November 27, 1914. THE«f ^OLElEinP f 1129 December business, however, 'sellers -are greatly influenced by the present chartering conditions, which are certainly now attracting a good deal, more tonnage than has been recently fixed. Dates for most of the French and Mediter- ranean ports are quite unprecedented, and for South American ports are very much higher than of late, although for this locality they do not attain anything like the same relative value. For Rouen, which in July last 4s. 7Jd. was paid, and in 1912 at the highest point of the freight boom then 7s. 9d., the latest fixture was Ils. 6d. Gibraltar shows the following figures: July 1914, 7s. 9d.; highest 1912, 10s. 6d.; latest rate, 12s. Italian ports may be based upon Genoa, for which the last steamer obtained 16s., as against 6s. 9d. in July last, and 14s. 6d. in 1912. Figures for Rio de Janeiro and River Plate are interesting. ' They show the efficiency of the British patrol in those waters, for although two German cruisers are known to be waiting around some- where, it is surmised to the northward of Fernando Noronha, the convoy system adopted has proved so perfectly safe that freights have not in this district run away. They may be measured by the figures for River Plate, which are : Highest 1912, 25s.; July 1914, 15s.; latest fixture, 16s. And for Rio de Janeiro : Highest 1912, 24s. 6d.; July last, 13s.; latest fixture, 17s. 6d. So for all forward business sellers are now quoting firmly, while the general enquiry is improving. On the spot smalls are relatively stronger than large coals; other grades remain unchanged. Pitwood is firmer, at 22s. ex ship for best French fir. , Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. amount of’fchn^ge takeri up beitig 231,500 tons, compared with 155,150 tons in’the’preceding six days. Foreign clear- ances up to date show a decreasfe of over three million tons, compared with the corresponding period of last year. Pit- wood is 21s. 6d. to' 22s. per ton, and there ds no doubt that even higher prices would prevail but for the difficulty of obtaining wagons. ' Prices f.o.b. Cardiff: (except where otherwise stated). Current prices. Steam coals:— Best Black Vein large... 16/6-16/9 Wes tern- valley s, ordin’y' Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary do. Best small coals ..... Secondary do........ Inferior do........... Screenings....'............ Through coals ........ Best washed nuts...... Other sorts:— Best house coal....... Secondary do.......... Patent fuel .......... Furnace coke.......... Foundry coke ......... ' 15/9-16/3 15/6-15/9 15/ —15/6 6/9- 7/3 6/ - 6/9 5/6— 6/ 7/ - 7/3 11/ -11/6 13/ -13/6 L’st week’s prices. 16/6-17/ 16/ -16/6 15/6-16/ 15/ -15/6 6/9- 7/ 6/ - 6/9 5/6- 6/ 7/ 11/3-11/6 13/ -13/6 Last year’s prices. 17/6-18/ 16/3-16/9 15/6-16/3 15/3—15/6 8/3- 8/9 ■ 7/9- 8/ 7/ - 7/6 8/6- 8/9 12/3-12/9 13/6-14/ I 18/ -19/ ' 16/6-17/6 : 16/ -16/6 j 21/ -23/ I 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 16/6-17/6 17/6-18/ 18/ -19/ 21/ -23/ 18/ -19/ 17/ -18/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 23/ -25/ Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam coals Current prices. 21/ -22/ 20/ 17/6 9/ - 9/6 8/6- 8/9 6/ - 6/6 5/ - 6/ 18/6-19/6 16/ -17/ 18/ 16/6-17/ 15/ 13/6-14/ 9/6 16/9 16/3 15/9 15/3—15/6 20/ 17/6-19/6 17/6-18/ 14/6 . 11/6-12/ 13/6-14/ 10/6-11/ 7/6 16/ -16/6 15/ -15/6- 26/ -30/ 22/ -27/ 19/ -20/ 21/6-22/ L’st week’s prices. 21/ -22/ 20/ -20/6 17/6-18/ 8/ - 8/6 7/6- 7/9 5/6- 6/3 4/6- 5/ 19/6-20/ 17/ -18/ 17/6 15/ 14/6 13/6 9/ 17/ -17/3 16/3-16/6 15/9-16/ 15/ -15/6 20/ 17/6-19/6 17/6 14/6 11/6 14/ 11/6 7/6 16/ -16/6 15/6 27/ -30/ 22/ -26/ 19/ -20/ 21/6 Last year’s prices. 20/6-21/ 19/9-20/3 18/6-19/ 10/9-11/ 10/6 7/6 6/6- 7/ 19/ -19/6 17/ -17/6 16/ -16/6 15/ -15/6 14/6 13/9-14/ 12/9-13/ 18/ -18/3 17/ -17/3 16/3-16/6 14/9-15/3 20/6 17/6-18/ 17/ 15/ 12/ -12/3 13/9 11/6 8/ 22/6 20/ -21/6 27/ -28/ 22/ -25/ 20/ 22/6-24/ 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) boles, receipts from works 49,982 boxes; and‘stocks remain- ing in the dock warehouses and vans 221,778 boxes. 1 Llanelly. , ’ COAL. ■"/; " ' "L/ ? The market in this district is dependent, entirely upon Jhe quantity of tonnage available. The lack, of tonnage at; .the moment is quite upsetting the position, , and although col- liery order books are in good condition, boats cannot be obtained to take the cargoes now waiting., The position is. serious for those sellers who do a speculative business. Some of them fixed contracts based on freights ruling a few months; back, but as they have advanced as much as 5s. at least, their, loss is a heavy one. There is not the firmness shown which was exhibited a few weeks back, and best qualities c^n pow be bought at a reduction. The cold weather is improving the demand for horticultural kinds, and prices are firmer. Stove qualities are also doing better. Beans and peas are going fairly well, but culm and duff are doing badly." SteanP and bituminous coals are in fair demand, except large, which is very firm, and prices satisfactory. Quotations this week approximately are:— Prices f.o.b. r 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. 23/ -24/, 20/ -21/ 19/ -21/ 14/ -15/6 22/ -23/. 22/ -23/6 23/ -24/6 23/ -24/6 19/ -22/ 13/ -13/6 4/ - 4/6 3/6- 4/ ■ 18/ -20/ 10/9-11/3 8/ - 9/ 9/ -10/ L’st week’s prices. 23/ -24/ 20/ -21/, 19/ -21/ ■ 14/ -15-/6 22/ -23/- 22/ -23/6, 23/ -24/6 23/ -24/6 10/ -22/ • J 13/ -13/6 ) 4/ - 4/6 3/6- 4/ . Lastyear’s ptices. •: 21] -22/6 19/. -20/. 18/ -19/ ■ 14/ -15/ ; 20/ -21/. 23/ -25/- >■ 23/ -25/;: 23/ -25/ 18/ -20/ • 12/6-13/6 4/ -:5/3 • 4/ - 5/3 18/ -20/ • -17/6-18/. IO/9-H/3 11/ —11/6 s'/ - 9/ I 9/ - 9/6 9/ -10/ 10/ -11/ IRON. There is a somewhat improved tone noticeable in the iron and steel trades of this district, and more inclination is shown to place business for the immediate future, and also for the early part of the year. Enquiry is more satisfactory, and there is more confidence expressed than for some time past. At bar mills more business has been concluded, and as regards enquiry this is now regarded as being compara- tively satisfactory, quotations inclining to be stronger, although officially they remain as last reported, at £4 15s. for both Siemens or Bessemer qualities. Work at rail mills is also reported better, while values are firm, at £5 7s. 6d. for heavy sections, with the usual extra for light ditto. At blastfurnaces there is more activity, Welsh haematite being quoted more firmly at 70s. delivered to works in the district. There is little or no change to report in iron ore, which rules nominally 17s.-18s. for best Rubio c.i.f. Newport. The tin- plate department continues irregular. In some places improvement is reported, but generally speaking buyers seem able to obtain easy terms, more especially where they can undertake prompt clearance, for at present stocks are abnor- mally heavy and unwieldy. Cardiff. . COAL. The dominating feature of the market has been the scarcity of tonnage and the very high rates of freight, which are now not only asked for, but paid. As much as 16s. has been paid for Genoa, and 18s. 6d. for Port Said, which are both record figures, and even at these high rates vessels are by no means easily obtained. In consequence of the scarcity of tonnage work has been very irregular at the collieries, and from present appearances this state of affairs is likely to continue until more vessels are available. Even the high rates which have been paid at South Wales ports are easily eclipsed by those paid from the Tyne, as much as 19s. being paid for Genoa. Orders generally have been by no means plentiful, although there is a good deal of enquiry. At the same time, consumers are very disinclined to pay the high rates of freight unless they are actually com- pelled to. The Government demand has not been quite as active as during the preceding few weeks, with the result that permission to ship coal to contractors is more freely granted. How long this state of affairs is likely to continue is problematical, as the Admiralty demands may at any moment spring up again, and the whole available output of large coal would be absorbed by them. So far as prices are concerned, these are purely nominal. Best Admiralties may still be negotiated at 21s. to 22s., but transactions in these qualities are extremely limited. Superior seconds do not command more than 20s., and ordinaries are 17s. 6d. In Monmouthshires there is a corresponding decline, best Black Veins being 16s. 9d., Western Valleys 16s. 3d., and Eastern 15s. 9d. In washed coals there is an increasing demand, and best nuts are realising as much as 18s. In consequence of the decreased output of large coal, there is a falling off in the supply of small, and quotations have shown a con- siderable advance during the past week. At the time of writing best bunkers were 9s. to 9s. 6d., ordinary qualities 8s. 6d. to 8s. 9d., and cargo sorts 6s. to 6s. 6d. per ton. Bituminous coals do not show much change, No. 3 Rhondda large being 17s. 6d. to 18s., No. 2 13s. 6d. to 14s., and other grades in proportion. Coke is unaltered. In patent fuel matters are going from bad to worse. One works is at a standstill, others are only working short time, and the Crown is producing only about half output. Prices are irregular, best brands being from 16s. to 16s. 6d., and seconds 15s. to 15s. 6d. Although complete figures are not available, there was an improvement in shipments last week, and the Crown- Company from Cardiff and Port Talbot exported 10,832 tons. Shipments last week were 367,000 tons, compared with 384,000 tons in the preceding week, and 634,000 tons in the corresponding week of last year. This is, of course, exclud- ing the Admiralty shipments, of which no ’ records are published. From Cardiff the exports were 151,509 tons, Newport 48,389 tons, Swansea 52,980 tons, and Port Talbot 14,445 tons. Charterings were on a better scale, the IRON. There is very little change in the position of the market. Shipments last week of tin-plates amounted to 63,563 boxes, as against 49,982 boxes received from works, leaving 221,778 boxes in stock. Prices are rather firmer, Bessemer standard cokes being 12s. 9d., and oil sizes 13s. 3d. and 18s. 3d. respectively. These prices, however, are shaded for prompt specifications. In Welsh tin bars there is no alteration, £4= 15s. being quoted for both Siemens and Bessemer quali- ties. Welsh pig iron is 68s. to 69s. f.o.b. In galvanised sheets there is still a lack of new work, and 24 gauge corrugateds are J>11 10s. to £12 per ton. Rails are unaltered. There is a better enquiry for scrap metals, but quotations are unchanged. Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port last week showed some improve- ment compared with the preceding period, both the coal and patent fuel trades being brisker, although the supply of tonnage was still very limited. A capital attendance assembled on ’Change, and there was no material altera- tion in the general condition of the anthracite coal market. There was a better demand for Swansea Valley large, and prices were a shade firmer, whilst Red Vein large continued to maintain its strong position. Of the machine-made sizes, cobbles and French nuts were strong, but Germans were a shade easier. Beans and peas were not quite so * strong. Rubbly culm and duff were weak, with very little demand. In the steam coal market there was an improved demand for smalls, whilst large continued to hold its own. Prices f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Current L’stweek’s Anthracite:— Best malting large prices. prices. (hand picked) (net)... 22/6-24/6 22/6-24/6 Secondary do. Big Vein large (less 2| 20/6-22/6 20/6-22/6 per cent.) 19/6-22/ 19/6-22/ Red Vein large do. ... Machine-made cobbles 15/6-17/ 15/6-17/ (net) 23/6-26/6 22/6-26/6 Paris nuts (net) — — French do. do 23/6-26/6 23/6-26/6 German do. do 23/6-26/6 23/6-25/6 Beans (net) Machine - made large 18/6-19/6 18/6—19/6 peas (net) 12/6-13/6 12/6-13/6 Do. fine peas (net) — Rubbly culm (less 2| p.c.) 3/9- 4/6 3/9- 4/6 Duff (net) Steam coals:— 2/9— 3/6 2/9- 3/6 Best large (less 2| p.c.) 18/9-21/6 18/9-22/6 Seconds do. 15/9-16/6 15/9-16/6 Bunkers do. 10/3-11/ 10/3-11/ Small do. Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— 5/6- 8/6 5/6- 8/6 Large (less 2| p.c.) ... Through-and-through 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/6 (less 2| p.c.) — — Small (less 2| p.c.) ... 10/ -10/9 10/ -10/9 Patent fuel do 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/6 Last year’s prices. 21/6-24/ 19/6-21/6 17/6-18/6 14/6—16/ 21/6-24/6 23/6-26/ 23/6-26/ 23/6-25/6 16/6—18/6 13/3-13/9 4/6- 5/6 3/ - 4/ 19/ -20/ 14/6-15/6 10/9-12/ 7/ - 7/6 17/ -18/ 13/6-14/6 10/ -11/ 17/ -17/6 IRON. Business on the whole was satisfactory during the. past week. There was a reduction shown in the yield of pig ipm, but things were brisk at the steel works, there being a large supply of ingots. The steel sheet trade was still slack, and there, was no indication of any improvement in the position. Nearly all the tin-plate works were operatingi with the exception of Cwmf^lin, where only 10 mills were engaged, the work being shared between the men. Some • improvement was observed at the bar-rolling mills in the district. The shipments of tin-plates last week were 63,363 THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, November 26....... • Dublin. Until the last week or two the amount of business current was considerably below the usual season’s average, but more wintry conditions having now set in, there is an improving demand in the household trade both in wholesale and retail branches. There has been no change in prices of any qualities for some time past, and as no difficulty has been experienced in getting coals across from the othet side, most of the city merchants are fairly well stocked. The following are the present quotations:—Best Orrell, 27s. per ton ; Hui ton Arley, 26s.; best Wigan, 25s..; best Whitehaven, 25s.; Pemberton Wigan, 23s. ; kitchen nuts, 22s.; Orrell slack, 21s.; all less Is. per ton discount for cash, house coal, retail, Is. 7d. per sack. Steam coals about 22s. per ton for Scotch, and 23s. for Welsh steam coal ; best coke, 24s. per ton delivered. Pit-mouth prices of Irish coals at the Wolfhill Colliery, Queen’s County, are as follow:— Large coal, 21s. 8d. per ton, Is. Id. per cwt.; small coal, 20s. per ton, Is. per cwt.; nut coal, 16s. 8d. per ton, lOd. per cwt.r; culm, from Is. 8d. to 10s. per ton, 4s. 3d. per ton being added to these prices for delivery at A thy, the nearest railway connection with the mines. The coaling vessels arriving in this port during the past week amounted to 42, as compared with 52 the week previously, chiefly from Ayr, Garston, Newport, Manchester, Preston, West Bank,. Liverpool, Point of Aire, Troon, Glasgow and Maryport. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 22,000 tons, as against 21,500 tons in the previous week. Belfast. Locally there continues to be an improvement in the demand, although business cannot be described as brisk. About the only feature of note has been the limited supply of Scotch house coals available for export to Irish ports, the result being that prices are somewhat firmer for these qualities. There is about an average supply of other descriptions in the port, prices all being firm at recent rates. Current quotations are as follow:—Best ' Arley house coal, 27s. 6d. per ton; Scotch house coal, 23s. 6d. per ton; Orrell nuts, 26s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 23s. 6d.; Scotch steam coal, 16s. to 17s. per ton ; Scotch steam slack, Ils. 6d. to 12s. 6d.; Welsh steam coal, 17s. to 18s. per ton delivered. Coal-laden vessels arriving during the week were chiefly from Troon, Ayr, West Bank, Garston, Point of Aire, Ardrossan, Whitehaven, Glasgow, Manchester and Irvine. From November 1 to 14 the total number of colliers entering the harbour was 85. The executive committee of the local coal relief fund invite tenders for, coals in considerable quantities. THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. • The tone of the market is steady, although the volume of business going through just now is by no means large. The recent prohibition of exports has forced some lines on the market for spot delivery, and low figures have been accepted to clear, but prices for plates to make are fairly well maintained, and makers are not inclined to sell forward unless at an advance on current rates, which do not leave the works any margin of profit. Following are about makers’ quotations for approved specifications in coke finish, shipment over the next two or three months :—r IC 14 x 20 (112 sh. 108 lb.), 12s. 9d. per box ; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 lb.), £5s. 6d. to 25s. 9d. per box: IC 28 x 20 (56 sh. 1081b.), 13s. l|d. to 13s. 3d. per box: IC 14 x 18| (124 sh. 1101b.), l$s. to 13s. l£d. per box; IC 14 x 19| (120 sh. 110 lb.), 13s. to 13s. l|d. per box: IC 20 x 10 (225 sh. 156 lb.), 17s. 6d. per box; IC squares and odd sizes, 13s. to 13s. 3d. basis. Charcoal tins are in quiet demand at 14s. 6d. basis and upwards, according to tinning. Coke wasters are in moderate demand for the home trade, and are quoted :—C W 14 x 20, Ils. 7>d. per box; C W 28 x 20, 24s. per box: C W 20 x 10. 14s. 6d. per box; C W 14 x 18|, 11s. 7jd. per box. All f.o.b, Wales, less 4 per cent.