906 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. May 12, 1916. demand, and practically the whole of the Cumberland by-product ovens are in full operation. There is now a more plentiful supply of small coal forthcoming, and the production of coke is more satisfactory than it has been for some time. The whole of the output from the local ovens is going to the Cumberland smelters. The by-products trade is in a prosperous condition, and all the plants in the dis- trict are working at full pressure. Prices of all varieties are firm but unaltered, and no change is expected, either in the home or export markets, before the end of the half-year. Bunkers are in very firm request at the advanced price of from 25s. to 30s. per ton. Best coal at the pit is quoted at from 22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at from 20s. lOd. to 21s. 3d. per ton. Best Cumberland coal free on board at Mary port is still quoted at 19s. 6d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 17s. 6d. per ton. At Maryport, best house coal delivered is obtainable at from Is. S^d. to Is. 6d. per ton, or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton. At Workington, best house coal delivered is quoted at 25s. lOd. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow:— Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Buckhill be§t coal „ Do. double-scrned washed nuts at pit Oughterside best coal at pit Oughterside best washed nuts at pit St. Helens (Siddick) best coal at pit St. Helens best house nuts at pit Best dry small at pit Best steam nuts Best Cumberl’nd coal, f.o.b. Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... Best bunkers (coastwise) Do. (for foreign-going steamers) Bunkers (mixed nuts and steam coal) (coastwise) Do. (foreign) Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas-i works Current prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/6 19/ 19/6 17/6 25/ 30/ 21/6 25/ 19/3 18/3 L’st week’s prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/6 19/ 19/6 17/6 25/ 30/ 21/6 25/ • 19/3 18/3 Last year’s prices. 20/10 18/9 20/ 18/6 20/ 18/6 20/ 18/6 11/8- 16/8 19/6 17/6 19/ 19/ 17/ 17/ 15/ 14/ IRON. Very great briskness continues to characterise operations in the Cumberland and North Lancashire hsematite iron trade. Everywhere in the iron-producing district, from the Solway to Carnforth, there is the greatest activity in both the iron and steel industries, and every effort is being made to keep the output of iron and steel as high as possible. There is a phenomenal demand for both ordinary and special iron, and makers have still considerably more business pn hand than they can cope with. Users cannot possibly get all the iron they require, and it is unlikely that there will be any change in the position while the war lasts. There is a pressing need for an expansion of production, and it is fully expected that two more furnaces will be lighted before the end of June, one at the Solway and one in the Barrow district. All the make of iron, both ordinary, special and semi-special, is going into immediate consumption. There are still 26 furnaces in blast, 17 in Cumberland and nine in the Furness district. Prices are at the maximum fixed by the Government, and Bessemer mixed numbers are again quoted at 127s. 6d. per ton, with warrants at cash at 115s. per ton. Special brands of iron are quoted at 140s. per ton, and ferro-manganese is a very active trade at £25 per ton. The steel trade is very brisk. Rails, heavy sections, are quoted at <£10 17s. 6d. per ton, with light sections at from <£11 10s. to £12 5s. per ton. Billets are quoted at £12 per ton. The engineering shops continue to be well engaged on Government work. The iron ore industry continues in a prosperous condition. All the mines in the district are working regularly, and there is a very strong demand for ore. Nearly all the metal raised is now required for the local blastfurnaces. . The amount going out of the district to the east coast scarcely exceeds 350 tons weekly. Best sorts are still quoted at 38s. per ton net at the mines, with good average sorts at from 21s. to 30s. per ton. Foreign ores are easier, at 37s. 6d. per ton delivered at the furnaces. The imports of iron ore at Maryport for the week have amounted to 4,000 tons. South-West Lancashire. COAL. The easing off in the inland demand for household coal is yet only slight, and collieries still have difficulty in meeting the demands made upon them. With regard to shipping, the position has not changed much since last report. Supplies are perhaps coming forward more steadily, but there is comparatively little coal to spare, and speaking generally, prices of Lancashire steam coals may be said to rule from 24s. to 25s. f.o.b. Quotations vary according to circumstances, and in special cases may be higher or lower than the rates named. There is no change in the coast- wise and cross-Channel trade from what has been reported during the last few weeks. A shortage of fuel still characterises this branch of the trade. The scarcity of slack still continues, and when a small quantity becomes available, it is soon snapped up.‘ Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current L'st week's prices. prices. 20/9 20/9 about 24/6 about 24/6 19/ 19/ 23/ 23/ 17/ 17/ 22/ upwds 24/ upwds 17/6-18/ 17/6-18/ 24/ -25/ 24/ -25/ 16/ 16/ j 15/3 15/3 | 14/6 upwds 14/6upwds| House coal:— Best ................. Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium................ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) | Kitchen.............! Do. (f.o.b. Garston,net) Screened forge coal..... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack ...........i Secondary slack ........ Common do............... Last year's prices. 17/9 21/ -22/ 16/ 19/ -20/ 13/9 18/ 15/ -16/ 19/6—20/6 i 13/ -14/ 11/6-12/6 | 10/ -10/6 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The attendance on the Manchester Coal Enchange on Tuesday was moderate. The course of business continues much as it has existed now for some time. There is no falling off in the demand for all classes of fuel, and the output of collieries is absorbed mostly by contracts. Prices remain very firm and strong, and the general list is 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. 217 -22/ 19'/ -20/3 17/6-18/ 17/ -18/ about 22/ 15/6upwds 14/ upwds. Last year's prices. 18/ -19/ 16/9-17/3 14/ -14'3 14/6-15/6 L'st week’s prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 17/6-18/ 17/ -18/ j JLU/U-JICI/V about 22/ 19/ -21/ 15/6 upwds 11/6-13/ 14/ upwds. 9/9-11/ IRON. The attendance on the Exchange at last appears to show that a considerable number of members have enlisted. There is very little work being done by any works beyond Government requirements.. The prices have been fixed, and the only difficulty in the way is the very great trouble to get deliveries. Coal is scarce, and unless the miners go back to the old hours of working before the Eight Hours Bill came in, no improvement need be expected. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. The market on Tuesday was preceded by the annual meeting of the Yorkshire Coal Exchange, at which there was a good attendance. Mr. Joshua Smith was elected president. The attendance at the market was large, and included traders from London, Hull, Lancashire, and else- where. A very keen and active demand was evinced, but there was practically nothing offering for new business. Most merchants present directed their efforts towards securing good deliveries of coal already contracted for. While full time working at the pits was reported, there were general complaints of absenteeism and consequent loss of output. It was stated that at one pit 130 men out of 500 were absent on Monday, and that at another not half the miners put in full time last week. The dilatory movement of traffic on the railway is still causing annoy- ance, particularly in regard to London and south, and in many cases collieries are refusing to send their wagons. The demand for house coal for London is fully maintained, despite the falling-off at the depots. Merchants are anxious to build up reserve stocks, but so far there are no special prices for this purpose. One or two sales of Silk- stone best for delivery to the end of August are stated to have been booked at 19s. at the pit. Coastwise shipments are confined to contractors with their own boats, as it is well-nigh impossible to get offers of suitable craft, although as much as 14s. per ton Goole to London has been offered. West Riding merchants are fairly busy, and are concerned about the renewal of contracts. In most cases of renewal the tonnage has been reduced considerably, and special provision made for the cancelling of the contracts in respect of any coal which may be commandeered by the Govern- ment authorities. Plenty of enquiries are circulating for forward business in gas coal, but here again the tonnage offered is less, probably not more than 75 per cent, of the average of recent years. With the present unsettled outlook, most collieries prefer the open market, and certainly new business is not being sought for. A few cargoes of screened gas coal have been sold for export to France at about 25s. 6d. f.o.b. Hull. The scarcity of manu- facturing fuel is not in any sense relieved, and large coal is being crushed by large consumers in many cases in order to eke out the limited deliveries of more suitable sorts. If anything, the demand for washed furnace coke is even keener than it has been recently. Current pit prices. House coal:— Current L'st week's Last year's Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ Wallsend & London best 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 18/ -19/ Silkstone best 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 18/ -19/ Do. house 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 16/6-17/6 House nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/6 Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best 22/ -23/ 22/ -23/ 22/ -24/ Silkstone best 21/ -22/ 21/ -22/ 21/ -22/ Do. house 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ Other qualities 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/6 17/ -18/ Gas nuts 15/6-16/6 16/ -17/ Unscreened gas coal ... 14/6-15/6 14/6-15/6 14/ -15/6 Other sorts:— Prices at pit: Washed nuts 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 15/6-17/ Large double-screened engine nuts 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 13/6-14/6 Small nuts 14/ -15/ 14/ -15/ 13/6-14/ Rough unscreened engine coal 14/ -15/ 14/ -15/ 13/6-14/ Best rough slacks 13/ -14/ 13/ -14/ 12/ -13/ Small do. 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ 10/6-11/6 Coking smalls 11/6-12/6 11/6-12/6 11/ -12/ Coke Price at ovens: Furnace coke 24/ -25/ 24/ -25/ 22/ -24/ Barnsley. COAL. The scarcity of coal has become so very pronounced that markets are now almost treated with indifference. Buyers realise the hopelessness of the position, and colliery repre- sentatives are refraining almost from being beguiled into any further promises. The position is so sensitive that the slightest interruption in working through accidents, &c., is perceptibly felt. Short supplies or no deliveries fail to cause any surprise, and there seems to be little hope of any real alteration becoming possible. The production is, perhaps, more firmly controlled than ever, and collieries will welcome the changed attitude of the authorities in again permitting some expansion in the extent of the export trade. Sellers have felt the restriction of licences to be unduly arbitrary. The larger prices which buyers in neutral countries are willing to pay for district coal would compensate for the limited range of values which is placed on home business. On the other hand, home consumers are not a little apprehensive of the prospect of increased ship- ments. For the time being there are fewer complaints of absenteeism, but there is little faith that this improve- ment will be enduring. Complaints are also rife from the engineering concerns of inadequate deliveries for their needs, which, of course, have to be met without regard to difficulty occurring elsewhere. The enquiry for large steams for export continues to be firmly maintained, with a strong forward, tone, and offers of 30s. per ton are still heard of. There has been practically no improvement in the market for smaller fuel. The demand for slacks and other coking fuel for the by-product plants continues to be of a very extensive character, and there are still complaints of the inadequate deliveries with the heavy demand for coke and residuals which falls upon these works. The pressure for gas coal is hardly so heavy now that the needs of the plants are substantially reduced, and in regard to the renewal of contracts the collieries have no difficulty in finding acceptance of their conditions regarding the matter. The demand for house coal so far as the collieries are concerned is little altered, owing to the heavy list of orders still to be executed. The demand for coke continues to be exceedingly brisk, and exceeds the production, but makers are unable to add in any substantial degree to the present output. The following list of prices applicable to the home market are largely of a nominal description ;— > Prices at pit. Current L'st week’s Last year’-8 House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstono 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -20/6 Best Barnsley softs 18/6-19/ 18/6 18/6-19/ 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/ -16/ Steam coals:— Best hard coals 17/6-18/ 17/6-18/ 23/ -23/6 Secondary do 16/6-17/ 16/6-17/ 21/6-22/ Best washed nuts 16/3-16/6 16/3-16/6 19/ -20/ Secondary do 15/9-16/3 15/9-16/3 18/ -19/ Best slack 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ 1216 -13/6 Secondary do 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/ 11/ -12/ 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/ 25/ 23/ -24/ £ Hull. COAL. The firm tone in the Humber coal market continues, and prices again show a marked advance, which is not to be wondered at considering the small supplies and the active demand there is both for home and export. Delivery is difficult to obtain, and many kinds are not to be had at all. Holders are therefore very favourably situated, and can command full rates for handy spot lots. The demand is chiefly on account of the Allied countries, our own Govern- ment being a not inconsiderable buyer. Little is doing on neutral account, it being very difficult to obtain licences. Still rising freights and coal values have not entirely submerged the demand, but whether exporters will pay the long prices which are now being asked for late shipment this month remains to be seen. The approximate prices for prompt or nearly prompt shipments are:—Best South Yorkshire steam hards 35s. 6d. to 36s., washed trebles 24s. 6d. to 25s., washed doubles and singles 25s. to 26s., washed small coal 19s. 6d. to 20s., rough slack 19s. to 19s. 6d., West Riding Hartleys 28s. to 28s. 6d., gas and house fuel (screened) 26s. 6d. to 29s. Derbyshire steam hards quiet, and nominally 33s. to 33s. 6d. at Grimsby or Immingham. Shipments at the docks are at about recent levels, and freight rates are now based on 44s. to 45s. Hull to Rouen, and 97s. 6d. Hull to Genoa. A small steamer has been chartered Grimsby to Dunkirk at 40s. The official returns for April show that the receipts at Hull from colliery were 230,325 tons, the smallest monthly total since August 1914. The foreign export was 88,504 tons (five weeks), an average of 17,700 tons per week, as against 14,328 tons in March. A feature was the larger quantity (31,369 tons) sent to Italy and the smaller quantities to France (29,099 tons). These two countries to date have taken:—Italy 46,721 tons, against 36,331 tons same period last year; and Prance 203,348 tons, against 395,389 tons. The drastic way in which the War Trade Department deal with applications to export York- shire coal is shown in the fact that while the decreased export for the whole of the United Kingdom in April was equal to 19'7 per cent, from Hull, the decrease was 54 per cent, as compared with April last year. Chesterfield. COAL. The condition of the coal trade of this district is unchanged on the week, the demand for every class of fuel being one of extreme pressure, while the supply continues on a scale that is much below the requirements of the market generally. The position is one of great difficulty as, under existing circumstances, it is hopeless to expect any increase of the output. For cobbles, nuts and slack the demand continues acute, and consumers' works are frequently on the verge of stoppage from lack of supplies. There are no reserve stocks anywhere, and every consumer is now practically dependent upon such deliveries as are made from the collieries day by day. The various railway companies are much in want of steam coal for locomotive use, and great difficulty is experienced by them in obtaining adequate supplies, notwithstanding the fact that the collieries are doing their best to meet the situation. 3 he export trade remains in a lifeless condition. The price of steam coal is steadily moving upwards, but there is very little business being done, owing to the great and growing difficulty in obtaining licences. For the best brands of