184 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN January 25, 1918. are some supplies, and there is no reason for undue anxiety. The colder weather last week gave an impetus to the demand for house coal, and until the interruption of output and traffic by the snowstorm the situation was being fairly well dealt with, owing largely to the limited supplies now permissible. Nuts continue scarce, apart from war industrial needs. Prices at pit. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, January 24. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase) :— prices. prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 24/6 24/6 22/ Do. seconds deep 22/6 22/6 20/ Do. best shallow 21/6 21/6 19/ 18/ Do. seconds do. 20 6 20 6 Best hard 21/ 21/ 18/6 Forge coal 18/6 18/6 16/ Slack Warwickshire:— 13/6 13/6 11/6 House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 21/6 21/6 19/ cobs 20/6 20/6 18/ Best hard spires 22/6 22/6 20/ Forge (steam) 18/6 18/6 16/ D.S. nuts (steam) 17/ 17/ 14/6 Small (do*) 17/ 17/ 14/6 ________________________________________________ Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. COAL. Very little change in market conditions presents itself. The arrival of tonnage showed a slight improvement, but not sufficient to have any considerable effect upon the general volume of trade or the reduction of stocks. The position was also already affected by the weather. Snow in some cases was 4 to 6 feet deep, and telephonic and tele- graphic communications were interrupted for a long period. Colliery stoppages were more frequent than formerly. There was a steady demand for best steam coal, house coal for inland consumption, and gas sorts. In fact the supply of the last two descriptions scarcely equalled demand. Inferior coals and smalls were very sluggish, and were heavily stocked. The prices of these sorts, like the quotations for patent fuel and coke, are unchanged. The February outlook is not promising. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. IRON. With the exception that an Order has been issued controlling the price of Midland ironstone, there has been no substantial alteration in the position of the market. The controlled price was long overdue, for while pig iron and finished material have long been controlled the iron- stone has been unfettered, and prices were irregular. Pig iron smelters welcome the Order, which will put business on a better footing. Substantial sales of Northamptonshire pigs are being made, the restriction almost to the point of stoppage of export trade enabling sellers to offer more freely, and orders up to 1,000 tons are booked at maximum rates. Derbyshire houses sell in much smaller quantities. Bar makers are fully engaged, and are struggling to over- take arrears. They are also becoming concerned over the question of prices, and it may be some time before a settlement is effected, the question being involved in the application for the 12| per cent, advance by the iron- workers. A scarcity of heavy piling scrap is apparent. Dealers get it in small quantities, and dole it out to regular customers as far as it will go round. Including carriage, and all extras, the price when it reaches the purchaser is about <£8 10s. A better, but still limited, amount of cast scrap is available, a fair proportion of it being marine engine scrap, which is utilised to supplement the higher brands of pigs. Tube strip is maintained at the higher figures of <£16 5s. to .£16 10s. Makers here feel the want of the best class of scrap and the puddled iron necessary. Nothing has been done so far to improve prices in the tube trade, but with strip dearer and wages very much higher, manufacturers think the time has come for a change. Some American billets are arriving in the country, and are allocated direct to the firms deputed to produce the finished material. Latest advices state that marked bars advanced to .£16, a figure they have not reached since 1873. 1 Current L’st week’s Last year’s Steam coals:— | prices. prices. prices. Best Black Vein large... 32/6 32/6 28/ -29/ Western-valleys, ordin’y , 31/6 31/6 27/ -28/ Best Eastern-valleys ... : 31/6 31/6 26/ -27/ Secondary do. ' 30/6 30/6 24/6-26/6 Best small coals 1 23/6 23/6 j 17/ -18/ Secondary do ' 22/6 22/6 | 11/ -16/ Inferior do ' 20/6 20/6 1 6/ - 9/ Screenings ! • 25/6 25/6 i 18/6—19/6 Through coals 1 29/6 29/6 ; 21/6-22/6 Best washed nuts 32/6 32/6 33/ -35/ Other sorts:— 1 Best house coal, at pit... 35/6 35/6 24/6-25/6 Secondary do. do. ... 33/3 33/3 i 21/ -22/ Patent fuel 32/6 32/6 35/ —36/ Furnace coke 47/6 47/6 : 47/6-52/6 Foundry coke 47/6 47/6 , 57/6-60/ ________ ________ Forest of Dean. Lydnty. COAL. There continues an intensely keen demand for house coal of this coalfield. Outputs have suffered seriously since our last report owing to the heavy fall of snow, and this has had the effect of cutting down supplies all round. Shipments are in a better position this week, stems being much easier. Good average quantities are consigned to the island districts. The enormous amount of preferential claims is leaving very little steam and manufacturing fuel available for distribution in other directions. All the pits are working at full pressure. Prices at pithead. IRON. The iron and steel works of the district maintain a good output, mostly on Government account. There was some anxiety as to supplies of sufficient quantities of ore, but the difficulties have been overcome. Prices are purely nominal. The tin-plate trade shows a healthy disposition. Arrivals of pit wood have been only moderate and the controlled price of 65s. for best fir is maintained. Cardiff. COAL. Since last week the most depressing conditions have prevailed in the coal trade of this district, and many sales- men assert that the position is now worse than it has been for many months past. Not only is the shortage of tonnage more acute, but other factors have combined to render working more difficult than at any period since the out- break of war. Last week’s weather seriously impeded loading operations at the docks. Many tips have been idle, and congestion both on the railway sidings and at the collieries has been so great that many pits have been on stop for days at a time. Up to the present collieries pro- ducing best Admiralty coal have not suffered much from these temporary stoppages, but the difficulty of arranging stems has been so great that many pits have found it impossible to avoid a suspension of operations. In one respect the heavy stocks which have accumulated have been a fortunate circumstance, for there has been no lack of coal for the supply of Admiralty requirements. In other ways the increasing shortage of wagons is causing trouble every- where, and in the Monmouthshire districts even the inland trade is interfered with owing to the lack of sufficient transport facilities. It is reported that the Coal Controller is considering the advisability of amending the schedule of prices, but no communication has been received, although it is generally .believed that any alteration will have an upward tendency. Correspondence is now taking place between Mr. Calthrop and the coalowners as to the suggestion of the miners for the establishment of a working week of five days, but whatever may be the ultimate out- come of the proposal, it is not likely to receive the support of the employers. Chartering for some time has been very difficult to arrange, and the reported fixtures last week only amounted to 2,000 tons. This week there has been an improvement, but the position is still far from satisfactory, and the amount of tonnage coming forward is not nearly sufficient for the requirements of the trade. There is an increasing demand for house coals, and also for gas- producing descriptions. In the former case haulage is difficult, and in the latter the output is considerably below the demand. Patent fuel is in good supply. All business continues to be on the basis of the fixed schedule. Pitwood arrivals have been scanty, and there is no movement worthy of note with the exception that local importers are endeavouring to have Irish supplies placed on the same footing as those of France. IRON. In the iron and steel trade there is a very heavy demand for Government purposes, and although blast furnaces and mills are working at maximum pressure there is a difficulty in coping with the situation. The outputs of the bar and rolling mills are well maintained, and supplies of iron ore continue to be satisfactory. In the tin-plate trade it is reported that there is a slight falling off in the enquiries, but as most makers are well booked several months ahead, the position is looked upon with equanamity. Block tin continues steady at £299 10s. for spot and <£296 for forward deliveries. Prices of tin-plates are on the basis of the Controller’s schedule, with the usual variation for oil and extra sizes. Shipments last week amounted to 16,465 boxes against 25,613 received from works, thus bringing stocks in the docks warehouses and wharves up to 176,346 boxes compared with 167,198 boxes a week ago, and 177,489 boxes at the corresponding date of last year. There is no change in the galvanised, sheet trade, and prices continue nominal. The total exports for the whole of last year only amounted to 18,920 tons. In scrap metals the position is unaltered, and all sales are at maximum rates. Swansea. COAL. A capital attendance assembled on ’Change, but there is no improvement to report in the general condition of the anthracite coal market. Large was moving off slowly, but Red Vein large appeared slightly better. Of the machine- made varieties beans were rather more firmly held. Bubbly culm and duff without enquiry. In steam coals there was a very poor enquiry for all varieties. Llanelly. COAL. As tonnage arrivals are still unsatisfactory, no improve- ment occurs in the local market. Collieries are having many “play” days each week through the shortage of empty wagons. Stocks of many qualities are excessive, and the prospect for anything like a satisfactory clearance is not promising. The inland demand continues steady for all grades^ but the wagon difficulty is interfering with the execution of orders. Anthracite large qualities are not moving satisfactorily, and supplies of all sorts are offering for prompt business. The machine-made kinds are also easy, and cobbles, nuts, and peas lack prompt business. Culm and duff are unchanged, with stocks very heavy. Steam coals are slow, and sellers unable to get sufficient prompt business to keep collieries working full time. Stocks of smalls are very heavy and holding wagons up. Throughs, both cargo and bunker qualities, are moving slowly, and large kinds also are far from brisk. Manufac- turing coals are in steady Jdemand, and house coals are strong, with all supplies booked. Prices f.o.b. House coals:— Block Forest Rubble Nuts Rough slack Steam coal:— Large ... Large __.............. Small_____.............. Current prices. 26/6 15/6 22/6-23/6 18/ -19/ L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. ( 24/ 26/6 J 23/ ) 23/3 (.21/6 15/6 13/ 22/6-23/6 20/ -21/ 18/ -19/ 16/ Cardiff Prices f.o.b. (except where otherwise stated), plus 2s. 6d. per ton, except for shipments to France and Italy. Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. _________________________ OBITUARY. Sir John Gunn, one of the directors of the Cardiff Rail- way Company, and a chief proprietor of the Cardiff Collieries Limited, Llanbradach, interested also in a number of other South Wales undertakings, died on Sunday, in his 81st year. At one time he held the position of president of the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce and of the Ship Owners’ Association; and was principal proprietor of one of the largest dry docks in the district. By reason of his interests in shipping, etc., Sir John was well known in all parts of the kingdom. Mr. John Wallace, under-manager of the Woodland Colliery of the Cargo Fleet Iron Company Limited, has died, after two days’ illness, at the age of 70 years. For many years he was a member of the Barnard Castle Board of Guardians. _____________________________ Mineral Rights Duty. — The Inland Revenue Commis- sioners report that for the year ended March 31, 1917, the mineral rights duty was estimated to produce £290,000, and that the net receipts in the United Kingdom totalled £286,405. The excess mineral rights duty was estimated at £75,000, and yielded the net sum of £150,000. All figures are approximate. An Order has been made extending that of the Minister of Munitions of March 23, 1917, as to spelter. Spelter, for the purpose of the Order, now includes all qualities, and also sheet and rolled zinc, scrap zinc, hard spelter, dross, zinc ashes, flux skimmings, zinc dust, zinc ore, zinc oxide, zinc sulphide (or lithopone), whether dry, in oil, or pre- pared for use, and zinc compounds of every kind, or any of them. Current L’st week’s Steam coals:— prices. prices. Best Admiralty steam coals 33/ 33/ Superior seconds 31/6 31/6 Seconds 30/9 30/9 Ordinary 30/ 30/ Steam smalls No. 1 21/6 21/6 ) Do. 2 21/ 21/ j Do. 3 20/6 20/6 5 Do. 4 20/ 20/ j Do. 5 19/6 19/6 ) Do. 6 19/ 19/ 5 Do. 7 18/6 18/6 ) Do. 8 18/ 18/ 5 Best dry coals 30/ 30/ Ordinary drys 28/6 28/6 Best washed nut 30/ 30/ Seconds 28/6 28/6 Best washed peas 27/6 27/6 Seconds 26/6 26/6 Monmouthshire— ! Black Veins 30/ 30/ Western-valleys i 29/ 29/ Eastern-valley s ! 29/ 29/ Inferior do j 28/ 28/ Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit)' 33/ 33/ Second qualities (at pit) 30/9 30/9 No. 3 Rhondda— 1 Bituminous large 30/9 i 30/9 Small j 26/ 26/ No. 2 Rhondda— | Large ! 27/ 27/ Through-and-through 22/ -23/6 22/ -23/6 Small i 17/ -19/ 17/ -19/ Best patent fuel ; 30/ 30/ Seconds 30/ 30/ Special foundry coke 47/6 47/6 Ordinary do. 47/6 47/6 Furnace coke 47/6 47/6 Pitwood (ex-ship) 65/ 65/ Nominal. Last year’s prices. __* __* 28/ -29/ 25/ -27/ 17/6-19/ 16/ -17/ 13/ -16/ . 10/ -13/ 25/ -26/ 23/ -24/ 25/ -26/ 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 27/6-29/ 27/ -28/ 25/ -27/ 24/ -25/ 25/6-26/6 23/6-24/6 27/ -29/ 20/ -21/ 24/ -25/ 18/ -20/ 15/ -17/ 36/ -37/6 35/ -36/ 62/6-65/ 55/ -60/ 47/6-52,6 58/ -60/ 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 Red Vein large W 1 / V 25/6 25/6 24/ -25/ Machine-made cobbles 42/6 42/6 37/6-40/ Seconds 41/ 41/ - Thirds 39/ 39/ Red Vein cobbles 36/ 36/ Machine-made nuts 42/6 42/6 Seconds 1 41/ 41/ Thirds 39/ 39/ . Red Vein nuts 36/ 36/ — Machine - broken beans (best) 35/ 35/ 28/6-29/6 J ••••• 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 8/ 8/ Billy duff 6/6 6/6 6/ - 6/6 Steam:— Best large steam 30/ 30/ 27/ -28/ Seconds 27/ 27/ Cargo through 23/6 23/6 20/ -23/6 Seconds 22/ 22/ ■ Bunkers through 23/6 23/6 Smalls 19/ 19/ 13/6-19/6 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/ — _________________________ THE TIN-PLATE TRADE. Liverpool. The general tone of the market is firm. Most makers are well booked, and are holding out for the full maximum price, now about 31s. 4^d. basis for coke tin-plates, net f.o.t. at works, for any new business, but here and there makers are to be found who can do with prompt specifica- tions, and are willing, for a suitable line, to make conces- sions in price. Permits for wasters are coming along slowly, and stocks are accumulating. Terne-plates are quiet, and a good deal under the official maximum would probably be accepted. _________________________ The Board of Trade Journal (January 24) includes in its contents the first of a series of articles on coal supplies and distribution. The present instalment is a resume of “ How the mines were taken over.”