THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. ________________________________________________________________________________ 290 February 9, 1917. proportion. Patent fuel has also been rather irregular; but speaking generally there is little free fuel coming on to the market owing to the outputs having been controlled. The decline in the small coal market has, however, had a little effect on prices, and best brands are now 35s. to 37s., with cheaper grades about 2s. less. Coke is unaltered. The pitwood difficulty is becoming more pronounced, and shipments last week showed a falling off of over 14,000 loads. The consequence is that merchants are able to obtain almost any price they ask, and business has been freely done this week at 62s. 6d. to 65s. per ton. IRON. There is no alteration in the tinplate trade, but pro- duction is now considerably in excess of shipments, the latter for last week being only 20,221 boxes against 47,906 boxes received from works, leaving 219,254 boxes in stock. A proportionate allocation of steel bars is now being made, and all works are on the same footing, with the result that about 40 per cent, of the mills are employed. A big advance has taken place in the price of block tin, which is now quoted at <£202 10s., and it is believed that this will be followed by a substantial increase in the rates for tin plates. All orders are now subject to the production of Class A or B certificates, and current prices are on the basis of 27s. to 28s. for Bessemer standard cokes, with propor- tionate charges for other sizes and grades. In galvanised sheets the export trade is practically nil. but makers are well occupied in the production of black and painted sheets and trench plates. Quotations are nominal, and the same remark applies to pig iron. Outputs are well maintained, but every scrap of material is under control, and it is practically impossible to obtain anything for ordinary com- mercial purposes. All the rolling mills of the district are hard pressed to execute orders, and the same position exists in the rail mills. Heavy sections are practically unobtainable, but light sections for tramway purposes are quoted at about <£15 10s. per ton. Spelter is jl54 10s. per ton. Scrap metals are firm and scarce, and maximum rates are being obtained for all descriptions. Iron ore is coming forward satisfactorily, but prices are not now disclosed. grades are rather scarce. The inland enquiry for both the anthracite and steam sections is satisfactory, but collieries are unable to give anything like prompt delivery owing to the shortage of empty wagons. Manufacturing coals are unchanged, with works taking practically all the output. House coals are very firm, and the present sharp weather is making merchants very busy. Swansea. GOAL. There was a good attendance on "’Change, but there was scarcely any alteration in the coal trade, conditions remaining quiet and easy. Anthracites were depressed, the arrivals of tonnage over the week-end being dis- appointing. Stocks of most descriptions were excessive, making work at the pits irregular. As the result prices showed all round weakness for prompt loading. Steams were also a slow and depressed trade. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). _______________________________________________________ THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, February 8. ___________ Dublin. Locally, business continues to be very active, the prolonged period of frost keeping up the demand for house coals, but traffic on the canals has been greatly impeded in consequence. There is no change in prices, and no shortage of supplies in the port. Current quotations are :—Best Orrell, 44s. per ton net; Yorkshire brights, 43s.; best Wigan, 42s.; best slack, 36s.; retail prices, 2s. lOd. to 3s. per sack of 10 st.; steam coal, from about 40s. per ton; best coke, 44s. per ton. Irish coals from the Wolfhill Collieries, Queen’s County, are : Malting coal, 45s. per ton ; house and gais coals, 40s.; coarse culm,, 15s. per ton—all f.o.r. Athy, the nearest railway con- nection with the mines. The coal vessels' arriving during the past week amounted to 47, as compared with 71 the week previously, the total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays being 19,000 tons, as against 27,550 tons in the previous week. Belfast. The trade both locally and inland is unusually quiet for the season, this being partly owing to the substantial sup- plies laid in by consumers early in the winter not being exhausted. There has been a fairly good demand for English house coal for immediate wants. Supplies con- tinue to be plentiful, and there is no change in recent prices, viz. :—Best Arley house coal, 43s. 6d. per ton; Orrell nuts, 42s. 6d.; English house, 41s. 6d.; Scotch house, 39is. 6d.; Orrell slack, 39s. 6d. Approximate prices of steam coals are: Scotch, 35s. per ton; best English and Welsh steam coal, 40ls. per ton; gas coke, from about 37s. 6d. to 40s.; foundry coke, from 60s. to 64s. delivered. ______________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—Prices are steady, though the market is quiet. Pitch and naphthas in fair request. Benzols nominal. Nearest quotations are :— i I Anthracite:— ! Best malting large (hand picked) ........ Secondary do. Big Vein Valley large... Red Vein large ....... Machine-made cobbles Paris nuts ........... French do............. Stove do.............. Beans ................ Machine - made large peas ................. Do. fine peas ... Bubbly culm........... Duff.................. Steam coals:— Best large __.........j Seconds ............. Bunker throughs_____ Small ............... Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large............... Thro^-and-thro’..... Small .............. Patent fuel ..........__ Current prices. 28/ -30/ 26/ -27/ 22/ -24/ 21/ -24/ 31-/ —36/ 34/ -36/ 33/ -35/ 23/6-24/6 20/ -22/ 9/6-10/6 6/6- 7/ 26/ -27/ 25/ -26/ 18/ -22/ 11/ -15/ L’stweek’s Last year’s prices. ' prices. 28/ -30/ ; 25/ -28/ 26/ -27/ i 22/6-23/6 22/ -24/ ' 19' -21/ 21/ -24/ :19/ -21/ 34/ -36/ 37/6-38/6 34/ -36/ ■ 38/ -40/ 33/ -35/ ' 37/ -39,6 ! 23/ -24,6 32/6-34/ [ 20/ -22/ 20/6-22/ 9/6-10/6 6/9- 7,9 6/6- 7/ ; 2/9- 3/6 27/ -28/ 29,6-32,6 : 25/ -26/ ' 26/ -28/ 18/ -22/ 20/6-24/6 11/ -15/ i 13/ -15/ • l/0i /10J-/11J . 1/3—1/4 2/3 . • 3/4 1/3 Rise ( + ) or fall ( —) on the week. Llanelly. 28/ -30/ 18/ -20/ 32/ -34/ 28/ -30/ ' 27/6-32/6 — i — 18/ -20/ 18/ -21/ 34/ -35/ I 27/6-32/6 Benzols, 90’s ...................... ,, 90’s North ...............• ,, 50’s North ................. Toluol ............................ Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.)... ,, crystals (40 per cent.) Solvent naphtha, south (90% at 160 degs.), a.s in quality and package... Solvent naphtha, north (90% at 160 degs.), as in quality and package... Crude naphtha, north (in bulk) .... Creosote (for ordinary qualities) .... Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) ............ ,, (f.a.s. west coast) ............ Tar (per ton ex works) ............ [Benzols, toluol creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at makers' works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch, f.o.b. net.] Sulphate of Ammonia.—With the exception of reserved supplies, the market is quiet, and export business only con- sidered as to future prospects. Prices, though more or less nominal, are firm, but in some quarters quotations are not forthcoming. Nibrate aga.in dearer. Closing prices are :— Rise ( + ) or fall ( —) on the week. 2/ 1/8—1/9 /6i-/6| /3^—/3f 16/6—17/ 16/—17/ 19/—21/ THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, February 8. __________ _______________________________ The London coal trade during the past week has. reached a climax, and the reports from the various depots show an extraordinary state of business. Careful enquiries indicate a fair stock of coal in hand, but the difficulty of delivering has entirely puzzled the London merchants. The roads have become impassable, and experienced carmen have barely been able to take out more than half the usual quantity of coal. Buyers are still eager to augment their supplies, and the market has been well attended, but sellers are few. The heavy list of orders on hand which collieries are unable to fulfil renders the general situation more acute. Railway companies have brought forward good supplies—in some cases very irregularly—and a, large number of collieries still com- plain of the shortage of empties. Steam coals and all manu- facturing Qualities are largely impeded by the frozen condi- tions of the canals and the Thames. From statistics pub- lished bv the Coal Porters’ Union, 10,000 carmen and loaders were working in the London district before the war; 3,500 voluntarily joined the Colours, and the Derby scheme took another 500, and Conscription has since called up 1,500, so that at the present moment only 4,500 are working at the various wharves and depots, and tribunals are still sending them to the Army in large numbers. Fears are entertained that by the end of this month another 1,000 will be called up, so that the critical position in the delivery trade can be easily understood. Whilst so many orders remain on the books unexecuted, it is impossible to send out trolleys to solicit orders in the poorer neighbourhoods. The principal merchants have made a splendid effort to meet the pressing emergency, and have in nearly every case agreed to let the purchasers have a small load, or even a sack load, at the recognised limitation prices, if they can possibly take the coal away. Speaking generally, there is a fairly sufficient supply of coal in hand, but the scarcity of labour, and the almost impassable roads, has rendered the cartage and delivery prac- tically insurmountable. All the barge traffic on the water reaches of the Grand Junction Banal has been suspended owing to- the ice. Where the canals join the Thames at Brentford, the communication is entirely blocked. On Monday last 25 vessels were reported as arriving in the River Thames, and 19 for Wednesday’s market, but all were con- tract, cargoes. The seaborne market is very firm. Shipping prices remain at 28s. 6d. f.o.b. for South Yorkshire best hards, and Derbyshire hards are quoted at 28s. f.o.b. Shipping, however, continues exceedingly scarce, and freights •are high. From the Humber to London, 16s. 6d. has been fixed. Two well-known members of the, London Coal Exchange—Mr. Frederick William Harris, aged 84, and Mr. Francis William Gentry, aged 86—passed away this week. From Messrs. Dinham Fawcus and Company’s Report. Friday, February 2.—The seaborne house coal market continued firm, but no spare cargoes are available. Cargoes, 12. Monday, February 5.—The continuance of very cold weather and scarcity of supplies caused a, good enquiry for seaborne house coal, but no cargoes were available. Cargoes, 25. Wednesday, February 7.—There were no. seaborne house coal cargoes on offer, but the demand was firm owing to the severe weather. Cargoes, 19. COAL. There is nothing fresh to report as to the state of the local market. The supply of tonnage is far from satis- factory, and pits are therefore experiencing many idle days. Collieries are unable to execute the orders already on their books, as buyers cannot secure the neces ary tonnage to take delivery, and the position is most unsatis- factory. For prompt clearance of wagons buyers have no difficulty in getting much, easier figures, but the slow arrival of vessels does not enable much business to be arranged. Large anthracite qualities in particular are very easy, and large stocks have accumulated The machine-made kinds are also none too steady, and for prompt shipment lower prices can be secured. Culm and duff are also in poor request. The steam coal section of the market is also affected by the tonnage position, and throughs and smalls are very slow. Large kinds are much steadier, and owing to the good inland demand the better _________________________________________________________ London (ordinary makes) ... Beckton (25 per cent.) ____ Liverpool ................ Hull ..................... Middlesbrough ........... Scotch ports ............. Wales .................... Nitrate of soda (ord) per cwt [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2| discount; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.'] £18/10 £17/11/3 £18/16/3 £18/10 £18/10 £19—£19/7/6 £19—£19/2/6 22/3 +2/6 Prices f.o.b. Current Anthracite :— . prices. Best malting large.... 28/ -30/ Secondary do. ....> 26/6-27/6 Big Vein large........| 22/6-24/6 Red Vein do...............; 22/ -23/6 Machine-made cobbles...; 3 4/ -36/ Stove nuts............! 33/ -35/ French do.......... 33/6-35/6 ......... Paris do............. 33/ -35/ Machine-made beans .../ 23/6-24/6 Do. peas....1 20/ -22/ .................. Culm __................ 9/6—10/6 Duff.................. 6/ - 6/6 Other sorts:— Large steam coal...... 27/ -28/ Through-and-through... 18/ -20/ Small ................ 11/6—15/ Bituminous small coal... 17/ -19/6 L^st week’sj Last year’s prices. | prices. 28/ -30/ j 25/ -28/ 26/6-27/6 | 22/ -23/ 22/6-24/6 ! 22/ -23/6 34/ -36/ 33/ -35/ 33/6-35/6 33/ -35/ 23/6-24/6 20/ -22/ 10/ -10/6 20/ -22/ 19/ -21/ 34/ -36/ 32/6-34/6 34/6-35/ 33/ -35/ 32/ -34/ 19/ -20/ 6/9- 7/3 6/ - 6/6 2/6- 3/6 27/ -28/ j 30/ -32/ 18/ -20/ (! 23/ -25/ 11/6—15/ j 13/ —15/ 17/ -19/6 | 18/ -20/ 2i •• +/6 per cent. quality; _________________________ THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. Many makers are declining to take any new business owing to the uncertainty of steel supplies. A very moderate busi- ness has been done during the week in Clalss A orders, at prices round 27s. 6d. basis, f.o.b. Wales. Quotations at present range from about 27s. 6d. to 29s. basis for coke finished plateis. There is no change in the position as regards wasters; about 55s. is the price asked for C W 28 X 20 cokes, for Class A or B work, but business is very quiet, as certificates can seldom be furnished with these, orders. Stocks are accumulating. (51ia.rcoal plates are firm, at 32s. basis and upwards, f.o.b. Wales. _____________________________ In the City of London Court on Monday, Judge Atherley- Jones disposed of an action brought by the Great Eastern Railway Company against Gardner, Locket and Hinton Limited, coal merchants, 3, Fenchurch-avenue, to recover £60 for siding rent on coal trucks. The case was reported in our issue of February 2. The case was settled by plaintiffs accepting £55, including costs. Coal Export Statistics.—The usual official monthly state- ment showing details of the exports of coal, coke, and manu- factured fuel has been discontinued temporarily, and the figures issued by the Board of Trade are now limited to the total quantity exported during the month. This quantity was 3,483,494 tons, valued at £4,588,227, as compared'with 3,383,099 tons, valued at £3,222,250 a year ago. The exports in January 1915 totalled 3,769,598 tons, valued at £2,580,262. ____________________________ OBITUARY. Sir Joseph Weston-Stevens died on Wednesday at his resi- dence, Worcester Lodge, Bristol, aged 56. He was chairman of the Taff Vale Railway Company, a director of Messrs. Guest, Keen and Netflefolds Limited, and the London City and Midland Bank Limited, and chairman of the Bristol Wagon and Carriage Works Company. He had been Sheriff of Bristol, and president of the Bristol Liberal Federation, and retired from the Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery in 1900 with the rank of major. Since the outbreak of war he had taken an active interest in recruiting. Mr. R. A. Rutherford, for many years engineer to the Edmondsley Coal Company, was killed on Friday last week, his 65th birthday, by falling from a cagp a distance of 60 fathoms down the shaft at Edmondsley Colliery. Mr. Geo. Alder, general manager and secretary of Messrs. Cochrane and Company Limited, colliery owners and iron works proprietors, Middlesbrough, was found dead in his chair on Sunday evening. Mr. Alder had been connected with the firm for 39 years, commencing as office boy. He leaves a widow, a son, and a daughter. Treharris, in rhe borough of Merthyr, was named after Mr. F. W. Harris, of the firm of Harris and Dixon, ship owners, London—that gentleman having 'at one time been cloisely associated with colliery developments in South Wales. He died on Friday last week at Bournemouth, 84 years of age, having for many years past fallen altogether out of the coal trade of the district. At one time he was the director of the Blaan Rhondda Colliery Company, and later on, with Mr. George Locket and Mr. Rees Jones, wais associated with the Bwllfa Colliery. With his partners he sank the deepest pit in the district—that of the Deep Navigation Colliery at Treharris, an undertaking which since has passed into the possession of the Ocean Coal Company. The late Lieut. Chas. J. Cadman was the son of the late Mr. Jas. C. Cadman, the well-known Midland mining engi- neer and past-president of the Institution of Mining Engi- neers. Before the war, Lieut. Cadman was qualifying for a mining engineer. He was educated at the Newcastle-under- Lyme High School a