March 3, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 417 still for, except where bad weather interferes with shipping, collieries have practically nothing to offer for early ship- ment. The Northumberland collieries have not been much affected by these circumstances, however, and steams are still well-nigh unobtainable for prompt positions. The Durham market is very much upset, and, at the time of writing, coking and bunkers especially are plentiful and easy. Few buyers, however, are able to take advantage of the improved facilities for business, for tonnage is extremely scarce and licences are not coming forward in anything like satisfactory manner. The following changes in f.o.b. quotations for prompt shipment have occurred during the week :—Best steams, Blyths, 2s. 6d. advanced ; Tynes, 2s. 6d. dearer; seconds, Blyths, firmer; Tynes, stronger; smalls, Blyths, 6d. to Is. up; Tynes, 6d. to Is. more; gas bests, easier; seconds, weaker; unscreened bunkers, Durhams, 6d. to Is. reduced;'Northumbrians, easier; coking coal, Is. to 2s. lower; smalls, Is. 6d. decreased; and foundry, 6d. down. Other sorts of fuel are unaltered. There is very little movement in the forward market, but the tone is exceedingly firm for all varieties of coal, and collieries are not disposed to consider business except at full current prices. Steams particularly are likely to be very dear, and it is reported that one of the largest Northumbrian collieries is fully sold up to May. For that month, it is still willing to consider 35s. per ton. Generally speaking, buyers of Durham coal are holding off, owing to the highly uncertain position of the markets. Tenders have been sent in to the War Office for the supply of from 80,000 to 100,000 tons of best steams, for delivery over six months to Woolwich Arsenal and other named factories. The only other enquiry is that from the Norwegian Admiralty, which is in need of about 5,000 tons of steams for early loading. Tenders are being prepared. Several quantities of Tyne prime steam smalls are reported to have been disposed of for early shipment at 17s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. The closing of the harbours at Rouen and Dunkirk has checked business with North France, which district has been for many months one of the principal customers of the northern coalfield. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Steam coals :— 1 Current L’stweek’s iLast year’s prices. prices. 1 prices. Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ..;J 32/6-35/ 30/ -32/6 j 21/ Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) 35/ 32/6 21/ Secondary, Blyths ! 28/6-30/ 27/6-30/ 118/6-20/ Do. Tynes (Hastings! or West Hartleys) .J 30/ 28/ -30/ j 18/6-20/ Unscreened 25/ -26/ 25/ -26/ 14/ -15/ Small, Blyths 16/ -16/6 15/ -16/ 12/ -12/6 Do. Tynes ; 15/ -15/6 17/6-18/ 14/ -15/ 11/ -12/ Do. specials : 17/6-18/ 12/ Other sorts :— ! Smithies , Best gas coals (New! 25/ -26/ 25/ -26/ 13/ -13/6 Pelton or Holmside) I Secondary gas coals 25/6-26/ 26/ . 13/ -13/6 (Pelaw Main or similar)! 24/6-25/ 24/6-25/ 12/ -12/6 Special gas c ?als | Unscreened bunkers, ! 27/ 27/ 13/ -14/ Durhams j Do. do. | 23/ -26/6 24/ -27/ 12/3-13/6 Northumbrians,1 25/ -26/ 26/ 14/3-15/9 Coking coals ■ 23/ -24/ 25/ 12/6-13/6 Do. smalls , 22/6 24/ 11/6-12/6 House coals 1 Coke, foundry ! 32/6-35/ 32/6-35/ 16/ -17/ 40/ -42/ 40/ -42/6 19/6-20/ Do. blast-furnace | 40/ 40/ 17/ -18/6 Do. gas | 27/ -28/ 27/ -28/ 11/6-12/9 Sunderland. COAL. The exports from Sunderland last week amounted to 57,420 tons of coal and 90 tons of coke, as compared with 67,720 tons of coal and 980 tons of coke for the corre- sponding period of 1915, being a decrease of 10,300 tons of coal and 890 tons of coke. While the general situation in the coal trade remainss without much material change, there has been a little weakness in some classes of coal, owing to the delayed arrivals of shipping, which has made some of the collieries very short of prompt boats. • The closing of Rouen and Dunkirk to coal shipments, though only temporary, is also throwing a little coal on the market. Steam collieries are fairly well supplied with tonnage, hence those classes are as scarce as ever, but bunker coals are more plentiful for prompt, and can, in some cases, be bought at a reduction on late figures Gas and coking coals are just steady, the latter coal being still largely requisitioned by the Government. Tenders have been sent in to the War Office for the supply of about 80,000 tons of steam coals to be delivered at Woolwich and other stations over the next six months. The Norwegian Railway is reported to be in the market for about 5,000 tons of steam coal for early shipment, tenders for which will be submitted shortly. The outward freight market is inclined to ease. Recent fixtures include .-—London, 14s. 6d. Rouen, 34s. 6d.; Havre, 30s.; Caen, 33s.; Honfleur, 34s. 6d.; Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Current L’stweek’s Last year’s Gas coals:— prices. prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 27/6 27/6 13/ Secondary do. 25/ 25/ 12/3 House coals:— Best house coals 35/ 35/ 20/ -22/ Ordinary do 32/6 30/ 17/6-18/ Other sorts:— Lambton screened 34/ 32/6 20/ South Hetton do 34/ 32/6 20/ Lambton unscreened ... 25/ 25/ 26/ 12/6-12/9 South Hetton do 25/6 12/6-12/9 Do. treble nuts 26/6 28/ 14/ Coking coals unscreened 26/ 26/ 13/ Do. smalls 25/ 25/ 12/ Smithies 26/6-27/ 27/ 15.1 Peas and nuts 28/6 28/ 16/ -17/ Best bunkers 27/ 27/6 13/6 Ordinary bunkers 24/9-25/ 25/ 12/3 Coke:— Foundry coke 42/6 42/6 22/ -23/ Blast-furnace coke (did. Teesside furnaces) ... 1 28/ 30/ 21/ Gas coke | 27/ 26/6 13/ -13/6 Boulogne, 31s.; Bordeaux, 52s. 6d.; Rochefort, 50s.; Palma, 55s. ; Oran, 52s. 6d.; Marseilles, 80s.; Naples, 82s. 6d.; Genoa, 90s.; Savona, 90s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The fuel trade is steady and strong. Some prompt Durham turns are open owing to the delay in arrivals of chartered tonnage. Buyers, however, are unable to take advantage of the position, as boats offering on the freight market are scarce. Best Durham gas coal is 26s., and second kinds 24s., whilst special Wears are quoted 27s. Bunker coal is in good request, and ordinary Durhams are round about 25s. 6d., with bests at 27s. and specials at 29s. Durham steam coal is round about 32s. 6d. Coking coal is well taken up, and both smalls and unscreened are put at 25s. Coke keeps in good demand both for home consump- tion and for shipment. Local users continue to purchase at the fixed maximums for home consumption, viz., 28s. at the ovens for average blast-furnace kinds, and up to 30s. 6d. at the ovens for qualities low in phosphorus. To these prices have to be added 2s. to 2s. 6d. for conveyance from the ovens to the Teesside furnaces. Foundry coke for shipment runs from 40s. to 42s. 6d. f.o.b., and gas coke ranges from 28s. to 30s. IRON. The market is lifeless, and traders are very cautious in their dealings. Two blastfurnaces have recently been changed from the production of special irons on to the make of haematite. The number of furnaces now in opera- tion on the north-east coast is 61, of which 28 are running on Cleveland pig, 30 are making haematite, and 11 are manufacturing special kinds of iron. It is difficult to fix quotations of Cleveland pig for export. Makers are well sold, and are not disposed to commit themselves further. For export, second hands quote No. 3 g.m.b, round about 86s. f.o.b., No. 1 90s. and upward, No. 4 foundry 85s., and No. 4 forge 84s. For home consumption, the maximum quotation of 82s. 6d. rules for No. 3, No. 4 foundry, No. 4 forge, mottled and white. In the home trade the merchant, for the time being, is cut out, and makers declare that they have little or no iron for disposal. There is next to no business passing in east coast heema- tite pig. There is practically no iron for sale for supply before the third quarter of the year, and the general quotation' for forward delivery of Nos. 1, 2 and 3 stands at 140s. Some home business, however, is understood to have been put through at 138s. 6d. Though business in foreign ore is all but at a standstill, values show upward movement, due to rise in freights. Market rates have advanced to the basis of 42s. ex-ship Tees for rubio of 50 per cent, quality, and the freight Bilbao-Middlesbrough is now fully 25s. Imports of foreign ore to the Tees last month amounted to 98,352 tons. Producers of manufac- tured iron and steel are kept fully employed on Government work to the exclusion of ordinary commercial business. Prices are stationary. The following are among the principal market quotations.-—Common iron bars, <£13 10s. ; packing iron, <£9 10s.; iron ship plates, <£11 10s.; iron ship angles, £13 10s.; iron ship rivets, £15 10s.; steel ship plates, £11 10s.; steel ship angles, £11 2s. 6d.; steel strip, £13 10s.; steel hoops, £14; steel joists, £11 2s. 6d.; and heavy sections of steel rails, £10 17s. 6d.—rails net f.o.b.; steel shipbuilding material and joists net at works ; and other descriptions less 2| per cent. Cumberland; Mary port. COAL. The Cumberland coal trade continues in a very firm con- dition, and the demand, whether on home or coastwise account, is probably as strong as, if not stronger than, it has been during the last six months. All the collieries in the district are working full time, outputs are still fairly satisfactory, and practically the whole of the production is sent away to consumers as it is raised. . The needs of local consumers are so heavy that merchants have little or none to spare for outside users. Landsale continues to be very brisk, the severe weather of the last few days having supplied a further stimulus. There has been ho change in the position in regard to coal for gasworks, but locomotive fuels are active, and there is a strong and vigorous demand for all kinds of fuel for industrial purposes. There is a good all-round demand for Ireland, and although there is now more coal for disposal for shipping, some of the collieries have more business on hand than they can deal with. During the week coal has been shipped to 11 different ports in Ireland, the shipments from Maryport amounting to 5,350 tons, an increase of 1,795 tons compared with the previous week. The shipments for February amounted to 17,415 tons, compared with 17,510 tons for January and 17,030 for the corresponding period of last year. Coke is in strong demand, and all the plants in the county are working at full pressure. The whole of the production at the Cumberland ovens is being absorbed by local smelters. Prices of all sorts are very firm, but unchanged. At Mary- poot, St. Helens, Oughterside and Flimby best house coal delivered is quoted at from Is. 5^d. to Is. 6d. per cwt. At Workington, best Buckhill coal delivered is obtainable at Is. 4d. per cwTt.; with best double-screened washed nuts at Is. 3d. per cwt. Current quotations are as follow :— Current prices. L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. BestCumberl’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 pit 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 Cumberland coal, f.o.b. 19/6 19/6 17/6 Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... 17/6 17/6 15/6 Bunkers 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 15/ Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- 19/3 19/3 15/ works 18/3 18/3 . 14/ IRON. A very firm tone continues to prevail in the Cumberland haematite iron trade. All the industries are busily engaged, and every effort is being made to keep the output of both iron and steel as high as possible. The chief feature of interest this week is the fact that an increase of production has at last been decided upon, and one of the furnaces at the Solway Ironworks, Maryport, belonging to the Workington Iron and Steel Company, will be lighted at the end of this week. Preparations are also being made for the lighting of a second furnace at Maryport, but it will probably be six or seven weeks at the very least before they can be put into blast. There is a phenomenal demand for metal, and very keen competition from users in the Midlands, Scotland and South Wales for supplies of both ordinary and special iron. Local requirements have also increased enormously of late. The whole of the pro- duction of both ordinary and special low phosphorus iron is going into immediate consumpton. Prices' are still at the maximum fixed by the Government—viz., special iron, 140s. per ton f.o.t.; with Bessemer mixed numbers at 127s. 6d. per ton f.o.b., while warrants at cash are unchanged at 115s. per ton. Ferro-manganese is a very steady trade at £25 per ton. There are 25 furnaces blowing. The steel industry continues to be actively employed. Engineers are very busy. The iron ore trade is in a very prosperous con- dition. All the mines in the district are working full time, and satisfactory outputs are being obtained. The bulk of the metal raised is going to smelters in Cumberland and the Furness district, and about 2,000 tons is now going weekly to the east coast and Scotland. Cumberland ores are still obtainable at from 21s. to 38s. per ton. Foreign ores are quoted at about 37s. 6d. per ton delivered. South-West Lancashire. COAL. The colder weather of the last few days has had the effect of increasing the number of unfulfilled orders on the colliery books, and the difficulty in meeting consumers* demands. There is no lessened call for steam coal for forges and manufacturing purposes. With regard to shipping, coal continues scarce, and notwithstanding the restricted requirements for ordinary bunkering and export, prices tend still to harden, shipments on Admiralty account and inland demands for munition purposes being heavy. Lancashire steam coals may be said to rule from 22s. to 22s. 6d. f.o.b., and higher in special cases. Restricted quantities are the rule in the coastwise and cross-Channel trade, and the operation of making available supplies coincide with the tonnage obtainable is a difficult one. The position as regards slack does not alter. Much difficulty is still experienced in providing the required quantities. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). I Current prices. 20/9 23/ -24/ iY±eciiuni................] 19/ Do. (f.o.b. Gars ton, net) I 21/ -22/ Kitchen.................... 17/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston,net) Screened forge coal.... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack ............ Secondary slack ....... Common do.............. 20/6 17/6-18/ 22/ -22/6 15/6-16/ 14/6 14/ L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. 20/9 17/9 23/ -24/ 22/ 19/ 16/ 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/ 17/ 13/9 20/6 18/ 17/6-18/ ! 14/ -15/ 22/ -22/6 i 19/6-20/6 15/6-16/ 12/ 14/6 10/9 14/ 9/9 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a fair attendance of members on the Man- chester Coal Exchange on Tuesday, although really there is very little business to do, as practically there is no fuel to offer. All qualities are in brisk demand, and the require- ments are greater than the supply. The enquiry for shipping coal is maintained, but little coal is sold on open sale. Prices nominally are as below :— 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/ L’st weeks prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ Last year’s prices. 18/ -18/9 16/9-17/3 14/ -14/9 12/ 19/ -21/ 19/ -21/ 15/6-16/6 15/6upwdsl5/ upwdsj 10/6-11/ 14/ upwds.|14/ upwds.j 9/ -10/ IRON. The market remains very strong, with prices the same as reported last week. Enquiries are not quite so numerous as they have been recently, but all the works are very busy on accumulated orders. ----------------- Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There is little, if any, change in the position as reflected by the market on Tuesday. There was a large attendance —representative of all sections—but not much coal procur- able. The collieries had very little to offer. Their order books are full for all qualities, the exception to this being very rare, and deliveries generally are behindhand. There was consequently very little to relieve the pressure for supplies, which in the case of manufacturing fuel is very keen, while weather conditions have brought greater activity with regard to house coal. The weather has also increased transit difficulties, of which there are many complaints. Loaded trucks are often taking as long as 10 days to reach destinations south of London. Full time work at the pits was reported, but the supply of empty wagons is less plentiful. With regard to house coal for London and districts, merchants report a brisk state of affairs at the depots’ and great difficulty in getting adequate supplies from the collieries. In many cases the orders sent by factors and merchants have been refused, and some depots in the London district are reported to be quite without coal. The full prices under the Limitation Act are willingly paid