January 18, 1918. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 131 is very brisk, with an enquiry which is far in excess of the output, and supplies are moving off rapidly, mainly on home account. Gas coke producers find no difficulty in maintaining prices at the higher quotation given last week. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Steam coals:— Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) Secondary, Blyths .... Do. Tynes (Hastings or West Hartleys) ... Unscreened ........... Small, Blyths ........ Do. Tynes............ Do. specials......... Other sorts:— Smithies.............. Best gas coals (New Pelton or Holmside) Secondary gas coals (Pelaw Main or similar) Special gas coals .... Unscreened bunkers, Durhams Do. do. Current ll/st week’s (Last year's prices. | prices, i prices. 30/ -32/6 ; 30/ -32/6 1 29/ -30/ 29/6-32/ 29/6—32/ I 28/ -30/ 25/6-28/ 25/6-28/ ■ 22/ -24/ 27/ -29/6 23/6-27/6 20/ -22/6 18/6-21/ 20/6-23/ 27/ -29 6 I 22/6-25/ 23/6-27/6 ; 20/ -22/6 20/ -22/6 i 18/ -19/ 18/6-21/ i 17/ -18/ 20/6-23/ | 20/ 25/ -33/6 \ 25/ -33/6 ! 20/ -22/ 25/ -27/6 ! 25/ -27/6; 26/ -28/ I i 23/6-26/ 23/6-26/ I 20/ -22/ 26/6-29/ 26/6-29/ I 31/ -33/ 26/6-32/6 26/6-32/6 { 20/ -22/ Northumbrians Coking coals.......... Do. smalls........ House coals .......... Coke, foundry .......... Do. blast-furnace...... Do. gas .............. 26/6-27/6 24/ -27/6 24/ -27/6 28/6-32/6 42/6-45/ i 42/6-45/ | 35/ -40/ 26/6-27/6 24/ -27/6 ! 24/ -27/6 ! 28/6-32/6 I i 42/6-45/ • : 42/6-45/ < 35/ -37/6 : 19/ -21/ 20/ -22/ 18/ -20/ 27/6-30/ 42/6-45/ 41/ -42/6 32/ —33/ Sunderland. COAL. The coal market opens this week under unfavourable con- ditions. Exceptionally severe weather has considerably interfered with shipping movements, and arrivals over the week-end have been on a small scale, though a few official steamers have turned up for requisition cargoes. As a rule collieries are working very badly, and only those which have a good home trade demand keep fully working. The enquiry from abroad is extremely dull. Gas, cooking, house, smithy, and in fact all classes of manufacturing coals, as well as coke, are in full request for industrial purposes, and but for which business would be very poor indeed. Bunker coals and steam smalls are as unsatis- factory as ever. Prices throughout are nominally steady, and unchanged at the usual figures. Gas coke may be bought a little cheaper. Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Current L’st week’s'Last year’s Gas coals:— prices. prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 29/ -32/6 29/ -32/6 30/ Secondary do. 25/ -27/6 25/ -27/6 20/ House coals:— Best house coals 32/6 32/6 ________ ________ 30/ Ordinary do 30/6 30/6 24/ Other sorts :— Lambton screened 31/ -32/6 .31/ -32/6 30/ South Hetton do 31/ -32/6 31/ -32/6 30/ Lambton unscreened ... 26/6 26/6 19/ South Hetton do. .. 26/6 26/6 19/6 Do. treble nuts 22/6 22/6 25/6 Coking coals unscreened 27/6 27/6 20/ ' Do. smalls 27/6 27/6 18/6 Smithies 27/6 27/6 20/ Peas and nuts 27/ -28/6 27/ -28/6 26/ Best bunkers 27/6 27/6 21/ Ordinary bunkers 26/6 26/6 19/6 Coke:— Foundry coke 42/6-45/ t 42/6-45/ 42/6 Blast-furnace coke (did.! Teesside furnaces) ... ; 42/6-45/ 42/6-45/ 28/ Gas coke | 35/ -37/6 35/ -40/ 30/ -31/ Mlddlesbrough-on-Tm. COAL. The fuel trade shows very little change. Home demand for coal is large in all sections, special manufacturing sorts in particular being in keen request, but enquiries on behalf of neutrals are few. Gas coal keeps steady, with deliveries on a fairly heavy scale. Beet Durhams are 27s. 6d., seconds 26s., and Wear specials 29s. Steam smalls continue quiet at 21s. to 23s, Bunkers are slow of sale. Unscreened Durhams are 26s. 6d. to 27s. 6d. Coking coal continues to be fairly well taken up at round about 27s. 6d. As regards coke home demand continues heavy, with local consumption growing, and shipments show some improvement. Less coke is offered. For home use foundry kinds are 38s., average blastfurnace sorts 33s. 6d., and qualities low in phosphorus 35s. 6d., whilst for export to neutrals foundry descriptions are 45s. f.o.b., and gas house product 37s. 6d. to 40s. f.o.b. IRON. The pig iron trade presents few new features. Purchases of Cleveland under the very liberal January allocations are understood to have been practically completed, and more anxiety is now felt concerning deliveries against contracts made than about new business. Transport is still difficult. Rather substantial negotiations on foreign account are reported proceeding. For home consumption, No. 3 Cleve- land pig, No. 4 foundry and No. 4 forge are all quoted 95s.; and No. 1 is 99s.; and for shipment to France and Italy No. 3 and the lower qualities all stand at 114s., and No. 1 at 119s. So far as the East coast haematite department is concerned the situation is still stringent, notwithstanding some relief by increased output of other steel making iron. Home deliveries are maintained on a scale sufficient to meet essential needs, but when these have been satisfied the quantities available for disposal abroad, though slightly larger, are still very small. Nos. 1, 2, and 3 are 122s. 6d. for home use, and 147s. 6d. for export to France and Italy. In manufactured iron and steel very little ordinary commercial business is passing, almost the entire output continuing to be absorbed by Government needs and demands of the ship yards. Quotations are very stiff. _______ _______ Cumberland. Mary port. COAL. The coal trade throughout West Cumberland is in a remarkably active condition. The market for all classes of fuel is very strong, and although production is steadily rising, the entire output is readily disposed of. A feature of the market since Christmas has been the enormous call for fuel for landsale purposes. At the beginning of the week the roads were in such a bad condition that it was impossible to reach some of the rural districts. Supplies for landsale have been scarcer than usual. Works fuel is in fairly steady request for local consumption. Gas coal is in firm request, but the only supplies being sent away by rail are on contract for users in the district. Locomotive fuels are steady. Collieries are still too busy to deal with much business on export account. The shipments for the week have amounted to 4,625 tons compared 4,055 tons for the prQvious week and 2,710 tons at the corresponding period of last year. Prices of all sorts are firm but unchanged. Current quotations are as follow ;— IRON. No alteration in prices has occurred with the exception that the prices for steel scrap have been lowered by the Ministry in an Order dated January 4. Heavy steel scrap remains as it was, but mixed steel, consisting of steel and wrought iron, is reduced from <£5 5s. to £4 15s. Planings, turnings and borings have been reduced from 70s. to 65s. The other prices are unchanged. All the material pro- duced at the mills here is allocated by the Government, and there is none at all for ordinary trade purposes. The Birmingham meeting took place last week, but nothing of note transpired, and the meeting was very poorly repre- sented. Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Seconds at pit ......... Washed nuts at pit...... Do. smalls „ ......... Do. peas „ ........... Buckhill best coal at pit... 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 Cumberl’nd coal, f.o.b. Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... Best bunkers (coastwise) Do. (for foreign-going steamers) .............. Best works fuel......... Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- works .................. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 25/10 25/10 23/4 24/2 24/2 21/8 23/4 23/4 20/10 23/4 23/4 20/10 19/2 19/2 16/8 17/6 17/6 15/ 25/ 25/ 22/6 23/6 23/6 21/ 25/ 25/ 22/6 23/6 23/6 21/ 25/ 25/ 22/6 23/6 23/6 ■21/ 22/ 22/ 19/6 20/ 20/ 17/6 31/ 31/ 25/ 31/ 31/ 30/ 22/6 22/6 20/ 22/6 22/6 20/ 21/6 21/6 19/ IRON. Firmness continues in the haematite pig iron trade. The clamour for metal for both local and outside consumption is unabated, but as far as production is concerned the situation, more particularly in West Cumberland, is one of increasing difficulty. There is not enough to go round. Supplies of raw materials are so scarce that smelters are having a keen struggle to maintain anything like an adequate output of pig iron. It is expected, however, that smelters will be able to maintain the present number of furnaces in blast until such times as raw materials become more abundant. The demand for both special and ordinary iron is very strong, and makers are still unable to fulfil all requirements. Rails are quiet, but billets are in firm demand. The imports of foreign iron ore for the week have amounted to 2,000 tons. South-West Lancashire. COAL. The demand for household fuel for the inland market is not greater than an average January, but there is less ability to meet it, and consequently a large array of arrears. The heavy call.for fuel for gas works, and for forges, loco purposes, and' manufacturing generally is not only taking what would naturally flow there but some portion of the commoner qualities, particularly nuts, that are usually sold for household fuel, and this is responsible for the arrears that accumulate in the household branch of the trade. Requirements of steam coal for bunkering and export are rather heavier this week, mainly through increased bunkering. Export is still very quiet, owing to lack of tonnage and refusal of licences, also to some extent to shortage of supplies, which taken all round are on the bare side though rather better on the week. Prices, of course, are according to schedule rates. In the coastwise and cross channel trade for household fuels, what has been current for weeks still applies. The merchant across the water is very short, and there is not bnly difficulty in finding the requisite quantity from the pits, but an acute trouble in being able to get the requisite tonnage. This is shown in the abnormal prices of freights to Ireland which have run up as much as 22s. and 24s. even for the east coast of Ireland, and tonnage for the west is almost unobtainable. In slacks and small fuel the situation may be summed up by saying it is with difficulty that the day to day wants are met. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). _______ _______ Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. t COAL. On the productive side the trade is very active, but distribution is officially controlled to such an extent that the ordinary course of market business is necessarily very restricted. There was a good attendance at the weekly gathering of the Coal Exchange on Tuesday, and a keen enquiry for fuel. As compared with a few months ago the market has a more settled tone, but is very firm, with emphasis on the enquiry for steam coal and manufacturing fuel. Full time work is the rule at the pits, and the almost entire absence of complaint with regard to delays to trucks suggests that wagons are being handled on the railways with more expedition since the holidays. With regard to house coal, London is still taking quantities in excess of last year’s deliveries, and the Coal Control Office is keeping a close watch over the quantities sent by the collieries, those which fall into arrear being quickly pressed for supplies. The fact that more regard is being paid to quality, and that the inferior sorts are now less readily accepted, may be regarded as an indication that the position is fairly satisfactory. Reports from the depots indicate, however, that the public demand is stimulated by the Arctic weather, and that merchants have difficulty in satisfying it. In the coastwise branch practically nothing is doing except an occasional cargo of contract coal in purchasers’ own boats. Tonnage is very scarce. For handy-sized boats of from 500 to 1,000 tons there is little difficulty in obtaining 21s. Goole to London and 27s. 6d. for the south coast. In the local markets matters are satis- factory. Merchants are kept busy in supplying the needs of their customers, and fairly ample supplies are available. There is no new business in house coal, all the available output being taken up under contract, but deliveries are still less than the needs of the works, and stocks are fast growing less. The gasworks have, on the whole, come through so far better than had been expected, and con- sumption should soon be on the downward turn, but anxiety is still great. All sorts of steam and manu- facturing fuels are exceedingly scarce. The market is barer of available supplies probably than at any period since October. Reserve stocks are getting used up, and as requirements are as heavy as ever there is keen enquiry for spot lots. Specialised sorts, such as washed nuts, are unprocurable, and even of the inferior slacks there is practically nothing offering. The enquiry for furnace coke is also very keen. The make is maintained only with difficulty, owing to the shortage of coking slacks, and the output goes at once into consumption, barely meeting the requirements of the consumers. Pit prices quoted are more or less nominal. Current pit prices. House coal:— Best ................j Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium ........__...... Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Kitchen ...........___ Com. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Screened forge coal..... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack ............. Secondary slack ........ Common do............... Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 23/6-24/6 23/6-24/6 21/ -22/ 26/ 26/ 25/6 21/6-22/6 21/6-22/ 19/ -20/ 25/ 25/ 24/6 20/6 20/6 18/ 24/ 24/ -23/ upwds 20/6 20/6 18/ 30/6 30/6 22/6-23/6 18/6 18/6 16/ 17/6 17/6 15/ 16/6 16/6 14/ ______________ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was only a poor attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. The demand for house coal continues to be in excess of the supply. Furnace coal is also in good demand, but the shipping trade is very irregular owing to the scarcity of ships. The severe weather is interfering with the working of the collieries, and the production is less. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ............... Medium.............. Common.............. Furnace coal.......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack ........... Common slack ......... Current ’ prices. ■ 24/6 22/ -23/ 20/6-21/ 20/ -20/6 ■ __* > L’st week’s prices. 24/6 22/ -23/ 20/6-21/ ■ 20/-20/6 > __* Last year’s prices. 22/ -23/ 19/6-21/ 18/ -18/6 17/6-18/ 25/ -26/ 18/6 upwds 18/Gupwds^ 16/ upwds 17/ upwds [17/ upwds 114/6 upwds * As per official list. House coal:— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. 1 prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 21/6-22/6 21/6-22/6 ! 20/ -21/ Wallsend & London best 21/ -21/6 21/ -21/6 21/ -21/6 19/ -20/ Silkstone best 21/ -21/6 19/ -20/ Do. house 20/ -20/6 20/ -20/6 17/ -18/ House nuts Prices f.o.b. Hull:— 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/6 16/ -17/ Haigh Moor best 25/6-26/ • 25/6-26/ i 23/ -24/ Silkstone best 24/ -25/ 24/ -25/ 22/ -23/ Do. house 23/ -24/ 20/6-22/6 23/ -24/ 20/6-22/6 j 20/ -21/ Other qualities Gas coal:— Prices at pit: 19/ —20/ Screened gas coal 18/ -18/6 17/ -18/ 18/ -18/6 16/ -17/ Gas nuts 17/ -18/ 15/6—16/6 Unscreened gas coal ... Other sorts:— Prices at pit: 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ Washed nuts Large double-screened 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/6 17/ -18/ engine nuts 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/6 16/ -17/ Small nuts Rough unscreened 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ engine coal 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ Best rough slacks 15/6-16/6 13/6-14/6 14/ -15/ 15/6-16/6 14/ -15/ Small do. 13/6-14/6 12/ -13/ Coking smalls Coke.— Price at ovens 14/ -15/ 12/6-13/6 Furnace coke 32/ 32/ 25/8 Barnsley. COAL. Although there is a little variation in the pressure for supplies, the general state of the trade remains unaltered. The position is of a continually changing character, owing to the special requests which come upon collieries through the Coal Controller in order to relieve pressing needs in various parts of the country. Some of the difficulties are no doubt traceable to the shortage of wagon supplies, and the unavoidable delays which are occurring. In regard to the deliveries of tonnage in this respect, there seems to be little doubt that consumers situated at long distances from the collieries are suffering greater inconvenience. The well-sustained output is readily disposed of, and there is practically no surplus fuel on offer at the markets. The advent of the more severe weather has had its effect, par- ticularly in respect to supplies of house coal and gas fuel, but the position appears to be dealt with, with a degree of satisfaction which was hardly expected. This experience proves the wisdom of consumers in general of laying by stocks; and with the restrictions in force curbing the desires of panic-stricken consumers, the supplies of house coal work out satisfactorily, but there is some doubt, how- ever, that this experience in the nearer districts is not enjoyed to the same degree in the more distant areas. Full contract supplies for London are insisted upon, and some collieries have to find a certain quantity of emergency coal. The position in regard to gas coal is rather difficult. Although, again, concerns within comparatively easy reach