July 7, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 27 far more important than prices, because the coal is wanted for works under Government control. The trade in country districts is quite dislocated, and the whole of the coal is absorbed as fast as it is delivered. There is a great and general absence of reserves, the business being of necessity of a hand-to-mouth character. There are no stocks of any kind at the pits. Full time of 5^ days per week is being worked. The following are the quotations, subject to special modifications, which are now generally in operation at the collieries in this district:— Prices at pit. 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/ 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/ 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 Last year’s prices. 18/6-19/6 17/6-18/6 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/ 14/ -14/6 14/6-15/ 12/3-13/3 5/6- 6/6 15/9-16/9 15/6-16/6 14/6-15/ 15/9-16/9 13/9-15/ Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL, In the house coal department the strain on the resources of the district continues, all the collieries being hard pressed for deliveries, in spite of the warmer weather now experienced. There are still a large number of arrear orders on the books. Heavy consignments are sent to the inland districts, whilst the shipping branch of the trade is still very active. The steam coals of the district continue in full demand, and it is impossible to cope with customers' requirements. Prices at pithead. I Current L'st week's Last year's House coals:— | prices. prices. prices. Block I 21/6 21/6 21/6 Forest i 20/6 20/6 20/6 Rubble ! 20/9 20/9 20/9 Nuts : 19/ 19/ 19/ Rough slack Steam coal:— j 15/ 15/ 15/ Large ! 18/ -19/ ; 18/ -19/ 21/ -22/ Small A6/ "I?/ 16/ 16/ -16/6 Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. and, indeed, compared with last week, inclined to be a shade firmer. Collieries in the main are very well booked up for the next few weeks, stems now becoming difficult to arrange. With an increased demand for bunkering purposes, small coals are showing a little greater strength. Pitwood supplies have come along in fair quantity, latest ruling quotations showing best French fir at 40s. to 41s. ex ship. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. St jam 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. 49/ -51/ 48/ -49/ 47/ -48/ 39/ -43/ 26/ -28/ 23/ -24/ 20/ -21/ 27/ -28/ 25/ -30/ 30/ -33/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 55/ -60/ 50/ -52/6 61/ —62/ L’st week’s i prices. : 49/ -51/ 48/ -49/ ! 47/ -48/ 39/ -43/ ' 26/ -27/ : 23/ -24/ ; 20/ -21/ ’ 26/ -27/ ; 25/ -30/ 30/ -33/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 55/ -60/ 50/ —52/6 61/ -62/ Last year's prices. 25/ -25/6 23/ -24/ 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/ 17/6-18/ 16/6-17/ 15/6-16/ 18/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -19/6 27/ -28/ 25/ -26/ 34/ -35/ 32/ -33/ , 38/ -40/ South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. Scarcity of supplies is as acute as ever, and fuel goes out of the depots almost as fast as it comes in. Domestic trade is brisk. Manufacturing fuel is active for munition works, and steam fuel is selling well. There is, therefore little or no market for free coal of any kind. With a view of increasing output a new plan is being tried in the local coalfields. A committee is appointed at each pit, consisting of representatives of the management and of the miners, whose business it is to keep a watchful eye on anything that may tend to lessen output, and take steps to counteract it. The result will be watched with interest. Some improvement is reported in the matter of absenteeism. Quotations are firmly upheld, on the following basis : — Prices at pit. Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son state that coal is now being forwarded by rail more freely to the south-western coun- ties, and in some cases large buyers have been able to contract forward for periods of six, nine and twelve months. A few merchants are already taking coal into stock. There is little sign among retail buyers of a desire to take early stocks for their factories or houses, but it is somewhat early to expect this. Steam freights remain unapproachably high as regards the coasting trade as compared with rail freights, but sailing colliers offer at Ils. and less from the Mersey to south coast ports. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, July 6. Current L'st week's Last year’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase) :— prices. prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 22/ 22/ 23/ Do. seconds deep 20/ 20/ 21/ Do. best shallow 19/ 19/ 20/ Do. seconds do. 18/ 18/ 19/ Best hard 18/6 18/6 19/6 Forge coal 16/ 16/ 16/ Slack Warwickshire:— 11/6 11/6 11/6 House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 19/ 19/ 21/ cobs 18/ 18/ 20/ Best hard spires 20/ 20/ 19/6 Forge (steam) J 16/ 16/ 16/ D.S. nuts (steam) ...... 14/6 14/6 16/ Small (do-) 14/6 14/6 15/ IRON. As is customary in the week preceding the quarterly meeting, there was a good deal of enquiry on to-day's market? Makers have a good deal of forward business already on hand, and do not appear anxious to overload their books. Some makers of pig iron express themselves confident that an advance is inevitable, though they give no definite reason for their belief, and it is probably a case of the wish being father to the thought. At any rate they are safeguarding themselves against any contingency in that direction by stipulating that quotations must be subject to any rise that may be granted. Sales of cheaper brands are being made in parcels of from 500 to 1,000 tons, and purchasers seem willing enough to accept the stipula- tion. For the superior brands business is less active, due largely to the reluctance of producers to sell in big quantities. Finished makers are also taking steps to meet any overhauling of prices, and are in communication with the Ministry of Munitions. Current pig iron quotations areStaffordshire part-mine, 92s. 6d.; special all-mine, 160s.; Northampton- shire forge, 88s. 6d.; Derbyshire, 91s. Makers of bar iron continue°to be well situated as regards Government orders, and for both marked and unmarked qualities continue to get up to the full limit. Even nut and bolt iron, which is not subject to any restriction, fetches the high figure of <£13 15s. to £14 Makers have as much on hand as they can reasonably overtake. It is a long time, too, since the o-as strip industry was so busy, or since prices were so high. The ^market level is £14 15s., but for small lots £15 is quoted. A good demand exists for iron scrap, and steel melting scrap is being sent to South Wales at £5 7s. 6d. to £5 10s. a ton on rail. Galvanisers keep to a £28 basis for sheets, and a fair foreign enquiry is springing up. Output, however, is small. American sheet bars range from £13 10s. to £14 delivered here, reduction in freightage and lessened war insurance having tended to make terms somewhat easier. Bars, billets, ingots and wire rods are coming from America with fair regu- larity, but orders for future delivery are of less bulk than recently. Wire rods are quoted £20 to £21. Brisk business is doing in corrugated black sheets at £18 to £18 10s. a ton, and export enquiries are turned down in order that home requirements may be met. All the steel which is being turned out is going regu- larly into consumption under the control system. The copper market continues to fall, and sheets now stand at £150 a ton, a drop of £2 on the week. The Government are not giving out much new work, but the price is still far too high to affect domestic trade. Discounts on black gas, blue water and red steam tubes and fittings have been reduced by 2| per cent. North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. Business is brisk in all departments at the collieries, and all are working at full stretch in order to maintain the out- put as much as possible. Several collieries have now altered their hours of working, the miners going to work at seven o'clock in the morning and leaving at three in the afternoon, but the change is not yet general, and in some cases there is a dispute on the matter between the under- ground and surface workers, the latter preferring the present hours, as the change would mean their having to stay later at the colliery than they do now. Probably a compromise will be come to in the matter. House coal is in weak demand at the present time, and there are very few contracts being fixed, owing to the prevailing high prices in other departments, and buyers prefer to buy in the open market. Steam coal continues to be as greatly in demand as ever, for railway companies, munition works and shipment, and it is most difficult to cope with the present demand. Gas coal trade is steady, and the bulk of the new contracts have now been settled. Slack has a ready sale, but the tonnage of the output is only limited, consequently prices are well maintained. The general trend of prices is still to rise. The quoted prices for best large house coal is from 22s. to 24s. per ton at the pit and Is. per ton less for seconds quality. At the land- sale departments the prices obtained are from 25s. to 30s. per ton, with 15s. to 16s. 8d. per ton for household slack. Steam coal varies considerably in prices, the figures generally being from about 18s. to 20s. per ton, while gas coal is offered at the same price, and slack at Ils. per ton and upwards. The following is a list of this week’s quotations :— IRON. The general conditions of the local iron and steel trades present little alteration from last week. Great pressure is felt in all departments, owing generally to the great demands made by the Government, so new business in any branch is very difficult to arrange. At bar mills matters are even firmer than a week ago, quotations officially remaining around £14 10s. for both Bessemer and Siemens qualities, but it is hard to place any orders satisfactorily. Steel rails remain unaltered on a basis of £14 heavy sections either description, with very few free parcels available. There is no change to report in Welsh haematite, which continues very firm, with official prices at 72s. 6d. In the tin-plate trade matters have somewhat eased since last week, very little new business now being offered. Latest ruling quotations are based upon 35s. 3d. to 35s. 9d. for IC 20 x 14 Bessemer or Siemens primes. Cardiff. COAL. For some days the market developed a tendency towards easiness, but the recent developments with regard to French exports have caused a turn upwards, and quota- tions, although not appreciably altered, are distinctly firmer. As indicated last week, the local committees have been hard at work in trying to arrange shipments, but it would appear that whatever delay is now being experienced is due to the French side. The conditions of shipment and freight regulations have not been acted upon yet, and they are awaiting final ratification before the expected boom in French exports takes place. As a matter of fact, the total shipments from the Bristol Channel last week amounted to 321,436 tons, compared with 339,828 tons in the corresponding week of last year, or a decrease of 18,392 tons. From Cardiff alone the exports were 160,610 tons, against 189,363 tons, or a falling-off of 28,753 tons, and of the coal that was shipped the great majority went to France, the total amount being over 100,000 tons, whilst over 30,000 tons went to Italy. From Newport the ship- ments were 74,785 tons, or an increase of 303 tons ; from Swansea 47,473 tons, or an improvement of 617 tons ; and from Port Talbot 38,568 tons, or an increase of 9,441 tons. Chartering last week was not equal to the previous week, the total amount of tonnage taken up being 71,760 tons, against 95,550 tons in the preceding six days, or a decrease of 23,790 tons. These figures do not include shipments on Admiralty account, and it is interesting to analyse the exports in British and foreign vessels. During the week, the total number of vessels sailing from the Bristol Channel to foreign destinations were as follow:—British, 47, or 19’42 per cent.; and foreign, 195, or 80’58 per cent. For I Current Prices at pit f.o.r. : — ' prices. Best house coal 22/ -24/ Secondary do i 21/ -23/ 1 18/ -20/ Steam coal Gas coal ! 18/ —20/ Bunkers : 18/ -20/ Nuts i 17/6-18/6 Slack 11/ -13/6 Gas coke (at works) Prices landsale:— 22/6-27/6 Best house coal 25/ -30/ Seconds 22/6-25/ Slack 15/ —16/8 L't quoted Last year’s prices. prices. 22/ -23/ ; 19/ -20/ 20/ -22/ ; 18/6-19/ 18/ -20/ 18/ -19/ 18/ -20/ : 18/6-19/6 18/ -20/ 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/ 11/ -13/6 8/6-10/ 23/4-26/8 ( 15/ -16/8 27/6-30/ ■ 23/4-26/8 25/ -27/6,22/6-23/4 14/2-16/8 ; 12/6-14/2 Monmouthshire, South Wales, &c. Newport. COAL. The past week has been one of apparent inactivity in the coal market, which nevertheless shows greater strength. Tonnage supplies have kept up fairly, while improved chartering promises a more abundant flow of arrivals for the present month. There is more tonnage offering just now than for some weeks past, rates for the Mediterranean being much easier, and shippers’ prospects for the middle and end of the month are good. Admiralty authorities are still taking such heavy supplies that there is very little free coal about, so values are fully maintained Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Current ! L’st week’s [Last year’s Steam coals:— i prices. prices. 1 prices. Best Admiralty steam ! I j coals * ! —* i _* Superior seconds ! i _* ' — Seconds ! 50/ -52/ j 49/ -50/ ! — Ordinary do | 48/ -50/ i 48/ -49/ : 23/ -27/ Best bunker smalls • 30/ —31/ i 29/ -30/ • 19/6-20/ Best ordinaries i 27/ -28/ 26/ -28/ 19/ Cargo qualities '21/ -25/ 20/ -25/ i 15/6-16/ Inferior smalls • 19/ -21/ 20/ -21/ ■ 14/ -15/ Best dry coals ' 45/ -47/ 47/6 -48/6 j 25/ -26/ Ordinary drys : 42/ -44/ 44/ —47/ 21/ -23/ Best washed nuts , 36/ -38/ 36/ -38/ i 27/ -28/ Seconds ; 33/ -36/ ' 33/ -36/ j' 25/ -26/ Best washed peas ' 32/ -35/ 32/ -35/ , 25/ Seconds ! 30/ -32/ 30/ -32/ ; . 23/ Dock screenings 1 — 18 '6 Monmouthshire— Black Veins 50/ -52/6 49/ -50/ : 26 3 Western-valleys 49/ -50/ 48/ -50/ • 25 3 Eastern-valleys • 45/ -50/ 46/ -48/ ! 21 3-22/3 Inferior do , 40/ -45/ 40/ -45/ 19/ -20/ Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) , 23/ -24/ ! 23/ -24/ ' 30/ Second qualities (at pit) 21/ -22/6 i 21/ -22/ ; 27/ -29/ No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large : 45/ -18/ j 49/ -50/ 25/ Through-and-through 37 6-40/ ! 37/6-41/ , 24/ Small 30/ -35/ 30/ -35/ • 23/ No. 2 Rhondda— Large 35/ -37/6 36/ -38/ 19/ -20/ Through-and-through 29-31/ 29/ -31/ 18 6 Small 24/ -25/ , 24/ -25/ 16'6-17,6 Best patent fuel 50/ -55/ : 50/ -55/ 33/ -35/ Seconds 48/ —50/ | 48/ -50/ 31/ -33/ Special foundry coke 62/ -65/ 62/6-65/ 42/6-45/ Ordinary do. 55/ -60/ 60/ -62 6 38/ -40/ Furnace coke 52/ -55/ 50/ —55/ i 32/ -34/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 38/6-42/6 , 38/ -42/ ■ 26/ -26/6 * Nominal.