March 30, 1917. ___________ ________ 634 ________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. practically a cessation of forward business, except that in a few cases arrangements are made for three months ahead. A fair amount of gas coal is being shipped to France and Italy, but here again the great scarcity of tonnage is the determining factor. There is a strong call for every quality of manufacturing fuel, from the finest slack to the best steam coal, at full limitation prices. Needy consumers are* offering even higher figures unsuccessfully. Both coking smalls and furnace coke are very scarce and in insufficient supply. All prices are more or less nominal. Barnsley. COAL. With the present output fully absorbed, and the difficulty in accepting new proposals for business, there is little of an uneventful character occurring in the ordinary markets. Interest centres in the future regulations which, are antici- pated with regard to the distribution of fuel, and obviously this will probably lead to drastic changes. Meanwhile, nothing can be done but the exercise of patience and the putting forth of effort to give as satisfactory a supply as possible. The output continues to be well maintained, having regard to the reduced number of workers — a factor which is again becoming gradually more acute. The varying conditions regarding the export of large steam fuel still cause occasional lots of coal to be picked up in the open market, but sales are readily effected and values are easily maintained. Ordinary users have to adapt them- selves to the circumstances of irregular supplies. There has been no improvement in regard to the supply of steam nuts, the output of which is hardly sufficient to satisfy the needs of the munition and other controlled - engineering concerns. Small steam fuel and coking slacks are again rather scarce, especially the latter, and it appears to be well-nigh hopeless to effect any difference with regard to the latter grade of fuel. A notable feature is still the exceptionally heavy demand for any grade of house coal. Contract supplies are still of an inadequate character, and buyers still find it to be impossible to find collieries in a position to entertain any new business. The difficulties of merchants in effecting deliveries are also more pronounced, and the position will require a long time before it is remedied. In regard to gas coal contracts, the process of renewals is gradual, and the option of arranging the supply for one year is being accepted, though contracts of three months’ duration have to be taken. Business in regard to furnace coke shows no change, plants being worked seven days a week in the hope of giving the supply needed. The following quotations must be accepted as purely of a nominal character:— Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstono 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ Best Barnsley softs 18/6-19/ 18/6-19/ 18/6 Secondary do 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 16/6-17/6 Best house nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Secondary do Steam coals:— 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ Best hard coals 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/ Secondary do. 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/ Best washed nuts 16/3-16/6 16/3-16/6 16/3-16/6 Secondary do 15/6-16/3 15/6-16/3 15/9-16/3 Best slack . 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ Secondary do Gas coals:— 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ Screened gas coals 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 Unscreened do 15/6-16/6 15 6-16/ 15/6-16/ Gas nuts 16/ 16/ 16/ Furnace coke 25/8 25/8 24/ Hun. COAL. The position of the coal export trade from the Humber remains about the same. The hopes of a substantial in- creased supply of shipping tonnage to increase the ship- ments to France and Italy are very slow in materialising. It is satisfactory that the trade has not yet quite given up hope, and that it continues to struggle manfully against many adverse circumstances. Preference for our Allies'’ requirements being the order of the day, it is most difficult to get licences to export to neutral countries, and then only on the condition that the vessels concerned tender certain service in the French trade Large steam coal offers freely, but the demand is limited, and in the absence of sufficient business to really test the market, quotations are again more or less nominal, and upheld by the inland demand. Best South Yorkshire hards are quoted 28s. to 28s. 6d., washed nuts 24s. 6d. to 25s. 6d., washed small coal 18s. to 18s. 6d., rough slack 17s., Parkgates 26s., screened gas and house fuels 26s. to 28s., West Yorkshire Hartleys 27s. 6d. to 28s., and Derbyshire steam hards (at Grimsby or Immingham) 27s. 6d. to 28s. Shipments at the docks are slightly better, but the freight market is quiet, and business almost solely confined to chartering for Allied ports. Chesterfield. GOAL. There is an enormous demand for every class of coal, and consumers are exerting great pressure in order to secure supplies. Orders for house coal are considerably in arrear. The long spell of cold weather has made the position a most difficult one for the collieries and merchants. Manu- facturing fuel continues in active request, cobbles and nuts being most urgently wanted for the large steel-making establishments of Sheffield and district. It is practically impossible to obtain adequate supplies of -nuts, and customers are, in consequence, seriously inconvenienced. Large steam coal is taking the place of the smaller kinds of fuel owing to the great scarcity of the latter. Stocks of all kinds are in steady demand, and the whole production is readily disposed of. Kailway companies continue to press supplies of locomotive coal. Gas works and electricity establishments are also sorely in need of fuel. The export trade maintains the extremely quiet tone which has characterised it now for some time, and there is no indica- tion of any improvement. Orders and licences are plentiful, but it is still impossible to secure the necessary shipping tonnage. The price of Derbyshire Top Hards stands at 27s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. Grimsby, but little or no business is being done. The coke market is strong and active, all qualities moving freely. Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Best house coals prices. 17/ prices. 17/ prices. 17/ Secondary do 16/6 16/6 16/6 Cobbles 16/ 16/ 16/ Nuts 15/ 15/ 15/ Slack 12/6 12/6 12/6 IRON. There is great activity in every branch of the iron trade. The make of pig iron will now be slightly increased owing to the putting into blast of one or two additional furnaces. Works engaged upon finished iron are well supplied with orders. ________ -------—____ Nottingham. COAL. With the colder weather of the past week, local merchants have experienced an increased demand from small house- holders, and there has been a brisker demand at the landsale depots. The pressure on owners for further deliveries on contracts from merchants generally is about as keen as ever, and almost any class of fuel is acceptable in order to prevent undue hardship on customers. Most merchants are handicapped by the lack of labour in regard to carting, notwithstanding increased wages. Steam coal is in big demand, and the output of practically every quality is quickly absorbed by requirements for war purposes and contract obligations. Consequently open market sales are on a limited scale, and it is difficult for buyers to obtain even odd lots. Slacks are in very active request. Prices at pithead. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. Hand-picked brights 19/ -19/6 19/ -19/6 18/ -19/ Good house coals 18/ -18/6 18/ -18/6 16/6-17/6 Secondary do 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 15/6-16/ Best hard coals 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 16/6-17/6 Secondary do 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ Slacks (best hards) 12/ -13/ 12/ -13/ 11/9-13/ Do. (second) 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/6 1 10/6-11/ Do. (soft) 11/ 11/ 1 11/ ------------------________ ________ Leicestershire. COAL. The renewal of very severe wintry weather has interfered with operations at the collieries in this district, and this has been keenly felt owing to the increasing shortage of labour. The very prolonged winter has kept the demand for household for the great centres of population at an exceptionally high level, and this week it has again been raised to the maximum. In some country districts trans- port has been a very serious matter for coal merchants. There is a very strong demand from London and district for all good class household, and the orders for both deep and main cobbles and nuts has been far in excess of the supplies available. Small nuts and peas are in active request, and the whole of the output is cleared off day by day. Bailway- owned wagons are in very short supply, but there are plenty of private wagons in the sidings waiting for any class of coal that may become available. There are no reserves at the collieries and only very small lots at country stations. 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 kitcheners..........__ Steams, best hand picked Steams, seconds __........ Main cobbles for kitcheners Main breeze........._______ ______________________ Current prices. 17/ —19/ 15/6-17/6 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/ 15/6-17/6 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 Last year’s prices. 16/6-18/ 15/6-16/6 14/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-14/ 12/ -13/ 13/ -13/6 11/ -12/ 5/ - 6/ 13/9-14/9 14/ -15/ 12/ -13/ 13/9-14/9 12/6-13/6 ________ _______ South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. The position in the coal trade has not improved ; on the contrary, the continuance of wintry weather tends rather to aggravate it. The rush for house coal appears to be unabated, stocks laid in at the beginning of the winter being now exhausted. Supplies, on the other hand, whether of household or industrial fuel, grow less, and distribution is still imposing a heavy strain on the restricted transport Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase) :— prices. prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 22/ 22/ 22/ Do. seconds deep 20/ 20/ 20/ Do. best shallow 19/ 19/ 19/ ' 18/ Do. seconds do. 18/ 18/ Best hard 18/6 18/6 18/6 Forge coal 16/ 16/ 16/ Slack Warwickshire:— 11/6 11/6 11/6 House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 19/ • 19/ 19/ cobs 18/ 18/ 18/ 20/ Best hard spires 20/ 20 Forge (steam) 16/ 16/ 16/ D.S. nuts (steam) 14/6 14/6 14/6 Small (do.) 14/6 14/6 14/6 services. Preference, of course, is being given to industries engaged on war work. Double-screened nuts are extremely difficult to get, and good slacks are quickly snapped up. In the circumstances, collieries have little or no fuel of any kind to offer in the open market; indeed, merchants and consumers would be thankful to get the full amount on their contracts. IRON. Activity is fully maintained in the iron and steel trades of the Midland districts. Working capacity is strained to its utmost to keep pace with the huge war requirements, and the amount of material available on civilian account is comparatively negligible. In the steel section particularly demand easily over-runs supply, but in the finished iron branches also orders are well ahead of output. The increased production of basic iron, with a view of helping the steel supply, will affect to some extent foundry and forge grades. As regards the former, sellers get the full limit, but Northamptonshire forge qualities, curiously enough, have not maintained the improvement which was reported three weeks ago, and sales are made well within the maximum rate of 87s. 6d. at furnaces. The possibility of a revision of the official maxima for pig iron is still canvassed, though it dees not seem to impress the market much. Maximum prices have been fixed for heavy iron scrap. In the iron bar trade market quotations are not numerous, as most of the output is passing from the producer to the consumer under official direction. Quota- tions are very firm at £15 10s., less 2} per cent., for marked bars, and <£13 15s. for common bars, net at works. Nut and bolt iron is about £14 5s., up to £14 10s. for special lots, delivered Darlaston district. No change has been made in the price of galvanised sheets, which stands at £28 10s., despite dear spelter and difficulty in getting deliveries of raw material, and black sheets are also main- tained at £19 10s. Probably a good order would be taken at a few shillings less now. Strip makers, though uncon- trolled, are doing a good deal of Government work. Quota- tions for gas strip range from £15 to £15 10s., and for hoops (iron and steel) from £17 15s. to £19. In steel, makers are heavily booked ahead. Raw steel is of necessity allocated under strict supervision. __________________ Forest of Dean. Lydney. GOAL. The market for the house coals of this neighbourhood retains all its recent strength. Supplies are still inade- quate to meet the demands of consumers, and the accumulation of orders makes a long list. Shipments have been good during the week, but vessels are subjected to some delay owing to the dock sidings being free of all stock. Orders from the railborne districts are very numerous. The steam coal pits have had another busy week, but it is impossible to cope with the heavy enquiry. ' Prices at pithead. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Block 24/' 24/ 21/6 Forest 23/ 23/ 20/6 Rubble 23/3 23/3 20/9 Nuts 21/6 21/6 19/ Rough slack Steam coal:— 13/ 13/ 11/6 Large 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 18/ -19/ Small ... , 16/ 16/ 13/6-14/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. __________________ Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report that rail supplies of house, steam and gas coal are now coming forward more regularly to the south of England. The retail house coal demand has slackened very considerably, and merchants are able to supply their customers with less difficulty than for some months past. A few contracts have been made on a three months’ basis, according to the suggestion of the Coal Controller. ______________________________________________________ THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, March 29. _________________________ ________ Dublin. Business generally remains active, and prices of all qualities are unchanged. Stocks are small, as deliveries in the port for the past few weeks have been very much below the average, even for war time. Freights are a shade easier. City prices stand as follow :—Best Orrell, 44s. per ton net; Yorkshire brights, 43s.; best Wigan, 42s.; best slack, 36s.; steam coal, from about 40s. per ton; best coke, 44s. per ton. The coal vessels arriving during the past week amounted to 49, as compared with 40 the week previously, the total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays being 17,605 tons, as against 15,755 tons in the previous week. It is stated that the Government has finally decided to proceed with the construction of the 8-mile railway line from the Wolfhill mines in Queen’s County, to Athy, on the main line, for the purpose of further developing the coal area. The work is to be started forthwith, and it is anticipated that the line will be practi- cally completed in about three months. It is understood that a large amount of labour will be supplied by the military. The chairman of the Castlerahan Rural Council has been complimented on his list of subscribers in 134 townlands, towards the Kill (co. Cavan) Coal Development scheme. Belfast. There is practically no change in the local trade, either with regard to prices or the amount of business current. The difficulty in obtaining supplies of some qualities still exists, more particularly English house coal. Current quota- tions for house coal are:—Best Arley, 43s. 6d. per ton; Orrell nuts, 42s. 6d. ; English house, 41s. 6d.; Scotch, 39s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 39s. 6d. Irish coal at the Portrush Colliery, Craigahullian, co. Antrim, is 14s. per ton at the pit head. From March 4 to 17, the total number of coal- laden vessels entering Belfast harbour was 122.