888 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. October 29, 1915. little enquiry, chiefly owing to transport difficulties. No. 3 Rhondda large is 21s. to 22s., No. 2 16s. to 17s., and other grades in proportion. Coke is firm, and quotations are well maintained. Patent fuel, owing to the drop in the price of small, is considerably easier, best grades being offered at 27s. 6d., and second qualities at 25s. Shipments last week were about 30,000 tons, of which the Crown Company despatched between 9,000 and 10,000 tons, Newport 2,500 tons, Swansea 18,000 tons and Port Talbot nearly 5,000 tons. There is still a scarcity of pitwood, and prices vary between 43s. 6d. and 45s., although a transaction has been reported at 47s. 6d., and higher rates are looked for. The following table, compiled from the official Government returns, shows the exports of coal from the Bristol Channel to foreign countries and British Possessions during the nine months of 1915, together with the increase or decrease respectively, compared with the corresponding period of last year :— Nine months, ended Sept. Tons. Increase. Tons. Decrease. Tons. Russia 4,704 ... — .. 354,831 Sweden 62,086 ... — .. 177,408 Norway 69,457 ... — .. 45,325 Denmark 30,757 ... — .. 5,515 Germany — — .. 174,423 Netherlands 24,469 ... — .. 40,307 Java Other Dutch posses- 6,550 — .. 7,062 sions — — .. 23,327 Belgium — — .. 230,390 France 6,473,445 ...1,466,903 . — Algeria 338,479 ... — ’. 96,790 French Somaliland .. 27,584 ... — .. 8,974 Madagascar 13,554 ... — .. 6,260 Reunion (Bourbon).. — — .. 5,498 Portugal 488,578 ... — .. 55,048 Azores 32,253 ... — .. 11,053 Madeira 39,411 ... — .. 28,877 Spain .- 626,210 ... — .. 339,850 Canary Islands 165,264 ... — .. 27,119 Italy 2,429,564 ... — .1,399,229 Italian East Africa 5,043 ... —- .. 6,480 Austria-Hungary ... — — .. 127,749 Greece 168,116 ... — .. 94,945 Bulgaria — — .. 63,238 Roumania — — 183,535 Turkey — European 6,557 L — .. 101,208 „ Asiatic ... 3,767 ... — .. 158,828 Tripoli — — .. 8,035 Tunis 75,740 ... — .. 47,214 Peru — — .. 12,718 Chile 36,229 ... — .. 193,052 Brazil 33,927 ... — .. 46,701 Uruguay 190,754 ... — .. 204,292 Argentine Republic- 1,053,098 ... ' — .1,010,533 Channel Islands 31,340 ... — .. 20,8C8 Gibraltar 152,223 ... — .. 3,754 Malta and Gozo 90 288 ... — .. 150,593 Egypt 637,447 ... — .. 707,909 Cape of Good Hope Anglo - Egyptian 5,586 ... — .. 20,253 Sudan Mauritius and De- 22,378 ... — .. 14,211 pendencies Aden and Dependen- 8,813 ... — 3,641 cies 104,147 ... — .. 9,517 British India 18,917 ... — .. 76,112 Straits Settlements Ceylon and Depen- 1,657 ... — .. 15,058 dencies 36,169 /. — .. 170,378 Hong Kong — — .. 10,366 Canada 10,060 ... 9,666 . — Bermudas British West India — — .. 10,530 Islands 2,573 ... — .. 10,793 West Africa—British 45,525 ... — .. 30,844 „ French 97,575 ... — .. 32,611 „ Portuguese 91,842 ... IRON. — .. 8,104 Although shipments have not been on the same scale as during the previous two weeks, there is a distinctly better tone in the tin-plate industry, and enquiries are more numerous than for some time past. It would appear that buyers have given up hope of reduced prices, and have been bound to come in at the finish at anything they could get. Works are fairly well occupied, and it is not at all improbable that, owing to the shortage of labour, some firms will not be in a position to take any more contracts for some time to come. The French Government are enquiring for about 4,000 to 5,000 tons of finished steel per week, and this is likely to have a detrimental effect on the tin-plate industry owing to the short supply of bars. These, a week ago, were quoted at <£7 10s. to <£7 15s., but they have now advanced to <£7 15s. and <£8, with a probable further rise in the near future. Bessemer standard cokes are being firmly held for 19s. 6d. to 20s., and oil sizes are 19s. 9d. to 20s. 3d. and 28s. 6d. to 28s. 9d. respectively, the highest rates which have prevailed for a long time. Shipments last week only amounted to 33,463 boxes, compared with 70,314 boxes received from works, leaving 325,000 boxes in stock in the dock warehouses and vans. In the galvanised sheet trade there is practically no improvement, although the cost of raw material has in- creased the quotation for 24-gauge corrugateds from <£18 to <£19. Steel, of course, is dearer, and spelter has again gone up to <£72 per ton. Welsh pig iron is firmer, but the market is in such an unsettled state that quotations are nominal. Business generally is on the basis of <£5 12s. 6d. to <£5 15s. per ton delivered. The iron ore market is steady, with a rising tendency, best rubio being 31s., and second grades 28s. to 28s. 6d. In scrap metals there is not much doing outside steel, for which there is a steady demand. Ordinary steel scrap is 75s., cast 60s., heavy wrought 72s. 6d., light wrought 40s., double-headed iron rails and steel ditto 80s., mixed sections 72s. 6d., and new steel crop ends 95s. per ton. Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port last week suffered considerably through the limited supply of tonnage, and there was little change in the coal and patent fuel trades, the shipments together amounting to 72,193 tons. There was a capital attendance on ’Change, and the position of the anthracite coal market showed very little alteration. All classes of large are being strongly held, this being more especially the case in Swansea Valley, Genoa option brands, which are practically unobtainable. Machine-made nuts and cobbles are also very keenly sought after, with last values fully maintained. Rubbly culm and duff are very weak. In the steam coal market there is very little new business passing, and this department closed weaker. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Anthracite:— Best malting large (hand picked) ....... Secondary do. Big Vein large ...... Red Vein large ...... Machine-made cobbles Paris nuts .......... French do............ Stove do............. Beans ............... Machine - made large peas ................ Do. fine peas ... Rubbly culm.......... Duff................. Steam coals:— Best large .......... Seconds ............. Bunkers.............. Small ............... Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large................ Thro’-and-thro’.... Small ............. Patent fuel ........... Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. ; prices. 35/ -37/ ■ 34/6-35/ 22/6-24 6 34/ -35/ i 32/ -34/ ; 20,6-22/6 36/6-37/6 34/6-35/6 19/6-22/6 30/ -33/ • 27/6-28/6 : 13/6-15/6 43/ -45/ j 43/ -44/ ( 20/ -23/ 44/ -46/6 ■ 43/ -45/ j 22/ -24/ 43/ -45/6 ; 41/ -44/ ' 22/ -23/6 31/ —33/6 i 31/ -33/6 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/6 J 18/6-19/6 ! 12/ -13/ 8/ -9/ I 9/ -10/ { 3/9- 4/6 2/6- 3/ ■ 3/6- 4/ ■ 2/9- 3/6 21/6-24/6 i 21/6-24/6 I 18/9-22/6 17/ -19/ 17/ -19/ i 15/9—16/6 13/ -15/6 14/ -15/6 10/3-11/ 6/6- 8/ ; 7/ - 9/ | 5/6- 8/6 23/ -26/ * 23/ -26/ ! 17/6-18/6 15/ -16/ i 16/ -17/ i 10/ -10/9 22/ -23/ | 27/ -28/ , 16/ -16/6 IRON. The yield of pig iron at the blastfurnaces could scarcely be improved upon. A good demand existed for steel bars, and employment was regular in all steel departments. The extensive improvements at the spelter factories made this trade very active. The tin-plate trade was busier, and employment showed an improvement. The shipments of tin-plates were 33,463 boxes, receipts from works 70,314 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and vans 325,404 boxes. The tin-house sets were doing better, and the same number of sheet mills were at work, the bar-rolling mills being actively engaged. The various departments of the Mannesmann 'lube Works showed marked activity, all hands being fully employed. The iron and brass foundries and engineering and fitting shops were all going well. Llanelly. COAL. The decreasing outputs at the collieries caused by the miners joining the Forces is increasing the difficulties of the market in this district. For the anthracite kinds especially, orders for some time have been far in excess of the make, and customers have been seriously inconvenienced by the delays. In the future it is feared that many will have to go without coals, as most pits have more orders on their books than they can execute for weeks to come. For anthracite large and the machine-made kinds there is a very big rush, and prices are firmer day by day. The only kinds with a poor demand are culm and duff. Steam coals are all doing badly, and through and smalls are now going at very low figures. Prices this week are :— Prices f.o.b. Current Anthracite:— prices. Best malting large ... 34/ -36/ Secondary do.......... 32/ —34/ Big Vein large........ 34/ -36/ Red Vein do........... 30/ -32/ Machine-made cobbles... 42/ -44/ German nuts .......... 43/ -45/ French do............. 45/ -47/ Paris do.............. 43/ -45/6 Machine-made beans ... 30/ -32/ Do. peas.......... 18/6—19/6 Culm ................. 8/6- 9/ Duff.................. 2/9- 3/6 Other sorts:— Large steam coal...... 22/ -24/ Through-and-through... 13/ -14/6 Small ................ 6/ - 8/ Bituminous small coal... 15/6—16/6 L’st week’s Last year’s prices. 1 prices. 34/ -36/ 21/ -23/ 32/ -34/ i 19/ -21/ 33/ -35/ > 19/ -21/ 26/ -28/ : 13/6—14/ 42/ -44/ 20/ -22/ 41/ -43/ : 22/ -23/ 42/6-45/ 22/ -24/ 42/ —43/ 22/ -24/ 30/ -32/ 20/6-22/6 18/ -19/6 13/6-14/6 9/ -10/ 5/ - 5/6 3/6- 4/6 3/9- 5/6 22/ -24/ 16/ -18/ 14/ -16/ 10/9-11/ 6/ - 8/ 8/6- 9/6 15/6—16/6 11/ —11/6 THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, October 28. The London coal trade for the -week has been unusually brisk. The attendance on the market has been good throughout, and on all sides an eagerness to get supplies forward has been noticeable. The demand for house coal particularly of the Derby brights character has been very pronounced, and now that the supplies are so restricted, other qualities from Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire have been bought up freely wherever the prices have ruled moderate. The difficulty is that the local demand is so strong and usually the prices obtainable are higher locally than the London district can give, so that very little is offering in the open market. The somewhat sudden turn to colder weather has also given a strong stimulus to the demand for coal. Colliery representatives, however, are seldom able to promise prompt despatch, and this has con- siderably checked business. The stocks in London are fairly satisfactory at all the various wharves and depots, but when the whole of the household fires are started throughout the Metropolitan area, notwithstanding the numberless methods of economising fuel and the increasing use of gas fires, the stocks in hand are very soon depleted if only the means are found to cart and deliver the coal as the orders come in. The mild weather during the preceding few weeks has enabled every merchant to put by a fairly good quantity of coal in readiness for the winter. The sea- borne market creates very little interest just now, for all the vessels arriving are contract cargoes, and therefore the open market sales are restricted to very small parcels; 25 cargoes arriving in the River Thames were returned for Monday’s market, and 15 for Wednesday. Factors are getting uneasy at the shortage of the supplies, for whilst the collieries have so little open market coal to sell, it is the factors’ opportunity, and whilst this section of the trade is kept so short of supplies, they are naturally anxious to hold very strongly to every available truck invoiced. Large steam coal and best hards are strongly in demand; kitchener cobbles and bakers’ nuts also are moving freely. On Saturday next the anniversary of the opening of the London Coal Exchange will be celebrated; the building was opened October 30, 1849. The freight market continues to advance. A firm tone is noticeable for all outward coal freights, and the tonnage is in some cases offering more freely. Charter- ing is quiet, whilst the rates are so firm. The latest quotations are 10s. from the Tyne to London, 9s. 6d. to 10s. Hull to London, and 10s. Goole to London, and the coasting trade is also reported good. The tendency in all the shipping centres is upward just now, and the new Price of Coal (Limitation) Act does not apply in their case, but the difficulty of securing licences to neutral ports has to be reckoned with. The enquiry is firm and brisk, and freights are high Best Blyth steams are quoted at 19s. 6d. to 20s. f.o.b. from the Tyne; seconds, 17s. All kinds of Durham coals are firmly held; gas coals are 19s. 6d.; and seconds 17s. ; bunker coals are 17s. to 17s. 6d. for best brands, and 16s. for ordinaries. Coke, we understand, can be shipped now to France (except gas coke) free from licences, so a very heavy tonnage is going for munition purposes. Tenders for the Danish State Railways for supplying 60,000 tons of steam coal during the first four months of next year have been sent in on the basis of 19s. 6d? to 20s. per ton f.o.b. In the Welsh coal market trade is not so brisk. Vessels for loading have been scarce, and during the week stocks at many of the collieries have increased, and the dock sidings have become congested. Some little uneasiness has been experienced during the week on account of the increased demands of the coal porters and carmen at the London depots. The unloaders are asking for an all-round price of Is. for every ton unloaded, and a general war bonus of 6s. per week. From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Co.’s Report. Friday, October 22.—The seaborne house coal market was jagain steady to-day, no Durham or Yorkshire cargoes offering. Cargoes, 19. Monday, October 25.—There was a steady demand for Yorkshire seaborne house coal at to-day’s market, but no Durham on offer. Cargoes, 25. Wednesday, October 27. — The demand continues for Yorkshire seaborne house coal, but there was neither the former nor Durham on offer. Cargoes, 15. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, October 28. Dublin. Demand generally is increasing, and there is a fairly good import trade, in spite of delays from various causes at some of the ports of shipment across the Channel. There is no change in prices of coals this week, viz. :—Best Orrell, 35s. per ton; Yorkshire brights, 34s.;. best Wigan, 33s.; best Whitehaven, 33s.; best kitchen, 31s.; best Scotch steam coal, 30s.; all less Is. per ton discount for cash. Coke has been again advanced Is. 6d. per ton over last week’s prices, and is now 35s. 6d. per ton net delivered. Pit mouth prices of Irish coal at Wolfhill Collieries, Queen’s County, are :— Best large coal, 30s. per ton; best household coal, 28s. 4d.; culm, all prices from 3s. 4d. Pit prices for Kilkenny (Castle- comer) 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, 11s. 8d.; culm, 5s. to 8s. 6d. The coal vessels arriving in this port during the past week amounted to 52, being chiefly from Troon, Irvine, Gars ton, Ayr, Liverpool, Newport, Working- ton, Ardrossan, Point of Aire, Maryport, Preston, Part- ington, Swansea, Saundersfoot, Cardiff, Whitehaven, and Ellesmere Port. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 22,500 tons, as against 23,000 tons the previous week. Belfast. The household trade continues to improve as the season advances, and business in the inland districts is opening up fairly well now that cold weather has set in. Prices of all qualities remain unchanged. House coals are as follow :— Best Arley, 36s. per ton; Orrell nuts, 35s.; Scotch house coal, 32s.; Orrell slack, 32s. per ton delivered. Approximate prices of steam coals and coke are :—Ordinary Scotch steam coal, 24s. to 25s. per ton; Scotch Navigation, 26s. to 27s.; best Welsh steam, 38s. to 40s.; best gas coke, 30s. to 32s.; best foundry coke, 40s. to 42s. 6d. per ton. Coal-laden vessels arriving during the week were chiefly from Burry- port, Troon, Silloth, Ardrossan, Garston, Partington, Glasgow, Workington, Ayr, Maryport, Point of Aire, Manchester, Widnes, Ellesmere Port, Lydney, and Swansea. From October 3 to 16 the total number of colliers entering the harbour was 101. THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. The increased war demand for shell steel has forced prices of tin-plates up all round. Many makers decline to quote at all, while others are only selling in small parcels, and against actual specifications, owing to their inability to cover themselves for the raw material. There is a steady demand both for shipment to our Allies, and for the home trade; prices are advancing almost daily. At the moment, quota- tions may be called :—Coke tins : I C 14 x 20 (112 sh. 1081b.), *19s. 3d. to 19s. 9d. per box; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 1b.), 38s. 6d. to 39s.; I C 14 x 18| (124 sh. 1101b)., 19s. 6d. to 20s.; I C 20 x 10 (225 sh. 156 1b.), 28s. to 28s. 6d.; I C squares and odd sizes, 19s. 6d. to 20s. basis for approved specifications. Charcoals run, I C 14 x 20, 22s. per box and upwards, according to finish. Terne-plates are in good demand, and prices very firm at 35s. 6d. per box and upwards for I C 28 x 20. Coke wasters are in good demand, and rates very firm as follow : C W 14 x 20, 18s. per box and upwards; C W 28 x 20. 36s. : C W 14 x 18f, 18s. 6d.; C W 20 x 10, 25s. 9d.. all f.o.b. Wales less 4 per cent. Institution of Civil Engineers. — At the first ordinary meeting on Tuesday, at 8 p.m., an address will be given by Mr. Alexander Ross, the president, who will also present the medals awarded by the council.