November 19, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1037 shipments to France, the home demand for iron making purposes is heavy, and the price for foundry coke has increased. There are not many sales for forward delivery— a quantity of Durham gas has been sold over next year on speculative account at from 18s. to 19s. per ton f.o.b., and several cargoes of D.C.B. steams have been sold over the first half of next year at 20s., with Ils. 6d. for smalls over the first three months. Good ordinary bunkers are also reported to have realised 17s. 6d. f.o.b. for December- January shipment. Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Current jL’stweek’s Last year’s Gas coals:— prices. prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 20/ -20/6 19/6-20/ — Secondary do. 17/ -17/6 16/6-17/ — House coals:— Best house coals 22/6-23/ 20/ Ordinary do 18/6-19/ 17/6-18/ — Other sorts :— Lambton screened 21/ 20/ — South Hetton do 20/6-21/ 20/ — Lambton unscreened ... 16/9-17/ 17/ — South Hetton do 16/6-16/9 16/6-16/9 — Do. treble nuts 17/6 17/ — Coking coals unscreened 17/3 17/6 — Do. smalls 17/ 17/3 Smithies 18/6-19/ 17/6 — Peas and nuts 20/ -20/6 20/ -20/6 — Best bunkers 17/6 17/3 — Ordinary bunkers 16/9 16/3 — Coke:— Foundry coke 35/6-36/ 35/ — Blast-furnace coke (did. Teesside furnaces) ... — 28/6 — Gas coke. 26/ -26/6 27/ — s Outward freights continue to advance in all directions, London having fixed at 14s., and Genoa 52s. 6d., the near trades are also firm, with orders numerous. Recent chartering includes:—London, 14s.; Rouen, 21s. 6d.; Havre, 21s.; Cherbourg, 22s.; Dieppe, 22s.; Treport, 22s. 6d.; Boulogne, 22s.; Dunkirk, 21s.; Bordeaux, 29s.; St. Nazaire, 30s.; Bayonne, 32s. 6d.; Lisbon, 30s.; Genoa, 52s. 6d.; Marseilles, 41s. l|d.; Naples, 47s. 6d.; Savona, 50s.; Oran, 33s. 6d.; and Las Palmas, 28s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The fuel market on the whole is strong, but with one or two weak spots, due to lack of tonnage. The continued steadiness of bunker coal is rather surprising, as, of l^te, there has been a growing scarcity of vessels. The explana- tion is that unscreened Durhams are being largely drawn upon for the manufacture of coke. Ordinary unscreened bunkers range from 16s. 3d. to 17s. f.o.b., best sorts from 17s. to 17s. 3d., and specials from 19s. to 20s. Gas coal is in good request, and best Durhams are 19s. 6d. to 20s. ; whilst second kinds are 16s. 6d. to 17s. 6d., and special Wear gas up to 22s. Coking coal is steady and firm at round about 17s. The scarcity of coke is being more and more felt. Output has been increased, but the supply is still insufficient. By the end of the year it is expected that the make will be further added to by some 4,000 to 5,000 tons per week, and even then it is doubtful whether it will be possible to fully satisfy requirements. Much difficulty is experienced in meeting local needs, and there is considerable pressure for delivery for shipment. Nothing under 30s. is now named for Durham blast-furnace coke of average quality delivered at Teesside works, and several sellers are inclined to hold out for a higher price. Best foundry coke for shipment ranges from 30s. to 35s. f.o.b., and gashouse coke is in the neighbourhood of 30s. IRON. Very satisfactory and encouraging accounts are given of the pig iron industry. Demand is good and supply none too plentiful. Quotations continue to move upward, and values of Cleveland pig are now higher than for a number of years past. Not since 1900 have such prices ruled as are now being realised. In that boom year No. 3 topped 78s. The present market quotation lor the ruling quality is 70s. 3d., at which figure transactions have this week occurred. The other classes of Cleveland pig have advanced in proportion, and thus No. 1 has become 74s., No. 4 foundry 69s. 9d., No. 4 forge 69s. 3d., and mottled and white iron each 68s. 9d. There is a prevailing opinion that prices have not yet reached top. East coast haema- tite pig has also been further advanced. Makers are very well sold, few of them having any iron that they can sell for delivery before March next. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are quoted 125s. for delivery to the end of the first quarter of next year. Foreign ore is very strong on the basis of 33s. ex ship Tees for rubio of 50 per cent, quality, and odd lots have been sold at a high rate, but the circumstances were exceptional. Freights Bilbao-Middlesbrough remain at 17s. Imports of foreign ore to Middlesbrough are on a fairly good scale, the quantity unloaded in the Tees to date this month amounting to 92,908 tons. Manufactured iron and steel prices are very strong, and steel strip, hoops and ' rails have been advanced. Producers of most descriptions are kept fully employed on Government work, to the exclusion of execution of ordinary commercial orders. Steel strip is <£11 10s., steel hoops <£12, and heavy sections of steel rails <£10. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The Cumberland coal trade is in a much quieter condition this week than it has been for some months. Business in the home branches is still well maintained, but there has been a marked falling-off on export account. The scarcity of tonnage for the cross-Channel trade is at present causing great inconvenience to shippers, and coal has been getting away so slowly this week that the dock sidings have been in quite a congested state, and this was responsible for throwing one of the largest pits in the country idle. Owing to a lack of empties three of the pits were idle on Monday, but since then the whole o:: the collieries in the county have been working full time and production is very little, if any, in excess of requirements. In the export branch business is rather easier, and the shipments from Maryport to Irish ports this week are much below normal. There is no doubt that the stormy weather has interfered consider- ably with the sailings during the past few days, but that is scarcely sufficient to account for the great decrease in export tonnage. The demand from Irish consumers is not now quite so keen as it was, and the coastwise trade is not by any means in as strong a position as it was some time ago. It cannot have escaped notice* that the shipments to Ireland from all the Cumberland ports during the past few months have been very heavy, and it is just possible that Irish consumers have ample stocks on hand, for the time being at any rate. In the home market there is a rather better enquiry for gas coal; best steam coal is in steady request, and there is a very healthy demand for engine fuels, slacks, smalls, and all kinds for manufacturing requirements. Landsale is very brisk, and agents are finding it difficult to cope with the orders that are coming to hand. Prices on the whole are quite steady, but unchanged. During the week, nine coasting vessels left Maryport, mostly for Irish ports, and the shipments amounted to 2,340 tons, a decrease of 2,840 tons compared with the previous week. All the coke ovens in the county are working at their full capacity, and the whole of the output is being freely absorbed at the Cumberland blast- furnaces. Owing to the increased make of special iron, Cumberland smelters are now using considerably more north-east coke than they have been doing for some time. East coast coke is quoted at from 30s. to 36s. per ton. There is still great activity in the by-products trade. At Maryport, best house 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, best house 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:— Current prices. •L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit 23/4 23/4 19/2 Best washed nuts at pit... 21/3 21/3 17/1 Buckhill best coal „ Do. double-scrned 22/6 22/6 18/4 washed nuts at pit Oughterside best coal at 21/ 21/ 16/10 Fit Oughterside best washed 22/6 22/6 18/4 nuts at pit St. Helens (Siddick) best 21/ 21/ 16/10 coal at pit St. Helens best house nuts 22/6 22/6 18/4 at pit 21/ 21/ 16/10 Best dry small at pit 12/ 12/ 8/6 Best steam nuts at pit ... 19/ 19/ 15/ Best Cumberl’nd coal, f.o.b. 19/6 19/6 15/6 Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... 17/6 17/6 13/6 Bunkers 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 12/6 Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- 20/ 20/ 15/ works 19/ 19/ 14/ IRON. The Cumberland haematite iron trade is in a most flourishing ‘condition; makers are exceptionally busy in all departments, and the whole of the output is being absorbed. The chief feature of interest this week is the continued soaring of prices. Last week Cumberland haematite warrants at cash in Glasgow market reached 107s. 6d. per ton, an increase of 12s. 6d. per ton since the beginning of October. The extraordinary inflation of values which has taken place within the last few weeks is perhaps unprecedented within recent years, and it is not yet certain that the present prices will not be further improved upon. On October 18 Bessemer mixed numbers were quoted at from 107s. to 108s. per ton, and within a few days they went up to 117s. 6d. per ton. A week later the price increased to 120s. per ton, and last week the quotation stood at 122s. 6d. per ton. Since then there has been a further appreciation of values, and Bessemer mixed numbers are now quoted at 127s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. at the usual ports, an increase of over 20s. per ton within the last five weeks. Special iron is quoted as high as 143s. per ton, and ferro-manganese is unchanged at <£20 per ton. Both ordinary and special iron is in very strong request, and there has been such an expansion of business of late that production is now much below require- ments. The pig iron in west coast storing yards now amounts to 1,938 tons, compared with 2,120 tons a week ago. There are 25 furnaces in operation, 16 in Cumberland and nine in the Furness district. About 13 of the furnaces are on special iron, two are on ferro-manganese, and the remainder are on ordinary hsematite. A large proportion of the ordinary iron is going into immediate consumption in the district. The steel trade continues to be briskly employed. Barrow is exclusively engaged on shell steel, and at Workington the production includes shell steel and rails for colonial railways. All the engineering shops in the district are very busy. The iron ore industry is in a prosperous condition, and there is a firm demand for all varieties. All the mines are fully employed, and, although every effort is being made to increase the output, produc- tion, as far as high-grade ores are concerned, is still insufficient to meet requirements. Best varieties of ores are now quoted as high as 40s. per ton at the mines, while average qualities are quoted at from 26s. to 32s. per ton. Spanish ore is quoted at about 26s. per ton delivered. South-West Lancashire. COAL. Fog and wintry weather is interfering with everything here, and the trouble of getting an adequate supply of empty trucks as the result of this, increases from day to day, otherwise every avenue of the trade is extremely busy, much more being demanded than can be readily supplied. The retailers’ difficulties, as time goes on, are not getting less, the trouble being to provide carters and vehicles enough to promptly deal with customers’ requirements. There is little or no change in regard to shipping. Supplies of steam coal are, of course, restricted, but on the whole they are almost, if not quite, equal to present requirements which, owing to the shortage of steamers, are not very considerable. Prices of Lancashire steam coals range, as last reported, from 18s. 3d. to 19s. f.o.b., according to quality. In the coastwise trade the storm of last week end has very much upset the running of vessels, and there is a good deal of congestion of loaded wagons at the various docks. Requisite requirements of slack get daily more difficult to find, and the district is within near distance of actual shortage. 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) 22/6-23/ 22/ -23/ 16/6-16/9 Medium 19/ 19/ 1 15/3 Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 20/ -21/ 20/ 114/6-15/ Kitchen 16/9-17/ 16/9-17/ 13/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 18/6-19/ 18/6-19/ 13/ -13/6 Screened forge coal 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 11/6—12/ Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. 18/3-19/ 18/3-19/ 12/ -12/9 Best slack 14/6 14/ 9/3- 9/6 Secondary slack 12/6 12/6 8/6- 8/9 Common do 11/ -11/6 10/ 8/ - 8/3 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a full attendance of members on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. House coal continues in good request. There is a brisk demand for furnace coal and shipping coal, contract requirements practically absorb the production. With regard to slack, the supply is less, and not sufficient to meet the needs of consumers. Owing to so many manufacturers coming under the control of the Ministry of Munitions, there is more pressure for supplies from them, and the contract requirements outside are naturally suffering owing to the restricted production of fuel caused by the war. Generally prices are as on view :— 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/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 14/ 11/ -12/ [L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. ! 21/ -22/ 17/3-18/ 19/ -20/3 : 16/ -16/9 • 17/ -17/3 ! 13/3-14/ ; 16/ -17/ ' 12/ ‘ 19/ -21/ 13/ -14/ I 14/ 9/6-10/ j 11/ -12/ 8/ - 9/ IRON. There was a good attendance on ’Change in Manchester on Tuesday, and prices in pig iron were very firm. The forges are all busily employed on Crown iron bars at .£12 10s., hoops at <£15, sheets at <£13 10s. to <£14, less 2| per cent. Steel works are all under Government control, and fully occupied on material for munitions. Bars are quoted at <£14, less 2| per cent. Billets at <£11 to <£11 10s. net. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was a very large attendance at the market on Tuesday, an increased number of representatives of London merchants and factors as well as shippers from the Humber ports being presdht. Buyers, who were in a majority, found very little coal of any description on offer. Colliery agents reported order books full for practically every sort, with a decreasing and unsatisfactory output at the pits, besides a pronounced scarcity of trucks, which is causing difficulty in working. In short, the position was that, while orders were plentiful and pressing, supplies of coal were scarcer than ever, and very little changed hands— probably less than at any market for a considerable time. So far as the London trade is concerned, the full output of best coals is absorbed by contracts, and there is more offering in the open market, while for secondary sorts there is a ready sale at the full Limitation Act prices. Railway difficulties militate against good supplies as blocks are reported at various points, and in some cases the companies are refusing to take supplies, especially for depots on the Great Eastern Railway. The cold weather has materially increased the public demand to an extent with which the depots are unable promptly to deal on account of the shortage of carmen and loaders. Already stocks at the depots are approaching depletion, and the outlook for the winter is very disquieting. For the coastwise trade there Current pit prices. House coal:— | Current 1 L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. 1 prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 20/ -21/ ! 20/ -21/ 14/6-15/ Wallsend & London best 19/ -20/ ■ 19/ -20/ 13/6-14/6 Silkstone best 19/ -20/ , 19/ -20/ 13/6-14/ Do. house 17/ -18/ : 17/ -is/ 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 20/6-21/6 18/6—19/6 17/ -17/6 Silkstone best 20/6-21/6 15/6—16/6 Do. house 18/6-19/6 13/6-14/ Other qualities 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 12/9-13/6 Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 15/ -15/6 10/6-11/ Gas nuts 15/ —15/6 9/6-10/3 Unscreened gas coal ... 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 9/ - 9/6 Other sorts:— Prices at pit: . Washed nuts 16/ -16/6 16/ -16/6 10/3-10/9 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 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 9/ - 9/6 Best rough slacks 12/6-13/6 12/6-13/6 6/9- 7/6 Small do. 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/6 6/ - 6,6 6/ - 6/6 Coking smalls 11/ -12/ 11/ "12/ Coke Price at ovens: Furnace coke 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 10/6