1040 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. June 1, 1917. railway companies to handle the traffic, and there are already indications of congestion on the railways which will inevitably affect the colliery position. Though the quieter demand for coke still continues, the position at the ovens is little altered. Hull. COAL. Since last report business has been of a distinctly holiday character, with very little doing in any department. There is a fair enquiry for shipment forward, but it can only develop given an improvement in the supply of steamers. Northern neutrals especially are eager for supplies, and abnormal freight rates would not stand in the way if only steamers would offer. There is some hope that wood imports from Scandinavia may increase shortly, in which event it is possible more outward tonnage may become avail- able. Quotations are all firmly held, and approximately are:—Best South Yorkshire hards, 29s. 6d. to 30s.; washed nuts, 24s. 6d. to 25s. 6d.; washed small coal, 20s.; rough slack, 17s. to 17s. 6d.; Parkgates, 27s.; West York- shire Hartleys, 27s. 6d. to 28s. 6d.; screened gas, 26s.; Derbyshire steams, 28s. 6d. to 29s. 6d. (at Grimsby or Immingham). Chesterfield. COAL. The pits of the district resumed work after a stoppage of two days for the Whitsuntide holidays. The demand for coal is as urgent as ever, every kind being in great requisi- tion. Cobbles, nuts and slack are badly wanted, the former two kinds for steel-making and the latter for boiler firing. Now that the fear of a stoppage of work in connection with the cotton industry is removed, the demand for slack for the Lancashire mills is much stronger. House coal orders continue to come to hand freely, while coal for locomotive use is in very pressing request. Quietude still characterises the export trade. Owing to the urgent call for fuel for home consumption, the quantity of steam coal available for shipment is on a declining scale. The coke market main- tains a steady tone. Supplies, however, are somewhat less difficult to obtain. 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 after hour for the arrival of wagons from the collieries, adding much to the cost of administration. Merchants are still having all their best horses commandeered for the Army, and they can only be replaced with very inferior animals, which occupy more time and take lighter loads in deliveries. Prices have been generally reduced this week in order to comply with the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act. London orders are still enjoying preference, and there is a big demand for household, deep and main cobbles and nuts, and also for small nuts for mechanical stokers. There are no reserves of stocks of any kind either at country coal yards or at the collieries. -------------------- South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. The pits have been idle two or three days this week for the Whitsuntide holiday, and business has been negligible. Such information as is available shows that the demand for all classes of fuel continues active. The enquiry for domestic coal is on an extensive scale for stocking, so that, while the pressure has abated, merchants are under no necessity to look for business. The supply of nuts is still short of requirements, and the larger proportion of this class of fuel is available only for munition works. For the best slacks there is a busy market. In no branch is there much free coal to be picked up 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.. Do. hand-picked 19/ 19/ 19/ 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 s THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, May 31. North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. Work was resumed in practically every colliery of this coal field on Tuesday after one day’s holiday. On the whole, the men turned up well, and by Wednesday work was in full swing. The house coal trade is now very much decreased, and the tonnage available is diverted into other markets. There is no change in gas coal, which remains quite steady. All gas coke available is readily sold, and no stocks are held at the local works. A keen demand prevails for steam coal of various grades, and the demand for coal for shipment has increased. Nuts are still scarce, but slack is fairly plentiful in the open market. Prices are well maintained, and do not show any sign at present of reduction. Best large house coal is 21s. to 23s. per ton at pit, seconds 20s. to 22s. At the landsale depots the best quality is still quoted at 27s. 6d. to 30s., and seconds at 25s. to 27s. 6d. per ton. Rough slack 15s. to 16s. 8d. per ton. Gas coal is listed at 19s. to 21s. per ton, steam coal is making the same price, and nuts 18s. to 20s., while slack is offered at 12s. to 14s. 6d. Gas coke prices vary from 21s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton. Appended is a full list of prices. Prices at pit f.o.r.:— 1 Current L’st week’sjLast year’s prices. prices. i prices. Best house coal 22/ -23/ 21/ -23/ , i 22/ -24/ Secondary do 21/ -22/ 20/ —22/ | 20/ -22/ Steam coal 19/ -21/ 19/ -21/ 1 18/ -20/ Gas coal 19/ -21/ 19/ -21/ 1 18/ -20/ Bunkers 19/ -21/ 19/ -21/ j 18/ —/20 Nuts 18/ -20/ 18/ -20/ 1 17/6-19/ Slack 12/ —14/6 12/ -14/6 / 11/ -13/6 Gas coke (at works) 21/8-23/4 21/8-23/4 21/8-25/ Prices landsale:— Best house coal 27/6-30/ 27/6-30/ 25/ -27/6 Seconds 25/ -27/6 25/ -27/6 22/6-25/ Slack 15/ —16/8 15/ -16/ 13/4-16/8 IRON. All the works of the district are again in full swing, and there is very considerable activity in every branch of the trade. Nottingham. COAL. The condition of the coal trade in this district remains very active, and the two days stoppage for Whitsuntide was a welcome relief. The decline in consumption by ordinary householders has relieved the recent pressure on local merchants, but the latter are taking all available supplies from the collieries in view of the scarcity of stocks, and the getting in of fuel for the early autumn by a certain section of the public. Most collieries have more orders on their books than they can promptly execute. Values retain an all-round firmness. There is little change in the demand for steam producing fuel, and although the output is being well maintained there is a comparatively small amount to be obtained in the open market, in consequence of the heavy tonnage required for war work. Nearly all kinds of slacks continue in good request, and the supplies of best and medium qualities are not easily obtained for manufacturing purposes. Gas coal and coke are in active demand. 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. 18/6-19/6 18/ —18/6 17/ -18/ 17/ -17/6 16/ -17/ 12/ -13/ 10/6-11/6 11/ L’st week’s prices. 18/6-19/6 18/ -18/6 17/ -18/ 17/ -17/6 16/ -17/ 12/ -13/ ! A.^1 xo / t 10/6-11/6 11/ I Last year’s prices. 18/6-19/6 16/6-17/6 15/6-16/6 17/ -17/6 16/ -16/6 11/9-13/ 10/6-11/ I HZ IRON. There has been little business passing during the week, but when the works resumed on Wednesday, in the main, full order books awaited the men. The demand for finished iron and steel is far beyond the capacity of makers to meet. Difficulty is experienced in obtaining adequate supplies of puddled iron owing*to the lack of labour; some firms which make their own puddled iron have had men returned from the Army, but it is understood that all the furnaces are not employed. Inconvenience is accordingly felt in the nut and bolt industry, and by makers of small rounds, squares, and flats. Those engaged in the production of steel rounds have a similar difficulty in obtaining billets to roll down, but they are helped out by using discards as much as possible. Steel rounds are sold on the basis of <£18 10s. for three-eighths sizes, and iron rounds <£16 10s. Business in galvanised sheets remains negligible, one pot, working intermittently, sufficing where two, in constant operation, were required before. Indeed, but for the trade that is being done in black sheets, flat and corrugated, it would scarcely be worth while to keep the sheet mills running. These latter command <£19 ,10s. a ton, and <£20 10s. if painted. The pig iron market is firm all round, though it is still left in uncertainty as to the fate of the application for increased maxima. Outside houses have raised the price of mild steel wire by <£5 a ton, thereby coming into line with houses inside the Association. Steel strip is quoted <£18 a ton, but very little is to be obtained on the open market. American wire rods continue to arrive—not in large quantities, certainly. The price is quoted f.a.s., New York, and works out at about <£27 a ton Liverpool. Steel makers find it impossible to entertain anything not associated with war work. Monmouthshire, South Wales, Newport. COAL. No business was transacted in the coal market of this district from Friday until about Wednesday. The collieries were on three days’ holiday, and with the dislocation' of trade incidental to such a stoppage, prices were very uncer- tain. Generally there was a slight weakening for prompt shipment, as stocks were accumulating, but prospective shipments, after the large arrival of tonnage which was expected, made the forward market firm. House coal and patent fuel remained unchanged, i Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Steam coals:— Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’y Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary do. Best small coals ..... Secondary do.......... Inferior do........... Screenings ........... Through coals ........ Best washed nuts...... Other sorts:— Best house coal, at pit... Secondary do. do. ... Patent fuel .......... Furnace coke.......... Foundry coke ......... Current L’st week’s prices. I prices. 26/6-27/ ' 27/ 27/6 26/ -26/6 I 26/ -27/ ' 24/ -24/6 ! 24/ -25/ 9n/ /« ! 21/ -22/6 18/ -18/6 14/ -16/ 6/6-11/6 18/6-20/ 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/6 ! 17/ -18/ ! 13/ -15/ 6/9- 8/6 17/ -18/6 20/ -21/ Last year’s prices. 54/ -55/ 53/ -55/ 53/ -53/6 51/ -53/ 31/ -32/6 29/ -30/ 25/ -27/ 32/ -32/6 35/ -37/ 37/ -39/ 25/ -26/ 22/ -23/6 27/6-30/ ______* __* 25/ -26/ 22/ -23/6 27/6-30/ _____# 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 50/ -55/ 50/ -52/6 60/ -62/ Leicestershire. COAL. With two days devoted to holiday making at the collieries, very little progress in the overtaking of very heavy arrears was possible. The advice given that stocks should be laid in during the summer to cover a large proportion of the winter consumption in order to relieve the difficulties of transport has resulted in an enormous increase in orders all round. Hospitals, water works, and similar institutions of general importance are beginning to press for early deliveries, and the great reduction in domestic consumption, it is confidently expected, will enable the most important to be more fully dealt with during June. The position of country coal merchants is still very serious. On the eve of the holidays many men with horses and carts were waiting at the wharves for hour Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. No change of importance in the position of the house coal market has occurred during the week. Owing to the holiday the week has been a broken one at all the collieries. There is no indication of any decline in the demand, despite the hot weather. The inland buyers are still pressing for deliveries, and an active business is passing in the shipping department, and stems are long. A steady pressure for steam and manufacturing fuel is maintained by buyers, and supplies continue much below the requirements of consumers. Prices at pithead. * Nominal. Prices at pit. 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/ 13/6-14/ Small ... 16/ 16/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. Current 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! prices. 16/6-18/ 15/6-16/6 16/ -17/ 16/ -16/6 15/ -15/6 14/6-15/ 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/ - 7/ 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/ kitcheners.............I 13/6-14/ Steams, best hand picked! 14/ -14/6 Steams, seconds .........j 13/ —13/6 Main cobbles for kitchener d 13/6-14/ Main breeze.............j 12/6-13/6 14/ -15/ 13/ -13/6 14/6-15/6 14/ -14/6 13/6-15/ 113/ -13/6 14/ -15/ i 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/6 ! 12/6-13/6 The Instone Transport and Trading Company Limited (capital £500,000) has been formed for purposes which include the acquisition of a fleet of steamers. The managers are Messrs. S. Instone and Company, of Cardiff, London, and elsewhere. No shares are offered for sub- scription. Addressing a meeting at Pontlottyn, in the Rhymney Valley, Mr. C. Edwards, M.P. for East Glamorgan, spoke of the response which the miners of South Wales had given to the call for men in the early days of the war, and he urged that others should now go. He said that it had been shown that, during 1915, 13,000 men had come into East Glamorgan to take the place of colliers who had volunteered for the front, most of the new men having come from other occupations. These strangers, therefore, should be the first now called upon. IRON. There is little new to be said about the iron and steel trades of the district. The holidays naturally reduced the output to some extent, but work otherwise has been steady, and the Government contracts have been pushed forward with regularity and despatch. Prices are in such cases purely nominal. There is some slight improvement manifest in the tin-plate trade. Cardiff. COAL. The past week has been almost a blank so far as the coal market is concerned, and there is little to write about except the prospects. Outputs showed a heavy increase imme- diately preceding the holiday, as is usually the case, and although the miners took a full three days’ holiday, there has been no lack of supplies for the tonnage in the various docks, and shipments have gone on steadily throughout the holidays. Arrivals of vessels have only been moderate, and the possibility of any shortage of supplies has been removed, notwithstanding the fact that absenteeism will be a big factor at most of the collieries until the beginning of next week. Chartering last week was on only a moderate scale, the amount of tonnage taken up being 11,830 tons, compared with 48,210 tons in the preceding six days. It is reported that the Government have decided to make con- siderable modifications in the conditions under which coals are supplied to the Allied and neutral countries. Hitherto there has for a long period been a maximum of 30s. for large and 20s. for small coal, irrespective of the various grades and qualities, and this in some cases has caused difficulty and hardship. For instance, whilst all the best coals were reserved for the Admiralty at a fixed price, inferior grades were at some periods selling at 20s. per ton higher than the Government rates. On another occasion, when the market declined owing to lack of tonnage, the anomalous state of things occurred that neutrals were obtaining supplies at several shillings less than the Allies. It is now stated that the principle of gradation of prices has been adopted, with the result that quotations for Welsh coals will range* between 29s. and 33s., and smalls from something over 20s. down to less than 10s. for ordinary duff. It is alleged that the main factor which has influenced the authorities to make this concession is the increased cost of