180 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. January 28, 1916. THE LOUDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, January 27. The London coal market for the past week has shown very little change, except that the demand is not so strong. The best qualities of house coal are very little in demand, and the pit prices quoted .are prohibitive. The scarcity of all qualities is still very pronounced, and whilst the local markets and the export trade remains unfettered by the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act, the bulk of the available coal is kept in these areas rather than sent to London. Contract quantities have come forward with greater regularity, and the pressure for immediate supplies has been easier. Hard steam and small nuts are still in good demand, and factories along the Thames side report a considerable shortage of fuel. The barging stations are congested, and in many directions special permits have to be obtained before the railway companies will accept declarations for these prohibited stations. The reports from the various depots show that the men are working very much better than .at the earlier part of the month. Public orders lare not so pressing, and the order books are becoming more clear, so that the demand for labour is not so keen 'as formerly, and a good number of older men have offered for work, and found employment in the coal yards, with the result that the orders are being dealt with far more regularly and promptly. Freights continue unusually high. The Govern- ment are reported to have withdrawn for the time being the. prohibition on the export of coking coal, but the Admiralty are still pressing for prompt supplies of hard steam coal. Tyne best steams are unobtainable for immediate shipment, and 25s. to 27s. per ton f.o.b. is quoted for next month, second steams .are 23:s., Durham gas coals are 22s. 6d., and seconds 21s. Bunker coals are very scarce, and are selling at 22s. to 23s. for best, and 21s. seconds. The colder weather has strengthened the London market, but no Yorkshire railborne coals are offering, and very little Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire qualities are available. The cheaper qualities of house coal are selling firmly, but they are largely used to supplement the manufacturing qualities. Sharlston Wallsend was quoted again in the sea- borne market, and also a small cargo of Yorkshire slack. On Monday’s market 25 vessels were reported as entering the River Thames, and 10 for Wednesday’s market, but all were contract cargoes. Freights from the Humber to the Thames have been fixed .at 14s. 6d., but to many of the Mediterranean ports as much as 90s. per ton has been secured from both the Tyne and the Humber. The latest quotations for steam coal are South Yorkshire hards 17s. to 17s. 6d. per ton at pit; Derbyshire hards, 16s. 9d. to 17s. 6d. ; second quality, 15s. 6d. South Wales best Admiralties and also the best qualities of the second sorts are still claimed for the Government. Ordinaries 'are at 33s. to 35s. per ton f.o.b. ; patent fuel is quoted at 31s. to 34s. 6d. The demand for furnace coke is improving, and 31s. per ton has been quoted at the furnaces. The South Metropolitan Gas Company are reported to have settled their yearly contract for upwards of one million tons at about 15s. 6d. to 16s. for Durham gas coal, and .about Is. per ton more for a few of the superior sorts. From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Co.’s Report. Friday, January 21.—There were no Durham or York- shire seaborne house coals on offer at to-day’s market. Cargoes, 27. Monday, January 24.—There was a fair demand for sea- borne house coal at to-day’s market. A part cargo of second Yorkshire was on offer, and readily disposed of, but price was not mentioned.- Cargoes, 25. Wednesday, January 26. — Although the weather was somewhat colder, the seaborne house coal market was quiet to-day, with no cargoes on offer. Cargoes, 10. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, January 27. Dublin. There is nothing approaching briskness in the trade, busi- ness in house coal being only moderate for the season, and prices of all qualities remain unchanged. Merchants’ stocks leave a good deal to be desired, owing to the difficulty in getting supplies across, and there appears to be no immediate prospect of freights being any lower. City prices are as follow :—Best Orrell, 37s. per ton; Hulton Arley, 36s.; best Wigan, 35s.; best Whitehaven, 35s.; best kitchen, 33s.; Orrell slack, 29s.; all less Is. per ton discount for cash. House coal, retail, 2s. 4d. per sack. Welsh steam coal, from 36s. per ton; Scotch, 31s.; best coke, 36s. 6d. per ton delivered. Pit prices at Wolfhill Collieries, Queen’s County, are :—Best large coal, 30s. per ton; best household, 28s. 4d.; culm, all prices from 3s. 4d. per ton upwards. ’These coals are 5s. per ton extra f.o.r. Athy, the nearest railway con- nection. The coal vessels arriving during the past week amounted to 44, as compared with 45 the week previously, chiefly from Swansea, Garston, Preston, Point of Aire, Glasgow, Cardiff, Partington, Ayr, and Maryport.. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 20,000 tons, as against 18,250 tons the previous week. Belfast. The scarcity of supplies of all qualities continues to hamper the coal trade at this port, and the high freightage being- obtained helps to maintain prices at their present level. There has been no further change during the week, current quotations for household coal being as follow :—Best Arley, 38s. 6d. per ton; best Wigan, 37s. 6d.; Scotch household, 34s. 6d.; Orrell nuts, 37s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 34s. 6d. Prices of steam coals are still fluctuating, and coke varies consider- ably, approximate prices of the latter being 35s. per ton for gas coke, and 42s. to 45s. per ton for foundry coke. Coal- laden vessels arriving during the week were chiefly from Ayr, Preston, Garston, Troon, Ardrossan, Saundersfoot, Man- chester, Workington, Llanelly, and Partington. From January 1 to 15, the total number of colliers entering the harbour was 101. Stocks are still much below tjhe normal. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—The market is steady, though quiet, since there- is not much business passing. Carbolics and naphthas remain firm, and there is no change in pitch or tar. Nearest values are :— Benzols, 90’s ..................:.... 1/01—1/1 ,, 90’s North ................. /Ill—1/ „ 50’s „ 1/4 Toluol ................................. 2/3 Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.)... 3/5 ,, crystals (40 per cent.) 1/4 Solvent naphtha, south (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package... 2/3—2/4 Solvent naphtha, north (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package... 2/3—2/4 Crude naphtha, north (in bulk) ....... /6J—/7 Creosote (for ordinary qualities) .... /2f—/2| Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) ............ 15/6—16/6 ,, (f.a.s. west coast) ............ 15/—16/ Tar (per ton ex works) ............... 18/6—22/6 Rise ( + ) or fall (-) on the week. [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, and prices all round are fully maintained, although there have been rumours of decline in some quarters. In the face of the strong foreign enquiry for near at hand and also forward, such rumours can safely be disregarded for some weeks to come, unless this demand collapses prematurely. Closing prompt prices are :— London (ordinary makes) Beckton (25 per cent.) Liverpool £17/15 £17/5 £18 Rise (+) or fall (-) on the week, j Hull £17/15 £17/15 £18/5 £17/17/6 16/6 Middlesbrough - Scotch ports W ales 1 +2/6 Nitrate of soda (ord.) per cwt. [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 21 per cent, discount; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality; allozoance for refraction, nothing for excess.] Trade Notes. According to the official answer given by the Board of Agriculture as to the prospects of trials with, or the produc- tion of, bactcrised peat in Ireland, the questioner seems to have been justified in epitomising the reply as a confession that nothing whatever was being done on this great subject. It was emphatically stated by Mr. Acland that the price of sulphate of ammonia arranged for November and December last was the result of a special arrangement made in order to secure an increased use of nitrogenous fertilisers. Only a small percentage of the actual supplies retained at this speci- ally low price was taken up by farmers, and it is therefore not surprising, and, at the same time, reassuring, to find that the reply also embraced the equitable declaration that it “ would not be right to expect the same price to be fixed for the ordinary spring supplies.” This special price of £14 10s. must reasonably be expected to be increased by part, if not all, of the £3 per ton increased cost of production. It appears that the use of artificial fertilisers is on the increase in both Cuba and Cyprus, in the former chiefly for sugar cane and tobacco. Incidentally, it should be noted that sulphate of ammonia is one of the best nitrogenous fertilisers for both these crops. The Department of Agri- culture for Cyprus is doing useful propagandising work among growers as the outcome of the experimental plot results and village demonstrations which it has been carrying on, so that the ground is more or less prepared for the selling campaign. The returns for the week are :—Pitch, 253 tons, 30 barrels, and £142. Tar, 4,120 gals, and £116. Benzol, £3,082 to. Rouen; and £276 worth of solvent naphtha to the same port. Sulphate of ammonia figures were 5,345 tons, of which about 1,000 were for the United States, and over 2,700 tons for Spain. THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. Makers are very firm in their ideas of prices, and are not anxious to sell forward to any extent owing to the difficulty in obtaining supplies of raw materials. Some second-hand lots have been done during the week at comparatively low figures:—25s. I C 14 x 20, 50s. 3d. and 50s. ,6d. for 28 x 20, and so on, but makers are asking more money, viz.,:—Coke tins, I C 14 x 20 (112 sh. 1081b.), 25s. 6d. per box and upwards; I C 28 x 20 (56 sh. 1081b.), 26s.; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 1b.), 51s.; I C 14 x W (124 sh. 1101b.), 26s.; I C 14 x 19J (120 sh. 1101b.), 26s.; I C 20 x 10 (225 sh. 1561b.), 36s.; I C squares and odd sizes, 26s. basis and upwards, according to specification. Charcoals are in moderate demandat 28s. basis and upwards, according to tinning. Coke wasters are in steady request. Quota- tions :—C W 14 x 20, 24s. 6d. per box; C W 28 x 20, 49s. 3d.; C W 14 x 18f, 24s. 3d.; C W 20 x 10, ,33s.; C W 30 x 21, 56s., all f.o.b. Wales less 4 per cent. The Coal Supply Question.—A lecture on “ The Problem of the Coal Supply ” will be delivered by Mr. J. Burgess (coal buyer to the C.W.S.) before the Fabian Society at Essex Hall, Essex-street, Strand, this evening (Friday) at 8 p.m. The syllabus includes : Importance and influence of coal; distribution in relation to industry and markets; unique position of London as a market; comparative prices of recent date; suggested remedies (1) “ Leave to economic laws,” (2) “ co-ordinate present methods, arrange joint selling offices in colliery areas and also in local areas,” (3) Government take complete control for the nation. MINING AND OTHER NOTES. The Albert Medal of the Royal Society of Arts has been presented to Prof. Sir Joseph John Thomson, O.M., “ for his researches in chemistry and physics, and their applica- tion to the advancement of arts, manufactures, and commerce. ’ ’ The Government are of opinion that the following museums and galleries, amongst others, should be closed to the public :—The British Museum (except the reading room), the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, the Science Museum, South Kensington (except to students), the Geological Museum, Jermyn-street, the Bethnal Green Museum, the London Museum. It is hoped to effect a substantial economy by closing these institutions. The exact amount of the total saving cannot yet be stated, but it may be estimated at not less than £50,000 per annum. At a meeting of the Edinburgh and East of Scotland section of the Society of Chemical Industry last week, Mr. B. D. Porritt, B.Sc. (Lond.), read a paper “ On the Functions and Organisation of a Technical Laboratory.” The author remarked that the value of the chemist to the manufacturer was unquestionable, but it should not be emphasised to the exclusion of other factors equally essential for commercial success. We should not attribute our industrial shortcomings to neglect of research without realising that such neglect was only one manifestation of a lack of foresight, thoroughness, and organisation. While the institution of an efficient laboratory. would certainly make a good business better, the chemist unaided would seldom transform a failure into a successful enterprise. The British Vice-Consul at Gijon (Spain) reports that the output of coal in that district in 1914 appears to have increased to some extent over that of the previous year, and when the figures for the total quantity mined are published it will probably be found that approximately 2,600,000 tons were won.. The latest records published are those for the year 1912, which show that the total quantity mined in that year was 2,373,403 tons. Coal mining is the most important industry in the Gijon district. The shipment of coal for Mediterranean ports, Bilbao, and Santander forms the staple trade of the ports of Gijon-Musel, Aviles, and San Esteban de Pravia. The total quantity shipped at these ports in 1914 was as follows:—From Gijon-Musel, 592,908 tons; Aviles, 223,569 tons; and San Esteban de Pravia, 185,104 tons. In the course of a lecture at Maryport last week, on “ Coal, and Coal Tar Colours,” Mr. A. Heap, manager of the West Cumberland By-Products Company Limited, said it .would be a stupendous task for this country to wrest the aniline dye industry from Germany. The Germans had not only the knowledge, gained by years of patient research, but a vast army of trained chemists, foremen, and workmen. In German works 100 chemists were employed where wTe should llave two or three. They were paid lucrative salaries, and perhaps one-third engaged solely in research. In one works, 1,800 experiments were made to produce six success- ful compounds. But the six marketed paid liberally, for dividends of 20 per cent, and 20 per cent, to reserve fund were common before the war. One chemist spent a year solely in mixing two compounds to improve a process. To secure success for the industry in this country he favoured subsidies and the endowment of research. Once the British were successful in making the finer and dearer dyes success would follow success, and auxiliary trades would rapidly spring up. At a sitting of the London Bankruptcy Court held on the 18th inst., before Mr. Registrar Linklater, the application of Mr. Robert Rowell, formerly of Newcastle, colliery agent, and now described as of 127, Camberwell-grove, S.E., for the court’s approval to a composition scheme, was renewed. The Official Receiver has reported that the applicant had carried on business in Newcastle as a colliery agent, and had failed in the Newcastle Court in 1901. He subsequently continued business there till 1908, when he removed to London, and had since conducted a similar business. He had also been interested in the flotation of public companies, and failed last April by reason of his having contracted liabilities on behalf of a friend who was also concerned in the promotion of com- panies. Proofs of debt to the amount of £880 had been admitted by the Official Receiver, and the assets are valued by the debtor at £250, but he has offered to pay a cash com- position of 7s. 6d. in the £, together with the expenses, and has lodged £225 with the court on account of the £371 required to carry through the scheme. The debtor’s solicitor reported that the negotiations for the provision of the balance were still pending; and his Honour further adjourned the application till February 15. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture, in the House of Commons on Wednesday, said that the com- mittee set up to purchase and convert standing timber, and generally to make arrangements for the further utilisation of native timber resources, had now been at work for some weeks. The committee, he stated further, was actively engaged in producing pit wood, as well as other descriptions of timber. Answering Mr. Bryce, in the House of Commons on Wednesday, the President of the Board of Trade stated that the question whether it was desirable or practicable to intro- duce any arrangement for the common use of private wagons during the war was under consideration. He added that there were many very great difficulties an the way of such a scheme. The South Wales Institute of Engineers.—An ordinary general meeting of the institute was held at Cardiff yesterday, 27th inst. The president-elect, Mr. William Stewart, took the chair, and gave an inaugural address. The following papers were discussed :—“ Description of a Modern Regenera- tive Coke Oven Installation, with Notes on the Measurement of the Gas,” by P. N. Hambly; “ Notes on the Subject of Testing Portland Cement,” by W. A. Brown, A.A.S.C.E., “ Turbo Blowers and Compressors,” by H. L. Guy and Lieut. P. L. Jones, B.Sc. The council has decided to post- pone the annual dinner usually held at the close of the January meeting.