816 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 27, 1917. home purposes. The difficulty of obtaining anything of a supply of steam nuts for ordinary use is as pronounced as ever, and all kinds of small manufacturing fuel continue to be in brisk demand, with nothing ottering in the open market. Coke manufacturers are again having to make the best of the situation with a short supply of slack, and cannot satisfy the demand for furnace coke. The rearrangement of contracts is being carried out without difficulty, and the three months* contracts have to be accepted, though there is still not a little anxiety regarding future supplies. The following quotations are really nominal. 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 j 25/ Hull. COAL. The market possesses a much healthier tone, and the export demand which has been held back so long gives signs that it is likely to materialise. As more steamers come along, shipments to France are improving in volume, but Italy is not quite so well circumstanced, and as high as 150s. is named as the possible freight to the west coast. Though authorisations have been obtained, it has not been possible to carry out the orders, and consequently the Italian Coal Committee have, after consultation with the War Trade Department, arranged that licences which would expire on the 30th inst. shall be extended to June 30, this being considered preferable to issuing new licences. Neutrals continue to be active enquirers, but the satis- faction of their demands depends almost entirely upon the ability to charter ships, which is not an easy matter notwithstanding the phenomenal freight rates they are prepared to give. Large steam coal is in fair supply and well sought after, best South Yorkshire hards having advanced to 29s. for prompt and early May shipment, at which figure they are fully firm, 29s. 6d. being asked for forward. Most other kinds are firm and dearer, approxi- mate values being washed nuts, 24s. 6d. to 25s. 6d. ; washed small coal, 20s.; rough slack, 17s. to 17s. 6d.; Parkgates, 26s. 6d. to 27s.; screened gas and house fuels, 26s. to 28s.; West Yorkshire Hartleys, 27s. 6d. (at Goole) to 28s. 6d. (at Hull). Derbyshire steam hards are steady, and quoted 27s. 6d. to 28s. (at Grimsby or Immingham). Chesterfield. COAL. The market continues to display a very firm tone, and every class of coal is in great demand. Considerable difficulty is experienced in obtaining supplies of house coal, orders for which are weeks in arrear. The difficulty of securing in sufficient quantities, deliveries of fuel for manufacturing purposes is as serious as ever, and many works are frequently placed in an awkward position. It is impossible to buy nuts and small cobbles outside contract tonnage. For these classes of coal there is an enormous demand for gas products at the large steel works of Sheffield and district. There is an increased demand for large steam coal for munition works, and slack for boiler firing is much wanted. Railway companies are pressing for supplies of locomotive coal. Gas companies are also in urgent need of supplies of gas coal. There is more activity apparent in the export trade. A few more ships are avail- able at the moment for France, and as coal is in shorter supply, owing to the Easter stoppage of work, prices have moved upward, and are now firm at 28s. 6d. per ton delivered at Grimsby for best Derbyshire Top Hards. The coke market is good in tone, and all qualities are in brisk demand at full official rates. Coking fuel is much wanted, but supplies are not by any means plentiful. 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. An abundance of work exists in every department of the iron trade, and all the plants of the district are running at high pressure. ------——■ ■■————- Nottingham. COAL. Notwithstanding the fact that exports are on a limited scale, the demands made by war requirements on the output of the hard coal pits in the county does not leave a large tonnage available for ordinary customers, and any surplus is eagerly purchased. Owing to the shortage of nuts, customers are buying larger grades of steams more freely. At present all classes of steams are in active demand, and the output is readily cleared at the collieries. Prices remain firm, best steams selling at the pits at 17s. to 17s. 6d. per ton, secondary sorts making about Is. per ton less. A fairly brisk tone pervades the slack market, better class or medium qualities being easily disposed of. The supply of coking slacks is still inadequate to meet all requirements. Pit prices for best, slacks are from 12s. to 13s. per ton, seconds 10s. 6d. to Ils. 6d.> and smalls 7s. 6d. to 8s. 6d. Prices at pithead. Hand-picked brights ..... Good house coals......... Secondary do............. Best hard coals.......... Secondary do ............ Slacks (best hards)...... Do. (second) .......... Do. (soft)............. Current prices. 19/ -19/6 18/ -18/6 17/ -18/ 17/ -17/6 16/ -17/ 12/ -13/ 10/6-11/6 11/ L'st week’s Last year's prices. 19/ -19/6 18/ -18/6 17/ -18/ 17/ -17/6 { 16/ -17/ 12/ -13/ 10/6-11/6 11/ I prices. 18/ -19 6 16/6-17/6 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 11/9-13/ 10/6-11/ 11/ Leicestershire. COAL. So far from the pressure being relieved, this week has proved by far the most strenuous experienced since the war began. Under these circumstances the change to warmer weather has been hailed with quite a relief, as it promises a reduction in the domestic consumption. The question of transport is now very serious, and has not been improved by the new returns regarding the total output and the distinction of each consignment sent out week by week. The state of affairs is well illustrated by two facts—a consignment of coal for urgent munition works took 30 hours on a direct line to reach a yard only 12 miles from the pits, while another for a coal yard 30 miles from the pits occupied nearly 14 full days. The increasing delays are almost entirely due to the great shortage of railway locomotives. A curious position has been created by some underground and some surface men being claimed and drafted into the Army and after they had joined up it was found that they ought to have been recruited voluntarily. With an increasing shortage -of men it is practically impossible to maintain a volume of output equal to that of last yeal. The demand for all classes of household is extremely keen for London and district, and both deep and main cobbles and nuts are cleared out very rapidly. Small nuts are very brisk for mechanical stokers. Country orders are very much behindhand in delivery, and coal yards are swept clean of every hundredweight. There are no stocks of any kind at the pits. 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/ -II 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/ Last year's prices. 16/6-18/ 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/ 16/ -16/6 15/ -15/6 14/6-15/ 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/-7/ 14/ -15/ 14/6-15/6 13/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-13/6 13/ -13/6 14/ -14/6 13/ -13 '6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/6 South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. Warmer weather has intervened since last week, and the effect of this may be felt soon in a diminution of the heavy demand for house coal. At present, however, merchants are very bare of stocks, and it will take three weeks or a month to clear off the orders on the books, without adding to their commitments. The collieries are working well, but arrears of supply are causing a good deal of anxiety. The demand for munition and other engineering concerns continues very heavy, and all smalls are scarce. Nothing of importance is offered on the open market. Prices at pit. Current L'st week's Last year’s Staffordshire (including prices. prices. prices. Cannock Chase) :— 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 11/6 11/6 11/6 Warwickshire:— House coal, best Ryder.. 19/ 19/ 19/ Do. hand-picked cobs 18/ 18/ 18/ Best hard spires 20/ 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 IRON. Since quarter day, business has settled down into its accustomed groove. There have been two minor price movements during the week. Tinned sheets have been advanced by £2 a ton. One cause is the increasing difficulty of getting supplies of material, another is the huge demand for tinned goods. Then copper sheets have dropped by £9 a ton, now standing at .£165. Apart from these, no alterations in values fall to be noted, nor is there any sign of abatement in the stringent conditions. Essen- tial needs have first claim, and these are such that after they are met in many branches there is no material left for the open market. This applies more particularly to steel, the output of which is under rigid official control. With billets scarce, shell discard steel is in big request. Steel sheet bars, for .which official price is £10 7s. 6d. at works, are procurable only for official work of primary importance, hence the very restricted production of galvanised sheets and the meagre export business. The quotation for galvanised sheets remains at £28 10s., and for black sheets, for which business is better than for galvanised qualities, at £19 10s. Marine engineering industries in the district are experiencing a heavy demand, and this is a claim to which precedence has to be given. The cable and chain trades in the Black Country districts which specialise in these are particularly busy. Official notification with regard to the application for an increase in pig iron is expected shortly, and meantime prices are very firm and sales limited. Foundry iron is difficult to obtain, the furnaces being booked far ahead. There is still a scarcity of wrought scrap, as a result, it is stated, of the limitation of prices. Business is being done in steel scrap against contracts, but new business is not of large volume. The call for manufactured iron is, if anything, intensified and manufacturers have difficulty in keeping deliveries up to date. Government requirements absorb a very large proportion of the output. Any available material is quickly absorbed. For nut and bolt iron an active enquiry is reported, and makers quote up to £14 10s. delivered in the district. A heavy demand is also experienced for all descriptions of small iron, and the ruling basis is £16 10s. for three-eighths sizes, with the usual extras for smaller sizes. Some finished iron firms are now reserving the right to modify contracts in the event of the pig iron maxima being raised. ------------------- Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. While outputs are well maintained at the various collieries, which are all in full working order, it is still impossible adequately to cope with the many orders received daily. The warmer weather has not, as yet, influenced the demand, and there is a heavy accumulation of orders to clear. The railborne merchants are still buying heavily, whilst shipments are maintained as recently reported. The call for all qualities of steam and manufacturing fuel is a very substantial one, and the pits are having a difficult time endeavouring to cope with the extraordinary 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/ r W 11/6 Large 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 18/ -19/ 13/6-14/ Small ... 16/ . 16/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. THE WELSH GOAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, April 26. North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. All the pits are on full time, and the output has been up to the average throughout the district. Some difficulty is still experienced as regards empty wagons, but on the whole the output has been despatched promptly. No very keen demand prevails for house coal, as the weather has materially improved, but in every other department the supply does not equal demand. The railway companies and buyers for controlled establishments are pressing for deliveries on account of contracts, and enquiries are made for coal for shipment at the Mersey ports of Liverpool, Birkenhead and Ellesmere Port. The gas coal trade still continues in a steady state, and, so far as is possible, arrears on expiring contracts are being made up before the new contracts commence. A number of the renewals are being fixed up every week, and the basis of last year’s contracts has been fixed upon for the contracts now being entered into, both as regards prices and tonnage. Slack finds a ready sale, and there is a fair amount available for disposal at the present time. The gas companies have a full complement of orders for gas coke, and substantial prices are being realised just now. Prices continue to be steady. . Best large house coal is quoted at 21s. to 23s. per ton at pit, seconds at 20s. to 22s per ton, while at the land- sale depots the prices charged are 27s. 6d. to 30s. per ton for best large fuel, and 25s. to 27s. 6d. per ton for seconds; rough slack for household purposes is being still sold at 15s. to 16s. 8d. per ton at the dealers' wharves. Large steam coal is quoted at 19s. to 21s., and these may be taken as the average prices of gas coal, with Is. per ton less for nuts. The price now being quoted for slack is 12s. to 14s. 6d. per ton at pit, and gas coke is realising 21s. 8d. to 25s. per ton at the gas works. Below is given a complete list of prices :— Prices at pit f.o.r.:— Best house coal ... Secondary do. Steam coal........ Gas coal.......... Bunkers........... Nuts ............. Slack ............ Gas coke (at works) Prices landsale: — Best house coal ... Seconds .......... Slack ............ Current ! prices. 21/ -23/ 20/ -22/ 19/ -21/ 19/ -21/ 19/ -21/ .18/ -20/ 12/ -14/6 21/8-25/ 27/6-30/ 25/ -27/6 15/ -16/8 L'st week’s^Last year’s prices. ( prices. 21/ -23/ i 21/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -21/ 19/ -22/ 18/ -19/ 19/ —21/ ! 18/ -19/ 19/ -22/ j 17/6-18/6 18/ -20/ 17/6-18/6 12/ -14/6 10/ -12/6 21/8-25/ 21/8-25/ 27/6-30/ 22/6-27/6 25/ -27/6 — 15/ -16/8 15/ -16/8 Monmouthshire, South Wales, &c. Newport. COAL. A distinctly improved tone characterised the market this week, and prices are hardening. Sellers are asking better terms for forward delivery, and everything tends to a more prosperous condition of affairs. Short time at the collieries has been much reduced, and stocks of coal are falling. Tonnage has been arriving more satisfactorily than for "a long time past.