1126 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN November 27, 1914. prominent German firms—viz., the Elberf elder Farbenfabriken, the Badische Anilin und Sodafabrik A.G., and the Actiengesellschaft fur Anilin Fabrika- tion Treptow. There are probably also others, and moreover a number of German patents are possibly being worked by licence. The purely British firms, such as Messrs. Brooke, Simpson and Spiller, Messrs. Read, Holliday and Sons Limited, the British Alizarine Company, and the British Aniline Colour Ccmpany will certainly welcome the opportunity of increasing their output, but these firms will naturally wish to see clearly what is going to happen on the conclusion of the war. With regard to the coal industry, important changes must be expected to take place in regard to by-products. About 10,000,000 gallons of benzol are now produced in Great Britain annually, and of this amount about two-thirds went to Germany before the- war. If we are to build up a colour industry at all comparable with that of Germany we shall need to pay increased attention to recovery processes in our coke ovens and gasworks. Above all it will be necessary for interested firms to pull together. The capital invested in this industry in Germany is enormous, and it will only be by a combination of energy and commercial acumen that we can expect to oust that country permanently from the markets of the Empire. THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, November 26. Scotland.—Western District. COAL. The west of Scotland coal trade continues in a satisfactory condition. There is a strong demand for most classes of coal, and considerable activity is displayed in all depart- ments. The scarcity of tonnage which was threatened did not materialise, at least to the extent of affecting values, and collieries may consider themselves fortunate in tiding over a difficult period. Shipments during the week amounted to 111,038 tons, compared with 116,976 in the preceding week, and 82,195 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Glasgow. Steam coal.............. Ell .................... Splint.................. Treble nuts ............ Double do............... Single do............... Current L’st week’s prices, j prices. 10/9-12/9 10/9-12/9 12/3—12/6 ; 12/ -12/3 12/ -14/6 11/9-14/3 11/3-11/6 11/6-11/9 10/3-10/6 I 10/3-10/6 10/ -10/3 j 10/ -10/3 Last year’s prices. 13/ -14/6 13/3—13/6 13/3-16/6 13/3-13/6 12/ -12/6 10/6—11/ There is nothing upon which the Taxing country can congratulate itself more Wages. heartily than the attitude of the trade union leaders since the out- break of war. We do not class amongst them either Mr. Keir Hardie or Mr. Ramsay Macdonald, the one an enemy of his country, the other a hidebound doctrinaire, who have never really represented the classes that toil. By word and act, however, the leaders of the great trade unions have fully atoned for their mistakes in the past, and have co-operated whole- heartedly in the national emprise that now lies before us. We were greatly impressed by the excellent speech made by Mr. Arthur Henderson in the House of Commons last week, and especially by his spontaneous suggestion that instead of increasing the taxes upon the necessities of life, there should be imposed a direct tax upon wages. The chairman of the Labour Party certainly made out a case, although the present time may not be opportune for so drastic a revision of our system of taxation. The machinery provided for the National Insurance Act could be employed for the purpose, and we do not believe that employers of labour would object to act as collectors. The real difficulty would appear to be the apportionment and collection of a corresponding burden amongst the small shop- keepers and others who do not properly belong to the wage-earning classes. For the rest we are inclined to agree with Mr. Henderson that there would be no great difficulty in the cases of men working on time and piece rates respectively, as we take it that such a tax would not be an exact proportion of earnings but a graduated duty between certain fixed wage limits. The Chancellor is probably right in refusing to open so difficult and debatable a question at the present time, but we are glad that it has been raised when it has. The defects of our present system of taxation are self-apparent. It is not so much that many highly-paid manual workers now escape their just burden of direct taxation, but that an erroneous impression is created amongst superficial economists, that the working classes do not contribute their fair share to the country’s revenue. As Mr. Lloyd George pointed out, the working classes very often pay, not in proportion to their incomes, but in proportion to their burdens. The larger the family, the greater the contribution, though the wages may be low. That the working classes are willing to contribute their quota of the huge sums necessary to conduct this war and to relieve the wants of its victims, we have had ample testimony during the last few months. There is much to be said for a system that gives them credit in the popular mind for these sacrifices. IRON. The Scotch pig iron trade has apparently undergone some slight improvement within the past week. A better enquiry from local consumers is reported, but the volume of business passing has not yet increased to any extent. Prices, however, are tending upwards. The high rate of freights ruling at present are detrimental to both coastwise and foreign shipments, which, nevertheless, are better than could be expected. Scotch haematite is weak, and business is reported at 65s. per ton. There are 72 furnaces in blast in Scotland against 71 in the preceding week and 78 in the same week last year. Prices of Scotch makers’ iron are 6d. per ton in advance of last week’s quotations, and 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, Calder and Langloan, Nos. 1, 68s. 6d., Nos. 3,63s. 6d.; 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 Leith, No. 1,68s. 6d., No. 3,63s. 6d.; Carron at Grangemouth, No. 1, 69s., No. 3, ,64s. per ton. Although the amount of business transacted on the Glasgow pig iron warrant market during the week did not exceed 5,000 tons, the tone throughout was very firm. The strength of the market is attributed partly to the improvement in the trade reports generally, but more particularly to the receipt of a number of contracts by shipbuilders recently. Cleveland iron closed at 50s. 5|d. per ton cash buyers, showing an advance of Is. Id. per ton over the preceding week. Scotland.—Eastern District. COAL. Business in the Lothians district is very quiet and is confined largely to washed produce, the prices of which have stiffened considerably. The bulk of the turnover in large coal is against contract. Shipments for the past week reached the total of 52,779 tons, compared with 46,437 in the preceding week and 103,471 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Leith. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. Best screened steam coal... 11/ -11/3 11/ -11/3 13/6-13/9 Secondary qualities 10/ 10/ 12/ -12/6 Treble nuts 11/6-11/9 11/6 13/9-14/ Double do. 10/3-10/6 10/6 12/3-12/9 Single do 10/3 10/3 10/6—11/ The progress of business in Fifeshire is rather uncertain owing to the recent heavy weather. Navigation coals are still heavily booked and prices rule firm. First-class steams are rather quiet, while the demand for third-class qualities has fallen off to a large extent. Large quantities of washed produce are moving off at fair prices. Clearances during the week amounted to 60,468 tons, compared with 65,880 in the preceding week and 94,456 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntisland. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Best screened navigation prices. prices. prices. coal 15/6-15/9 15/6-15/9 16/9 Unscreened do 13/6 13/6 14/9 First-class steam coal 11/9 11/9 12/9-13/3 Third-class do 10/ 10/ 10/9-11/3 Treble nuts 11/ -11/9 11/9-12/3 13/ -13/6 Double do 10/ -10/6 10/3-10/6 12/ Single do 10/ -10/3 10/ -10/3 10/ -10/6 The aggregate shipments from Scottish ports during the past week amounted to 224,285 tons, compared with 229,293 in the preceding week and 280,122 tons in the same week last year. The decrease in shipments to date has reached the total of 1,890,371 tons. Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland. N e wcastle-upon-Ty ne. COAL., During last week 87,015 tons of coal were despatched from Tyne Dock, a decrease of 60,256 tons when compared with the shipments for the corresponding week of last year. No coke was shipped, a decline of 874 tons. The Dunston clearances amounted to 37,134 tons of coal and 3,771 tons of coke, a decrease of 21,068 tons of coal and an increase of 706 tons of coke. The Blyth shipments amounted to 51,113 tons of coal and coke, a decrease of 38,366 tons. The total quantity sent off from the three places was 179,033 tons, an increase, when compared with the shipments for the previous week, of 23,255 tons. The low figure at which the total still stands is almost entirely due to the dislocation of trade caused by tonnage shortage and high freights, and until that shortage is rectified, it is to be feared that matters will show little improvement. Even last week’s figures were low compared with those for some previous weeks since war broke out. The contract to supply the Admiralty with a supplementary quantity of steam coals for delivery to the dockyards up to March next is stated to have gone almost entirely to Yorkshire, where steam coals are just now rather cheaper, and shipping difficulties hardly as great. Only 3,500 tons have been ordered from this district, out of about 35,000 tons required. The Gothenburg Gasworks have c jntracted for 6,000 tons of Durham gas seconds for delivery up to the end of the year at about 19s. per ton, c.i.f. The coal is to be carried in Swedish steamers and the f.o.b. price is believed to work out at from 10s. 9d.to Ils. per ton. The contract to supply the Portuguese Railways with a considerable quantity of locomotive fuel has again been secured by the North Walbottle Coal Company Limited, for Whorl ton coal. Quantities and price have not been divulged. The coal is for shipment over the early part of next year. A good deal of new business is offering from France and Italy. France is in the market for increased supplies of gas, household and steam coals. Italy is enquiring for comparatively large quantities of gas bests. Spain is taking a fair quantity of coking coal. The demand from Scandinavia is very limited. With the present shortage of tonnage here however, accentuated by the congestion of and delay to shipping at Northern French ports, it is not possible for collieries and merchants to take full advantage of all the business that is offered. F.o.b. quotations for prompt shipment have varied as follows on the week ;—Best steams, Tynes easier; Blyth smalls, 3d. reduced ; gas seconds, 3d. down; unscreened bunkers, Durhams, l|d. to 3d. cheaper ; Northumbrians, 3d. to 6d. lower; coking smalls, 6d. reduced; and gas coke, 3d. fallen. Other descriptions of fuel are unaltered. The Rouen agent of a Newcastle firm of coal shippers has informed his principals that the French authorities have decided that, in future, during the war, the port of Rouen shall only be used for coals meant to be conveyed to Paris or for fuel to be delivered in Rouen itself. Coals for all other consumers in France must be sent to other ports for discharge. This drastic decision will, it is expected, result in the relief of congestion at the port of Rouen and, consequently, in lessened rates of freights for vessels trading to that port. 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.) ..J 13/ 13/ 14/9 Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) 12/ -12/6 Secondary, Blyths i 10/9 Do. Tynes (Hastings 12/6 14/9-15/ 10/9 12/6 or West Hartleys) ... 11/ 11/ 12/6-13/ Unscreened 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 11/ -12/ Small, Blyths ' 8/ 8/3 7/6 Do. Tynes 7/6 7/6 6/6 Do. specials t 9/6 Other sorts:— 9/6 8/6- 8/9 Smithies 10/6 Best gas coals (New 10/6 13/6 Pelton or Holmside) 12/6 Secondary gas coals 12/6 15/3-15/6 (Pelaw Main or similar) 10/9-11/ 10/9-11/3 13/6-14/ Special gas oals 13/ Unscreened bunkers, 13/ 15/6-16/ Durhams 10/4^-11/6 Do. do. 10/6-11/9 12/9-14/ N orthumbr ians | Coking coals.........j Do. smalls........1 House coals .......... Coke, foundry .........., Do. blast-furnace...... Do. gas *..............I 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 9/ - 9/6 15/ 19/ -20/ 18/ 11/ -11/9 10/6-10/9 10/ -10/6 9/6-10/ 15/ -16/ 19/ -20/ 18/ 11/ -12/ 10/6-11/6 * 13/3-13/9 12/ —12/6 15/6 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/ 16/ -17/3 Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The market continues inactive, the demand, especially for steams, being very poor. Heavy freights are also militating against business, which when placed is only to cover immediate and pressing needs. For best Durham steams 13s. to 13s. 3d. is quoted, whilst Tyne primes are at 12s. 3d., with seconds 10s. 9d. to Ils. Best gas coals are 12s. 6d., with seconds 10s. 9d. to Ils. The quotation for best Northumberland steams (D.C.B.’s) is 13s. to 13s. 3d., Blyth seconds 12s. 6d., Tyne prime smalls 9s. 3d., seconds 7s. 6d. Ordinary bunkers are 10s. 3d. to 10s. 4£d., with bests Is. more; Northumberland unscreened bunkers are 10s. 3d. to 11s. 3d. Best foundry coke is 20s. to 21s., blast- furnace medium quality 17s. 9d., with gashouse coke 12s. 3d. IRON. There has been a noticeable improvement in the iron trade, and quotations for No. 3 Cleveland g.m.b. have steadily advanced to 51s. 3d., at which figure a fair quantity of business is being done. The stocks of pig iron in Connal’s stores have, however, only been slightly reduced, the total still held just exceeding 103,000 tons. Haematite, forge and foundry iron have all shared in the generally better demand. No. 4 foundry is at 50s. 9d., and forge No. 4 50s. 6d. per ton, whilst No. 1 stands at 53s. 6d., but for next year’s business 6d. per ton more is asked. East coast haematite changes hands at 65s., and sellers are not inclined to do business under that price, especially in view of the advance in rubio ore, for which 20s. per ton is asked in some instances f.o.b. at port of loading instead of the customary ex-ship Tees. The advance which has been