662 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 7, 1916. There still continues to be a good tonnage of large soft coal, which is taken as an alternative for small manufacturing fuel by many industries which are not engaged on war productions. Even to secure this requires a good deal of perseverance apart altogether from the fact that a higher- priced fuel has yet to be used in substitution of a cheaper grade. The demand from the iron smelting districts continues to be very active, and there are reports that the full needs of some districts are not yet supplied. The arrangement that an advance of Is. per ton should come into force in the event of a further 5 per cent, increase on miners’ wages, is in full application, and the increased values are being readily paid. Prices at pithead. 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/ 11/ L’stweek’s prices. 18/ -19/ 16/6-17/6 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 11/9-13/ 10/6-11/ Last year's prices. 19/6-21/ 17/6-18/6 15/ -17/ 17/6-20/ 16/6-17/ 11/6-12/6 9/6-10/6 9/ -10/ Prices at pit. House coals:— Current L’stweek’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstono 20/ -22/ 18/6 20/ -22/ 20/ -21/ Best Barnsley softs 18/6 19/ -20/ Secondary do. 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 17/ -18/ Best house nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Secondary do 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ 15/ -15/6 Steam coals:— Best hard coals...... 17/6-18/ 17/6-18/ 23/ -24/ Secondary do 16/6-17/ 16/6-17/ 21/ -22/ Best washed nuts 16/3—16/6 16/3-16/6 18/6-20/ Secondary do 15/9-16/3 15/9-16/3 17/ -18/ Best slack 12/6-13/ • 12/6-13/ 12/ -13/6 Secondary do 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ Gas coals:— Screened gas coals 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ Unscreened do. 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ 14/ -15/ Gas nuts 16/ 16/ 15/ -16/ Furnace coke . 25/ 24/ 20/ -23/ Hull. COAL. Business continues very much on the same lines as in recent weeks, the prompt market being quiet, with only limited buying for export. Next to the scarcity of coal the principal factors are the high prices, maintained under the influence of the enormous home demand, and the prohibi- tive freight rates. Yorkshire coal is much wanted in this country, so much so that exporters have been advised, in applying for licences, to arrange for shipments of coal from other centres where the Government demand is not so urgent. Very little large steam coal is offering, and most other kinds are very difficult to obtain delivery of. Values are therefore well maintained, and in some instances slightly higher. Prices of manufacturing fuel are, however, largely nominal. Approximate quotations for prompt or nearly prompt shipment f.o.b. are:—Best South Yorkshire hards, 28s. 6d. to 29s.; washed trebles, 21s. to 22s. ; washed doubles, 22s. to 23s.; washed singles, 22s. 6d. to 23s.; washed small coal, 19s. to 20s.; rough slack, 18s.; West Yorkshire Hartleys, 24s. 6d. to 25s.; gas and house coals (screened), 25s. to 26s. 6d. No Derbyshire steams are offering, and are purely nominal at 26s. to 27s. at Grimsby or Immingham. Freight rates are still very high owing to shortage of shipping tonnage, 95s. to 100s. being quoted for Genoa, and 38s. to 39s. Rouen. Chesterfield. COAL. The demand for coal continues strong, and while every- thing possible is being done to meet it, the supply is still far below the requirements of the country. Collieries in many cases found themselves without wagons owing to the storm, and in order to keep the pits at work they were compelled to put coal on the ground. This state of things was most annoying, coming as it did when everybody was clamouring for supplies. The large steel works of Sheffield are in urgent need of cobbles and nuts for their gas- producers, and slack for steam raising is also in great request. Supplies are, however, practically unobtainable outside contract commitments. On this account consumers are frequently in a state of fear, lest their plant should suddenly be brought to a standstill. Railway companies continue to press for supplies of steam coal for locomotive use, and the position is such as to cause the authorities considerable anxiety, as they have to rely upon such deli- veries of coal as come forward from day to day. The export trade continues in a state of extreme quietude, business being on a lower scale than ever. For what steam coal is wanted, 27s. per ton delivered at Grimsby is the current price. There is not much demand for washed nuts owing to the difficulty in obtaining licences. The coke market is strong, the demand for all qualities being much in excess of the supply. Prices at pit. Leicestershire. COAL. The temporary coal famine in this district has been relieved, but the position at one time was very serious. Coal merchants state that for several days several thousand households were entirely without coal when the weather was exceptionally severe. On Sunday, the railway companies cleared all the colliery sidings of full wagons in order to meet the exceptional difficulties. There is a great inrush of orders for household, and the business on hand will take several months to clear. It is evident that there will be great activity for the whole of the spring and summer to create essential reserves of supplies. The demand for manufacturing fuel is still far in excess of the supply, and consumers are willing to accept anything to meet very urgent needs. Fortunately, colliery managers were able to get sufficient supplies through to enable factories and works on Government account to keep going. All the collieries in this district are still cut off from telegraphic and telephonic comriiunication, both local and general. All urgent messages have to be sent by passenger trains. The list of prices has been revised in order to comply with the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act. The price of coal dust has been raised Is. per ton, while the minimum for bakers' nuts is now 15s. per ton. The following are the quotations, subject to special modifications, which are now generally in operation at the collieries in this district:— Prices at pit. with orders for the Government and their contractors. Business is booked several months forward, and in many cases cannot be cleared under six months. Unmarked bars remain firm at £13 15s. to <£14 delivered Birmingham, and nut and bolt iron is only 5s. a ton less. There is a big run on small iron, and three-eighths sizes are firm at <£15 10s. delivered in the district, similar sizes in steel being <£18 10s. The galvanised sheet trade has been removed from the list of certified occupations, but enlistments have already been so numerous that this will not have any great effect. Mills from one cause or another are not doing more than half their normal output. Galvanised corrugated sheets remain on the basis of <£28 a ton. Makers of tinned sheets have advanced prices <£3 a ton, making the basis 39s. per cwt. for assorted coke qualities. In steel, only civil orders of a very special character can be dealt with, such is the demand of material for war purposes. Billets and sheet bars remain scarce, and <£12 10s. seems to be the standard quotation. No new business is being placed with America, and people are glad to get hold of defective or short lengths to help them out. The quotation for joists and sections is £11 2s. 6d., f.o.t. and net, this being the maximum. Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. All kinds of domestic fuel remain a very active market, the collieries being hard pressed for long-delayed deliveries. If anything, order books have got still further in arrear since last writing. Shipments have taken a good portion of the output during the past few days. As a result, the inland merchants have had a lessened supply, and are com- plaining bitterly. Slacks are a strong market, all produced being readily absorbed. Steam coals are in heavy demand ; orders are coming to hand in large numbers daily from firms engaged in Government work, which claim precedence. All buyers are clamouring for supplies. Best house coals Current prices. 17/ L'stweek’s prices. 17/ Last year’s prices. 18/ Secondary do 16/6 16/6 16/ 17/ ' Cobbles 16/ 16/6 Nuts 15 15/ 16/ 12/6 Slack /. 12/6 12/6 IRON. The condition of the iron trade is satisfactory, work being plentiful in every department. Nottingham. COAL. There is no marked change in the position of the coal trade, a brisk tone prevailing in every department. Although the public demand on local merchants is not quite so heavy, orders falling off somewhat since the advent of spring-like weather, the colliery position has not as yet been much relieved, for merchants, with practically no reserve supplies, are anxious to obtain their full contract deliveries. Owners in many cases are unable to do this at present. Households are in eager request, and merchants have difficulty in securing better-class qualities. The pressure on the steam coal branch is heavy, every class of fuel being in brisk request, and the output still insufficient to meet requirements. Supplies to contracting customers have to be limited, according to the demands made by firms engaged on Government work. The slack market is in a strong position, all qualities being eagerly sought for, and values are exceedingly firm. Best household coal .....j 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/ 16/6-17/ 16/ -16/6 15/ -15/6 14/6-15/ 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/ - 7/ 13/ -13/6 14/ -14/6 13/ -13/6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/6 L’stweek’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 Prices at pithead. ■1 Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Block 1 21/6 21/6 21/6 Forest 20/6 20/6 20/6 Rubble 20/9 20/9 20/9 Nuts 19/ 19/ 19/ Rough slack Steam coal:— 11/6 11/6 12/6 Large 18/ -ft/ 18/ -19/ 20/ Small 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ 13/ -14/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. 13/9-14/9 14/ -15/ 12/ -13/ 13/9-14/9 12/6-13/6 15/9-16/9 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ 15/9-16/9 13/ -14/ THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, April 6. South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. Great scarcity of coal prevails, and for days many house- holders have had to go without; preference is given as far as possible to munition works, but partial deliveries only can be given. Almost any class of fuel is accepted to keep works going, and of course there is nothing offering on the open market. Since the recent award, giving a five per cent, advance, contracts containing the wages clause' have been revised to bring them into line with the new conditions, which means an advance of sixpence to one shilling per ton for fuel governed by these contracts. There is, however, no general rise in the basic quotations, and the following still hold good : Prices at pit. Current L’stweek’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/ 17/6 . Best hard 18/6 18/6 16/6 Forge coal 16/ 16/ 14/ Slack Warwickshire:— 11/6 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 D.S. nuts (steam) 14/6 14/6 14/6 Small (do.) 14/6 14/6 11/6 IRON. With the quarterly meeting falling next Thursday, the amount of business put through was not large, matters for discussion being naturally left over. There was, however, no diminution of strength in any branch. On the contrary, what with difficulties of transport and production, and an additional 10 per cent, on wages on the ascertainment of the Midland Wages Board, the disposition seems to increase prices where the limit fixed by the Ministry of Munitions has not already been reached. This is specially applicable to pig iron. For a time Northamptonshire brands were rather depressed, but recently buying had been on a bigger scale, with the result that the minimum has gone from 83s. 6d. to 86s. for common brands, and an advance up to the maxima, equal to 88s. 6d. delivered in the district, is not unlikely at an early date. Derbyshire iron is at or about the maxima, equal to approximately 91s. for forge and 93s. 6d. for foundry, delivered in the district. South Staffordshire part-mine stands in the neighbourhood of 90s. In the finished branches the leading houses are almost entirely occupied Monmouthshire, South Wales, Newport. COAL. The supply of tonnage now in dock is greater than ever, and further heavy arrivals are expected. There will certainly be delays in loading. With this pressure for deliveries, and expectation of reduced outputs over Easter, shippers are disinclined to take on further business for early despatch, but for May loadings there is more doing. For the next few weeks colliery outputs are fully taken up, there being very little coal available for disposal, so that present time prices are to a great extent nominal. Outward chartering has been fairly brisk, enquiries being numerous and active, with freights showing little variation on the week. House coals are nominally reduced in official figures, but there still exists a great scarcity, with much difficulty in keeping consumers going. Values of pitwood show little change, importers having no trouble in moving off any surplus even with the present demand for wagons. Coke prices are very firm and supplies scanty. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Steam coals: — Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’yi Best Eastern-valleys ...j 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. 37/6-40/ 37/ -39/ 35/ -37/ 35/ -36/ 18/6-19/6 14/ -18/ 12/ -14/ 19/ -19/6 24/ -26/ 28/ -29/ 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 37/ -39/ 42/6-45/ 52/6-55/ L’st week's prices. 38/ -40/ 37/ -37/6 35/ -37/ 33/ -35/ 19/ -20/ 17/6-18/ 14/ -16/ 19/ -20/ 24/ -25/ 28/ -29/ Last year's prices. 33/ -35/ 32/ -33/ 31/ -32/ 30/ -30/6 18/6—19/6 18/ -18/6 17/6-18/6 19/ -19/6 23/ -24/ 23/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 36/ -37/6 42/6-45/ 32/6-35/ 28/ -29/ 26/ -27/ 30/ -33/ 31/ -32/ 34/ -37/ IRON. The tone of the local iron and steel markets in all departments is again harder on the week, although owing to continued restrictions there is not a large amount of fresh business being put through. As is usual towards the approach of the quarterly meeting, most matters of impor- tance are being held over for discussion then. There is no change to report in trade at bar and rail mills, work being good in both departments. Tin-plate bars are strong at £13 10s. upwards, and rails at £11 5s. to £11 10s. for heavy sections. Welsh haematite continues to meet with a good enquiry, sellers being firm, having very little free iron available. Nominal quotations are at £7 10s. delivered locally. Iron ore is in good demand around 40s. for best rubio c.i.f. Newport. Tin-plates maintain their forward movement, and have advanced on the week to 32s. 6d. to 33s. for IC 20 x 14’s and 65s. 6d. to 66s. for 28 x 20’s. Makers are markedly unwilling to commit themselves further ahead owing to shortage of raw material and increasing labour difficulties.