614 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. March 31, 1916. leaving the collieries for the Admiralty and for general bunkering purposes. The price of Derbyshire top hards for export is firm at 26s. 6d. per ton delivered at Grimsby, but there is very little business passing. Fewer licences are granted for the shipment of coal from Derbyshire than from any other district. The coke market maintains a strong tone. Prices at pit. Best house coals Secondary do Current prices. 17/ 16/6 L’st week’s prices. 17/ 16/6 Last year’s prices. 18/ 17/ 1 1 Cobbles 16/ 16/ 16/6 Nuts 15/ 15/ 16/ Slack 12/6 12/6 12/6 IRON. An active condition of things prevails in every depart- ment of the iron trade, work being plentiful all round. ---------------— Current L’st week’s? Last year’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase) :— prices. prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 22/ . 22/ 20/ Do. seconds deep 20/ 20/ 19/ Do. best shallow 19/ 19/ 18/6 Do. seconds do. 18/ 18/6 18/ 17/6 Best hard 18/6 16/6 Forge coal ...A 16/ 11/6 16/ 14/ Slack Warwickshire:— . 11/6 10/ House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 19/ 19/ 19/6 cobs 18/ 18/ 17/6 Best hard spires 20/ 20/ 18/ Forge (steam) 16/ 16/ 13/6 14/6 D.S. nuts (steam) 14/6 14/6 Small (do.) 14/6 14/6 11/6 less than average limits, while there remain steamers in dock requiring further large supplies, but while chartering has been free there is a great deal of uncertainty as to when steamers will arrive here to load, the present disorganisation of means of business communication being greater than ever before experienced. There is too much restriction of output, also owing to the storm, the mineral train service being wholly stopped for a time, and it is impro- bable that ordinary conditions will be regained for at least another week. With business in this unsettled state all round, quotations have been more or less nominal, it being extremely difficult to get hold of any free coal for immediate shipment. Up to 40s. has been talked about for best Black Veins, but it is doubtful whether coal has changed hands in any quantity on such a basis. Small and all other grades are similarly strong, while the difficulty of obtaining supplies of house coals is as great as ever. Pit wood maintains recently-quoted values of 46s. to 47s. for good wood of any description. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Nottingham. COAL. Although the pressure, more particularly in the domestic fuel section, is not so pronounced as last week, still the demand in general exceeds the output, and it is not antici- pated that the position will be very materially improved until warmer weather prevails. Local merchants, during the past week, have not experienced a rush of orders, but there is an active demand by the public, and customers’ requirements cannot be fully met, as merchants are dependent upon the limited daily supplies from the collieries. Every class of house coal is eagerly purchased, and supplies to dealers at the landsale depots are on a limited scale. No general increase in prices has taken place, but at some collieries the lists have been somewhat revised. The steam coal section remains in a strong position, with supplies being practically confined to the daily output, and preference given to firms engaged in war work, the fuel obtainable outside contracts is compara- tively small. All kinds of steams meet with a ready sale, some collieries in the present state of affairs being unable to accept new orders for immediate delivery. Slacks are in as brisk request as ever, and here again the output is inadequate. Buyers are anxious to accept almost any quality to tide over present difficulties. Prices at pithead. Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. The shortage of household supplies continues to be acutely felt, and the collieries in this coal field are hard pressed to cope with a most difficult position. There are a large number of arrear orders on the books, and these are being added to by every post. Outputs are much reduced through various causes, and the situation is not likely to become more favourable until the warmer weather eases the call for house coals. All steam qualities are extremely scarce; the demands from munition works and other concerns engaged on war productions are heavy, and collieries are having to apportion these supplies from their lessened output. Prices at pithead. 1 House coals:— Block ! Forest Rubble Nuts Rough slack Steam coal:— Large Small Current prices. 21/6 20/6 20/9 19/ 11/6 18/ -19/ 13/6-14/ L’st week’s1 prices. 21/6 20/6 1 20/9 19/ 11/6 18/ -19/ 13/6-14/ Last year’ prices. 21/6 20/6 20/9 19/ 12/6 20/ 13/ -14/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. Hand-picked brights ..... Good house coals......... Secondary do............ Best hard coals......... Secondary do............. Slacks (best hards)...... Do. (second) .......... Do. (soft)............. Current prices. 18/ -19/ 16/6-17/6 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 11/9-13/ 10/6-11/ L’st week’s prices. 17/6-19/ 16/6-17/ 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 11/9-12/6 I 10/6-11/ i n/ Last year’s prices. 19/6-21/ 17/6-18/6 15/ -17/ 17/6-20/ 16/6-17/ 11/ -12/6 9/6-10/6 9/ -10/ Leicestershire. COAL. Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report that rail supplies of coal have been considerably restricted during the past week or two, due chiefly to the weather conditions. Stocks are by no means held anywhere, with few exceptions. Some of the larger importing firms who have their own steamers have held fairly good stocks, and have thus been enabled to supply their less fortunate neighbours. A few contracts for the ensuing six months have been entered into by west country merchants. Sailing ships are more plentifully offered, about Ils. 6d. being the freight quoted from the west coast to south coast ports. Steam coals: — Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’y Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary do. Best small coals ..... Secondary do.......... Inferior do........... Screenings ........... Through coals ........ Best washed nuts..... Other sorts:— Best house coal...... Secondary do......... Patent fuel ......... Furnace coke......... Foundry coke ........ Current prices. 38/ -40/ 37/ -37/6 35/ -37/ 33/ -35/ 19/ -20/ 17/6-18/ 14/ —16/ 19/ -20/ 24/ -25/ 28/ -29/ L’st week’s prices. 32/6-33/ 31/6-32/ I 30/6-31/6 | 29/6-30/ i 16/ -16/6 i 15/ -15/6 11/6-13/ 16/6 22/ -22/6 27/ -28/ Last year’s prices. 32/ -35/ 31/ -32/ 30/ -31/ 29/6-30/ I 18/6-19/6 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/6 19/ -19/6 23/ -24/ 23/ -25/ i 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 36/ -37/6 42/6-45/ 32/6-35/ ' 23/ -24/ ! 22/ -23/ 36/ -37/6 40/ -42/6 I 49/ -50/ 27/ -29/ 25/ -27/ 30/ -33/ 30/ -31/ 34/ -35/ Owing to the blizzard, all the collieries in this district have been standing idle since Monday night. The railway trucks were 10 to 12 feet under snow drifts, rendering traffic quite impossible. The country roads, too, were impassable for the miners, and with an absence of wagons and men there was no alternative to closing the pits. Coal merchants are having a very sorry time, and in a number of cases they even swept up their yards to get some small slack to satisfy the pleadings of poor people, nothing else being available. As soon as the pits reopen the whole of the output will be required for consumers who are under Government control. In the midst of all this great strain and scarcity, arrange- ments have been made for the reduced summer prices to come into operation automatically on April 1, the reductions being generally from 6d. to Is. per ton. The following are the prices, subject to special modifications, now in force generally at the collieries in this district:— Prices at pit. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, March 30. Best household coal ...... Second, hand picked ... . Deep screened cobbles ... Deep large nuts ......... Bakers’ nuts............ Small nuts............... Deep breeze ...........’.. Peas ................... Small dust .............. Main nuts for London kitcheners............... Steams, best hand picked Steams, seconds ......... Main cobbles for kitcheners Main breeze............. Current prices. 16/6-18/ 15/6-16/6 14/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-14/ 12/ -13/ 13/ —13/6 11/ -12/ 5/ - 6/ 13/9-14/9 14/ -15/ 12/ -13/ 13/9-14/9 12/6—13/6 L’st week’s prices. 16/6—18/ 15/6-16/6 14/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-14/ 12/ -13/ 13/ —13/6 11/ -12/ 5/ - 6/ Last year’s prices. 18/6-19/6 17/6-18/6 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/6 14/ -14/6 13/6-14/6 11/9-12/9 3/ - 3/6 13/9-14/9 15/9-16/9 14/ -15/ 15/ -16/ 12/ -13/ 14/ -15/ 13/9-14/9 15/9-16/9 12/6-13/6 13/ -14/ North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. The general condition of the coal business remains unaltered, and there is a ready sale for all classes of coal raised in the locality. In fact, the demand is far greater than the available supply. The house coal trade is steady, but there is not quite such a great demand as existed a week or two ago. The railway companies, as usual, are pressing for delivery of large quantities of steam coal on account of existing contracts, and the same applies to steam coal for use at works engaged on Government work. There is a keener demand for coal for shipment, and a fair tonnage has been sent down to the Mersey ports, though this trade has to be subservient to the demand for Government work. Gas coal supplies have been fairly well maintained, and buyers appear now to be anxious to settle new contracts, as there seems to be some idea that the longer they are left the more they are likely to have to pay for the coal required. Liverpool Gas Company are now asking for tenders. Nuts and slack are still scarce and are likely to be with the present decreased output, and the tonnage of nuts available for gas coal trade will be very much less this year than formerly. Prices are well maintained for all grades of fuel. The following is the current list of prices :— Prices at pit. South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. This has been one of the worst weeks, on record for the coal trade. Work at the pits was stopped in many districts on Tuesday, and very little was done on Weddesday. Merchants reported on Thursday that they had received no supplies since Monday. Important works were held up for hours at a time, and are still in a precarious condition. The heavy demand by munition works and engineering concerns absorbs the production of fuel suitable for their purposes, and there is nothing offering on the market. There has also been a rush from the public which cannot be met, and there is a prospect of a famine for the week-end. People are glad to get any class of coal to satisfy their needs. The following are the basis prices at the pits : — Prices at pit f.o.r.:— Best house coal ........ Secondary do......... Steam coal............ Gas coal.........*.... Bunkers............... Nuts ................. Slack ................ Gas coke (at works)... Prices landsale:— Best house coal ........ Seconds .............. Slack ................ Current prices. 21/ -22/ 20/ -21/ 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/6 10/ —11/6 21/8-25/ 25/ -27/6 22/6-25/ 15/ —16/8 L’st week’s |Last year’s prices. I prices. 21/ -22/ J 18/ -20/ 20/ -22/ j 17/ -18/ 18/ -19/ ! 15/ -16/6 18/ -19/ i 16/ -17/6 17/6-18/6 i 15/ -15/9 17/6-18/6 ; 12/ -14/ 10/ —11/6 i 7/6- 9/6 21/8-23/4 11/8-16/8 25/ -27/6 i 23/4-26/8 22/6-25/ | 20/ -22/6 15/ -16/8 10/10-13/4 Nlonmouthshire, South Wales, &c. Newport. COAL. Since last week there have been considerable changes in the steam coal trade, values of all grades of coal being very much higher to-day, while supplies are difficult to arrange. Tonnage in reasonable plenty has worked down stocks to IRON. All departments of the local iron and steel trades remain firm, although there is not a great deal of fresh business passing. There have been further advances during the week, with a trend towards still higher values. At tinplate bar mills work continues good, but makers are not inclined to further commit themselves. Latest nominal prices are at =£13 to =£13 10s., for either Siemens or Bessemer Welsh bars. Steel rails continue a good market at =£11 to <£12, according to section. While there is little fresh business passing in Welsh haematite, the demand continues brisk, latest nominal values ruling £7 10s. to =£7 15s. delivered locally. Iron ore values are steady around 39s. for best rubio, c.i.f. Newport. Continued activity prevails in the tin-plate market, values again advancing slightly on the week. Last quotations read 31s. 6d. for I C 20 x 14 and 63s. 6d. for 28 x 20, either Bessemer or Siemens primes, with other grades and sizes pro rata. Cardiff. COAL. The past week has been a memorable one in the history of the coal trade of Cardiff. The gale which was experienced on Monday night was the most severe that has been known during the last half-century, and the havoc created has been such that the damage will not be repaired for many months. There is no communication between the collieries and Cardiff, where the commercial business is transacted. Traffic was held up in all directions, and it was impossible in many cases even to obtain communication by motor car, owing to the fallen trees, and the telegraph poles and wires which had fallen on the main roads between Cardiff and the Rhondda valleys. Many collieries were stopped; in some instances owing to the workmen’s trains being suspended, but in others due to the fact that the old staff system had to be resorted to in consequence of the usual signalling apparatus being down. The circumstances have been depressing in the extreme, but the market has been little affected. Fortunately the tonnage in the docks was sufficient for some days’ work, and, as far as possible, loading has gone on uninterruptedly, notwithstanding the adverse circumstances which have prevailed. Another hindrance has been the embargo on shipping imposed by the Admiralty. Since Friday last no vessels have been allowed to proceed on their voyages, and it is calculated that at the time of writing no fewer than 90 steamers are held up in Barry Roads awaiting orders to sail for their various destinations. These factors have naturally had an unsettling effect on the market. Prices have been irregular, but the general tendency has been firm, and prices are considerably higher than they were a week ago. There is a very large demand from all parts of the world, and the only difficulty is in the matter of shipment. Freights have not been maintained at their highest level, and there has been a tendency towards easiness in conse- quence of the difficulty of arranging prompt supplies. Most of the accumulations of a couple of weeks ago have been worked off, and the tone for present and forward shipments is distinctly better than it was at the beginning of the month. Best Admiralty coals are still monopolised by the Government, and other qualities are coming forward only in limited quantities. Ordinary second Admiralties command 36s. to 38s., although 40s. is talked about in some quarters. Ordinary steams are 35s. to 36s. There has been a corresponding rise in the value of Monmouthshires, which are 36s. to 37s. for best Black Veins, 35s. to 36s. for western-valleys, and 33s. to 34s. for the best easterns, in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. The recent orders of the Government for between 200,000 and 300,000 tons of small steams for the French and Italian Railways has had the effect of considerably stiffening the market, and prices are materially higher than they were a week ago. Best bunkers are 19s. to 20s., ordinary 17s. 6d. to 18s. 6d., and cargo qualities 14s. to 16s. In bituminous coals there has also been a corresponding rise, and No. 3 Rhondda large is 33s. to 35s., and No. 2 30s. to 32s , with other grades in proportion. Patent fuel is firm at 35s. to 40s., and even at the latter price best grades are at present unobtainable. Coke is going higher and higher, and there seems to be no limit either to the demand or the price at which it can be supplied. Special foundry cokes are 60s. to 65s., ordinary 55s. to 60s , and furnace 42s. 6d. to 47s. 6d. per ton. Pitwood remains stationary at 46s. to 47s. per ton. Shipments last week amounted to 374,353 tons, compared