July 17, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 149 (Welsh.) : Bessemer steel, £4 10s. to £4 Ils. 3d.; Siemens steel, £4 Ils. 3d. to £4 12s. 6d. Tinplates : Bessemer primes, 20 x 14,18s. l|d.; Siemens primes, 20 x 14, 18s. 3d. Finished black plate, <£9 10s. per ton. Iron ore: Best rubio, 16s. 3d. c.i.f. Newport. Cardiff. COAL. Business during the past week has been of a very patchy description. Some of the collieries are well situated with regard to orders, but others are very badly off, especially in the case of collieries producing second-grade coals. The consequence is that there is a great disparity in prices. Some of the collieries sending out the best coal are firmly quoting 22s., whilst others, which are not so fortunately placed in the matter of tonnage, are accepting anything between 20s. and 21s. for prompt business. The so-called engineers’ strike still drags on, although there are very few vessels now remaining in dock with cargoes on board. Tonnage on the whole has been more plentiful than was anticipated, although the laid-up tonnage is hampering chartering to a certain extent. But in spite of this rates are not showing any tendency to rise. On the contrary, they display a drooping disposition. Genoa has been fixed several times at 7s., and in one instance at 6s. 9d. The Italian lock-out, as stated last week, is reported to be at an end so far as the crews are concerned, but anothei’ compli- cation has arisen in connection with the captains and officers, and up to the time of writing it is rumoured that not a single Italian boat which was laid up in consequence of the lock-out has put to sea. It is reported that the Greek Government order for 5,000 tons of second Admiralty coal has been placed with a Cardiff firm, and 30,000 tons of best coal with a London firm, the whole of which has to be delivered between this month and next, five-sevenths being Greek tonnage. As the quotations sent in were for a delivered price, it is simply a matter of surmise how much the coal would realise f.o.b., and the actual figures, as usual, have not been made public. Shipments of coal last week from Cardiff amounted to 399,998 tons, compared with 437,034 tons in the corresponding week of last year, or a decrease of 37,036 tons. At Newport there was an increase of 6,795 tons, at Swansea an increase of 2,935 tons, and at Port Talbot a decrease of 13,787 tons. Considering the labour trouble, the chartering last week was very satis- factory, and amounted to 339,960 tons, compared with 318,700 tons in the preceding six days, or an increase of 21,260 tons. As a matter of fact, owing to labour difficulties and other causes, the amount of chartering up to date is materially lower than the tonnage taken up in the corresponding period of last year. Up to the end of last week the reported transactions amount to 9,953,130 tons, as compared with 10,189,038 tons in the corresponding period of last year, or a decrease of 235,900 tons. The current price of best Admiralty coal may be said to range anything between 20s. 6d. and 21s. 6d., although, as stated above, several of the producers of best coal are standing out for 22s. Superior seconds are 19s. 9d. to 20s., and ordinary qualities, which are the weakest section, do not command more than from 17s. 6d. to 17s. 9d., and it is currently reported that even these figures have been slightly shaded. Monmouthshire coals have been irregular, chiefly owing to tonnage difficulties, and the Royal visit to Newport on Tuesday, which meant a cessation of loading operations during the greater part of the day, did not tend to improve matters. Best Black Veins are offering at 17s. 3d., western valleys at 16s. 6d., and easterns at 16s., in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. Nuts and peas are rather easier. The small coal market has rather a sagging tendency, probably owing to the depression in the iron trade, and the tin-plate industry. Best bunker smalls are quoted at 10s. 6d. to 10s. 9d., ordinaries at 10s., and cargo qualities at 7s. 9d. to 3s. 6d. There is very little contract business about, and nothing has yet been heard as to the result of the Argentine enquiry which was on the market a fortnight ago. Seven tenders were sent in for the 20,000 tons of bituminous smalls required by the Belgian State Railways, and the prices range from 14 fr. 10 c. to 161 fr. delivered at various depots. The lowest tenders were those of Messrs. Tabb and Burletson, of Cardiff and Newcastle, who quoted for one lot at 14fr. 10 c., and three other lots of 5,000 tons each at 14 fr. 371 c., and, although the result has not yet been definitely announced, it is anticipated that this firm will secure the order. Bituminous coals have been rather a slow sale, and No. 3 Rhondda large does not command more than 17s. 6d., through-and-through 15s., and small 12s. 3d. The demand for No. 2 qualities is still very weak, and large coal is offering at 12s. 6d. to 13s., through qualities at 10s. 6d., and small at 8s. 9d. The coke market is stated to be very irregular, and although best qualities are still firm in price, concessions in other grades are freely made in order to obtain business. Special foundry ranges from 25s. to 29s. 6d., ordinary 21s. to 25s., and furnace 16s. to 19s. There have been very heavy shipments of patent fuel during the past week, the total exports amounting to no less than 49,851 tons. Of this quantity the Crown Company despatched 13,202 tons, other local makers 9,336 tons, Swansea 23,375 tons, and Newport 3,940 tons. Pitwood is rather firmer, and best French fir is now offering at 19s. 6d. to 20s. IRON. Shipments of tin-plates last week were more than double those of the previous week, and amounted to no less than 153,324 boxes. The receipts from works were 115,553 boxes, leaving the stocks at the docks, warehouses, and vans 226,697 boxes. There has been a better enquiry from Belgium, Roumania and the near East, and a better tone is evident, although prices realised are stated to be still on an unremunerative basis. Bessemer standard cokes are 12s. to 12s. l|d., and oil sizes 12s. 3d. and 17s. 3d. to 17s. 6d. respectively. The market in block tin has been very unsteady, at one time reaching <£148 and then receding to £143. It is not anticipated that much new business will come forward until conditions are more settled. Several works are lacking orders, and a number of mills are working short time. In the steel trade there is no improvement, and a non-unionist difficulty at the Dowlais collieries resulted in a stoppage at the steel works. Welsh bars are still maintained at £4 Ils. 3d. for Siemens, and £4 10s. for Bessemer qualities, and in view’ of the low prices now ruling for foreign bars, it is a matter of comment that the Welsh Association have been able to maintain their prices. Although no further improvement is manifest in the galvanised sheet trade, manufacturers hold optimistic views with regard to the future, and are quoting higher figures. Twenty-four-gauge corrugateds are offered at £10 17s. 6d. to £11, but it is stated that certain works have accepted business at £10 15s. The Customs Returns for June show a decrease in the shipments of galvanised sheets. From Cardiff there was a falling off of 1,338 tons, from Newport a decline of 465 tons, from Swansea a decrease of 709 tons, and from Port Talbot an increase of 23 tons. During the same period the tin-plate shipments at Cardiff showed a falling off of 448 tons, from Newport 343 tons, and from Swansea 3,352 tons. The iron ore market still continues very weak, and best rubio does not command more than 15s. 6d. to 16s., second grades 14s. to 15s., and Almeria about 16s. per ton. In scrap metals there is practically nothing doing, and quotations, although appreciably unaltered, are weak. "Welsh pig iron is 61s. 6d. to 62s. f.o.t. qualities, and prices are difficult to maintain. The horti- cultural qualities are moving very slowly, and prices are very weak. The machine made kinds are also dull. The better quality of large coals are going fairly well, but culm and duff are plentiful. Prices this week 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/ -21/6 18/6-19/ 15/6-16/6 12/6-13/6 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 21/6-23/ 20/ —22/ 16/ -18/6 12/6-13/6 6/ - 6/3 3/6- 5/6 14/6-16/6 10/6-11/3 8/3 - 9/3 10/6-11/6 L’stweek’s prices. 20/ -22/ 19/ -21/ 16/ -17/ 12/6-13/ 19/ -21/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 16/ -20/ 11/6-12/6 6/ - 6/6 4/6- 6/ Last year’s prices. 20/ -23/ 18/ -19/ 17/ -18/ 12/ —13/ 18/ -20/ 20/ -21/ 22/ -23/6 22/ -23/6 19/ -21/ 12/ -13/ 7/ - 7/6 5/ - 5/6 16/ -17/ 11/ -11/6 8/ - 9/ 10/6-11/ 17/ -18/ 11/6-12/6 10/ -11/ 11/ -12/ Swansea. COAL. "With a considerably increased supply of tonnage, the trade of the port last week showed some improvement. The condition of the coal trade was unchanged, but there was a large export of patent fuel; the shipments of coal and patent fuel amounted to 106,271 tons. There was a capital attendance on "Change, and the undertone of the anthracite c al market was a little better. For the Genoa option brand of large there was a brisk demand, but the better qualities v/ere again rather slow in moving off. Red Vein large was a poor market, and was freely offered at lower figures. Of the machine-made varieties Germans were easy, other descriptions being' satisfactory. Rubbly culm and duff were unaltered. In the steam coal market there was no material alteration, smalls being very strong. Prices of coal f.o.b. Swansea (cash in 30 days). Anthracite Best malting j Current L’stweek’s Last year’s | prices. price; prices. (hand picked) (net)...j 21/ -23/ m. j ]_y/ _]_g/ ■ Secondary do. 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Current L’st week’s Last year’s Steam coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Admiralty steam coals 20/6-22/ 21/ -22/ 20/6-21/6 Superior seconds 19/9-20/ 20/6-20/9 18/ 19/6-20/ Ordinary do 17/6-17/9 18/ -18/9 9/0-10/ Best bunker smalls 10/6-10/9 1 10/9 Best ordinaries 10/ 10/3-10/6 9/ - 9/3 Cargo qualities 7/9- 8/6 8/ - 8/6 7/9- 8/3 Inferior smalls | 7/ - 7/6 7/ - 7/6 7/ Best dry coals j 18/ -18/9 18/ -18/6 18/ -19/ Ordinary drys I 16/6-17/ J 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/ Bost washed nuts 15/6 14/3-14,'G 15/6-16/ 16/6 ' Seconds 14/6-15/ 15’3-15/6 Bost washed peas 14/6 ' 14/6-15/ 15/ Seconds 13/3-13/6 13/9-14/ 14/ -14/3 Dock screening’s 10/6 10/6—11/ 10/ Monmouthshire— Black Veins 17/3 17/3 17/6-17/9 Western-valleys ; 16/6 16/6 17/ -17/3 Eastern-valleys 16/ 16/ 16/3-16/6 Inferior do 15/3-15/6 . 15/3-15/6 15/3-15/6 Bituminous coals :— Best house coals (at pit) 20! ' 20/ 20/ Second qualities (at pit) 1 17/6-19 b 17/6-19/6 18/ No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 1 ' 17/6 17/6 14'6-15/ 17/ -17/G Th r ough- and-1 hr ough 15/ 15/ S mall 12/3 '12/ 12/ -12/6 No. 2 Rhondda— Largo 12/6-13/ 12/9-13/ 13/6-14/ Through-and-through 10/6 11/ 11 '6-12' Small S/9 9/ - 9/3 8/(5- 0'i Bost patent fuel 21/ 21/ 221 ' Seconds 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 20/ Special foundry coke 27/ -29/6 27/ -29/ 30/ Ordinary do. 22/ -25/ 22/ -25/ 26/ Furnace coke 16/ -19/ 17/ -19/ 21/ -22/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 19/6-20/ 18/6-19/ 22/6 Big Vein large (les per cent.) .. Red Vein large do. . Machine-made cobble; (net) ....... Paris nuts (net) French do. do. . Gorman do. do. . Beans (net) .. Machine - made peas (net) Do. fine peas (net) Rubbly culm (less 2.1 p.c.) Duff (net) Steam coals:— Bunkers Small (less do. do. do. Bituminous coals :— p.e.) ... aid-through (less 2\ p.c.) .... Small (loss 2.1 p.e.) ... Patent fuel do............ 18/6-20/ 12/6-13/6 ! 15/ -16/ 16/ -17/6 12/ -13/ 21/ -22/6 • 21/ -22/6 21/9-23/9 ' 21/9-23/9 ! 21/9-23/6 21/9-23/6 15/6-17/ 21/ -22/ 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 16/6-19/ 11/ -12/ 6/ - 6/3 3/9 18/6-20/ 13/6-15/6 10/6-11/6 17/ -18/ 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ 6/ - 6/3 3/9- 4/3 18/6-20/ 10/6-11/6 8/6- 9/6 11/6-13/6 5/9- 6/3 19/ -20/ 16/ -17/ 11/ -12'/ 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/6 : 14/6-15'6 11/ -12/ . 11/ -12/ 17/ -18/ : 18/ -19/ Llanelly. COAL. The'i coal trade of this district is very similar to that of last report, and no improvement is yet ‘noticeable. Orders, with the exception of one or two kinds, are very scarce, and the heavy stock on hand has not decreased in the least. Owing’ to the strike of the motor engineers, tonnage is none too plentiful, and collieries are having many play days owing to the scarcity of wagons. Future prospects are a little more promising, and sellers are hoping that an improvement will take place after the holidays. The steam and bituminous kinds are experiencing a. bad slump, duo chiefly to the depression in the stead and tinplate works, where not near the usual quantity of coal is being consumed. There is no alteration in the demand for any of the anthracite COLLIERY ACCIDENTS. Wharncliffe Pit Disaster. The protracted coroner’s enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of twelve victims of the explosion at the Wharncliffe Silkstone Colliery, was resumed at Hoy- land Common on Wednesday. The coroner mentioned that it had been stated to him that the enquiry was being unduly prolonged, and his answer to that was that he felt from the first they must have a thorough enquiry. Patrick Myoch, the solitary survivor from the coal face, who told of his wonderful escape at the previous hearing, continued his evidence, and said up to within three minutes of the explosion he did not notice any change of air or smell of gas or any effect of gas on his lamp. Wilfred Scothern, fitter, in reply to Mr. Pope (for the Home Office), who questioned him relative to repairs done to the electric coal cutting machine, said he did not know whether an electrician went to look at the machine prior to it being put in use. Answering Mr. Neal (for the colliery company), witness said the machines came out periodically to be overhauled. In reply to Mr. T. H. Mottram, H.M. inspector of mines, witness said he inspected the machines once a week, and never recollected anything wrong with them, except when the armatures wanted changing. Reginald Lang, scraper out, said on the morning of May 30 the ventilation seemed to be normal, with a cool wind down the “ face.” At about half-past one the air became hot, and he also noticed that the draught ceased. He was near Siddall when the latter’s lamp went out, and at the time the wfitness thought it was due, not to gas, but to Siddall having knocked the lamp. Witness knew that the men with the electric cutting machine had electric lamps, and he had heard - that after the explosion those lamps were still burning. He had never known a time before when there had not been plenty of air coming down the face. Witness was sitting in the dummy gate, having his ” snap,” when a current of cold air came and blew a door open. This was followed a fewT moments later by a blast of hot air and dust—uncomfortably hot. As they went up the coal face it became scorchingly hot. The second blast blew them and their lamps over, and left them in the dark. He heard a rumbling sound when he began to creep away, but did not see a flash. Wilson Harvey, a scraper out. who shared with the last witness the events the latter had described, gave corrobora- tive evidence. Replying to Mr. Neal (and the colliery company), witness said he had never smelt gas, and did not know the smell of it. He1 never suspected the presence of gas in that face. Arthur John Greaves, deputy, said he went down the pit on the afternoon shift of the day of the explosion. He had received no intimation that the fan was stopped; otherwise he would not have gone down. In reply to the coroner, witness said he usually received his instructions from the undermanager, but could not say who should have told him about the fan. He did not know that he had ever been in the pit when the fan was stopped. Witness found six bodies at the coal face and two or three lit electric lamps. Mr. R. Roebuck, assistant secretary, Yorkshire Miners’ Association, asked witness if. when following the inspectors round the mine after the explosion, he heard one of them say there was 6 per cent, of gas in the dead end. Witness replied in the negative. The enquiry was resumed on the following day. The deputy. Arthur John Greaves, continuing his evidence, said that although a machine for boring was found erected in the working place of Fearnley and Littlewood (killed), he did not know that preparations had been made for shot- firing on that shift. If any shots wore fired, they would be fired by witness as deputy of the shift. Ho had had a conversation with John Thomas Fisher (who subsequently died from his injuries), and from what ho told him it would appear that the flame had split, part of it going down the face and part down the slant. His theory was that in the event of 4 per cent, of gas being present, and there being a leakage in the machine, that would account for the igni- tion. James William Bailey, a machine man. said he last worked on the coal cutting machine on the shift prior to the explo- sion. The machine was then in a satisfactory state. He explained that on one occasion on May 16 there was some gas. Their lamps were put out. and they could smell gas, but it only lasted about half-a-minute. Then all was clear again. In reply to the coroner, witness said he had seen sparks coming from the gear wheels on the outside of the ma rhino, but that was the result of the wheels being new, and he did not think that such a thing took place at the time of the explosion. In answer to Mr. Popo (for the Home Office), he said that he did not think it possible that the coal cutting machine would ignite any gas that might be present. He noticed after the explosion that there was a crack in the cutting machine, and he was of the opinion that the gas penetrating this crack might have caused the explosion.' In reply to Mr. Neal (for the colliery company), witness said that liis father had had 20 years’ experience of coal cutting machines, and he had the reputation of being