502 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. March 5, 1915. turing fuels. The slow tonnage is affecting this market, and collieries are often compelled to have idle days owing to the large number of wagons which are kept under load waiting shipment. For Bed Vein kinds and machine-made sorts the demand is excellent, but for Big Vein the enquiry is poor. Culm and duff show a better enquiry. Quotations this week approximately are:— Prices f.o.b. Current Anthracite:— prices. Best malting large .... 21/6-23/ Secondary do. ...... 19/6-21/ Big Vein large....... 17/ -18/6 Red Vein do.......... 17/ -18/ Machine-made cobbles... 28/6-29/6 German nuts......... 29/ -31/ French do..........., 30/ -33/ Paris do........... 30/ -32/ Machine-made beans ..., 21 / -22/ Do. peas_____ 13/ -14/ Culm ............... 3/6- 4/6 Duff................. 3/3- 3/9 Other sorts:— Large steam coal..... 21/6-23/6 ............... Through-and-thr ought... 17/ —20/ Small ...............10/ -12/ Bituminous small coal... 13/ -171 L’st week’s prices. 22/ -23/ 19/6—21/ | 17/ -18/6 ' 17/ -18/ ! 26/ -29/ 1 29/ -31/ 30/ -33/ 30/ -32/ 20/ -22/ 12/6-13/6 3/6- 4/ 3/ -3/6 20/ -22/ 16/ -18/ 10/ -12/ ■ 13/ -16/ Last year’s prices. 21/6-22/6 19/ —20/ 18/ -19/ 14/ -15/ 19/ -20/ 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ 17/ -21/ 12/ -13/ 5/ - 5/6 3/ - 4/6 16/ -17/ 11/ -11/6 9/ -10/ 11/ -11/6 _____________________________________________________ THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, March 4. ____________________________________________________ Dublin There is not the least appearance of any falling off in demand either for household or steam coals, and the con- sumption locally is so large that the country trade is, of necessity, almost neglected. City prices of household coals have not been further advanced, best qualities being from 32s. to 34s. per ton, less Is. per ton discount, quay prices being about 30s, per ton for English coal. Steam coals are Is. per ton dearer, being from about 29s. per ton upwards, and coke is again advanced 2s. per ton, the price now being 34s. per ton delivered. The retail price of house coal is 2s. 2d. to 2s. 3d. per sack of 10 stone. So far from the blockade having had any injurious effect on the volume* of cross-Channel traffic to this port, it is a fact worthy of note that the coal imports have materially increased during the past week or two, and although merchants’ stocks do not accumulate to any appreciable extent owing to the disposition still shown by large consumers to secure extra supplies, it is understood that many, if not all, of the local industrial concerns now hold considerable reserve stocks. The coaling vessels arriving during the past week amounted to 65, as compared with 47 the week previously, chiefly from Newport, Garston, Ardrossan, Maryport, Ayr, Partington, Troon, Liverpool, Manchester, Swansea, Birkenhead, Glasgow, and Whitehaven. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 28,000 tons, as against 22,000 tons the previous week. Belfast. The position continues to be one of great difficulty with regard to the fulfilment of orders and contracts, supplies in the local market being much below the normal, and totally insufficient for existing requirements. House coal prices remain the same as last week :—Best Arley house coal, 36s. per ton; Orrell nuts, 35s.; Scotch house coal, 32s. per ton; Orrell slack, 32s. per ton delivered. Quotations for steam coals are unsettled, being subject to alteration from day to day, and the tendency is still upwards. It is stated that train services on the Great Northern system have been considerably curtailed in order to reduce coal con- sumption on the lines, and to safeguard the reserve stacks. Arrangements have recently been made by the Harbour Commissioners for extra accommodation for the carrying out of the coal traffic.at the docks, and the cost of labour in discharging steamers will now be minimised by the erection of new cranes for that purpose. Coal-laden vessels arriving during the week were fairly numerous, being chiefly from Whitehaven, Preston, Liverpool, Troon, Irvine, Partington, Glasgow, Garston, Girvan, Maryport, Ardrossan, Newport, Ayr, and Silloth. ________________________________________________________ THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. The business done during the past few days was not large, buyers prefering not to commit themselves ahead to any extent. Most works seem to be fairly well employed however, and quotations are being adhered to, although second parcels continue to be sold at slightly below makers’ prices. Quotations :—Coke tins : IC 14 x 20 (112 sh. 1081b.), 15s. to 15s. 3d. per box; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 lb.), 30s. to 30s. 6d. per box ; I C 28 x 20 (56 sh. 108 lb.), 15s. 3d. to 15s. 6d. per box; I C 14 x 18} (124 sh. 110 lb.), 15s. 3d. to 15s. 6d. per box; I C 14 x 19} (120 sh. 110 lb.), 15s. 3d. to 15s. 6d. per box; I C 20 x 10 (225-sh. 156 lb.), 22s. to 22s. 3d. per box ; I C squares and odd sizes, 15s. 3d. to 15s. 6d. basis. Charcoal tins run 17s. 6d. basis and upwards according to finish, and are in quiet request. Coke wasters meet with a fair demand, and are quoted :—C W 14 x 20, 13s. 6d. per box; CW 14 x 18}, 13s. 6d. to 13s. 9d. per box; C W 28 x 20, 27s. 6d. to 28s. per box; C W 20 x 10, 16s. 9d. to 17s. 3d. per box—all f.o.b. Wales, less 4 per cent. _____________________________ The Marquis of Londonderry, K.G., P.C., G.C.V.O., C.B., V.D., aged 62, who died February 8 last, left unsettled property provisionally valued at <£500,000, “ so far as at present can be ascertained.” A meeting of the West of Scotland branch of the Association of Mining Electrical Engineers will be held in the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, on Friday, March 19, 1915, when a paper will be read by Mr. T. C. Thomsen, B.Sc., A.M.I.Mech.E., on “The Use and Abuse of Oils in Connection with Electrical Plant.” THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, March 4. The London coal trade for the past week has been to a large extent quiescent. The.demand continues good, but the increasing tonnage coming forward has enabled the merchants to overtake a certain number of the orders in arrear, and besides which, the depots report a considerable falling off in public orders. Since the statement as to certain of the Yorkshire colliery owners keeping to a maximum of 15s. per ton at the pit for their best coal, the bulk of the merchants have held aloof from ordering any high-priced coal, and confine themselves largely to contract supplies, or content themselves with buying only from hand to mouth. The small quantity available, however, for the open market, and the marked diminution in the output, tends to keep the colliery prices firm. The railway companies have brought forward the goods and mineral traffic with far greater regularity lately, and in some of the coal yards the plethora of loaded wagons has been somewhat perplexing, especially in dealing with the cartage and delivery. The collieries who have stated their willingness to keep to a maximum of 15s. per ton at pit have been inundated with orders and wagons, but as no coal is available it has led to a good deal of disappointment and vexation. The attend- ance on the market has been fairly representative during the week, but very small quantities have been bought, and many of the principal buyers have kept from buying any- thing, and even the small quantities bought have been for immediate delivery. -The prevailing opinion is that, with the approaching summer months and warmer weather, lower quotations will be forthcoming. Colliery prices, however, remain unaltered. In the seaborne market 18 contract cargoes entered the Thames for Monday’s market, and 18 for -Wednesday. Steam coals are steady. The best South Yorkshire qualities are offering at 20s. to 21s. per ton f.o.b. at the Humber ports, and Derbyshire hards are quoted at 19s. to 19s. 6cl. f.o.b. Cardiff Admiralty hards are said to be 26s. per ton f.o.b., but practically all is taken by the Government. The railway transport difficulty, although considerably relieved, is still very acute in some directions, and the stoppage of the mineral traffic on certain lines is causing the greatest inconvenience. Collieries are being pressed for contract deliveries, but the shortage of empties is rendering the output constantly restricted. Enquiries for coal to the end of June are put aside, as under present conditions very few collieries care to quote for forward business. The long promised Government enquiry is appar- ently coming to a head, for a large number of the London merchants have been asked to fill up a form or schedule as to prices, quantities, etc., before and after the war, and in the House of Commons on Monday a question was asked as to the advisability of stopping all export of coal during the war. The question of the fair margin of profit opens up a very wide problem, for the bulk of the London merchants have made contracts for the year which, with prices as they stand at the present time, leave a very fair margin for profit, but the merchants who are compelled to buy on the open market have a very small return for their money, and as far as the coal owner is concerned, he has to supply every three months his average selling price to the Concilia- tion Board, and it has been openly stated that 80 per cent, of the coal raised is being sold under contracts which were arranged before the war broke out. Some surprise has been expressed in many quarters that small lots of 7 to 14 lb. of coal are constantly being sold by the small greengrocers’ shops in many of the poorer districts of London. From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Co.’s Report. Friday, February 26.—There was no alteration in the seaborne house coal ’market to-day, but there was a firm tone generally. Cargoes, 20. Monday. March 1.—There was no alteration in the sea- borne house coal market to-day, no cargoes pressing for sale. Cargoes, 18. Wednesday, March 3.—The seaborne house coal market was firm to-day, but no cargoes pressing for sale. Cargoes, 18. ______________________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—The market is rather quiet as a whole, but prices are steady. The chief change is in solvent naphthas, which has improved in price in some localities, so that quotations are rather wide just now. Carbolics are firm; pitch is moving fairly well; benzols and toluol steady; creasote unchanged. Nearest values are :— Benzols, 90’s ............................... /10} to/II ...................................... Do. 90’s North .......................... /9}to/10 Do. 50’s do............................... 1/3 to 1/4 Toluol ............................................. 2/4 Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.) ........ 3/ Do. Crystals (40 per cent.) ...... 1/2 to 1/3 ............. Solvent naphtha (as in quality and package)... 1/ to 1/3 Crude ditto (in bulk) ______........................ /5| Creosote (for ordinary qualities) .............. /3-h Pitch (f.o.b.) ............................... 18/ to 20/ Tar (liquid in 1 ton) ...................... 17/ to 18/6 [Benzols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at maker's works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.} Sulphate of Ammonia.—There is a healthy tone, and the position for future delivery is decidedly strong, with £13/10 for near-at-hand and £13/17/6 January-April. Bears make the most they can out of transport troubles, and argue that the market is not so strong as it was, but local variations are not the market in the true sense of the word. Liver- pool quotations are conflicting, it is true, but that port is often inclined to be jumpy as regards sniphate of ammonia. There is nothing noteworthy in the position of the U.S.A, market at the. moment. Closing prompt prices are :— London (ordinary makes) .......... £13/15 Beckton __...................__________ £13 Liverpool ......................... £13/17/6 to £14 Hull ............................. £13/12/6 to £13/15 Middlesbrough ..................... £14 Scotch ports ....................... £14 to £14/5 Nitrate of soda (ordinary) per cwt. ... 11/ [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o;b. in bags, less 2} per cent, discount; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey . quality; allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.} Trade Notes. Yet another benzol by-product plant has gone into opera- tion since the. coke ovens at the Welsh Navigation Collieries have been completed.. The installation is now in full’work. A point of considerable importance to sulphate of ammonia manufacturers is the supply of sulphuric acid. In this connection the . general position as to contracts is of equal significance. Broadly speaking, the law seems to point to its being compulsory for contractors to fulfil their contracts as long as it is possible for them to manufacture at all. Yret there are not wanting instances of late of con- tracts entered into since the outbreak of hostilities being either annulled completely, or else a seriously enhanced price being demanded if the contract is to be carried through. Incidentally this may bring; home to a large section of the community who have hitherto thought differ- ently that under the existing conditions of British commerce it is always the user that pays-—in practice, at any rate. It has always been anomalous in the mind of the writer that when, say, iron is a little dearer, manufacturers of iron goods put up the prices of their manufactured article, because of the advance in their raw material. It is nearly always the same with the staple products of commerce and food; yet tradesmen do not usually put up the price of retail meat, groceries, etc., because steel knives, paper, and paper bags happen to rise in price. So that if these fluctua- tions in the things they need to carry on business are merely permitted to affect the year’s profit and loss accounty why should not makers of staples (such as vitriol, for instance) stand a little of the racket themselves? To take advantage of an advancing market owing to stoppage of supplies or the temporary overtaking of supply by demand is one thing; to break away from a contract or demand a higher price because the individual cannot produce quite as cheaply as heretofore, is quite another matter, and the question of its actual legality is worth investigating. It is a little contradictory to. learn that in the face of the foregoing the vitriol trade in South Wales is quiet, and that some of the acid plants have ceased to produce owing to the falling off in the demand. Locally, it must be presumed, because apparently the cause of complaint from sulphuric acid users is that they cannot get their contracts filled at the old prices, which seems strange if Welsh stocks are not moving off fast enough to warrant keeping the chambers at work. The potash situation is of vital importance to sulphate of ammonia manufacturers, because sulphate of ammonia is anything but a complete fertiliser, and if supplies of potash and phosphates are to become abnormally short, this shortage will reflect itself in sulphate of ammonia sales. This emphasises the desirability of sulphate of ammonia propagandists urging the claims of increased sugar cane, sugar beet, and potato cultivation, not only because they •require a lot of sulphate of ammonia to grow the crops, but also because from the residual products supplies of potash can be obtained Two factors, at all events, are likely to help the position of sulphate of ammonia, for the time being, anyway. Firstly, the wet season gives a slight advantage to sulphate of ammonia over nitrate of soda. Secondly, the apparently unjust, but none the less actually existing law, just enforced by the Peruvian Congress, which gives preferential rights to their home users, will put a substantial check on exports by the Peruvian Guano Corporation, and so lessen the supply of a serious competitor against sulphate of ammonia, seeing that Peruvian guano is one of the richest nitrogenous, as well as phosphatic, guanos, and sometimes contains over 3 per cent, of potash, which made it a most useful ready- mixed all-round fertiliser. The exports of sulphate of ammonia again show consider- able expansion this week, the total in round figures being 6,854 tons. The returns for pitch are 1,474 tons, 5 barrels, and £213 worth. Tar comes out at 26,015 galls., 130 drums, 30 barrels, 30 casks, and £283 worth, exclusive of 25 tons of crude tar. In benzols 91 tons were shipped to Dieppe, and £236 worth to Treport. _____________________________ Geological Society of London.—The annual general meet- ing of this society was held on February 19, Dr. A. Smith Woodward, F.R.S., president, being in the chair. In the report of the council, it was stated that the total number of fellows on December 31, 1914, was 1,309. The reports having been received, the president handed the Prestwich Medal, awarded to Dr. Emile Cartailhac, to Baron Prosper de Barante, Secretary of the French Embassy; the Wollaston Medal, awarded to Prof. T. W. Edgeworth David, C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir George H. Reid, P.C., G.C.M.G., High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia ; the Murchison Medal to Prof. William White- head Watts, F.R.S.,; the Lyell Medal to Prof. Edmund Johnson Garwood, F.R.S.; the Bigsby Medal, awarded to Mr. Henry Hubert Hayden, Director of the Geological Survey of India, to Sir Thomas Henry Holland, K.C.I.E.; and balance of the proceeds of the Wollaston donation fund to Mr. Charles Bertie Wedd, B.A.; the balance of the proceeds of the Murchison Geological Fund, -awarded to Mr. David Cledlyn Evans, F.G.S., to Mr. T. C. Cantrill, B.Sc.; moieties of the balance of the proceeds of the Lyell Geological Fund to Dr. Lewis Moysey, B.A., and to John Parkinson, M.A.; and the proceeds of the Barlow-Jameson Fund to Mr. Joseph G. Hamling, F.G.S., The president, in his anniversary address, reviewed some results of his study of fossil fishes in their bearing on stratigraphy. The ballot for the council and officers was taken, and the follow- ing were declared duly elected for the ensuing year r— Council : Henry Howe Bemrose, J.P., Sc.D.; Prof. Charles Gilbert Cullis, D.Sc.; R. Mountford Deeley, M.Inst.C.E.; John William Evans, D.Sc., LL.B.; Prof. William George Fearnsides, M.A.; Sir Archibald Geikie, O.M., K.C.B., D.C.L., LL.D., Sc.D., F.R.S.; Walcot Gibson, D.Sc.; Sir Thomas Henry Holland, K.C.I.E., D.Sc., F.R.S. ; Prof. Owen Thomas Jones, M.A., D.Sc.; Finlay Lorimer Kitchin, M.A., Ph.D.; Herbert Lapworth, D.Sc., M.I.C.E.; Bedford McNeill, Assoc.R.S.M.; John Edward Marr, M.A., Sc.D., F.R.S.; Edwin Tulley Newton, F.R.S.; Robert Heron Rastall, M.A.; Clement Reid, F.R.S., F.L.S.; Prof. ’William Johnson Sollas, M.A., -Sc.D., LL.D., F.R.S.; Aubrey Strahan, Sc.D., LL.D., F.R.S.; J. J. Harris Teall, M.A.,' D.Sc., LL.D., F.R.S.; Herbert Henry Thomas, M.A., Sc.D.; William Whitaker, B.A., F.R.S.; the Rev. Henry Hoyte Winwood, M.A.; and Arthur Smith Wood- ward, LL.D., F.R.S., F.L.S. Officers:—President: Arthur Smith Woodward, LL.D., F.R.S. Vice-presidents : Henry Howe Bemrose, J.P., Sc.D. ; Clement Reid, F.R.S., F.L.S.; Aubrey Strahan, Sc.D., LL.D., F.R.S.; and the Rev. Henry Hoyte Winwood, M.A. Secretaries: Herbert Henry Thomas, M.A., Sc.D.; Herbert Lapworth, D.Sc., M.Inst.C.E. Foreign secretary : Sir Archibald Geikie, O.M., K.C.B., D.C.L., LL.D., Sc.D., F.R.S.; and treasurer, Bedford McNeill, Assoc.R.S.M. The thanks of the fellows were unanimously voted to Mr. H. A. Allen,. Prof. T. *G. Bonney, Dr. J. V. Elsden, and Mr. H. W. Monckton, retiring from the council.