1100 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. June 9, 1916. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 36s. to 40s. For No. 2 qualities the price is 46s. to 48s. for large, 34s. to 37s. for through, and 29s. to 31s. for smalls. There is very little new business doing in patent fuel, as makers are well booked for several months ahead. For the small quantity coming into the open market 50s. to 55s. is easily obtainable, and second grades command at least 48s. per ton. Coke is in great demand, and rates are without alteration. Pitwood is 47s. to 49s. per ton. IRON. The combing out process of the single men employed in the tin-plate trade has been suspended for two months, so as to give an opportunity to the various manufacturers to put their house in order. Prices have not materially altered, Bessemer standard cokes still being obtainable at 37s., and oil sizes at 37s. 6d. and 53s. respectively. Produc- tion from works last week amounted to 76,701 boxes, whereas there were shipped 80,431 boxes, leaving in stock in the docks warehouses and vans 252,309 boxes. This, of course, is a big reserve, and according to present trading is likely to last the trade for at least six months hence. Only about 50 per cent, of the mills are now working, but the high prices ruling have affected the demand and not much new busines is doing. Welsh steel bars are <£14 per ton and Welsh pig iron nominally <£6 10s. In the galvanised sheet trade there is practically no change and prices are inclined to be slightly easier, No. 24 gauge corrugateds being now quoted at <£27 to <£28 per ton. Spelter is considerably lower and is now offered at £76 per ton. The iron ore market is slow, best rubio being offered at 16s. 6d. to 17s. and seconds at 15s. on the basis of a freight of 17s. 6d.. from Bilbao. A good business is being done in scrap metals but prices are not materially altered. Swansea. COAL. There was less activity in the trade of the port last week, owing probably to the limitation of prices of coal exports to France. The coal and patent fuel trades were quiet, the shipments together amounting to 89,219 tons. There was a good attendance on "Change, but there was no real altera- tion to report in the anthracite coal market. All parties are settling down to the new conditions. The immediate tonnage outlook is not satisfactory. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Anthracite:— Current prices. L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. Best malting large (hand picked) 33/6-36/ 33/6-35/ I ; 22/ -24/ Secondary do. 30/ -32/ ; 30/ -32/ ; 19,6-20/6 Big Vein large 30/ -34/ 30/ -34/ : 16/6—18/ Red Vein large 26/ —30/ I 24/6-27/6 j 16/9-17/6 Machine - made cobbles 35/ -38/ 35/ -38/ i 25/ -25/9 Paris nuts — — 1 French do 36/ -40/ 36/ -40/ 24/ -28/ Beans i 36/ -40/ I 33/ -36/ 36/ -40/ 33/6-36/ ! 24/ -26/ : 23/6-25/ Machine - made large peas 1 23/6-24/3 23/6-25/3 ' 16/ -17/6 Do. fine peas — — 1 Rubbly culm 14,3-15/3 13/9-14/6 : 10/6-11/6 Duff 5/ - 5/3 4/6- 4/9 6/ - 7/3 Steam coals:— Best large 48/ -50/ 48/ -50/ l ' 28/ -30/ Seconds 44/ -46/ 44/ -46/ 24/ -26/6 Bunkers 36/ -40/ ' 33/6-37/6 ! 20/9-22/6 Small 21/ -45/ .21/ -30/ 15/6-19/ Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large 47/ -54/ 45/ -50/ 28/ -30/ Tnro’-and-thro’ ■ — — Small 30/ -35/ 30/ -35/ 21/ -22/ Patent fuel 46/ -50/ 46/ -50/ 32/ -35/ THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, June 8. _____________________________________ ________________ The buying on the London Coal Exchange still continues very brisk, and all the available coal is keenly contested for. Colliery representatives, however, are very careful not to commit themselves to any forward quotations, and the small quantity offering is very quickly absorbed. Very little actual business is done, and buyers are on the look-out for any coal offering. Merchants report the depot trade in good demand, and they are busy with orders for winter stock. Forty vessels were returned on Monday’s market as arriving in the river Thames and nine on Wednesday, but all were contract cargoes. Steam coals and small nuts are in good demand, but the quantities available are becoming appre- ciatively less owing to the enormous Government require- ments and the fact that export prices are bringing the coal owners at least 40 to 50 per cent, more than the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act will allow for London prices. House coals are coming forward in better supply now that the railways are working better, but the demand for stocking is so keen, both from the coal merchants’ point of view and the householder, that every available truck is eagerly bought up. The Coal Merchants’ Society decided on Monday last to continue business as usual during the Whitsuntide holi- days, and the following notice was posted on the subscription room door : “ It has been decided that merchants attend market on Monday, June 12, 1916, and that offices, wharves, ami depots be open for business on that day. The usual rate of wages to apply.” The market on Wednesday hist was of a peculiar character. A good deal of speculation had been current for some days past as to the innovation of an auction sale of coal, and Lady Markham obtained permission from the authorities to come down and sell some 30,000 tons of house >and steam coal for the Wounded Allies Relief Fund. Each 50-ton lot would carry with it an option of 1,500 tons of coal to be delivered during the year at the Limi- tation Act price. The 50-ton lots were anticipated would be sold at extraordinary prices, and the whole would go into the coffers of the Relief Fund. Twenty lots would be offered under these conditions, but other lots of coal would be offered^ without options. Punctually at 3 p.m., however, Lady Markham arrived, and announced that owing to the death of Lord Kitchener she felt she could not proceed with the auction, and asked for permissiion to postpone it until Wednesday next, June 14. On the motion of Mr. G. A. Warren (chairman of the London Goal Merchants’ Society), the market closed at once as a. mark of respect to the memory of the late Lord Kitchener. Particulars have recently been published of the maximum rates for prices and freights for the new scheme under which coal is to be sold in France, winch appear to allow a good margin for both pit prices and chartering £5 per ton is about the average for large coal and 86s. to 87s. per ton for briquettes. Ship- ments are only on a moderate scale, as there is a growing- shortage of large vessels for coasting ports. Chartering is very quiet, and rates are steady. The demand for the London trade is very heavy, and collieries have still a large number of orders on hand unexecuted on account of contracts and nothing offering for the open market. Current quotations for Yorkshire Best Hards are still nominally 18s. to 18s. 6d. per ton at pit, ami for Derbyshire Hards 17s. to 17s. fid. ; but in the seaborne market the quotations for these same qualities are given at 43s. to 45s. per ton f.o.b. at Hull, so that it will be seen at once how meagre the supplies are likely to be in London whilst the export trade is so brisk. Gas coals are quoted at 32s. 6d. f.o.b. From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Co.’s Report. Friday, June 2.—The seaborne house coal market was unaltered to-day, no cargoes being offered for sale. Cargoes, Monday, June 5.—The seaborne house coal market was firm to-day, but no cargoes reported for sale. Cargoes, 40. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, June 8. _______________ ___________________________ Dublin. There is no change in late conditions, demand keeping easy and stocks remaining very low. There appears to be much uncertainty, as it is stated that no replies are being received to enquiries. Prices for house coal have not been further advanced, best Orrell being 3.9s. per ton, and Wigan 38s. per ton for cash; Welsh steam coal, 52s. and 53s. per ton; coke, 38s. per ton delivered in Dublin. Prices of Irish coals from the Gracefield Colliery, Wolfhill, Queen’s County, are :— Pest coal, 35s. per ton f.o.r. Athy, the nearest railway con- nection wuth the mines; lime-burning culm, 10s.-to 15s. per ton f.o.r. There is practically none of this coal being sold in Dublin. The coal vessels arriving during the past week amounted to 60, as compared with 76 the week previously, chiefly from Newport, Liverpool, Workington, Birkenhead, Garston, Swansea, Llanelly. Ayr, Partington, Maryport, Ellesmere Port, Troon, and Glasgow. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 25,000 tons, as against 30,000 tons in the previous week. Belfast. Deliveries in the port continue to be much below the average, all classes of coal being extremely difficult to obtain. Prices keep firm, at recent advances, and there is no indication of any immediate reduction in freights. Current quotations for household coals are as follow : Best Arley coal, 41s. per ton; 'English household, 39s.; Scotch house, 37s.; Orrell nuts, 40s. ; Orrell slack, 37s.; all less Is. pen- ton discount. Steam coals have reached almost prohibi- tive prices. 'Coal-laden vessels have arrived from Ayr, Birkenhead, Garston, Ardrossan, Partington, Glasgow, Swansea, Troon, Maryport, Silloth, Irvine, Liverpool, New- port, Ellesmere Port, Preston, and Point of Aire. The Public Health Committee invite tenders for a year’s supply of house and steam coals for the Purdysburn Hospital, and a contract is open in connection with the Balmoral Industrial School, near Belfast. __________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—There is very little movement in most products, and in some cases, notably benzols, quotations are essentially nominal, considering the difficulties as to supplies. Nearest prices are Rise ( + ) or fall (-) on the week. Benzols, 90’s ...................... ,, 90’s North ................. ,, 50’s North ................. Toluol ........................................... Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.)... ,, crystals (40 per cent.) Solvent naphtha, south (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package... Solvent naphtha, north (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package... Crude naphtha, north , (in bulk) ...? Creosote (for ordinary qualities) .... Pitch (f.o.b. east co>ast) ............. ,, (f.a.s. west coast) ............. Tar (per ton ex works) ............. i/oj /10J-/111 1/3—1/4 2/3 3/4 1/3 2/3—2/4 2/1—2/2 /6J-/7 /2d—/2i 15/—15/6 14/—14/6 15/6—19/ [Benzols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at maker's works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.} Llanelly. COAL. For the present colliery owners are not disposed to entertain new business, and there is therefore nothing special to report. The market continues very firm, and as supplies are not up to the demand very little free coal is available. Prices are easily maintained, and owing to the continued heavy demands of the Government large coal is scarce, and inland buyers have to put up with considerable delay in the execution of their orders. Throughs and smalls are also difficult to obtain, and the supply of manu- facturing fuels is also below local requirements, and works are sometimes placed rather awkwardly to keep working full time. In the anthracite section supplies of all kinds are in good request, but much delay is experienced in the execution of inland orders for the machine-made kinds, beans and peas in particular. Orders for these kinds are only booked on the understanding that delivery cannot take place for several weeks, and consumers who have been dilatory in placing their orders have therefore to suffer much inconvenience to keep their plant going. This week’s quotations approximately are :— Prices f.o.b. ___________________________ The Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade has received applications from firms at home who wish to get into communication with British manufacturers of certain articles previously obtained from Germany or Austria. Those articles include briquetting machinery, steel wire ropes, and scrap baling presses. Coal Output of China.—According to the recent investiga- tion made by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Com- merce, the net annual output of coal throughout the provinces is as follows :—Manchuria, 1,300,000 tons Chihli, 2,160,432; Shansi, 2,500,000; Shensi, 50,000; Kiangsu,' 50,000; Shan- tung, 930,000; Honan, 900,200; Szechuan, 300,000; Kiangsi, 600,000; Hunan., 5,000,000; and other provinces, 10,230,000 tons, making a total output of 24,020,632 tons of coal annually. Exports and Imports of Mining Machinery.—The value of imports and exports of mining machinery during May are given below :— May. Jan.-May. Sulphate of Ammonia.—With the closing of the season the prompt market is dull, but there is some improvement in export business more especially in the North and North-East, with the result that exports for the week were close on 1,500 tons, prices in the North ranging from £17 7s. 6d. to £17 10s. Closing prompt prices are London (ordinary makes) ... £16/13/9—£16/15 Beckton (25 per cent.) ... £15/15 Liverpool .............. £16/15—£17 .................. Hull ......................... £16/10 Middlesbrough ......... £16/15—£16/17/6 Scotch ports .......•......... £16/15—£17 Wales ................ £16/10—£16/12/6 Nitrate of soda (ord.) per cwt 18/7J [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2J discount; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.} Rise ( + ) or fall ( —) on the week. •• ~/li per cent. quality; Anthracite:— Best malting large... Secondary do......... Big Vein large....... Red Vein do.....__.... Machine-made cobbles... Stove nuts........... French do..........__ Paris do.......... Machine-made beans ... Do. peas......... Culm ................ Duff................. Other sorts :— ‘ Large steam coal..... Through-and-thr ough... Small __.............. Bituminous small coal... Current prices. 33/ -36/ 31/ -32/6 32/6-34/6 27/ -29/ 34/ -36/ 36/ -40/ 36/ -40/ 36/ -40/ 33/6-36/6 24/ -26/ 14/ -15/ 5/ - 5/3 48/ -50/ 37/ -39/ 21/ -30/ 30/6-35/6 L’st week’s Last year’s prices. I nrinos. 33/ -36/ 31/ -32/6 32/6-34/6 26/ -30/ 35/ -38/ 37/ -40/ 37/6-40/6 36/6—39/6 35/6-37/6 24/ -26/ 14/ -15/ 4/6- 5/ I prices. I 21/6-22/6 ! 18/6-19/6 ! 16/ -17/ 16/6-17/6 }23/ -25/ I 22/ -23/ 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 23/ -25/ 15/ -15/6 10/6-11/ 5/6- 6/6 ' 45/6-48/6 ! 30/ -32/ 34/6-38/6 20/ -23/6 ? 22/ -26/ 1 16/ -18/ 30/6-35/6 18/ -20/ ___________________________ Partnership Dissolved.—The London Gazette announces dissolution of the partnership of G. W. Corbett and A. S. Corbett, engineers and iron founders, Park-street Works, Wellington, trading as Samuel Corbett and Son. 1915. 1916. 1915. 1916. £ £ £ £ Imports .......... 7.376 ... 17,123 .. 35,636 ... 48,523 Exports .......... 54,951 ... 56,480 ...233,155 ...257,274 These figures are not inclusive of prime movers or electrical machinery. According to destination, the value of exports was as under :— ' . May. Jan.-May. 1915. 1916. 1915. 1916.' To— £ £ £ £ Countries in Europe ... .. 6,338 ... 4,038 ...29,357 ... 19,809 United States of America... — ... 24 .. 66 ... 505 Countries in S. America ... 2,259 . 1,425 ... 5,940 ... 8,898 British South Africa ... 20,520 ...31,681 ...94,277 125,566 ,, East Indies ..... 5,677 ... 4,041 ...23,439 ... 29,883 Australia ............... 3,488 ... 2,306 ...12,289 ... 12,087 New Zealand ........... 2,512 ... 3,187 4,972 ... 9,852 Other countries ......... 14,157 ... 9,778 ...62,815 ... 50,674 _____________________________ THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. The demand has slowed down to some extent, and prices at the moment are rather erratic. Makers are not willing to commit themselves for forward delivery, and are quoting very high figures, which here and there are being paid. Spot lots are being largely dealt in, at prices varying as much as Is. a box. At the moment we should call quotations for, say, July-August delivery :—Coke tins : I C 14 x 20 (112 sh. 108 1b.), 37s. to 37s. 6d. per box; IC 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 1b.), 74s. to 74s. 6d.; IC 28 x 20 (56 sh. 1081b.), 37s. 9d. to 38s. 3d. ; I C 14 x 18f (124 sh. 110 lb.), 37s. 3d. to 37s. fid.; IC 20 x 10 (225 sh. 156 lb.); 53s. to 53s. 6d. IC squares and odd sizes, 37s. 6d. basis and upwards, according to specification. Charcoal tins are steady, at 40s. basis and upwards. Ternes are nominally 69s. a box for I C 28 x 20. Coke wasters are in quiet demand. . Current rates are about as follow :—C W 14 x 20, 33s. 6d. to 34s. per box; CW 28 x 20, 69s. to 69s. fid.; CW 14 x 18J, 33s. 6d. to 34s. ; C W 20 x 10, 47s. to 47s. 6d. All f.o.b. Wales, less 4 per cent. Total .............. 54,951 ...56,480 ..233,155 ...257,274 The following shows the value of exports of prime movers other than electrical :— May. Jan.-May. 1915. 1916. 1915. 1916. All prime movers (except £ £ £ £ electrical) ___________ 458,317...450,413...2,730,223...1,783,436 Rail locomotives ...... 93,755...106,988... 999,598.... 527,889 Pumping............... 46,380 71,591... 241,556... 211,338 Winding ............... 2,459... 1,040... 4,996... 4,161 ____________________________ The Darlington Gas Works Committee recommend the Cor- poration to instal at the gas works coke briquetting plant and pan ash and breeze washing plant. Shipments of Bunker Coals.—During May the quantity of coals, etc., shipped for the use of steamers engaged in the foreign trade was 1,231,573 tons, compared with 1,180,147 tons in May 1915, and 1,840,950 tons in May 1914. The aggregate so shipped during the five completed months was 17,000,732 tons, compared with 19,651,751 tons and 30,149,490 tons in the corresponding months of 1915 and 1914.