June 18, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1283 is in the market for a quantity of gas coal. Quotations are approximately as follow:— 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 Het ton do Lambton unscreened ... South Hetton do Do. treble nuts Coking coals unscreened Do. smalls Smithies Leas and nuts Best bunkers Ordinary bunkers Coke:— Foundry coke Blast-furnace coke (did. Teesside furnaces) ... Gas coke Current prices. 21/ 20/ 22/6 20/ 23/ 23/ 18/6-18/9 18/6-18/9 22/6 19/ 18/6 20/ 21/ 19/6 18/ 35/ 30/ 23/ -24/ L'st week’s prices. 23/ 20/ 25/ 23/ 23/ 23/ 20/ 20/ 23/ 19/ 18/6 20/ 22/ 22/ 18/ -19/ 35/ -36/ 30/ 20/ lT * Last year s prices. 13/6 12/6 16/ 15/ 14/6 14/3 12/6 12/3 15/6 12/6 12/3 13/9 16/ 13/ 12/6 21/ 20/ 13/ Outward coal freights are steady, the coast being repre- sented by London 7s., Havre 14s. 6d., Rouen 16s. 3d., Calais 16s., and Dieppe 16s. The-Bay Lisbon has paid 20s., and Oporto 22s. 6d. There has been more enquiry for boats for the Mediterranean, and recent fixtures include:—Malta 20s., Algiers 20s., Gibraltar 19s., Porto Ferraio 26s., Porto Vecchio 28s. 6d., Genoa 27s. 6d., Naples 27s. 6d., and Las Palmas 23s. export and manufacturing fuel is exceptionally brisk, and while 23 furnaces remain in full operation in Cumberland and North West Lancashire, no diminution on this account could possibly take place for some time to come. There was a slight lull in the cross-Channel trade a week ago, but during the past few days business has improved consider- ably, and the demand for best steam coal and other sorts for some of the Irish ports is now so strong that merchants are finding it extremely difficult to meet the needs of Irish consumers. All the collieries are working regularly, and the outputs are steadily increasing, and while every effort is being made to keep production as high as possible, the amount of coal raised is still insufficient to satisfy the requirements of the home and coastwise trade. The prospects of the export trade at present are very bright, and the enquiries for all sorts are so numerous that the tonnage to Irish ports could be increased to a very great extent if a sufficient quantity of coal was available. Prices are firm, but unchanged, best coal at the pit being quoted at the advanced prices of from 22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at from 21s. to 21s. 3d. per ton. Best Cumberland coal free on board at Maryport is quoted at 19s. 6d. per ton, with best washed nuts 17s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. Nineteen vessels left Maryport last week for Irish ports, and the shipments amounted to 4,770 tons, an increase of 840 tons compared with the previous week. Coke makers are very busy, and the whole of the output from the Cumberland ovens is being absorbed by local smelters. At Maryport, St. Helens, Flimby and Oughter- side, best coal delivered is quoted at from Is. 5|d. to Is. 6d. per cwt., or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 25s. lOd. per ton and seconds at 24s. 2d. per ton. At Workington, best Buckhill coal delivered is quoted at Is. 4d. per cwt., or 25s. lOd. per ton, with best double- screened washed nuts at Is. 3d. per cwt., or 24s. 2d. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow :— last week—viz., 19s. 6d. for lower grades up to 20s. 6d. for best sorts f.o.b. Mersey ports. The coastwise and cross- Channel trade still absorbs all the fuel that can be spared for this market. The quantity available is hardly meeting contractors’requirements, and there is little left to meet outside enquiries, of which there are a fair number at the moment. Great difficulty is experienced in meeting the present demand for slack with the greatly reduced output. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current L'st week's Last year's House coal:— prices. prices. prices. Best 20/9 20/9 17/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 22/ 22/ 16/6-16/9 Medium 19/ 19/ 15/3 Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 20/ 20/ 14/6-15/ Kitchen 16/9-17/ 16/9-17/ 13/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston,net) 19/ About 19/ 13/3—13/9 Screened forge coal 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 11/6-12/ Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. J-V/y -X. | 1 19/6-20/6 19/6-20/6 12/9-13/6 Best slack 13/ —14/ 13/ —14/ 9/9 Secondary slack 11/6-12/6 11/6-12/6 9/ Common do 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 8/ - 8/6 Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. There is a rather quieter feeling in the coal market. Demand is somewhat less, and there is a shorter supply of tonnage. Collieries and merchants are competing for business. Shippers complain of difficulty in obtaining licence for export. An assured London and French trade in gas coal keeps prices steady. Best Durham gas coal is 20s. to 21s., whilst seconds run from 18s. to 19s., and special Wear kinds from 23s. to 24s. Bunker coal is in ample supply, and is easier. Ordinary Durhams are 17s. to 18s. f.o.b , bests 20s. to 20s. 6d., and specials up to 24s. Coking coal is well taken up. Smalls are 17s. to 17s. 6d., and unscreened kinds round about IBs. 6d. Demand for coke is good, and sellers experience difficulty in fully fulfilling engagements so far as deliveries on contract are concerned. Best foundry coke has realised 32s. 6d. at the pit, and the f.o.b. price is 37s. 6d. to 40s. Gas coke is put at 22s. Local consumption is heavy. Durham beehive blastfurnace coke of medium quality is now quite 31s. delivered at Teesside works. IRON. Shipments of pig iron are showing improvement, but are still considerably below what could be wished. Fairly good sales to Scandinavia are reported, and negotiations with Italy have resulted in business, a cargo of 1,060 tons having been this week despatched to that country. To date this month shipments of pig from the Tees total 12,060 tons, or more than double the clearances to the same date last month, but they fall far short of those for the corre- sponding part of June last year, when the loadings totalled 35,559 tons. Deliveries to home consumers continue heavy. As, since shortly after the outbreak of war, supplies from this district to customers north of the Tweed have been sent by rail instead of by sea, much interest is felt in the announcement that on and after August 1 next the special railway rate of pig iron from Teesside to Scotland will be advanced from 7s. 6d. to 8s. 4d. The result will probably be very full deliveries to Scotland over the next six weeks. There has been a good deal of activity in Cleveland pig at higher prices than have ruled for two months, but the rather brisk buying has been followed by a not unusual lull, and easing of prices. A considerable business in No. 3 g.m.b. has been put through at 68s., buyers paying that figure rather freely, but the ruling quality is now obtainable at 67s. 6d. Though 3d. to 6d. more has been demanded for the other qualities, market quotations now stand at 70s. for No. 1, 67s. for No. 4 foundry, 66s. 6d. for No. 4 forge, and 66s. for mottled and white iron. East coast hsematite pig shows downward tendency. Both makers and merchants offer mixed numbers at 100s., and doubtless purchases could be made at a trifle below that figure. Foreign ore is lifeless, with market rates based on 26s. ex ship Tees for rubio of 50 per cent, quality. Large supplies are coming in, with the result that consumers are adding to their already rather heavy stocks. Imports of foreign ore to the Tees to date this month are returned at 70,197 tons. Producers of manufactured iron and steel are very busily employed, almost entirely on Government work. Further advances are reported. Iron bars, iron ship angles, packing iron, and ship rivets have each gone up 10s., and the scarcity and higli price of spelter has sent corrugated sheets up another £2 10s. Thus, common iron bars are now <£10 10s,, iron ship angles .£10 10s., packing iron £8, ship rivets <£13, and iron and steel galvanised corrugated sheets £22 10s.—sheets less 4 per cent, f.o.b., and other descriptions less 2| per cent. Spelter is quoted <£115. BestCumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Buckhill best coal „ Do. double-scrned washed nuts at pit Oughterside best coal at Fit Oughterside best washed nuts at pit St. Helens (Siddick) best coal at pit St. Helens best house nuts at pit Best dry small at pit Best steam nuts at pit ... BestCumberl'nd coal, f.o.b. Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... Bunkers Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- works Current prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/ 19/ 19/6 17/6 17/ -17/6 20/ 19/ L’st week’s prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/ 19/ 19/6 17/6 17/ -17/6 20/ 19/ Last year’s prices. 19/2 17/1 18/4 16/10 18/4 16/10 18/4 16/10 8/6 15/ 15/6 13/6 12/6 15/ 14/ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. The present consumption of house coal is on a low level, and enquiries are chiefly on contract account. Furnace coal keeps in good demand, and shipping coal is steady. Slack is brisk, but there is a little uncertainty at the moment owing to the possibility of stoppages of the cotton mills. The advanced prices all round are firm, and the list is as follows :— 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 Last year's prices. 21/ -22/ 19/9-20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 12/6-14/ 10/6-12/ prices. 17/3-18/ 16/ —16/9 13/3-14/ 12/6 14/ 9/6-10/ 8/6- 9/ Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. In spite of the fact that we have reached a period of the year when there is frequently a general slackness on all accounts, the Cumberland coal trade may be said to be in a more healthy condition than it has been at any time during the year. Usually there is a great falling off about mid- summer, both in prices and production, and intermittent working of the collieries becomes the order of the day, but this year has proved an exception to the rule, and although freights are still on a very high level, and prices are fully 25 per cent, higher than they were at the corresponding period of last year, orders both for home and coastwise accounts are coming in so quickly that sellers are finding it almost impossible to cope with the demand. The home trade for best household coal is only quiet, but business in IRON. The Cumberland haematite iron trade continues in a quiet but fairly steady condition. Bessemer mixed numbers are this week quoted at from 106s. to 107s. 6d. for free on board at the usual ports, with warrants at cash at 95s. per ton. Special low phosphorus iron is quoted at from 123s. to 125s. per ton, while ferro-manganese is still quoted at the advanced price of <£20 per ton. The high price of this metal is due no doubt to the scarcity of manganese ore. Prices have varied little during the past few weeks, but values are not difficult to maintain when no metal is going into stock at either private or public stores, and when the whole of the output is going into immediate consumption. For some weeks business in ordinary pig iron has not repre- sented a very considerable tonnage, and it is significant of the strength of the iron trade that prices and production should have been maintained at such a high level, more especially at a time when forward buying has practically ceased, and when consumers are merely buying for more immediate requirements. Trade is usually quiet towards the end of the half year, but another revival of activity is anticipated in the course of a week or two, when it is expected that consumers will be coming into the market to replenish their stocks, but whether business will be on such a substantial scale as it was in the early months of the year remains to be seen. The demand for special low phosphorus iron is very strong, and the present make is said to be scarcely equal to requirements. There are 23 furnaces in operation, 15 in Cumberland and eight in the Furness district. More than one-half of the furnaces are employed on special brands of iron, and the remainder are on ordinary haematites, while the Workington Iron and Steel Company have one furnace on ferro-manganese at their Oldside Works. The bulk of the special low phosphorus iron is being absorbed by high-class steelmakers in the Midlands, Birmingham and Sheffield being the chief users. Business in the steel trade is fairly brisk. The rail mill and plate mill at Barrow are still idle. The iron ore industry in the Cleator Moor and Egremont district is enjoying a period of remarkable prosperity, and although considerably more metal is now being raised, requirements are still much in excess of the supply. Iron ore at the Cumberland mines is now quoted at from 25s. to 35s. 6d. per ton according to grade. Engineers are very busy on Government orders. During the last three months there has been a welcome revival in the shipping trade at the Senhouse Dock, Maryport. The imports at Maryport for the week consisted of 2,000 tons of iron ore from La Goulette and 1,800 tons of iron ore from Passages, both for the Workington Iron and Steel Company. IRON. There was a good attendance on ’Change in Manchester on Tuesday last, and a very firm tone prevailed. There was no change to report in the price of pig iron, and no forward buying taking place. Since our last report Lancashire crown bars have been officially advanced 10s. per ton, making the price <£11 per ton. The Associated price of iron and steel hoops still remains .£13 2s. 6d. and <£12 17s. 6d. less 2| per cent, respectively. Steel bars are quoted at .£11 5s. less 2/, per cent, upwards, and billets at <£9 net. Steelworks are very busy.' Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was barely an average attendance of traders at the Exchange on Tuesday, but business on the whole was satisfactory, and the only weakness in prices was in steam coal for export. The difficulty of securing licences is certainly causing a great deal of uneasiness, and exporters cannot understand the principle upon which the authorities are working. For instance, it is reported that, while some shipments are prohibited to certain destinations, others are allowed to the same places, and shippers scarcely know where they are. The pits have worked full time this week, and the supply of empty wagons has been fairly satisfac- tory. Business in house coal with the distant markets is almost as brisk as during the winter time. This, however, is caused almost entirely by the fact that merchants in London are stocking as they have never done before. The stronger demand has caused an advance in the current prices of best coal for London, and it is said that certain brands of Silkstone best have realised 20s. to 20s. 6d. per ton at' the pit during the past few days. Merchants in London have also evidently decided to contract where such contracts are possible, at an advance over last year’s figures of 5s. per ton, for it is reported that quite a number of such commit- South-West Lancashire. COAL. In the inland household trade the position is much the same as has been the case for the last few weeks, the demand for fuel being still in excess of the quantity available. Full quantities continue to go into consumption for forge and manufacturing purposes. There is very little fresh with regard to bunker business, most of the coal shipped being on contract account. There is not much on offer for outside steamers, and enquiry for these at present is only limited. Prices for screened Lancashire steam coal remain as quoted Current pit prices. House coal:— Current L’st week’s Last year's Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 19/ -20/ 18/6-19/6 14/ Wallsend & London best 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/6 13/ -14/ Silkstone best 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/6 13/ -14/ Do. house 17/6-18/ 17/ -17/6 12/ -12/6 House nuts 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/6 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/ 19/6-21/ 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/ 17/ -18/ 16/ -17/ 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/ -14/ 13/ -13/6 7/ - 8/ Small do. 11/6-12/6 11/6-12/6 6/ - 6/9 Coking smalls 12/6-13/6 12/6-13/6 6/3- 7/ Coke:— Price at ovens: Furnace coke 23/ -25/ 24/ -25/ 10/ -10/3