1230 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. June 11, 1915. keeps, even in this advanced part of the season, more than the collieries can supply. In slacks the output is very much reduced, and it is with difficulty full supplies can be provided for customers. 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. 20/9 22/ 19/ 20/ 16/9-17/ About 19/ 16/ -17/ 19/6-20/6 13/ -14/ 11/6-12/6 10/ -10/6 L’st week’s 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 Lastyear’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 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. The demand for house coal is only small at the present time, but prices remain firm. Furnace coal is still meeting with good demand, and prices are steady. Shipping coal is fair. Slack continues to move away briskly. Generally, prices 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. 21/ -22/ 19/9-20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 12/6-14/ 10/6-12/ L’st week’s prices. 21/ -22/ 19/9-20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ —17/ 19/ -21/ 12/6-14/ 10/6-12/ Last year’s prices. 17/3-18/ 16/ —16/9 13/3-14/ 12/6 14/ 9/6-10/ 8/6- 9/ Current pit prices. House coal:— Current L’st week’s Lastyear’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/6 14/ 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 17/ -17/6 16/6-17/6 12/ -12/6 House nuts 15/6-16/6 15/ -16/ 11/ -11/6 Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 16/ -16/6 Silkstone best 21/ -22/ 21/ -22/ 15/6-16/ Do. house 19/6-21/ 19/ -21/ 14/ -14/9 Other qualities 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/6 13/6-14/ Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal 17/ -18/ 16/ -17/ 17/ -18/ 11/ -12/ Gas nuts 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/ 16/ -17/ 11/ -11/6 Large double-screened engine nuts 14/ -15/ 14/ -15/ 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- 9/9 Best rough slacks 13/ -13/6 13/ -13/6 7/ -8/ Small do. 11/6-12/6 11/ -12/ 6/ - 6/9 Coking smalls 12/6-13/6 12/ -13/ 6/3- 7/ Coke:—. Price at ovens: Furnace coke 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 10/ IRON. There was a fairly good attendance on ’Change in Man- chester, on Tuesday, and the tone was firm.. Pig iron remains much the same as it has done for three or four weeks past, and buying is almost wholly from hand to mouth. Lancashire crown bars remain at <£10 10s., but iron and steel hoops have been advanced to £13 2s. 6d. and <£12 17s. 6d. respectively. Steel bars are quoted at £10 15s. to £11, and billets at £8 10s. to £9, and the works still keep very busy. Wagon builders have plenty of work. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was an average attendance of traders at the market on Tuesday, and business, on the whole, was brisk. The demand for steam coal showed some slight falling off, but for spot parcels of gas coal and manufacturing fuel there was a very ready sale. It was reported that the pits had worked full time, and the empty wagon supply had been more satisfactory. Better reports are also to hand with regard to the transit of loaded trucks. The output con- tinues to show some progressive reduction week by week, as a number of miners are still joining the Colours. Business in house coal with London and the district has been exceptionally brisk this week, as merchants are buying heavily to stock. Prices of the better qualities show some appreciation, but it is really with regard to secondary sorts that prices are relatively the strongest. It is expected in this district that lowest summer prices on the London market will be withdrawn at the latest at the end of June, but probably sooner. With regard to forward contracts for house coal in the London district the collieries in this neighbourhood are quoting generally for a reduced tonnage, and at prices which show an average advance of 5s. per ton over the figures quoted a year ago. A large number of additional contracts have been booked this week, and the position all round is one of considerable firmness. In the coastwise trade there is a ready sale for the secondary sorts of house coal, and a fair number of cargoes have been loaded at Goole and Hull this week for the south coast and Thames wharves. In the local trade the warmer weather and the higher prices have combined in causing a marked falling off in the demand from the public. This quietness has not been reflected at the pits, however, as merchants are taking heavily into stock, in in view of the expected shortage during the coming winter. The revised price lists are being maintained everywhere with great firmness, and contracts for the West Riding are still being placed in fairly large numbers. The position with regard to gas coal is one of great firmness. Quite a number of local collieries have withdrawn from the market, and refuse to sell forward even at the official advance of 6s. per ton. A number of contracts have been booked this week, aggregating on the whole a large tonnage at the official advance, but in most cases the tonnage offered by the collieries shows a reduction compared with a year ago. The open market demand is a shade quieter, but this is more than counterbalanced by the strong call for export, particularly to France and Italy. A feature of the market which continues to be noticed is the fact that London and district gasworks are still placing orders freely in this locality. Manufacturing fuel maintains the firm- ness noted last week, and in spite of the advance recently quoted there is a full demand for every available ton that can be produced. Especially strong is the demand for slacks and washed nuts in Bradford and Huddersfield, and also in the heavy woollen district. New contracts are being freely made at prices which show an advance over the figures quoted a year ago of from 6s. to 6s. 6d. per ton. Washed furnace coke is dearer on the week, and makers of good quality coke have no difficulty in.securing 25s. per ton at the ovens, and are quoting this figure for short term contracts to the end of September. The higher prices are being caused partly through the growing scarcity of coking smalls, which are quotably dearer on the week. A big tonnage is being con- sumed in the Frodingham district and in the Midlands, while considerable supplies are also being sent to the Middlesbrough district. The summary of pit prices which follows must not be taken too literally, but is based on actual transactions during the week :— Barnsley. GOAL. Although the demand for practically all classes of coal appears to be strongly maintained, forward business is still of rather unsettled character. There appears to be a greater degree of uncertainty prevailing in regard to operations respecting steam coal, which is usually exported. Buyers are hoping that the strict regulations wThich have been enforced by the Government in respect to the destina- tion of fuel will have the effect of throwing a larger tonnage on the home market, and consequently weakening prices. At the present time there is little evidence that such a turn of events has occurred, and colliery repre- sentatives are still complaining of the great difficulty they have in making satisfactory arrangements for supplies, with the continual reduced output which is occurring owing to the enlistment of further bodies of miners. So far as the home market is concerned, a strong effort is made to avoid any weakening of values, but coal in second hands at Hull, is being sold at consider- ably lower figures than are quoted by the producers, owing to the temporary reduction of the exports. It is a striking feature that despite' all the difficulties entailed in the obtaining of necessary licences, the export of fuel abroad from Hull during the past month was the best on record since the outbreak of war., The total 291,152 tons (of which over one-half went to France) is but 6,000 tons less than were exported during May a year ago. The coal- owners continue to hold a firmer attitude in regard to the advances which they have demanded of from 5s. to 7s. per ton, in regard to new contracts, and although there has been no particular rush of business, it is asserted that buyers are now recognising the difficulty of the position, and are seeking to fix up arrangements. Coalowners, however, are not disposed to accept less than their demands, and prefer to rely upon the open market. All classes of fuel are in exceptionally good request for home purposes, and the consumption by the railway companies is particu- larly large. The enquiry for steam nuts is again of a particularly active description, and the marked scarcity which has prevailed for some time of this class of fuel is still fairly well emphasised. The increased price of slacks is also maintained, and the substantial advances for the renewal of contracts, are stated to have been obtained, although owing to the quieter state of business in the cotton markets, it is thought by buyers that this might have the result of placing a larger tonnage upon the market. The position in respect to gas coal is pretty much the same, though there has been greater activity by gas companies to make contracts than hitherto. The coal owners are very firm in their demand for 6s. per ton advance, and some collieries will not commit themselves to supply beyond 60 per cent, of the tonnage of the previous year, in consequence of the reduced output. They are also seeking to make conditions, providing that more than ordinary quantities must be taken during the summer months, and in other ways there is evidence of the strong position in which they are placed. The demand for house coal has, of course, been somewhat affected by the hot weather, but so far collieries have no difficulty in disposing of the whole of their output, and maintaining their advanced quotations. No doubt they are assisted by the tendency which is shown by merchants in the southern markets to lay in stocks. There appears to be no prospect that values will materially weaken, having regard to the fact that large quantities of soft coal are now being utilised for other than the usual purposes in consequence of the shortage of production. The. position in regard to coke is also strong. Only small stocks are held in the Lincolnshire smelting districts, whilst the production is not being materially increased, owing to the advanced cost of slacks. Values promise to further advance. Prices at pit. Hull. COAL. Business in the Humber coal trade just now is on very modest lines. The slight hopes that a fairly liberal export would be allowed by the Government Committee to neutral countries have not been realised. On the contrary, there has again been for some days past plenty of evidence of a much firmer hand in dealing with applications, especially for Scandinavia. Moreover there is no great demand, while so far as Italy is concerned business from that quarter has not yet materialised to any degree—at any rate not to the extent of having any appreciable effect in preventing the fall of prices. Best South York- shire hards are again lower on the week, the current value being in the region of 21s. f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Secondary sorts, especially small coal, are also easier, washed doubles being quoted at 19s. to 19s. 6d., ditto singles 18s. 6d. to 19s., and ditto small 15s. to 16s. There has been very little demand for Derbyshire hards, which are now worth 21s. to 22s. nominally. West York- shire house coal is quiet on the basis of 20s. best Hartleys, and rough slack 14s. 6d. Shipments at the docks are good, and plenty of tonnage, ample for present needs, is available at about late rates, viz., 13s. for Dieppe or Calais, and 15s. Rouen, 15s. 6d. having been paid for a large steamer for the latter port. Small tonnage for London commands up to 7s. The official return of the export of coal during May gives Hull’s total at 291,152 tons, which is only about 6,000 tons behind May last year, and nearly 100,000 tons better than April this year. It is the best monthly total since the war began. The export at Grimsby was 39,768 tons, against 86,205 tons in May last year, and at Goole 30,931 tons, against 102,574 tons. Chesterfield. COAL. There is an improvement in the demand for house coal, and the number of orders that are coming to hand gives the impression that merchants are beginning to replenish their stocks in anticipation of an increasing business as the year advances. At any rate, a brisk trade has been done in this class of fuel during the past week. There is an active con- dition of things in the market for fuel for manufacturing purposes where the demand is exceedingly strong, more particularly for cobbles and nuts for the large armament works. It is very remarkable how these smaller classes of fuel have displaced the larger kinds of coal formerly required. This is, of course, due to the introduction of the gas-producer and the increasing use of this system for generating heat of a high temperature. There is a great demand for slack for boiler firing, and prices remain very firm. Stocks of this fuel are very low both at colliery sidings and in consumers’ works. The restriction of exports of coal to neutral countries is beginning to affect seriously this branch of the coal trade, and it seems as if the War Trade Committee were going the right way to defeat the object they have in view, which is to safeguard this country and our allies. It goes without saying that everybody connected with the. coal trade is in full sympathy with the desire of the Government that our country should be the first con- sideration, and that our home industries should not suffer to the advantage of neutral countries. It is feared, however, that the restriction of the export of coal, if persisted in, will result in the inability of many collieries to work full time, and the output of gas coal and house coal will consequently be reduced at a time when these classes of fuel are wanted for the purpose of replacing the seriously depleted stocks throughout the country. Owing to the failure on the part of exporters to obtain the necessary licences for the ship- ment of steam coal, prices are weaker, and there are no signs of an early improvement. There is a good demand for washed nuts, and the price of this fuel is steady. Cobbles are also in good request. The coke market is very firm, prices ruling from 24s. to 25s. per ton at the oveus. Prices at pit. • Current L’stweek’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. Best house coals . 18/ 18/ 13/6 Secondary do 17/ 17/ 12/ Cobbles 17/ 17/ 11 Nuts 16/6 . 1. 16/6 / 9/6 Slack 12/9 12/9. 7/6 IRON. Pig iron is in poor demand, and prices are weak. Con" sumers show no willingness to buy for forward delivery- Bar iron manufacturers are busy. Orders are quite plentiful, and prices have been advanced further during the last few days. ;-----——— Current L’st week’s Lastyear’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstone 22/ -22/6 22/ -22/6 15/6-16/ Best Barnsley softs 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 15/ -15/3 Secondary do 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 12/ -13/ . Best house nuts 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 13/ Secondary do. 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 10/9-11/9 Steam coals:— Best hard coals 21/ -22/ 22/ -22/6 11/3-11/6 Secondary do 19/ -20/ 20/ —21/ 10/6-10/9 Best washed nuts 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 10/9 Secondary do 19/ 19/ -19/6 10/ Best slack 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ 7/ Rough do 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ 5/9- 6/ Gas coals:— Screened gas coals 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ 11/6 Unscreened do 14/6-15/ 14/6-15/ 10/6 Gas nuts.... 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 11/ Furnace coke 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 10/ Nottingham. COAL. There has been very little change in the state of the coal trade in Nottinghamshire during the past week. Apart from the house coal section, a brisk tone dominates other departments. Values are firm with a tendency to rise, as the payment of the war bonus to miners, has considerably increased the cost of production. The demand for house- holds is very good for the time of the year, considerably better than in normal times for June, as a large quantity of this fuel is being used for manufacturing purposes in consequence of the limited supply of best hard coals. The prices in this branch have not, at the time of writing, been subject to a general advance, but one is shortly anticipated. The steam coal section continues to be very active, and in view of prices showing a disposition to harden, merchants are taking larger supplies, for it is almost certain that the contracts which expire at the commencement of next month will not be renewed except at enhanced rates. In Prices at pithead. Hand-picked brights ..... Good house coals......... Secondary do............. Best hard coals.......... Secondary do............. Slacks (best hards) ..... Do. (second) .......... Do. (soft)............. Current prices. 18/6-20/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 18/6-21/ 17/ -18/ 12/6-13/6 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ L’stweek’s prices. 18/6-20/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 18/6-21/ 17/ -18/ 12/6-13/6 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ Last year’s prices. 13/ -14/ 11/6-12/ 10/6-11/ 10/6-10/9 9/6-10/ 6/3- 6/9 5/6- 6/ 5/6- 6/