86 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. January 8, 1915. No. 3 ordinary large is 17s. 6d., through 16s., but smalls command as much as 15s. per ton, and this has had the effect of materially stiffening the prices of through qualities. No. 2 large is 15s. 6d. to 16s., through 14s. 6d. to 15s., and small is quoted as high as 11s. to 11s. 6d. Coke is dearer all round, special foundry being 28s. to 32s., ordinary 25s. to 28s., and furnace qualities 19s. to 22s. Pitwood still remains dear, owing to shortage of wagons, and the price is nominally quoted at 28s. to 29s. per ton. IRON. > Fortunately there has been a substantial revival in the tin-plate trade, and prospects are brighter than they have been for some time past. It is reported that substantial orders have been placed with French firms, and that there is a probability of this business being continued for some time to come. Prices have certainly advanced, and makers are now asking 12s. lOJd. to 13s. for Bessemer standard cokes, while oil sizes command 13s. 3d. to 13s. 4Jd., and 18s. 3d. to 18s. 6d. respectively. Welsh tin bars are in good demand, and although the official quotations of ££ 15s. has not yet been altered, manufacturers refuse to accept less than £5 to £5 5s., because they know that at the next meeting of the association these figures will be adopted. In the galvanised sheet trade there has been better enquiry, but business is still very slack, and new specifications are much needed in order to keep the works going. 24 gauge corru- gateds are £11 5s. to Ill 10s. per ton, but in case of prompt business there is no doubt these quotations are being slightly shaded. Welsh pig iron is still rising in price, and is now quoted at 75s. f.o.t. Shipments of tin-plate last week amounted to nearly 34,000 boxes, compared with nearly 60,000 received from works, leaving 294,520 boxes in stock, docks warehouses and vans, compared with 330,464 boxes in the corresponding week of last year. The new pooling arrangements, by which the output was to be regulated and trade placed on a more remunerative basis, came into opera- tion in the new year. As we have before stated, the object is not to inflate prices. Each works is allotted an output on the previous working basis. Those who make an excess will contribute to the pool, and those who manufacture under the average quantity will receive from the pool. By this means it is believed that the supply will be well regu- lated. Only about 5 per cent, of the works are outside the new arrangement. At a meeting of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Iron and Steel Makers, etc., Sliding Scale Committee, held at Abergavenny, it was reported that, as the result of the audit for the three months ending November 30, the wages of the men at the associated works would be reduced 6J per cent, as from January 1. In scrap metals there is considerable amount of activity, and prices are showing a distinctly firmer tendency. Steel scrap has gone to 57s., heavy wrought 53s., light wrought 35s., cast 55s., double-headed steel rails 60s., mixed sections 55s., double-headed iron rails 65s., and new steel crop ends 65s. Swansea. COAL. A considerable reduction was shown in the trade of the port last week, owing to the holidays and the bad weather experienced. A good supply of tonnage was available, but very little work was done. The shipments of coal and patent fuel amounted to 51,842 tons. A good attendance assembled on ’Change, and the conditions of the anthracite coal market continued to display a healthy undertone, enquiries for nearly all descriptions being good. Swansea Valley large was well maintaining its position, and Red Vein large was also moving off satisfactorily. Machine- made nuts and cobbles were difficult to obtain, and prices were again advanced. Bubbly culm and duff were weak. In the steam coal market, large was a shade easier, whilst bunkers were steady at last figures. Prices f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Anthracite:— Best malting large (hand picked) (net)... Secondary do. Big Vein large (less 2| per cent.) Red Vein large do. ... Machine - made cobbles (net) , Paris nuts (net) French do. do German do. do Beans (net) Machine - made large peas (net) Do. fine peas (net) Bubbly culm (less 2| p.c.) Duff (net) Steam coals:— Best large (less 2|p.c.) Seconds do. Bunkers (net) Small (less 2| p.c.) Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large (less 2| p.c.) ... Through-and-through (less 2| p.c.) Small (less 2| p.c.) ... Patent fuel do Current prices. 22/6-24/6 20/6-22/6 19/6-22/ 17/ -18/ 25/6-30/ 29/6-35/ 29/6-33/6 18/6-22/ 18/6-15/ 3/9- 4/6 2/9- 3/6 18/9-21/6 16/6-17/6 13/ -14/6 6/6- 8/9 17/6-18/6 10/ -10/9 15/6-16/6 L’st week’s prices. 22/6-24/6 20/6-22/6 19/6-22/ 16/6-17/6 24/6-26/6 27/6-30/ 27/6-29/6 18/6-19/ 12/6-13/6 3/9- 4/6 2/9- 3/6 18/9-21/6 16/6-17/6 13/ -14/6 6/6- 8/9 17/6-18/6 10/ -10/9 15/6-16/6 Last year’s prices. 21/6-24/ 19/9-21/ 18/ -19/ 14/6-16/ 21/6-24/6 23/6-26/ 23/6-26/ 23/6-25/6 16/9-18/9 13/6-14/6 6/ - 6/3 3/9— 4/ 19/6-21/6 14/9-15/9 12/9-14/ 7/ -8/ 17/6-18/ 13/9-14/6 10/3-11/3 17/3-17/9 IRON. Following the holidays, trade conditions regained their normal state, with a better outlook for the first week in the new year. The blastfurnaces were fully engaged, and the steel trade was busier. The tin-plate works were again only partially operating; the sheet mills were still idle. The Mannesmann Tube Works continued as busy as ever, over- time having to be resorted to. The iron foundries were busy, whilst the engineering and fitting shops were exceed- ingly busy altering machinery for the change which is anticipated in the tin-plate trade. The shipments of tin- plates were 33,993 boxes, receipts from works 59,107 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and vans 294,520 boxes. Llanelly. COAL. The coal market of the district continues to be exceed- ingly firm, but unfortunately the big scarcity of tonnage is rather upsetting the position. The collieries have their order books very well filled, but the lack of tonnage is making it exceedingly difficult to keep pits at work. Prices as yet show no sign of weakening, although it is very possible that in order to have wagons released, sellers will accept a lower price to have trucks discharged. Both from inland and the Continent, orders could not be more satis- factory. With the exception of culm and duff, all anthracite sorts are in big request. Nuts especially are most difficult to secure, although fancy prices are being offered. Large, cobbles, beans, and peas are all going well. For the steam and bituminous kinds the market is improving, and prices show every sign of advancing. This week’s quotations approximately are :— Prices f.o.b. Current Anthracite :— | prices. Best malting large ..1 21/ -24/ Secondary do..................20/6-21/ ’ Big Vein large.......; 19/ -21/ Red Vein do..........! 16/ -17/ ' Machine-madecobbles...) 27/ -29/ , German nuts...........! 30/ -33/ French do.............■ 30/ -34/ Paris do.............. 30/ —34/ Machine-made beans ... 19/ -21/ Do. peas.........■ 13/ —13/6 Culm ................! 3/6- 4/ Duff.................. 2/9- 3/ Other sorts :— ; Large steam coal.....' 18/ -20/ Through-and-through... 13/6-14/6 Small ...............: 8/ - 9/ ' Bituminous small coal...' 10/ -11/ L’st week’s prices. 21/ -24/ 20/6-21/ 19/ -21/ 16/ -17/ 25/ -27/ 27/ -30/ 27/ -30/ 27/ -30/ 19/ -21/ 13/ -13/6 3/6— 4/ 2/9- 3/ 18/ -20/ 13/6-14/6 8/ - 9/ 10/ -11/ Last year’s prices. 22/ -24/ 19/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 14/6-15/ 19/ -21/ 23/ -25/ 23/ -25/ 23/ -25/ 20/ -22/ 12/6-13/6 5/6- 6/ 3/6- 5/6 17/ -18/ 13/ -14/ 9/ -10/ 11/ -11/6 THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, January 7. Dublin. The new year opens well as far as demand is concerned, and there is an active business in all qualities, although the shortage in supplies during the past few weeks has almost depleted stocks. The import trade has been some- what more satisfactory since last report, and it is hoped the improvement will continue. Since the advance of Is. per ton made in household qualities last week there has been no further change. Quotations in the city are as follow:—Best Orrell, 29s. per ton ; best Abram, 28s.; best Wigan, 27s.; best Whitehaven, 27s.; Pemberton Wigan, 25s.; kitchen nuts, 24s.; best Orrell slack, 23s.—all less Is. per ton discount for cash ; retail price, Is. lOd. per sack; steam coal advanced to about 23s. per ton. The coaling vessels arriving during the past week amounted to 53, chiefly from Manchester, Workington, Glasgow, Garston, Ayr, Point of Aire, Ardrossan, Newport, Birkenhead, Liver- pool, Preston, Maryport, Troon, Partington, Ellesmere Port, Neath Abbey and Llanelly. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 22,000 tons. Freights are still advancing. Belfast. There is a good demand for all qualities, but stocks are still very low and the shortage is causing great incon- venience, more especially to consumers of Scotch coals, as owing to recent holiday stoppages only very small quantities of these classes are available for the local market, or for districts further inland. It is stated that imports to this port have been curtailed very considerably owing to the embargo upon shipping entering and leaving the harbour during prohibitive hours, and the shortage of labour both at loading and discharging ports, the falling off for the past year being estimated at close upon 100,000 tons. The reduction of horses and labour are a great drawback to deliveries locally, and the scarcity of railway wagons con- tinues to hamper the carrying out of the inland trade. Prices are all firm, at the recent advances. The following are the current quotations :—Best Arley house coal, 30s. 6d. per ton ; Scotch house coal, 26s. 6d. per ton; Orrell nuts, 29s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 26s. 6d.; Scotch steam coal, 18s. to 20s. per ton; Scotch steam slack, 15s. to 16s.; Welsh steam coal, 21s. per ton delivered. Coal-laden vessels arriving during the week were chiefly from Ayr, Irvine, Glasgow, Silloth, Garston, Girvan, Ellesmere Port, Maryport, Preston and Workington. Drawings and plans have been prepared in connection with the proposed transference of the coal steamers which are at present accommodated at the Queen’s Quay, to more commodious berths at the Abercorn Basin. THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. Owing to the firmness of steel bars and block tin, makers makers are forced to hold out for higher prices if they are to make a profit at all, and they are not disposed to boek beyond the first quarter of the year, unless at considerably more money than they are accepting to-day. Transactions for delivery ahead are, in consequence, few and far between. For near dates there has been rather more enquiry, a moderate business resulting. Quotations for January to March may be called :—Coke tins: I C 14 x 20 (112 sh. 108 lb.), 12s. 10|d. to 13s. per box ; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 lb.), 25s. 9d. to 26s. 3d. per box; I C 28 x 20 (56 sh. 108 lb.), 13s. 3d. to 13s. 6d. per box ; I C 14 x 18| (124 sh. 110 lb.), 13s. to 13s. 3d. per box; I C 14 x 194 (120 sh. 110 lb.), 13s. to 13s. 3d. per box ; I C 20 x 10 (225 sh. 156 lb.), 18s. 3d. to 18s. 6d. per box; IC squares and odd sizes, 13s. to 13s. 3d. basis for approved specifications. Charcoals are in quiet demand at 15s. basis and upwards, according to tinning. Coke wasters meet with a fair demand, and prices rule firm, viz.:—C W 14 x 20, Ils. 7^d. per box; C W 28 x 20, 23s. 9d. per box; C W 14 x 18|, Ils. 6d. per box; C W 20 x 10, 14s. 3d. per box. All f.o.b. Wales, less 4 per cent. The imports of coal at Martinique in 1913 were 83,091 metric tons, valued at 183,347. A small quantity of this consisted of gas and steam coal imported for the sugar centrals and the local steamboat companies, but the bulk of it was American steam coal imported by the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique for the coaling of their mail and cargo steamers at the coaling depot at Fort-de-France. , INDIAN AND COLONIAL NOTES. India. There is nothing, says Commerce (Calcutta) to interfere with the continued prosperity of the Bengal coal trade. Wagons should be 'in good supply, and labour should be plentiful. There has been a short harvest, and, in conse- quence, there 'should be a sufficiency of miners available from mid-December until the end of May. The Govern- ment have agreed to allow exporting firms to have the quality of their fuel vouched for by the coal department of the railway Board. This official guarantee will, it is thought, go a long way towards abrogating the antipathy against Indian coal which has hitherto hindered exports to such places as Singapore, where Japanese and Australian fuel has held the pride of place, to the detriment of the Bengal industry. Africa. According to the South African Mining Journal, the asso- ciated collieries of the Transvaal have offered the Admiralty 15,000 tons of coal, and the Union Government 10,000 tons.. In October 1,996 tons of coal and 1,848 tons of coke and patent fuel -were imported into the Union of South Africa, as against 2,167 tons and 2,942 tons respectively in October 1913. On the other side, exports of coal amounted to 168,047 tons of South African coal, and 15,712 tons of re-exported coal, as against 222,206 tons and 2,590 tons respectively in October 1913. During the 10 months 1,723,488 tons were exported in all, as against 1,938,739 tons. The South African collieries sold 698,713 tons of coal in October, valued at £181,528 at pit’s mouth. The sales of the various provinces was as follow :—Transvaal, 446,431 tons (4s. 5*48d.); Cape, 3,988 tons (Ils. 9’06d.); Orange Free State, 52,991 tons (5s. 4’34d.); Natal, 195,303 tons (6s. 8’48d.). In September, 653,388 tons were sold, valued at £167,123, and prices generally showed a slight rise in October. Australia. State Mining in New South Wales. — The New South Wales Minister for Mines, Mr. J. FL Cann, has given out that he has taken steps to resume nearly 200 acres of country at Lithgow as an approach to a large area of Crown land containing coal. With an expenditure of about £70,000, he is of opinion that he can secure an output of 2,000 tons of coal daily, which represents the present Government requirements in the west. Regarding the private collieries at Lithgow, now supplying the Government with coal, the Minister declares that the collieries are “ coming to the end of their tether ” so far as supplies are concerned, and the scheme he had in view would tap some of the very best coal in the Lithgow Valley. The Regulation of Prices. — The Necessary Commodities Commission (says our correspondent) will shortly enter upon an enquiry as to what should be the highest selling price of coal in New South Wales. It has been suggested that the price should be decided on the basis of the hewing rate to the miners. The secretary of the Com- mission has forwarded a circular letter to all the colliery proprietors in New South Wales asking those who disagree with this basis of valuation, and desire to give evidence, to communicate with the Commission. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—The market is steady, and prices well maintained all round. Transit facilities, however, continue to be serious disorganised. Benzols nearest to the toluol fractions are very firm. Carbolics unaltered. Nearest values are :— Benzols, 90’s ........................................ /10J Do. 90’s North ................................... /8-J-to /9 Do. 50’s do.......................................... 1/3 Toluol ........................................... 2/3 to 2/4 Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.) .............. 2/11 to 3/ Do. Crystals (40 per cent.) .................... l/3tol/4 Solvent naphtha (as in quality and package)... /10| Crude ditto (in bulk) ................................... /5| Creosote (for ordinary qualities) ..................... /3-7K Pitch (f.o.b.) ................................ 22/to 24/ Tar (liquid in 1 ton) ............................ 16/9 to 18/ Sulphate of Ammonia.—A firm market and good enquiry. Prices continue to rule firm, with a hardening tendency. Holders’ ideas are settling steadily in favour of a policy of slow but real progress, and buyers apparently realise a little better that easier prices are really most improbable yet awhile. Closing prompt prices are :— London (ordinary makes) .................... £11/8/9 Beckton .................................... £11/5 Liverpool ................................ £12/2/6 Hull ......................................... £12 Middlesbrough ....................... £12 to £12/1/3 Scotch ports ........................ £12/5 to £12/6/3 Nitrate of soda (ordinary) per cwt. ... 10/ [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2J per cent, discount; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality; allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.] Trade Notes. The potash outlook has been a serious one, for the fertiliser trade and also the user, and the paper read by Cushmann and Coggeshall on the production of available potash from natural silicates, notably felspar, is of great interest just now, and should be read by all sulphate of ammonia manu- facturers. The authors claims to produce a 75 to 80 per cent, muriate of ordinary commercial purity at about £6 10s. per ton against the present selling price of £20. Already complaints are being made in official circles in Germany about the shortage of nitrogen products, and the danger that consequently threatens their harvests of grain and roots. The stoppage of sulphate and Chilian saltpetre is, of course, accountable for this state of affairs. America is evidently waking up to the waste that takes place in the coke making areas, and also at the rock phos- phate works. Tons of nitrogen are lost yearly from the continuance of beehive oven practice. Waste fish tankage is, of course, a very useful source of nitrogen, but if heed is paid to the very pointed remarks made in the last report of the U.S. Bureau of Soils, we shall find parts of the needs of one of our best sulphate of ammonia customers supplied by U.S.A, products before another year has come. Last week the exports of pitch were 1,717 tons and £44. Tar figures were 40,790 galls., 389 barrels, 100 casks, and £28. The exports of sulphate of ammonia were about 7,63® tons.