October 6, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 663 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ for the next few weeks will be required to clear off the large accumulation of arrear orders. For steam coals there is much trouble in arranging d-liveries, and any marked increase in the production would be welcomed all round ; the collieries are fully sold for some time ahead. ________ _______ Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report there is no change in the southern wholesole coal market, and supplies, chiefly by rail, are coming in sufficient quantities to enable merchants to deal with all current business. In some instances good stocks have been taken in, and a good deal has been purchased by forward contract. The question of high freights still stands in the way of obtaining coal by sea, the railways offering a much cheaper means of trans- port. Prues of large coal are firm at last rates, but large quantities of the smaller kinds ’are offering at tempting prices. _____________________________________________________ THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, October 5. __________________________________________________ Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. COAL. An easier feeling has been developing in the steam coal trade, induced mainly by the lessened demands of the Admiralty. Tonnage upplies are scarcely so good, arrivals having been less than usual, and with even small supplies of the best quality coals free upon the market, sellers of other grades have been offering inducements to clear stocks, especially when named and prompt tonnage was in hand. The continued difficulties in obtaining licences and the prevailing detention at French ports caused by congestion of steamers discharging there, are factors which hamper business considerably. The latter cause may be soon remedied, but for the former there is little hope while the Government continue to grant licences with greater facility for North country coals than for Welsh. For smalls and large alike,*at present quotations are offered 2s. to 3s. easier than last week, best grades being the firmest feature in a relaxing market. Pitwood is also a weakening commodity, with sellers offering at 43s. to 44s. for good wood ex ship. In the freight market rates have shown an easier tendency for all Mediterranean ports, with rather more tonnage offering. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. to Rouen. The latter port also took 11,855 tons out of the total of 63,658 tons loaded atj Port Talbot, the increase in this case being 37,093 tons. Chartering during the week showed an improvement, but there is a shortage of tonnage, and shippers generally view the future with some amount of anxiety. The tonnage taken up last week amounted to 108,560 tons, compared with 95,080 tons in the preceding six days, or an increase of 13,480 tons. Arrivals over the weekend have been mor-> satisfactory, and on Monday there were 262 vessels in the various docks, against 22 7 on Saturday. The week commenced well, however, and on Monday alone there were no fewer than 61 clearances of coal, of which no less than 24,811 tons were for Marseilles, and 10,773 tons for Bordeaux. With regard to prices there is little to be said. Colliery owners were much firmer in in their ideas than middlemen, and whilst the former were quoting up to 42s. 6d. for best descriptions, the latter were willing to accept as low as 40s. for prompt shipment. Second Admiralties are therefore 40s. to 42s. 6d., and ordinary steams 39s. to 40s. Dry coals continue in good request at 38s. to 42s. 6d., although in this case also the prices have been shaded occasionally for prompt loading. In the Monmouthshire coalfield, the difficulty with regard to wagons has already been experienced, and owing to the inability to secure export licences to neutral countries the demand has been on the slow side. Best Black Veins do not command more than 40s. to 42s. 6d., western valleys 40s. to 42s., and easterns 37s. 6d. to 38s. fid. per ton. The small coal market is comparatively easy, best bunkers being 29s. to 29s. 6d., ordinaries 27s. 6d. to 28s. 6d , and cargo qualities 23s. to 24s. per ton. There is a scarcity of household coals, owing to the great decrease in production, and it is stated that unless drastic steps are taken at an early date, there will be practically a famine by the time the winter has arrived. Even now consumers have in some cases to wait nearly a fortnight before their orders can be executed, and this position is likely to be accentuated as the season advances. There is no alteration in prices, the quotation remaining at the limitation prices fixed by the Government. Bituminous coals are . a trifle easier, No. 3 Rhondda large being 40s. to 41s., through 33s. to 34s., small 28s. to 31s , No. 2 large 34s. to 35s., and other grades in Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). nominal, with nothing offering ?on the general market. Spelter is steady at £52 per ton. In scrap metals there is little doing, and buyers are not eager to purchase even at the controlled rates. As a result of the audit of the books of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Iron and Steel Workers’ Association, the owners have offered the workmen an advance of 6 per cent. The men, however, are asking for an advance of 14 per cent., and an independent chair- man will probably be called in to arbitrate. Swansea. COAL. A good attendance assembled on ’Change. There was no change in the general conditions of the anthracite and steam coal trades. Tonnage arrivals since Saturday have been rather more substantial, but there are still heavy stocks of coal standing. Exporters were in a difficult position, because of the constant refusal of licences for shipments both to neutral and allied countries. This fact prevented many sales being effected at reduced terms. The demand for home consumption was brisk, and values were stationary. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Current L’st week’s Last year ’s Steam coals: — prices. prices. prices. Best Black Vein large . 5 41/ -42/ 44/ -45/ 20 6-21/ Western-valleys, ordin’y 40/ -41/ 44/ -45/ 19/ -20/ Best Eastern-valleys ... 39/ -10/ 42/ -43/ 18/ -18/6 Secondary do. 36/ -38/ 38/ -42/ 17/ -17/6 Best small coals ... 26/ -28/ 28/ -29/ 13/ -14/ Secondary do 24/ -26/ 26/ —28/ 12/ -13/ Inferior do 20/ -22/ 201 -23/ 8/ -10/ Screenings 27/ -28/ 28/ —29/ 1 13/6-14/ Through coals 26/ -28/ 27/ -29/ 15/ -15'6 Best washed nuts 30/ -32/ 30/ -32/ , 15/ -16/ Other sorts:— i Best house coal 24/ -26/6 24/ —26/6 ' 22/ -23/ Secondary do 22/ -24/ 22/ -24/ ; 20/ -21/ Patent fuel 40/ -43/6 40/ -43/6 30/ -31/ Furnace coke 501 -55/ 50/ -55/ • 36/ -38/ Foundry coke 60/ -65/ 60/ -65/ : 30/ —32/ Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam coals ........................ ............... Superior seconds ......; Seconds .............i Ordinary steams ______i Best bunker smalls____ Best ordinaries......... Cargo qualities........ Inferior smalls________ Best dry coals ........ Ordinary drys ........ Best washed nuts ___ Current 1 L’st week’s! Last year’s prices. ; prices. I prices. i I __* i __* _ * —* ' —* i 20' -21/ 40' -42/6'42 6-43/6 ’ — 39/ -40/ ; 40/ -42/ '19' -20/ 29/ -29/6 30/ -31/ 114' -15/ 27/6-28 6.28/ -29'6 12' -13/ 23/ -24/ ' 24/ —25/ : 9.' -10/ 21/ -23/ 20/ -24/ , 8/ - 8'6 40/ -42'6 : 49/ -42/6 24' -24'6 37/ -39 ! 38/ -40/ 23/ -23/6 35' -37 6 : 36/ -38/ 25/ -27,6 Seconds ............................ 34/ -35/ | 34/ -36/ Best washed peas...... 33 ' -34/ I 33/ -35/ Seconds ______ ...........; 31/ -33 31/ -33/ Dock screenings ......, — — Monmouthshire — Black Veins _______ 40/ -42/6 : 42/6-43/ Western-valleys ... 40/ -42/ 42/ —43/ Eastern-valleys .... 37/6-38/6 1 38/ -40/ Inferior do________ 34/ -37/ ; 37/ —38/ Bituminous coals :— i Best house coals (at pit) 25/6-26 6 25 '6 -26/6 Second qualities (at pit) 23/6-24/6 > 23/6-24'6 No. 3 Rhondda— Current L’st week’s Last year’i Anthracite:— prices. prices. prices. Best malting large (hand picked) 31/ -33/ 31/ -33/ 34/6-35/ Secondary do. ' 28/ -30/ 28/ -30/ 32/ -34/ Big Vein Valley large.. 27/ -201 28 6-30/ 33/6-35/ Red Vein large 26/ -27/ 26/ -27/ 26/6-27/6 Machine - made cobble s 39/6-41/ 39 6-41/ 40/6-43/6 Paris nuts — — i — French do 39/6 41/ 39/6-41/ 42 6-45/6 Stove do 39/ -40/ 39/ -40/ 41/ -44/ Beans 30/ -31/ 30/ -31/ 30/ -32/6 Machine - made large peas 20/ -22 6 20/ -22,'6 18/6-19/6 Do. fine peas — — — Rubbly culm 14 6-15/ ' 14,6-15/ 10/ -10/6 Duff 6/ - 6/6 5/ - 5/6 4/6- 5/ Steam coals:— Best large 34,6-35,6 34 6-35.6 25/ -27/6 Seconds 30/ -32 6 30/ -32'6 22/ -23/ Bunker throughs 25/ -29'6 25/ -29/6 15/ -17/ Small 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 9/ -11/6 Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large 37/ -39/ 37/ -39/ 23/ -26/6 Thro’-and-thro’ — — — Small 25/ -27/ 25/ -27/ 17/ -18/ Patent fuel 40/ -45/ 40/ -45/ 28/ -29/ Llanelly. COAL. s IRON. There are no fresh features to report in the general con- ditions locally of the iron and steel trades. Business is very much as the last few weeks, and an average amount of new orders are being put through, but the main portion of forward lots is, as usual, being held over until the quarterly meeting next week. Values in all departments remain steady to strong. At bar mills the/e is no alter- ation to report, and prices continue nominal at last quoted figures, and the same conditions apply at rail mills, where new orders are difficult to place. At blast furnaces work is continuously steady, with pressure to maintain outputs and no alteration in values. In the tin-plate trade a lessened output has hardened quotations, which are now based upon 36s. 6d. for 14 x 20 x 112 Bessemer or Siemens primes. Cardiff. COAL. For some days past the market has been quiet and irregular, with the result that quotations have shown a wide margin. Whilst some collieries have been favourably situated with regard to stemming facilities, others have experienced a shortage of wagons, and substantial con- cessions have been made in order to maintain the supply of trucks at the pits. Another factor has been the readiness of middlemen to accept lower figures than those quoted by the collieries, with the result that it has been difficult to gauge the market. The tendency is easier, and most descriptions show a decline of a couple ot shillings per ton as compared with a week ago. Admiralty requirements have been fully maintained, and licences to neutral countries were only sparingly granted, the result being that the principal demand was for France. Complaints con- tinue to be made of the great delays both on this side and at French ports, and many shippers assert that owing to the demurrage charges, instead of making a profit, they are incurring a huge loss on every cargo shipped. Exports last week amounted to 404,22? tons, as compared with 358.808 tons in the corresponding week of last year, or an increase of 45,419 tons. From Cardiff the shipments were 229,983 tons, against 207,761 tons last year, or an increase of 22,222 tons. The heaviest quantities were:--27,809 tons to Genoa, 14,999 tons to Li-bon, 6,920 tons to Rouen, and 12,036 tons to St. Nazaire. From Newport there were despatched 76,090 tons, or an increase of 18,032 tons, of which 13,284 tons went to Ruuen, and 9, 05 tons to St. Nazaire. Ship- ments to Bordeaux have been rather lower than usual owing to the high state of congestion at that port. Swansea exported 34,496 tons, or a falling off of 31,928 tons, and of this quantity no less than 16,814 tons was shipped Bituminous large___ 40/ -41/ 40/ -42 6 Through-and-through' 33/ -34/ : 33/ -341 Small .............' 28/ -31/ ! 30/ -33/ No. 2 Rhondda— Large______________ 34/ -35/ Through-and-through 26/ -29/ Small ............/.. 23/ -24/j Best patent fuel _____ 42/ -44/ Seconds _______________ 40/ 42/ Special foundry coke ... 62/6 -67 '6 .......... Ordinary do. ... 60 / -62 '6 Furnace coke .......... 50/ -55/ Pitwood (ex-ship) ....__ 43/ -45/ 35/ -36/ 28/ -30/ 24/ -25/ 43/- 44/ ■ 40/ -42/ 62/6-65/ 60/ -62/6 50/ -52/6 I 44/ -46/ : 22/ -24/ ' 20/ -21/ I 18/ -19/ i 13/ -15/ I I 20/ -21/ I 19/6-20/ I 18/ -19/ ! 17/ -17 6 i 23/ -24' ' 21/ -22/ | 21/ -22'' : 18/ -18'6 15/n-16'6 I : 17/ -18/ 15/6-16,6 ■ 11/ -12/ 33/ -34/ 30/ -31/ 42/ -44/ '38/ -40/ ; 32/ -34/ 37/ -38/ * Nominal. proportion. Patent fuel is rather lower at 40s. to 44s. per ton, although makers continue to be fully booked. Ship- ments last week were on a small scale, 4,134 tons being despatched from Cardiff, 7,988 tons from Swansea, and 5,521 tons from Port Talbot, the total decrease for the week as compared with the corresponding week of last year being 1,671 tons. Pitwood is fairly plentiful, and ranges from 43s. to 15s. per ton. The following table, compiled by the Statistical Department of the London Custom House, shows the average declared price of various descriptions of coal shipped during the month of August:— Port Cardiff. Newport. rpa^0^ Swansea. Per ton. Per ton. Per ton. Per ton. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Large steam 27 2 .. .. 28 3 .. .. 30 3 .. .. 28 10 Through-and-through 26 9 .. .. 23 10 .. .. 22 1 .. .. 21 9 Small steam 19 6 .. . 21 8 .. . 19 0 .. . 18 5 Largo anthracite . 37 0 .. . 26 10 .. 28 7 Household .. 27 1 . IRON. There was a big drop in the shipment of tin-plates last week, and the workers engaged in this industry are viewing the future with some amount of alarm owing to the extent of the Government restrictions. They have gone so far as to make representations to the authorities, in the hope that the regulations may be relaxed, but there is no prospect of this being done whilst the demand for munitions continues as heavy as at present. Receipts from works last week were 42,626 boxes, whilst shipments were only 24,841 boxes, leaving 121,020 boxes in stock in the docks ware- houses and vans. Bessemer and Siemens bars are nominal and almost unobtainable, except for Government work For tin-plates the quotations are rather easier, Bessemer standard cokes being 35s. 6d. to 36s. 6d., and oil sizes 36s. to 36s. 6d. and 51s. 6d. to 52s. respectively. There is no alteration in the galvanised sheet trade, and the general quotation has been withdrawn. Welsh haematite is also The local market continues to be characterised by a good deal of firmness, and prices remain firm. The demand for practically all q -alities is very strong, and buyers are inconvenienced by the shortage in supplies for some kinds. Large anthracites are in satisfactory demand but cobbles and nuts are very strong, and collieries experience con- siderable difficulty in coping with the business offering. Beans and peas are steady, and there is no change to report in the position of rubbly culm and duff. In the steam coal section of the market, large sorts of the better qualities are very scarce, and inland customers are complaining strongly of the delay in sending forward supplies to keep their engines running. Throughs and smalls are going well and prices firm. Manufacturing fuels are in strong demand, and there are no spare lots offering. This week’s quotations are approximately as follow:— Prices f.o.b. ______________________________________ ____________ 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-through... Small ............... Bituminous small coal... ! Current ; prices. 31/6-32.6 29/ -30^6 28/ -30/ 26/6-27/6 39;6-42/6 39/6 +16 10/ -42' 39/6-41/6 30/ -31'6 22/ -23/ 14/6-15/ 5/ - 5/6 L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. 31/ -32,6 32/ -34/ 29/ -30.6 30/ -32/ 28/ -30/ 26/6-27/6 39^6-42/6 39/6-4 L 6 40 -42 6 39/6-41/6 30/ -31/6 22/ -23/ 14/6-15/ 5/ - 5/6 32/ -34/ 25/ -27/ 40/ -42/ 40/ -42/ 43/ -46/ 40/ -42/ 30/ —32/ 18/6-19/6 8/6-11/6 4/6- 5/ 34/6-36/ 34/6-36/ 26/ -28/ 26/ -29/ 26/ -29/ 14/ -16/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ I 9,6-11/6 25/6-27/6 25/6-27/6 I 18/ -20/ ___________________________ THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. Business is still very slow, although licences to ship plates to Allies are coming along more freely. It is estimated that the output is now fully 50 per cent, below normal, and is likely to be still further reduced as the “combing out” of mon nroceeds. It is practically impossible to obtain plates to make without a certificate now, and such orders are being keenly competed for; 25s. to 25s. fid. has been taken for IC 14 x 20, and 51s. fid. for 28 x 20: while stock lots, without certificate, are realising about 33s. fid. and 69s. respectively. Quotations for war work only may be called :—Coke tins : 1 C 14 x 20 (112 sb. 108 lb.), 25s. fid. per box and upwards; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 lb.), 51s. fid.; I C 14 x 181 <124 sh. 110 1b.), 34s. (nominal); IC 20 x 10 (225 sh. 156 lb.), 50s. (nominal). I C squares and odd sizes, 26s. basis and upwards. Wasters are in moderale demand, and are quoted;—CW 14 x 20. 31s. 9d. per box and tip: CAY 28 x 20, 64s.; CW 20 x 10, 46s. Ternes are nominally 62s. a box for IC 28 x 20. All f.o.b. Wales, less 4 per cent. __________________________ The Institution of Mechanical Engineers.—The Institu- tion of Mechanical Engineers will bold a general meeting in the Institution of Civil Engineers. Great George-street, Westminster, on Friday evening. October 20. A paper on “ Trials on a Diesel Engine and Application of Energy Diagram to Obtain Heat Balance." by the late Lieut. Trevor Wilkins, will be presented.