1280 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. December 18. 1914. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 910 tons compared with the previous week. The exports from Workington also included 400 tons of pitch for Dieppe from the by-product works. All the coke ovens and by-product works are in full employment, and the whole of the output is being consumed by local smelters. Prices have undergone no change, and best Cumberland coal ___________________ delivered in bags is still quoted at Is. 2|d. per hundred- weight. Flimby best coal is quoted at 23s. 4d. per ton delivered, with washed nuts at 21s. 8d. per ton. St. Helens best coal delivered is quoted at 23s. 4d. per ton, with seconds at 20s. per ton. the withdrawal of a considerable number of steamers from this service has had the effect of making the actual fixing of vessels a matter of great difficulty. There is still a very firm tone in regard to slacks, and the present consumption easily absorbs the restricted production. Current L’st week’s Best Cumberland coal, at pit prices. 20/6-21/ prices. 20/6-21/ Flimby best coal „ 20/ 20/ Washed nuts ,, 19/2 19/2 Old St. Helens best coal „ 19/2 19/2 Best house nuts ,, 17/1 17/1 Oughterside best coal 20/ 20/ Washed nuts 18/4 18/4 Best Cumberland coal, f.o.b 14/6 14/6 Bunkers , „ 13/6 13/6 Coal for gasworks.. 14/6 14/6 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a good attendance of members on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. The house coal market has a cheerful tone ; the demand is good and prices are firm. Furnace coal is in moderate request, and there is rather more enquiry for shipping coal with steady prices. Slack is moving in fair quantities; the cotton trade, working better time, is having its due effect. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). IRON. The Cumberland haematite iron and steel trade is at present in a most healthy condition. The improvement reported a fortnight ago in all departments is being well maintained; prices are steadily advancing and there is every prospect of an expansion of output at an early date. In fact a time of brisk buying has been experienced this week in hsematite iron, and it would not be surprising if two more furnaces were put in blast before the year-end. The prices of Bessemer mixed numbers, which were quoted at 64s. per ton three weeks ago,, have now risen to 71s. 6d. to 72s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. at the usual ports. The price of ferro-manganese remains unchanged, but special iron is quoted at 80s. to 81s. per ton. For some time users’ stocks have gradually decreased, but owing to the European crisis things were so uncertain that purchases were only made for prompt delivery and to cover immediate requirements, but in this respect there has been a sudden change. Makers have now good order books and the home demand for both special and haematite iron has increased consider- ably. Users are coming into the market freely, and a fair amount of forward business is being done. The position of makers is much stronger than it was three weeks ago, and as things are, they are not too eager to arrange for forward delivery at the present prices, as it is not improbable they may advance again before the new year. The sudden revival which is now being experienced, and which gives every sign of permanence, is said to be due in a great measure to the increased activity in the shipbuilding and kindred trades. For some time the demand for special iron has been due to the heavy consumption by armament and ammunition makers, but now the volume of business is expanding in other directions. The export trade from Workington last week is also an encouraging feature, and the shipments of pig iron, steel rails, &c.,all show a marked increase. Of steel rails, 1610 tons were shipped to Liverpool; 650 tons of pig iron to Ellesmere Port ; 130 tons of steel, 16 tons of fishplates, and 280 tons of sleepers to Liverpool; while 750 tons of pig iron were shipped to Glasgow. The imports at Workington also included 550 tons of briquettes from Garston and West Bank. At Maryport 3,500 tons of iron ore arrived from Porman for the Workington Iron and Steel Company. There are still 22 furnaces in operation, 13 in West Cumberland and nine in the Furness district. The Workington Iron and Steel Company have eight furnaces in draught at Workington, viz., three at Derwent, three at Moss Bay, and two at the Oldside works. Further west, Millom have two* Cleator Moor two, and Distington one in operation. Barrow have five blowing, while North Lonsdale and Carnforth have two each in blast. The Workington Iron and Steel Company have one furnace on ferro-manganese and the other on spiegel at the Oldside Works. The bulk of the make at Barrow and Workington is being absorbed at the steelworks, while a large portion of the output from the Millom, Carnforth, Lonsdale, and some of the West Cumberland furnaces is being consigned to South Wales, Sheffield, Birmingham, and Scotland. Trade is exceedingly brisk in the steel trade, and at both Workington and Barrow full time is being worked. The demand for rails is also more active than it has been for some months. Things are also satisfactory in the iron ore trade at Cleator Moor and Egremont. Work is brisk at all the mines, and a slight advance in prices is reported. Current L’st week’s Last 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/ 9/6-10/ 10/ -10/6 Common slack 8/ " 9/ 8/ - 9/ 9/ - 9/6 IRON. The pig iron market remains good, and there is no. marked change to report. The forge^are not too busy, and the association price of Crown bars remains at £8 5s., with second quality £7 15s., hoops <£9 2s. 6d. The steelworks are extremely busy at present both with ordinary specifica- tions and Government work, and prices are well maintained —£7 15s. to =£8 less 2> per cent, for bars, and £5 15s. to <£6 net for billets. Heavy engineers and boilermakers report not much doing. Wagon builders short of orders. ________ ________ _________________ South-West Lancashire. COAL. The demand for all descriptions of household coal is keen, and pressure is being applied by consumers who are desirous of making provision for the forthcoming stoppage. In screened coal for forge and manufacturing purposes the demand is about the same as last week. Owing to the approach of the Christmas holidays the demand for steam coal for bunkering is distinctly heavier this week, both on contract and open sale account, and this, together with the diminished output caused by the number of colliers who have joined the Forces, has sent prices up. Screened Lanca- shire steam coals now range from 12s. 6d. to 13s. 6d. f.o.b., and generally there seems little spare coal on the market. In the shipments of household coal for the coastwise and cross-Channel trade a very satisfactory business is in progress, and there are many enquiries on the market; but Prices at pit (except whe^s otherwise stated). Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was a very good attendance of traders at the market on Tuesday, all branches of the industry being represented. It was reported by colliery agents that there had been a great influx of orders for all descriptions of fuel, and prices of most qualities show some advance on the week. A great difficulty at the pits, however, is still the growing scarcity of empty trucks. Some of the pits with full order books have only been able to make three and a-half to four days this week. The movements of loaded trucks are also causing a great deal of dissatisfaction. Cases are given where loaded trucks despatched from this district in the last days of November have not yet reached their destination in the London district. The demand for house coal from London has shown a very large increase since our last report. It is stated that at some of the depots in London, particularly those south of the river, supplies are very difficult. to secure. In conse- quence merchants have ordered from the collieries in very large quantities. Pit prices have firmed up, and where sellers have been in a position to guarantee prompt despatch, from Is. to 2s. per ton more than the usual prices has been willingly paid. The coastwise trade is very nearly at a standstill, especially as regards the river trade. So many barges have been commandeered on the Thames that many of the merchants are compelled to rely upon railborne supplies to meet the needs of their customers. The little business that is passing coastwise is seriously hampered by the very high freights quoted, and the difficulty of securing suitable tonnage. In the West Riding markets merchants report a large increase in the number of orders from the public, while the retail trade is also very brisk. Pit prices, although officially unchanged, are exceptionally firm, and are fully realised as under :— Haigh Moor selected 18s. to 19s., Silkstone best 17s. to 18s., Silkstone house 16s. to 17s., secondary sorts 13s. 6d. to 14s. 6d. There is a marked scarcity of gas coal. Contract deliveries are considerably in arrear, and in consequence many of the works, both in Yorkshire and in the distant districts, are pressing for supplies in the open market. Sales of screened gas coal for prompt delivery have been reported this week at as high as 12s. per ton at the ovens, with gas nuts at a corresponding price. There is also a marked improvement in the demand for factory fuel, especially for the higher grades. Washed nuts and best quality slacks are appreciably higher on the week, as the demand from the industrial markets is fuller. Washed furnace coke is about the same as last week, with special brands at 11s. at the ovens, and average samples about 10s. 6d. One or two forward contracts have been booked this week to the end of June at 10s. 6d. per ton at the ovens. Barnsley. COAL. There has been a substantial improvement in the demand for most classes of best coal during the week, and with the reduced output at the collieries there has been a real difficulty in any way meeting the increased trade which seems to have come upon the collieries within the past week. Apart from the lower tonnage available, there has rarely been so much difficulty experienced in getting the traffic from the collieries to consumers as at the present time, and in certain industrial districts there is something like danger of stoppages. It is no exaggeration to say that some manufacturers busily engaged on the Government orders have been within danger of having to suspend operations owing to the lack of adequate supplies of fuel. Of course, under these influences it is not surprising to find that quotations are substantially improved, and for some classes of fuel there is little prospect of new orders being supplied this side of the year. The demand on foreign account of large steams has also been of a very marked description, chiefly for France and Sweden. This spurt in demand has sent prices up about Is. per ton, and in exceptional cases larger increases have been offered if supplies were available. Stocks at the collieries have been substantially reduced, and on account of steams there will be little difficulty in disposing of the output which will be produced during the rest of the year. In respect to railway companies’ contracts there has been no settlement yet, and the position is now rendered more interesting owing to the realising of the prospects of a better demand. Certain it is that under the present con- ditions the collieries will not be inclined to rush matters, and as far as they are concerned there appears to be a disposition to adopt a waiting policy. In regard to manufacturing fuel, it is perhaps not too much to say that there never was such a scarcity prevailing, and the collieries which had already cleared any surplus of the best classes of fuel are full with orders, and substantially better prices are also being obtained, as wjell as in regard to secondary descriptions of fuel. The position in regard to gas coal and house coal continues as about a week ago, and merchants are sending in a number of orders for go id-class qualities of house fuel, which at the present time seem likely to have to stand over. The improved state of affairs has also affected the coke trade, and prices have stiffened to the extent of 6d. per ton during the week. Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstone 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ Best Barnsley softs 15/ 15/ 15/ -15/3 Secondary do 13/ -14/ 13/ -14/ 12/6-14/ Best house nuts 12/9-13/6 12/9-13/6 13/ -14/6 Secondary do 10/9-11/6 10/9-11/6 11/ "12/ Steam coals:— Best hard coals 11/6 10/9—11/ 12/3-12/6 Secondary do 10/6-11/ 9/3- 9/9 11/ -11/3 Best washed nuts 10/6 10/3-10/6 11/3—11/6 Secondary do 9/9 9/6 10/3-10/6 Best slack 7/3 7/ 7/ - 7/3 Rough do 6/ 5/9- 6/ 6/ Gas coals :— Screened gas coals 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 12/6 Unscreened do 10/ 10/ 12/ Gas nuts 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 12/ Furnace coke 11/ -11/3 10/6-10/9 12/ -12/3 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.ofb» Best slack _____.,______ Secondary slack ......__ Coipmon do. ............ Current prices. 17/ 17/ -17/3 15/3 15/ -15/6 13/ 13/6-14/ 11/6-12/ 12/6-13/6 ,9/3- 9/6 8/6- 8/9 8/ - 8/3 L’st week’s prices. 17/ 16/6-16/9 15/3 14/6-15/ 13/ , 13/ -13/6 11/6-12/ 12/ -12/9 9/3- 9/6 8/6- 8/9 8/ - 8/3 Last year’s prices. 17/ 16/9-17/3 15/3 15/ -15/6 13/ 13/9-14/6 , 12/6-13/ 13/ -13/9 10/ -10/3 9/3- 9/6 8/9- 9/ House coal:— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected k. 15/ -16/ 15/ 14/6-15/ Wallsend & London best 14/6—15/6 14/6-15/ 14/ -14/6 Silkstone best 14/ -14/6 13/6-14/6 14/ -14/6 Do. house 13/ -13/6 12/6-13/6 12/ -12/6 House nuts 12/6-13/ 12/ -12/6 11/6-12/6 Prices f.o.b. Hull:— i Haigh Moor best ■17/6-18/ 17/6-18/ 17/ -18/ Silkstone best '16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Do. house 14/ -14/6 14/ -14/6 14/6-15/6 Other qualities 13/6-14/ 13/6—14/ 14/ -14/9 Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal 10/6-12/' 10/6-11/ 12/ -12/6 Gas nuts 9/6-10/6 9/6-10/3 11/ -11/3 Unscreened gas coal ... 9/ - 9/6 9/ - 9/6 9/9-10/3 Other sorts:— Prices at pit : Washed nuts 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ Large double-screened engine nuts 9/6-10/6 9/6-10/6 9/6-10/6 Small nuts.... 9/ - 9/6 9/ - 9/6 9/ - 9/6 Rough unscreened engine coal 9/ - 9/6 9/ - 9/6 9/3- 9/9 Best rough slacks ■ 7/6- 8/3 7/3- 7/9 6/9- 7/3 Small do. 6/6- 7/ 6/3- 6/6 6/ - 6/6 Coking smalls 6/ - 6/6 6/ - 6/6 6/ - 6/6 Coke:— Price at ovens: Furnace coke 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 12/3-12/9 Hull- COAL. There is really very little change to report in the state of trade in the Humber coal market. There has been a fair amount of business passing, the export demand coming chiefly from France and Italy, but the difficulty of transport has proved a serious handicap. There is not so much being taken up for Sweden and other Scandinavian ports, but this is being sent in neutral tonnage. The steam coal supply now approximates more evenly to the demand, and there is less pressure to sell, with the result that best South Yorkshire hards are firmer on the week, and are now quoted at 14s. 3d. to 14s. 6d. for prompt shipment, while Derbyshire steams are 13s. 9d. to 14s. Grimsby or Immingham. Secondary sorts are in fair request, the value of doubles being 12s. 6d. to 13s. 9d., and singles Ils. 9d. to 12s. 9d. House coal and manufacturing fuel have been steady. There is an enquiry circulating for a small supply for the Danish State Railways for delivery in the spring. Forward business moves slowly, and colliery owners are not so inclined to grant substantial concessions as they were a month ago. Four or five steamers have been taken up for Rouen at 14s. 6d. to 15s., and as much as 15s. 6d. is said to haveT>een paid for an exceptionally large collier to load at Hull. Little has transpired in the Mediterranean direction, shipowners holding out firmly for higher freights, which exporters hardly feel justified in paying. On the report of the east coast bombardment the rate to Genoa advanced to 21s., but it is hoped to fix at less. The rate to London is steady in the region of 6s. to 6s. 3d. Chesterfield. COAL. There is a marked improvement in the condition of the coal trade of this district during the past week, and this applies to every branch of the industry. House coal is in strong request, but it is simply impossible to meet the demand with anything like promptitude. There is a very great scarcity of railway wagons, and from this cause alone householders may experience much trouble in securing a sufficient supply of coal to satisfy their requirements during the Christmas holidays. This shortage of wagons is causing a considerable fall in the output, as the. pits are unable to work anything approaching full time. Stocks in colliery sidings are completely exhausted, and prices are advancing. The demand for fuel for manufacturing purposes is more pressing than ever, especially for the classes of coal required by the large armament works that are engaged upon Government orders. These orders must necessarily take precedence of all others. Cobbles and nuts are now scarce, and collieries in many cases are compelled to decline orders. The improvement in the demand for slack for boiler firing is steadily growing, and orders are coming to hand freely. Prices are better than they have been of late, while stocks, which had become very burdensome, are now practically exhausted