1068 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. December 1, 1916. South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. There is no alteration in the house coal trade. The demand is heavy, and very little coal is offered on open sale, Furnace coal remains steady, and there is a moderate enquiry for shipping coal. The supply of slack is well up to, if not in front of the requirements of users, and odd lots of the lower qualities are*offered freely. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ..............__ Medium.............. Common.............. Furnace coal.......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack __.......... Common slack __........ Current iL’st week’s Last year's prices. prices. prices. 22/ -23/ ! 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 19/6-21/ ' 19/6-21/ * 19/ -20/3 18/ -18/6 i 18/ -18/6 ! 17/ -17/3 17/6-18/ , 17/6-18/ ! 16/ -17/ 25/ -26/ ; 25/ -26/ ' 19/ -21/ 16/upwds 16/ upwds.) 14/ 14-6upwdsjl4/6upwds| 11/ -12/ IRON. There was a good attendance on ’Change in Manchester on Tuesday, but no variation to report in the condition of affairs in this district. All prices and deliveries are regulated by the Ministry of Munitions. Works are all fully occupied on war material. nuts so largely required by the munition firms and other engineering concerns, apart from the general demand for this class of fuel. Although the tonnage of gas coal re- quired is now at something like the maximum, the present supplies appear to be fairly satisfactory. The collieries have little surplus available after meeting contract de- liveries, and there is a good enquiry for surplus lots, which are difficult to procure Nuts are in particularly good request, and deliveries are being considerably delayed. The enquiry for ordinary slacks is still short of the output, though less effort is needed to dispose of any stocks which may be available. On the other hand the enquiry for slack suitable for coke making is very active, and in spite of every effort to augment the production the need cannot be supplied. The requirement is recognised, and efforts are made to ensure an equal distribution in ratio to the requirements. There is practically no alteration in regard to house coal, and pressure is applied upon collieries to exceed the contract deliveries which about absorb the output. The enquiries from the south are very insistent, but there is little result, and merchants have to do as well as they can with hand-to-mouth deliveries. The pressure is also more keenly felt for the nearer districts, and secondary grade fuel is very actively enquired for. The supply of furnace coke is still insufficient to meet the requirements, though it is difficult to see how this can be increased. Prices at pit:— are doing their utmost to decrease the percentage of absenteeism amongst miners, and the prosecution of four men in a case at a local court, the other day, should have the effect of causing men to work more regularly. The pressure on collieries for deliveries of domestic fuel to merchants is increasing, as is the demand on merchants by their customers. The position is not by any means acute, though necessarily, owing to the limited supplies which owners have to make to merchants, some delay is experienced in the execution of orders to the public, and some discrimination has to be exercised as to the amount allotted to customers. With regard to steam coal, all qualities are in keen request, and with the large tonnage required for war purposes, the supply obtainable for ordinary industrial undertakings is very limited. Of nuts there is a marked shortage, and maximum prices are readily obtained. The slack .market has developed a stronger tone. Best slacks are in good request, while secondary sorts are selling better than recently. Prices at pithead. Current L'st week’s (Last year's nrices. nrices. I -nripos ________ ________ Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was not a particularly large gathering at the weekly meeting of the Coal Exchange on Tuesday. The falling-off from the large attendances of recent weeks was most noticeable in the case of traders from London and other distant centres, local merchants being present in fairly full force. While there was strong pressure for practically all qualities of coal, house coal, especially the better grades, was in keenest demand, but few colliery representatives had. much to sell. No improvement in the wagon supply was reported, and in order to keep the pits working full time in some cases ground stocking has taken place. Irregular attendance at work on the part of miners is still a serious difficulty that is affecting the output of the pits. The London demand for house coal shows no falling off, but the collieries, with order books full for some weeks ahead, are not adding to their orders, except, of course, in regard to contract commitments. Railway blocks and congestion south of the Thames are adversely affecting deliveries, as wagons are occupying anywhere from four to six weeks to complete the journey, but north of the river the position is much better. In the coastwise trade there is no improvement from the point of view of the buyers. The difficulty of getting boats is intensified, and 15s. Hull to London is easily secured. Merchants in the West Riding are well employed, but short of supplies with the result that already light ground stocks are growing less. Supplies are mainly in buyers’ trucks, and collieries generally are reserving supplies for old customers, and all Limitation Act prices are firmly main- tained :—Haigh Moor selected, 21s. to 22s., Silkstone best, 20s. to 21s. ; Silkstone house, 18s. to 19s. ; other sorts, 17s. to 18s. The only gas coal being sold in the open market is for the export trade to France and Italy, but the scarcity of boats is a great difficulty. There have been fair shipments this week, however, mainly of screened coal at prices fixed by the limitation scheme arranged between France and this country. The sale is mentioned this week of a parcel of gas nuts for French works, which have realised 25s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. Hull. Small steam slacks show signs of a little better demand, as consumers of factory fuel unable to get nuts and better quality fuel are being com- pelled to turn to the lower grades. The scarcity of coking slacks is unrelieved. Coke is very firm, and in keen request. Current pit prices. House coals:— Best Silkstono ....... Best Barnsley softs____ Secondary do. ____ Best house nuts ...... Secondary do. Steam coals:— Best hard coals.____.... Secondary do. __....... Best washed nuts...... Secondary do......... Best slack ............ Secondary do.......... Gas coals:— I Current |L'st week’s’Last year’s prices. I prices, i prices. 20/ -22/ ; 20/ -22/ ; 20/ -22/ 18/6-19/ 18/6-19/ ' 18/6 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 / 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ : 16/ -17/ i 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/ | 15/6-16/ j 15/6-16/ i ’ ' - ■ 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/ i 16/6-17/6 i 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ i 16/3-16/6 16/3 -16/6 ; 16 3-16/6 I 15/9-16/3 15/9-16/3 : 15 9-16/ ; 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ ! 12'6-13/ 10/6-11/ ’ 10/6-11/ ' 10/6-11/ Hand-picked brights Good house coals... Secondary do..... Best hard coals..... Secondary do ....... Slacks (best hards) .. Do. (second) ..... Do. (softl........ Screened gas coals ...i 16/6-17/6 i 16/6-17/6 ■ 16/6-17/6 Unscreened do_______! 15/6-16/ ' 15/6-16/ ; 15 6-16/ Gas nuts.............| 16/ 16/ 16 6 Furnace coke..............; 25/8 , 25/8 s 23/ -23/6 ____________ Hull. COAL. There is no improvement to report in the position of the Humber coal trade as regards the supply of shipping tonnage, which is extremely scarce and inadequate to meet- demands. Scandinavian tonnage still does not offer, and, added to this, is the congestion and consequent delays at French ports, to which half the coal from the Humber is sent. Contracts are in arrears, and new business on the books cannot be transacted until there is some relief experienced. Enquiries are circulating both for the Mediterranean and the Baltic, and a fair business could be done were it possible to arrange transport. As antici- pated, many licences granted for November have had to go into abeyance. Little business is at present being transacted, and prices generally show a weaker tendency, except perhaps for nuts, which are in big demand for home consumption and are unobtainable for export. Large steam coal for early December is quoted round about recent levels, but below fixed limitation rates; parcels for immediate shipment may be had at a good discount. Approximate prices for prompt or early December shipment are as under, but largely nominal:—Best South Yorkshire hards, 29s. to 30s.; washed doubles and singles, 23s. 6d. to 24s.; washed small coal, 18s.; rough slack, 14s. 6d. to 15s.; screened gas and house fuels, 25s. 6d to 27s.; West Yorkshire Hartleys, 26s. 6d. to 27s.; Parkgates, 25s. to 25s. 6d.; Derbyshire steams (at Grimsby or Immingham), 28s. to 29s. Shipments at the docks are below recent averages, and nothing is reported in the freight market. House coal ■.— Prices at pit (London) : Current ! prices. L'st week'slLast year's prices. 1 prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 20/ -21/ i 20/ -21/ j 20/ -21/ W allsend & London best 19/ -20/ , 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ Silkstone best 19/ -20/ i 19/ -20/ 1 19/ -20/ Do. house 17/ -18/ ! 16/ -17/ 17/ 18/ { 17/ -18/ House nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best 23/ -24/ ; 23/ -24/ 1 21/6-22/6 Silkstone best 22/ -23/ ; 22/ -23/ i 20/6-21/6 Do. house 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ j 18/6-19/6 18/ —19/ Other qualities 19/ —20/ 19/ -20/ Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/6 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ Gas nuts . 15/6-16/6 ; 15/ -15/6 13/6-14/6 Unscreened gas coal ... 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ Other sorts:— Prices at pit: Washed nuts 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 16/ -16/6 Large double-screened engine nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 14/6-15/6 ’ Small nuts 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ ; 13/6-14/6 Rough unscreened engine coal 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ ; 13/6-14/6 Best rough slacks 14/ -15/ 14/ -15/ 12'6-13/6 10/6-11/6 Small do. 12/ -13/ 12/ -13/ Coking smalls 12/6-13/6 12/6-13/6 ' 11/ -12/ Coke Price at ovens : Furnace coke 25/8 25/8 23/ -24/ Chesterfield. COAL. The demand for all classes of coal is very strong, and consumers of house coal are becoming anxious with regard to supplies. Collieries are full of orders and have great difficulty in satisfying customers’ requirements. The position with regard to coal for industrial purposes generally shows no change, the call for fuel for munition works being as persistent as ever. There is a distinct shortage of nuts, which, of all kinds of fuel, is the quality most pres singly required. Washed slack is coming into greater demand presumably owing to the difficulty in obtaining adequate supplies of nuts. The best brands of unwashed slack find a ready sale, but secondary kinds are not so readily disposed of, and here and there may be observed, in colliery sidings, an accumulation of loaded wagons. Prices are slightly weaker. The export trade remains dull. Orders and licences are now fairly numerous but the serious scarcity of ships makes business almost impossible. The price of Derbyshire hards is now about 28s. 6d. per ton delivered at Grimsby. Locomotive coal is in strong demand for the home railways, and gas coal continues to be in great request. The coke market is active, demand for all qualities being good. Coking fuel is much wanted. Prices at pit: — Barnsley. COAL. The difficulties in regard to business are not in any way minimised, and, generally speaking, the position is unaltered. The vital question is that of increasing the output, which appears to be a problem difficult to solve. It is satisfactory, so far as the home concerns are affected, to find a steady and regular supply of large steams owing to the quiet state of the exports. The restricted consump- tion enables an occasional surplus in the deliveries at the present time which goes to augment stocks. This is fairly so in regard to the railway companies. It still seems to be impossible to meet the demand for steam Current |L'st week’s^ Last year's Best house coals prices. 17/ 16/6 1 prices. 17/ ! prices. i 17/ Secondary do i 16/6 16/6 Cobbles 16/ ! 16/ ; 16/ Nuts 15/ I 15/ 1 15/ Slack 12/6 | 12/6 j 12/6 IRON. All the works of the district are working at high pressure and orders for all classes of iron are abundant. _______ _______ Nottingham. COAL. In view of the strong demand in all branches of the trade in this county, and the insuffieiei cy of output to meet requirements, especially of certain qualities of fuel, owners prices. 19/ -20/ 18/ —18/6 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/6 16/ -17/ 12/ -13/ prices. 19/ -20/ ! 18/ -18/6 i 17/ -18/ ! I 17/ -18/6 | 16/ -17/ : 12/ -13/ ’ 10/6-11/6 ; 10/6-11/6 11/ i 11/ -18/ -17/ ? ; prices. 5 17/6-18 6 | 16/6-17/ ' 15/6-16/ ( 166-17/6 ! 15/ -16/ ' 11/9-12/6 : 10/6—11/ i 1*/ ________________ Leicestershire. COAL. No relief can be reported in the position of affairs, and unfortunately matters seem to be drifting from bad to worse. Every day witnesses a large increase in the number of urgent claims for deliveries. From large towns and from country stations come c mplaints and protests thut there are no reserves of stocks of any kind anywhere, and that nothing is apparently being done to increase the supplies. At some collieries in adjoining districts there is some accumulation of coal dust, the handling of which requires more effort in stoking than when used in combination with very small nuts. Deep and main cobbles and nuts are in very strong demand for London and district in order to meet special requirements. The demand for country stations is enormously in excess of what can be met Railway-owned wagons are getting very short in the supply, some collieries failing to get any for days in succession. There is, however, an ample supply of private wagons in order to secure any kind of coal that may become available. Prices at pit. Best household coal ..... Second, hand picked ..... Deep screened cobbles ... Deep large nuts ......... Bakers’ nuts........... Small nuts........__...... Deep breeze ............. Peas .................... Small dust .............. Main nuts for London j kitcheners..................... Steams, best hand picked i Steams, seconds ........■ Main cobbles for kitcheners > Main breeze............; Current prices. 17/ -19/ 15/6-17/ 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ 15/ —16/ 14/6-15/6 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/ - 7/ 14/ -15/ 14/6-15/6 13/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-13/6 L’st week's prices. 17/ -19/ 15/6-17/ 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ j 14/6-15/6 j 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/ - 7/ Last year’s prices. 16/6-18/ 15 6-16/6 14/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-14/ 12/ -13/ 14/ -15/ 13/9-14/9 14 6-15/6 ; 14/ -15/ 13,6-15/ 12/6-13 6 14/ —15/ . 13/9-14/9 12/6-13/6 12/6-13/6 _______ _______ South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. Thursday’s market was on the usual The output is fairly well maintained, a '1 he The Business on restricted lines, customary thing immediately preceding Christmas, transport difficulty is, however, a growing one. tribunals have sent many carters into active service, others have gone to the more profitable work of making munitions, and the pinch is being felt. Wagons are being detained in consequence, and merchants will not undertake to deliver to customers within any given time, neither are they encouraging new customers. They have a long list of orders to overtake, and are not anxious to add to them. A heavy trade is being done in works and steam fuels. Slacks are scarcer, particularly the better qualities. * Prices at pit. | Current L'st week's Last year’ Staffordshire (including 1 Cannock Chase) :— prices, i prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 22/ i 22/ ■ma Do. seconds deep 20/ 20/ Do. best shallow 19/ : 19/ Do. seconds do. ' 18/ : 18/ - Best hard 18/6 18/6 Forge coal 16/ 16/ Slack / W arwickshire:— 11/6 11/6 — House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 19; 19/ — cobs 18/ 18/ Best hard spires 20/ 20/ Forge (steam) 16/ 16/ — D.S. nuts (steam) 14'6 14/6 — Small (do.) 14/6 14/6 — s IRON. The market was moderately well attended, and reports indicated a continuance of the intense activity in nearly all departments. Leading houses in both the iron and steel trades are furnishing nearly the whole of their outputs to the Government, and general commercial trade is therefore practically silent. Prices generally for finished material