June 4, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1177 Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Gas coals:— Special Wear gas coals Secondary do. House coals:— Best house coals Ordinary do Other sorts :— Lambton screened South Hetton do Lambton unscreened ... South Hetton do Do. treble nuts Coking coals unscreened Do. smalls Smithies Peas and nuts Best bunkers Ordinary bunkers Coke:— Foundry coke Blast-furnace coke (did. Teesside furnaces) ... Gas coke Current prices. 23/ 22/ 27/6 22/ 27/ 27/ 20/ 20/ 23/6 20/ 19/6 20/6 24/ 22/6 19/6 37/6 30/ 20/ L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. 23/ 13/9 21/ -22/ 12/9 25/ 16/6 22/6 16/ 27/ 14/6 26/6-27/ 14/3 21/ -22/ 12/9 21/ -22/ 12/6 23/6 15/6 21/ 12/6 20/ 12/3 21/6 15/6 23/ 16/ 22/6 13/3 20/ 12/6 37/6 20/6 30/ 20/ 20/ 13/6 The outward freight market is steady. Recent fixtures include :—London, 7s. 3d.; Dunkirk, 18s. 6d.; Rouen, 18s. 6d.; Brest, 18s. 6d.; Havre, Calais, or Dieppe, 18s.; Bordeaux, 21s.; Rochefort, 21s.; Oporto, 24s. 6d.; La Rochelle, 23s.; Gibraltar, 21s.; Genoa, 33s.; Civita Vecchia, 33s.; Marseilles, 32s.; Alexandria, 32s. 6d.; Piraeus, 34s. ; Las Palmas, 24s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. The fuel trade presents no new feature of moment. A good deal of business is passing, but trade is rather hampered by the necessity of obtaining export licences. Best Durham gas coal is selling at 23s., seconds range from 20s. to 21s., and special Wear gas is in the neighbourhood of 25s. Bunker coal is in fairly good request, and high rates are still realised. Ordinary Durhams run from 19s. to 20s. f.o.b., best kinds are in the neighbourhood of 22s. 6d., and specials range from 25s. to 26s. Coking coal is well taken up. Unscreened sorts are 20s. to 21s. 6d., and smalls are round about 19s. 6d. Coke continues scarce and dear. Sellers admit difficulty in fulfilling obligations, and local consumers complain considerably of short supplies against contracts. There seems little likelihood of early relief either in price or by way of increased make. The minimum quotation for Durham beehive blastfurnace coke of average quality delivered at Teesside works is 30s. Durham foundry coke for shipment is quoted 37s. 6d. Gas coke varies from 20s. to 21s. IRON. Shipments of pig iron from the Tees last month were the lowest on record, with the exception of those for March last, when the clearances totalled only 12,486 tons. Last month’s loadings averaged but 509 tons per working day, the despatches totalling only 12,738 tons. For the previous month the clearances amounted to 25,365 tons, or a daily average of 1,056 tons ; whilst for May last year the ship- ments reached 94,174 tons, or an average of 3,727 tons per working day. Of the pig iron despatched last month 8,835 tons went to foreign ports, and 3,903 tons to coastwise customers. Prance was the* largest buyer, receiving 4,320 tons, whilst Japan took 2,008 tons and Italy 1,300 tons. Scotland received by sea only 565 tons. Shipments of manufactured iron from the Tees last month were returned at 9,976 tons, 1,733 tons of which went abroad and 8,243 tons coastwise-; and loadings of steel reached 34,409 tons, of which 28,782 tons went foreign and 5,627 tons coastwise. India, with an import of 842 tons, was the best customer for manufactured iron, and France was the largest receiver of steel, taking 9,906 tons. The local committee appointed to grant licences for exports of foundry pig iron to neutral countries commenced this week to issue certificates, and this should assist to improve shipments. Exporters expect fairly good demand from Scandinavia, and the action of Italy should result in considerable shipments to that country. An additional blastfurnace on Cleveland pig iron has been blown in at Jarrow. This brings the total number of furnaces in operation on the north-east coast up to 71. Of these, 35 are running on Cleveland pig, 24 are producing hsematite, and 12 are manufacturing special Idnds of iron. No. 3 g.m.b. Cleveland pig is 66s., No. 1 is 68s., No. 4 foundry (which is not over plentiful) 65s. 6d. to 65s. 9d., No. 4 forge 65s., and mottled and white iron each 64s. 6d. East coast haematite pig shows a rather downward tendency. Many makers still adhere to 102s. 6d. for mixed numbers, but sales have been recorded at 101s. 6d., and even that figure could probably be shaded. Haematite is still very high compared with Cleveland pig, for mixed numbers of the former are still 35s. above No. 3 Cleveland, whereas the difference used to be 8s. to 10s. There is nothing doing in foreign ore. In the continued absence of transactions sellers still quote nominally on the basis of 27s. ex ship Tees for best rubio, but consumers having large stocks, and considerable supplies arriving day by day, are not in the market. Contracts could be made at considerably below the terms named. Manufacturers of finished iron and steel are very busily employed, chiefly on Government work. Plates and angles have been advanced by 10s. per ton, making iron and steel ship plates, iron ship angles and iron girder plates each .£10, steel ship angles <£9 15s , and steel boiler plates <£11. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. Great activity continues to characterise the operations in the Cumberland coal industry, and in two of the branches business is perhaps steadier and stronger than it has been since the beginning of the year. Local landsale is dull, but the demand for steam coal for manufacturing purposes, not only in the country, but from outside districts, is as great as ever, and in view of the increased needs of the local coke ovens it is extremely difficult to meet require- ments. The cross-Channel trade continues very brisk, and there is a strong and increasing demand for all sorts for the Irish market. Some idea of the present strength of the export trade may be gathered from the fact that the tonnage during May (which is usually one of the dullest months of the year) is 3,950 tons higher than it was in December last, and the amount of coal shipped from Mary- port last month showed an increase of about 4,000 tons compared with January of this year. The tonnage to Ireland, which is exceptionally heavy for the time of the year, would be much heavier if sufficient coal were avail- able. A number of Belgian miners have been introduced into some of the Cumberland collieries, and outputs are now said to be steadily increasing, but the amount of coal raised is still insufficient to meet local manufacturing requirements and to satisfy the needs of Irish consumers. One of the collieries at Whitehaven was idle two or three days last week in order to effect some necessary repairs, but with that exception the whole of the collieries in the county are working on an average of six days a week. In the Carlisle district household coal has advanced Is. 8d. per ton, but in West Cumberland prices are firm, but unchanged. Best house coal at the pit is still quoted at the advanced price of 20s. lOd. per ton, with best washed nuts at 18s. 9d. per ton. Best Cumberland coal free on board at Maryport is still quoted at 19s. 6d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 17s. t‘d. per ton f.o.b. Last week 19 vessels sailed from Maryport for Irish ports, and the shipments amounted to 5,550 tons, an increase of 1,140 tons compared with the previous week. The shipments during May amounted to 25,555 tons. Work is very brisk at the coke ovens and by-product works, and the whole of the supply of Cumber- land coke is being absorbed by local smelters. At Maryport, Oughterside, Plimby and St. Helens best coals delivered are quoted at Is. 4d. per cwt., or 25s. lOd. per ton, with best washed nuts at 23s. 4d. per ton and seconds at 21s. 8d. per ton. At Workington, Allerdale best coals delivered are quoted at Is. 2|d. per cwt., or 23s. 6d. per ton, with best washed nuts at Is. l|d. per cwt., or 21s. 8d. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow :— Current L’st week’s prices. prices. Old St. Helens, Flimby, best coal at pit 20/10 20/10 Do. best house nuts ,, 18/9 18/9 St. Helens (Siddick) best coal at pit... 20/10 20/10 Do. do. best washed nuts do. 18/9 18/9 Best Cumberland coal, f.o.b 19/6 19/6 Best washed nuts, f.o.b 17/6 17/6 Bunkers , 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 ' Coal for gasworks 14/6-15/ 14/6-15/ Dry small at pit 15/6 15/6 Steam nuts do 18/ , l8/■ IRON. The Cumberland haematite iron trade continues in a steady condition, both values and production in the several industries being well maintained. Bessemer mixed numbers are still quoted at from 108s. to 110s. per ton free on board at the usual ports, with warrants at cash at 95s. per ton. Special low phosphorus iron is quoted at from 124s. to 125s. per ton, and the price of ferro-manganese has advanced from £17 to £20 per ton. The amount of business passing for ordinary haematites is not by any means what it was six weeks or a month ago, but the demand for special iron for the use of those engaged in the manufacture of munitions of war is probably as strong as ever, and production is scarcely equal to requirements. There is still a great shortage of labour at the iron ore mines and the steel works, but every effort is being made to keep production as high as possible. Of course the whole position turns upon the question of supplies of raw materials, and until there is a more plentiful supply of iron ore and labour there is no probability of any serious depreciation of values. There are 23 furnaces in operation—15 in Cumberland and eight in the Furness district. Both Moss Bay and the Derwent works at Workington are making for home consumption and the market, and a large proportion of the furnaces in Cumberland and the Furness district are employed on special brands of iron, the bulk of which is going to the Midlands for Government purposes. The steel trade is very brisk, and the outlook for the next few months is very bright. The output at Workington includes shell steel, rails, &c., but great difficulty is being experienced in keeping the steel works in full operation, owing to the shortage of labour. The Workington Iron and Steel Company have secured an order for 10,000 tons of steel rails for India. Trade is exceedingly brisk in the iron ore industry, and all the iron ore mines are regularly employed, but production is still much below requirements. The exports from Workington last week consisted of 460 tons of ferro-manganese and 260 tons of rails for Liverpool and 660 tons of steel rails for the Continent. ----------------- South-West Lancashire. COAL. The inland household demand is naturally quietening a little with the advancing season, but there is not the slightest difficulty in disposing of the coal as it is wound. Forges continue to take fair quantities. In shipping there is not much change with regard to steam coal, business being somewhat restricted owing to continued congestion of steamers waiting for berths at Liverpool. Several contracts* have been made with liners during the past fortnight or so at considerable advances on last year’s prices. There is little outside enquiry for Lancashire screened steam, and for these orders on open sale 19s. 6d. for lower grades up to 20s. 6d. for best sorts f.o.b. Mersey ports are being quoted. There continues to be a satisfactory demand for household fuel for the coastwise and cross-Channel 1 Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best Do. (f.o.b. Gar st on, 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. 20/9 22/ 19/ 20/ 16/9-17/ About 18/6 About 16/ 19/6-20/6 13/ -14/ 11/6-12/6 10/ -10/6 L'st week's prices. 20/9 21/ -22/ 19/ 19/ -20/ 16/9-17/ About 18/ 15/ -16/ 19/ -20/6 13/ -14/ 11/6-12/6 10/ -10/6 Last year's prices. 17/ 16/9-17/3 15/3 15/ -15/6 13/ 13/9-14/6 12/ -12/3 12/9-13/6 9/9-10/ 9/ - 9/3 8/6- 8/9 trade, and a disposition to renew contracts without delay on the part of merchants whose present contracts are nearing expiration. Slacks continue to be very firm in price and scarce in quantity, and even yet the outturn from the pit has to be added to by thinning what remains of the ground stocks about the pithead. The gas coal purchasing season is likely to be a very short one this year. South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. There is a considerable falling off in the demand for house coal, due doubtless to the weather on the one hand, and the increased prices on the other. Furnace coal is in good demand, with prices firm, while there is a steady enquiry for shipping coal, with prices in cases somewhat below the highest point. Slack is moving away in fair quantities. Generally prices are as below :— Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current L'st week's Last year’s House coal:— prices. prices. prices. Best 21/ -22/ 18/ -19/ 17/3-18/ Medium 19/9-20/3 16/9-17/3 16/ -16/9 Common 17/ -17/3 14/ -14/3 13/3-14/ Furnace coal 16/ -17/ 14/6-15/6 '12/6 Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) 19/ -21/ 19/ -21/ 14/ Best slack 12/6-14/ 11/6-13/ 9/6-10/ Common slack 10/6-12/ 9/9-11/ 8/6- 9/ IRON. There is nothing of importance to report, and there was only a very moderate attendance on 'Change in Manchester on Tuesday. The prices of pig iron remain without altera- tion, and the associated price for iron bars is still £10 10s. per ton, hoops at £12 2s. 6d. and steel hoops at £11 17s. 6d. Steelworks are all extremely busy on material for Govern- ment work, and are quoting’ £10 15s. for bars, and £8 10s. to £9 for billets. —--------------------------------- Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. The market on Tuesday was well attended, especially by local merchants and shippers from the Humber ports. Colliery agents reported that the pits had worked practically full time since the holidays, but that the output was dis- appointingly small, and quite inadequate to meet the needs of the market. The supply of empty trucks has been fairly good, but the delay to loaded trucks is even more serious than recently, and it is said that trucks are taking any- thing from a fortnight to three weeks to do the journey to the distant markets. The demand for house coal from London is even better than last week, and it is quite evident that the London merchants are buying extensively for stocking. In this connection a sale is reported, this week, of a good quality Silkstone best house coal for delivery during June, July, and August at 19s. 6d. per ton at the pit. The same coal was sold a year ago at 13s. Further progress with regard to the placing of new contracts with London merchants is reported, and generally the advance is from 5s. to 6s. per ton, with the bulk of the business at the latter figure. Coastwise there are a fair number of cargoes of medium quality Silkstone house coal being sent to the south coast and into the Thames, and prices certainly show no reduction on recent quotations. One sale mentioned this week of a 800 ton cargo of Silkstone house coal is reported to have realised 21s. 6d. f.o.b. Hull. In the local markets merchants have by this time received circulars from all the collieries, advising them of the advance in current prices of 3s. 4d. per ton. As a matter of fact the advances vary from 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per ton, as a number of the pits had previously increased their quotations. With regard to contracts in the West Riding, quotations vary, some collieries asking up to 6s. advance, while others are accepting 4s. 6d. to 5s. The amount of the advance is determined very largely by the quality of the coal, the better class Haigh Moor realising relatively the higher figure. For open market business pit prices may be roughly summarised as under :—Haigh Moor selected, 22s. to 23s.; Silkstone best, 21s. to 22s.; Silkstone house, 19s. 6d. to 20s. 6d.; other qualities, 17s. 6d. to 19s. The demand for gas coal for prompt deliyery is somewhat easier as regards inland works, but there is a stronger demand than ever for shipment. In consequence the market is exceptionally firm, and where collieries are not able to secure the full Current pit prices. House coal:— Current L'st week’s Last year's Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/6 14/ -14/6 Wallsend & London best 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/6 13/ —14/ Silkstone best 17/6-18 6 17/6-18/6 13/ -14/ Do. house 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 12/ -12/6 House nuts 15/ —16/ 15/ -16/ 11/ -11/6 Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 16/6-17/ Silkstone best 21/ -22/ 20/ -21/ 16/ -16/6 Do. house 19/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 14/3-15/ Other qualities 18/6-19/6 18/ -19/ 14/ -14/6 Gas coal:— Prices at pit : Screened gas coal 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 11/ -12/ Gas nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 10/ -11/ Unscreened gas coal 14/ -15/6 14/ —15/6 9/9-10/6 Other sorts:— Prices at pit: Washed nuts 16/ -17/ 15/6-17/ 11/ -12/ Large double-screened engine nuts 14/ -15/ 13/6-14/6 9/6-10/6 Small nuts 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ 9/ - 9/9 Rough unscreened engine coal 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ 9/3-10/ Best rough slacks 13/ -13/6 12/6-13/ 7/ - 8/ Small do. 11/ -12/ 10/6-11/6 6/ - 6/9 Coking smalls 12/ -13/ 11/6-12/6 6/ - 7/ Coke Price at ovens : Furnace coke 23/ -24/■ 23/ -24/ 10/