November 6, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 973 THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, November 5. Scotland.—Western District. COAL. The west of Scotland coal market shows a firming tendency, and values in some cases are higher than a week ago. The best qualities of round coal are in active demand, while second class splints are securing more business at firmer quotations. Washed nuts continue busy, but not- withstanding the heavy shipments, prices are not affected to any extent. The shipments from the district amounted to 116,246 tons, compared with 118,824 in the preceding week, and 103,874 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 11/9-12/ 11/9-14/3 11/6 10/3-10/6 10/ -10/3 L’st week’s Last year’s prices, i prices. 10/9-12/6 ! 13/ -14/6 11/6-11/9 i 13/ 11/6-14/ 1 13/ -15/6 11/6-11/9 13/3—13/6 10/3 | 12/ -12/3 10/ I 11/ IRON. No improvement has taken place in the position of the Scotch pig iron trade. The efforts of makers to induce consumers to operate more freely have met with very little success so far, and the general tone is distinctly dull. The demand both on home and export account, for ordinary qualities and haematite is decidedly quiet, and with deliveries against contracts still restricted, stocks in makers’ yards are increasing. There are 66.furnaces in blast in Scotland compared with 71 in the preceding week and 80 in the corresponding week of last year. The import of pig iron into Grangemouth from Middlesbrough and district amounted to 5,437 tons for the week. Prices of makers’ iron are as follow .-—Monkland f.a.s. at Glasgow, No. 1, 63s., No. 3, 61s. 6d.; Govan, No. 1, 62s. 6d., No. 3, 61s. 6d.; Carnbroe, No. 1, 67s., No. 3, 62s. 6d-.; Clyde, No. 1, 68s., No. 3, 63s.; Gartsherrie, Summerlee and Calder, Nos. 1, 68s. 6d., Nos. 3, 63s. 6d.; Langloan, No. 1, 70s., No. 3, 65s. ; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, No. 1, 70s., No. 3, 65s.; Eglinton, at Ardrossan or Troon, No. 1, 62s. 6d., No. 3, 61s. 6d. ; Dalmellington, at Ayr, No. 1, 63s. 6d., No. 3, 61s. 6d. ; Shotts at Leithj No. 1, 68s. 6d., No. 3, 63s. 6d.; Carron at Grangemouth, No. 1, 69s., No. 3, 64s. per ton. The Glasgow pig iron warrant market was extremely idle during the past week. The turnover did not exceed 500 tons at any single session, while the total was only round about 2,000 tons of Cleveland iron and 1,000 tons of Cumberland hsematite. In the absence of business, prices were somewhat easier, and Cleveland closed at 49s. Id. per ton cash buyers, showing a loss of 4d. per ton on the week. The transactions in Cumberland haematite took place at 62s. per ton. Business in the various branches of the manufactured iron trade has quietened down considerably, and a revival in demand is becoming an urgent necessity. Scotland. - Eastern District. COAL. A quieter demand has again been experienced in the Lothians district, and collieries have had to fall back on contracts in order to keep things moving. It is reported however, that bookings for delivery in the near future are heavy, so that fairly good work is assured. The clearances from the various ports amounted to 63,061 tons, against 64,344 in the preceding week and 106,866 in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Leith. Best screened steam coal... Current prices. 11/3 L’st week’s Last year’s prices. 11/3 prices. 13/6-13/9 Secondary qualities.. 10/ -10/3 10/ -10/3 12/ -12/6 Treble nuts 11/6 11/6 13/9-14/ Double do 10/ 10/ 12/3-12/6 Single do 10/ -10/3 10/3 11/ —11/6 Business in Fifeshire was a trifle busier during the past week. Screened navigations are well placed, and first-class steams much better off for orders. Washed nuts of all sizes are in heavy demand. Shipments amounted to 65,869 tons, compared with 59,234 in the preceding week and 115,408 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntisland. Best screened navigation Current prices. L’st week’s prices. Lastyear’s prices. coal 15/6-15/9 15/6-15/9 16/9 Unscreened d^ 13/3 13/ 14/9 First-class steam coal 11/9 12/ 13/6-14/ Third-class do 10/ 10/ 11/ -11/6 Treble nuts 11/9-12/3 11/9-12/3 13/3-13/9 Double do 10/3-10/6 10/3-10/6 12/ -12/6 Single do 10/ 10/ -10/3 11/ The aggregate shipments from Scottish ports amounted to 245,176 tons, against 242,402 in the preceding week and 326,148 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland. Newcastle-upon-Tyne. COAL. The local coal market has been a shade more active this week, thanks to improved arrivals of tonnage. Whether or not that improvement in tonnage supplies will be main- tained in view of the latest Admiralty announcement declaring the whole of the North Sea to be a military area, time alone will decide. As, however, it would still appear that, if the Admiralty instructions are adhered to, safe navigation of the North Sea should result, there appears to be no cause of excessive despondency. At present, the market for coal in this district is limited only by the opportunities for its export. Given a sufficiency of vessels quite a boom in the industry would result. That this is so is illustrated by the tale of coal and coke shipments last week, when tonnage supplies were a shade better than those of the week before. From Tyne Dock 90,841 tons of coal and 1,037 tons of coke were despatched, a decrease of 59,258 tons of coal and 1,227 tons of coke when compared with the shipments for the corresponding week of last year. The Dunston clearances amounted to 54,933 tons of coal and 2,680 tons of coke, an increase of 5,670 tons of coal and a decrease of 1,168 tons of coke, or a net increase of 4,502 tons, the first such recorded since the outbreak of the war. The Blyth shipments totalled 45,017 tons of coal and coke, a decrease of 47,449 tons. The aggregate for the three shipping places was 195,676 tons, an increase of 14,922 tons when compared with the clearances for the previous week. During the last few days, there have been considerable sales of Tyne steam seconds from Seaton Delaval. The coals are required for early shipment and the sales should mean a period of steady work for the collieries concerned. Advices from Stockholm are to the effect that 30,600 tons—not 20,< 00 tons, as originally stated —of Scottish steam coals have been taken at about Ils. 9d. per ton, f.o.b., for Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly quality. There is no news as yet regarding the Egyptian State Railways decision as to the 60,000 tons of Lambton steams, tenders of which were invited. The British Consul at Amsterdam reports that an agent there states that he could sell large quantities of gas and steam coals for use in the Netherlands, and desires to get into communication with British exporters. The French State Railways are enquiring for about 90,000 tons of Durham coking coal, for delivery at French coast and Bay ports over the next three months and tenders are wanted on November 10. A large enquiry for unscreened steams, also, is in circulation from France for forward shipment. The British Admiralty is enquiring for a supplementary quantity of steams for delivery to the dockyards over the winter, and tenders are to be sent in shortly. There is a continued strong enquiry for coals from France; unhappily, the congestion of tonnage at French ports is a very serious obstacle to business. The Quayside Advisory Committee has made representations to the French authorities regarding this delay. So far as Rouen is concerned, the French State Railways Department states that the carriage of coal from that port to Paris is subject to military exigencies, and that the military have ruled that only one train load per vessel per day can be dealt with. The Department is asking that further coal consignments should be sent to Bordeaux and St. Nazaire, in view of the conges- tion at Rouen. Italy continues to be a good customer for fuel. High freights, however, are a great impediment to trade in that direction. It would appear that the conces- sion recently made by the Italian Government, in reducing the rates of coal carriage by railway from the west coast to the east, so that eastern ports may obtain their supplies without vessels having to enter the dangerous area of the Adriatic, is being taken a large amount of advantage of, and that considerable quantities of coal are going forward by rail to Venice. It is stated, by the way, that German merchants are offering coal supplies to Italy at exceedingly low figures, and that best foundry coke, the usual price of which is about 150 fr., is being tendered at 37 fr. per ton. This “ dumping ” is regarded as an evidence that the Fatherland is badly in need of ready money. Several small enquiries for coal for shipment to Belgium are announced. As to the amount of employment in Northumberland and Durham collieries, best gas coal pits appear to be fairly well employed, but most Northumberland collieries are only working half time or thereabouts. New- burgh colliery was closed down last Saturday, and Pegswood will follow suit at the end of next week. There has been some variation in steam coal prices this week, but nearly all other descriptions of fuel are steady. The changes in f.o.b. quotations for prompt shipment have been as follow :— Best Blyth steams are 3d. reduced ; Blyth seconds, easier ; Tynes, 3d. cheaper; unscreened, 6d. down; Blyth smalls, 3d. increased ; and smithies, from 3d. to 6d. lower. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Current L’stweek’s Last year’s Steam coals :— prices. prices. prices. Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... 13/ 13/ -13/3 14/9-15/ Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) 12/6 12/6 14/6-15/ Secondary, Blyths Do. Tynes (Hastings 10/9-11/ 11/ 12/6-12/9 or West Hartleys) ... 11/ -11/3 11/ -11/6 12/6-13/ Unscreened 10/ -11/ 10/6-11/6 11/9-12/6 Small, Blyths 8/3- 8/6 8/3 7/6- 7/9 Do. Tynes 7/6 7/6 6/6- 6/9 Do. specials Other sorts:— 9/6 9/6 8/6- 8/9 Smithies Best gas coals (New 10/6-10/9 11/ 13/6-14/ Pelton or Holmside) Secondary gas coals 12/6 12/6 15/ -15/3 (Pelaw Main or similar) 11/- 11/3 11/ -11/3 13/6 Special gas c )als Unscreened bunkers, 13/ 13/ 15/ -15/6 Durhams Do. do. 10/6-12/ 10/6-12/ 12/6-13/6 Northumbrians 10/9-11/3 10/9-11/3 12/ -12/6 Coking coals 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 13/6-14/ Do. smalls 10/ -10/6 10/ -10 6 13/ -13/3 House coals 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ ■ 19/ -20/ 15/6 Coke, foundry 19/ -20/ 20/ -22/6 Do. blast-furnace 18/ 18/ 17/6-18/ Do. gas 11/6-12/6 11/6-12/6 16/6-17/9 Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The action of the Admiralty in declaring the North Sea a military area, and practically closing it, has been the principal topic in commercial circles this week. The step will lengthen the voyages in the narrow seas, and further increase freights, thus additionally handicapping trade. The general expression of opinion, however, is that the drastic measure was essential. The fuel market is some- what unsettled. A little business has been done with France and Italy, but traders now act with much caution, and hesitate to commit themselves to any extent. There are, however, prospects of continued good shipments of gas coal to Italy. Best Durham gas coal is quoted 12s. 6d., whilst second kinds run from 10s. 9d. to Ils., according to quality, and special Wear 13s. to 13s. 6d. Ordinary Durham bunkers are 10s. 4|d. to 10s. 6d. f.o.b., best 11s. 4|d., and specials 12s. 6d. Coking coal is in fairly good request at from 9s. 6d. to 10s. 3d. There is a moderate business passing in coke. Foundry kinds for shipment are quoted 20s. and upward, and gas house coke is 12s. to 12s. 3d. Local consumers of coke complain of the continued high prices asked. Though the position is a little easier, sellers name and report that they have realised up to 17s. 6d. for Durham beehive blastfurnace coke of average quality delivered at Teesside works. IRON. Iron and steel shipments from the Tees during the month of October were only moderate. Those of pig iron amounted to 56,406 tons, 48,757 tons of which were despatched from Middlesbrough and 7,649 tons from Skinningrove. For the previous month the loadings were returned at 58,923 tons, and in October a year ago the clearances reached 125,190 tons. All the iron shipped from Skinningrove last month went to Scotland. Of the pig iron loaded at Middlesbrough, 24,834 tons went abroad and 23,923 tons to home customers. As usual, Scotland was the largest buyer, receiving 15,645 tons. Sweden took 10,840, Wales 4,400 tons, Japan 3,325 tons, the United States of America 2,932 tons, Holland 2,365 tons, Norway 1,726 tons, Portugal 1,250 tons, Italy 1,200 tons, and Denmark 1,020 tons. The loadings of manufactured iron on the Tees during the month just ended amounted to 12,425 tons, 5,472 tons of which went abroad and 6,953 tons to home customers, and those of steel to 23,227 tons, of which 19,741 tons went foreign and 3,486 tons coastwise. India was the largest importer of both manufactured iron and steel, taking 3,042 tons of the former and 8,721 tons of the latter. There is little business passing in pig iron, and what transactions are recorded were confined to sales for early delivery, buyers and sellers alike showing little disposition to contract on forward account. The make has been increased by Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan blowing in a furnace on Cleveland pig, and the Acklam Iron Company restarting one to make special iron. There are now in operation on the north-east coast 73 blastfurnaces. No. 3 g.m.b. Cleveland pig is 49s. 6d. f.o.b.; No. 1 is 51s. 9d.; No. 4 foundry, 49s.; No. 4 forge, 48s. 6d.; mottled and white iron, each 48s.; and mixed numbers of east coast haematite pig, 62s. Sellers of foreign ore take a firmer stand owing to the rise in freights, which is attributed to the action of the Admiralty in connection with the North Sea. Market rates are based on 17s. 6d. for best rubio. Freights Bilbao- Middlesbrough are up to 5s. 6d. There are no new features in manufactured iron and steel. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. A quiet tone continues to prevail. With the return of colder weather the demand for household coal is increasing, but there has been no change in manufacturing fuel since last report. Compared with last week the shipments again show a decrease, but this was probably caused by the stormy weather. Between Wednesday and Friday several coasting steamers, which were expected at the Cumberland ports, were detained in Irish ports until the weather abated. Towards the week end, however, things were more encouraging, and there were more enquiries for steam coal from the Irish merchants. The collieries are all working full time; the outputs in the west are reported to be increasing, and the difficulty with regard to the shortage of labour appears to have been overcome. So far the Cumberland coal trade has not been in any way affected by the war, and in this respect they have been more fortunate than those in Durham and Northumberland, but the report that mines have been laid on the west coast of Ireland has had a disquieting effect in some quarters. If this practice of laying floating mines in the track of these coasting steamers continues, it will not only constitute a dangerous menace to shipping, but it is bound to have a serious effect upon the export trade, as practically the whole of the available coal from the Cumberland coalfield is shipped to the Irish market. It is hoped, however, that extreme measures will be taken, not only to sweep the seas of these dangers to navigation, but also to prevent the further laying of mines on the Irish coast. Coke is in firm demand, and work is brisk at both the local by-product works and coke ovens. The Cumberland smelters are taking all the stocks they can secure at the local coke ovens. The ship- ments of coal from the Senhouse and Elizabeth docks at Maryport last week amounted to 4,850 tons, a decrease of 530 tons compared with the previous week. The cargoes were mainly for Belfast, Carrickfergus, Londonderry, Portaferry, Letterkenny, Newry and Dromore. The ship- ments from the various collieries were: Brayton Domain, 2,460 tons; St. Helens, 1,740; Allerdale, 650 tons. The imports at the Senhouse dock included a cargo of spent oxide from Belfast for the West Cumberland by-product works. Best Cumberland coal, at pit.... Flimby best coal „ ..... Washed nuts „ ..... Old St. Helens best coal „ ..... Best house nuts „ ..... Oughterside best coal........... Washed nuts..................... Best Cumberland coal, f.o.b..... Bunkers „ ..... Coal for gasworks............... Current prices. 20/6-21/ 20/ 19/2 19/2 17/1 20/ 18'4 14'6 13 6 14/6 L’st week’s prices. 20/6-21/ 20/ 19/2 19/2 17/1 ‘ 20/ 18/4 14/6 13/6 14/6