ Red Vein large do. ... 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ 13/9-14/6 Machine-made cobbles (net) 21/6-23/6 22/ -24/6 22/ -23/6 Paris nuts (net) 22/6-24/ 23/ -24/6 23/ -24/ French do. do 22/6-24/ 23/ -24/6 23/ -24/ German do. do 22/6 -24/ 23/ -24/6 23/ -24/ Beans (net) 16/ -17/6 16/ -17/6 16/6-19/6 Machine - made large peas (net) 11/ “I2/ 11/ -12/ 11/3—13/ Do. fine peas (net) — Rubbly culm (less 2|p.c.) 5/9- 6/3 6/ - 6/6 9/3- 9/6 Duff (net) 4/6- 4/9 4/6- 4/9 6/ - 6/6 Steam coals:— Best large (less 24 p.c.) 18/6-19/ 18/6-19/ 19/6-21/ Seconds do. 14/9-15/9 14/9-15/9 16/3-17/ Bunkers do. 11/ -12/6 11/3-12/6 15/6-16/ Small do. 7/3- 8/6 7/3- 8/6 13/6-15/6 Bituminous coals :— No. 3 Rhondda— Large (less 2| p.c.) ... 18/ -18/6 18/ -18/6 19/ -20/ Through-and-through (less 2| p.c.) 14/ -15/6 14/ -15/6 16/6-17/6 Small (less 24 p.c.) ... 10/3-11/3 10/3-11/3 14/9-16/ Patent fuel do 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 21/ -22/6 According to the Custom House returns for the first three months of the year, the total exports amounted to 7,574,634, compared with 7,442,958 tons in the corresponding period of 1913, or an increase of only 132,676 tons. The official figures for April are not yet available, but it is known that they do not compare favourably with those of last year. Outputs are not on the same scale, and owing to a variety of circumstances there is no likelihood of any material improvement in the near future. According to the Custom House returns for the three months ending March the ship- ments of coal from the principal Bristol Channel ports to British Possessions and the chief foreign countries of the world show decreases in no less than 24 cases. The largest increase is to France, which has already taken over two million tons during the present year, or 286,326 tons more than in the corresponding period of 1913. The following table shows the increases or decreases, as the case may be, in detail :— Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam coals Current prices. 19/6 —20/ 19/3 17/104-18/ 11/ 10/9 8/9- 9/3 7/ - 8/ 17/ -18/ 15/6-16/6 16/ 15 14/ 12/9-13/ 11/6-11/9 18/ 17/6-17/9 17/ 15/6-16/ 20/ 17/6-19/6 17/6 -18/ 15/ 12/3-12/6 14/ 11/- 8/9 -9/ 21/ 19/ -20/ 28/ -29/ 23/ -25/ 18/ -19/ 19/ -19/6 L’st week’s prices. 19/ -19/6 18/6-18/9 17/6-17/9 11/ -11/6 11/ 8/9- 8/3 7/ - 8/ 17/ - 18/ 15/6-16/ 16/ 15 14/3 13/3 11/9-12/ 17/6 17/ 16/9 15/3-15/6 20/ 17/6-19/6 17/6 15/ 12/3-12/6 13/9-14/ 11/6-11/9 8/9 -9/ 21/ 19/ -20/ 28/ -29/ 22/ -25/ 19/ 19/6-20/ Last year’s prices. 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 20/ -20/6 15/ 14/6 13/9-14/3 13/ -13/6 20/6-21/ 19/6-20/ 17/6 16/6 16/ 15/ 15/3-15/6 20/3 19/9 19/3 18/3 19/6 17/6 19/ 18 16/6 17/ 16 14/ 26/ 24/6-25/ 32/ 29/ -30/ 25/ -26/ 20/ Superior seconds Ordinary do Best bunker smalls Best ordinaries Cargo qualities Inferior smalls Best dry coals Ordinary drys Best washed nuts Seconds Best washed peas Seconds Dock screenings Monmouthshire— Black Veins Western-valleys Eastern-valleys Inferior do Bituminous coals Best house coals (at pit) Second qualities (at pit) No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large Through-and-through Small No. 2 Rhondda— Large Through-and-through Small Best patent fuel Seconds Special foundry coke Ordinary do. Furnace coke Pitwood (ex-ship) IRON. Last week the tin-plate trade showed no signs of improve- ment, the demand being uncertain, and prices low. At several of the works the output was considerably lower owing to furnaces undergoing renovations. The steel works, on the whole, were fairly busy, and at the iron foundries overtime was resorted to. The engineering shops had ample work on hand. Previous outputs were maintained at the Mannesmann Tube Works. The shipments of the tin-plates last w’eek were 171,904 boxes, receipts from works 166,173 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and vans 325,770 boxes. Swansea. COAL. The slump which has held the market for the past few months still continues, and most quality coals are hard to place. For several kinds, orders have fallen away badly, and even at low’ figures collieries find it difficult to have stocks cleared. After the warm weather we have recently experienced, it was expected that several of the anthracite kinds would suffer, but not to the extent they have. No quantity of circulars seem to bring anything like the enquiries usually got. Unfortunately there is no reason to expect any improvement for a while. In the meantime pits are having occasional play days. The dulness seems, to have affected the bituminous, gas and steam coals, whilst household qualities have been very quiet. Shipping is also easier than it has been. Prices this week are :— ■* Current Anthracite:— prices. Best malting large 20/ -22/ Secondary do. 19/ -21/ Big Vein large 15/6—16/6 Red Vein do 13/ -13/6 Machine-made cobbles... 19/ -21 German nuts 21/ -22 French do 21/ -22/ Paris do 21/ -22/ Machine-made beans ... 16/ -20/ Do. peas 11/6-12/6 Culm 6/ - 6/6 Duff 4/6- 6/ Other sorts:— Large steam coal 16/ -17/ Through-and-through... L C 11/6-12 Small 9/ -10/ Bituminous small coal... 11/ -11/6 L’st week’s prices. 20/ -21/6 18/ -20/ 15/6-17/ 13/ -13/6 19/6-20/ 19/ -21/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 16/ -20/ 11/6-12/6 6/ - 6/6 5/ - 6/6 16/ -17/ 11/6-12/ 9/ -10/ 11/ -11/6 Last year’s prices. 22/ -13/ 23/ -21/ 17/ -18/ 13/6-14/ 18/6-20/ 22/ -24/6 22/ -24/6 22/ -24/6 19/ -21/ 11/3-13/ 9/ - 9/6 6/ - 6/6 18/ -18/6 15/ -16/ 10/6-11/6 13/6-14/6