614 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN September 29, 1916. THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, September 28. The demand for both house coal and steam coal continues good. The attendance on the market by the merchant buyers has improved, and a marked increase in the demand for coal of all descriptions shows keen anxiety to secure a better supply if possible. The supply, however, is still very short. The summer prices under existing contracts termi- nate on September 30, and although in some cases arrears are recorded, for the most part a fair proportion of the monthly quantities have been brought forward. The extra demand throughout the whole of the summer months has been very pronounced, and arises mainly from the fact of householders, merchants, and large institutions pressing for adequate supplies for stock in anticipation of the coming winter. So much of the coal has been diverted into new channels, such as munition works and industrial institu- tions, in addition to the higher prices for export trade, that London orders have been sadly neglected. ’ All pit prices are practically nominal for, even where quotations are given there are often restrictions wdiich preclude delivery until the present block of orders is cleared, and frequently colliery representatives are compelled to decline orders. The Nor- wegian State railways have closed their contracts and allotted 5,000 tons for Newcastle at 38s. fid. per ton f.o.b., and 5,000 Durham screened steam at 36s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. and 5,000 tons South Yorkshire hards at 30s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. delivery to be within the next six weeks. Slacks of all qualities have been very plentiful, and prices have steadily fallen. The demand during the past week has slightly recovered, owing primarily to the return of cotton workers from their holidays and a partial revival in the cotton industry. The main falling off in the demand as far as London is concerned is the shrinkage in the brickburning and cement trade generally. Building operations have been very slow7, and the cement trade as a whole has suffered severely from the war conditions. Coal owners are practi- cally parties to the new scale. The freight market continues good. Chartering is slow, and the tonnage somewhat scarce. One steamer of 1,000 tons has been fixed at 12s. 6d. Hull to London. Thirty-one vessels are returned for Monday’s market as arriving in the River Thames, and 23 for Wednesday, but all were contract cargoes; none were for open sale on the market. From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Company’s Report. Friday, September 22.—There was still a fair enquiry for seaborne house coal at to-day’s market, but no cargoes on offer. Cargoes, 16. Monday, September 25.—There was a better tone in the seaborne house coal market, but supplies were still lacking. Cargoes, 31. Wednesday, September 27.—The enquiry for seaborne house coal remains goo-d, but no cargoes on offer. Cargoes, 23. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, September 28. Dublin. , There has been no change during the week, demand generally being good, and prices unaltered, as follow : Best Orrell, 44s. per ton net; Yorkshire brights, 43s.; best Wigan, 42s.; best slack, 36s. ; retail prices, 2s. lOd. to 3s. per sack; steam coal, about 40s. per ton; best coke, 43s. per ton net. In consequence of the dearness of coal, wood blocks are coming largely into use as fuel, and in the inland districts there is already a considerable increase in the con- sumption of turf. The coal vessels arriving during the past week amounted to 81, as compared with 76 the week pre- viously, chiefly from Manchester, Ayr, Point of Aire, Landulas, Partington, Ardrossan, Saundersfoot, Preston, Birkenhead, Troon, Ellesmere Port, Newport, Silloth, Glas- gow, Garston, and Liverpool. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 41,000 tons, which consti- tutes, it is stated, the largest week’s delivery of coal in Dublin this year. The chairman of the Town Tenants’ League executive referred recently to the coal supply to Dublin, and to the hoarding up of inordinate supplies by large firms and institutions, intimating that the town tenants should be protected from the imposition of exorbi- tant prices. A number of contracts are open in the inland districts, and the Midland Great Western Railway Com- pany invite tenders for supplies. Belfast. At the moment there is no change either with, regard to prices or the amount of business current, local merchants holding fairly good stocks. Quotations for household coals are : Best Arley, 41s. per ton; second Orrell, 40s.; Orrell nuts, 40s.; Scotch, 37s.; Orrell slack, 37s.—all less Is. per ton discount for cash. From September 3 to 14 the total number of coal-laden vessels arriving in the port was 117. THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. There is practically no change to report on the week. The position is just as difficult as ever, and it is not possible to get plates made now without a permit. For these orders makers are quoting round 27s. to 29s. basis, but stock lots realise much more money, as no reference number is required for these. For class A or B work current rates may be called Coke tins : I C 14 x 20 (112 sh. 108 l'b.), 27s. to 29s. per box; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 1b.), 54s. fid. to 56s. 6d.; IC 14 x 18J (124 sh. 1101b.), 35s. (nominal); IC 20 X 10 (225 sh. 156 1b.), 50s. (nominal). IC squares and odd sizes, 28s. to 30s. basis. Ternes are nominally 62s. 6d. a box for I C 28 x 20. Charcoal tins run 32s. 6d. basis and upwards. Coke wasters are quoted : C W 14 x 20. 32s. 6d. per box and up; C W 28 x 20, 66s. fid.; C W 14 x 18f, 33s.; C W 20 x 10, 46s. All f.o.b. Wales, less 4 per cent. The first cargo of coal to be shipped from the recently discovered coal fields in Iceland has just been received at Reykjavik, the capital of the island. This is a matter of great local importance, as imported coal has recently been selling there for about 40 dols. a ton. At least one shipment of American coal has been made to Iceland in recent months. THE GERMAN COAL AND IRON TRADES. We give below further extracts from German periodicals that have reached us, showing the course of the coal and iron trades in Germany :— Coal Syndicate Annual Report for 1915. Total coal’participation, 88,702,073 tons; total coal raised, 73,984,097 tons; total distribution, 74,998,085 tons, of which 58,047,597 tons, or 65-44 per cent, of the participation, were distributed under the participation— including 38,711,357 tons local sales, miners’ house coal, and deliveries under old contracts; 36,185,253 tons (93’47 per cent, of the deliveries) sold by the Syndicate, and 19,336,240 tons consumed by the collieries—whilst 5,812,233 tons consumed by the collieries, and 11,138,255 tons supplied to pits’ own iron works, did not come within the scope of the participation. In comparison with the previous year, the calculated participation showed an increase of 0’13 per cent., but the distribu- tion a decline of 30,654,476 tons, or 34’56 per cent. The coal production of the syndicated pits diminished by 10,825,819 tons, or 12*76 per cent. The total coke participation was 19,956,940 tons, of which 11,997,748 tons (60’12 per cent.) were disposed of under the parti- cipation—including 11,633,683 tons sold by the Syndi- cate (96-97 per cent, of the participation distribution) —whilst 407,801 tons were consumed for the pits’ own purposes, 5,303,247 tons in their own iron works, and 125,952 tons delivered under old contracts. As com- pared with 1914, the coke participation showed an increase of 1,518,138 tons, or 8’23 per cent., whilst the distribution fell off to the extent of 7,959,192 tons, or 39’88 per cent. The total participation figures for briquettes were 4,936,400 tons, of which 3,739,416 tons, or 75’75 per cent., were distributed, including 3,696,432 tons, or 98’85 per cent, of the distribution, sold through the Syndicate; whilst, outside the participation, 55,463 tons were used by the works, 211,388 tons supplied to their own iron works, and 19,438 tons sold locally. The increase in the participation for the year was 115,756 tons, or 2-40 per cent., but the sales were 1,196,984 tons smaller (24-25 per cent.). The consumption of coal in pits’ own iron works diminished by 2,010,920 tons, or 15’29 per cent. Including the quantities bought back from the Syndicate, the iron works consumption of the mixed concerns was 12,722,652 tons, a decline of I, 549,606 tons, or 10’86 per cent. As regards the pro- duction and distribution of the different classes of coal, the amount of bituminous coal raised was 48,861,184 tons, or 66’04 per cent, of the total; gas and gas- flaming coal, 16,130,873 tons, or 21’80 per cent.; and smithy and lean coals, 8,992,040 tons, or 12-16 per cent. The total distribution, including consumption at works, was : Bituminous coal, 49,733,450 tons, or 66’31 per cent, of the total; gas and gas-flaming coals, 16,216,569 tons, or 21’62 per cent.; and smithy and lean coals, 9,048,066 tons, or 12’07 per cent. Distribution for Syndicate account, including local sales, miners’ house coal, and deliveries under old contracts : Bituminous coal, 22,787,340 tons, or 58’87 per cent.; gas and gas- flaming coals, 11,048,705 tons, or 28’54 per cent.; smithy and lean coals, 4,875,312 tons, or 12’59 per cent. Pits’ own consumption for cokerics, briquetting plant, etc. : Bituminous coal. 14,990,575 tons; gas and gas-flaming coals, 1,452,309 tons. For the actual work of the pits : Bituminous coal, 3,722,157 tons; gas and gas-flaming coals, 1,274,817 tons; and smithy and lean coals, 815,259 tons. For pits’ own iron works : Bituminous coal, 8,233,378 tons; gas and gas-flaming coals, 2,440,738 tons; and smithy and lean coals, 464,139 tons. The Syndicate disposed of 6,749,865 tons of blast furnace coke, 1,797,160 tons of foundry coke, 2,826,544 tons of broken and screened coke, and 260,294 tons of coke breeze and screenings. The production of coke con- sumed 15,687,091 tons of coal, of which 14,151,701 tons were bituminous coal, 1,437,642 tons flaming coal, and 97,748 tons smithy coal. The briquette distribution of 3,739,416 tons included 3.084,459 tons of ordinary briquettes, and 654,416 tons of ovoids. The production of briquettes used up 3,491.112 tons of coal, 696,144 tons being bituminous, 1,954,254 tons smithy, and 840,714 tons lean coal. New Saar Coal Prices. The administration of the State collieries in the Saar district has issued the following list of settling prices for the final quarter of the present year ;—Flaming coals : Large, 16-80 to 18 mk. per ton; screened through and through (no fine slack), 15’60 to 17 mk.; through and through, 13’60 to 16 mk.: slack, 11’20 to 13’60 mk. Washery products : Cubes, 50/80 mm., 18-20 to 18’60 mk.: nuts I., 35/50 mm., 18’20 to 19’40 mk.: II., 15/35 mm., 17’60 to 18’40 mk.: TIT., 8/15 mm., 16-60 mk.: III., 4/15 mm., 15’80 to 16’20 mk.: IV., 4/8 mm., 15 mk.: nuts slack, 2/35 mm., 16-20 mk.; 2/15 mm., 15’40 mk.; fine slack, 10’40 to 11’40 mk. Bituminous coals : Large, 18’60 mk.; through and through, 15-40 to 15’80 mk.; slack, 13*20 mk. Washery products : Cubes, 50/80 mm., 18’60 mk.: nuts I., 35/50 mm., 18-60 mk.; II. , 15/35 mm., 18 mk.: TIT., 8z 15 mm.. 17 mk.: III., 4/15 mm., 17 mk.: IV., 0/8 mm.. 12 mk.: nuts slack, 2/15 mm., 15’60 mk.; fine slack, 11 mk. The Glasgow Commission appointed to enquire into the working of the National Health Insurance Act. took evidence at Glasgow on Tuesday. Mr. James Gold, secretary of the Scottish Miners’ Approved Societv. said his organisation was not able to work within actuarial estimates, or able to show a rate of sickness experience which would enable it to offer additional benefits to its members similar to other societies, or to offer te^-ms equal to societies whose membership was composed of persons employed in mixed occupations. He suggested the creation of a special risks fund. ADVANTAGE OF OWNING RAILWAY WAGONS. In his presidential address >to the North British Asso- ciation of Gas Managers, Mr. A. Masterton said the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act had to a certain extent done good in modifying prices. At any rate, it had pro- tected gas managers by placing them beyond the possi- bility of being accused of having made a bad bargain in the purchase of coal, by taking from them the power of negotiating prices with merchants. As far as Edinburgh was concerned, and to enable them to proceed with busi- ness, they had come to a tentative arrangement with suppliers of coal whose contracts were in currency prior to the date of the passing of the Act; therefore the final price to be paid was still subject to adjustment. In Edinburgh they had not been subject to the extreme straits -which many had suffered, one reason being that the commissioners were sufficiently far-sighted to become proprietors of their own railway wagons, of which they owned 212, of a capacity from 10 to 12 tons each. During the past 12 months these wagons had transported 60,000 tons of coal to their works, a quantity equal to one-third of the total amount carbonised. If they had been without the monopoly of thejSe wagons the supplies would have been short to the extent of the tonnage so carried. Their ownership had eliminated those irritating charges imposed by railway companies from time to time under the heading of “ demurrage,” and they were, consequently, in a position to gather suffi- cient coal in trucks to carry them over week-ends with- out incurring any expense of the above nature. In order to raise the earning capacity of those wagons to as high a point as possible they were invariably sent out loaded up with coke, so directed that when emptied they would reach the nearest colliery in the least possible time; and in this way coke and breeze had been carried to the extent of 20,000 tons, or 40 per cent, of their total annual sales. Apart from these advantages, the financial aspect of this question was an important one. These 212 wagons cost the commissioners .£15,000. .Repairs, maintenance and running costs worked out at £350 per annum, and, adding 5 per cent, for depreciation, or £750, an outlay of £1,100 per annum in all was shown. The actual earnings of these wagons amounted to1 £1,780, leaving a surplus of £680, equal to 41 per cent, on the capital cost. Whether in war or peace he would confidently recommend to the serious consideration of every gas engineer who had reasonable railway siding accommo- dation the benefit of owning suitable wagons capable of carrying up to at least one-third of his annual needs. He thought the Board of Trade had come to a wise decision in excluding private owners’ wagons from the pooling scheme, in view of the many difficulties which surrounded the problem and the doubts as to whether any national benefit would be gained in the present circumstances, which required the fulfilment of so many coal contracts depending upon the retention of the means of transport which contractors and others by their fore- sight had provided, and in which so much of their capital was invested. TRADE AND THE WAR. The Board of Trade has ordered the winding up of the Vulcan Coal Company. Mr. T. Harrison, chartered accountant, 31, Mosley-street, Newcastle, has been appointed controller. The Melbourne office of H.M. Trade Commissioner in Australia reports that a Melbourne firm with a branch in Sydney desires to secure the representation of a United Kingdom manufacturer of moulder’s blacking used in foundries (reference No. 290). United Kingdom manufac- turers may obtain the name and address on application to the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall-street, London, E.C. In making application the reference number should be quoted. A Sydney firm, whose representative is now in this country, is desirous of securing the representation of United Kingdom manufac- turers of steel goods, engineers’ requirements, etc. Communi- cations should be addressed to the official secretary, Office of the High Commissioner for Australia, 72, Victoria-street, London, S.W. A London firm of engineers, opening a trading branch in Guayaquil /Ecuador), desires to represent United Kingdom manufacturers of machinery, engineering goods, railway material, tubes, cast iron pipes, etc. The name and address can be obtained at the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade, 73, Basinghall-street, E.C. An important group of Italian business men, under Senator Della Torre, have formed a company for the pro- duction of aniline dyes, so as to render Italian textile industries independent of Germany after the war. The capital required is six million lire.—An important group in France is organising a colouring and chemical industry. So that the new company may be able to compete successfully against German rivals, it is probable that a prohibitive tariff will be enforced. The use of the new war factories and their material machinery after peace has been guaranteed by the State. Errata.—Our attention has been called by the author to several misprints which appeared in Mr. Ivon Graham’s papers, as read before the Institution of Mining Engineers, and published in our issue of September 15. ‘‘ Occlusion of Gases in Coal : p. 513, Table I., col. 3, ‘‘Area in sq. mm.” should be ‘‘Area in sq.cm.": col. 4, line 3, ‘‘of mercury in mm." should be ‘‘in mm. of mercury”: p. 513, col. 2, line 7. ‘‘ inches of” should be ‘‘inches from”: line 45, ” 95-5 degs.” should be ‘‘ — 95-5 degs.”: col. 3. line 52. ‘‘hydrogen” should be ‘‘moisture”; line 54. ‘‘sprayed” should be ” Sprengel ” : and line 27 from bottom, ‘‘fires” should be ‘‘ pores.”—‘‘ Absorption of Oxygen by Coal ” : p. 498. line 40. “ 0’0015 ” should be ‘‘ 0-015 ”: and p. 499, in line 3 of par. (3) of ‘‘ Summary,” ‘‘ oxygen absorbed ” should be ‘‘carbon dioxide.” — Tn the discussion of Mr. Winmill’s papers, on p. 552 of our issue of SeptembeT 22. col. 2. line 11 from bottom, ‘‘ coal ” should be ‘‘ cubical pyrites.”