THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. ________________________________________________________________________________ 340 February 12, 1915. prospects of this section of the trade seem to be very good. For both home and export accounts, the supply is still far below requirements. It was feared that the submarine raid in the Irish sea would have the effect of causing a certain amount of dislocation in shipping arrangements, but, with the exception of a slight delay at the beginning of the week, little or no inconvenience has been felt, and practically the whole of the vessels regularly employed in the Irish coal trade, from Whitehaven, Maryport and Workington, have been sailing as usual. The outputs at some of the collieries have decreased to such an extent that the coal owners have referred the matter to the Conciliation Board, and a joint committee, com- posed of representatives of both sides, has been appointed to go into the whole question. Whether they will arrive at a satisfactory solution remains to be seen, but the time has certainly arrived when some effort should be made to increase the supply. There is, of course, a shortage of young men, but it is contended that the outputs might be increased considerably if some of the hewers worked more regularly. The shipments from Maryport to the Irish ports last week amounted to 4,720 tons, an increase of 255 tons compared with the previous week. The tonnage from the various collieries were as follow: Brayton Domain 2,160 tons, St. Helens 1,160 tons, Allerdale 1,400 tons. There were 1,400 tons shipped to Belfast, 1,120 to Carrickfergus, 600 to Cork, and 560 to Dublin, while the remaining cargoes were for Londonderry, Coleraine, Ramelton, and Douglas (Isle of Man). The shipments from Workington amounted to 1,390 tons, an increase of 410 tons compared with the previous week. Coke makers are busy, and the whole of the ovens are in full employment, and great difficulty is being experienced in meeting the increased requirements of the smelters. Prices of best Cumberland coal are firm but unchanged. Best house coal is quoted at 23s. 4d. per ton delivered, with washed nuts at 21s. 8d. per ton, and seconds at 20s. per ton. _________ _________ 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 L’st week’s prices. prices. 20/6-21/ 20/6-21/ 20/ 20/ 19/2 19/2 19/2 19/2 17/1 17/1 20/ 20/ 18/4 18/4 14/6 14/6 13/6 13/6 14/6 14/6 -----------------________ _______ South-West Lancashire. GOAL. There is the same tale to be told with regard to all grades of fuel, and that is that the demand exceeds the supply. In the inland household trade, orders are very much in arrear, and in some places consumers are compelled to put up with a small delivery and a promise of later attention. The position as regards shipping is very difficult. Coal is scarce, and prices are harder than they were a week ago. Definite market prices do not exist, but 17s. 6d. to 18s. f.o.b. are probably minimum rates for Lancashire steam coals, distinctly higher prices having been paid in special cases, and for comparatively small quantities. It is much the same with regard to shipments of household coal for the coastwise and cross-Channel trade. Enquiries are far more than can be promptly dealt with, and for the little that can be supplied on open sale high prices are quoted. Slack is very much enquired for, and it is extremely difficult to get out from day to day as much as the consumer requires. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. The most interesting fact in the position this week is the settlement, for the time being at all events, of the threatened strike in West Yorkshire. The decision of the coal owners to accede to the men’s demands for the period of the war has given the greatest satisfaction, and it is hoped that the settlement of the trouble will cause some ease in the position generally. The fact, however, remains that the supply of coal on the whole is quite inadequate to meet the needs of the market, and there seems to be no possibility of things being otherwise, with the output still tending to reduce. The exodus of miners to join the Colours has not yet ceased. The market was well attended on Tuesday, and there was a strong demand for all qualities, but perhaps not quite the pressure experienced a week ago. Colliery representatives reported about five days’ work at the pits, with a number of the more fortunate ones able to work full time. The great difficulty is still the traffic question. Empty wagons are very scarce, and with the block being on in so many directions for loaded trucks, supplies are getting to the various points very slowly. The main enquiries at Tuesday’s market were for prompt supplies of gas coal, but these were scarcely to be obtained at any price, as most of the output of the gas coal pits is, of course, sold under contract. Business in house coal with the London market is still abnormal, and high prices continue to be offered for prompt supplies. Further sales of best coal are reported at a guinea a ton at the pit, with common house coal from 16s. to 17s. A little extra tonnage is being loaded at Goole and Hull for the coastwise depots this week, but mostly contract coal. For medium quality Silkstone house coal, sellers are offering in the neighbourhood of 18s. to 19s. per ton f.o.b. Hull. The demand in the West Riding, while still very full, is not quite so strong as last week. Supplies, however, are still on the light side, and as there are no stocks at the depots, deliveries of coal are considerably in arrear. Pit prices may be averaged as under:—Haigh Moor selected, 19s. to 20s.; Silkstone best, 18s. to 19s.; Silkstone house, 17s. to 18s.; secondary sorts, 15s. 6d. to 16s. 6d. The position with regard to gas coal is even worse than last week. Not anything like the tonnage required is being received by gas manufacturers, and as stocks at many of the works are nearly used up, the matter is causing considerable anxiety. Efforts are being made to induce the Government Railway Committee to give special facilities for the carriage of gas coal, but with the congested state of the railways at the present time the outlook is anything but promising. Fortunate sellers in the position to give prompt delivery are still able to obtain 16s. to 17s. per ton at the pit for good gas coal, with other qualities in proportion. It is hoped that the extraordinary demand for manufacturing fuel will be eased by the settle- ment of the threatened coal strike, as it is felt that a certain proportion of the output has been going into stock and not consumption. Supplies at the various depots are meagre, however, and prices show a further firmness on the week. Washed furnace coke is still moving upwards, some makers quoting from 14s. to 15s. per ton at the ovens for prompt supplies, and asking up to 17s. for forward business. The summary of pit prices which follows represents actual transactions, but must not be taken too literally, as quotations vary according to the different circumstances at the pits :— foreign trade is only retarded owing to the difficulty in obtaining tonnage and the exceedingly high freights. The small surplus which is placed on the market is still very keenly competed for, and sales have been made for prompt deliveries at 16s. per ton pit for the best hards. The demand for secondary descriptions of large steams also continues to be exceedingly good, and collieries are still unable, in a considerable degree, to meet the demand. There has been no alteration in regard to the scarcity of all kinds of small steam fuel. Apparently with the extra working of the large armament firms, and in the textile districts, even the normal output of the district would have been insufficient to have met the needs of the present time; consequently there is a remarkable scarcity of this class of coal, and though high prices have been paid and offered, collieries are absolutely unable to take advantage of them. The demand for steam nuts is far ahead of the produc- tion to a very remarkable extent; although the needs of gas companies are daily becoming of less character at this period of the year, the reduced deliveries under contract are such as is necessary for them to secure added supplies in the open market, but the pressure is perhaps not so keen as it was a week or so ago. Still, it is not merely a question of prices, but absolutely one of obtaining supplies. In respect to the house coal trade the rush of orders from London and the south is somewhat abated, although there is still strong pressure upon the collieries to supply orders, and, of course, there continues to be a shortage in meeting the demand. Collieries producing the best class of fuel are still heavily booked ahead, and these orders are only being executed in accordance with the condition that the ruling prices on the day of delivery shall apply. The advanced prices, however, are still in operation, and there is no difficulty of disposing of the full output also of secondary sorts of fuel. The price of coke continues to steadily advance, and makers are not keen to consider the question of contracts except at a substantial advance on the prices which are now ruling. Prices at pit. House coals:— Current prices. L’st week’s prices. Last year’s prices. Best Silkstone 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 15/6-16/ Best Barnsley softs 18/ -16/ 18/ -19/ 15/ -15/3 Secondary do. 16/6-17/ 16/6-17/ 12/6-14/ Best house nuts 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 13/ -14/6 Secondary do 14/ -14/6 14/ -14/6 11/ -12/ Steam coals:— Best hard coals 15/6-16/ 15/ -16/ 11/ -11/3 Secondary do 14/9-15/ 14/ -15/ 10/6 Best washed nuts 14/6-15/ 14/6-15/ 11/ Secondary do 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ 10/ -10/3 Best slack 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 7/ - 7/3- Rough do 9/ - 9/6 9/ - 9/6 6/ Gas coals:— Screened gas coals 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 12/ -12/6 Unscreened do 14/ -15/ 14/ -15/ 10/. -10/6. Gas nuts 15/ 15/ 11/6-12/ Furnace coke 14/ -14/6 12/6-13/ 12/ -12/6 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 prices. 17/9 20/ -21/ 16/ 18/ -18/6 13/9 ' 17/ - 14/ -15/ 17/6-18/ 11/ —11/6 10/ -10/6 9/6- 9/9 L’st week’s prices. 17/9 19/ -19/3 16/ 17/ -17/3 13/9 16/ -16/3 13/ 16/6-17/ 11/ -11/3 10/3-10/6 9/3- 9/9 Lastyear’s prices. 17/ 16/9-17/3 15/3 15/ -15/6 13/ 13/9-14/6 12/6-13/ 13/3-14/ 9/9-10/ 9/ - 9/3 8/6- 8/9 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. There is considerable pressure for all kinds of fuel. Prices are very firm, and are somewhat irregular according to the different circumstances that arise. The production at the collieries through the district is materially limited by the continually reducing number of men, caused by the paramount necessities of the war. The nominal prices are as at foot. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 14/ -15/ Wallsend & London best 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 14/ -14/6 Silkstone best 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 14/ -14/6 Do. house 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 13/ -14/ House nuts Prices f.o.b. Hull:— 15/6-16/6 15/ -16/6 11/9-12/3 Haigh Moor best 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/6 17/ -18/ Silkstone best 18/ -19/ 18/ —19/ 16/3-17/ Do. house 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 15/6-16/ Other qualities Gas coal Prices at pit: 16/6-17/ 16/6-17/ 14/6-15/ Screened gas coal 14/6-15/6 14/ -15/ 12/6-13/6 11/6-12/ Gas nuts 12/6-13/6 10/6-11/ Unscreened gas coal ... Other sorts:— Prices at pit: 11/6-12/6 11/6-12/6 9/6-10/ Washed nuts Large double-screened 12/6-14/ 12/6-14/ 10/6-11/6 engine nuts 11/6-12/6 11/6-12/6 10/ -10/6 Small nuts _________________ Rough unscreened 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ 9/ - 9/6 engine coal 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ 9/6- 9/9 Best rough slacks 9/ -10/ 8/6-10/ 7/3- 7/9 Small do. 7/6- 8/6 7/6- 8/6 6/6- 6/9 Coking smalls Coke:— Price at ovens : 7/6- 8/6 7/6- 8/6 6/6- 6/9 Furnace coke 14/ -15/ 13/6-14/6 11/6-12/ House coal:— Best .......__........ Medium.............’___; C ommon___.... i________ Furnace coal_______ Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack ............ Common slack .......... Current prices. 18/3-18/9 16/9-17/3 14/ -14/9 ' 12/ 15/6-16/6 10/6-11/ 9/ -10/ L’st week’s prices. 18/ -18/9 16/9-17/3 14/ -14/9 12/ 15/6-16/6 10/6-11/ 9/ -10/ Last year’s prices. 17/3-18/ 16/ -16/9 13/3-14/ 12/6 14/ 10/ -10/6 9/ - 9/6 IRON. The general trade of the whole district has improved, and nearly all branches are busily employed. Pig iron is very firm—indeed, this applies to. everything—and sellers are not too keen to sell for forward delivery. Good foundry iron is now 66s. delivered Manchester, crown iron bars <£8 15s., second Quality <£8 10s., hoops <£10 2s. 6d. Steel- works are very busy, and are quoting bars at not under <£9, less 21 per cent., billets £7 net, plates <£815s. , Barnsley. COAL. Although the settlement of the dispute in the West Yorkshire area is expected to have some effect upon the extraordinary demand of recent weeks for house and manu- facturing fuel, there was no less activity shown at the usual weekly market on Wednesday. Although the experience may not be general, yet it was freely reported that there had been some slight improvement in regard to the output at the collieries, but the remarkable congestion of traffic on the railways does not appear to have much altered, and in this respect collieries are still experiencing a difficulty, owing to the scarcity of wagons. Possibly should no material relief be obtained in this respect some solution of the abnormal demand might be provided. In regard to the large steam' coal trade, the threatened strike in the western area of the county has never aroused much apprehension. Buyers have always felt that no stoppage would Occur, and have made their arrangements in accord- ance with that belief. There continues to be a remarkable active demand for good-class steam fuel on foreign account. The official retttrns, of course, do not include exports for use of the Allies’ Governments or for Admiralty purposes, but there can be no doubt that a substantial amount of this traffic is being required in this direction. Prices still show an upward tendency, and the extent of Hull. COAL. The export trade from the Humber is practically at a standstill, there being little or no free coal on offer. The reduced output of the collieries appears to be equal to no more than the home demand and existing commitments,, so that next to nothing is available for export. The only business that has been done during the past few days has been in small lots to complete cargoes or otherwise urgently required, second holders with available truckloads being able to command what are more or less fancy figures, e.g.r 18s. 6d. to 19s. for best South Yorkshire hards for prompt shipment. The absence of anything like an active demand for export, however, causes the market to remain steady, this being due to the continued handicap of the freight difficulty. There has been no easing off in freight rates for the Mediterranean, and whatever available tonnage there has appeared in the market has been taken up for French ports, where there is a still active demand. Under the present exorbitant freights export business cannot possibly develop, and if it did we should still be confronted with the shortage of output, for which various suggestions are made by way of remedy. London and coastwise freight rates are some- what easier, the putting into this trade of several of the interned enemy steamers having had the effect of producing more activity and of increasing the , supply to London. There is nothing doing forward, the outlook being so uncertain. A feeling of relief has been experienced at the conclusion of terms in the West Yorkshire dispute over the Minimum Wage Act, but no real concern as to the outcome had been felt in this district. Current quotations, which must be regarded as more or less nominal, for prompt business are as under:—South Yorkshire steams, 17s. 3d, to 17s. 9d.; Parkgates, 16s. 6d. to 16s. 9d.; washed doubles, 16s. to 16s. 3d.; washed singles, 15s. to 15s. 6d.; washed smalls, 12s. to 12s. 9d.; and unwashed ditto, Ils. to Ils. 3d. West Yorkshire house coals are quoted at 14s. to 14s. 6d. for Hartleys, Derbyshire steams 16s. 6d. to 17s. Grimsby or Immingham. Shipments at the docks are light, and are hampered by the difficulty in getting coal from the collieries with reasonable despatch. The return of exports to foreign countries for January, excluding bunkers and coal shipped to the order of the British Admiralty and the Allies’ Governments, are as under:— Jan. 1915. Jan. 1914. Tons. Tons. Hull.................... 184,653 ... 223,565 Grimsby.............................. 51,647 ... 73,778 Immingham ............. 73,031 ... 120,177 Goole .................. 34,629 ... 84,388 Total ............... 343,960 ... 501,908 The feature of the exports from all the Humber ports was the very large quantities sent to French ports, the' aggregate being 112,471 tons, while the exports to Sweden were 69,038 tons, Denmark 32,157 tons, and Norway 20,216 tons. The London and coastwise shipments from the Humber during the month were 160,635 tons, as compared with 223,980 tons in January last year. Chesterfield. COAL. .There is a strongly sustained demand for every class of. coal, which in the face of a continued shrinkage of the output has the effect of raising prices still further. > House; coal orders are plentiful, but in accepting these collieries