July 3 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 31 IRON. With the approach of the quarterly meeting next week, there has been little doing, as the tendency is to await the meeting in the hopes of a change for the better. Bar mills are getting short of orders, and as there is no cessation to the steady stream of foreign bars which pour into the docks here at the rate of about 10,000 tons per week, it will be seen that prospects in this department are far from encouraging. Rails are also exceptionally quiet, while we learn with disappointment that several expected orders have gone to Belgium and Germany. Pig iron quotations are again a little easier, and show an easier demand. The same may also be said of the tin-plate trade. Steel rails : heavy sections, <£6 10s. to <£6 15s.; light sections, <£6 15s. to <£7. Tinplate bars.- Bessemer steel, =£4 10s. to <£4 11s. 3d.; Siemens steel, <£4 Ils. 3d. to <£4 12s. 6d. Tinplates : Bessemer primes, 20 x 14 x 112, 12s. to 12s. l|d ; Siemens primes, 20 x 14 x 112, 12s. l|d. to 12s. 3d. Finished black plate, <£9 10s. per ton. Pig iron : Welsh haematite, 63s. delivered locally. Cardiff. COAL. The strike of marine engineers has had a detrimental effect on the market during the past week, but at the time of writing the position seemed to be somewhat easier, and prospects were brighter than they were at the commence- ment of the week. As many as 40 vessels were reported to be held up at one time, but this number has gradually been reduced. The lack of prompt tonnage had the effect of largely increasing stocks of coal, with the result that there was a great scarcity of wagons in many instances, and a number of collieries were obliged to stop working. In addition to this difficulty there was trouble over the non- unionist question, through which it is estimated that no less than 15,000 men were idle on Monday. A number of collieries have resumed operations since, and as chartering has been on a more active scale and tonnage has been arriving more freely, the strain has been relieved. As a matter of fact, the amount of tonnage chartered last week totalled 315,100 tons compared with 218,650 tons in the preceding six days, but these labour difficulties have a demoralising effect on the market, as will be seen from the following figures. Up-to-date the reported chartering fixtures this, year amount to 9,150,860 tons, compared with 9,501,448 tons in the corresponding period of last year, or a decrease of about 350,000 tons. This is the first time for a long period that there has been any check in trade expansion, and exporters believe that the decline is only of a temporary character. Shipments last week from Cardiff were 389,497 tons, or an increase of 3 tons over the corresponding week of last year. At Newport there was an increase of 9,963 tons, from Swansea a decrease of 9,037 tons, and from Port Talbot a decrease of 5,773 tons. The Custom House returns of the coastwise shipments for the month of May show that there were despatched from the chief Bristol Channel ports 312,387 tons, compared with 298,818 tons in the corre- sponding month of last year. From Cardiff there were shipped 141,186 tons, of which London took 34,217 tons, Southampton 30,600, Liverpool 30,420, and Bristol 11,891 tons. The shipments from Newport were 64,320 tons, of which 13,508 tons went to Dublin; from Swansea 43,990 tons, of which London absorbed 24,800 tons ; from Port Talbot 10,394 tons, Briton Ferry 13,941 tons, and Llanelly 6,010 tons. With regard to quotations, the market has been very irregular, and prices of best Admiralties, which have been by far the firmest section, receded at one time to as low as 20s., and for some days the figure remained at 20s. to 21s. for current business, although forward business was still firmly quoted at 22s. The position at the time of writing was undoubtedly stronger, and 21s. to 21s. 6d. was asked for best quality coals. There was, however, no difficulty in obtaining material concessions from these figures by shippers who were in the fortunate position of having ready tonnage at their disposal free from complications as to sailing. The Greek Government purchased 12,000 tons of best steams last week from a Greek firm on a c.i.f. basis, which was reported to leave a margin of about 21s. for the coal, and there is a further enquiry on the market on Greek Navy account for about 30,000 tons, as well as a demand by the Russian Government for an unstated quantity. The Argentine Navy are also inviting tenders for 50,000 to 100,0.00 tons of double-screened coals for delivery over six months from September next. Superior second Admiralties command 19s. 6d. to 20s. 6d., but ordinary qualities, which have been more affected by the labour position than other grades, have receded to 16s. 9d. to 17s. 6d. The market for Monmouthshires has also been irregular, and many stoppages have taken place owing to the wagon difficulty, hut here again the prospects are more cheerful, and sellers are quite optimistic as to the future. Best Black Veins are 17s. to 17s. 3d., Western Valleys 16s. to 16s. 6d., and best Easterns 15s. 3d. to 15s. 6d. The small coal market was depressed for several days, but the subsequent restriction of output has had a firming effect on prices, and •quotations have recovered to Ils. for best bunkers, 10s. 3d. to 10s. 6d. for ordinary qualities, and 8s. 3d. to 8s. 6d. for cargo sorts. Bituminous coals are rather on the -easy side, especially for No. 2 Rhondda, which are quoted at 12s. 9d. to 13s. 3d. No. 3 qualities are 17s. 6d., with through-and-through and smalls in proportion. Coke is unaltered. Shipments of patent fuel last week amounted to 29,897 tons, of which the Crown Company despatched 12,372 tons and Swansea 17,525 tons. There is a small Norwegian enquiry on the market for about 2,000 tons. Prices remain steady for best grades at 21s., and 19s. to 20s. for second qualities. The Cardiff Journal of Commerce publishes a return compiled by the Statistical Department of the Custom House, showing the averaged declared prices of coal exported during the month of May, from which we -extract the following particulars :— The following table shows the shipments of coal from the chief Bristol Channel ports to the principal foreign countries of the world and British possessions during the five months ended May last, together with the increase or decrease compared with the corresponding period of last year, from which it will be seen that there are decreases in no less than 25 instances:— Five months, Increase. Decrease 1914. Tons. Tons. Tons. Russia 116,640 .. — . 7,326 Sweden 68,528 ... 68,392 ... . 41,389 Norway ’ 26,186 ” Denmark. 16,230 ... . 3,939 .. — Germany 107,375 ... — . 15,325 Netherlands ’ 31,500 .. — . 20,174 Java Other Dutch posses- 6,251 .. . — 6,322 sions in Indian Seas 16,320 .. . 3,872 .. — Belgium 156,199 .. — . 77,225 France 3,183,681 .. . 226,076 .. — Algeria 291,372 .. •— . 49,738 French Somaliland... 33,235 .. . 5,167 .. — Madagascar 4,152 .. ■— . 1,576 Reunion (Bourbon) 5,498 .. 688 J — Portugal 329,306 .. —- . 7,315 Azores 12,530 .. 396 .. — Madeira 38,665 .. — . 22,577 Spain 546,284 ... . 2,831 .. — Canary Islands 242,608 ... ■— . 91,661 Italy 2,285,643 ... . 94,332 .. — Italian East Africa... 9,360 ... . 9,360 .. — Austria-Hungary ... 88,014 ... . — . 98,187 Greece 156,203 ... . 30,421 .. — Bulgaria 41,933 ... . 41,933 .. — Roumania 106,512 ... . 65,035 .. — Turkey — European 81,995 ... . 55,877 .. — „ Asiatic ... 58,813 . 36,624 .. — Egypt 861,667 ... . 54,661 .. — Tripoli 5,120 ... . 3,288 .. — Tunis 66,319 ... •— . 6,362 China 4,935 ... — 830 Mexico 952 ... — . 13,646 Peru 12,667 ... . 7,209 .. — Chile 152,631 ... — . 94,490 Brazil 480,058 ... — . 266,183 Uruguay 290,296 ... . 42,253 .. — Argentine Republic 1,426,203 ... , 124,723 ... — Channel Islands 27,464 ... , 5,401 ... — Gibraltar 112,776 ... . 6,338 ... — Malta and Gozo 157,705 ... — . 132,014 Cape of Good Hope Anglo - Egyptian 22,032 ... 9,280 .. . — Sudan Mauritius and De- 26,283 ... . 26,283 ... . — pendencies Aden and Dependen- 10,954 ... — . 1,667 cies 71,814 ... . 16,975 ... — Straits Settlements Ceylon and Depen- 16,367 ... . 8,440 ... — dencies 136,586 ... . 44,484 ... — Wei-hai-Wei — —- 5,807 Hong Kong 8,872 ... — . 19,038 Canada — — . 7,004 Bermudas British West India 6,528 ... 4,081 ... — Islands 10,184 ... 9,817 ... — Falkland Islands ... 4,712 ... — 393 West Africa (British) 58,549 ... 11,443 ... — „ ' (French) 43,645 ... — . 27,400 „ (Portuguese) 55,396 — 66,019 The pitwood market has been weak. Supplies have been plentiful, but the wagon difficulty has affected prices, and best French fir has varied between 18s. and 19s. per ton. Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Cardiff. Newport. LOU Talbot. Swansea. s. d. s. d. d. s. d. Large steam ... 17 10 .. .. 16 7 ... . 17 2 ... 15 3 Through-and-through 13 8 .. .. 13 0 ... . 11 10 ... 11 1 Small ... 9 10 .. .. 11 3 ... . 8 9 ... 9 9 Large anthracite ... ... 17 3 .. .. 18" 0 ... . 15 10 ... 16 f\ Household — . 13 6 ... 19 2 In May 1913 the figures were :— Port Cardiff. Newport, Swansea. Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam coals ................ 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) ...... Current prices. 21/ -21/6 19/6-20/6 16/9-17/6 11/ 10/3-10/6 8/3- 8/6 7/ - 8/ 18/6-19/ 15/6-16/ 16/ 15/ 14/6 14/ 11/ 17/ -17/3 16/ -16/6 15/3-15/6 14/6-15/ 20/ 17/6-19/6 17/6 14/6-15/ 12/. -12/6 L’st week’s prices. Last year’s prices. 21/ -22/ 20/6-21/ 19/6-20/ 18/6-19/ 18/3-18/9 17/6-18/ 10/9-11/ 10/3-10/9 10/6-10/9 9/6-10/ 8/3- 8/9 8/6- 9/ 7/ - 8/ 7/6- 8/ 18/6-19/ 18/6- 19/ 15/6-16/ 15/ -15/9 16/ 15/6-15/9 15/ 14/9 14/ -14/6 15/ 13/6 14/ 11/ -11/6 10/6 17/3-17/6 17/6-17/9 16/ -16/3 17/ -17/3 15/6-15/9 16/3-16/6 15/ -15/3 15/6 20/ 17/6-19/6 20/ 17/6-18/ 17/6 17/ -17/6 14/9-15/ 14/9-15/3 12/ -12/3 12/ -12/6 13/ -13/6 13/3-13/9 11/6 11/6-12/ 8/6- 9/ 8/ - 8/6 21/ 23/ 19/ -20/ 21/ 27/ -29/ 30/ -31/ 22/ -25/ 27/ -28/ 18/ -19/ 22/ -24/ 19/ -19/6 22/3-22/6 Large steam ... 17 9 . .. 16 o . .. 17 3 ... 16 5 Through-and-through 14 8 . .. 15 0 . .. 11 o ... 10 10 Small ... 11 7 .. .. 13 0 .. .. 11 3 ... 10 1 Large anthracite ... .. 29 2 .. .. 15 3 ... 17 9 Household ... 16 4 .. .. 15 0 ... 17 6 IRON. There is no improvement in the tin-plate trade, and whilst receipts from works and shipments are fairly evenly balanced, there is an absence of new business, which makes manufacturers rather anxious as to future prospects. There were exported last week 138,969 boxes, as against 132,954 boxes received from works, and there now remain in the docks warehouses and vans 219,230 boxes, which is not considered an excessive quantity compared with the heavy stocks which accumulated a year ago. Block tin has remained steady at between .£138 to £140, and this fact may induce foreign buyers to come into the market now that more settled conditions- are prevailing. Bessemer standard cokes, 20 x 14, are quoted at 12s., but several transactions have taken place at Ils. 10|d., and one sub- stantial contract has been entered into as low as Ils. 9d. Oil-sizes are practically without change, 20 x 10 being 17s. to 17s. 3d., and 18| x 14 sizes 12s. l|d. to 12s. 3d. There is rather a better tone in the galvanised sheet trade, and makers are firmer in their ideas of prices, which range from <£10 15s. to .£10 17s. 6d., for 24-gauge corfugateds. The steel trade is only moderately active. The Ebbw Vale Works are still closed, and the works of Messrs. Richard Thomas, at Llanelly, have now been idle for two months, owing to a dispute. A strike of 1,200 men has also taken place at the Mannesmann Tube Works, but this is reported to be on the point of settlement. Welsh tin bars are without alteration, the quotations remaining at <£4 Ils. 3d. for Siemens and £4 10s. for Bessemer qualities. Welsh pig iron is Is. cheaper, being now quoted at 61s. 6d. to 62s. f.o.t. The iron ore market is still weak, best rubio selling at 15s. 6d. to 16s., and other grades in proportion. Scrap metals are easy, and very little business is being done. Quotations are:—Heavy wrought 48s., light ditto 30s., steel scrap 46s., double-headed iron rails 60s., steel ditto 52s. 6d.. mixed sections 47s. 6d., cast scrap 50s., and new steel crop ends 52s. 6d. Llanelly. COAL. Not for a long time has the coal market of this district been so quiet in all its departments. There seems to be no activity in scarcely any class of coal, and beyond deliveries under contract, collieries have great difficulty in placing their make, even at the low figures offering. Possibly not for 20 or 30 years has there been such depression in the district. The steel and tin-plate works are all working very short time, and many of the collieries must be working at a serious loss. At the moment there is very little sign of immediate improvement, and until September, at any rate, it looks as though the present state of things will exist. Things are very quiet in the anthracite market; orders for current deliveries are scarce, but a fair amount of booking is going on over the next six, nine, and 12 months, chiefly for large qualities. In the steam and bituminous market the position is, if anything, worse, and not near the usual quantity of coal is being used. Prices are now being quoted very low, and this week they are :— Prices f.o.b. Anthracite:— Best malting large .. Secondary do. ....... Big Vein large....... Red Vein do.......... Machine-made cobbles... German nuts.......... French do............ Paris do............. Machine-made beans ... Do. peas......... Culm ................ Duff ................ Other sorts:— Large steam coal..... Through-and-through... Small ............... Bituminous small coal... Current prices. ^20/ -22/ 19/ -21/ 16/ -17/ 12/ -13/ 19/ -21/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 16/ -20/ 11/6-12/6 6/ - 6/6 4/6- 6/ L'st week'sLast year's prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -21/ 16/ -17/ 12/6-13/6 19/ -21/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 16/ -20/ 11/6-12/6 6/ - 6/6 4/6- 6/ 16/ -17/ ! 16/ -17/ 11/ -11/6 11/ -11/6 8/6- 9/ j 8/ - 9/ 10/6-11/ • 10/6-11/ prices. 20/ -22/ 18/ -20/ 16/6-17/6 12/6-13/6 18/6-20/ 21/ -22/ 22/ -22/6 22/ -23/6 19/ -21/ 12/6-13/6 7/ - 7/6 5/ - 7/ 17/ -18/ 12/ -13/ 10/ -11/ 11/6-12/ LABOUR AND WAGES. South Wales and Monmouthshire. Several matters of interest were dealt with at the Federation Executive meeting held on Monday. Mr. T. Richards, M.P., the secretary, reported that Mr. J. Fox Tallis, M.E., of Newport, had been engaged as an expert to meet a representative of the Powell Duffryn Company, in order to examine the safety lamps at Bargoed Colliery, as to which there has been a dispute and a stoppage. A number of men at the Cawdor Anthracite Colliery having been imprisoned for 21 hours by a fall, and the workmen having refused to continue wTork until another travelling road had been constructed, the executive resolved that the circumstances should be investigated. The questions are as to the right of the workmen to strike pay, and also whether action at lawT should be entered claiming damages for loss of time. With regard to the dispute at No. 3 Griffin Colliery, three representatives were appointed to arrange a meeting with the owners for discussion of points at issue. Negotiations for a price list at No. 1 Rhymney Merthyr Colliery were reported, and authority was given to sign the list which had been agreed upon. The executive also decided that Mr. E. Morrell should meet Mr. Wales, with the object of securing a resumption of work at the Cwm Vale Colliery. After a stoppage of a fortnight, caused by Celynen miners objecting to the introduction of outside men while some of their former fellow-workmen remained unemployed, the strike has come to an end. About 160 men were first given notice, and all were re-employed except 25; and because strangers were brought in whilst these remained idle, as many as 1500 struck. The matter came before the Federa- tion Executive, who appointed representatives to meet the management; and on Thursday, Mr. W. Brace, M.P. (pre- sident), Mr. A. Onions (treasurer). Mr. T. Richards (secre- tary). and Mr. George Barker, with members of the men’s committee, met Mr. J. W. Beynon, one of the directors, with Mr. Wallace (general manager), and Mr. A. D. Jones. Two hours were occupied in discussion and terms were arranged that were afterwards reported to a mass meeting of the men, who accepted them and agreed to resume work. The dismissed men will be re-employed as soon as circum- stances permit. Bedwas miners have passed a resolution protesting against the action of the police in “assisting the management to deter the custom in taking show cards.’’ and an enquiry is called for “ whether or not the police are public or private servants. Trade is quiet in the Dulais and Neath Valleys. At some pits, the men are working only part time; and at Pera Colliery, 250 men have had notice.