July 0, 1015. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 75 collieries are fairly well sold. A steady business continues to be done for London, France and Italy, but refusal of licences to Sweden and Spain and other destinations are still in evidence. Gas coke is very firm for export and price is higher. Coking coal is a trifle better. Bunkers are freely offered by second hands, but the volume of business passing is within moderate limits. Forward business is quite idle, the enquiries that were in the market are for the present hung up owing to the Govern- ment having declared its intention to fix maximum prices. Ordinary best bunkers for delivery to the end of the year are in treaty at 17s. per ton. The Christiania Gas Works want immediate offers of 20,000 tons of best Durham gas for delivery over the season. It is reported, however, that few tenders are being submitted, owing to the refusal of collieries to sell subject to licence. The outward freight market is slow, orders being scarce and with tonnage offering in excess of requirements the tone is easy, more especially in the Mediterranean. The coasting and French Bay ports, however, are in good demand. Recent fixtures include :—London, 7s. 6d.; Havre, 14s.; Rouen, 15s. 6d.; Calais, Havre or Boulogne, 14s. 6d.; Bordeaux, 19s.; St. Nazaire, 19s.; Rochefort, 19s.; Bayonne, 20s.; Lisbon, 19s.; Oporto, 21s. 6d.; Archangel, 22s. 6d.; Genoa, 25s.; Leghorn, 27s. 6d.; Naples, 26s. 6d.; Barcelona, 25s.; Nice, 25s.; Port Said, 26s.; Las Palmas, 21s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The fuel market is quieter. Refusals of licences for shipment have hampered business in some sections of the market, but altogether there is less pressure to buy and values tend downward. Congestion at the French ports is checking further shipment to that country. Best Durham gas coal runs from 20s. to 21s., seconds range from 17s. 6d. to 18s. 6d.; and from 23s. to 23s. 6d. rules for best Wears. Demand for bunker coal is easier, and no difficulty is experienced in obtaining ordinary Durhams at 16s. 6d., whilst best kinds are put at 18s., and specials are in the neighbourhood of 20s. Coking coal is rather quiet, and requirements threaten to be lessened by the putting out of coke ovens. Unscreened coking coal is offered at 17s. 6d., and 17s. is the maximum quotation for smalls. Coke prices are falling, but they are still above what buyers consider they should be. The blowing out of blastfurnaces has considerably reduced demand for local consumption. Durham blastfurnace coke, of average quality, is now offered rather freely at 30s. delivered at Teesside works, and one or two contracts are reported to have been arranged at a little below that figure. Foundry coke for shipment is 35s. to 37s. 6d., f.o.b., and gas coke is round about 25s. IRON. The blowing out of blastfurnaces has resulted in some improvement in the already very good statistical situation as regards Cleveland pig, and has assisted materially in strengthening the position generally. There are now only 147,782 tons of Cleveland pig in the public warrant stores here, 4,499 tons having been withdrawn so far this month. Stocks at makers’ yards are also stated to be falling to some extent. Shipments of pig are better, and July clearances promise to be the largest of any month so far this year. To date this month the loadings at Middlesbrough amount to 7,405 tons, as compared with 1,955 tons to the same date last month, and 21,655 tons for the corresponding part of July last year. Values of Cleveland pig are steadily advancing. No. 3 g.m.b. is 68s. 3d., at which figure trans- actions have been put through, and which is the highest quotation for nearly three months past. No. 1 is very scarce indeed, and in fact is almost unobtainable, with the result that it commands comparatively very high rates. The price of No. 1 is now fully 73s. 6d., whereas as a rule it is only about 2s. 6d. above No. 3. Fairly good enquiries are reported for No. 4 foundry, and this quality is selling at 67s. 9d. No. 4 forge is 67s. 3d., and mottled and white iron each 67s. Though buyers endeavour to fix the price at rather less, the recognised market quotation for Nos. 1, 2 and 3 east coast haematite pig is 100s., and sales have this week been recorded at round about that figure. Enquiries for haematite, both on home and foreign account, are fairly good. Foreign ore is very quiet. With consumers now very well stocked, and large supplies still being delivered, little inclination to do business is shown. Sellers continue to adhere nominally to quotations on the basis of 26s. ex ship Tees for rubio of 50 per cent, quality, but would probably be prepared to arrange contracts on rather lower terms. Imports of foreign ore to the Tees to date this month amount to 37,795 tons. Producers of practically all descriptions of finished iron and steel are kept very busily employed, almost exclusively on Government contracts. Prices are very firm, and quotations for iron bars, iron ship angles, and ship rivets have been raised by 10s., whilst steel rails have been advanced by 15s., making common iron bars <£11, best bars £11 7s. 6d., best best bars £11 15s., iron ship angles £11, ship rivets £13 10s.—all less 2| per cent.; ana heavy steel rails £8 15s. to £9—net f.o.b. Cumberland. The Cumberland coal trade is much quieter than it has been for some months, and, for the first time since the beginning of the year, production is now equal to the demand. Manufacturing fuel is still in keen request, but landsale is very dull, and while the fine weather continues there will be no improvement on this account. The export demand is much weaker than it has been since the end of last year, and it is evident that the requirements of Irish merchants have been fairly well satisfied, for the present at any rate. The tonnage from Maryport to Irish ports last week showed a serious shrinkage, but this was probably due to the fact that the two Brayton pits were idle for five days. The shipments from the Brayton Domain Collieries last week only amounted to 990 tons, compared with 2,920 tons in the previous week. The announcement that the strike at the two Brayton Domain Collieries has been ended, has been received with general satisfaction through- out the county. The men “downed tools” last week because the management, in consequence of the miners being awarded a war bonus of 15J- per cent., increased the price of coal sold to employees Id. per ton. After being idle a week, the matter has been referred to the Conciliation Board, and the men returned to work on Monday morning. In war time strikes of any kind are absolutely unjustifiable, and it is surprising that this course was not taken earlier so that a week’s stoppage, with a consequent loss of some- thing like £2,000 in wages and about 6,000 tons of coal, at a time when coal is urgently needed, might have been avoided. All the collieries are regularly employed, and, unless there is a very serious decrease on coastwise account, work will probably be well maintained throughout the summer. Prices are firm but unchanged, best house coal at the pit being quoted at 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 still quoted at the advanced price of 19s. 6d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 17s. 6d. per ton. Last week eight vessels left Maryport with coals for the Irish ports, and the ship- ments amounted to 2,720 tons, a decrease of 2,150 tons compared with the previous week. The shipments for June have amounted to 18,690 tons. The imports at Maryport last week consisted of a cargo of pitwood from Dumfries for the local collieries, and 150 tons of crude naphtha from Dublin for the West Cumberland By-productWorks. Coke is in brisk demand, and the production at the local by-product ovens, which are all in full swing, is being absorbed by West Cumberland smelters. The 50 new by-product coke ovens, which have recently been erected at Harrington by the Workington Iron and Steel Company, were lighted on Monday, and there are now about 330 coke ovens in full operation throughout the county. At Mary- port, St. Helens, Flimby and Oughterside best coal delivered is quoted at from Is. 5d. to Is. 6d. per cwt., or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 25s. lOd. and seconds 24s. 2d. per ton. At Workington, Buckhill best coal delivered is quoted at Is. 4d. per cwt., or 25s. lOd. per ton, with best double-screened nuts at Is. 3d. per cwt., or 24s. 2d. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow:— Best Cumberl’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 ... Best Cumberl’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/ IRON. The Cumberland iron trade continues in a steady condition, and, although prices and production are practi- cally unchanged, makers are fairly well employed. It was anticipated that with the turn of the half-year buyers would have been coming • into the market more freely in order to replenish their stocks, and that business in the iron and steel trades would have been much brisker. So far, however, there has been very little improvement, and it appears that consumers are hanging back in the hope of getting into the market on more favourable terms. There is still a strong demand for special iron, but business in ordinary haematites is not moving as quickly as might be expected, and at present consumers are merely purchasing for their more immediate requirements. Prices of Bessemer mixed numbers are still quoted at 107s. 6d. to 108s. 6d. 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 123s. to 125s. per ton, and ferro-manganese is a firm trade at £20 per ton. There are still 23 furnaces in opera- tion in Cumberland and the Furness district, on special and ordinary haematite iron, while the Workington Iron and Steel Company have one furnace at Workington on ferro-manganese. The bulk of the special low phosphorus iron is going to the Midlands for the use of high-class steel makers employed on Government orders. The steel trade is quieter, but engineering shops are all very busy on war material. Ore is in brisk demand, and, although outputs are increasing, production is still much below requirements. At Workington last week the exports consisted of 500 tons of steel rails for London, 661 tons of steel rails for the Continent, and 250 tons of ferro-manganese for Liverpool. The imports included 450 tons of manganese ore from Liverpool. South-West Lancashire. COAL. In the inland household trade the quantity of fuel going into consumption is at the average summer level, but this, together with that required for stocking purposes, amounts to quite as much as collieries are able to provide. Full quantities are going into consumption for forge and manu- facturing purposes. In shipping, requirements of steam coal for bunkering purposes are well up to those of recent weeks. Perhaps slightly more coal is offering, and quota- tions for Lancashire steam coals range from 18s. 6d. to 19s. 6d. f.o.b. according to quality. A good number of contracts have been fixed, but in a larger number of cases than is usual at this period, shipowners are buying in the open market in the expectation of lower prices later on, or in other cases have only contracted for a portion of their requirements. In regard to the coastwise and cross-Channel trade the position is still that merchants generally are able to take more than collieries can provide, and any odd lots which are put upon the market by the exigen- cies of the moment readily find an outlet. In slacks real difficulty is still experienced in meeting consumers’ require- ments, and this has its natural effect upon the market, which is very firm. The gas coal season is drawing to a close, few requirements now remaining to be advertised, and offers for these are for quantities very much less than last year, so little remaining now unsold. 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/ 19/ 13/3-13/9 Screened forge coal 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 11/6-12/ Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. 18/6-19/6 19/ -19/6 12/9-13/3 Best slack 14/ 14/ 9/9 Secondary slack 12/6 12/6 9/ Common do 10/6 10/6 8/ - 8/6 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. The demand for house coal continues at about the lowest point, without any change in prices. Furnace coal, on the other hand, is brisk, and there is a steady enquiry for shipping coal, with prices not quite so firm. Slack is not quite so lively as it has been, and prices not so hard and fast. The general price 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/ 14/ 11/ -12/ L’st week’s Last year’s prices. 21/ -22/ 19/9-20/3 ! 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 14/ 11/ -12/ prices. 17/3-18/ 16/ -16/9 13/3-14/ 12/6 14/ 9/6-10/ 8/6-9/ IRON. With the Birmingham quarterly meeting taking place this week, there is nothing to report from our district. It is expected that the Birmingham meeting will not be very well attended, as work on munitions is at present occupying most of the steel and iron works in one way or another. In the meantime prices appear high, but when one looks at the difficulties that works are at present experiencing, the difference between cost of production and selling price is not as large as one imagines. Good foundry iron is quoted in Manchester at about 75s. to 76s., but the foundries are not busy. At any rate,, this applies to the ordinary jobbing foundry. Foundries attached to the heavy engineering works are busy. Forges are very busy in the manufacture of iron, and the rolling down of steel. The associated price of finished iron remains at £11, with hoops at £13 2s. 6d., but makers are not anxious to sell forward. Steel works, as we have indicated above, are fully employed for the Government. Outside this bars are quoted at £11 10s. to £12 per ton, hoops at £12 17s. 6d., boiler plates £11 5s., tank plates £10 10s. Billet mills are very busy at £8 to £8 10s. Wagon works are also full of work, and the difficulty is to get hold of their requirements from the steel works. To add to the troubles that one has experienced through the shortness of men, there has been a big shortage of railway wagons; at least, they have been held up somewhere. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. The attendance of traders at the market on Tuesday was equal to the average of recent weeks, and business on the whole was satisfactory, there being quite a number of trans- actions in house and gas coals. It was reported that the pits had worked full time, and that the supply of empty trucks had been fairly good. It is also said by those associated with colliery working that the amount of absenteeism among the miners shows a considerable reduc- tion, and in consequence the output is more satisfactory. The question of the Government intervention with a view to regulating prices of coal was the subject of conversation, but the opinion expressed by those most likely to be in the know was to the effect that the object aimed at by the Government in restricting exports to neutral countries, viz., the bringing down of prices from the exceedingly high level of a few weeks ago, having been realised, further interference was unlikely. It was said that the authorities quite understand that there has been an enormous increase in the cost of working of the pits and that no objection will be taken to a reason- able advance in selling prices, bearing in mind the fact that most collieries have contracts still in hand at low prices that were made in December and have to run to the end of the year. It was reported that quite a number of export licences to Scandinavian countries had been issued that day, and in consequence prices of steam coal are firmer. Business in house coal with London and the district continues remarkably active. Reports from the London depots indicate that the public have at last awakened up to the importance of stocking, and in consequence merchants are sending good supplies of private trucks, and also urgent orders for supplies in colliery and railway trucks. In these circumstances pit prices, particularly of best coal, show a tendency to advance, while the position with regard to forward contracts is such that no further contracts are being taken except at an advance of from 5s. 6d. to 6s. per ton. There is no special feature with regard to’ the coastwise trade, except that boats are coming to Goole and Hull more freely and freights are a shade easier on the week. In the local markets the turn of the month has brought an improvement in the retail trade, the demand being chiefly for small parcels of the cheaper sorts. Pit prices for the West Riding district average as follow: — Haigh Moor selected, 22s. to 23s.; Silkstone best, 21s. to 22s.; Silk- stone house, 19s. 6d. to 20s. 6d.; secondary sorts, 17s. 6d. to 19s. The great bulk of the new gas coal contracts have been already placed, but the market continues strong both for current delivery and for forward business. The exceedingly active demand for gas coal for export to France helps to maintain the market, but on the other hand there is not quite the amount of buying to stock noted during the past few weeks. The supply of manufacturing fuel is quite inadequate to meet the needs of consumers. Washed nuts are exceedingly scarce and command higher prices than large steam coal, while best quality rough slacks are