March 24, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 567 values on the week 10s. and upwards, the nominal price to-day being <£13 to £13 10s. Steel rails are strong and have further advanced to £11 to £12, according to sections. The demand for Welsh haematite continues good, whilst nominally values are to-day £7 10s. to £7 15s. Iron ore continues steady around 39s. for best rubio. Tin-plates are still in keen demand, with stocks showing further decreases. I C 20 x 14 have advanced to 31s., and I C 28 x 20 to 62s. 6d., both Siemens or Bessemer primes. Cardiff, COAL. Still further records have been created in the freight matket, and trading is becoming increasingly difficult. The Marseilles rate has advanced 15 fr. to 125 fr., and in the River Plate trade the last fixture reported was 75s., or a rise of 17s. 6d. on previous business.. In the Bay and coasting trades advances have taken place to almost every port, with the result that chartering has been of a very restricted character. The amount of tonnage taken up last week was only 93,570 tons, compared with 132,300 tons in the preceding six days, or a decrease of 38,730 tons, and the total falling off since the commencement of the year is now considerably over a million tons compared with the corresponding period of 1915. Shipments again showed a sharp decline, but this was due in great measure to the fact that the Bristol Channel ports were closed for several days so far as British and allied vessels were con- cerned. The total exports amounted to 263,561 tons, against 487,758 tons in the corresponding week of last year, or a decrease of 224,197 tons. From Cardiff alone the shipments were 119,581 tons, against 305,237 tons, or a falling-off of 185,656 tons ; from Newport 76,186 tons, or a decrease of 4,857 tons ; from Swansea 43,210 tons, or a shortage of 36,921 tons; and from Port Talbot 24,584 tons, or an increase of 21,347 tons, compared with last year. These figures, of course, do not include shipments on Admiralty account. Arrivals of tonnage have been rather heavier over the week end, and it is computed that the shipping in the docks at present is sufficient to meet all requirements for 10 days or a fortnight. The outlook for the future, however, is not hopeful, and the scarcity of ships is becoming greater as the Admiralty demands increase. A Government representa- tive has visited the various ports during the last few days with the object of speeding up the transport work. In certain instances, stocks are accumulating, and collieries are willing to make substantial concessions for prompt ship- ment in order to clear their wagons and keep the pits working. The general tendency of the market is rather firmer than it was a week ago, and advances have taken place in several directions. Ordinary second Admiralties are up to 31s. to 32s., and ordinary steams have also advanced to 30s. to 31s. This rise has had the effect of improving the market for Monmouthshire coals, and Black Veins are now quoted at 31s. 6d. to 32s., ordinary western valleys 30s. 6d. to 31s. 6d., and the best of the easterns 28s. to 29s. The small coal market is showing a better tone, which is probably due to the fact that the Government are again in the market for large quantities, presumably on French and Italian account. No specific totals are given, but certain firms have been invited to submit tenders for quantities varying from 10,000 to 30,000 tons. Best bunkers range from 17s. to 18s., ordinaries 15s. to 16s., and cargo qualities from 12s. to 14s. In bituminous coals the market is considerably easier, and the demand has moderated considerably. No. 3 Rhondda large is 28s. to 31s., No. 2 26s. to 27s., and other grades in proportion. The recent order of the Government restricting the export of patent fuel to neutral countries except under licence the same as coal, is expected to have a material influence on the trade in the future. At present, nearly all the manufactories are booked up for months ahead, and very little free fuel is available for the ordinary commercial consumer. Prices are very firm, best brands being 35s. to 37s. 6d., and second grades about 2s. less. Pitwood has been rather more plentiful, and is down to about 46s. to 47s. per ton. The following table, extracted from the official statistical returns of the Londom Custom House, shows the quantity of coal exported from the Bristol Channel to the principal Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam coals Superior seconds I Current prices. 1 ! * ! 31/ -32/ 30/ -31/ 17/ -18/ 15/ -16/ 12/ -14/ 9/ -11/ 32/ -33/ 29/ -31/ 28/ -30/ ' 25/ -27/ 27/ -28/ 24/6-25 6 14/ -15/6 31/6-32/ 30/ -31/ 28/ -29/ ( 27/ -28/ 247 22/ -23/ 28/ -31/ 26/ -27./ 24/ -25/ 26/ -27/ 21/ -22/ 15/ -16/ 35/ -37/6 32/ -33/ 55/ -57/6 50/ -52/6 42/6-45/ | 46/ -47/ L’st week’s prices. * 30/ -31/ 29/ -30/ 16/ -17/ , 15/ -16/ | 12/6-14'6 1 9/ -12/ j 33/ -34/ , 30/ -32/6 28/ -30/ 25/ -27/ 27/ -28/ 24/6-25/6 14/ -15/6 30/ -31/ 29/6-30/ 28/6-29/ 27/ -28/ 23/ -24/ 22/6-23/ 33/ -34/ 27/ -28/ 24/ -25/ 25/6-26/ 21/ -22/ 15/ -16/ 35/ -37/6 33/ -34/ 50/ -55/ 47/6-50/ 46/ -47/ 46/ -47/ l-r’ ' ) , (Last year s ) prices. ! 35/ i 32/ -33/ 30/ -31/ ! 21/ -21/6 ' 20/ : 16/9-17/6 1 16/ —16/6 ! 33/- -34/ 30/ -32/ 23/ 21/6 22/ 20/6 19/ -20/ 31/9-32/3 31/3 30/3 28/ -28/6 30/ 29/* 30/ 27/6 25/ 27/ -28/ 24/ -25/ 20/ 35/ 32/ -33/ 40/ -44/ 35/ -38/ 28/ -32/ 40/ -41/ Seconds Ordinary do. Best bunker smalls Best ordinaries Cargo qualities Inferior smalls Best dry coals Ordinary drys Best washed nuts ....... Seconds Best washed peas Seconds Dock screenings Monmouthshire— Black Veins Western-valleys Eastern-valleys Inferior do Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) Second qualities (at pit) No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large Through-and-through Small No. 2 Rhondda— Large Through-and-through Small Best patent fuel Seconds Special foundry, coke Ordinary do. Furnace coke ! Pitwood (ex-ship) * Nominal. foreign countries of the world and British possessions during the first two months of this year, and the increase or decrease respectively compared with the corresponding period of 1915 :— Two months. 1916. Tons. Increase. Tons. Decrease. Tons. Sweden 241,660 ... — . 258,579 Norway 329,704 ... . 66,333 Denmark 390,625 ... • . 56,502 Netherlands 205,964 ... .— . 62,648 France 2,674,965 ... 30,927 .. — Algeria 153,018 ... — . 23,636 French W. Africa ... 22,260 ... 4,297 .. ‘ — „ Somaliland... 6,241 ... — 445 Portugal 170,029 ... 8,952 .. — Azores 1,377 ... — . 4,070 Madeira 7,037 ... — 8,535 Portuguese W. Africa 37,626 ... . 3,281 Spain 29,764 ... 50,800 — Canary Islands 121,861 ... — . 14,830 Italy 894,688 ... — . 150,341 Greece 19,426 ... .— . 44,618 Tunis 12,313 ... — 3,221 United States 159 ... .— 5,216 Chile 829 8,460 Brazil 62,583 ... — . 50^305 Uruguay 49,609 ... — 35,696 Argentine Republic.. 262,817 ... — 106,487 Channel Islands 19,105 ... 2,004 ... — Gibraltar 86,226 ... 15,938 ... — Malta and Gozo 16 093 ... — 6,576 Egypt 121,140 ... — . 144,582 Sierra Leone 24 ... — 6,919 Nigeria 1,996 ... *3,066 Anglo - Egyptian Sudan — — 5,008 Aden and Dependen- cies 5,336 ... ' — 16,759 British India 8,523 ... 767 Ceylon and Depen- dencies 12,856 ... 2,770 Falkland Islands ... 5,021 ... — 1,970 IRON. Record prices are still being obtained in the tin-plate trade, but the industry is anything but satisfactory, and outputs are gradually becoming smaller in consequence of the number of men who are joining the Army. New orders are few and far between, and there is a general opinion that new business will only be placed in order to meet pressing needs. Shipments last week amounted to 85,057 boxes, compared with 54,441 boxes in the corresponding week of last year, whilst receipts from works amounted to 95,079 boxes, leaving 299,036 boxes in stock in the docks warehouses and vans. Bessemer standard cokes are now 30s. 3d. to 31s. per box, and oil sizes 30s. 6d. to 31s., and 43s. 6d. to 44s. respectively. The galvanised sheet trade has undergone no change, and 24-gauge corrugateds are still £28 per ton. Spelter has advanced £7 per ton during the week, and is now quoted at £92. Welsh steel bars are difficult to obtain, and makers are demanding and receiving £13 per ton without demur. Welsh haematite is only nominally quoted, and practically the whole of the output is absorbed by the Government for munition purposes. Scrap metals are still dear, but quotations remain unaltered. Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port last week showed some little improvement, compared with the preceding period. The coal trade, due to shortage of tonnage, continued very inactive, but there was a large export of patent fuel. The shipments together amounted to 76,267 tons. There was a good attendance on ’Change, but the undertone of the anthracite coal market was not improved, and for immediate delivery sellers were asking low figures. All classes of large were easy, whilst of the machine-made varieties peas alone were strongly held. Rubbly culm and duff main- tained their strong position. There was a steady tone in evidence in the steam coal market, and with a better supply of ready tonnage there was an active enquiry. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Current L’st week’s Last year’s Anthracite:— Best malting large prices. prices. prices. (hand picked) 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 22/6-24 6 Secondary do. 18/ -20/ : 20/ -21/ 20,6-21/6 Big Vein large 16/ -17/ 16,6-19 6 , 16/6-18/6 I 18/ —20/ ’17/9-18/6 Red Vein large 17/6-19/ Machine - made cobbles 27/ -28,6 | 30/ -32/6 26/ -30/ Paris nuts — — — French do 1 2s/ -30/ ( 32/ -33/ . 28/6-30/ * Stove do 27/ -28/ 80/ -32/ 26/ -29/ Beans Machine - made large 28/6-31/ 30/6-32/ 1 21/ -23/ peas 21/ -22/ 21/ -22/ , 13/6-14/6 Do. fine peas — i — Rubbly culm 8/9- 9,6 , 8/9- 9/6 11/6-12/6 ; 3,9- 4/ ' 3/6- 4/6 Duff Steam coals:— 4/ - 4/6 . 1 Best large 31/6-35/ j ; 31/6-35/ ! 27/ -30/ Seconds 26/6-28/ ) 28/ -31/ 23/6-24/6 Bunkers 21/6-25/6 j 21/ —23/6 22/6-24,6 Small Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— 13/6-16/ 13/6-16/ 15/6-18/6 Large 31/ -35/ ? 31/ -35/ : 21/6-30/ Thro’-and-thro’ — Small 19/ -22/ ; 19/ -22/ j 19/6-22/6 Patent fuel 32/ -34/6 32/ -34;6 25/ -27/6 * Previous to the war these were described as German nuts. IRON. During the past week favourable conditions prevailed in the iron and steel trades in the district. There was con- tinuous pressure at the blast furnaces, and the steel works were briskly engaged. The tin-plate works were well employed, whilst the tube works were fully operating. Excellent work was done at the iron and brass foundries, and also at the engineering and fitting shops. The ship- ments of tin-plates were 85,057 boxes, receipts from works 95,079 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and vans 299,036 boxes. Llanelly. COAL. The quiet conditions which have been noticeable in the anthracite section of the local coal market still prevail, and the position of sellers of many of these coals is not at all an enviable one. With freights still advancing, the prospects of better shipments being made in these coals are still further remote, and until some big change takes place in the enormous carrying charges new being asked, very small quantities of these coals will be consumed on the Continent. All the large kinds, as well as nuts and cobbles, are hard to dispose of, and stocks are accumulating’ to a rather large extent. For beans, however, many collieries are well placed with orders, and to expedite delivery some buyers are sending in their own wagons. When-this is done, better despatch can be given. Peas are maintaining their strong position, whilst rubbly culm and duff are being sold at good prices. In the steam and bituminous section the position is very satisfactory, and pits are working full time. Large steam is very difficult to secure, whilst bunker and cargo throughs are in a firm position. Manufacturing fuels, too, are quickly bought up, and many of the works have all their work cut out to get collieries to send on sufficient supplies to keep them going. This week’s quotations approximately are:— Prices f.o.b. Anthracite:— Current prices. L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. Best malting large 21/ -24/ 21/ -24/ 21/6-23/ Secondary do. 19/ -21/ 19/ —21/ 18/ -19 6 Big Vein large 15/6-16/6 16/6-17/6 : 17/ -18/6 Red Vein do 16/6-18/ 16/6-18/ 17/ -17/6 Machine-made cobbles... 27/ -28/ ^7/ -29/ 28/6-29,6 German nuts 27/ -28/ 27/ -28/ 29/ —31/ French do 28/ -29/ 28/6-29/6 30/ -34/ Paris do 27/ -28/6 27/ -28/6 30/ —32/ Machine-made beans ... 28/ -30/ 28/ -30/ 21/ -22/6 Do. peas...... 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 13/ -14/ Culm 9/ - 9/6 9/ -9/6 11/- 13/ Duff 4/ - 4/6 3/6— 4/6 4/ - 5/ Other sorts:— ! 1 Large steam coal 30/ -32/ 32/6-34/6 26/ -28/ Through-and-thtough... 21/6-23/6 21/6-23/6 23/ -25/ Small 14/ -16/ j 14/ -16/ 13/6-17/6 Bituminous small coal... 20/ -22/ ! 20/ -22/ 19/ -21/ THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, March 23. The London coal trade for the past week has to a certain extent recover’d from the absolute stoppage of the previous week, and traffic has come forward in rather better supplies now that the lines are clear of snow. The collieries, however, still refuse to book any orders, and the trade is largely in the hands of factors and wholesale merchants. The ordinary winter’s trade and winter prices will close with the end of March, but as the orders on hand stand at the present time there is very little prospect of many of them being dealt with until very far into the summer months and the warmer weather sets in, so that the pressure for coal is modified. The hope at the present moment is centred upon the relief many of the household collieries will feel as the summer advances and the demand lessens. Merchants generally are looking forward to being able to replenish their stocks during the quiet months of the summer, so that the demand is not likely to decrease overmuch. The milder weather of the present week has considerably eased the situation, but the scarcity of fuel both in the seaborne and in the inland market is still very pronounced. Throughout the week the buyers have been far more numerous than the sellers, and tire scarcity of fuel has been causing a considerable amount of anxiety. Orders are 'far beyond the power of the merchants to fulfil, and with the pronounced scarcity of both seaborne and inland qualities, there seems very little hope of overtaking the demand for some considerable time. The rough weather has greatly impeded the arrivals from the Humber and the Tyne, and the congestion on the railway system has also had a telling effect upon all inland tonnages. Considerable discussion has lately taken place as to what is called the coal famine, and the real cause of the scarcity in London. A large number of the merchants lay the blame principally upon the coal porters and carmen, because of the absolute'refusal to deliver when the streets were slippery or the weather bad. The coal porters deny that they have restricted deliveries, but maintain that in the poorer districts, where trolley loads have to be sent round, and small quanti- ties of coal delivered from door to door, only one trolley load per day has been sent out,'and the rest of the day is devoted to delivering coals to rich people in bulk. The main argu- ment, however, falls to the ground when it is realised that the large houses and hospitals where the coal has to be delivered in bulk have felt the shortage most. Attention has been specially drawn during the week in the House of Commons to the question of coal prices in London, and the President of the Board of Trade has stated that, his attention has been drawn to the hawkers’ prices for small quantities delivered being as high as 2s. 3cl. per cwt. The matter has been dealt with by the London Merchants’ Retail Coal Prices Committee, and the principal merchants have agreed to with- hold supplies from dealers who are charging more than the recognised prices. The freight market continues high. Chartering is very slow; tonnage is scarce; 15s. has been fixed from Hull to London, and as much as £5 from Hull to Genoa, and £5 5s. from Hull to Alexandria. Twenty-six contract cargoes arrived in the River Thames for Monday’s market, and 11 for Wednesday. Tyne prices are variable, but, on the whole, slightly easier this week. Gais coals are quoted at 25s. to 26s. per ton f.o.b.; seconds at 24s. Bunkers at 25s. best, and 23s. 6d. ordinary. Best Blyth steam hards have reached as high as 35s. per ton f.o.b., and seconds are selling at 33s. The South Wales market is very firm, and prices are reported Is. to 2s. per ton higher than last week. Prompt loading, however, is an essential item. From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Co.’s Report. Friday, March. 17.—The seaborne house coal market was a little easier to-day. through a slight change in the weather, but no sales reported. Cargoes, 12. Monday, March 20.—There was no alteration in the sea- borne house coal market to-day, which remained steady, with no Durham or Yorkshire cargoes on offer. Cargoes, 26. F Wednesday, March 22.—The weather, being colder, gave a little better tone in the seaborne house coal market to-day, but no sales reported. Cargoes, 11.