June 5, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1245 THE COAL AMD IRON TRADES. Thursday, June 4. Scotland.—Western District. COAL. The only encouraging feature of the west of Scotland coal trade is the firm position of splint coal, and collieries are well placed for orders in this class. Ell coals are weakening, and in some cases steamers are under the crane before the coals are booked. Best qualities are down to about Ils. to Ils. 3d. at Glasgow, with second qualities 9d. to Is. per ton less. Navigation coals are fairly well sup- ported, and prices continue firm. Business in steams has not improved, and cutting the price does not appear to have had any effect on business so far. In smalls, trebles continue to weaken, but other sizes, though plentiful, are still on the same level as last week. The shipments from the district amounted during the week to 99,ISO tons, compared with 123,458 in the preceding week and 93,863 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Glasgow. Steam coal.............. Ell ..................... Splint.................. Treble nuts ............. Double do................ Single do............... Current prices. 10/9-12/9 Hl/ -H/3 10/9-14/ 11/6-11/9 10/6-10/9 10/3-10/6 L’st week’s!Last year’s prices, j prices. 10/9-13/ | 13/3-13/9 11/6-11/9 j 13/6-14/3 11/6-14/ ! 14/9-15/3 11/9-12/ ' 12/9-13/3 10/6-10/9 I 12/9-13/3 10/3-10/6 i 12/6-13/ IRON. Business on the Glasgow pig iron warrant market has again been slow during the week, and the total turnover amounted to 9,000 tons. Owing, however, to further with- drawals from stores, prices have improved slightly, and Cleveland iron closing at 51s. 4}d. per ton cash buyers showed an advance of 2^d. per ton. Over 5,000 tons have been withdrawn from Middlesbrough stores since last week, and the total stock now amounts to 82,052 tons. The trade position has not altered and consumers continue to purchase on a hand-to-mouth basis. There are 72 furnaces in blast in Scotland, one more than in the preceding' week, and 15 fewer than in the corresponding week of last year. The import of pig iron into Grangemouth from Middlesbrough and district amounted 10,941 tons for the week. Owing to a decline in the prices obtained for iron products, wages will be reduced by 2} per cent. There has been no change in the prices of makers’ iron, which are as follow :—Monkland is quoted f.a.s. at Glasgow, No. 1, 62s., No. 3, 60s. 6d.; Govan, No. 1, 61s., No. 3, 60s.; Carnbroe, No. 1, 66s. 6d., No. 3, 62s. 6d. ; Clyde, No. 1, 68s., No. 3, 63s. ; Gartsherrie, Summerlee, Calder, and Langloan, Nos. 1, 68s. 6d., Nos. 3, 63s. 6d.; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, No. 1, 71s., No. 3, 66s.; Eglinton, at Ardrossan or Troon, No. 1, 62s., No. 3, 61s. ; Dalmellington, at Ayr, No. 1, 63s., No. 3, 61s.; Shotts at Leith, No. 1, 68s. 6d., No. 3, 63s. 6d.; Carron at Grange- mouth, No. 1, 69s., No. 3, 64s. per ton. The manufacturing branches of the trade continue in a disappointing position, and prospects of an early improvement are not bright. ------------------ Scotland.—Eastern District. COAL. Business in the Lothians coal trade is fairly brisk, and the general position is satisfactory, and coalmasters are viewing the future with more confidence. The total clearances at the ports amounted to 100,796 tons, compared with 90,638 in the preceding week, and 121,739 in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Leith. Best screened steam coal... Current prices. 11/6 L’st week’s Last year’s prices. 11/6 prices. 14/ Secondary qualities 10/ -10/3 10/ -10/3 12/6-12/9 Treble nuts 11/ 11/ 12/9—13/ Double do 10/6-10/9 10/6-10/9 12/6-12/9 Single do 10/3-10/6 10/3-10/6 12/3-12/6 The position of the trade in Fifeshire is much the same as in the preceding week. There is a good supply of tonnage at the ports, and business is satisfactory without being anything unusual, and most classes are in fair demand and are moving off in good quantities at steady prices. Ship- ments from the district reached the total of 118,896 tons during the week, compared with 131,548 in the preceding week, and 128,056 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntisland. Current L’st week’s Lastyear’s Best screened navigation prices. prices. prices. coal 15/9-16/ 16/ 17/ -17/6 Unscreened do 14/ 14/ 15/ -15/6 First-class steam coal 12/6 12/6-12/9 14/6-15/ Third-class do. 9/9—10/9 10/ 12/9 Treble nuts 10/9—11/ 11/ -11/3 13/ -13/6 Double do 10/3-10/6 10/6-10/9 12/9-13/ Single do. 10/ -10/6 10/3-10/6 12/ -12/6 The aggregate shipments from Scottish ports amounted to 318,872 tons on the week, compared with' 345,644 in the preceding week and 343,658 tons in the corresponding week of last year. The total decrease for the year to date amounts to 374,368 tons. Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland. Newcastle-upon-Tyne. COAL. During last week, 168,380 tons of coal and 1,201 tons of coke were despatched from Tyne Dock, an increase of 31,919 tons of coal and 110 tons .of coke when compared with the shipments for the corresponding* week of last year. The Dunston clearances amounted to 55,448 tons of coal and 4,028 tons of coke—a decrease of 1,592 tons of coal and 1,503 tons of coke. The Blyth shipments totalled 100,318 tons of coal and coke—an increase of 1,784 tons. There has been very little business of any description done in the coal trade this week, the Whitsuntide holidays having provided a welcome respite from “ the higgling of the market.” The London Port Authority has invited tenders for its coal requirements for six months ending December next, or, alternatively, for 12 months ending June 1915. The total quantities aggregate about 200,000 tons of various descrip- tions. About 100,000 tons of Welsh steam and nut coals are wanted, whilst the balance is to be drawn from Scotland, Durham, and/or the Midlands. The Brussels Gasworks are stated to have contracted for 30,000 tons of Durham gas seconds for delivery over 12 months at about Ils.' per ton f.o.b. The order for 40,000 tons more for similar delivery is reported to have been given to Westphalia, but no details as to price have emerged. The Bergen Gasworks invite offers, by June 8, of 10,000 to 15,000 tons of Holmside or Easington unscreened gas coal for delivery, alternatively, from July to December next, or from July to February next. The Christiania Gasworks are stated to have contracted for 25,000 tons of Holmside gas coal at 12s. 4}d. per ton f.o.b., 15,000 tons Holmside at 12s. 5}d., and 10,000 tons of Benwell gas coal at 12s. 9d. f.o.b., for delivery over 12 months.- The Landscrona Gasworks invite offers by the end of this week of 4,000 tons of Durham gas bests. Tenders of 75,000 tons of Durham gas coal have been forwarded to the Trieste Gasworks. The prompt market has been quiet and feature- less. The prospects for June are fairly good, however. Supplies of tonnage have considerably improved since the end of the Spanish shipping strike, and the enquiry for this month’s loading is brisk. This, too, will only be a short working month, fol* the local race holidays take place during the last full week, and result in an almost complete suspension of industrial activities. F.o.b. quotations for prompt shipment have undergone little alteration on the week. Best Blyth steams have receded from the lofty altitude of 15s. per ton and are now quoted at from 14s. to 14s. 3d. Tyne smalls are weaker. Gas bests are ltd. advanced. Otherwise, there is no change in prices. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Current L’st week’s'Last year’s Steam coals :— prices. prices. ; prices. Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... 14/ -14/3 15/ 15/ Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) 13/6-13/9 13/6-13/9 15/3 Secondary, Blyths Do. Tynes (Hastings 12/ 12/ 13/6 or West Hartleys) ... 12/3-12/6 12/3-12/6 13/6 Unscreened 11/ —11/6 11/ -11/6 12/6 Small, Blyths 8/3 7/3- 7/6 8/3 9/ Do. Tynes 7/6 8/ Do. specials Other sorts:— 8/6 8/6 10/ Smithies Best gas coals (New 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ 14/6 -15/ Pelton or Holmside) Secondary gas coals 13/3-13/4.} 13/3 15/ -15/3 (Pelaw Main or similar) 12/3-12/6 12/3-12/6 13/9 Special gas coals Unscreened bunkers, 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ i i 15/3 Durhams Do. do. 11/9-13/ 11/9-13/ ! . 13/6-14/ N orthumbr ians 11/3-11/9 11/3-11/9 ' 12/6-12/9 Coking coals 12/ -12/6 12/ -12/6 i 14/ -14/6 Do. smalls 12/ 12/ ! ! 13/6-14/ House coals 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 1 ; 16/ -17/ Coke, foundry 19/ -21/ 18/ 19/ -21/ 27/ Do. blast-furnace 18/ 24/ Do. gas 13/—13/9 13/ -13/9 18/ -18/6 Sunderland. COAL. The exports from Sunderland last week amounted to 86,070 tons of coal and 445 tons of coke, as compared with 103,195 tons of coal and 310 tons of coke for the corre- sponding period of 1913, being a decrease of 17,125 tons of coal and an increase of 135 tons of coke. For the past few days the coal market has been under the influence of the holidays, and the amount of business transacted has been almost nil, leaving the position for the most part unchanged. The market, however, is steady, and promises to start to-day under favourable conditions. A fairly general restart was made yesterday at most of the collieries, and shipments are likely to continue brisk for some time, as the collieries are heavily booked and the supply of tonnage also is adequate to the requirements. The St. Gillies (Brussels) Gasworks are inviting’ tenders for 30,000 tons of best Durham gas coals, over 12 months from July. The Bergen Gasworks are also inviting tenders, to be sent in on June 8, for the supply of 10,000 tons to 15,000 tons of Holmside or Easington unscreened gas coal, f.o.b. Sunderland or Tyne, alternately between July and December 1914, or July 1914 and February 1915. Quotations are approximately as follow:— Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Current L’st week’s Lastyear’s Gas coals:— prices. prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 13/9 13/9 15/9 Secondary do. 12/9 12/9 14/3 House coals:— Best house coals 16/6 16/6 17/6 -18/ Ordinary do 16/ 15/9 16/6 -17/ Other sorts :— Lambton screened 14/6 14/6 15/6 South Hetton do 14/3 . 14/3 15/3 Lambton unscreened ... 12/9 12/9 14/3 South Hetton do 12/6 12/9 14/3 - Do. treble nuts 15/6 16/6 16/6 Coking coals unscreened 12/6 12/6 14/9 Do, smalls 12/3 12/3 14/6 Smithies 1516 15/6 14/6 17/6 Peas and nuts 16/ 16/ Best bunkers 13/3 13/3 14/6 Ordinarv bunkers 12/6 12/9 14/3 Coke:— Foundry coke 20/6 21/6 26/6 Blast-furnace coke (did. Teesside furnaces) ... 20/ 20/6 25/ Gas coke 13/6 13/6 17/6 The outward freight market has not yet settled down to business, and few fixtures are reported. Coasting rates are inclined to ease off owing to the accumulation of prompt boats over the holidays, and London is only worth 3s., Hamburg 3s. 6d., Antwerp 3s. 9d., Havre 3s. 10|d., Calais 3s. 9d. In the Bay section, Bordeaux has been fixed at 5s. 9d., while the Mediterranean has paid 7s. for Genoa., 7s. 3d. Naples, 7s. 3d. Marseilles, and 8s. 3d. for Venice. Baltic freights are steady, with good enquiry for boats. Cronstadt has paid 4s. 9d., Petersburg 5s., Copenhagen 4s. 6d., Pillau 4s., Meniel 4s. 9d„ Gefle 4s. 9d., Libau 5s., and Biga 5s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. There is little new to report concerning the fuel trade. The Whitsuntide holidays have, as usual, interfered with business, but traders are now settling down again, and a fair number of transactions are being put through. Bergen Gasworks are calling* for tenders for 10,000 to 15,000 tons of Holmside or Easington unscreened gas coal. Best Durham gas coal is 13s. 3d. to 13s. 6d.; seconds, 12s. 3d. to 12s. 9d.; and special sorts, 14s. to 14s. 6d. Bunker coal is in fairly good request, and ordinary Durhams run from Ils. 6d. to Ils. 9d. f.o.b.; bests, 12s. 3d. to 12s. 9d.; and specials, 14s. to 14s. 6d. Household coal is quiet, as is generally the case at this season of the year, but sellers take a firm stand, and are not particularly pressing business. Quotations range from 15s. 6d. to 17s., according to quality. Coking coal is Ils. 6d. to 12s. 6d. Coke is in rather good demand for local consumption, and average blastfurnace kinds are fully 17s. 3d. delivered at Teesside works. Foundry coke for shipment is in the neighbourhood of 20s. f.o.b. Gas coke in fair request at 13s. 6d. to 13s. 9d. IRON. The iron and steel shipments from the Tees during the fifth month of the year were on a moderate scale. Those of pig iron averaged 3,600 tons per working day, the . total loadings amounting to 93,617 tons, 85,073 tons of which went from Middlesbrough and 8,544 tons from Skinningrove. In April the despatches totalled 127,943 tons, and for May a year ago the clearances were given at 96,874 tons. Of the pig iron cleared from Skinningrove last month, 8,031 tons went to Scotland and 513 tons to Holland ; and of the iron shipped at Middlesbrough, 49,400 tons went foreign and 35,673 tons to home customers. Scotland was again the largest buyer with 17,995 tons, and Wales was served with 12,280 tons. Other principal buyers were: Sweden 10,407 tons, Germany 6,700 tons, France 5,983 tons, Holland 4,750 tons, Belgium 3,700 tons, and Denmark 3,520 tons. The loadings of manufactured iron during the month of May amounted to 18,215 tons, and those of steel to 48,992 tons. The Argentine received 5,452 tons, and India 5,359 tons of manufactured iron. India was the largest buyer, of steel with an import of 20,323 tons, whilst Australia received 4,690 tons, Victoria 3,406 tons, New South Wales 3,310 tons, the Argentine 2,672 tons, and Natal 2,203 tons. Few traders attended -’Change on Wednesday when the market was reopened after the holidays, and business was on a very limited scale. In the forenoon a small lot of No. 3 g.m.b. Cleveland pig realised 51s. 9d. f.o.b., later 51s. 7-}d. was named, and by the close of the market 51s. 6d. became the general quotation; whilst No. 1 settled to 54s., No. 4 foundry 51s. 3d., No. 4 forge 50s. 9d., mottled and white iron each 50s. 3d., and mixed numbers of East Coast hsematite pig 61s.—all for either early or forward delivery. Sellers of foreign ore were not keen to operate, and they adhered firmly to quotations on the basis of 17s. 6d. ex-ship Tees for rubio of 50 per cent, quality. Manufactured iron and steel prices were stationary. South-West Lancashire. COAL. Work was not resumed at many of the pits until Wednes- day, and then in a good many cases with a large absentee list. The inland household trade is quiet, the consumption itself being on a summer basis, and stocking not having yet begun. There is no new feature to report with respect to steam coal, and notwithstanding Whitsuntide holidays, there does not appear to be any shortage of fuel, forward arrangements being fully equal to requirements for extra sailing of excursion steamers. There are few outside orders. For these competition is keen, and cut prices are in some cases being taken. Prices of screened Lancashire steam coals range from 12s. 9d. to 13s. f.o.b. up to 13s. 6d. for the very best qualities, although, as indicated, these are being’ shaded in some cases. The coastwise and cross-Channel trade in household coal is also on the quiet side this week. The stoppage at the pits cleared off most of the surplus slack that had accumulated in wagons. House coal:— Best ................ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium............... Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Kitchen ............. Common (f.o.b. Grstn.,net) Screened forge coal..... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack ............. Secondary slack ........ Common do............... Current prices. 17/ 16/9-17/3 15/3 15/ -15/6 13/ 13/9-14/6 12/ —12/3 12/9-13/6 9/9-10/ 9/ - 9/3 8/6- 8/9 L’st week’s Lastyear’s prices. prices. 17/ 16/3 16/9-17/3 16/9-17/ 15/3 14/6 15/ -15/6 15/3-15/6 13/ 12/3 13/9-14/6 13/9-14/6 12/ -12/3 12/6-13/ 12/9-13/6 13/9-14/6 9/9-10/ 10/6 9/ - 9/3 9/9 8/6- 8/9 9/3 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There were very few members on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday, and practically no business was done. Holidays have so far taken possession of the ground that really there is nothing to report this week. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ............... Medium.............. Common.............. Furnace coal.......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack ........... Common slack ......... Current prices. 17/3-18/ 16/ -16/9 13/3-14/ 12/6 14/ 9/6-10/ 8/6- 9/ L’st week’s prices. 17/3-18/ 16/ -16/9 13/3-14/ 12/6 14/ 9/6-10/ 8/6- 9/ Last year’s prices. 16/6-17/ 15/3-16/ 12/6-13/ 12/6 14/ 10/ -10/6 9/ - 9/6