218

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

August 4, 1916.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

coal. Shipping remains much as it was, things, if anything,
being quieter than they were. This is owing to the
continued restriction of licences to export from this side,
and to lessened bunkering requirements on account of
scarcity of tonnage. Prices of Lancashire steam coals may
now be said to rule from 24s. to 24s. 6d. f.o.b. In slacks
there is an easier tone, the summer requirements of the
consumer generally being on a smaller scale, and breaks at
the various manufacturing towns for holiday purposes,
although shortened, are still a factor. There is no difficulty,
however, in dealing with the little that is not required by
the usual purchaser. In the coastwise and cross-Channel
trade for household coal a considerable tonnage is in
progress, and apparently stocks on the other side are much
below the normal for the time of the year.

Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated).			
	Current	L'st week's! Last year's	
House coal:—	prices.	prices.	prices.
Best 		21/	21/	1	20/9 *
Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net)	25/6	25/6	.	' 22/ -23/
Medium		19/ -20/	19/ -20/ 1	19/
Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net)	24/6	24/6	!	•20/
Kitchen		18/	18/	16/9-17/
Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net)	24/ upwds	24/ upwds	18/6-19/
Screened forge coal		18/	18/	16/ -17/
Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b.	24/ -24/6	24/6-25/	18/ -19/
Best slack 		16/	16/	14/
Secondary slack 		15/6	15/6	12/6
Common do		L4/6 upwds	14/6 upwds	10/

________	_______

South Lancashire and Cheshire.

COAL.

The Manchester Coal Exchange was fairly attended on
Tuesday, but little business was done. Although summer
weather is with us, the supply of house coal is not super-
abundant, and there is difficulty in getting any for stocking
purposes. The demand for furnace coal remains good, but
the call for shipping coal is a little quieter, and prices are
easier. Owing to holidays and stoppages at various places,
slack is more plentiful on the market, and concessions are
made in prices for open sale. Generally prices are 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.
22/ -23/
19/6-21/
18/ -18/6
17/ -18/
25/ -26/
16/upwds

L’st week'si
prices.

22/ -23/
19/6-21/
18/ -18/6
17/ -18/
25/ -26/

116/ upwds.;

Last year's
prices.
21/ -22/
19/9-20/3
17/ -17/3
16/ -17/
19/ -21/
!	14/

10/upwuB |io/ upwus.; x^</
14/6 upwds [14/6 upwds | 11/ -12/

IRON.

There is nothing new to report. Permission has been
granted by the Ministry of Munitions to the basic pig iron
makers to advance their product 5s. per ton, to cover the extra
cost now incurred, otherwise the trade of the whole district
remains as previously mentioned.

________	________

Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

Leeds. „

COAL.

There was only a moderate attendance at this week’s
meeting of the Yorkshire Coal Exchange, but the attendance
was very representative, traders being present from London,
Hull, Lancashire and the north, as well as the local
markets. The demand for house coal and manufacturing
coal was very keen, and spot lots sold readily, though the
enquiry for gas coal was not quite so marked. Colliery
representatives reported that the pits continue to work full
time, and the output and regularity of attendance of the
men satisfactory, while the supply of wagons is a little
better than a week ago. There is a big demand for house
coal for London, and as all supplies are going into the
hands of consumers, little progress is being made in the
laying down of stocks at the depots. With regard to
contracts, one has been made this week for a large quantity
of Silkstone best house coal at 18s. summer and 19s. winter,
subject to the usual protective conditions. Coastwise
transactions are mostly contract coal, but a few sales of
_____________________

______________________________

Current pit prices.

House coal:—  Prices at pit (London) :	Current prices.	L’st week's Last year’!	
		prices.	prices.
Haigh Moor selected ...	20/ -21/	20/ -21/	1 19/ -20/
Wallsend & London best	19/ -20/	19/ -20/	1 18/ -19/
Silkstone best 		19/ -20/	19/ -20/	1 18/ -19/
Do. house 		17/ -18/	17/ -18/	i 17/ -18/
House nuts 		16/ -17/	16/ -17/	16/ -17/
Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best		23/ -24/	23/ -24/	‘ 22/ -23/
Silkstone best 		22/ -23/	22/ -23/	1 21/ -22/
Do. house 		20/ -21/	20/ -21/	19/ -20/6
Other qualities		19/ -20/	19/ -20/	18/ -19/
Gas coal:—  Prices at pit:  Screened gas coal..*		16/ -17/ 15/6-16/6	16/ -17/	15/6-16,6
Gas nuts			15/6-16/6	14/6-15/6  13/6-14/6
Unscreened gas coa] ...	15/ -16/	15/ -16/	
Other sorts:—  Prices at pit:  Washed nuts		17/ -18/	17/ -18/	16/ -17/
Large double-screened engine nuts 		16/ -17/	16/ -17/	14/6-15/6
Small nuts		15/ -16/	15/ -16/ ■	13/6-14/6
Rough unscreened engine coal		15/ -16/	15/ -16/ !	13/6-14/6
Best rough slacks		14/ -15/	14/ -15/	13/ -14/
Small do		12/ -13/	12/ -13/	11/6-12/6
Coking smalls 		12/6-13/6	12/6-13/6	11/6-12/6
Coke:—  Price at ovens:  Furnace coke 		25/8	25/8	21/ -23/

Hartleys for shipment to the Thames are reported at
20s. 6d. f.o.b. Hull. Freights are still easier, handy-sized
boats being about Ils. 6d. Hull to London. A comparatively
quiet state in the West Riding house coal trade is enabling
merchants to give attention to stocking. The public
demand is chiefly for cheaper qualities in bags. Pit prices,
which, like others in the appended list, are more or less
nominal:—Haigh Moor selected 21s. to 22s., Silkstone best
20s. to 21s., Silkstone house 18s. to 19s., other qualities
17s. to 18s. Although the full output of gas coal is
required, there is less urgency in the demand for spot
parcels. The demand from the London districts is still
unsatisfied, but district gas works are in a better position
with regard to stocks. A fair number of contracts are
reported, the prices being the same as last year, though
quantities are in most cases reduced by about 25 per cent.,
and in all cases the usual safeguards are attached. Reports
from most of the chief industrial districts in the West
Riding show that better supplies of steam slacks are
available, but there is still a pronounced scarcity of nuts,
as the requirements of munition works constantly increase.
Coking smalls are very scarce, and the output of washed
furnace coke is not by any means sufficient to meet the
demand.

Barnsley.

COAL.

The spell of inactivity with regard to the district trade
has been perhaps more emphasised during the past week,
and a good deal of curiosity exists regarding the nature of
forward business. Although there seems to be a general
feeling, so far as buyers are concerned, that following the
example of South Wales, increased maximum prices will be
obtained in this respect, the position of collieries remains
very strong because they are able to make any forward
arrangements conditional upon any subsequent advance
being permitted. Buyers who feel inclined to secure
further tonnage are thus unable to obtain any advantage
from the present position. The question of holidays
is likely to be a little troublesome in this 'particular
area. The usual Bank holiday suspension does not
apply to many localities in the South Yorkshire district.
The usual frequent stoppages owing to village feasts
are not expected to be so numerous, but although miners
will no doubt be loyal to official requests in this respect, it
is feared that there will be considerable absences for one or
two days. The Yorkshire Miners' Association have not yet
definitely decided upon the nature of the recommendation,
reserving themselves in the hope of obtaining some
substantial financial contribution from the coal owners to
the war relief funds which have been established at
different collieries. Work has not yet been re-started at
the Houghton Main Colliery, where a break-down of
machinery occurred, and the loss of this output is seriously
felt, and there are fears that the stoppage may yet be
prolonged for a considerable period. Otherwise the
collieries are working full time compared with, in many
instances, only four days per week in pre-war times, and
although there is less pressure for some classes of coal
there is still no difficulty in placing the output. The
restricted export is no doubt doing a great deal to enable
fuller supplies to be given on home account, but the
process still continues of substituting other classes of coal
for any scarcity of the particular fuel used in ordinary
times. Prices, generally speaking, are unaffected, and in
many cases an excess tonnage at the maximum price is
readily taken, and, cf course, the collieries are losing con-
siderably, having regard to the prices which have been
paid by foreign buyers. A larger proportion of the surplus
fuel which is offering is still in regard to small coal
generally used for boilers and electricity plants; but, on
the other hand, there still exists some shortage in the best
classes of slacks suitable for coking, the consumption of
this kind of fuel by the by-product plants still continuing
on an enormous scale, and is only met with considerable
difficulty. In regard to gas coal there does not appear to
be any substantial improvement in the supplies to home
concerns, and there is a growing anxiety respecting heavier
deliveries to help stocks. The unique experience of a
heavy demand for house coal, in spite of the present
weather conditions, still continues. Merchants in London
and the southern counties are showing anxiety at their
failure to obtain what they regard as an adequate tonnage
to meet the present enquiry, which obviously is for stock
purposes. The hunt for surplus lots has met with little
result, and collieries are still declining to accept orders for
larger tonnage owing to the heavy unexecuted orders
which they have to deal with. The position in respect to
furnace coke shows no material change, although the malje
continues to be of unexampled extent, but it is not
sufficient to satisfy the present needs, and of course values
remain very firm. The following quotations must be
regarded largely as nominal:—

Prices at pit.

	Current	L’st week’s	Last year's
House coals:—	prices.	prices.	prices.
Best Silkstono 		20/ -22/	20/ -22/	20/ -22/
Best Barnsley softs			18/6-19/	18/6-19/	18/ -19/
Secondary do		16/6-17/6	16/6-17/6	1 16/6-17/6
Best house nuts 		16/"-17/	16/ -17/	16/ -17/
Secondary do		J-v/	A. 1 1  15/6-16/	1	1.  15/6-16/	15/6-16/
Steam coals:—			
Best hard coals		17/6-18/6	17/6-18'6	16/6-17/
Secondary do		16/6-17/6	16/6-17/6	| 15/6-16/
Best washed nuts		16/3—16/6	16/3-16/6	! 16/ -17/
Secondary do		15/9-16/3	15/9-16/3	15/ -15/6
Best slack 		12/6-13/	12/6—13/	13/ -13/6
Secondary do		10/6-11/	10/6-11/	12/ —12/6
Gas coals:—			
Screened gas coals 		16/6-17/6	16/6-17/6	15/6-16/
Unscreened do		15/6-16/	15/6-16/	14/6-15/
Gas nuts		16/	16/	15/ -16/
Furnace coke		|	25/8	25/8	| 21/ -22/

Hull.

COAL.

France continues to be a good customer. For neutral
countries there is no great amount of business in progress.
With licences difficult to obtain, prices are easy, and late
quotations barely maintained under pressure to sell by
second holders. The approximate quotations for prompt
shipment are:—Best South Yorkshire hards, 30s. to
32s. 6d.; washed nuts, 23s. to 26s.; washed small coal, 20s.
to 21s.; rough slack, 18s. to 19s.; gas and house fuels,

26s. to 28s.; West Yorkshire Hartleys, 27s. to 28s.; Derby-
shire steam hards (at Grimsby or Immingham), 29s. to
30s. In some cases, however, the quotation is largely
nominal in the absence of actual business. Shipments at
the docks are principally to near French ports, and are
improving, though towards the close of last week they were
greatly impeded by delays to shipping caused by fog.
There is little, or nothing doing in the freight market.

Chesterfield.

COAL.

The market maintains a steady tone, all qualities of coal
for home requirements being regularly applied for, without
any undue pressure. With regard to slack for boiler firing,
the demand is good, but the supply is undoubtedly more
plentiful than it has been for some time past. House coal
is in steady request, but there is less difficulty in satisfying
customers’ wants. An active demand is experienced for gas
coal. Steam coal for locomotive use is also much wanted.
Fuel for munition works continues in brisk request,
especially cobbles and nuts for gas-producers. There is no
change in the condition of the export trade, which is
exceedingly quiet. So long as the present difficulty in
obtaining licences continues, together with the great
shortage of shipping tonnage, no improvement is possible.
Owing to this combination of circumstances the fall in
prices continues and the figure now quoted for best Derby-
shire hards is 29s. per ton delivered at Grimsby. The coke
market is firm in tone, and the demand for all qualities is
good.

Prices at pit.

	Current	L’st week’s	Last year’s
Best house coals 		prices.  17/	prices.  17/	prices.  17/
Secondary do	..	16 6	16/6	16/6
Cobbles 		16/	16/	16/
Nuts 		15/	15/	15/
Slack 		12/6	12/6	12/6

IRON.

The whole of the works of the district are in a state of
great activity, and additional blast furnaces are coming
into use.

_________________

Nottingham.

COAL.

Within the last few days the demand for house fuel has
manifested an easier tendency. The warm weather has had
the effect of reducing the orders received by merchants,
and the sales at landsale depots have been steadier. Never-
theless, collieries have a plentiful supply of orders in hand
from merchants. It is impossible to satisfy all require-
ments out of the limited output, and owners have no
difficulty under the circumstances of disposing of any class
of house coal, the prices of which are decidedly firm. The
greatest pressure centres on the steam coal 'branch, and
although every effort is being made to maintain the output,
the heavy demand from firms engaged in war work more
than counterbalances the decline in exports, with the result
that the supply continues inadequate, and ordinary
customers have to be satisfied with what class of fuel they
can get. The better slacks are in great request.

Prices at pithead.

Hand-picked brights .....

Good house coals.........

Secondary do.............

Best hard coals..........

Secondary do.............

Slacks (best hards)......

Do. (second) ..........

Do. (soft).............

Current L’st week’s! Last.year's

prices.

18/6-19/6

16/6-17/6

16/ -16/6	15/6-16/6	;

17/ -17/6!	17/	-17/6	:

16/ -16/6	16/	-16/6	i

12/ -13/	■	12/	-13/	!

prices.

18/6-19/6

16/6-17/6

10/6-11/6 I 10/6-11/6 !

11/ I 11/ I

prices.
18/6-20/
16/6-17/6
15/ -16/
17/6-18/
15/ -16/
12/ -13/
10/ -11/6
10/ -11/6

_______	_______

Leicestershire.

COAL.

Although the heat has had the effect of greatly reducing
the domestic consumption, all classes of coal continue to be
in very urgent demand, and there is no relief in the very
strenuous conditions which prevail at the collieries. Coal
merchants are quite at a loss as to the best methods of
meeting the emergency, and week by week more and more
orders have to be carried forward. The coal yards have
never been so short of coal at this season of the year, and
there is no prospect of any relief in this respect before the
autumn. It is hoped by then that more normal conditions
will prevail, but at the same time colliery managers are
urging that very strict economy should be exercised and
arranged for in advance as far as possible, in order that
suffering may be avoided during the cold weather. The
demand is very strong for deep and main cobbles, and large
nuts for both London and country districts for special
purposes, on account of their economy in use and their
easy handling. There are no stocks of any kind at the
pits, and many wagons are now always available for loading
with any class of coal.

Prices at pit.

L’st week's [Last year's
prices. |
16/6-18/ * 1
15/6-16/
16/6-17/
16/ -16/6
15/ —15/6
14/6-15/
12/9—13/6 12/9—13/6
12/ -12/3	----

6/ - 7/

1 Current

I prices.
Best household coal ....; 16/6-18/
Second, hand picked ___; 15/6-16/
Deep screened cobbles ...’ 16/6-17/
Deep large nuts .......; 16/ -16/6
Bakers’nuts...........i 15/ —15/6
Small nuts.............! 14/6-15/
Deep breeze ...........

Peas ..................

Small dust ............

Main nuts for London

12/ -12/3
6/ - 7/

prices.

I 18/6-19/6
17/6-18/6
16/6-17/
16/ -17/
15/6-16/
14/ -14/6
14/6-15/
12/3-13/3
5/6- 6/6

13/ -13/6 15/9-16/9
14/ -14/6 15/6-16/6
13/ -13/6 14/6—15/
13/6-14/	15/9-16/9

12/6-13/6 13/9-15/

kitcheners............ 13/ -13/6
Steams, best hand picked! 14/ -14/6
Steams, seconds ........ 13/ -13/6
Main cobbles for kitcheners 13/6—14/
Main breeze.............! 12/6-13/6