April 30, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 010 effect by reason of the short supply of tonnage. Buyers with ready steamers can undoubtedly secure substantial concessions, otherwise quotations are nominally steady for May shipment; but whilst buyers are inclined to wait events, sellers are not pressing for business. Bunker coals are in steady request, and tend to harden on the more extensive enquiry. Coking and manufacturing fuel is fully booked, the gas section of the trade is strong. Smalls are very scarce and firmly held. Gas coke and household coals are the turn easier. Coke is steady, with a good demand. Outward rates in the near trades and also to the Mediter- ranean have improved. Recent fixtures include :—London, 8s. 6d.; Calais, 19s. 3d.; Boulogne, 19s. 6d.; Havre, 17s. 6d.; Rouen, 20s. ; Fecamp, 19s.; Cherbourg, 19s. 6d.; St. Nazaire, 19s.; Bordeaux, 19s. 6d.; Genoa, 36s. 6d.; Palermo, 35s.; Marseilles, 33s.; Oran, 25s.; Algiers, 25s.; Barcelona, 35s.; Nice, 35s.; Gibraltar, 25s.; Philippeville, 37s. 6d.; and Las Palmas, 25s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. GOAL. Fuel keeps steady, and prices alter very little. The stoppage of gas coal and coking coal shipments to Holland has not thrown any coal on the market, as the cargoes for that country have easily been transferred to other accounts. Best Durham gas coal is round about 25s., and second qualities 23s. to 24s.; whilst up to 27s. is named for special Wear. Bunker coal is in good request, and continues to command high rates. From 24s. to 25s. f.o.b. is asked for ordinary Durhams, 25s. to 26s. for best sorts, and 27s. for specials. Notwithstanding the usual smaller demand at this season of the year, household coal is very strong. Coking coal is stiff, and not over plentiful. Smalls are in the neighbourhood of 23s., and up to 25s. is demanded for unscreened kinds. There is a good business passing in coke. As much as 40s. f.o.b. is still asked for best foundry kinds for shipment. Gashouse coke is very scarce, and is 20s. to 22s. Local needs are heavy, but consumers report adequate supplies coming to hand. Durham beehive blast- furnace coke of average quality is 27s. 6d. to 30s. delivered at Teesside works, and exceptionally good kinds are realising more than the latter figure. IRON. There is very little business passing just now. This is due to the disturbing influence of fluctuations in Middles- brough pig iron warrants caused by operations of outside holders, and also to the prohibition of shipments of Cleveland foundry pig iron except under licence. Shippers declare that as each application for licence is dealt with on its merits, delay is so great that chartering is almost impossible, and the result of the deputation of Cleveland ironmasters and the ironmasters of Scotland to the War Trade Committee of the Board of Trade next week with regard to the matter is awaited with the keenest interest. Values of Cleveland pig are irregular, being influenced by fluctuations in Middlesbrough warrants which are due to the operations of outside speculative holders of warrants. No. 3 g.m.b. is 65s. 9d., No. 1 is 68s. 3d., No. 4 foundry 65s. 3d., No. 4 forge 64s. 9d., and mottled and white iron each 64s. 3d. East coast haematite pig is weaker, though many makers refuse to acknowledge any actual reduction in prices, and as a rule adhere to 105s. for Nos. 1, 2, and 3. Second hands, however, are rather keen sellers of mixed numbers at 102s. 6d., and even that price might be shaded. As a matter of fact, few, if any, contracts of moment have been made since the price advanced above 100s. Business in foreign ore is at a standstill, and sellers after having stood firm for some time past are now giving way. They base market rates nominally on 30s. ex ship Tees for rubio of 50 per cent, quality, but no doubt contracts could now be made at 6d. and perhaps even Is. lower terms. Freights Bilbao-Middlesbrough are round about 12s. 6d. Deliveries of foreign ore are very heavy, so much so that some consumers are accumulating a little stock. Imports to the Tees during April are returned at 160,000 tons. Finished iron and steel manufacturers are very busily engaged on Government work. Quotations all round are maintained. Cumberland. Maryport. GOAL. There is nothing that can be said about the Cumberland coal trade at the present time but what is, under the circumstances, extremely satisfactory. The outputs at the collieries, although they are employed six days a week, is not by any means what it was before the war, but produc- tion is as large as it possibly can be with the number of men available, and the whole of the coal raised is meeting with a ready market. Landsale may be described as being fairly steady. Manufacturing fuel is in strong request, and the demand for export coal is now so great that it is almost impossible to cope with it. Best house coal and fuel for manufacturing purposes are in strong request for Belfast, Dublin, Bangor and Londonderry, and in spite of the fact that the tides last week were unusually low, 14 steamers sailed with coals from Maryport, and the tonnage just fell a little below 4,000 tons. Quotations for both the home and Irish markets are firm but unchanged. There has been no alteration in prices of coal for the home market since the war began, but when the new wage agreement comes into operation an increase in home prices will be almost inevitable. Any increase on export coal is not anticipated, as prices have risen three times during the last quarter and the present quotations are probably higher than they have been for some years. During the past three months when the requirements for home and the cross-Channel trade has been so large, the greatest difficulty has been experienced in feeding the increasing number of by-product ovens in the county, and full production has only been maintained by securing supplies from outside districts. The shipments from Maryport to the Irish ports last week amounted to 3,990 tons, a decrease of 1,710 tons compared with the previous week. Cokemakers are busy, and the whole of the ovens are in full operation, and smelters are taking all the coke they can secure from the local ovens. Best Cumberland coals at the pit are quoted at from 19s. 2d. to 2's. per ton. At Workington, Allerdale, best coals delivered, are quoted at Is. lid. per cwt., or 21s. per ton, with best washed nuts at 20s. per ton. At Maryport, St. Helens, Flimby and Oughterside best coal is quoted at Is. 2^d. per cwt. delivered, or 23s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 21s. 8d. per ton and seconds at 20s. per ton. Other quotations are as follows :— Old St. Helens best coal at pit Current prices. 19/2 L’st week’s prices. 19/2 Do. best house nuts „ St. Helens (Workington) best coal at 17/1 17/1 pit 19/2 17/1 19/2 Do. do. best washed nuts 17/1 Best Cumberland coal, f.o.b 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ Best washed nuts, f.o.b 16/ 16/ Bunkers 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ Coal for gasworks 14/6-15/ 14/6-15/ IRON. The Cumberland hsematite iron trade is again stronger in tone and the chief feature this week is the continued appreciation of values. Bessemer mixed numbers have advanced to from 114s. to 115s. per ton f.o.b. at the usual ports, with warrants at cash at 95s. per ton. Special iron, for which there is a keen demand, is now quoted as high as 125s. per ton f.o.b. These are remarkable prices, but as the cost of coke, iron ore and limestone has been climbing as quickly as iron itself, it is questionable whether the smelter is any better off now than in normal times. The demand for haematite continues to be very heavy and requirements have increased sufficiently to warrant an expansion of production and an additional furnace has been lighted this week at Millom. There is no doubt that the present demand for both special and ordinary haematite is much in excess of the supply and under the circumstances users are anxious to cover their requirements as far ahead as possible. With the costs of production increasing, makers are less inclined to book heavily for forward delivery and it is hardly to be expected that with full order books, which will ensure the furnaces in full operation for some months to come, they will contract for prices which might possibly leave them very little margin of profit. Whether prices will soar still higher remains to be seen, but the general impression appears to be that the limit of appreciation has already been reached. A serious fall in prices is not anticipated by either makers or users, and it could scarcely occur at a time when labour and raw materials were so scarce. The number of furnaces in operation in Cumberland and North Lancashire are as follow :—Workington Iron and Steel Company 8, Cleator Moor 2, Distington 2, Millom 3, Barrow 5, North Lonsdale 2, Carnforth 1. Both Barrow and Workington are making for the market and home consumption, while the output from a number of the furnaces on special and ordinary iron is being consigned to the Midlands, Birmingham and Sheffield being the chief users. The steel trade is quieter, but Barrow and Workington are employed about 5 days a week on Government orders. The iron ore industry is remarkably brisk and in spite of the fact that more cargoes of Spanish ore are coming to hand, it is now almost impossible to meet the requirements of both home, the east coast and Scottish smelters. The tonnage passing over the border amounts to about 6,000 tons weekly. South-West Lancashire. COAL. In the inland household trade difficulty is still experienced in supplying present requirements, and there is a prompt call for screened coal for forge and manufacturing purposes. There is no new aspect in steam coal. Contract demand continues active, and quite equal to coal coming forward. There is not much outside enquiry, and prices are possibly a shade easier in some instances. Screened Lancashire steam coals are as last reported—viz., 19s. 6d. for cheaper sorts up to 20s. 6d. for the best qualities f.o.b. Mersey tips. In the coastwise and cross-Channel household trade supplies are not equal to the demand, and it is with difficulty that merchants* requirements on contract account are being met. There is a fair enquiry for fuel for open sale, but little coal available for this business. In slack the position is as last reported. The quantity available is short of consumers’ demands, the resultant position being a very firm tone as regards price for spot lots and forward business. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). 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 21/ -22/ 16/ 19/ -20/ 13/9 About 18/ 15/ -16/ 19/6-20/6 13/ -14/ 11/6-12/6 10/ -10/6 L’st week’s prices. 17/9 21/ -22/ 16/ 19/ -20/ 13/9 About 18/ 15/ -16/ 19/6-20/6 13/ -14/ 11/6-12/6 10/ -10/6 Lastyear’s prices. 17/ 16/9-17/3 15/3 15/ -15/6 13/ 13/9-14/6 12/3-12/6 13/ -13/9 9/9-10/ 9/ - 9/3 8/6- 8/9 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a good attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. The demand for house coal is brisk, and prices are very firm. There is also a good call for furnace coal. While there is a fair enquiry for shipping coal, prices are not quite so strong as they were. Slack is steady. Prices generally are as below:— Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best .............. Medium............. Common............. Furnace coal......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack .......... Common slack ........ Current prices. 18/ -19/ 16/9-17/3 14/ -14/3 14/6-15/6 19/ -21/ 11/6-13/ 9/9-11/ L’st week’s prices. 18/ -19/ 16/9-17/3 14/ -14/3 14/6-15/6 19/ -21/ 11/6-13/ 9/9-11/ Last year’s prices. 17/3-18/ 16/ -16/9 13/3-14/ 12/6 14/ 10/ -10/6 9/ - 9/6 IRON. There was a fair attendance on ’Change in Manchester on Tuesday. Haematite was a bit easier, and there was a quieter feeling in pig iron. Forges are very busy in iron, bars still being quoted at =£9 15s. per ton, with iron hoops at <£11 2s. 6d. Steelworks are exceptionally busy, and are asking <£10 5s. to =£10 10s. per ton delivered less 21 per cent, for bars, and <£8 10s. per ton net delivered for billets. They are being pressed all round for deliveries. All the trades in the district, such as wagon builders, engineers, &c., report themselves full of orders. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was a representative gathering of traders at the Hotel Metropole on Tuesday, and business all round was brisk. There was a particularly strong call for steam coal, coking smalls and gas coal, the demand for gas coal not being quite up to the average of recent weeks. It was reported that the pits had worked about full time, and that the output shows an increase, the miners attending to their work very well indeed. Although business in house coal shows some slight falling off, there are no stocks anywhere in the district. With regard to orders from London these are still fairly plentiful, but there has been some ease in current pit prices. With regard to contracts in the London district, it is reported that one or two for secondary qualities have been fixed up at an advance of 5s. per ton, and that a large number of other contracts are pending. In the coast- wise trade there have been a fair number of shipments of medium quality house coal from Goole, with prices about 22s. per ton f.o.b. In the Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax districts merchants report a fairly steady trade at the depots, with pit prices at recent levels, and still con- siderable difficulty to get full supplies. Pit prices are quite , firm at the undermentioned figures :—Haigh Moor selected, 19s. to 20s.; Silkstone best, 18s. to 19s.; Silkstone house, 17s. to 18s. ; other qualities, 16s. to 17s. Further progress is reported in the placing of the new season gas coal contracts, and sellers report no difficulty whatever in securing the official advance of 6s. per ton. Relatively the strongest demand is for gas nuts, especially the washed varieties, and for these the same figures as for the best screened gas coal can be obtained. It is understood that quite a large number of contracts for rail-borne fuel have been made with works in the London district, and also in the South of England. Manufacturing fuel continues firm, and supplies are quite inadequate to meet the strong demand. A considerable tonnage of good quality slacks and engine nuts are still being sent into the Middlesbrough district. Another matter which increases the scarcity of nuts is that at some collieries owning coking plants the supply of slack is so inadequate that nuts are having to be put into the ovens to keep them in full work. Washed furnace coke is very strong, sellers quoting 22s. to 23s. per ton for short term contracts, and up to 24s. for spot parcels. Current pit prices may be roughly summarised as under:— House coal:— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 19/ -20/ 20/ -21/ 14/ -14/6 Wallsend & London best 18/ -19/ 19/ -20/ 13/6-14/ Silkstone best 18/ -19/ 19/ -20/ 13/6-14/ Do. house 16/6-17/6 17/ —18/ 12/6-13/ House nuts 15/6-16/6 16/ -17/ 11/6-12/ Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best 22/ -24/ 22/ -24/ 17/ -17/6 Silkstone best 21/ -22/ 21/ -22/ 16/ -16/6 Do. house 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 15/ -15/9 Other qualities 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 14/ -14/9 Gas coal:— Prices at pit : Screened gas coal 17/ -18/ 16/ -17/ 17/ -18/ 11/6-12/ Gas nuts 16/ -17/ 10/6-11/ Unscreened gas coal ... 14/ -15/6 14/ -15/6 9/9-10/6 Other sorts:— Prices at pit: Washed nuts 15/6-17/ 15/6-17/ ’ 11/ -12/ Large double-screened engine nuts 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ 9/6-10/6 Small nuts ... 13/3-13/6 12/6-13/6 9/ -10/ Rough* unscreened engine coal 13/ -13/6 12/6-13/6 9/9-10/ Best rough slacks 11/6-12/6 10/6-11/ 11/ -12/6 7/6- 8/ Small do. 10/ -11/ 6/6- 7/ Coking smalls 10/6-12/ 10/ -11/6 6/6- 7/ Coke:— Price at ovens : Furnace coke 22/ -24/ 22/ -24/ 10/6-11/ Barnsley. COAL. In many instances enquiries for coal were of a futile character at the usual local market. Although there seems to be a slight improvement in the output, colliery representatives generally were unable to offer quotations in reply to enquiries, the production having been pretty well disposed of, and, although buyers were prepared to pay higher prices, it was a matter of great difficulty to place any of their requirements. Forward business is practically held up, largely in consequence of the disposi- tion of coal owners to rely upon the open market, and also of the prospective increase of wages which will, apparently, have to be conceded to an extent which is not at present known. In every respect values are of a firm description, and, in regard to steam coal, there are indications of further advances being likely. So far as large steams are con- cerned the enquiry on export account continues to be of a strong description, and a big percentage of second-class steams is being sent abroad. The enquiry for Parkgate and Shaft on bed fuel is stronger, owing to the higher prices of other classes, but there have been corresponding increases in the prices of the coal produced from the thinner seams. The tonnage required for home purposes of Barnsley bed hards is exceptionally heavy, the consumption by the railway companies and the armament firms being of a more substantial character. The scarcity of steam nuts continues to be very pronounced and there was practically no tonnage of this class of coal on offer on the market, prices being paid in accordance with the conditions attached to deliveries The same activity prevails in regard to slacks, rougher kinds being in much stronger request for coke-making purposes, and there is no difficulty in procuring the higher range of prices which have been established. The export demand for gas coal is also of a brisk description, and the 6s. per ton advance which has been obtained for the renewal of contracts is being secured for current lots. There does not appear to be any material change in regard to house