December 29, 1916. THE COLLIERY- GUARDIAN 1273 tonnage can secure coal at a discount. Best Durham gas coal is in the neighbourhood of 25s., and good second qualities are obtainable at round about 18s. Bunker coal is in moderate request, and ordinary unscreened Durhams run from 17s. to 17s. 9d. Best bunkers are on sale at 20s. for January shipment. Household coal is steady and firm. Unscreened coking coal of good quality has realised 18s. for new loading, and small is quoted 16s. to 17s, Coke is firm. Best foundry kinds range from 40s. to 45s., patent coke is put at 38s. 6d., and gas coke at 33s. Local consumption of coke is heavy, and blastfurnace qualities readily realise the maximum prices. Medium kinds are 28s. at the ovens, and qualities low in phosphorus 30s. 6d. at the ovens. IRON. Business in iron and steel is on only a very limited scale, but traders anticipate considerable activity after the holidays. Values are well maintained. Further increase in production of pig iron is promised by the blowing-in of more furnaces early in the new year. No. 3 Cleveland pig is 87s. 6d. for home consumption, and that figure also rules for No. 4 foundry and for No. 4 forge ; whilst No. 1 is 91s. For shipment to our Allies No. 3 is 98s., No. 4 foundry 96s. 6d., No. 4 forge 95s. 6d., and No. 1 102s. 6d.; and for export to neutral countries the minimum rates named are 105s. for No. 3 and 110s. for No. 1. Mixed numbers of east coast haematite iron stand at 122s. 6d. for home use, 137s. 6d. for shipment to France, and 142s. 6d. for export to Italy. Manufactured iron and steel quotations stationary. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The coal, coke and allied industries in West Cumberland continue to exhibit marked strength, and all the main branches are in a remarkable state of activity. Business is tremendously brisk in all departments, requirements are still increasing quicker than they can be coped with, and the shortage on all accounts is more pronounced than ever this week. In both the home and coastwise markets the demand for fuel is undiminished, and, with the present restricted output, it is simply impossible for the collieries to satisfy to the full the needs of all consumers. The demand for all classes of coal in the home market is unprecedented. Local needs have never been so large, and at the moment the demand on all accounts is probably keener than it has ever been since the outbreak 'of war. The outstanding feature of the coal trade in this locality for the past two months has been the phenomenal call for fuel in the local branches. There has never been so much movement in the home market, but, busy as it is at present, it will be very much busier before the end of January, when more furnaces are lighted in West Cumberland, and when consumers at the iron and steel works, the iron ore mines, and the coke ovens will all be needing increased supplies. The collieries have some good orders on hand, and one or two of the pits have booked sufficient business to keep them exceedingly busy to the end of next month. There has been such a heavy call on local supplies this week that two of the leading collieries were only able to spare a little over 1,000 tons each for the Irish markets. For some months Irish consumers have scarcely been receiving more than 50 per cent, of their requirements, but if the present demand continues it is probable that supplies for the Irish market will be lower than ever during the next few weeks. Requirements on all accounts are now very much greater than can be satisfied, and for the last week or two large consignments of coal have been imported from outside districts, not only for the coke ovens, but for .landsale and other purposes. The pits were idle two days during the Christmas holidays, and the output is, therefore, rather lower than usual this week. There was quite a clamour for household fuel two or three days before Christmas. All the depots were busier than usual, and a good many of the carters were delivering coals which had been ordered fully a fortnight previous. Very few orders were taken during Christmas week, with the result that on the Thursday and Friday best round coal was almost unobtainable, and towards the week end nuts sold readily at from Is. 5d. to Is. 6d. per cwt. bag. The house coal trade in this locality has probably never been ‘so brisk as it was over the holidays. Orders are still coming in freely, and most of the depots have enough to keep them busily engaged for some time. There is a strong and growing demand for slacks, smalls and all varieties of fuel for industrial purposes. Local manufacturing require- ments are greater than ever, and the bulk of the output of this class of fuel is going to the iron and steel works and other industries in West Cumberland. There is no change to report in connection with the cross-Channel trade. The demand for all sorts for Ireland is very keen, but supplies are scarce, and at present the collieries have too much on hand locally to have much coal to spare for Irish consumers. During the week 10 vessels have sailed with coals from Maryport for Irish ports, and the shipments have amounted to 2,255 tons, compared with 2,095 tons at the corresponding period of last year, or a decrease of 735 tons compared with last week. The largest cargoes were consigned to Londonderry, Dublin, Carrick- fergus and Larne. Coke is firm, and all the by-product ovens in the county are working at high pressure. The battery of 60 new by-product coke ovens belonging to the Whitehaven Colliery Company have recently been lighted, and there has been a substantial increase in production during the last few weeks. The entire production of coke from the ovens in West Cumberland is being absorbed at the furnaces in the district, and it is stated that the output from the Whitehaven ovens will be sent to the blast- furnaces in the Millom district. The local by-products trade is very busy, and all the plants from Maryport to Workington are working at their fullest capacity. Prices of all sorts are firm, but unchanged. Best Cumberland coal at the pit is quoted at from 22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d., with best washed nuts at from 20s. lOd. to 21s. 3d. per ton. Best shipping coal is 19s. 6d. per ton, f.o.b. 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 strong demand at from 21s. 6d. to 30s. per ton. Best house coal delivered in Maryport and surrounding district is quoted at Is. 5|d. to Is. 6d. per cwt., or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 25s. lOd. per ton, and seconds at 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. lOd. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow:— Prices at pit. Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Buckhill best coal „ Do. double-scmed 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) Db. (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 21/ 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/ 21/6 25/ 20/ 19/ Last year’s prices. 23/4 31/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/ 19/ 19/6 17/6 19/ 19/ 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 19/3 18/3 IRON. Briskness continues to characterise operations in the Cumberland and North Lancashire haematite iron trade, and in the district from Maryport to Carnforth there is feverish activity in every branch of the iron and steel industry. All the plants are working at high pressure, and the entire production of both ordinary and special iron, which is gradually increasing, is going into immediate consumption. As far as West Cumberland is concerned, makers are busier than they have been for years. There has rarely been such a phenomenal call for iron, and there has prcbably never been so much movement in the staple industries on the west coast as there is at present. The demand for both special and low phosphorus iron is exceptionally keen, and production is still inadequate to meet requirements. The demand for metal grows stronger, and the needs of both local and outside consumers are still increasing. Makers have more orders in hand than they will be able to cope with for some time, and at the moment little or no forward business is being transacted. There has been no further increase in production, but smelters are doing all they possibly can to put more furnaces into blast. It is stated that several furnaces will be ready for lighting shortly, and it is fully anticipated that two, if not more, will be put into operation before the end of January. The pig iron in west coast storing yards now only amounts to 450 tons, compared with 2,082 tons at the end of last year. Prices are firm 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 135s. 6d. per ton, f.o.t. Warrants at cash, by which blastfurnacemen’s wages are regulated under the sliding scale, have remained at 115s. per ton for over 12 months. Therefore, under the quarterly ascertainment up to the end of this year, the wages of blastfurnacemen in Cumberland and the Furness district will be the same as they were in the previous quarter. Ferro-manganese is a shade firmer. The present quotation for shipment is about <£35 per ton, f.o b. There are 29 furnaces blowing in the whole district, from Mary- port to Carnforth, 20 in Cumberland, and 9 in the Furness district. Five furnaces have been lighted during the year, but one was put out of blast at Barrow in October. The furnaces at present in operation are .—Cumberland : Workington, Derwent Works, four; Moss Bay, three; Oldside, two; Lowther, one; Solway Works, Maryport, two'; Millom, four; Distington, two; Cleator Moor, two. Furness district: Barrow, five ; Carnforth, two ; and North Lonsdale, two. The number of furnaces in blast in December 1915 was 25, 16 in Cumberland, and 9 in the Furness area. Oldside has one furnace on ferro-manganese and the other on spiegel, and the remainder are engaged on ordinary and special iron. The entire output of special iron is being allocated and distributed by the Government, and good consignments are being sent to consuming areas, where it is most urgently needed. A substantial tonnage is still going to users engaged on Government work in Scotland and the Midlands. A large proportion of the make of ordinary iron is being absorbed at the steelworks at Barrow and Workington. The steel industry is in a remarkably active condition. All the mills at both Workington and Barrow are engaged at their fullest capacity, and both places are maintaining a very large output of special work for the Government. At present the works are unable to accept new rail orders without official sanction. The bulk of new rail business coming into the market is going to American mills. Steel rails, light sections, are quoted at from <£12 to <£12 10s. per ton, with heavy sections from .£10 17s. 6d. to £11 10s. per ton. Billets are in strong demand at £12 per ton. The engineering trade is brisk, and all the shops in this neighbourhood are very actively engaged. The iron ore industry between Cleator Moor and Millom is enjoying a period of phenomenal prosperity. Require- ments are far in excess of the supply, but a determined effort will be made early in the new year to secure a substantial increase in production. Some of the companies are doing their utmost to find new deposits of ore, and if sufficient labour is forthcoming it has been decided that in future three shifts will be worked at all the iron ore mines in this district. The bulk of the output is going to the blastfurnaces in West Cumberland and the Furness area. There has been no alteration in prices. Best sorts are 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 at Maryport last week amounted to 7,500 tons. South-West Lancashire. COAL. ^.The official holidays in this district were set down as Christmas Day and January 1 and 2, but a very poor start was made on Tuesday morning, in many cases not half the colliers turning up. Fog and frost have sadly disorganised railway and vehicular traffic. There is nothing new to report with regard to house and forge coals. The weather has been one of the factors in delaying shipping, and con- sequently has reduced bunker requirements below what was expected. There is little new enquiry ; quotations for Lancashire steam coal rule about as last week—namely, 22s. 6d. to 23s. 6d. net f.o.b. In the coastwise and cross- Channel trade for household coal more would be taken if it could be provided. In slacks, there is considerable pressure to meet customers’ needs. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coal:— prices. prices. prices. Best 21/ 21/ 20'9 Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 25/6 25/6 22/6-23/ Medium 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 19/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 24/6 24/6 20/ -21/ Kitchen 18/ 18/ 16/9-17/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston,net) 24/ upwds. 24/ upwds. 19/ Screened forge coal 18/ 18/ 17/ Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. 22/6-23/6 22/6-23/ 21/ -22/ Best slack 16/ 16/ 14/6 Secondary slack 15/6 15/6 13/ Common do 14/6 14/6 12/ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. Tuesday being Boxing day and Bank Holiday, there was no coal market at Manchester. Pressure continues for practically all classes of fuel, and repeated fogs have caused considerable interruption in the transit to the consumer ; it has been necessary in many cases to bring the men out of the pits owing to the short supply of wagons. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ............... Medium.............. Common.............. Furnace coal.......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack ........... Common slack ......... L’st week’s prices. 22/ -23/ 19/6-21/ 18/ -18/6 J 17/6-18/ [ 25/ -26/ Current prices. 22/ -23/ 19/6-21/ 18/ -18/6 17/6-18/ 25/ -26/ 16/upwds 16/ upwds. 14/6 upwds j 14/6 upwds Last year’s prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 14/ -15/ 12/ upwds Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. As Boxing Day fell on Tuesday, there was no gathering of the Coal Exchange, and practically nothing in the shape of new business has transpired during the holidays. Nor is there any development affecting the general position at the pits. Work was resumed on Wednesday morning, but the attendance of the miners cannot be described as better than moderately good, and the output for the week may be expected to fall below an average equivalent of the number of days worked. In regard to the wagon supply, there has been some relief during the holidays, but not sufficient by any means to remove the difficulty, even temporarily. Perhaps the most serious feature at the moment is the extreme scarcity of coking smalls, the supply of which is quite inadequate to the needs of coke makers. The latter have had a difficult task to keep their ovens in full work during the holidays, and in some cases have only succeeded by crushing large coal with which to eke out the coking smalls at their disposal. The demand for furnace coke is very pressing, and the position causes great concern. Current pit prices. House coal:— Prices at pit (London) : Haigh Moor selected ... Wallsend & London best Silkstone best ......... Do. house .......... House nuts ........... Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best....... Silkstone best ....... Do. house .......... Other qualities....... Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal..... Gas nuts.............. Unscreened gas coa] ... Other sorts:— Prices at pit: Washed nuts........... Large double-screened engine nuts .......... Small nuts............ Rough unscreened engine coal........... Best rough slacks..... Small do.............. Coking smalls ........ Coke Price at ovens: Furnace coke ......... Current prices. 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 17/ -18/ 16/ -17/ L’st week’s Last year’s prices. ' —’— 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ ’ 19/ -20/ ■ 17/ -18/ ; 16/ -17/ 23/ -24/ I 23/ -24/ OO/ 99/ ! 99/ 90/ 22/ -23/ 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 22/ -23/ 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ i prices. 20/ -21/ ■19/ -20/ ' 19/ -20/ ’ 17/ -18/ i 16/ -17/ i 21/6-22/6 20/6-21/6 18/6-19/6 l18/ -19/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/6 15/ -15’6 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 13/6-14/6 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ , 16/ -16/6 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 14/6-15/6 15/ -16/ 15/ —16/ ; 13/6-14/6 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ 12/ -13/ 12/6-13/6 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ 12/ -13/ 12/6-13/6 13/6-14/6 12/6-13/6 10/6-11/6 12/ -13/ 25/8 I 25/8 j 23/ -24/ I Barnilty. COAL. There was practically no work at the pits until Thursday, and generally speaking no business of a new character will have been possible during the week. Although the railway companies have endeavoured during the holidays to do something to relieve the block of traffic little impression has been made on the situation, with the result that the shortage of wagons again prevented the pits re-starting, though in other oases the absence of workers caused