THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 21 July 2, 1915. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ German Steel Union. According to the preliminary report for May. the deliveries amounted in round numbers to 61,000 tons (80,143 tons in April) of semis; 139,000 tons (132,210 tons) of railway superstructural material; and 84,000 tons (93,762 tons) of sections—a total weight of 284,000 tons (306,115 tons), calculated as raw steel. Coal Market in South Germany* The difficulties in the way of supplying the market with fuel continue unabated, it being found impossible to increase the output sufficiently to satisfy all require- ments. Nevertheless, the industrial consumers — who are very busy on war orders—have been able to carry on without much interference, chiefly because they have replaced a good deal of coal by coke, which is more plentiful. The situation has been eased, too, by the fact that many large chemical and cement works have not been requiring their usual quantities of fuel; and the consumption by gas works and electrical works is somewhat smaller than in normal times. The good organisation of the coal trade (mainly represented by the Westphalian Syndicate, the State mines in the Saar dis- trict, and the Brown Coal Briquette Sales Association) has the credit of having supplied the restricted amounts available to the works where they are most needed, these requirements having been carefully investigated, and a proper distribution made accordingly. These precau- tions have also prevented extortion in prices, which would otherwise have occurred. Consumers who have been accustomed to buy imported coal, have had to get their supplies from outside firms, and pay through the nose in many cases. The supply of house coal is ample for the needs of the moment, though not for the demand on the part of both dealers and consumers, who are trying to lay in stocks for the autumn and winter trade. Anthracite nuts and smithy nuts, however, are very scarce, both Westphalian and Belgian, the merchants in this trade preferring to send their consignments on to Switzerland, where they obtain higher prices. Broken coke is in active demand, and there is very little gas coke left over for the general market; but there is no scarcity of brown coal briquettes. ____________________________ TRADE AND THE WAR. Mr. W. Runciman, President of the Board of Trade, speaking at Hartlepool on Friday last, stated that one of the first duties of the Government was to prevent any man exploiting the present economic situation for private gain. It was greatly to the credit of armament firms that they were prepared to agree to a limitation of their profits. It was also impossible for the Government to allow the prices of coal to remain at the present enormously high level, without taking drastic steps to deal with the situation. The export of coal had been forbidden to keep the price down to reasonable limits, but the matter was not yet entirely under control if it was impossible to keep the price within reason- able limits; then Parliament must step in, much as he disliked it, and it would be his duty to ask Parliament to give assistance. But he preferred the coal owners should arrange for .a limitation of price amongst themselves. It would be as well to economise in the use of coal, as the output had been reduced by some 200,000 miners joining the Colours. The text of Mr. Lloyd George’s Munitions of War Bill has now been issued. It is divided into three parts, part 1 referring to labour disputes, part 2 to limitation of profits, and part 3 to the confiscation, if necessary, of factories 'and workmen, for the increase of munition production. Any difference between employers and employed must be referred to the Board of Trade, and will be arbitrated upon by one of three tribunals, viz. :—(c) The Committee appointed by the First Lord of the Treasury known as the Committee on Production; or (5) a single arbitrator to be agreed upon by the parties; or (c) a court of arbitration consisting of an equal number of persons representing employers and persons representing workmen, with a chairman appointed by the Board of Trade. The tribunal to which the reference is made shall be determined by agreement between the parties to the difference or, in default of such agreement, by the Board of Trade. If the Minister of Munitions considers it expedient for the purpose of the successful prosecution of the war that any establishment in which munitions work is carried on should be subject to the special provisions as to limitation of employers’ profits and control of persons employed, he may make an Order declaring that establish- ment to be a controlled establishment. By this Order any excess of net profits over the amount divisible under the Act shall be paid into the Exchequer; proposals for the changes of rates and wages must be submitted to the Muni- tions Minister; any rule, practice or custom tending to restrict production may be suspended for the period of the war, bdt without prejudice to the position of workmen at the end of the war. Punishment for persons guilty of an offence under the Act is to be in the nature of fines. Lord Halsbury has given notice of his intention to present a Bill in the House of Lords “ to amend the Companies Clauses Consolidation Act in respect of a company of whom the individual corporators are wholly or in the great majority alien enemies.” Reporting upon the effect of the war on the tramways undertaking, the London County Council mention that many things have happened to throw additional expense on the tramways. For instance, a considerable increase has taken place in the cost of materials, particularly coal. If the price paid for coal during the whole of the year ended March 31 last had been that quoted in the contracts entered into before the war, the expenditure would have amounted to .£115,641. The actual expenditure, however, amounted to £131,398, a difference of £15,757. Reporting upon the contract for coal for the next 12 months for the electricity undertaking, the St. Pancras Council Committee says :—In regard to the contract of Messrs. Beattie and Company Limited, that firm, with a view to meeting the Council, undertook to negotiate with the colliery, and have now written to state that they have been able to arrange that, if their contract is accepted by the Council for the ensuing year, they would be able to make a reduction in respect of the first 1,000 tons of Newdi- gate beans of 5s. 2d. per ton, and the first 500 tons of Newdigate double-screened nuts of 5s. 5d. per ton, the remainder of the quantities of these coals for the year to be taken at the prices quoted in their tender. The attention of the committee has also been called to the fact that the Government are endeavouring to deal with the question of coal supply so as to secure a reduction in colliery charges, and it was agreed that -any recommendation decided upon for the ensuing year’s coal supply should be made subject to the contractor .agreeing to correspondingly reduce his prices. The committee accordingly recommended the acceptance of Messrs. Beattie’s tenders for the supply of 26,000 tons of coal at various prices. Capt. P. Muschamp, general manager of the New Huck- nall Colliery, in his presidential address -at the meeting of the Midland Branch of the National Association of Colliery Managers at the University College, Nottingham, on Tuesday, made allusion to the war and some of its imme- diate effects upon the coal mining industry. The miners, he said, could best show their patriotism, not by enlisting, but by 'attending regularly and working their hardest. The working costs were much higher than a year ago, by roughly from 15 to 20 per cent., and would probably go higher still. These extra war costs had followed somewhat quickly upon quite a deluge of new legislation all tending to increase the duties and difficulties of colliery managers and adding considerably to the cost of working. While the general aim of this legislation was to make for increased safety and to reduce accidents to a minimum, the results did not appear to have come out anything like expectation. The cost to the colliery companies had be&n considerable, thereby creating a permanent addition to the production expenses, and it seemed unlikely that the days of cheap coal would ever return. A manifesto on behalf of the National Advisory Committee on War Output, the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress, and the Management Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions, has been issued to trade unionists. The manifesto states that it is essential that the skilled workers should realise the extreme gravity and danger of the present position, together with the supreme urgency of the national need. The production of munitions must be accelerated and increased so as to place the issue of the war beyond all doubt. In this gigantic effort organised skill labour must take an indispensable part, for with enthusiasm and unselfishness it can render an invalu- able national service. Arrangements have been made for the enrolment of a large number of war munition volunteers. An appeal is made to every skilled workman of the engi- neering and allied trades who is not at present engaged upon war work to enrol himself as a volunteer in this hour of need. Presiding over the 17th annual meeting of Messrs. Hall and Company (Croydon) Limited, coal merchants, Mr. H. D. Hall commented on the fact that the year’s trading had not resulted in a big war profit, a circumstance which the share- holders might consider surprising in view of the numerous attacks on the coal trade by the public Press. The coal sold by the company during the period from August to December did not fetch so much by nearly 4d. per ton, compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. After this, in January and February, coal rushed up in price, as nearly everybody was short of supplies. They also ran short, and consequently had to buy at very high prices, and, of course, were obliged to increase prices to customers to a correspond- ing extent, but the net profits for the year had not increased, which clearly showed that they had not overcharged. The delivery of coal was very difficult and expensive. The price of coal to-day, midsummer, was higher than it was at Christmas Day, and there was only one thing, in his opinion, which would permanently reduce it, and that was victory in the field and on sea. Government or local authorities inter- ference would tend to have the contrary effect. It is stated that an agreement has been reached between the Danish and English Governments with regard to the future supply of coal to Denmark. A special coal exchange will be established at Copenhagen to deal with all matters relating to Danish coal imported from England and Scotland. The complete reports of exports of bituminous coal from the principal American Atlantic coal shipping ports for the month of May show a total of 774,667 tons, and an increase of about 26,765 tons over April, which was a record-breaking month. Baltimore is showing the most remarkable increase in exports. It is interesting to note that exports from Baltimore for May and April, aggregating 424,417 tons, fall short, only about 40,000 tons of coming up to the total exports for the first six months of 1914 for Baltimore. From a study of the May shipments, Italy, Brazil, and Argentine are now heavy receivers of American coals. In May Italy took 300,410 tons of American coal, and Argentine is taking more American coal than ever before, May shipments to that country totalling 107,251 tons. Brazil also is a large receiver of American coals now, May shipments reaching a total of 66,312 tons. Uruguay took 17,217 tons in May. Spain received 23,179 tons, while France took only one cargo of 7,420 tons. Of the North Sea countries, Norway took 4,724 tons, and Sweden 12,754 tons. Some difficulty is now being experienced in dealing with the increased tonnage with the existing facilities at the loading ports. Fresh enquiries are in the market, but rates are fairly steady to weak, Pocahontas and New River coal being quoted 2-75 to 2-85 dols. f.o.b. Hampton Roads. Rates to the west coast of Italy have fallen, and steamers have been secured at 10’04 dols.; to Spain the rate is about 9-24 dols. By a Proclamation appearing in the London Gazette of June 25, steel containing tungsten or molybdenum, or both, and any tools or other articles made from such steel, are added to the list of goods the exportation of which is pro- hibited to all destinations abroad other than British Posses- sions and Protectorates. The exportation of terne-plates is prohibited to ports in Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden; and the exportation of tin-plates, which is prohibited to ports in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden, is prohibited also to ports in Norway. In answer to Mr. Neville, in the House of Commons on June 28, the President of the Board of Trade stated that the average number of days per week on which coal was hewn and wound at collieries in the United Kingdom in May last was 5-64. Mr. Duncan Millar asked the President what steps he proposed to take to carry out the recommendations of the Committee appointed to deal with the question of the retail price of coal. Mr. Runciman said several of the recommendations had already been adopted, and he hoped to be able to make a further announcement on this subject shortly. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—Firmness is the characteristic feature of the week, and not only are prices well maintained, but there have been advances in crude carbolic acid. Solvent naphtha is very firm, while there has been an even more marked improvement in pitch on both the east and west coasts, and in tar. Nearest values are:— Bise(+)or fall(-)on the week. Benzols, 90’s ........................ ,, 90’s North- ................ „ 50’s „ ................ Toluol ............................... Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.)... ,, crystals (40 per cent.) Solvent naphtha (as in quality and package) ........................ Crude naphtha (in bulk) ............ Creosote (for ordinary qualities) .... ................................. Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) ............ ,, (f.a.s. west coast) ............ Tar /ll—1/ /10J-/11 . 1/3—1/4 . 2/4 3/6—3/7 . 1/4—1/6 . 2/—2/2 . /5i-/6| . /3-/3J . 21/—23/ . 20/—23/6 . 23/—27/ . + /1 +1/ +1/ +1/6 : Sulphate of Ammonia.—While the markets generally are firm, the outstanding feature is the strong tone for forward. For September, £14 12s. 6d. is current value, and to the end of the year quite £14 15s. would have to be paid. It is therefore not surprising to find further advances in the majority of spot quotations—and this is in the face of a further drop in nitrate. Closing prompt prices are :— London (ordinary makes) .... Beckton ................. Liverpool ................ Hull .................... Middlesbrough ............ Scotch ports .............. Wales ................... Nitrate of soda (ord.) per cwt. Rise (+) or fall (-) on the week. £14/2/6 ... +1/3 £13/10 ... — £14/2/6—£14/5 ... +2/6 £13/17/6—£14 ... +2/6 £14 ... — £14/10—£14/12/6 ... +5/ £13/17/6 ... — 12/ ... —/3 ______ Trade Notes. In many ways the sulphate of ammonia industry was surprising during last year, although there were four months of war conditions to contend with, for we know that the outlook at present is promising, and prices are advancing; yet in several directions sulphate of ammonia had much to threaten its progress. In the first place, the imports of guano increased substantially by some 14,000 tons upon 1913, and approximated three times the amount received in 1912. Next, the imports of nitrate of soda were quite 30,000 tons more; and, in the third place, our exports were less owing to Orders in Council affecting it. Yet the net return of sulphate of ammonia made during last year shows but a small decline compared with 1913, and is well in advance of the total for 1912. It is particularly noteworthy that coke-oven and producer plants showed an increased output, while shale works were only 300 tons behind. It is at iron works that a more striking decline is found, as they were about 4,000 tons behind. Gasworks account for the chief shrinkage, with a falling off of 6,000 tons. Another encouraging feature is the marked improvement in the home consumption. There is still room for consider- able development in this direction, but it is satisfactory to be able to record an advance of 9,000 tons on 1913. In this particular connection a hint may be thrown out. The very best of sulphate of ammonia is imperative to capture and hold the export trade, but it would be a great inducement if off-colour or slightly acid sulphate of ammonia were offered at the works at a reduced price (in |-cwt. lots if need be) in buyers’ own bags or boxes, the same as coke is “ posted ” at some of the London gasworks. Where the trouble of “ callers ” is not desirable at the works, there are small dealers in most country towns, who would fetch 2 cwt. at a time in their own packages, and with whom it would be possible to arrange a price that would encourage small growers to try sulphate of ammonia. The point is this : out of the many who would like to use sul- phate of ammonia, the bulk of them never'do because they don’t want, and often cannot afford 2, or even 1 cwt. at a time. They need | to |cwt., having no storage accommo- dation, and being unable to let their capital lie sunk in a surplus supply of fertilizer, however valuable it may be. There is every reason to assume that in the eastern counties, and also probably in Warwickshire, this plan would lead to the consumption of a fairly substantial amount of sulphate of ammonia, which would grow larger year by year, as well as enable good sound sulphate of ammonia to be disposed of which, for various reasons, might not be otherwise merchantable. Even if the quality was of the best, it would be the cheapest and most practical adver- tisement to thus enable the small user to use sulphate of ammonia, vice the half-crown tins of other wonderful mix- tures he has to fall back on, in which packing and retailing impoverish the actual manurial value. Supplies at the advertising price might be limited to J-ton lots per month. In catering for the export trade with Italy, to which reference was recently made, it would seem that there is much to be learned. Although freight in normal times is in favour of Great Britain, the German and Austrian traders oust British sulphate of ammonia, because they pack in lOOkilogs., as the Italians wish. And there are very good reasons for their so wishing. Think what it means to them to have to reckon with such weights as lcwt. 3 qrs. 201b., or 2 cwt. Oqrs. 91b. per bag every time they change hands, and when weighed on landing. A British merchant of Genoa says bags of British sulphate of ammonia invariably differ in weight. If Germany can put up lOOkilogs. bags, can't we? Toluol production has led to the flotation of the Toluene Syndicate Limited, which is to work a patented process. We learn that there are no shares in the concern for sale, and the Ministry of Munitions of War has contracted for the whole of the output. Anent the Rittman benzol and petrol processes, referred to last week, it appears that several offers have been received by the United States Secretary for the Interior from firms who are desirous of operating the basic patents on the co-operative terms outlined last week. Also another synthetic motor spirit process has been worked out by a German professor, and a plant is to be put in operation soon to test the invention on the large scale. The returns for pitch this week are 629 tons, and £37; tar, 18,996 gals., 80 barrels, 200 drums, and £60; tar oil, 602 gals.; sulphate of ammonia exports, 6,352 tons.