October 27, 1916. 811 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. _______________________________________________________________________________ Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Gas coals:— Current prices. L’st week’sLast year’s prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 32/6 35/ 19’6-20/ Secondary do. 27/ 28/ i 17/ House coals:— Best house coals 35/ 35/ 1 22/ Ordinary do 29/ 25/ 20/ Other sorts :— Lambton screened 32 6 32/6 I ■ ; 20/ South Hetton do 32'6 ; 32/6 i 20/ Lambton unscreened ... 24/ i 25/ 16/3 South Hetton do 24/ ' 25/ , 16/3 Do. treble nuts’ 25/ 26/ ’ 17/ Coking coals unscreened; 24/ 25/ 16/6 Do. smalls 22/ 24/ ' 16/ Smithies 24/ 25/ 17/ -18/ Peas and nuts ! 25/6 26/6 19/6-20/ Best bunkers 26/6 25/6 ; 17/ ' 16/ Ordinary bunkers ! 21/ 20/ Cokei Foundry coke 40/ 37/6 i ! 28/6 Blast-furnace coke (did. Teesside furnaces) ... 28/ 28/ I 25 6 Gas coke j 32/6 31/6 ' 26/ -27/ Chartering has been very idle as no prompt tonnage available, while forward boats were equally scarce. Mediterranean rates are firm. For Spanish and other neutral destinations the enquiry is limited, but a brisk demand is again noted on French account, and coke rates are strong; recent fixtures include:—London 12s.; Chris- tiania, 29 kr.; Drammen, 24 kr.; Vigo, 45s.; Valencia, 57s. 6d.; Barcelona, 60s.; Genoa, 80s.; Civita Vecchia, 86s.; Las Palmas, 35s. Middiesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. Coal generally is weak, owing to the tonnage scarcity. All descriptions of Durham coal can be discounted for prompt business. Steam coals are offered rather freely at 34s. Gas coal is in moderate and growing request. Best Durhams are 32s 6d., and second kinds round about 24s., whilst Wear specials are quoted up to 35s. 6d. Household coal keeps steady. The bunkering branch is easier. Good ordinary unscreened Durham bunkers are in the neighbour- hood of 22s., and best sorts are quoted 24s. There is more coking coal on the market, and a fair price for good unscreened kinds is 22s., whilst coking smalls can be bought at 21s. Coke supply is reported plentiful. Foundry kinds are not quite so steady as they have been, and good sorts now run from 36s. to 40s. for shipment, and patent kinds are selling at 3 Is. Gas coke varies very considerably, as much as 35s. per ton for shipment is named, but business is understood to have been done at less. IRON. Firmness continues to characterise Cleveland pig iron* The removal, last week end, of the embargo upon sales of foundry kinds to Scotland for November delivery has brought in quite a rush of orders, with which it has been found impossible to cope. Makers are acting with caution, and are not disposed to commit themselves to any great extent. A steady local business is passing. Enquiries for delivery over periods next year are reported, but producers are not inclined to sell ahead, and merchants will only as forward business, subject to official alterations in price. For home consumption, No. 3, No. 4 foundry, and No. 4 forge a!l stand at 87s. 6d., and No. 1 is quoted 91s. 6d. Demand for export is heavy, and to relieve the pressure efforts are being made to secure Midland iron for shipment. Deliveries to our Allies are on a fairly good scale. The market quotation for No. 3 for export runs from 98s. to 100s. Buyers are quite keen to pay the latter figure for any lots coming on the market for prompt shipment. No. 1 is quoted 102s. 6d. and upward for shipment abroad ; whilst No. 4 foundry is 96s. 6d. and No. 4 forge 95s. 6d. Heavy running contracts still absorb the output of east coast haematite iron, and new business is almost impossible. Occasional odd parcels come upon the market and they are immediately snapped up, subject to official sanction. Nos. 1, 2, and 3 remain at 122s. 6d. for home use and for shipment to France, and they are quoted 142s. 6d. for general export. Large imports of foreign ore continue to come steadily in, with the result that consumers’ already heavy stocks are being further added to. Manufacturers of finished iron and steel keep very busily employed. Further Government orders are reported, and a good deal of mercantile shipbuilding material is being given out. Quotations, all round, are very strong. Maryport. ______________ Cumberland. COAL. Great activity continues in the Cumberland coal, coke and by-product industries. There is a strong and growing demand for fuel in all markets. All sorts are in brisk request, both for local and export users. Smalls are rather scarce, even for the home market, and one or two of the coke plants have scarcely had sufficient small coal to maintain all their ovens in full blast. All the collieries are working six days a week, and production is slowly but gradually increasing all over the country. There is a much stronger demand for house coal, and some of the landsale depots are extremely busy just now. Gas coal and loco- motive fuels for local use are a very brisk trade, and consumers are not finding it easy to procure supplies. In fact, stocks of all classes of coal are not too plentiful, and after the local manufacturing needs have been met ther i is very little surplus to spare, for either export or other purposes. Slacks, smalls and all varieties of coal for industrial needs are in very keen demand, and the local iron and steel works, the coke ovens and other public works in the locality are still taking the main part of the output. During the last week or two requirements for the local iron ore mines have been rather heavier than usual. Business is coming in freely on all accounts, and collieries have almost as much on hand at present in the home market as they can comfortably deal with. The cross-Channel trade is picking up quickly, and business in this branch is now almost as brisk as it was some time ago. All varieties of fuel are in very keen demand for the Irish market, but smalls and works fuel are still rather scarce. Gas coal is steadier, and there is also a much better enquiry for coal for household purposes. During the week 16 vessels have sailed with coals from Maryport, all for Irish ports, and the shipments have amounted to 4,040 tons, compared with 4,360 tons this time last year, and an increase of 865 tons compared with last week. The largest consignments have been for Belfast, Dublin, Londonderry and Carrickfergus, but several good cargoes have also been consigned to Larne, Portaferry, Portrush and Kilkeel. Coke makers are tremendously busy, and when sufficient coal is obtainable all the ovens in the county are in full operation. The whole of the production is being absorbed at the local blast furnaces. Cumberland swellers are still using about 6,000 tons of North-East coast coke weekly. Business is still very brisk in the local by-products trade, and all the works in this locality are very actively engaged. Prices of all varieties are firm but' unchanged, and no alteration in either home or export prices is at present anticipated. Best Cumberland c al at the pit is from 22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at from 20s. lOd. to 2is. 3d. per ton. Best sorts for shipping are quoted at 19s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. at Maryport, with best washed nuts at 17s. 6d. per ton. Best gas coal is 20s. per ton delivered in the district. All varieties of bunkers are in very keen demand. Best sorts for foreign-going vessels are from 25s. to 30s. per ton, and for coastwise vessels from 21s. 6d. to 25s. per ton. Best house coal delivered in Maryport is from 1 s. 5|d. to Is. 6d. per cwt., or from 27s 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton. At Workington, best house coal delivered is Is. 4d. per cwt., or 25s. lOd. per ton, with best washed nuts at Is. 3d. per cwt., or 24s. 2d. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow:— ___________________ Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Current prices. 23/4 21/3 L’st week’s prices. 23/4 21/3 Last year’s prices. 23/4 21/3 Buckhill best coal ,, Do. double-seined 22/6 22/6 22/6 washed nuts at pit Oughterside best coal at 21/ 21/ 21/ pit Oughterside best washed 22/6 22/6 22,6 nuts at pit St. Helens (Siddick) best 21/ 21/ 21/ coal at pit St. Helens best house nuts 22,6 22 /6 22,6 at pit 21/ 21/ 21/ Best dry small at pit 12/6 12y6 I 12/ Best steam nuts „ 19/ 19/ 19/ Best Cumberl’nd coal, f.o.b. 19/6 19/6 19/6 Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... Best bunkers (coastwise) Do. (for foreign-going 17/6 17/6 17/6 25/ 25/ 19/. steamers) Bunkers (mixed nuts and 30/ 30/ 19/ steam coal) (coastwise) 21/6 25/ 21/6 j 17/ -17/6 Do. (foreign) 25/ 17/ -17/6 20/ Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- 20/ 20/ works ____________________ 19/ 19/ ' , 19/ IRON. The boom in the west coast haematite iron trade con- tinues, and there is marked activity in every department of the iron and steel industry in West Cumberland and the Furness district. All the plants are as busy as th y can possibly be, and a very large volume of metal is being pro- duced. The outstanding features of interest for many months past has been the phenomenal call for meta], and the determined efforts which are being made on the part of smelters to cope with the demand. Makers are still veiy busy making more furnaces ready for lighting, and it is fully anticipated that at least five, or even six additional furnaces may be put into blast in the course of the next three or four months. The third furnace at the Solway Works at Maryport, and one at the Lowther Works at Workington, will probably be the next to be lighted, but furnaces are also being prepared at the Harrington iron- works, which have been standing idle for some years, and it may be pos ible to put at least one of the furnaces into blast before the spring of the year. The clamour for iron is enormous ; makers are overwhelmed with orders, but as they have so much in hand, only a very small margin can be accepted. Requirements of both ordinary and special iron are still very much in excess of the supply, and this is likely to be the case as long as the war lasts, but the situation will probably not be quite so stringent when a few more furnaces have .been lighted. The pig iron in stock in public stores still stands at 450 tons. With such a heavy demand for metal, prices are well maintained at the Government maximum, and Bessemer mixed numbers are again quoted at 127s. 6d. per ton f.o.t., with special iron at 140s. per ton, and semi-special iron at 135s. 6d. per ton f.o.t. Warrants at cash are idle at 115s. per ton. There are 29 furnaces in blast on the west coast, 20 in Cumberland, and nine in the Furness district, compared with 14 in Cumberland and eight in the Furness area at the corre- sponding period of last year. All the furnaces, with the exception of two at Workington, are on special, semi-special and Bessemer iron, and the entire output is going into immediate consumption. All the ordinary iron is retained for use at the local steel works, and the whole of the make of low phosphorus iron is going to users engaged on Government account in the Clyde district, the Midlands, and other parts of the country. There is nothing new to chronicle in connection with the steel trade. All the mills are working at full pressure, and Workington and Barrow are both maintaining a very large output. Rails, light sections are from .£12 to £12 10s. per ton, with heavy sections from £10 17s. 6d. to £11 10s., and billets are in firm demand at £12 per ton. Engineers are still very busy on Government work. The iron ore industry in the dis- trict from Cleator Moor to Hodbarrow is in a very flourishing condition. Native ore is in very keen demand, and all the local iron ore mines are working full time. Production of ordinary grades of ore is still rather below requirements. The bulk of the output is going to smelters in Cumberland and the Furness area. Prices of all varieties are unchanged. Best Hodbarrow ore is 38s. per ton, good ordinary grades are from 21s. to 30s. per ton. and better sorts are from 31s. to 36s. 6d. per ton net at the mines. Two good cargoes of foreign iron ore have arrived at the Maryport dock this week. South-West Lancashire. COAL. In household coals there is quite a large business afoot, and indeed rather more than can be dealt with promptly. Stocks have been drawn upon to some extent, although the busy season can scarcely be said to have begun. Theie is nothing new regarding screened coal for forge and manu- facturing purposes, full supplies being required. There is very little change as regards shipping. Requirements for ordinary bunkering and export continue on a restricted scale, but there is comparatively little spare coal on the market and prices of Lancashire steam coals are firm at 23s. to 24s. f.o.b. or better in special cases. In the coastwise and cross-channel trade for household coal, a fair tonnage continues to be shipped, but some of the shipments enquired for have to be post-dated. With colder weather and shorter days, the slack consumption steadily increases, and it is only here and there that odd lots are short of delivery orders. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current L’st week’s Last year 5 prices. prices. prices. 21/ 21/ 20 9 25/6 i 25/6 22/ -23/ 19/ -20' ; 24/6 19/ -20/ , 19/ ; 24'6 20/ 18/ i 18/ 16 9-17/ 24/ upwds I 24/ upwds 18/ -18/6 18/ I 18/ 16/ -17/ ( 23/ -24 ; 23/ -24/ 17/3-18/ s 16< i j 16/ 14/ 1 15 6 15 6 12/6 | 14/6 i 1 1 14/6 j 10/ House coal.— j Best ................' Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium..............j Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net); Kitchen..............i Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Screened forge coal..... ....... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b., Best slack ............................. Secondary slack ..... I Common do.......... ________________ _______________ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a good attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. The position in house coal is as it has been for some time, there is difficulty in getting full supplies. Furnace coal is in good demand, and there is a good enquiry for shipping coal. Prices are steady Slack is on offer, and concessions are made in prices to assist sales Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). | Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coal:— prices. prices. prices. Best ............... 22/ -23/ 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ Medium............., 19/6-21/ 19/6-21/ 19/ -20?3 Common.............i 18/ -18/6 18/ -18,6 17/ -17/3 Furnace coal...........| 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 16/ -17/ Bunker (f.o.b. Partington)'25/ -26/ 25/ -26/ 19/ -21/ Best slack .............| 16/upwds 16/ upwds. 14/ Common slack .........114 6 upwds ,14/6 upwds j 11/ -12/ IRON. There was a fair attendance on ’Change in Manchester on Tuesday, but we have nothing fresh to report as regards prices and deliveries of all materia], which are entirely controlled by the Ministry of Munitions. All works are fully occupied. __________________ Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was a very full attendance on the Coal Exchange on Tuesday, and the tone of the market was firm and active. Buyers were again in a marked majority, and business was limited only by the paucity of supplies. This applies particularly to all descriptions of nuts and house coal, for which there was strong pressure. There was rather less enquiry for gas coal, and slacks w*re offered fairly freely, the latter being due, no doubt, to export difficulties in regard to securing licences, and to an even greater extent securing boats when licences are obtainable. Colliery agents reported fu‘1 time working at the pits, with an entire absence of stocks, and order books full for most descriptions, particularly in regard to house coal, and in many cases to the end of the year. Deliveries under con- tract are generally considered to be satisfactory. The wagon supply is causing difficulty, however, railway tiucks being practically unpi ocurable, while traffic for the south is subject to a good deal of delay on the railway. The pressure for supplies of house coal for the London market is very insistent. Few collieries have anything to offer, their output, generally speaking, being required to fulfil contract commitments. Reports from London go to show that there is considerable activity in the retail trade, and merchants still find it necessary to draw upon their sparse stocks. Tn the coastwise branch there is very little doing, apart from contract coal. Freights range about 12s. 6d. Hull-London. Sales are reported of a few cargoes of medium Silkstone house coal for the south coast at 22s. f.o.b. Hull. Locally the house coal trade is busy. Merchants, whose stocks generally are considerably below those of last year at the corresponding date, are finding supplies fairly satisfactory in their own wagons, but there is no little delay in orders for colliery trucks. Quotations for the West Riding :—Haigh Moor selected 21s. to 22s.; Silkstone best 20s. to 21s.; Silkstone house, 18s. to 19s.; other sorts, 17s. to 18s. New business in gas coal is quiet, except there is still eagerness on the part of gasworks in London and south of London to pick up prompt parcels in the open market. There is a good deal being shipped, especially screened coal. One or two more orders have been placed for Italy, but here again the difficulty of getting boats is most pronounced. The prices and freights that have been arranged for Italy appear to be regaided as satisfactory locally. As indicated above, manufacturing slacks are more abundant, but every other quality is firm, and fetches full list prices. The scarcity of coking smalls is as great as ever, and there is no slackening in the demand for furnace coke, for which there is particularly keen piessure from Frodingham and the Midlands, while odd parcels are being shipped to France.