March 2, 1917. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 441 Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. Quietness characterises the coal trade, but while the general position continues stagnant, prospects in several branches are better, and collieries look forward to working off in the near future rather large accumulated orders. Quotations are nominally maintained, but considerable concessions can be secured in cases where shipments can be made immediately. There is not much business passing in gas coal. Best Durhams are 25s. to 26s., seconds about 19s., and special kinds 28s. to 29s. Bunkers are dull and featureless. Ordinary Durhams are 16s. to 17s., bests 18s. to 19s., and specials are quoted up to 24s. Smithy coals keep at 26s. to 27s., and peas and nuts are nominally of similar value. Coking coal is fairly well taken up at round about 18s. Coke prices are upheld. Local demand continues heavy, with the result that fixed maximum quotations continue to be realised for the descriptions required. Thus, average blastfnrnace kinds are 28s. at the ovens, and low-phosphorus qualities 30s. 6d. at the ovens. Best foundry coke is 42s. 6d., patent 40s. to 41s., and gas coke 32s. IRON. As supply of pig iron is fairly plentiful, allocations for March are expected to be on a liberal scale. For the time being enquiry for iron on home account is not heavy, consumers being well placed and not necessitated to purchase for early requirements, but they are quite prepared to make arrangements for supplies up to the end of June, and as makers favour such business, further forward contracts are being fixed, subject, of course, to any official changes in quotations. There is insistent demand for iron for France and Italy, and a few odd enquiries on behalf of neutral countries are still reported, but export business, though it shows improvement, continues to be inconvenienced by the tonnage situation. The large home demand for haematite iron is being adequately dealt with, though there are still some complaints of irregularity in delivery due to shortage of trucks. Licences for export of haematite are less difficult to obtain than they have been, nothwithstanding the arrears of shipment that have to be made up. For home consumption, No. 3 Cleveland pig iron, No. 4 foundry and No. 4 forge all stand at 87s. 6d., and No. 1 is 91s. 6d.; for despatch to our Allies, No. 3 is 97s. 6d., No. 4 foundry 96s. 6d., No. 4 forge 95s. 6d., and No. 1 102s. 6d.; and for shipment to neutrals No. 3 is 105s. and upward, and No. 1 110s. and upward; whilst mixed numbers of east coast haematite iron are 122s. 6d. for home use, 137s. 6d. for shipment to France, and 142s. 6d. for export to Italy. Imports of foreign ore to Middles- brough during February amounted to 141,579 tons. Production of manufactured iron and steel is very heavy, and is still steadily increasing. Quotations are unaltered. Many foundries are very busily engaged on castings for shipbuilding, but others employed on Government work are hardly going at full pressure, and, indeed, could do with orders. of 815 tons compared with last week. The largest cargoes have been for Belfast, Dublin, Londonderry, Carrickfergus and Coleraine. One or two consignments of work’s fuel have been shipped, but smalls for export are unobtainable. The imports this week have included a good cargo of pit- wood from Dumfries for the local collieries. Coke makers are busy, and all by-product plants in the district are in full swing. The entire output is going into consumption at the blastfurnaces at Millom and in West Cumberland. Production is steadily increasing, but it is still inadequate for all requirements. The local by-products trade is exceedingly brisk, and all the plants from Maryport to Workington are working at high pressure. Prices of all sorts are firm, and no change in either home or export quotations is at present anticipated. Best sorts at the pit are quoted at 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 and manu- facturing sorts are quoted at 20s. per ton, with washed nuts at 19s. per ton delivered in the district. All classes of bunkers are in very firm demand. Best sorts for foreign- going vessels are 30s. per ton, with mixed sorts at 25s. per ton; best bunkers for coasting vessels are 25s. per ton, with mixed sorts at 21s. 6d. per ton. Best house coal delivered in the Maryport 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. 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:— South-West Lancashire. COAL. There is still much to complain of in regard to transit upon the main lines of railway, wagons taking far more than their usual winter period for the journey to and fro, with the result that scarcely a day passes but fuel is either not wound or when wound it is put upon the ground to stock, and therefore is of no immediate use to the consumer. In the retail household trade matters are scarcely less acute than they were two weeks ago, although with the ending of the frost the roads are in better condition for travelling. There are long lists of unexecuted orders and from customers who are in real want. The shortage of labour adds considerably to the work to be done, because many retailers are naturally trying to distribute their fuel to the greatest number, rather than to put larger supplies into fewer hands. Owing to the scarcity of shipping tonnage, which is becoming more pronounced, requirements for ordinary bunkering and export purposes are only moderate. On the other hand, through transport difficulties, there is very little spare coal about. In slacks and small fuels generally the demand is rather more than can be promptly met, and the same is the case with regard to the coastwise and cross channel demand for household fuels. Cumberland. Mary port. COAL. Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Buckhill best coal „ Do. double-scrned 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 „ BestCumberl'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 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 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 19/3 18/3 Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current L'st week's Last year's House coal:— prices. prices. prices. Best 21/ -22/ 21/ -22/ 20/9 Do. (f.o.b. Gars ton, net) 25/6 25/6 23/ -24/ Medium 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 19/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 24/6 24/6 21/ -22/ Kitchen 18/ 18/ 17/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 23/9 23/ upwds. 20/6 Screened forge coal 18/ 18/. 17/6-18/ Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. 23/6-24/6 24/ -25/ 22/ -22/6 Best slack 16/ 16/ 15/6-16/ Secondary slack 15/ 15/ 14/6 Common do 14/ 14/ 14/ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a good attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. The keen demand for all classes of house and manufacturing fuel continues, and there is very little offering outside contracts. Shipments are chiefly on contract account. The difficulties of transit, and the supply of empty wagons to the collieries, causing reduced production of fuel, are still very much in evidence all round. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). The clamour for fuel in all markets is undiminished, and in some quarters business is brisker than it was a week ago* There has been a substantial increase in production, and in spite of the fact that landsale is a little easier, require- ments in the home market have been so heavy that there has again been a shortage, both on local and export accounts. There is a phenomenal demand for all varieties of fuel, more particularly for home consumption, and at the moment the collieries are finding some difficulty in meeting the wants of their customers. The demand for fuel on all hands is growing keener. Consumers engaged on work of national importance are receiving fairly good supplies, but the collieries are now so heavily booked locally that they have little to spare either for outside or cross-channel customers. At present there is barely enough to go round in the home market. A good many users are having to go short, and it is probable that supplies for the docks will be lower than ever during the next two months. Practically the whole of the output is now required for home needs, in addition to about 2,000 tons, which is being regularly imported from the north-eastern counties for the iron and" steel works and the coke ovens. The dispute at Brayton Colliery has been settled, and all the men returned to work with the first shift on Thursday morning. All the pits are working regularly, and outputs all over the district are again on the increase. Local landsale is not quite so brisk as it was, but most of the depots have already sufficient on hand to keep them well engaged till the end of the month. Gas coal is firm, and engine fuels for, the local railways are in very strong request. No supplies of either gas or engine fuels are being sent out of the county. As far as manufacturing fuel is concerned the demand is growing stronger. Requirements for the iron and steel works, the coke ovens and the iron ore mines are all gradually increasing, and consumers are practically taking all the stocks they can secure. The bulk of the works fuel is going to consumers in West Cumberland, and the whole of the output of coking coal is being absorbed at the by- product coke ovens. There has probably never been such a clamour for manufacturing fuel in this district, but it is every way likely that requirements will be very much larger in the near future, when there is a further expansion of production in the hsematite iron trade. The collieries have some good orders on hand, both in the home market and for shipment, but at present they are as busy as they can possibly be in dealing with the needs of users at the iron and steel and other works in the district. The shipping trade at the Elizabeth dock has been rather busier than usual this week. There is a keen demand for all sorts for export, but the collieries are still too busy on home account to give much attention to their Irish customers. No contracts are being entered into with Irish merchants, and consumers are still receiving the bulk of their supplies from Scotland. During the week 12 vessels have sailed with coals from Maryport, all for Irish ports, and the ship- ments have amounted to 2,735 tons, compared with 5,350 tons at the corresponding period of last year, or an increase IRON. A very firm tone continues to prevail in the Cumberland and North Lancashire hsematite pig iron trade. Makers are as busy as they can possibly be in all departments of the iron and steel industries, and in spite of difficulties with regard to shortage of labour and materials, pro- duction is still being maintained at a very high level. The demand for metal is still on an extensive scale, and the outstanding feature of the pig iron trade in this district for months past has been the struggle which smelters have had to keep pace with the ever-increasing needs of consumers. The call for both special and low-phosphorus iron is tremendous. Makers are overwhelmed with orders, but they have so much on hand at present that they are not in a position to accept much of the business which is now being offered. Require- ments on all hands are still far too heavy to be coped with, and, although smelters are doing their utmost to expand production, many additional furnaces will have to be put into operation before the needs of all users can be adequately satisfied. Prices are unchanged at th 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 quoted at 135s. per ton f.o.t. There are 29 furnaces in operation in the district, and the whole of the output is going into immediate consumption. Practically all the make of ordinary Bessemer iron is being absorbed locally at the steelworks at Workington and Barrow, and the bulk of the low phosphorus iron is going to consuming areas where it is most urgently needed. Consumers engaged on important work for the Government in Scotland and the Midlands are receiving a large proportion of the special and semi-special brands of iron, but some good consignments are also going to approved users in other parts of the country. The steel trade is tremendously brisk, and all the mills at Workington and Barrow are working at top pressure. Both places are maintaining a big output of special work for the Government. Heavy sections of steel rails are quoted at from <£10 17s. 6d. to £11 10s. per ton; light sections are from <£14 to <£14 10s.; heavy tram rails are <£14 per ton; ship plates are £11 10s. per ton; and boiler plates are £12 10s. per ton. Billets are in brisk request at £12 per ton. Engineers are very busy, and some of the shops in this district are still working a good deal of overtime on Government account. The iron ore industry from Cleator Moor to Millom is phenomenally busy. There is a very keen demand for all grades of native ore, and all the mines in the district are working full time. Sufficient high grade ores are being mined to keep all the furnaces on special ore in full blast, but the amount of ordinary sorts being raised is still much below requirements. It is stated that another attempt will shortly be made to secure a larger pro- duction. No local ore is now going out of the district, and practically the whole of the output is being absorbed at the blastfurnaces in West Cumberland and North Lanca- shire. There has been no alteration in prices. Best Hodbarrow ore is quoted at 38s. per ton; ordinary grades are from 21s. to 30s. per ton; and better sorts are quoted at from 31s. to 36s. 6d. per ton net at the mines. The imports of foreign ore at the Senhouse dock, Maryport, last week amounted to 10,000 tons. House coal:— Best .............. Medium............. Common............. Furnace coal......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack........... Common slack ........ Current L’st week's prices. 22/ -23/ 19/6-21/ 18/ -18/6 17/6-18/ 25/ —26/ 16/ upwds 14/6upwds prices. 22/ -23/ 19/6-21/ 18/ -18/6 17/6-18/ 25/ -26/ 16/ upwds 14/6 upwds Last year's prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 15/6 upwds 14/ upwds IRON. There is nothing new to report as regards the position of affairs in this district. There was a good attendance on 'Change in Manchester on Tuesday. All works are fully occupied at high pressure on war material, deliveries and prices being controlled entirely by the Ministry of Munitions. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. Tuesday’s market attracted an average attendance, fully representative of all sections, with, as usual, sellers in a minority. There was a little more than the usual offering of steam coal, lack of export facilities having diverted a few parcels of South Yorkshire coal to the inland market, and these were sold at from 17s. 6d. to 18s. 6d. per ton at the pit. The instructions received from the Government requiring colliery accounts to be made up to the end of February gave rise to some comment on the market, chiefly from the point of view that most firms having recently completed their balance sheets to the end of the year, however willing they, may be to comply with the request of the Government, are only able to do so at the cost of considerable extra work on staffs that are greatly depleted. The wagon scarcity is still a serious matter, and colliery agents again reported broken time through this cause. As mentioned recently, buyers who can send trucks are able to get full supplies at a time when there is very little coal on offer. Perhaps not quite so many orders for house coal are coming from the London district, but this is due to the refusal of most collieries to accept them and not to any falling off in the demand. A good retail trade is reported from the London depots, but transit is the greatest difficulty. Coastwise there is less doing than ever, from both Goole and Hull, as it seems quite impossible to secure boats, although as much as 17s. 6d. Hull to London would be paid willingly. Practically the only coal shipped is for a few south coast firms who send their own boats. In the West Riding depot stocks of house coal are becoming exhausted. With regard to gas coal a few contracts have been renewed on last year’s terms and condition0, but very little progress in contracting has been made so far, although there were plenty of enquiries on the market. The uncertainty of the position with regard to Government control has given rise to hesitation in entering. into com- mitments. Current supplies of gas coal are somewhat more plentiful, owing to less being shipped abroad, but gas nuts are very scarce indeed. There is a little more freedom in the supply of coal for manufacturing purposes, but this does not apply to nuts and good quality slacks, while coking smalls are almost unprocurable. Makers of washed furnace coke are quite unable to satisfy the demand, which continues unabated.