April 23, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 869 THE WELSH COAL AMD IROM TRADES. Thursday, April 22. Horth Wales. Wrexham. COAL. On the whole, the general market in this district during the past week has been a little quieter, but, nevertheless, the collieries have been able to work full time and to dispose of the whole of the output without any difficulty. Empty wagons come to hand with a little more freedom, which is a great advantage at the present time. There is trouble again with the men in this coalfield over the apparently interminable non-union men question. The greatest falling oft* appears to be in the demand for house coal, owing to the gradual improvement of the weather, but as the colder weather has continued longer than usual this year, many public institutions continue to require fuel supplies, which generally have ceased fires by this time of the year. The landsale depots, as a result of the slump, are not so busy as they were, but there is no falling off’ in prices to any extent. There is nothing new to report in regard to the gas coal trade. Old contracts are now fast running to a conclusion, and new ones are being fixed up, at the standard advance of 5s. and upwards. This increase will be a serious thing for many gas companies, and will make substantial advances in the price of gas inevitable. Already most of the local companies are advancing the price of coke appreciably. With reference to steam coal, the demand for locomotive coal is, as usual, very keen, and the various railway companies that have contracts with the local collieries account for the disposal of the bulk of the tonnage of steam coal which is raised. The proportion which goes for manufacturing purposes is only small, but firms engaged in the iron trades and which are connected in any way with the manufacture of war munitions are, of course, working at full pressure. At the beginning of the week the number of ships in the River Mersey awaiting attention at the docks numbered 71. Orders are placed freely with North Wales collieries for bunkers for vessels which coal at the Mersey ports, and good prices are realised. There is little change in the demand for small coal. The quantity of nuts available for the general market is only small, and fair prices are obtained for the output of slack, and a good tonnage is being raised and disposed of. This week’s prices have been on an average as below.-— Rails show little alteration at 4>7 12s. 6d. to =£7 15s. for heavy sections, with lighter sorts 5s. more. Pig iron is much stronger. Outputs of local furnaces are fully sold for some time to come, and while nominally 105s. is the current rate for Welsh haematite, as much as 10s. more is talked about by some works. Iron ore continues scarce and in good request at 30s. for best rubio c.i.f. Newport. Tin-plates remain firm, and with a good enquiry. Stocks move off well, while there is a general difficulty in obtaining quotations. Latest prevailing values are on a basis of 17s. 6d. for Bessemer or Siemens 20 x 14 x 112 primes. Cardiff. COAL. Prices at pit f.o.r.: — Best house coal ....... Secondary do........... Steam coal............. Gas coal............... Bunkers................ Nuts .................. Slack ................. Gas coke (at works).... Prices landsale: — Best house coal .. .... Seconds ............... Slack ................. Current prices. 18/ -20/ 17/ -18/ 16/ -18/- 16/6-18/ 15/9-16/9 12/ -15/ 7/6— 9/6 13/4-16/8 23/4-26/8 20/ -22/6 10/10-13/4 L’st week’s prices. 18/4-20/ 17/6-18/4 16/6-18/ i! 16/6-18/ 15/9-16/3 12/ -14/ 7/6- 9/6 13/4-16/8 23/4-26/8 20/ -22/6 10/10-13/4 Last year’s prices. 15/6-16/ 14/3-15/ 12/6-13/6 13/ -13/9 12/ -12/6 12/ -12/6 7/ - 8/9 13/4-15/ 18/4-20/ 16/8-17/6 10/ -12/6 Monmouthshire, South Wales, &c. Newport. COAL. The most important factor in the coal trade to-day is the question of tonnage, supplies of which have fallen away until exports are hardly equal to stocks and outputs. Most collieries continue to quote very firmly, without any indication of cultivating business by reducing values, and certainly for May shipment are firmer than ever. Mer- chants who have well bought are now not indisposed to make their position secure by getting rid of their obligations at rather less than current rates, and it is possible thus to buy coal cheaper than direct from the colliery. To attract tonnage, freights are being rapidly advanced and promise to eclipse even the high records of a few weeks ago. Smalls have eased off a little as bunkering demands slackened, and through s and nuts are also less firm. The house coal trade continues exceptionally busy for the time of year, with last values fully maintained. Pitwood supplies are now much better, but with still quite a big demand, stocks at collieries being almost non-existent, so scanty have been imports for the past half-year. Present values range around 34s. 6d. for best French fir ex-ship. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. The general position shows little variation from what it did a week ago, except that there is a slight tendency towards easiness. Admiralty demands are stated to be not quite so urgent, but the fact remains that none of the best quality steams are available for general purposes and even second grades are mostly reserved either for our own navy or for the purposes of our allies. It is also reported that the Admiralty are again in the market for additional vessels for transport purposes, and here again, the demand for coal is likely to be accentuated rather than diminished. As previously indicated, best descriptions are altogether off the market, and the small quantity of secmd-class coal realises anything between 37s. and 38s. Ordinary grades are quoted up to 36s., but it is reported that business has been done at 35s., and even this figure at the time of writing was difficult to obtain. Naturally this stringency in best steams has had a stimulating effect on Monmouth- shires, and Black Veins are 34s. 3d., western-valleys 33s. 3d., and easterns 22s. 9d. per ton. All washed coals are dearer and range from 25s. up to 29s. according to quality. The small coal market, although steady, is a little lower than it was a week ago, best bunkers being 21s. 6d. to 22s., and ordinaries 20s. 6d. Cargo sorts realise 18s. 6d. to 19s. In bituminous coals there has been a little easing up, caused chiefly by the lack of tonnage, which has not been arriving very freely during the past few days. No. 3 Rhonnda large is 32s., No. 2 29s. to 30s., with other grades in proportion, coke remains unaltered, but fuel is not quite so firm, and the small quantities released by the Government are offering at about 37s. 6d. for best, and 35s. for second qualities. It is reported that the Russian Marine are in the market for 30,000 tons of fuel, and 70,000 tons of Monmouthshire coal, and also that the Italian Railways are seeking cargoes of anything they can get. The exports of fuel are much below the average, not that prices asked are unobtainable, but the fact that so many men have joined the Colours that labour is exceedingly scarce, and outputs low in consequence. Shipments of fuel last week were only about 27,000 tons, of which the Crown Company despatched 8,000 tons, and Swansea 8,517 tons. Coal shipments from the Channel amounted to 418,374 tons, against 438,324 tons in the corresponding week of last year, or a decrease of 29,958 tons. From Cardiff alone there were exported 220,470 tons, against 315,981 tons, or a decrease of 95,511 tons, from Newport 91,529 tons, or an increase of 10,351 tons, from Swansea 60,108 tons, or an increase of 31,185 tons, and from Port Talbot 36,267 tons, or an improvement of 24,025 tons. These figures, of course, do not include any cargoes shipped on Admiralty account. Chartering was on a more satisfactory basis and amounted to 134,235 tons, compared with 83,130 tons in the preceding six days, or an increase of 51,105 tons. The decrease up to date is over 2£ million tons. The Custom House returns for the month of March show that the total exports from the Bristol Channel ports amounted to 1,923,279 tons, compared with 2,496,993 tons in the corresponding month of last year. From Cardiff alone the shipments were 1,283,040 tons, against 1,624,112 tons, Newport 295,133 tons, compared with 455,674 tons, Port Talbot 100,094 tons, against 139,203 tons, and from Swansea 237,272 tons, compared with 245,137 tons. The pitwood market is rather easier, and the price has receded to 34s. 6d. per ton. Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). been increased to 339,033 boxes. Prices continue steady, and it is reported that very few orders are on the market, owing to the fact that American competition is very keen for the Eastern trade. Orders for 70,000 boxes have recently been placed in America on Chinese and Japanese account, and great efforts are also being made to obtain a footing in Holland and Scandinavia. Bessemer standard cokes are 17s. to 17s. 6d., and oil sizes 17s. 6d. to 17s. 9d. and 24s. 6d. respectively. Welsh tin bars are firmly quoted, and makers decline to entertain any offers under £7 5s. to <£7 10s. per ton for either Siemens or Bessemer qualities. The galvanised sheet trade is still suffering from lack of orders, especially on colonial account, and the high price of raw materials makes business very difficult to negotiate. Spelter has again advanced to =£48 per ton. Quotations for 24-gauge corrugateds are on the basis of =£14 15s. to =£15 per ton. Welsh pig iron is still soaring, and a minimum of 105s. per ton is being quoted, free on truck. Some works are demanding and obtaining as much as =£5 10s. per ton. The iron ore market, on the other hand, is rather easier, best rubio offering at 26s. to 27s., seconds 23s. 6d., and Almeria 22s. to 23s. 6d. per ton. These quota- tions are based on a freight of 10s. per ton. Scrap metals are in good demand, and prices are high. Heavy wrought is 67s. 6d., steel 77s. 6d., cast 60s., double-headed steel rails 80s., 'iron ditto 77s. 6d., light iron 52s. 6d., and mixed sections 75s. per ton. Llanelly. COAL. Quite a change has come over the local market and for anthracite especially the trade has suffered a severe check, now that the Government has prohibited the export to Italy, Denmark and Scandinavia. To stop shipments to the former country will be a severe blow to several of the collieries, and it is feared that unless some licences are granted allowing the export, several of the pits will find it difficult to keep going anything like full time. Prices are not near as firm as they were and reductions have been made in large, cobbles and nuts : and it is expected that during the next week or so there will be considerable alterations in values. For beans, peas and culm the market continues to be very good and prices are easily being maintained. There is not quite the firmness noticeable in the steam and bituminous kinds and the scarcity of boats has caused a falling off in the demand for bunkers and cargo coals. The demand from the works, on the other hand, continues to be good and very high prices are being received for contracts over the next three and six months. It is expected that owing to the war bonus claimed by the miners, prices will be advanced during the next few weeks-. This week’s quotations approximately are :— Prices f.o.b. Current L’st wreek’s Last year’s Anthracite:— prices. prices. ! prices. Best malting large 21/6-22/6 21/6-22/6 20/ -22/ Secondary do. 17/ -19/ 17/ -19/ 18/ -20/ Big Vein large 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Red Vein do 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/ 13/6-14/6 Machine-made cobbles... 24/ -26/ 24/ -26/ 18/ -21/ German nuts 23/ -24/ 22/ -25/ 20/ -22/ French do. 24/ -25/ 24/ -26/ 20/ -22/ Paris do 24/ -25/ 24/ -26/ 20/ -22/ Machine-made beans .. 23/ -25/ 23/ -25/ 16/ -20/ Do. peas 14/ -15/ 14/ -15/ j 11/6-12/6 Culm 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/6 6/ - 6/6 Duff 5/6- 6/6 5/6- 6/ 4/ - 6/ Other sorts:— Large steam coal 32/ -32/ 30/ -32/ 16/ -17/ Through-and-through... 23/ -25/ 25/ -27/ 11/6-12/ Small 16/6-18/6 16/6-19/6 9/ - 9/6 Bituminous small coal... 19/ -21/ ' 19/ -21/ 11/ -11/6 Swansea. GOAL. Steam coals: — Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’y Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary *do. Best small coals ..... Secondary do.......... Inferior do........... Screenings ........... Through coals ........ Best washed nuts...... Other sorts:— Best house coal....... Secondary do.......... Patent fuel .......... Furnace coke.......... Foundry coke ......... Current prices. 33/6-35/ 33/ -33/6 32/ -33/ 30/ -31/ 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/ 17/ -17/6 18/6-19/ 23/ -21/6 24/ -24/6 28/ -29/ 26/ -27/ 33/ -34/ 32/ -33/ 37/ -39/ L’st week’s prices. 35/ -36/ 34/ -35/ 33/ -34/ 31/ -33/ 19/ -20/ 18/6-19/ 17/6-18/ 19/6-20/ 23/ -25/ 24/ —25/ 28/ -29/ 26/ -27/ 33/ -34/ 32/ -33/ 37/ -39/ Last year’s prices. 17/ -17/6 16/6-16/9 15/9-16/3 15/3-15/6 8/9- 9/3 8/ - 8/6 7/6— 7/9 9/ - 9/3 12/9-13/' 13/3-13/6 18/ -19/ 17/ -18/ 19/9-20/ 19/6-20/6 23/ -25/ IRON. There is little material change to report in the conditions of the local iron and steel trades. Prices are in all depart- ments the same as last week, with makers showing more dislike to commit themselves further forward, although accepting orders for any early deliveries that they can deal with. Generally speaking order books are well filled, and until these are in the way of being cleared off the tendency seems to be to wait to see how business turns during the next few weeks. Work continues good at bar mills, and despite an increasing labour shortage, outputs are up to recent average. Quotations officially remain at <£7 10s. for either Bessemer or Siemens, but really incline upwards. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Steam coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Admiralty steam coals 18/6-19/ Superior seconds 37/ -38f —K 18/3 Ordinary do 35/ -36/ 38/ 17/9 Best bunker smalls 21/6-22/ 22/ -22/6 11/6-11/9 Best ordinaries 20/6 20/ -21/ 11/3-11/6 Cargo qualities 18/6-19/ 19/ -19/6 9/ - 9/6 Inferior smalls 17/6-18/ 18/ -18/6 7/ - 8/ Best dry coals 35/ —37/ 37/ -38/ 17/ -18/ Ordinary drys 32/ -34/ 35/ -36/ 15/6-16/ Best washed nuts 28/ -29/ 28/ 16/ Seconds 26/ -27/ 26/ 15/ Best washed peas 26/ -27/ 26/ -27/ 14/6 Seconds 25/ 25/ 13/6 Dock screenings 20/ 20/ -21/ 11/6-12/ Monmouthshire— Black Veins 34/3 37/3-38/3 17/6 Western-valleys 33/3 36/3-36/6 17/ Eastern-valleys 32/9 35/3-35/6 16/6 Inferior do 30/ -31/ 33/ —34/ 15/3-15,6 Bituminous coals :— Best house coals (at pit) 30/ 30/ 20/ Second qualities (at pit) 27/6-29/ 28/ -29/ 17/6-19/6 No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous la^ge 32/ 33/ -34/ 17/9-18/ Through-and-through 29/ 30/ -31/ 15/ Small 26/ -27/ 27/ -28/ 12/3-12/6 No. 2 Rhondda— Large ... 29/ -30/ 28/ -30/ 15/ Through-and-through 24/ -25/ 25/ -27/ 12/ -12/6 Small 19/ 20/ -22/ 9/ Best patent fuel 37/6 37/6-40/ 21/ Seconds 35/ 32/6-35/ 19/ -20/ Special foundry coke 43/ -45/ 43/ -45/ 29/ Ordinary do. 38/ -40/ 38/ -40/ 22/ -25/ Furnace coke 31/ -33/ 31/ -33/ 19/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 34/6 35/ -36/ 20/ * Nominal. The trade of the port last week was highly satisfactory r there was a good shipment of coal, and a distinct improve- ment in the export of patent fuel. Shipments of coal and patent fuel amounted to 99,977 tons. A capital attendance assembled on ’Change, and conditions in the anthracite coal trade were somewhat quieter than for some time past. The effect of the Government embargo on the exportation of anthracite coals was not as yet being felt, and both buyers and sellers were holding off until the result of the deputation to the Admiralty is made known. Swansea Valley large was not quite so firm, whilst Red Vein large was still strongly held. Machine-made nuts and cobbles were weaker, but beans and peas were fully maintaining their strong position, and for both these commodities there Prices f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). IRON. ' Although shipments of tin-plates last week were not so heavy as they were in the preceding six days, still a con- siderable volume of trade was done, and exports amounted to 62,826 boxes, against 96,455 boxes received from works. Stocks, therefore, in the docks warehouses and vans have Anthracite:— Best malting large (hand picked) (net)... Secondary .do. Big Vein large (less 2=1 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) Rubblyculm(less2| d.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 2.1 p.c.) ... Through-and-through (less 21 p.c.) .... Small (less 2.1 p.c.) ... Patent fuel do......... Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 22/6-24/ 22/6-24/ 21/6-23/ 19/6-21/6 19/6-21/6 18/ —19/ 17/6-18/6 17/ -18/6 14/6—15/6 17/6-18/6 1 17/6-18/6 14/ —15/ 24/6-26/6 24/6-26/6 22/ -24/6 — — 23/ -24/6 25/6-27/ 25/ -27/ 23/ -24/6 24/ -26/ 24/ -26/ 23/ -24/6 24/6-25/6 1 24/ -25/6 16/ -17/6 14/6-16/ ■ 14/6-16/ 11/ -12/ 10/6-11/ ;10/6-11/6 6/ - 6 6 5/9- 6/6 ‘ 5/6- 6/6 4/6- 4/9 28/6-32/ 28/6-31/ 18'6-19/ 24/6-27/6 24/6-27/6 14/9-15/9 25/ -27/ ! 25/ -27/6 10/9-12/ 16/6-20/ 16/6-20/ 7/ - 8/3 28/6-32/ 28/6-32/ 18/ -19/ — __ 14/ -15/6 19/6-22/6 19/6-22/6 10/3-11/3 28/ -30/ 28/ -30/ 16/9-17/3