October 8, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 733 steam, and house coal for the Irish market, and consumers are practically taking all the supplies they can secure. The shipments to Irish ports, which have been unusually heavy during the past few weeks, would be much heavier if a more plentiful supply of coal were available. The collieries are all working regularly and production is still on the increase, but the amount now raised is barely sufficient to satisfy home and coastwise requirements. Prices of land- sale, industrial and export coal are firm, but unchanged. Best Cumberland coal at the pit is quoted at from 22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton, compared with from 18s. 4d. to 19s. 2d. per ton at the corresponding period of last year. Best washed nuts are quoted at from 21s. to 21s. 3d. per ton, compared with from 16s. lOd. to 18s. 4d. per ton at this time last year. Best Cumberland coal, free on board at Maryport, is quoted at 19s. 6d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 17s. 6d. per ton, compared with 15s. 6d. and 13s. 6d. per ton respectively at the corresponding period of last year. Dry small is firm at about 12s. per ton, while there is a steady demand for bunkers at from 17s. to 17s. 6d. per ton. Shipments from Maryport during the week for Irish ports amounted to 5,300 tons, an increase of 255 tons com- pared with the previous week. The shipments for September amounted to 21,915 tons, compared with 19,152 tons for August and 21,490 tons for July. There is rather a better demand for coke, and the majority of the coke ovens in the county are now working more regularly. A large propor- tion of the make at the Cumberland ovens is being absorbed by local smelters. Business is very brisk in the by-products industry, and the works at Maryport, Flimby and Working- ton are well employed. At Maryport, St. Helens, Flimby and Oughterside 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, Buckhill best 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:— 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 [L’st week’s prices. prices. 20/9 20/9 22/ -23/ 22/ -23/ 19/ 19/ 20/ 20/ 16/9-17/ 16/9-17/ 18/ -18/6 18/ -18/6 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 17/6-18/ 17/6-18/6 14/ 14/ 12/6 12/6 10/ 10/ Last year's prices. 17/ 16/6-16/9 15/3 14/6-15/ 13/ 13/3-13/9 11/6-12/ 12/ -12/9 9/9 9/ 8/ - 8/6 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was fairly well attended on Tuesday. House coal is in good demand, and collieries are filled up with orders. Furnace coal meets with good enquiry, and there is a fair amount of business being done in shipping coal, mostly on contract account. Slack is very brisk, the call for which is greater than the supply. Generally prices are as below :— Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). offer in the open market. Further progress is reported in the rearrangement of prices under the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act, and the net result is that the new figures show an advance of about 5s. a ton on last year’s prices. The demand for gas coal for shipment to France shows an appreciable increase. The position in regard to manufac- turing fuel is very firm. Supplies in sight in the Bradford and heavy woollen districts, and the Colne and Spen valleys, are very meagre. Very few of the manufacturers have much stock on hand, the majority working almost from hand to mouth so far as their coal supply is concerned. There is a particularly strong demand for washed nuts, and prices all round are very firm. Quite a number of renewals of contracts are reported this week, and, apart from the public utility companies, the advances in prices compared with a year ago average quite 6s. per ton. There are signs of a little more strength in the market for washed furnace coke, sales at so low as 15s. per ton at the ovens being not so common as a week ago. House coal:— Best ............... Medium.............. Common.............. Furnace coal.......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack ........... Common slack ......... Current | prices. | 21/ -22/ ! 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 14/ 11/ -12/ L’st week’s Last year’s prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 1 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/ 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. There was a fairly good attendance on ’Change in Manchester on Tuesday, but very little buying being done. Pig iron, if anything, was weaker, but haematite remained firm. Forges still remain very busy, chiefly on steel. There is no alteration in the Associated prices, bars remaining at <£11 10s., but there are no sellers at this figure, iron hoops at <£14 2s. 6d., and steel at <£13 17s. 6d. Steel works are exceptionally busy, and very little other than Government work is being turned out. Bars are quoted at <£12 upwards according to quality, and soft billets at <£9 10s. General trades report plenty of work, with the exception of foundries, who still remain slack. IRON. The Cumberland haematite iron trade continues in a steady condition, and although business is scarcely as brisk as it was a week ago, values are well maintained. All the blast furnaces and steelworks are fairly well employed, and makers have probably as much on hand at present as they can cope with. The demand for ordinary haematite iron is weaker. Stocks are accumulating rather too quickly in makers’ yards, and at the moment there is very little business passing either for forward delivery or more immediate requirements. The blowing out of a furnace at Cleator Moor a week ago is probably an indica- tion that the production of ordinary iron is at present in excess of the demand. The call for special iron is particularly brisk, and a large proportion of the output of this class of metal is going into immediate consumption. The pig iron in west coast storing yards at present amounts to 1,938 tons, compared with 3,058 tons at the corresponding period of last year. Bessemer mixed numbers are this week quoted at 106s. per ton f.o.b. at the usual ports, with warrants at cash at 95s. per ton. Special brands of iron are quoted at from 125s. to 137s. 6d. per ton. Ferro- manganese is rather quiet at <£20 per ton. There are 22 furnaces in operation, 14 in Cumberland and 8 in the Furness district. A large proportion of the ordinary hematite iron is being absorbed in the steelworks at Workington and Barrow, and the bulk of the make of low phosphorus iron is being consigned to users in the Midlands, South Wales and Scotland. The steel trade is fairly active, but rails are rather quiet. Barrow is mainly employed on shell steel, and at Workington the production includes shell steel, billets and railway material. Engineers are very busy on Government account. The iron ore industry in the Cleator Moor and Egremont district is in a most flourishing condition. All the mines are regularly employed, but the production of high-grade ore is scarcely equal to requirements. At the Cumberland mines average qualities of ore are quoted at from 23s. 6d. to 26s. 6d. per ton, while the higher-grade ores are quoted at about 37s. per ton. Spanish ores are quoted at about 26s. per ton delivered. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. All sections of the trade were represented at the well- attended market on Tuesday. Buyers were in the majority. There was an active enquiry, especially for manufacturing fuel and prompt parcels of house coal, but there was very little coal of any sort on offer for prompt delivery. Work at the pits will have averaged about five days this week. The scarcity of trucks is becoming a more acute problem week by week, and a number of cases of broken time have resulted from this dearth of empties. Complaints are made of unusual delay at the ports, where some of the pits have as many as 500 trucks of coal awaiting shipment. The collieries themselves have practically no coal on hand. Enquiries throughout the district reveal the fact that there is scarcely a loaded truck of coal at any of the collieries. The house coal trade with London and district is very brisk. Most of the collieries have revised their prices for this market, within the limits of the new Act. Reports from the depots indicate a good demand from the public, but a difficulty, on account of the scarcity of carmen and loaders, in getting the coal delivered from the depots to the con- sumers. With regard to the coastwise trade, there is a marked scarcity of boats, both steamboats and sailing vessels, and freights have further increased. There is a ready demand for the medium qualities of Silkstone house coal at about 19s. per ton f.o.b. Hull. House nuts are being shipped, ex Goole for London, in fairly large quantities. Merchants in the West Riding are experiencing difficulty in getting adequate supplies from the collieries, and are already picking up stocks. It is not improbable that the bulk of the ground stocks at the depots will have been lifted by Christmas. Of gas coal there is scarcely a ton on South-West Lancashire. COAL. Already in the inland household trade orders exceed supply, and retailers generally have rather more upon their books than can be promptly met, otherwise there is nothing of note to report. With regard to shipping, it cannot be said that the position generally shows any improvement. There is still an all round scarcity of tonnage, and requirements of steam coal both on contract and open sale account are moderate. Prices of Lancashire steam coals range as before from 17s. to 17s. 6d. f.o.b. In the coastwise and cross-Channel trade for household coals, the position here again is much the same as in the inland market. There is more being asked for than can be readily provided, and everything points to a difficulty in keeping pace with the requirements. Slacks are firm in price, and, with few exceptions, scarce in quantity. Current pit prices. House coal •.— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 14/6 Wallsend & London best 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 13/6-14/6 Silkstone best 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/6 I 13/6-14/ Do. house 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 12/6-13/ House nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 11/6-12/ Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best 21/6-22/6 21/6-22/6 17/ -18/ Silkstone best 20/6—21/6 20/6-21/6 15/6-16/6 Do. house 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/ 14/ -14/6 Other qualities 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/6 13/ -13/6 Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 10/6-11/ Gas nuts 15/ —15/6 15/ —15/6 9/6-10/3 Unscreened gas coal ... 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 9/3- 9/9 Other sorts:— Prices at pit: Washed nuts 16/ -16/6 16/ -16/6 10/6-11/3 Large double-screened engine nuts 14/6-15/6 14/6-15/6 9/3- 9/9 Small nuts 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 9/ - 9/6 Rough unscreened engine coal 13/ -14/ 13/ -14/ 9/3—9/9 Best rough slacks 11/9-12/6 11/9—12/6 7/3- 8/3 Small do. 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 6/ - 7/3 Coking smalls 10/ -10/6 9/6-10/6 6/3— 7/6 Coke:— Price at ovens: Furnace coke 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 12/ -12/6 Barnsley. COAL. There was a larger attendance at the usual market on Wednesday, and in several respects there was more enquiry circulating. The difficulties of business are not in any way diminishing, for there are yet strong complaints of abnormal absenteeism from work which is materially affecting the output, whilst there is evidence of congestion on the railway in certain directions. The recent cancella- tion of shipping from the Humber ports, too, has obviously interfered with operations, though h.irdly to the extent apprehended, as reflected by the tonnage of fuel offering on the market. Stoppages at collieries are also adding to the trouble. The men at the Grimethorpe Colliery, which employs about 2,000 hands and produces about 3,000 tons per day, have taken high-handed action in setting the pit down since Monday last. The pit had not resumed work on Wednesday, and the loss of about 15,000 tons output is a serious matter, especially so as it is understood the colliery is supplying certain qualities of coal on Govern- ment account. Fortunately a settlement has been effected at another large concern, the Maltby Colliery, after a dispute of two days’ duration. The effect of the loss of tonnage from the collieries referred to was, of course, con- siderably felt in the market, and with so little surplus fuel available on the market buyers found it difficult to secure their requirements. In regard to large steams, the enquiry for export was of a stronger character, not only on current account but also for forward business, which is largely on account of France. A substantial order for hards was booked at 17s. per ton pit, and suggests there is no likeli- hood of an easier tendency developing for some time ahead. Apart from the export business, which must inevitably be somewhat of a spasmodic character, the demand on home account continues to be of a strong description. As in other branches of the trade, the pits are fully employed in dealing with the business already on hand, and are endeavouring to give all the assistance they can to the railway companies and large engineering firms in the way of satisfactory contract deliveries. The demand from the railway companies is particularly keen, and a fair quota of the tonnage in arrear is insisted upon. The district collieries continue to find a strong demand for steam nuts, and, unlike.some other districts, values are firmly held. The export demand is also of a very substantial character, and this week especially there is less offering in the way of surplus lots. The enquiry is reported to be ahead of the ability to supply. The enquiry for all kinds of small steam fuel is also of a most active character, the increased demands on account of the electricity plants having become very pronounced. Slacks are again. more largely required now that the holiday season in the textile districts has spent itself, and though there is less consumption of rough slacks in con- nection with the manufacture of coke there is no material difficulty in disposing of the output. Surplus lots are commanding higher prices, and an upward tendency is apparent. Severe pressure is also being felt by the collieries largely concerned in the gas coal branch of the trade. The export to France appears to be well main- tained, and though surplus lots are being enquired for by some home concerns, they are very difficult to obtain, though rather higher prices than contract quotations have to be paid. The heavy orders booked for all classes of house coal suggest the possibility of a repetition of the great difficulty which prevailed last winter to give supplies within a reasonable period. It would be an exaggeration to say that the delay at the present time is unduly marked, but both colliery owners and merchants are looking ahead with no little apprehension. Where prices are not up to the maximum, as defined by the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act, corresponding advances have to be paid, and colliery quotations are firmly established. Though there is some slight indication of improvement in regard to coke, the position is not materially changed from a week ago. Makers are not inclined to consider forward business at anything like the prices now operating, and buyers are content to hold off for the present. Prices at pit. House coals:— Best Silkstone ......... Best Barnsley softs... Secondary do.......... Best house nuts ...... Secondary do.......... Steam coals:— Best hard coals......... Secondary do.......... Best washed nuts...... Secondary do.......... Best slack ........... Secondary do.......... Gas coals:— Screened gas coals ... Unscreened do......... Gas nuts.............. Furnace coke............ Current iL’st week’s Last year’s prices. i 20/ -22/ : 18/6 16/6-17/6 > 16/ -17/ | 15/6—16/ ! 17/ -17/6 16/ 16/ -16/6 15/6-15/9 i 12/6-13/ I 10/6 15/6-16/ 14/6-15/ 15/ —16/ 15/ -16/ prices. i 20/ -22/ 18/ -18/6 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/ 17/6 15/6-16/ 16/ -16/6 : 15/6-15/9 i 12/6-13/ ; 10/ -10/6 15/6-16/ 14/6-15/ ; 15/ -16/ ! 15/ -16/ | prices. 16/6 16/ 13/ -14/6 12/9-13/ 10/9-11/ 11/3 10/6-10/9 10/9 9/9-10/ 6/9 5/9- 6/ 10/6-11/ 10/ 10/ -10/6 12/6-13/ Hull. COAL. The’ market has been on quiet lines this week, with a moderate enquiry. Best South Yorkshire hards have remained steady at 19s. 3d. to 19s. 6d. for prompt shipment