November 3, 1916. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 861 Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland. N e wcastle-upon-Ty ne. COAL. During last week 91,819 tons of coal and 5470 tons of coke were despatched from Tyne Dock, a decrease of 8,009 tons of coal and 3,740 tons of coke when compared with the shipments for the corresponding week of last year. The Dunston clearances amounted to 37,479 tons of coal and 4,816 tons of coke, a decrease of 12,136 tons of coal and an increase 1,441 tons of coke. The Bly th shipments totalled 66,230 tons of coal and coke, an increase of 8,468 tons. Thus, the shipments from the three places aggre- gated 205,514 tons, an increase of 16,099 tons when compared with the quantities despatched during the previous week, but a decrease of 13,976 when compared with figures for the corresponding week of last year. Latest information with reference to the Norwegian State Railways’ requirements of 18,500 tons of steams for delivery up to December 10 reveals some difference as compared with the reports given last week. It would seem that the allotments have been as follow : 4,200 tons of best Blyths, at 36s. per ton f.o.b. Blyth ; 3,000 tons South Hetton, at 36s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. Tyne Dock or Sunderland; 3,000 tons Horden, at 33s. 6d. f.o.b. Seaham; 5,000 tons best South Yorkshire hards, at 31s. 6d. f.o.b. Hull; and 2,000 tons Powell Duffryn, at 42s. 6d. f.o.b. Cardiff. Thus, there remains quantity of 1,300 tons uncontracted for. The Swedish State Railways, which desired offers of 50,000 tons of steams for delivery over the rest of this year, are stated to have purchased unspecified quantities of best Blyths at 36s. 6d., with Tyne seconds at 32s. 6d. The coaling stations are enquiring for good Durham bunkers for delivery over next year, but do not appear to be prepared readily to pay the 30s. per ton which is quoted by collieries, and are holding out for supplies at the limitation figures. This is practically all the forward business that is reported this week. The forward market is, generally, veiy dull, on account of the great uncertainty as to steamer supplies, and, whilst fully current prices are being quoted for business ahead, there are, substantially speaking, no takers at present. The prompt market is absolutely idle by reason of the great shortage of tonnage. Buyers with boats ready could secure substantial discounts, from 2s. 6d. to 5s. per ton being freely mentioned, but there are no such fortunately- situated merchants at the moment. Several collieries in Northumberland and Durham have been laid idle tempo- rarily, and the present condition is almost as bad as it could possibly be. Unless drastic steps are practicable and are taken for the relief of the coal trade, from the point of view of shipping supply, many more collieries must be laid idle in the very near future. Prices this week are purely nominal. The changes in f.o.b. quotations for prompt ship- ment have been very limited during the week, and are as follows :—Tyne best steams are 2s. 6d. per ton cheaper ; Blyth seconds, ditto; Tynes, easier ; Durham unscreened bunkers, weaker ; coking coals, in buyers’ favour; coking smalls, from Is. to 2s. reduced ; and blast-furnace coke, 2s. fallen. There is a very fair demand for coke for home consumption, but, so far as business abroad is concerned, trade is effectively nullified by the embargo imposed by shipping shortage. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. I L’st week’s Last year’s prices. I prices. 30/ -32/6 i 19/ -19/6 32/6-35/ iQ/ 27/6-30/ Current prices. 30/ -32/6 30/ -32/6 27/6 27/6 30/ 22/6 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 22/6 30/ 22/6 20/ -21/ : 19/ —20/ i 22/6 22/6-25/ 22/6-25/ 30/ 30/6-32/6 19/6 Do. do. N or thumbrians. Coking coals.........< Do. smalls ........ House coals .........! Coke, foundry .........j Do. blast-furnace......, Do. gas ..............J Steam coals :— | Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.)j Secondary, Blyths .... Do. Tynes (Hastings1 or West Hartleys) ... Unscreened ..........; Small, Blyths ........j Do. Tynes........... Do. specials........j Other sorts:— 1 Smithies.............: Best gas coals (Newi Pelton or Holmside). Secondary gas coals i (Pelaw Main or similar). Special gas coals ....... Unscreened bunkers, ! Durhamsj 18/ -25/ : 20/ -25/ i 20/ -22/6'20/ -22/6 ' 20/ -25/ J 22/6-25/ : 18/ -20/ : 20/ -21/ . 35/ ! 35/ 38/ -45/ 38/ -/45 ; 36/ -38/ ; 36/ -40/ : 33/ -35/ I 33/ -35/ ; 27/ -29/ 19/ 16/6-17/ ' 17/ ' 15/ -16/ n/ 10/6 13/6 16/6-17/ 23/ 30/ 23/ 30/ 16/6 20/ 15/6-16/6 15/ -16/ 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ 20/ 32/6-37/6 28/ -30/ Sunderland. COAL. The exports from Sunderland last week amounted to 66,600 tons of coal and 315 tons of coke, as compared with 63,720 tons of coal and 1,125 tons of coke for the corresponding period of 1915, being an increase of 2,880 tons of coal and a decrease of 810 tons of coke. The coal market is very depressed owing to the dearth of tonnage. Several of the collieries are now losing time, and it is feared that some may even be idle in the course of a few days, as they are already “ teeming bye,” and there is a lack of wagons, which are lying at the docks and staiths waiting for steamers to arrive. In these circumstanoes business is almost at a standstill, and prices are purely nominal. Buyers who have prompt boats at command can undoubtedly negotiate at considerably below current market quotations. Limitation business is transacted with the greatest difficulty. All classes of unscreened are now below limitation levels, coking coals are a drug on the market, and bunkers are difficult to dispose of. Coke is also suffering for want of tonnage. Forward business is negligible. The coaling stations are enquiring for good bunkers over next year, but contractors are not disposed to operate at the prices quoted—viz., 30s. a ton. Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. L’stweek’ s Last year’s prices. prices. 32/6 20/ -20/6 27/ ; 18/ r 35/ 1 23/ 29/ ’ 20/ 32/6 : 20/ -20/6 32'6 20/ 24/ 16,6-16/9 24/ ; 16/6 25/ 17/6 24/ 17/3 22/ [ 17/ 24/ 25/6 18/ 20/ 26/6 17/ -17,3 21/ 16/ -16/6 40/ J 34/ -35/ 28/ 27/ 32/6 ; 29/ ! Current Gas coals .-— : prices. Special Wear gas coals 30/ Secondary do. 25/ House coals:— Best house coals 34/ Ordinary do 1 28/ Other sorts :— Lambton screened 30/ South Hetton do : 30/ Lambton unscreened ... ' 22/ South Hetton do ! 22/ Do. treble nuts ' 24/ Coking coals unscreened 20/ Do. smalls ' 18/ Smithies 1 23/ Feas and nuts ! 24/6 Best bunkers 20/ Ordinary bunkers 18/ Coke:— Foundry coke 38/ Blast-furnace coke (did. Teesside furnaces) ... 28/ Gas coke j 32/ Chartering continues idle owing to the scarcity of tonnage. The demand for boats is out of all proportion to the supply, hence rates remain very firm. Recent fixtures include :—London. 12s.; Lisbon, 40s.; Drammen, 24 kr.; Korsoer, 27 kr.; Gibraltar, 40s.; Oran, 52s. 6d.; Barcelona, 60s.; Genoa, 64s. 6d.; Sicily, 67s. 6d.; Alicante, 65s.; Port Said, 62s. 6d.; River Plate, 35s. Middiesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. In the coal market, quotations generally are weak, and largely nominal. Parcels are offered at considerably below limitation level. In the absence of prompt business it is very difficult to fix values, but doubtless any buyer with a steamer at command could purchase best Durham gas coals at 27s. 6d., and second sorts at round about 20s. Good ordinary Durham bunkers are 18s. to 19s., and best kinds are in the neighbourhood of 21s. Smithies and nuts have a good outlet locally, and are quoted 27s. 6d. to 30s. A good deal of coking coal is being taken up, but there is plenty on offer. Coking unscreened kinds are 18s., and smalls 19s. Best foundry coke for shipment is stated to be obtainable at 35s., but some sellers ask up to as much as 40s. Patent coke is put at 34s. Gas coke varies considerably in price, up to 35s. is asked, but there are buyers who declare that they can purchase at several shillings below that figure. Local demand for furnace coke continues heavy, and prices are upheld notwithstanding the much more than ample supply. Average blastfurnace kinds are still realising 28s. at the ovens, and up to 30s. 6d. continues to be asked for qualities low in phosphorus. IRON. There is a steady demand for Cleveland iron for Scotland for delivery this month, and English foundries are placing orders to the end of the year. Some business has been put through for supply over the first quarter of next year, but generally makers are disinclined t) enter into contracts for delivery beyond the end of December. In consequence of difficulty in obtaining sufficient supplies of No. 3 Cleveland, some consumers are placing rather substantial orders for forge iron in place of the better qualities. Forge iron is plentiful, and a proportion of it mixed with superior kinds is quite suitable for many purposes. No. 3, No. 4 foundry, and No. 4 forge all stand at 87s. 6d. for home con- sumption, and No. 1 is put at 91s. 6d. In the export trade a steady business with France and Italy is reported. From 97s. 6d. upward is quoted for No. 3 for shipment abroad, and buyers are prepared to pay up to 101s. for prompt warrant iron. No. 1 is 102s. 6d. and upward for export; No. 4 foundry 96s. 6d., and No. 4 forge 95s. 6d. In the East coast haematite branch deliveries to home consumers are well maintained, and good sales to France and Italy are reported. For home use Nos. 1, 2, and 3 remain at 122s. 6d. ; whilst for shipment to France the price is 137s. 6d., and for export to Italy 142s. 6d. Considerable business in foreign ore is understood to have been put through, and imports, though interfered with by lack of tonnage, continue sufficiently heavy to enable consumers to add substantially to the already very heavy stocks. Imports to Middlesbrough during October reached 152,770 tons. Manufacturers of finished iron and steel are very full of work, mostly on Government account, but consider- able quantities of mercantile shipbuilding material are also being turned out. Quotations are very strong. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The Cumberland coal industry is tremendously brisk. There is an abnormal demand for fuel in both the home and export markets, and all departments are experiencing the greatest pressure. There is a strong enquiry for all markets of coal, and the branches are beginning to show signs of expansion. In the home markets the demand is keener than ever this week, the collieries have booked considerably more business than they can deal with at present, and requirements on all hands are very much larger than can be satisfied. The needs of home consumers are still increasing, and local works requirements are probably heavier than they have been this year. All the collieries in the county are busily engaged, and there has been a fairly good output this week. The Joint Committees are still doing all they can to prevent absenteeism, but some of the pits are still hampered by the irregular working of the miners, particularly on the first two days of the week The return of colder weather conditions has given an impetus to the house coal trade, and orders are coming into the depots more quickly than they can be dealt with. Gas coal for both home and export use is very firm, and engine fuels for the local railways are in very stroffg request. It is usual at this period of the year for the railway and gas companies to put in stocks for the winter, but under present circumstances they are only able to secure sufficient to meet their more immediate require- ments. Smalls are not quite so scarce as they were a week ago, but the bulk of the production is still being absorbed at the local by-product coke ovens. Requirements of manufacturing fuel for local use are still very large, but it is in every way likely they will be much larger towards the end of the year, when there is a further expansion in the Cumberland haematite iron trade. The coastwise trade is in a remarkably active condition. There is a keen demand for gas, works and house coal for the export market, and Irish merchants could easily take 40 per cent, more coal than they are at present receiving. The stormy weather, however, has interfered with the sailings of coasting steamers to Ireland during the last few days. During the week 12 vessels have sailed from Maryport to Ireland with coals, and the shipments have amounted to 3,395 tons, compared with 3,300 tons this time last year, or a decrease of 645 tons compared with the previous week. The shipments for October have been 15,185 tons, against 15,635 tons for September and 20,890 tons at the corresponding period of last year. Coke is in fair demand, and all the local by product ovens are in full blast. The entire output of local coke is going to the furnaces in West Cumberland. The by-products trade is very busy, and all the plants in this neighbourhood are working at their fullest capacity. Prices of all sorts are firm, but unchanged. Best sorts at the pit are from 22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at from 20s. lOd. 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. Best gas coal is 20s. per ton, and washed nuts 19s. per ton, delivered in the district. Bunkers are in very steady demand at from 21s. 6d. to 30s. per ton. At Maryport, best house coal delivered is from Is. 5|d. to Is. 6d. per cwt., or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton. At Workington, best house coal delivered is from Is. 3d to Is. 4d. per cwt., or from 24s. 2d. to 25s. lOd. per ton. Other current quota- tions are as follow :— Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Buckhill best coal „ Do. double-serned washed nuts at pit Oughterside best coal at pit 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 „ Best Cumberl’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 Current prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 2!/ 22,6 21/ 12/6 19/ 19/6 17/6 25/ 30/ 21/6 25/ 20/ 19/ L’st week’s prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/6 19/ 19/6 17/6 25/ 30/ j 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. The situation in the Cumberland and north Lancashire haematite iron trade has undergone no change since last week. Business is as brisk as ever, and there is intense activity in every department. The clamour for metal con- tinues, and it is still impossible to cope with the phenomenal demand. More furnaces will be lighted shortly, but even their production will still be too small. Makers have sufficient on hand to keep them busy for months ahead, and at present only very little new business is being accepted. All the make is going into immediate consumption, a large proportion of the ordinary iron being required for use locally. With such a keen demand for iron, prices are well maintained at the Government maximum, and Bessemer mixed numbers are again quoted at 127s. 6d. per ton f.o.t., while warrants at cash are idle at 115s. per ton. Special iron is 140s. per ton, and Semi-special iron is 135s. 6d. per ton f.o.t. There are 29 furnaces in blast along the coast, 20 in Cumberland and 9 in the Furness area. The Workington Iron and Steel Company have 12 furnaces blowing at Maryport and Workington. Millom have 4 in operation, and Distington and Cleator Moor have 2 each in blast. In the Furness district Barrow have 5 furnaces in draught, and Carnforth and North Lonsdale have 2 furnaces each in operation. The steel trade is very brisk, and the plants at both Workington and Barrow are working at their fullest capacity. 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 very strong demand at <£12 per ton. Engi- neers are very busy, and a good many of the shops in this locality are still working overtime. The Cumberland iron ore industry is tremendously brisk. All the mines are working full time, but production has been rathtr uneven during the last week or two. All sorts are in firm demand, and a large proportion of the output is going to local smelters. Sufficient high grade ore is being raised, but the output of ordinary sorts is very much below requirements. There has been no alteration in prices. Best sorts are quoted at 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. The imports of foreign iron ore at the Senhouse Dock, Maryport, during the week have amounted to 3,500 tons. South-West Lancashire. COAL. In the inland household trade the demand seems to be constantly a little in front of supply, although the con- sumption is not above an average for the time of the year. Shipping continues on the quiet side owing to delays to steamers and oth«-r causes. Ordinary bunkering require- ments under contract are below expectations, and there is comparatively little open enquiry, while exports remain at a minumum on account of the licences. Supplies are not much in excess of requirements, and quotations for Lancashire steam coals rule from 23s. to 24s. f.o.b. or