1132 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN June 15, 1917. needs. Though, the demand for furnace coke is less active than formerly, there are indications of an early return to a more vigorous demand. Values remain very firm. 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/ 18/6-19/ Secondary do 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 16/6-17/6 Best house nuts , 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Secondary do 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ Steam coals:— 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 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ Gas coals:— Screened gas coals 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 Unscreened do 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/ Gas nuts 16/ 16/ 16/ Furnace coke 25/8 25/8 25/ great efforts will be necessary to avoid real shortage and suffering when the domestic consumption again increases. All classes of household are in very strong demand for London and district, and deep and main cobbles and nuts are cleared out as fast as they come to hand. Small nuts for mechanical stokers sell with remarkable freedom. There are no reserves of stocks of any kind at country sidings cr at the collieries. Prices at pit. these prevail. These are : marked bars, <£15 10s., less 2| per cent. (Earl of Dudley’s brand <£16 2s. 6d.); unmarked bars <£13 15s. net, at makers’ works; North Stafford- shire bars, £13 15s. net, at works; steel joists and sections, £11 2s. 6d. In the steel section the position is dominated by the ever-increasing Government requirements. The sheet branches remain quiet, especially on the galvanising side. A brisk trade is passing in strip, tube and steel. Hui!. COAL. Business continues pretty much on recent lines. Large steam coal is not too plentiful for export, and there is no disposition, when neutral business offers, to take less than the corresponding quotations in French and Italian trade. Manufacturing fuels are scarce, and hardly available at all to foreign buyers. Concerning the proposed pooling of new business, the Humber is not likely to be seriously affected, since the possibility of any considerable expansion in the export trade in Yorkshire coal is hardly contemplated at present. If prices are fixed there will be that much less competition, which in a strong market will not be prejudicial to the extent it would be were there conceivably a surplus of coal holders were anxious to dispose of. Coal continues to come along from the collieries fairly well, the receipts for the month of May at Hull being 250,969 tons, against 302,692 tons in May last year. For the five months to date the arrivals aggregate 1,182,715 tons, against 1,333,861 tons in the corresponding period of 1916. Approximate values for June shipment, f.o.b.:—Best South Yorkshire hards, 30s.; washed nuts, 24s. 6d. to 25s. 6d.; washed small coal, 20s.; rough slack, 17s. to 17s. 6d.; Parkgates, 27s. to 27s. 6d.; screened gas, 26s.; West Yorkshire Hartleys, 27s. 6d. (at Goole). Nothing doing in Derbyshire coal owing to refusal of licences to export. Chesterfield. COAL. The demand for every class of coal continues strong, and consumers are pressing for supplies in every direction. It is impossible to satisfy their requirements. Buyers of house coal are numerous, and are eagerly seeking deliveries obviously for stocking purposes. Manufacturing fuel is in great request, cobbles and nuts being urgently wanted. There is a fully sustained demand for all classes of stock for boiler firing, and substantial quantities are going forward to the Lancashire cotton mills. Steam coal for locomotive use is much wanted, and gas coal continues in active demand. The export trade is as quiet as ever ; indeed, there are signs of a further restriction of ship- ments of coal owing to the pressing needs of the home industries. From the Derbyshire coal field the quantity going for export is steadily decreasing, and it is not improbable that in the near future there will be a total prohibition of the export of coal from this district. The demand for coke keeps fairly steady. Supplies are, how- ever more readily obtained at the moment. There is no change in price. 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 kitchener? Main breeze............. Current 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/ 13/6-14/ 14/ -14/6 13/ -13/6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/6 L’st week’s 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/ 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/ THE WELSH COAL AID IR0H TRADES. Thursday, June 14. 13/6-14/ 14/ -14/6 13/ -13/6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/6 13/ -13/6 14/ -14/6 13/ -13/6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/6 Monmouthshire, South Wales, Newport. COAL. The coal market in this district has been considerably disorganised during the week. Though in best classes of large steam coal there has not been much quotable change, other sorts have been in more or less a state of flux and prices were anything but firm. There was only a moderate arrival of tonnage in the week-end. Some descriptions of small coal slumped a good deal. There are still large stocks on hand. House coal and patent fuel are practically unchanged. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Current prices. Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. For the most part the coal trade of this district proceeds steadily, with no important change in any direction. Household qualities are still in good request, despite the warmer weather, and the pits are all fully engaged. There are no stocks of any description at the colliery sidings or docks. All steam and manufacturing fuel continues in heavy demand, and the collieries are behind in their deliveries. 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/ 13/6-14/ Small 16/6 16/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. Steam coals:— Best Black Vein large... 27/6-30 / Western-valleys, ordin’y 26/ —26/6 Best Eastern-valleys . ! 9 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 ........ J 24/6-25/6 J 20/6-21/6 18/ -18/6 . 11/ -14/6 . 7/ - 9/6 , 18/6-19/ , 21/ -22/ 25/ -26/ 22/ -23/6 27/6-30/ _____* __ * Nominal. ERON. L’st week’s prices. 27/6-30/ 26/6-27/6 25/ -26/ 21/ -22/ 18/ -18/6 13/ -15/6 7/ -11/ 19/ -19/6 21/ -22/ 25/ -26/ 22/ -23/6 27/6-30/ __% __* Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. Best house coals 17/ 17/ 17/ Secondary do 16/6 16/6 16/6 Cobbles 16/ 16/ 16/ Nuts 15/ 15/ AO/ 15/ Slack . 12/6 12/6 12/6 South Staffordshire Horth Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. The coal market is quiet, not because there are no buyers, but because the collieries are not in a position to satisfy all the calls made upon them for practically every class of fuel. The general public continue to show a certain amount of anxiety to secure stocks for winter use, but with present short supplies merchants can do no more than provide instalments. They have little or no working stock to speak of. The needs of munitions, engineering, and essential iron works are met, but here, again, except in a few isolated cases there are no reserves in hand. Hards, nuts, steams, and good quality slacks are in active request, and are difficult to obtain in adequate quantities. A too great proportion of wagons is still at the collieries waiting to be loaded. IRON. All the works of the district are exceedingly busy, and every industry is in a state of great activity. ---—— Nottingham. COAL. A strong tone dominates the coal trade in this county. In the domestic fuel branch, while the consumption has declined, the calls upon owners for supplies are unusually heavy, for merchants, public institutions and large house- holders are eager to obtain stocks. In this respect the demand is most pressing from the Metropolis and southern counties. Most collieries are in arrears with contract deliveries, and little fuel is obtainable in the open market. A. strong tone prevails in the steam coal branch. The tonnage required for home consumption is on an exceptionally heavy scale. Slacks are in good request. There is still an inadequate supply of the grades used in manufacturing coke. Prices at pithead. 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/ Do. seconds do. 18/ 18/ 18/ 18/6 Best hard 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 !8/ !8/ 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 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/ 16/9-17/6 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/ 10/6-11/6 11/ Last year’s prices. 18/6-19/6 16/6-17/6 16/ -16/6 17/ -17/6 16/ -16/6 11/9-13/ 10/6-11/6 ---------------- Leicestershire, COAL. Important changes are being gradually brought about whereby the output of this district is being reserved for specific localities in order to cope with the great and general problem of transport. The arrears are still extremely large. Country coal merchants even with the greatly reduced summer consumption can only obtain little more than half of the quantities which they require to meet urgent calls. The position is still very serious, and ERON. The situation as regards pig iron has been partially cleared by the concession to South Staffordshire smelters of 5s. a ton on part-mine and common pig irons. The former now becomes <£5 a ton for forge and £5 2s. 6d. for foundry, while common iron is raised to £4 15s. Immediately on receipt of the notification from the Ministry of Munitions the new prices were quoted, and the strength of the market is such that they were readily obtained. It is significant that although the application from South Staffordshire was lodged after that of Derbyshire and Northamptonshire makers, no reply has been received by the latter, and the confidence in a favourable issue which they professed some time ago is weakening. It was agreed that South Stafford- shire smelters had the stronger case, by reason of the higher carriage charges for raw material, and the fact that the rate of wages was higher than in the other districts. The advance in South Staffordshire pigs has caused a flutter among makers of finished iron, but so far as can be ascertained they have not approached the Ministry with a view to a revision of finished prices. They would probably have had no hesitation if Derbyshire and Northamption- shire pigs had shared in the advance. A much larger proportion of irons from these districts is used than of Staffordshire pigs in the manufacture of bars and other material, so that the increased cost of production by reason of the advance in South Staffordshire pigs will not be large. Of course, coming as it did upon a 2i per cent, advance in wages, the announcement will give added firmness to the finished branches generally and not a ton of material can be purchased under the maximum rates where Last year’s prices. 50/ -52/ 49/ -50/ 46/ -48/ 39/ -43/ 25/ -27/ 22/ -24/ 20/ -21/ 26/ -2'7/ 26/ -32/ 30/ -35/ 23, -24/ 22/ -23/ 50/ -55/ 50/ -52/6 61/ -62/ There is great activity in all departments of the iron and steel trades of the district, and it is gratifying to find that with good relations prevailing a steady and reliable output is taking place. This may be said both of furnaces and the mills. The tin-plate trade is taking on a healthier tone. Pitwood is somewhat scarce and is still commanding 75s. for best fir. Cardiff. COAL. A firm undertone is noticeable, and colliery salesmen in most instances decline to do business under present limitation rates, and are even asking higher figures in anticipation of the new basis. As indicated last week, the work of classification has proved a difficult and laborious one, and it is not expected that anything definite will be known for at least a week. A strong demand is current for the reserved descriptions, and as tonnage has been fairly plentiful, loading proceeded briskly. For inferior grades there is not the same enquiry, and licences are not easily obtained, even where the coal is available. For prompt loading concessions are being made, and figures substan- tially below the quoted rates are accepted by middlemen who have facilities placed at their disposal by buyers. The volume of business transacted in this way is small compared with normal times, and the figures accepted can scarcely be said to indicate the real state of the market. Second Admiralties are quoted at 29s. to 30s., but it is reported that even higher figures have been obtained by certain collieries who are favourably situated. Ordinary descriptions are not quite so buoyant, and little difficulty is experienced in negotiating on old figures. Monmouthshire coals are relatively firmer, chiefly owing to the fact that tonnage facilities have been greater, and the restrictive regulations have been more elastic in their application. Western Valley coals have commanded as much as the best Black Veins, and Easterns have only Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Current L’st week’s Last year’s Steam coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Admiralty steam coals * * * Superior seconds * * * Seconds 29/ -30/ 29/ -30/ 49/ -50/ Ordinary steams 28/ -29/ 28/ -29/ 48/ -49/ Best bunker smalls 15/ -16/ 15/ -17/ 29/ -30/ Best ordinaries 14/ —15/ 14/ -15/ 26/ -28/ Cargo qualities 12/ -14/ 12/ -14/ 20/ -22/6 Inferior smalls 8/ -10/ 8/6-10/ 19/ -20/ Best dry coals 29/ -30/ 29/ -30/ 46/ -48/ Ordinary drys 27/ -28/ 27/ -28/ 44/ -46/ Best washed nuts 29/ -30/ 24/ -25/ 36/ -38/ Seconds 28/ -29/ 23/ -24/ 33/ -36/ Best washed peas 27/6-28/6 23/ -24/ 32/ -35/ Seconds 26/6-27/6 22/ -23/ 30/ -32/ Dock screenings — — —. Monmouthshire— Black Veins 29/ -30/ 29/ -30/ 49/ -50/ W e stern-valleys 29/ -30/ 29/ -30/ 48/ -49/ Eastern-valleys 27/6-29/ 28/ -29/ 45/ -47/6 Inferior do 27/ -28/ 27/ -28/ 44/ -46/ Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) 25/6-26/6 25/6-26/6 23/ -24/ Second qualities (at pit) 23/6-24/6 23/6-24/6 22/6-23/ No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 27/ -27/6 27/ -28/ 49/ -50/ Through-and-through 23/6-24/6 23/6-24/6 37/6-41/ Small 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 32/ -34/ No. 2 Rhondda— Large 24/6-25/6 24/6-25/6 38/ -40/ Through-and-through 18/6-19/6 18/ -19/ 32/6-34/ Small 13/6-14/6 13/ -14/ 24/ -25/ Best patent fuel 30/ 29/ -30/ 50/ -51/ Seconds 28/ -29/ 28/ -29/ 48/ -50/ Special foundry coke 47/6-50/ 47/6-50/ 62/6-65/ Ordinary do. 47/6-50/ 47/6-50/ 60/ -62/6 Furnace coke 47/6-50/ 47/6-50/ | 50/ -55/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 75/ ' 75/ 39/ -40/ ■ Nominal.