January 18, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 133 THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, January 17. by the lack of transport facilities. In other departments there is nothing worthy of comment. Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. COAL. Conditions have been similar this week to those of last week. Stagnation prevails in almost all sections. Except in the matter of gas and house coals for inland consumption there has been nothing moving. The collieries have been working short time, and the proposal to arrange for a five days week seems likely to materialise, though there are considerations which make the suggestion very difiicult of general application. Stocks of coal are still very heavy, particularly smalls. Patent fuel and coke maintained their position in the market. The want of tonnage is being very sorely felt. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Cardiff Prices f.o.b. (except where otherwise stated), plus 2s. 6d. per ton, except for shipments to France and Italy. Steam coals:— | Best Black Vein large...; Western-valleys, ordin’y Best Eastern-valleys Secondary do. Best small coals ....| Secondary do.......< Inferior do.......' Screenings .........j 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 Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 32/6 32/6 29/ -30/ 31/6 31'6 28/ -29/ 31/6 31/6 ; 27/ -28/ 30/6 ! 30/6 26/ -27/ 23/6 j 23/6 i 18/ -19/ 22/6 22/6 j 12/ -17/ 20/6 J 20/6 i 8/6- 9/6 25/6 25/6 ' 17/ -18/ 29/6 i 29/6 ; 25/ -26/ 32/6 32/6 I — 35/6 35/6 24/6-26/ 33/3 33/3 ; 21/ -23/ 32/6 32/6 35/ -37/ 47/6 47/6 46/ -52/ 47/6 47/6 j 57/ -60/ IRON. The iron and steel, trades are still working at full pressure. Regarding the contemplated comb-out some business men consider that as work at the docks and wharves has been very slack, owing to the scarcity of tonnage, a good deal of labour might be diverted to the iron and steel works. Pitwood arrivals have been only moderate. The controlled price of 65s. for best fir is maintained. Cardiff. COAL. The chief topic of conversation on "Change is what steps should be taken by the Coal Controller to prevent the numerous stoppages at the pits, owing to scarcity of tonnage or shortage of wagons. • It is a difiicult problem, and the suggestions are very varied in their character. In the early stages of the discussion the general idea was that there should be an allocation of business, so that each firm might receive a fair share of the orders on the -market. In some quarters the suggestion was deemed to be impracticable from the outset, but the persistence with which it was advocated created some feeling of uneasiness, if not alarm, amongst some colliery salesmen, and an oppo- sition was started which has been growing from day to day, so that there is now little probability of any such scheme being seriously put forward as a remedial measure. It is agreed on all hands that the Controller should take action, but there is a wide diversity of opinion as to the course which should be adopted. A little while ago it was pointed out that the present requirements could be satisfied if the collieries only worked 4| days a week. The miners’ leaders were not slow to seize the opportunity, and in recent meetings their leaders have openly advocated a week of five turns instead of six. It has been stated there was good reason to believe that the Coal Controller would not be adverse to the adoption of such a proposal. This suggestion has received no confirmation, official or otherwise, but should such a step be contemplated, there are those who foresee considerable difficulties. In the first place, it goes without saying that the supply of Admiralty coal for naval and other purposes must not be diminished, or at any rate fall short of the official demands. Should the working hours be reduced, Government needs must still be amply catered for, but the risk of failure would be increased in proportion as the limits of production were reduced. It is argued an exception would have to be made in favour of the collieries producing best qualities of Admiralty coal. This in itself is a formidable obstacle to any sort of agree- ment, but opposition has sprung lip from another source which will probably put an end to any attempt to limit production by curtailing the working hours. For many months past there has been a growing demand for furnace and gas producing coals, and difficulty has been experienced in meeting requirements. Should the miners’ suggestion be adopted of restricting the number of turns worked, it is pointed out that the shortage of these descriptions would be more acute, and that probably other vital industries would suffer in consequence. The remedy must be in other directions, and one of these is the suggestion that some of the smaller and unimportant collieries, as well as the older and more expensive ones to work, should be temporarily closed. The Commission appointed to deal with the question have framed a report, but the details are not known, although there is a shrewd idea that this is one of the suggestions put forward. In the meantime business is progressing slowly, and the market is extremely depressed. Tonnage conditions have been at a low ebb, and there is little sign of improvement. To add to the difficulties a heavy fall of snow on Sunday night interfered with loading operations on Monday. This was succeeded by a rapid thaw, and matters looked brighter, but on Tuesday night a heavier fall occurred, with the result that in many districts it was impossible to work the traffic. Ship- ments were much impeded. At the time of writing the snow in many districts was a foot deep, to say nothing of' drifts, and a low temperature has prevented any improvement being made except in isolated instances. Arrivals of vessels has been retarded and collieries which on paper were well stemmed, have been unable to carry out their arrangements. Stocks on the other hand have accumulated to such an extent that they are difficult to handle and stoppages have been reported from all parts of the coal field. In many cases these will continue throughout the week and may extend into next week. Admiralty and Allied government shipments are proceeding steadily, but beyond these there is practically nothing doing. Pitwood is scanty and all transactions are now on the controlled rate of 65s. per ton. Patent fuel manufacturers are busy, but their activities are checked Current Steam coals:— prices. Best Admiralty steam coals 33/ Superior seconds 31/6 Seconds 30/9 Ordinary 30/ Steam smalls No. 1 21/6 Do. 2 21/ Do. 3 20/6 Do. 4 20/ Do. ' 5 19/6 Do. 6 19/ Do. 7 18/6 Do. 8 18/ Best dry coals 30/ Ordinary drys 28/6 Best washed nut 30/ Seconds 28/6 Best washed peas 27/6 Seconds 26/6 Monmouthshire— Black Veins 30/ . Western-valleys 29/ Eastern-valleys i 29/ Inferior do 28/ Bituminous coals :•— Best house coals (at pit) 33/ Second qualities (at pit); 30/9 No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 30/9 Small 26/ No. 2 Rhondda— Large i 27/ Thr ough-and-thr ough 22/ -23/6 Small 17/ -19/ Best patent fuel 30' Seconds 30/ Special foundry coke 47/6 Ordinary do. j 47/6 Furnace coke '. 47/6 Pitwood (ex-ship) 65/ Nominal. 'L’st week’s Last year’s | prices. prices. 33/ 31/6 30/9 30/ 21/6 21/ 20/6 20/ 19/6 19/ 18/6 18/ 30/ 28/6 30/ 28/6 27/6 26/6 __* __# 29/ -30/ 28/ -29/ | 18/ -20/ } ( I?/ -18/ ] : 14/ -16/ j 12/ -14/ 27/ -28/ 25/ -26/ 27/6-30/ 26/ -27/ 25/ -27/6 24/ -25/ l : 29/ -30/ : 28/ -29/ : 27/ -28/ 26/ -27/ j 25/6-26/6 i 23/6-24/6 30/9 28/ -30/ / 26/ ; 20/ -21/ i ; I ' 27/ ; 25/ -26/ - 22/ -23/6 J 19/ -21/ 1 17/ -19/ : 17/ -19/ ' 30/ 36/ -37/6 30/ | 35/ -36/ 47/6 ■ 62/6-67/6 47/6 i 55/ -60/ 47/6 47/6-52/6 ■! 65/ i 54/ -55/ IRON. In the iron and steel trade all works are engaged to their utmost capacity in maintaining maximum outputs. In some instances there has been a falling off in iron ore imports, but supplies in hand are satisfactory, and work is proceeding uninterruptedly. In the tin-plate trade produc- tion is about normal according to existing conditions, but shipments were again below the average. Receipts from works totalled 31,717 boxes, against 10,382 boxes exported, leaving stocks in docks warehouses and vans at 167,196 boxes compared with 145,803 boxes the previous week and 182,310 boxes at the corresponding date of last year. There has been a further advance in the price of block tin, which is now <£298 spot cash, and <£291 three months. The market for plates is firm at maximum rates, but in some instances makers whose order books are running short are inclined to shade prices in order to obtain further specifications. There is a good demand, and there is a brisk business in wasters, for which permits are now being more freely issued. Quotations for standard sizes are on the basis of the Controller’s schedule, plus the percentage allowed on the price of block tin, and other sizes in proportion. There is no change in the galvanised sheet trade, and many works have difficulty in maintaining operations. Scrap metals are scarce at maximum rates. Llanelly. coal. The tonnage question is still the key to the position, and until arrivals are of a more satisfactory nature it is impossible to expect a more active tone on the market. In the meantime stocks have steadily accumulated, and buyers for prompt clearance of wagons have no difficulty in getting their orders accepted. Collieries are not working. full time, and to ease the position as regards wagons, smalls are being banked at some of the collieries. Stocks of culm and duff in particular are very heavy, and there is no immediate prospect of there being any improvement in the demand for these qualities. The inland demand continues satisfactory for practically all grades, but the Prices f.o.b. Current prices. L’st week’s prices. Last year’s prices. Best malting anthracite... 30/ 30/ 29/6-32/ Seconds 29/ 29/ 27/6-30/ Thirds 27 6 27/6 2 Red Vein large 1 1 /w ! 25/6 25/6 24/ -25/ Machine-made cobbles 42/6 42/6 37/6-40/ Seconds ■ 41/ 41/ — Thirds i 39/ 39/ — Red Vein cobbles ! 36/ 36/ — Machine-made nuts 42/6 42/6 Seconds 41/ 1 w 41/ Thirds t 39/ 39/ Red Vein nuts 36/ 36/ Machine - broken beans (best) 35/ 35/ 28/6-29/6 Seconds 34/ 34/ Thirds 33/ 33/ Red Vein beans 31/ 31/ Peas (all qualities) 20/ 20/ 20/ -22/ Rubbly culm 13/ 13/ 12/ -12/6 Red Vein culm 11/ 11/ Breakers duff 3/ 3/ — Billy duff 6/6 6/6 6/ - 6/6 Steam:— Best large steam 30/ 30/ 27/ -28/6 Seconds 27/ 27/ Cargo through 23/6 23/6 20/ -23 6 Seconds 22/ 22/ Bunkers through 23/6 23/6 — Smalls 19/ 19/ 13/6-17/ Second smalls 17/ 17/ Bituminous:— Bituminous through ... 27/ 27/ — Smalls 24/ 24/ 17/ -19/6 Gas through 23/6 23/6 Gas smalls 21/ 21/ — shortage in supplies of empties is interfering with the execution of orders. Large anthracite sorts are not moving freely, and supplies of, all grades offering. The machine made qualities are also handicapped by the tonnage position, and both cobbles and nuts are more easily obtainable than has been the case for some time past. Beans are fairly steady, but peas offering freely. Culm and duff are moving very slowly. Steam coals are also moving very slowly. Large kinds are not active, and both cargo and bunker throughs on offer. Smalls are inactive, and stocks of the lower grades in particular very heavy. Manufacturing coals are strong and house coals well booked up. SOUTH WALES MINING TIMBER TRADE. The South Wales Pitwood Allocation Committee has not yet got into working order. Difficulties, not apparent when the scheme was mooted, have now to be faced, but the committee is one which has had large experience of the trade, and the hope of smooth working is confidently anticipated before the month is out. The prime difficulty is that there is not a sufficiency of supplies to give all collieries stocks adequate for any lengthy period. . Supplies of home-grown and foreign wood go quickly into consumption, and this hand-to-mouth method means that the Allocation Committee must be apprised at once of the arrivals of supplies and arrange for disposal quickly, otherwise heavy demurrage costs will be incurred by the importers, while trouble will also be experienced with wagons. Every importer has to send in returns as to arrivals of cargoes and also a list of anticipated cargoes, The Pitwood Importers Association will work in conjunc- tion with the Allocation Committee, and as a result of the organisation there is every prospect of smooth working. Supplies of Irish Pitwood. Supplies of Irish timber arrive constantly at South Wales, and Irish growers have a grievance with the pre- sent maximum selling prices as laid down by the Con- troller of Mines. The scheduled prices for home-grown and French timber are 60s. for hard wood, and 65s. for soft wood per ton, but while the prices for French wood are ex ship, those for home-grown timber are for delivery at collieries. Now the sea freightage on wood from Ireland to South Wales is as high as the freight rates from the French ports to South Wales. Irish growers and merchants are therefore penalised, and application has been made to the Controller of Mines to place them on the same terms as the French growers. The extra expense involved in delivering to collieries is sufficient for growers to send larger supplies to the Midlands rather than to South Wales, and as supplies are restricted and most important in the South Wales district it is thought that the concession will be granted. There was a heavy demand for home-grown timber owing to the scarcity of foreign wood. The cold weather has limited the quantity of home-grown timber available, and transport facilities are still below the need. Supplies of timber have been lying at several points for some time awaiting delivery, the scarcity of hauliers being pronounced. The chief districts have been well worked of their timber, and estate owners are now showing more disposition to offer their woods. There is no gainsaying the fact that the cream of supplies is being exhausted, but'hopes are enter- tained of foreign imports being increased. Spanish Timber. In this direction eyes are turned to Spain. Negotiations have been proceeding respecting the exchange of com- modities. It is stated as being highly probable that imports of Spanish mining timber will be shortly allowed. No wood imports have been received from Spain for a considerable time. In normal times South Wales received about 100,000 loads from Spain annually. If the trade restarts it is probable that Spanish tonnage will be employed. It is known that there are hundreds of thousands of tons of wood available in Spain, and owing to the stoppage of shipments much valuable timber has been utlilised for fuel, owing to the extreme shortage of coal. Foreign Imports Poor. There was a sharp falling-off in the imports of foreign mining timber last week. This is probably due not only to the difficulty of arranging for the necessary vessels, but also to the upset caused by the introduction of maximum selling prices. It is now suggested that pitwood mer- chants should receive a minimum profit for the services they render in order to minimise their risks. The quantity of mining timber imported into South Wales for the week ended January 11 amounted to but 312 loads, which is the lowest weekly total received for many years past. The consignments were as follow :— Cardiff (Barry and Penarth) :— Date. Consignee. Loads. Jan. 8 Morgan and Cadogan ......... 120 „ 8 W. H. Williams and Co....... 120 „ 9 Grant Hayward and Co....... 32 „ 9 Morel Limited ................ 40 Total...... 312 Exports and Imports of Coal Products.—The exports of coal products, not dyes, in December amounted to 3,638 cwt., valued at £14,222, compared with 4.861 cwt., valued at £7,176, a year ago. The total during 1917 aggregated 42.762 cwt., valued at £517,431, compared with 34,049 cwt., valued at £255,538,-in 1916. The December exports of dye- stuffs, 11.155 cwt., valued at £153.594. showed a decline on the quantity (14,937 cwt., valued at £86,179) in the corre- sponding month of 1916. Controlling the Price of Ironstone in the Midlands.— The Minister of Munitions has ordered that, on and after January 18, the maximum price of all ironstone mined, won, or got in Rutlandshire, Leicestershire, Northampton- shire (north-east of a straight line from Rugby to Buck- ingham), and Lincolnshire (south of a straight line from Newark to Sleaford), shall be 3s. 9d. per ton f.o.t. at mine or quarry. For every sum of Is. 3d. per week, by which the rate of wages for ironstone getters employed at any particular mine or quarry in the districts specified is increased above the rate current at such mine or quarry on November .12, 1917, there may be added to the maximum price the sum of £d. per ton.