428

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

August 27, 1915.

the Vulcaan Company of Rotterdam, an ancillary
enterprise, to continue trading in the Mediterranean.
The Dutch market in normal circumstances is unlike
any other; not only does it absorb large quantities
of German coal, but it has provided the main outlet
for coal from Westphalia to France and distant parts
of the world. In addition, Holland receives about
2 million tons of British coal in the course of
the year, as well as some 300,000 tons from
Belgium. The collieries in the Dutch Limburg
province in a normal year produce some 1,700,000
tons of coal, but, owing to their geographical position,
only about a third of the output has been retained
for home consumption, the remainder being exported
to Germany. At the present time, owing to the
shutting out of the French market and the disorgani-
sation of native manufacturing industries, the
German authorities in Belgium are ostensibly
endeavouring to market quantities of Belgian coal in
Holland. It will be seen that all the elements are
present here for the commercial thimble-rigging in
which our enemies are so adept. Apart from the
danger that British coal—or coal set at liberty by it
—may actually be finding its way into Germany,
we should not like to feel that the Rhenish-West-
phalian Syndicate, even in a time of war, is still able
to manipulate the sale of British coal. If, therefore,
the War Trade Department has been able to come to
a secure understanding with the Netherlands Govern-
ment, the work of the Coal Exports Committee will
be greatly lessened.

In France also a satisfactory arrangement seems to
be on the point of maturing. Owing to the cessation
of Belgian and German imports, and the occupation
of about half the productive coalfields of our Allies,
France is faced with a serious shortage, which can
only be made good by increased imports of British
coal. As regards the process, the problem here is
very much simpler. All we have to consider is that
important interests in this country shall not suffer at
the expense of less important interests in France.
The French Government has already set up a Com-
mission de Repartition d’Armament, and has
even now established a fairly close hold over the
distribution of supplies. The British Government
has undertaken to buy Welsh coal for the French
Government at the same price as it pays for its own
supplies, and one of the French Corps des Mines,
M. Leon, is nowT in London to look after the interests
of French consumers. Here, as elsewhere, the chief
bugbear is the speculator.

To France it would appear to be necessary that we
should send about double the quantity of coal which
we usually send her, and Italy no doubt will look
for an undiminished supply. So far this year we
have sent to France 2 million tons of coal in excess
of the quantity sent in the first seven months of
1914 ; shipments to Italy have declined by an almost
identical amount. We believe that the procedure
that has been adopted in the cases of France and the
Netherlands should also be adopted in the cases of
Italy, Spain, the Scandinavian countries and South
America. The hand of the Coal Exports Committee
has been placed very heavily upon Sweden since the
licence system came into force, and it would be a
very serious matter for this country if the supplies of
Swedish iron and steel, so necessary for the production
of munitions of war, were to be deflected in conse-
quence. Again, our exports of coal to Chile, Brazil,
the Argentine and Uruguay have declined by the
enormous total of 2 million tons : the net result is
that in the purchase of South American goods we
have been compelled to export £1,600,000 in gold,
which formerly was paid in the shape of coal.

As the Chief Inspector of Mines is so fond of
saying, it is all a “ balance of advantages,” but it
is highly important that the specific value of the
advantages should be fixed, and also that they should
be advertised. There is a disposition on the part of
the workmen to resent the invitation to greater
effort, where they think that the product of their
labour is being devoted, not to relieving the necessi-
ties of their fellow-countrymen, but to assuaging
the needs of neutral countries. Not even Mr.
Lloyd George has succeeded in bringing home
to them the true value of exported coal in the
somewhat intricate system of international exchange.

Incidentally Mr. Russell Rea emphasises this
consideration when he gives as the third of the
motives of his Committee the encouragement of the
free export of the surplus over home requirements to
neutral countries “ at the highest possible price.”
At the same time, it is not much use asking the
workmen to be more regular in their attendance at
work if their labour is to be unduly interrupted by
the holding up of ships and wagons pending the
prosecution of enquiries as to the legitimacy of
cargoes.

The South Wales coalfield threatens,
South Wales once more, to be the scene of dis-
Again. creditable warfare. The miners have
refused to accept Mr. Runciman’s
award, and a deadlock has again been reached, the
dangerous consequences of which it is impossible to
ignore. As we go to press it is stated that the
Ministers especially concerned—Mr. Runciman, Mr.
Lloyd George, and Mr. Henderson—have declined
to receive any further deputation, and this was
inevitable if the last shred of the Government’s
dignity was to be preserved intact. It may be
possible even yet to tide over the trouble by acting
upon the ingenious suggestion that one of the points
in dispute—the date from which the agreement shall
operate—had not been specifically referred to the
arbitrator, whose final decision both parties pledged
themselves to recognise. But if the miners persist
in their attempt to reopen questions such as the
“bonus turn” question, upon which Mr. Runciman
has given a definite decision, the alternatives that
face us are simply competitors in disaster. As
matters stand, injuries have been done to the
national cause that cannot be healed.

THE IRISH COAL TRADE.

Thursday, August 26.

Dublin.

Demand has fallen off considerably during the past week,
and the trade is now very quiet, prices of all classes
remaining unchanged. There has been a large increase in
the import trade, which should enable the merchants to
make substantial additions to their stocks. City prices are
as follow Best Orrell, 34s. per ton; best Wigan, 32s.;
best Whitehaven, 32s.; Pemberton Wigan, 31s.; kitchen
nuts, 30s.; best slack, 26s.; all less Is. per ton discount for
cash. Scotch steam coal, about 29s. per ton; Welsh from
36s. to 42s. per ton; best gas coke, 34s. per ton net,
delivered. Irish coal at Wolfhill Collieries, Queen’s County,
is 25s. per ton for round coal; culm, all prices from 3s. 4d.
to 10s. per ton, all at the pit mouth. Pit prices for Kilkenny
(Castlecomer) coal, outside of contract prices, are as
follow Best small coal, 23s. 4d. per ton; best large,
21s. 8d.; second quality, 20s.; bottom coal, 16s. 8d.;
breakage, Ils. 8d.; culm, 5s. to 8s. 6d. The coal vessels
arriving in this port amounted to 78, as compared with
47 the week previously, chiefly from Garston, Troon,
Britonferry, Ayr, Ellesmere Port, Newport, Point of Aire,
Whitehaven, Partington, Glasgow, Liverpool, Llanelly,
Swansea, Irvine, Maryport, Ardrossan, Workington,
Campbeltown, Preston, Saundersfoot and Cardiff. The
total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 32,000
tons, as against 17,853 tons the previous week.

Belfast.

Business is much quieter during the week, house coal
especially being in very small demand owing to fine weather,
and prices are unchanged, viz. :—Best Arley, 36s. per ton;
Orrell nuts, 35s.; Scotch house coal, 32s.; Orrell slack, 32s.
per ton delivered. There are good supplies in this port,
coal vessels arriving during the week being chiefly from
Ardrossan, Silloth, Ayr, Garston, Girvan, Glasgow, Preston,
Llanelly, Workington, Troon, Irvine, Cardiff and Ellesmere
Port. From August 1 to 14 the total number of coal laden
vessels entering the harbour was 98. Contracts are open
for the usual yearly supplies of house and steam coals to the
fire brigade and other corporation departments.

Partnerships Dissolved.—The London Gazette announces
the dissolution of the following partnerships :—J. Drennan,
J. K. Cooper, and A. E. Garbutt, cable manufacturers, at
Longford-road, Stretford, Lancaster, under the style of the
North-Western Cables Company; Ben Beevers, Thomas
Beevers, and Henry Neville, colliery owners, Gawber,
Yorkshire.

Another National Conference on Output. — A national
■conference of the coal mining industry has been called for
Thursday of next week, September 2, to consider the output
of coal as compared with the requirements of the nation, the
necessity of suspending the Mines (Eight Hours) Act, and the
withdrawal of weekly and fortnightly holidays. The con-
ference will be held at the Home Office, under the presidency
of Sir John Simon. Invitations have been issued to repre-
sentatives of the coal owners in the various districts, and to
the executive of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain.

THE COAL AND IRON TRADES.

Thursday, August 26.

Scotland.—Western District.

COAL.

The market in the west of Scotland continues strong and
values continue high, but there is a slight easing in price,
due principally to tonnage having gone out of position. The
home demand is good, and the industrial enquiry as pressing
as ever, while shipments bulk largely. Splint coal is very
steady, and early supplies are difficult to secure; and ell
coal is in a similar position. Navigations are well main-
tained, and quotations are still round about 23s. per ton,
while ordinary steams are becoming more and more active
There is a slight falling-off in washed produce, with an
easier tendency in price. Shipments for the week amounted
to 167,463 tons, compared with 147,100 in the preceding
week and 96,188 tons in the corresponding week of last
year.

Prices f.o.b. Glasgow.

	Current	L’st week’s	Last year’s
	prices.	prices.	prices.
Steam coal			!	15/ -17/6	14/ -17/	12/ -13/
Ell 			,18/	-18/3	18/ -18/6	11/6-12/
Splint			!	18/ -24/	17/ -22/6	12/ -14/
Treble nuts 			;	19/ -19/3	19/3-19/9	11/9-12/
Double do			:	17/ -17/3	17/ -17/3	11/3-11/6
Single do			,	16/ -16/6	16/3-16/6	11/ -11/3

IRON.

Makers of Scotch pig iron report that, while deliveries
are maintained on a heavy scale, new business remains
rather slow. There are 68 furnaces in blast in Scotland,
one more than in the preceding week and 13 more than in
the corresponding week of last year. The prices of Scotch
makers’ iron are quoted as follow: — Monkland, f.a.s. at
Glasgow, No. 1, 79s. 6d., No. 3, 78s.; Govan, No. 1, 79s.,
No. 3, 77s. 6d.; Carnbroe, No. 1, 83s., No. 3, 79s.; Clyde,
No. 1, 84s. 6d., No. 3, 79s. 6d.; Gartsherrie, Calder and
Langloan, Nos. 1, 85s., Nos. 3, 80s.; Summerlee, No. 1,
86s., No. 3, 81s.; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, No. 1, 86s.,
No. 3, 81s.; Eglinton, at Ardrossan or Troon, No. 1, 80s.,
No. 3, 79s.; Dalmellington, at Ayr, No. 1, 81s., No. 3, 79s.;
Shotts, at Leith, No. 1, 85s., No. 3, 80s.; Carron, at Leith,
No. 1, 86s., No. 3, 81s. per ton. Scotch makers are now
quoting haematite iron at 105s. per ton. The Glasgow pig
iron warrant market was more active during the past week,
but with sellers more in evidence the position was easier,
with prices going steadily downwards. Cleveland iron
closed at 64s. 2|d. per ton cash buyers, compared with
65s. 9d. in the preceding week. The total turnover amounted
to about 18,000 tons. The various branches of the manu-
factured iron trade are increasingly active. Makers of
black sheets are particularly hard pressed for T3^in.
thick sheets, and the present price for this size is
<£11 5s. to <£11 10s., less 2/> per cent, either for home
or export delivery. The sudden huge fall in the price
of spelter, which is now quoted round about <£60 as
against <£120 a short time ago, will bring the galvanised
sheet trade once more into the running. Black-painted
flat and corrugated sheets have had to be utilised as a
substitute, but now the ordinary galvanised sheet will
appear on the market at a more reasonable price. There is
no change in the malleable iron trade. Values are firm,
especially for the products of trans-Atlantic billets. Crown
bars are quoted <£11, less 5 per cent, for home delivery and
<£10 12s. 6d. net for export, and in some cases 2s. 6d. to 5s.
per ton more is being asked. Steel bars are <£11 10s. to <£12,
less 5 per cent, for home delivery, and <£11 to <£11 10s. net
for export. These prices also have been exceeded, in some
instances, by 5s. to 10s. per ton.

Scotland.—Eastern District.

COAL.

A fair business is being done in the Lothians coal trade.
All classes of coal are in good demand, with smalls the
principal feature. Shipments amounted to 39,853 tons,
against 44,774 in the preceding week and 53,922 tons in the
corresponding week of last year. Prices are unsettled, but
have an upward tendency.

Prices f.o.b. Leith.

L’st weeVsiLast year’s
prices. | prices.

Best screened steam coal...

Secondary qualities.....

Treble nuts ............

Double do...............

Single do...............

11/6

10/9

15/6-16/ ;

Current ]
prices. pnuca,
16/9-17/6 16/3—16/6 ;
16/ —16/6
20/9-21/6 i 19/6-20/	11/6-11/9

17/6-18/ I 17/ -17/6 i 10/9-11/
16/ -16/6 | 16/6-17/3 i 10/3-10/6

The position in Fifeshire can hardly be called satisfac-
tory. This is largely due to the difficulty in securing
licences, particularly for Swedish destinations, for which a
large quantity of first-class steams have been sold under
contract. Navigations, however, are particularly strong,
while washed produce is in strong demand at firm prices.
Clearances for the week amount to 47,206 tons, compared
with 65,828 tons in the preceding week, and 50,121 tons in
the same week of last year.

Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntisland.

Best screened navigation	Current prices.
coal		24/6-25/6
Unscreened do		22/6-23/6
First-class steam coal		18/ —19/
Third-class do		14/ -15/
Treble nuts 		21/ -22/
Double do		17/6-18/
Single do		16/6-17/

L’st week’s Last year’s
prices. prices.

24/6-25/6 15/6-16/

22/6-23/6 13/6-14/

18/6-20/	12/3-12/6

14/6-15/6	10/

19/3-20/ I 11/9-12/
17/ —17/6 I 11/ -11/3

16/6—17/	10/3

The aggregate shipments from Scottish ports during the
past week reached the total of 254,522 tons, compared
with 257,702 in the preceding week, and 200,231 tons in the
corresponding week of last year