December 11, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 122? Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland. Newcastle-upon-Tyne. COAL. During last week 94,589 tons of coal and 2,225 tons of coke were despatched from Tyne Dock, a decrease of 38,572 tons of coal and 1,364 tons of coke when compared with the shipments for the corresponding week of last year. The Dunston clearances amounted to 39,212 tons of coal and 4,575 tons of coke, a decrease of £2,055 tons of coal and an increase of 3,790 tons of coke. The Blyth shipments totalled 30,165 tons of coal and coke, a decline of 71,427 tons. Altogether, 170,766 tons were sent from Tyne Dock, Dunston and Blyth, a decline of 26,843 tons when compared with the shipments for the previous week. This decrease does not represent any falling-off in the demand for fuel, but is due to the old trouble of shortage of tonnage. Much satisfaction is expressed at the action which is being taken by the Advisory Committee of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce in “ recruiting ” men and providing appliances to be forwarded to Rouen for the purpose of relieving the congestion of tonnage at that port—a congestion solely due, it is stated, to the want of men and machines for the discharge of cargoes. Comparatively speaking, the local market has been quite brisk this week. There is an increasing pressure of enquiry for fuel for France and Italy, in particular, and quite a good demand from other friendly and neutral Continental countries. Some of the steam coal collieries report being fully sold up to the end of the year, but these are still dependent on a good supply of tonnage to enable work to be regularly continued until that time. An enquiry for 1,000,000 tons of Newcastle steams, 100,000 tons of which is to be for early delivery, has been circulating from France. Newcastle steams are, however, not a recognised brand of coal, and, until further particulars of the requirements of the enquirers are forth- coming, tenders will be withheld. The Swedish State Railways invite tenders of 136,000 tons of steams, of which 80,000 tons are stipulated to be from Northumberland or Durham, and the balance from Yorkshire or Scotland. The coal is for delivery from January to March to Stock- holm, Gothenburg, Varberg and Helsingborg. The busi- ness, it is thought, will only be possible, so far as this district is concerned, on an f.o.b. basis, with neutral tonnage supplied through Swedish merchants. It is reported that the Americans, also, have been asked to tender these supplies, but their competition is not regarded seriously in this instance. German offers, also, are said to have been invited. Tenders are due in on December 11. The Christiania Gasworks have invited immediate offers of 10,000 tons of Holmside or similar quality gas coal for shipment up to next June. The North-Eastern Railway Company is now negotiating with the collieries for next year's supplies of steam coals—about 1,000,600 tons in all — the order for half which quantity usually comes to this district for the northern division, whilst the southern division lot is generally supplied from Yorkshire. In the present extraordinary position of the market, the prices at which this contract will be allotted are the subject of much speculation. F.o.b. quotations for prompt shipment have varied very little on the week, the only changes being as follow:—Blyth steam smalls are 3d. dearer, Tynes from 3d. to 6d. cheaper, specials easier, smithies weaker, gas specials in buyers’ favour, and gas coke 3d. reduced. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Steam coals :— Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) Secondary, Blyths Do. Tynes (Hastings or West Hartleys) ... Unscreened Small, Blyths Do. Tynes Do. specials Other sorts:— Smithies Best gas coals (New Pelton or Holmside) Secondary gas coals (Pelaw Main or similar) Special gas oals Unscreened bunkers, Durhams Do. do. Northumbrians Coking coals Do. smalls House coals Coke, foundry - Do. blast-furnace Do. gas Current prices. 13/ 12/ -12/3 10/9 ' 11/ 10/ -10/6 7/9- 8/3 7/ - 7/3 9/3- 9/6 10/ -10/6 12/6 10/9-11/ 12/9-13/ 10/44-11/6 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 9/ - 9/6 14/ -15/ 19/ -20/ 18/ 10/6-11/ L’st week’s prices. 13/ 12/ -12/3 10/9 11/ 10/ -10/6 8/ 7/6 9/6 10/6 12/6 10/9-11/ 13/ 10/44-11/6 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 9/ - 9/6 14/ -15/ 19/ -20/ 18/ 10/6-11/3 Last year’s prices. 14/9-15/ 14/9-15/ 12/6 12/6-13/ 11/ -12/ 7/ 6/6 8/ 13/6-14/ 15/6 13/6-14/ 15/6-16/ 13/3-14/6 10/6-11/6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/ 15/6-16/ 21/ -23/ 19/ -20/ 16/ -17/3 Sunderland. COAL. The exports from Sunderland last week amounted to 49,840 tons of coal and 580 tons- of coke as compared with 103,760 tons of coal and 900 tons of coke for the corresponding week of 1913, being a decrease of 53,920 tons of coal and 320 tons of coke. There is a slight improve- ment in the coal market, the enquiry for large steam descriptions being well maintained and a steady undertone prevailing, but smalls are both plentiful and irregular in price. Best gas coals are active and firmly held, large shipments going forward to Italy, in spite of the high rates of freights at present being paid. Secondary sorts are also receiving more attention and sellers are inclined to raise their limit, but so far no quotable change has been made owing to the scarcity of tonnage. The forward enquiry is brisk, but in view of the prospective high rates of freight and the uncertainty of the outlook business is slow in maturing. Bunker coals are easy, and coking fuel is barely steady. Coke is unchanged. The Christiania Gasworks are inviting offers of 10,000 tons Holmside shipments December to June, and the North Eastern Railway Company are in the market for their next year’s requirements aggregating over 500,000 tons. Quotations are approximately as follow :— Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Current ■L’st quot’d^Last year’s Gas coals:— prices. prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 13/ 13/6 15/6 Secondary do. House coals:— 11/ 12/3 14/ Best house coals 15/6 16/ 18/ Ordinary do Other sorts :— 14/ 15/ 17/ Lambton screened 13/6- 14/6 15/6 South Hetton do 13/3 14/3 15/3 Lambton unscreened ... 10/6 10/6 12/ 13/9 South Hetton do 12/ 13/9 Do. treble nuts 13/6 15/6 16/9 Coking coals unscreened 10/ 12/3 13/6 Do. smalls 9/9 12/ 13/3 Smithies 11/3-11/6 13/6 15/ 15/9-16/3 Peas and nuts 15/6 16/9 Best bunkers 11/9 13/ 14/9 Ordinary bunkers Coke:— , 10/6 12/ 14/ Foundry coke Blast-furnace coke (did. 21/ 20/6 21/ -21/6 Teesside furnaces) ... 19/ 19/6 20/ ' Gas coke 12/3-12/6 13/ 18/ The outward freight market is firm, the scarcity of tonnage being as pronounced as ever. Recent fixtures include:— Coasting; London 6s. 3d., Havre 12s. 3d., Rouen 14s. Bay : St. Nazaire 14s., Bordeaux 14s., Lisbon 12s. 6d. Baltic : Sundswall 13s. 6d. Mediterranean: Genoa 18s. 6d., Barce- lona 16s., Algiers 15s. 6d., Oran 16s., Bona 19s. 6d., Marseilles 16s. 9d., Civita Vecchia 19s. 6d., Naples 18s. 6d., Licata 19s. 9d. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The fuel trade is steady. Chief demand for coal is from France, and considerable business might be done with that country if reasonable tonnage could be arranged, but with freights at round about 14s. for Rouen and St. Nazaire, few transactions are being put through. Italian buyers are in the market for gas coal, but here again there is much difficulty in fixing steamers. Best Durham gas coal is 12s. 6d., second kinds 10s. 9d. to Ils. according to quality, and special Wear sorts 13s. to 13s. 3d. Bunker coal is rather weaker. Ordinary Durhams run from 10s. to 10s. 3d., bests are in the neighbourhood of Ils. 4|d., and specials are 12s. 6d. Household coal is steady and firm. Coking coal is fairly well taken up. Unscreened kinds range from 10s. to Ils., and coking smalls are 9s. 6d. to 10s. 3d. Good enquiries are reported for coke, especially for local consumption, and prices are firm. Possibly contracts could still be made at 17s. 6d. for Durham beehive blast- furnace coke, of average quality delivered at Teesside works, but most makers ask 17s. 9d. and some quote up to 18s. Best foundry coke for shipment is 20s. to 21s. f.o.b. and gas house coke is round about 12s. 3d. IRON. The various branches of the iron and steel industries present few new features of moment. Some fairly substan- tial pig iron contracts for delivery over the first quarter of next year have been made, and producers no longer particu- larly press sales, as they incline to the belief that they may do better by waiting. Home demand promises to be good, as all the consuming industries are very busy, and are still booking orders. For the time being there is a lull in buying, such as is generally experienced after brisk busi- ness in pig iron. Altogether trade must be regarded as satisfactory. No. 3 g.m.b. Cleveland pig is 52s. f.o.b., No. 1 is 54s. 3d., No. 4 foundry 51s. 6d., No. 4 forge 51s., and mottled and white iron 50s. 6d., all for early delivery, 6d. above these rates being named on forward account. The general market quotation for Nos. 1, 2 and 3 east coast haematite pig is 67s. 6d. Possibly some second hands would accept a trifle below that figure, but many makers now ask 70s., at which figure forward business can be done. Foreign ore is very strong. Prices are very difficult to fix, and in fact several sellers refuse to quote, intimating that prevailing conditions compel them to ask rates that prohibit business. Market prices are nominally on a minimum basis of 22s. ex-ship Tees for rubio of 50 per cent, quality, and up to 24s. is also named. Freights Bilbao-Middlesbrough are 8s. 6d. and even 9s., and steamers are almost unobtainable. Imports of foreign ore to the Tees to date this month are given at 18,482 tons. Manufacturers of practically all kinds of finished iron and steel are very busily employed. The turn-out is large, but would be much heavier if more workmen were available. There is a shortage of labour owing to so many employees having joined the Colours. Quotations all round are fully maintained. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The Cumberland coal trade is still in a most depressed condition. The position of house coal is perhaps a little stronger owing to the continued cold weather, but*manu- facturing fuel shows no material change since last week; in fact, there is no very pressing demand for any quality at the present time. There have been fewer enquiries for all sorts for the Irish market, and the export trade from both Workington and Maryport again shows a marked deprecia- tion. The bad weather has had a serious effect upon the coastwise trade this week, and for several days shipping was practically at a standstill. Since the weather moderated seven vessels have sailed with coals for Ireland, and several are expected to load. The lack of suitable boats for the cross-channel trade has caused great inconvenience to shippers, and if it is correct that several of the vessels which have been employed for the last month or two by the Government are to be released at an early date, there is every possibility that the coal trade may revive con- siderably before the end of the year. The collieries for the most part have only been working on an average of about four days a week, but a good deal of delay has been caused by the inability of the shippers to clear large numbers of wagons which have been standing on the docks and sidings. The outputs at the various pits are not by any means as large as they were even two months ago. It is not expected, however, that the present depression can last much longer, and with a more plentiful supply of vessels for the Irish trade it is fully anticipated that the coal trade will gather in strength before the new contracts are made. Coke is still a steady trade, and work is brisk at the whole of the coke ovens and the local by-product works. The Cumberland smelters are absorbing all the supplies they can procure from the local coke ovens. The coal shipments from the Elizabeth dock, Maryport, last week amounted to 1,560 tons, or a decrease of 1,830 tons compared with the previous week; 1,160 tons were shipped from St. Helens, and 400 tons from Brayton Domain, and the cargoes were for Londonderry, Bangor, Belfast, Dublin and Coleraine. The exports also included 1,600 tons of creosote oil for New York, from the West Cumberland by-product works, and a cargo of benzol for France, from the new works at the head of the Senhouse docks. The export tonnage from Workington last week only amounted to 820 tons. Prices of coal are unchanged, best house coal being quoted at Is. 2£d. per cwt. delivered in bags, or 23s. 4d. per ton delivered, with washed nuts at 21s. 8d. per ton. Other quotations are as follow :— 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 South-West Lancashire. COAL. All grades and sizes of household coal move away as made and in many cases orders are rather in advance of the ability to execute. Screened coal for forges and manufac- turing purposes is collectively rather in better request, but the increase is from the manufacturing side as the forges are still on irregular work. With regard to shipping, there is no no marked difference in bunkering requirements this week compared with what has prevailed recently, but as the output appears to be more restricted, prices are steadier than they were, and here and there show a tendency to harden. Quotations for Lancashire steam coals range from 12s. to 13s. f.o.b., and though concessions may be given in some cases, these are for prompt shipment to clear wagons, and not for forward business. The heavy gales of last week completely disorganised the coastwise and cross-channel trade, and heavy delays accrued to wagons waiting at the ports for vessels long overdue. Otherwise, there is the disposition on the part of merchants across the water to secure adequate supplies, and therefore the delay and damage to the coasting vessels is embarrassing to both sides. In slacks a much firmer tone prevails, and it is very exceptional where the output has not an immediate billet. With regard to forward contracts there is more eagerness on the part of the buyer to contract, especially for long periods, than there is on the part of the seller to bind himself. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ................. Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium................ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Kitchen............... Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Screened forge coal..... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack ............. Secondary slack ........ Common do............... Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 17/ 17/ 17/ 16/6-16/9 16/6-16/9 16/9-17/3 15/3 15/3 15/3 14/6-15/ 14/6-15/ 15/ -15/6 13/ 13/ 13/ 13/ -13/6 13/ -13/6 13/9-14/6 11/6-12/ 11/6—12/ 12/6-13/ 12/ -12/9 12/ -12/9 13/ -13/9 9/3- 9/6 9/3- 9/6 10/3 8/6- 8/9 8/6— 8/9 9/6 8/ - 8/3 8/ - 8/3 9/ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. All descriptions of house coal are in better request, and prices are firm. Furnace coal is steady, but business in shipping coal is very quiet and prices uncertain. Slack is in fair demand, and prices are steadier than they have been for some time. Prices generally are as below. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current ,L’st week’s tast year’s House coal:— prices. prices. prices. Best 17/3-18/ : 17/3-18/ 17/3-18/ Medium 16/ —16/9 16/ -16/9 16/ —16/9 Common 13/3-14/ 13/3-14/ 13/3—14/ Furnace coal * 12/ 12/ 12/6 Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) 13/ -14/ , 13/ —14/ 14/ Best slack 9/6-10/ i 9/6-10/ 10/ -10/6 Common slack 8/ - 9/ | 8/ - 9/ 9/ - 9/6 IRON. There was a fairly good attendance on ’Change in Man- chester on Tuesday last, and the improvement recently reported in pig iron is maintained. The association price for crown iron bars remains at <£8 5s., with second quality <£7 15s., hoops <£9 2s. 6d., and the forges are only working short time. Steelworks are very full of work, and bars demand <£7 15s. to <£8, less 2! per cent., billets <£5 15s. to <£6 net. The general trade of the district is about the same as previously reported, there being really nothing of note to report. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was a very large attendance at the market on Tuesday, and probably more business was put through than at any previous market for the past few months. Particu- larly active were enquiries for prompt supplies of house coal and also the better qualities of works fuel, while there