1144 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN December 3, 1915. being 22s. to 23s., and oil sizes 22s. 6d. to 22s. 9d. and 31s. to 31s. 6d. respectively. Several substantial orders have recently been received for the Far East, and prompt shipment has been insisted upon owing to the inability of American makers to supply the market through lack of tonnage. Much inconvenience is at present being experienced owing to the shortage of railway vans, and delays are being caused in delivery in consequence. Welsh steel bars are only quoted nominally, but the association price, as fixed by the manufacturers a week ago is now on the basis of <£9 10s. for both Siemens and Bessemer qualities. Enquiries have recently been made with the view of obtaining bars from France, but there are no spot supplies, and not more than sufficient produced for home consumption. In many works arrangements are being made to keep the mills going night and day in eight hour shifts, with a two-hour shift on Sundays, and it must be said that the men are loyally assisting their employers in producing the maximum quantity of material required for the manufacture of munitions. In the galvanised sheet trade there is no improvement. A further rise has taken place in spelter, which is now quoted at £100 per ton, and 24-gauge corru- gateds are <£24 10s. to <£25. For prompt shipment slightly lower rates are obtainable. Rails are firm at £29 10s. to <£9 15s., and light sections about <£10. Welsh pig iron is nominal, and quotations for the time being are suspended. Scrap metals are firm and unaltered. Swansea. COAL. Last week, the limited supply of tonnage continued to restrict operations in the coal and patent fuel trades, in conjunction with the ban on shipments to various countries. The shipments of coal and patent fuel were 79,831 tons. A capital attendance assembled on 'Change, and the under- tone of the anthracite coal market was still very strong. Swansea Valley large continued to hold its firm position, whilst Red Vein large was also very firm. Machine-made nuts and cobbles were very scarce and difficult to obtain, even at the high figures now ruling. Rubbly culm and duff were weak. There was no improvement to report in the steam coal market, and values generally were weak. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). I Current L’s t week’s I Last year's Anthracite:— prices. prices. prices. Best malting large' 36/ -37/6 j 22/6-24/6 (hand picked) ., > 36/ -37/ Secondary do. ..J 34/6-36/ 34/6-36/ j 20/6-22/6 Big Vein large 36/6-37/6 36/6-37/6 19/6-22/ Red Vein large . 32/ -35/ 32/ -35/ : 15/6-17/ Machine-made cobbles, 43/ -45/ 43/ -45/ 24/6-26/6 Paris nuts i French do 47/ -49/ 47/ -49/6 | 26/6-27/6 Stove do 44/ -47/6 44/ -47/6 25'6-27/ Beans 32/ -34/6 32/ -34/6 ; 18/6-19/ Machine - made large peas i 18/ -19/6 18/6-19/6 12/6-13/6 Do. fine peas _ Rubbly culm i 8/ -9/ 8/ - 9/ | 3/9- 4/6 Duff Steam coals:— , 2/6- 3/ 2/6- 3/ | 2/9- 3/6 Best large 20/ -24/ 20/ -24/ i 18/6-21/6 Seconds 17/ -19/ 17/ -19/ 15/9-16/6 Bunkers 13/ -14/6 13/ -14/6 10/3-11/ Small Bituminous coals:— : 6/ - 8/ 6/ - 8/ ( 5/6- 8/6 No. 3 Rhondda— Large 23/ -26/ 23/ -26/ 17/6-18/6 Thro'-and-thro’. — Small 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ i 10/ -10/9 Patent fuel 221 -23/ 22/ -23/ 15/6-16/6 IRON. Trade generally throughout the district was good last week. The blastfurnaces at Land ore were again working at top pressure, while the steel trade showed a remarkable increase in the production. The tin-plate trade was decidedly better. The shipments of tin-plates were 101,342 boxes, receipts from works 68,768 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and vans 330,334 boxes. The sheet and bar rolling mills were operating more regularly. The iron and brass foundries were working at full pressure, and the engineering and fitting shops were also well employed. Llanelly. COAL. There is very little alteration to report as to the position of the coal trade locally, and the firmness which has been noticeable for the anthracite qualities is being well main- tained. Tonnage arrivals have, however, been greatly interfered with owing to the rough weather which has recently been experienced, and this has meant serious delays to boats which were due in to load cargoes. All the anthracite large kinds are in brisk demand, and prices remain very firm. For the machine-made qualities collieries are definitely refusing to quote for anything like prompt delivery, and inland buyers who have not covered them- selves for their requirements are being very much incon- venienced through shortage of supplies. Steam coals continue to improve, and if tonnage will only come along better there is every indication that prices will advance. Manufacturing fuels, however, keep much the same owing to the poor time which is still being worked at some of the manufacturing works of the district. Closing quotations approximately are:— Anthracite:— Best malting large... Secondary do......... Big Vein large....... Red Vein do.......... Machine-made cobbles... German nuts.......... French do........... Paris do............ Machine-made beans ... Do. peas......... Culm ................ Duff................. Other sorts:— Large steam coal..... Through-and-through... Small ............... Bituminous small coal... Current L'st week's Last year’s prices. prices. I prices. 35/ -37/ 35/ -37/ 23/ -24/ 33/ -35/ 33/ -35/ ; 21/ -22/6 35/ -37/ i 35/ -37/ I 19/ -21/ 31/ -33/ ; 32/ -34/ 1 15/ -17/ 42/ -44/ ' 42/ -44/ ; 24/ -25/6 44/6-47/ 43/ -45/ : 24/6-27/ 47/6-49/ 45/ -47/ ’ 24/6-27/ 4616-4^1 4&! -45/6 i 24/6-27/ 31/ -32/ 31/ -32/ j 19/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ ; 13/ -13/6 7/6- 8/6 7/6- 8/6 . 4/ - 4/6 2/6- 3/6 2/6- 3/6 2/9- 3/6 22/ -24/ 22/ -24/ 18/ -20/ 13/6-15/ 13/6-15/ 10/9-11/3 6/ - 8/ 6/ - 8/ 8/ - 9/ 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/6 9/ -10/ TRADE AND THE WAR. From December 21, the importation of all machine tools and parts thereof, excluding small tools, is prohibited into the United Kingdom, except such as are imported under the licence of the Board of Trade. The embargo on the export of licensed goods to Greece is now removed, and any ships loading or loaded will be at once cleared. The embargo, which was put on about a fort- night ago, related to all articles for export on the prohibited list the exportation of which was permitted on receiving a licence from the War Trade Department. Dr. Streit, the former Minister for Foreign Affairs in Greece, protests vigorously against the charge of having enabled the “ Goeben ” and “ Breslau ” to be supplied with coal. On the outbreak of war he states coal was supplied to two German vessels on the request of the German Ambassador to M. Venizelos, and M. Venizelos gave permission because they were only merchant ships. •The immediate effect of the war upon the Salonika coal market was the severance of German and Belgian sources of supply, and later on that of Turkey. It has been estimated that increased prices and depression of business in the few manufacturing concerns in the district have reduced the local imports of coal 30 per cent, since August 1914. The Hellenic Government has prohibited the export of coal with- out special permission. The Foreign Office have issued a notice stating that there is no foundation for the reports which appear to have gained currency that his Majesty’s Government, have any intention unnecessarily to curtail the issue of licences for the export to Sweden from the United Kingdom of goods on the lists of prohibited and restricted export. Efforts are, on the con- trary, being made to expedite 'the consideration of applica- tions received, subject to the grant of due transit facilities to and from Russia, and other necessary considerations. The Board of Trade desire to call attention to the proba- bility that, owing to the increasing consumption of coal in the industrial areas, and the reduced output from the mines, due to the enlistment of miners, it will become necessary for many industrial consumers to draw their supplies to some extent from districts other than those on which they have been accustomed to relv. In order to maintain a regular and uninterrupted flow of coal, it is recommended that industrial consumers should, wherever possible, contract for their requirements, and not trust to the open market. Colliery owners on their part will, it is hoped, assist by making con- tracts for as much of their output as they can feel reasonably sure of maintaining. In view of the situation as indicated above, it may be necessary for the Coal Exports Committee, from time to time, further to restrict the recommendation of licences in the case of coals which are in general demand for home consumption. In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Mr. Robinson asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what steps were being’ taken to bring into use as much home- grown pit wood and mining timber as possible, in view of the prices of foreign pit wood caused by high freights. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture, answer- ing, said the Board were actively engaged upon measures having for one of their objects the increased production of home-grown pit wood. He hoped to be in a position before long to make a further statement. Sir Joseph Walton, in the House of Commons on Wednesday, asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he would give a list of the requisitioned tonnage, and what pro- portion each ownership ought to provide in order to put all owners on an equality. Dr. Macnamara, in reply, said he did not think it would be in the public interest to give detailed information. Speaking very generally, and apart from consideration of the particular suitability of certain types of ship, the proportion of each owner could roughly be taken as from 25 to 30 per cent. A conference was held on Tuesday between the Minister of Munitions and representatives of the trades unions whose members are affected by the Munitions of War Act, 1915. The object of the conference was to suggest amend- ments to the Munitions of War Act in view of the Amend- ment Bill to be introduced by the Government. Mr. Lloyd George said that he was in favour of the principle of many of the proposals which had already been presented to him by the representatives of the trade unions. Those he could not agree to he promised should have his close and sympathetic consideration. He presumed that there was no desire on the part of the trade unions to repeal the part of the Act affect- ing employers. One chief object of the Act was to give State control over unlimited competition. The proposals of the conference were brought before the Minister by a com- mittee elected by the conference. Mr. Lloyd George pro- mised a full consideration of the various points submitted to him, and it is understood that a further conference with the committee will be held before the final draft of the Amend- ment Bill is decided upon. The restrictions upon shipping are outlined in a letter which is being sent from the Ship Licensing Committee of the Board of Trade to the Chamber of Shipping and also to the steamship owners’ associations, the object being that the new arrangements under the Order in Council shall work smoothly. The regulations came into force on December 1, and the anticipation is that licences will have to be obtained for carriage of cargoes on single voyages between foreign ports, and on voyages of established lines running only between foreign ports or between British ports and abroad. It is also pointed out that the grant of a licence does not relieve the ship from being requisitioned by the Government, but merely puts it into the same position as it occupied before the prohibition of carriage of cargo between foreign ports. The Lord Mayor of Newcastle (Mr. Geo. Lunn, ship owner), speaking at last Wednesday’s meeting of members of the council of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, said that, whether they liked lit or not, the Government control of trade was going to be enlarged, rather than lessened, as long as the war continued. They had got used to seeking licences for coal exports. They were now called upon to seek licences for cargoes for ships at neutral ports. He appealed to the business men not to make those applications more irksome than necessary. At the same meeting, the secretary (Mr. Herbert Shaw) stated that, during the month, the Advisory Committee had been very busy on the question of coal export licences, and had interviewed the President of the Board of Trade on the question of the principle of the export of Newcastle coal, with, he thought, satisfactory results. Dr. Dunn reported to the meeting on behalf of the Steel Committee, and stated that 163 export licences had been granted during the month, making a total of 553 altogether. The committee had never had occasion to question any of the applications for licences, save in certain cases where merchants had certified as to the composition of steel they had not themselves made. Notice had that morning been received from the Admiralty that certain steel articles were permitted for export without licences when destined for France, Italy, Japan or Russia. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—The market is quiet, with very little doing. In fact, the only feature is the change in the price of toluol, which, after all, is hardly a change, as it has been standing at 2s. 2d. to 2s. 4d., and has now settled down at 2s. 3d. Nearest values are :— Rise ( + ) or fall (-) on the week. Benzols, 90’s 1/Oi-l/l — ,, 90’s North /Hl-1/ — ,, 50’s ,, 1/4 Toluol 2/3 Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.)... 3/5—3/6 — ,, crystals (40 per cent). Solvent naphtha, south (90% at 190 1/4—1/6 — degs.), as in quality and package... Solvent naphtha, north (90% at 190 2/2—2/3 — degs.), as in quality and package... 2/2—2/3 — Crude naphtha, north (in bulk) Creosote (for ordinary qualities) /6J-/7 — /2F-/3 — Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) 17/—18/ ... -1/ ,, (f.a.s. west coast) Tar (per ton ex works) 16/—16/6 ... -1/ 19/9—23/9 [Benzols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at maker's works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.'] Sulphate of Ammonia.—The market is very firm, not only for prompt but‘also for forward. The advanced prices are reported to have checked sales in some quarters, but this is not reflected in any anxiety on the part of holders to sell more freely since makers for the most part look for a still firmer market in the export branch. Closing prompt prices are :— Rise (+) or fall ( —) on the week. London (ordinary makes) £15/17/6 ... +2/6 Beckton (25 per cent.) £15/5 ... +5/ Liverpool £16 ... +2/6 Hull £15/17/6 ... +2/6 Middlesbrough £15/15 ... +5/ Scotch ports £16/10 Wales £15/7/6 +5/ Nitrate of soda (ord.) per cwt. 14/4| [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2| per cent, discount; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality; allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.] Trade Notes. The trade in coal tar by-products is gradually becoming tighter every week, still, it is satisfactory to find that neutral countries .are recognising the importance of making it so. Switzerland has now joined the ranks of the restricters, as according to a decree of the Federal Council, the total pro- hibition of the export of many important chemicals has been enforced, and the decree embraces tar oil derivatives, and also derivatives of benzol and naphthalene. Much the same precautions have.been taken by Sweden, which country has now prohibited 'the export of coal tar and other tars, also coal tar preparations used for mineralised roofing, creosote oil, benzol, carbolineum and anthracene oil. The Rittmann process for the production of benzol and toluol from petroleum promised well, and when the Aetna Explosives Company, of New York, undertook to test the process on a substantial experimental scale, the United States Bureau of Mines (whose chemical engineer it was who first formulated the process) promised to withdraw from the contract it made with the company as soon as the process had developed from the experimental into the com- mercially possible stage. The Aetna Company were committed to the expenditure of £40,000 to develop the process. Now it transpires that the company have reported to the Bureau that such encouraging results have been obtained during the past few months of experimental develop- ment that the company feel justified in putting down a plant forthwith to operate on a manufacturing basis as a commercial undertaking. Germany seems to be getting anxious about the supply of oils, fats, and sulphuric acid, despite the perpetual reports of that country’s prodigious reserves and resources. It appears that a process of producing this acid from gypsum and kieserite, instead of pyrites, has been evolved, and though the plant is costly, it is to be wmrked under the aegis of the German Government. It is announced that the War Committee for oils and fats has entered into a contract with the Chemical Products Company to recover fat from dish water throughout the country. This company has only one installation working at present, and that is at Wilhelms- haven, where they operate the Bovermann system. In the matter of sulphuric acid, the German Government propose fixing a standard price, and the Imperial Treasury are to find £175,000 to provide the necessary plant. The trade with the Danes in nitrogenous fertilisers ds considerable, yet, strange to say, most of their gas works’ sulphate of ammonia used to be exported to Germany, and nitrate imported in its place. Anyway, 90 per cent, of the manure imports last year consisted of phosphatic and nitro- genous fertilisers. There has been a remarkable increase in the imports of synthetic nitrogenous products, such as cyanamide. There should be an opening for sulphate of ammonia sales now, against nitrate, if unit values count for anything. There has been more movement in tar products according to the export figures for the week, which are :—Pitch, 3,550 tons, 5 barrels, and £23. Tar, 23,228 gals., 3 barrels, 4 tons 6cwt., 5 packages, and £17. Tar oil, 1,000 gals., and 61 casks. The returns for sulphate of ammonia show a distinct improvement, and American ports figure for something approaching 1,000 tons. The total for the week was 7,758 tons.