October 20, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 759 Norhumberland, Durham and Cleveland. N e wcastle-upon-Ty ne. COAL. During last week 87,646 tons of coal and 3,302 tons of coke were despatched from Tyne Dock, a decrease of 14,812 tons of coal and of 1,003 tons of coke when compared with the shipments for the corresponding week of last year. The Dunston clearances amounted to 26,602 tons of coal and 5,134 tons of coke, a decrease of 21,819 tons of coal and 1,338 tons of coke. The Bly th shipments amounted to 66,752 tons of coal and coke, an increase of 2,181 tons. Thus, the shipments from the three places amounted to 189,436 tons only, showing the large decrease of 36,791 tons when compared with the corresponding week of last year. The prompt market has been exceedingly handicapped by the abnormal shortage of tonnage. Tonnage shortage, like the poor, we have always with us nowadays, but ihe scarcity during the last few days has been extraordinarily embarrassing from a business point of view. Freights, especially for Mediterranean destinations, are going skywards once more, thereby adding to the difficulties of the conduct of transactions. Wereit not that there is a very healthy demand for coals on the part of home con- sumers and on Admiralty account, the market would be in a parlous plight indeed. As it is, however, a very large proportion of the output is being promptly taken up by these customers, and stocks are not accumulating as fast as might be thought. Still, purchasers with spot tonnage and with licences ready are able to secure supplies of fuel at discount rates. Colliery quotations for f.o b shipment have varied as follow on the week:—Best Blyth steams are 2s. 6d. cheaper, Tynes are similarly reduced, Tyne seconds are 2s. 6d. down, unscreened steams 2s. 6d. lower, and Durham unscreened bunkers Is. to 2s. fallen. Other descriptions of fuel are nominally unaltered. For forward shipment, sellers hold resolutely to late quotations, and the tone of the market is steady. The Norwegian State Bailways have received replies to their request for immediate tenders of 18,500 tons of best steams for delivery over November- December 10, and early news of the allotment is looked for. The Swedish State Railways invite oilers of 50,000 tons of best steams for shipment up to the end of the year. The Danish State Railways want 7,500 tons of steams for fairly early loading. Tenders of all these requirements have gone forward, it is stated, on the basis of from 35s to 36s. 6d. per ton f o.b Tyne prime steams are stated to have be n sold for shipment over the first quarter of next year at 32s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. Best Blyth steams for local consumption over next year have been purchased at the maximum price allowable under the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act. Quantities of good Durham gas seconds for delivery over next year’to France have been sold at the limitation price of 25s. For similar delivery to neutral countries, this class of coal is quoted at 30s. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Current L’st week’s Steam coals :— prices. prices. Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... 35/ -37/6 37/6-40/ Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) 35/ -37/6 37 6-40/ Secondary, Blyths 30/ -32/6 i 30/ -32/6 Do. Tynes (Hastings or West Hartleys) ... i ! 30/ - 32/6 32/6-35' Qnscreened 25/ -27/6 25/ -30/ Small, Blyths i 22/6 22/6 Do. Tynes 20/ ; 20/ Do. specials 1 25/ * • 25/ Other sorts: — Smithies ! 25/ | 25/ Best gas coals (New'; Pelton or Holmside)! 32/6-35/ , 32/6-35/ Secondary gas coals I (Pelaw Main or similar); 27/6 27/6 Special gas coals ’ 34/ -35/ 34/ -35/ Unscreened bunkers, i Durhams; 24/ -26/ ; 24/ -27/ Do. do. i N orthumbrians 22/6-25/ ( 22/6-25/ Coking coals 24/ -25/ ! 24/ -25/ Do. smalls 21/ -23/ . 21/ -23/ 37,6-40/ House coals 37/6-40/ ; Coke, foundry 38/ -45/ : 38/ -/45 Do. blast-furnace 36/ -40/ ■ 36/ -40/ Do. gas 33/ -35/ ■ 33/ -35/ Last year’s prices. 18/ 18/ -18/6 16/6 17/ 13 6-14/ 16/ -16/6 18/6-19/6 16/6-17/ 20/ 15/6-16/6 ■ 15/6-16/6 : 15/6-16 6 , 15/6-16/ 20/ ■ 28/ -32/ 26/ | 27/ -28/ Sunderland. COAL. The exports from Sunderland last week amounted to 53,970 tons of coal and 1,015 tons of coke, as compared with 40,115 tons of coal and 285 tons of coke for the corresponding period of 1915, being an increase of 13,855 tons of coal and 730 tons of coke. Owing to the increasing scarcity of tonnage the coal market is dull and uninteresting, with weakening prices. The collieries are greatly handi- capped by want of boats, and prompt coal is everywhere in Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. | Current IL’st week’s'Last year’s Gas coals:— prices. i prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 35/ ; 35/ 19/6-20/ Secondary do. House coals:— 28/ 27/6 16,6—17/ Best house coals 35/ 40/ i 20/ Ordinary do Other sorts :— 25/ 27/6 j 17/6-18/ Lambton screened 32/6 35/ 20/ South Hetton do 32/6 25/ 35/ ' 20/ Lambton unscreened ... 25/ ; 16/ South Hetton do 25/ 25/ i 16/ Do. treble nuts 26/ 26/ ! 17/ ; 16/ Coking coals unscreened 25/ 25/ Do. smalls 24/ 22/6 15/6 Smithies 25/ 26/ i 16,6 [ 18/6-19/ Peas and nuts 26/6 27/6 Best bunkers 25/6 25/ 16/6 Ordinary bunkers Coke:— 20/ 22/ 15/9 Foundry coke Blast-furnace coke (did. 37/6 37,6 28/ -29/ Teesside furnaces) ... 28/ 28/ 25/ 27,6 Gas coke 31/6 33/ evidence. Yet the undertone of the market is good, and no disposition to cut prices for later loading is observable. The Swedish State Railways are in the market for 50,000 tons of best steams for delivery up to the end of the year, and the Danish State Railways also are inviting tenders for a small quantity of similar coal (7,500 tons) ; prices are mentioned as being 35s. to 36s. 6d. Additional quantities of good second-class gas coal have been sold for shipment over next year to France at 25s. For neutral shipment the same class of coal is quoted at 30s. Outward freights are very firm, tonnage being scarcer than ever. Genoa, after being round about 70s. to 72s. 6d. for some time, has now paid 78s. and 80s. ; Valencia 60s., Malta 65s., Port Said 6's.^ Buenos Ayres or La Plata 32s. 6d., Lisbon 40s., Bilbao 45s., Barcelona 60s., London 12s., Drammen 24 kr. Middiesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. Scarcity of tonnage hampers business in the fuel trade. Gas coal is in improving demand. Best Durhams are stated to be obtainable from second hands at 32s. 6d., but collieries quote 35s. There is a weakness in secondary gas coals, and purchases are understood to have been made at 24s., though 25s. may be given as the general market quotation, and several sellers are disposed to hold out for even more than the latter figure. Durham steams are rather weak at 34s. to 35s. through merchants. The tendency of bunker coals is slightly downward. Ordinary Durhams are on sale at 24s. 6d., and best kinds are in the neighbourhood of 26s. Household coals show no change. Coking coal keeps about 25s. Fernand for coke for local consumption continues large, but it is met by a more than ample supply, and quotations are unchanged. Average blastfurnace kinds are realising 28s. at the ovens, and up to 30s. 6d. at the ovens is still quoted for qualities low in phosphorus. Best foundry coke for shipment is quoted 40s. to 45s., and patent < oke 33s. to 37s. Gas coke varies very considerably in price. Up to 35s. is named, but business is stated to have been done at a good deal below that figure. IRON. A second blastfurnace has been re-lighted at the Redcar ironworks of Messrs. Dorman, Long and Company, to produce haematite iron, making the total number of furnaces in operation in the north-east di trrct 72, of which 28 are turning out Cleveland pig, 31 are making haematite, and 13 are manufacturing special kinds of iron. Several other idle furnaces are ready for re-starting, and may be put into operation at an early date. Demand for pig iron is heavy, and a fair amount of business is passing in Cleve- land, forge qualities of which, however, are plentiful, and can doubtless be purchased at a little below the recognised market quotations. For home consumption, No. 3, No. 4 foundry and No 4 forge all stand at 87s. 6d., and No. 1 is quoted 91s. 6d. The export price of No. 3 runs from 98s. to 100s. Buyers are prepared to pay that rate for warrant iron for prompt shipment, but holders hesitate to accept the figure. No. 1 is 102s. 6d. to i05s. for shipment abroad, No. 4 foundry 95s. 6d., and No. 4 forge 95s. 6d. As regards east coast haematite iron, deliveries on running contracts are heavy, but new business is quiet, makers being well sold to the end of the year and not caring to commit them- selves further ahead. Mixed numbers are 122s. 6d. for home use and for shipment to France, and 140s. for general export. Manufacturers of finished iron and steel are very busily employed, and are now turning out a good deal of material for mercantile shipbuilding. The following are among the principal market quotations .-—Common iron bars, £13 15s.; iron ship plates, £13 10s. to .£14 10s.; iron ship angles, £13 15s.; iron ship rivets, £17 10s. to £18 10s.; steel bars (no test), £14 10s.; steel ship plates, £11 10s.; steel ship angles, £11 2s. 6d. ; steel ship rivets, £20; steel joists, £11 2s 6d. ; steel strip, £17 ; steel hoops, £17 10s.; heavy sections of steel rails, £10 17s. 6d.; packing iron and steel (parallel), £11 ; and packing iron and steel (tapered), £13 5s. Cumberland. Mary port. COAL. There has been a marked improvement all round in the Cumberland coal industry. Business is brisker in all departments, the pressure of demand is much keener, and there is every reason to believe that the busiest season of the year has already set in. There is a very strong enquiry for all classes of fuel, both for loc 1 and outside users, and where it is possible to secure supplies a good many home consumers are already putting in stocks for the winter. In the home market all sorts are in very brisk demand. Some good orders have lately been booked, in both the home and export branches, and the collieries could easily dispose of considerably more coal than is at present being raised Requirements have increased so quickly of late that there has barely been sufficient to go round, and last week some users had to go short of their usual supplies. Local industrial needs, for the iron and steel works and the coke ovens, which are a first con- sideration, were fully satisfied, but some outside and export consumers were unable to secure more than one-half of what they required. The demand, on all accounts, is now very much in excess of the supply, and some of the collieries have already booked sufficient orders to keep them busy for some time. All the pits are working regularly, and every effort is being made to keep pre- diction as high as possible. Labour conditions in the coalmining industry were probably never better in this locality. There is little or no unemployment amongst coal miners, and wages were never higher in West Cumber- land. Since the cold weather set in there has been more liveliness in the house coal trade. Engine fuels are in steady request, and best gas coal for Beal use is in very strong demand. As far as industrial fuel is concerned, the position is unchanged. There is a very keen demand for all sorts for manufacturing purposes, and home require- ments are at present extremely difficult’ to meet. The improvement in the shipping trade has been well main- tained, and business in the export branch is now very brisk. There is at present an abnormal demand for both house and works fuel for all parts of Ireland, and if supplies can be secured this branch promises to be busier than ever this winter. Owing to the pressure in the home market, all sorts have been rather scarce this week, and it has therefore been impossible to satisfy all requirements. During the week 14 vessels sailed with coals from Mary- port to Irish ports, and the shipments amounted to 3,175 tons, compared with 5,320 tons at the corresponding period of last year, or a decrease of 925 tons compared with last week. Local coke is in very brisk request, and all the by- product ov^ns in this district are in full blast. The entire make of coke is going to blast furnaces in West Cumber- land. It is expected that the new ovens at Whitehaven will be lighted shortly. There is continued activity in the by-products industry, and all the plants in this neighbour- hood are working at their fullest capacity. The exports from Mary port during the week have included 200 tons of pitch from the West Cumberland By-Product Works for Bilbao, and 2,000 tons of creosote oil for a Continental port, from the Mary port Benzol Works, j here has been no change in either home or export prices. Best coal at the pit is quoted at from 22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at from 20s. iOd. to 21s. 3d. per ton. Best export coal is 19s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. at Maryport, with best washed nuts at 17s. 6d. per ton. Bunkers are a very steady trade, at from 21s. Cd. to 30s. per ton. Best gas coal is 20 s. per ton, and washed nuts 19s. per ton, delivered in the district. At Maryport, best house coal delivered is quoted at Is. 5|d. to Is. t'd. per cwt., or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 25s IOd. per ton, and seconds 24s. 2d. per ton. At Workington, best house coal delivered is quoted at from Is. 3d. to Is. 4d. per cwt, or from 24s. 2d. to 25s. IOd. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow : — BestCumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Buckhill best coal „ Do. double-scrned washed nuts at pit Oughterside best coal at F’t Oughterside best washed nuts at pit St. Helens (Siddick) best coal at pit St. Helens best house nuts at pit Best dry small at pit Best steam nuts „ BestCumberl’nd coal, f.o.b Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... Best bunkers (coastwise) Do. (for foreign-going steamers) Bunkers (mixed nuts and steam coal) (coastwise) Do. (foreign) Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- works 1 Current ' prices. I 23/4 ! 21/3 ! 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22,6 21/ 12 6 ! 19/ j 19/6 i 17/6 ! 25/ 30/ 21 6 ! 25/ 20/ i 19/ u’st week’? prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12,6 1 19/ 19/6 17/6 25/ 30/ 21/6 25/ 20/ 19/ . Last year’s prices. 23/4 21 3 22 6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/ 19/ 19/6 17/6 19/ 19/ 17/ -17/6 , 17/ -17,6 ; '20/ 19/ IRON. A very firm tone continues to prevail in the Cumberland and North Lancashire haematite iron trade. There was probably never a time in its history when there was so much work in the various departments. Business in the iron trade is tremendously brisk, there is intense activity in every branch, and the chief concern of makers is to secure as big an output of metal as possible. The special feature of interest is still the extraordinary clamour for iron. The demand for metal grows keener, makers are unable to cope with a good deal of the business now offer- ing, and requirements of both ordinary and low phosphorus iron are still very much greater than can be satisfied. Since last week a furnace has been put out of blast at Barrow, and the number of furnaces blowing in North Lancashire has therefore been reduced to 9. Smelters in both Cumberland and the Furness district are still doing all they can to increase the production of iron. The Work ngton Iron and Steel Company will soon have two more furnaces ready for lighting, one at AVorkington and the other at Maryport, and it is also stated that it may be possible to put two additional furnaces into blast in the Furness area before mid-winter. Prices are unchanged at the Government maximum, and Bessemer mixed numbers are again quoted at 127s. 6d. per ton,, f.o.t , with warrants at cash at 115s. per ton. Special iron is 140s. per ton, f o.t., and semi-special iron is quoted at 13 s. 6d. per ton. As far as ferro-manganese is concerned the situation is unchanged. The output is being drawn from 29 furnaces, 20 of which are in Cumberland and the remaining 9 in the Furness area. The whole of the production of both ordinary and special iron is going into prompt use. The bulk of the Bessemer iron is being absorbed locally at the steelworks at Barrow and Workington, and all the make of special iron, which is now distributed by the Government, is going to consumers in Scotland, the Midlands, and other districts. The steel trade is as brisk as ever, and all the plants aie busy on special work. Rails, light sections, are quoted at from £12 to £12 10s. per ton, with heavy sections at from £10 17s. 6d. to £1110s. per ton, and billets are in very brisk demand at £12 per ton. Engineers are very busy, and some of the shops in this district are still woiking a good deal of overtime. The iron-ore industry is in a remarkably active condition. All the iron-ore mines are working at their fullest capacity, and native ore is in very strong demand. Local requirements are still in excess of the supply, but it is expected that a f -rther effort will be made sh rtly to increase the production of local iron ore. There has been no alteration in prices. Best sorts are still quoted at 38s. per ton ; good ordinary sorts are from 21s. to 30s. per ton, and better sorts are from 31s. to 36s. 6d. per ton net, at the mines. Some good consignments of foieign iron ore are still coming to hand at the Cumberland ports. South-West Lancashire. COAL. The demand for household coal continues to increase, and there is difficulty in meeting this promptly. The small stocks that have been accumulated at the various wharves have already been broken into although so early in the season. Requirements of steam coal for ordinal y bunkering and export purposes are fairly steady, though of course restricted on account of the scarcity of tonnage and refusal of licences. After Government demands have been satisfied there is not much surplus coal about, and prices of