January 25, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 185 THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, January 24. Trade continues to show a very active demand. From nearly all the depots a more satisfactory return is reported as to the quantities arriving and on hand. Care is being exercised now in the selection of the qualities most suitable for particular districts, and many of the old outstanding orders which have been allowed to accu- mulate on the books are cancelled or withdrawn in favour of more pressing demands from other neighbourhoods. The recent heavy floods have laid a very heavy toll on the wharves and depots along the Thames side, and work in some directions has been abandoned, as the sidings are under water. Factories are waterlogged for the time being, and both men and horses have waded through so much mud that practically all work has ceased until normal conditions are once more in hand. There is still a very heavy demand for hard steam coals, and very little of this class of fuel is offering. Nuts, also, and particu- larly small nuts for electric use, are very scarce. Slacks are selling freely, and wherever possible the nutty slacks are taking the place of double small nuts. The attend- ance has been fairly good on the market, and now that the supplies are coming forward with greater regularity the interest has been quickened to secure many of the older qualities of coal which have for so long been “ off ” the market. The seaborne market also received a good deal of attention, and on Monday 23 vessels loaded with contract cargoes arrived in the River Thames and 11 for Wed- nesday’s market. Freights are unusually high, 21s. per ton has been the recognised price from the Tyne to the Thames, and as high as 21s. 6d. from the Humber to London. South Yorkshire hards are quoted at 35s. per ton f.o.b., and, apparently, the newer regulations do not permit of Derbyshire and Nottingham coal being offered for export. Particular attention has been drawn lately to the value of Welsh coal for domestic purposes, and a special circular has been issued and widely circulated by the Board of Trade giving hints on the methods of using it in the ordinary domestic grates with satisfactory- results, even taking advantage of the value of using small coal to “ keep a fire in.” “ Monday ” is becoming more and more a recognised day for short working at the depots in London. The loaders and carmen earn such high wages just now that comparatively few present themselves for work on that day. Stocks on the ground are becoming larger, and cellars are still stocked. The principal demand is with the small consumers. The depots on the Southern and Western railways are still keenlv pressing for better supplies. The reports from the South Wales market are very discouraging. The arrivals of boats have been so short that everything is at a standstill, and the present position is giving rise to considerable amount of anxiety, and is worse than has been known for many months past. Even the Admiralty collieries have been obliged to suspend working. Stocks waiting at the docks are unusually heavy. Wagons are also getting short. From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Company’s Report. Friday, January 18.—The seaborne house coal market was quiet, with a moderate attendance and no cargoes on offer. Cargoes, 10. Monday, January 21.—Although the weather was somewhat milder, there was still a good enquiry for sea- borne house coal, but no transactions to record. Cargoes, 23. Wednesday, January 23.—The seaborne house coal market was quiet, with a poor attendance and no cargoes on offer. Cargoes, 11. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, January 24. Dublin. There is no further change in the local trade, demand being active and supplies arriving irregularly, although the import trade has improved somewhat since last week. Orrell coal is from 51s. to 52s. per ton; best Wigan, 49s., less Is. per ton discount; slack. 46s. ; coke, 49s. per ton, delivered. Freights are 22s. 6d. from Glasgow and 23s. from Liverpool. The total quantity of coal arriving during the past week from cross-Channel ports was 26,500 tons, as compared with 20,000 tons the week previously. From a statement made by the Lord Mayor, at last week’s meeting of the Corporation, there appears to be a prospect of a considerable reduction in the price of coal to the citizens, but this will depend upon the freights. A com- mittee has been appointed to deal with the existing shortage, and as a result arrangements have been made for a better supply of coal. The Irish Shipping Controller has, it is stated, informed the Lord Mayor that sufficient boats would shortly be available for the carrying trade. The chief secretary, accompanied by Great Southern and Western Railway officials, recently inspected the progress of the railway line from Athy to the Wolf hill Collieries. The bridge across the Barrow is nparing completion, and the road should be ready for traffic in two or three months’ time. In informing the Waterford Asylum Com- mittee that coal could not be supplied owing to the diffi- culty of transport, the manager of the Castlecomer Collieries stated that unless something was done to provide transit facilities they would not be able to send out any more coal. Belfast. Supplies of nearly all qualities of coal are still very scarce, owing to insufficiency of tonnage, but imports from Scotch ports show an improvement. The carrying out of inland orders is still hindered by the shortage of railway wagons, the scarcity being more severely felt in many of the provincial towns. Demand for house coal locally con- tinues to be very active owing to wintry weather. Current quotations for household coals are :—Best Arley, 46s. per ton; Orrell nuts, 45s. ; English kitchen coal, 45s. ; Orrell slack, 42s. ; Scotch house, 41. From January 1st to 12th the total number of coal-laden vessels entering the harbour was 98. The Gas Light and Coke Company intimates that the price of gas in the district north of the River Thames will be advanced from 3s. 4d. to 3s. lOd. per 1,000 cu. ft., except as regards the supply to street lamps; and the City of London Electric Lighting Company gives notice that after March the war percentages on all electricity supplied by the company will be 30 per cent, in respect of power and 20 per cent, in respect of lighting, heating, etc. SOUTH WALES MINING TIMBER TRADE. Imports of foreign mining timber were upon a slightly better scale, but they are still below the total amount allowed to be imported. Market prices are nominal, and merchants have shown the desire to fall in with the wishes of the Coal Controller. Scheduled prices (65s. for soft wood) are adhered to, although sellers have not been made parties to the agreement. This measure has pressed unduly hard upon pitwood importers, who stand to lose heavily with demurrage costs if any delay in cargo discharging occurs. They ask w’ho should compensate them if demurrage costs cause a loss on the transaction, and some are desirous of approaching the authorities with a view of arranging for a fixed margin of profit. This has been done From Total cargo. Total bunker. 1916. 1917. 1916. 1917. Bristol Channel ports North-western ports North-eastern ports Humber ports Other ports on east coast Other English ports Tons. 105,818 199,840 380,676 47,395 1,920 2,902 Tons. 81,464 126,878 340,816 27,000 15,567 5,801 Tons. 9,183 40,475 22,019 8,126 8,768 2,966 Tons. 7,708 33,327 14,657 2,940 2,241 1,915 Total from England and Wales 738,551 597,526 91,537 62,788 Ports on east coast of Scotland Ports on west coast of Scotland 33,095 155,097 31,442 158,133 9,866 22,481 5,985 17,272 Total from Scotland 188,192 189,575 32,347 23,257 Irish ports 1 — 15 2,134 2,228 Total from United Kingdom 926,743 787,116 126,018 88,273 in the case of coal exporters, and it -is argued that there is no reason why importers should not receive a fixed rate of profit for their services. The Pitwood Allocation Com- mittee is working with more smoothness, the initial diffi- culties of the scheme having been overcome. Arrange- ments have been made for the quick distribution of emer- gency supplies, and there is every indication that the scheme is going to prove a distinct success. The foreign imports for the week ending January 18 amounted to 8,370 loads, of which 3,240 loads were for the Admiralty Pitwood Committee, and the balance for the approved importers. The actual consignments were as follow:— Cardiff (Barry and Penarth) :— Date. Consignee. Loads. Jan. 11 Franklin Thomas and Co...... 875 „ 11 Franklin Thomas and Co....... 1,125 „ 14 Vivian Kelly and Co......... 1,320 „ 15 Lysberg Limited............. 1,440 „ 15 Lysberg Limited............. 1,800 „ 16 A. Bromage and Co........... 1,330 „ 16 Morgan and Cadogan Limited 480 Total....... 8,370 Home-Grown Timber. The Controller of Mines has not replied to the communi- cation sent by the Cardiff and South Wales Pitwood Importers’ Association with reference to the question of placing home-grown supplies on the same level as regards price as foreign supplies. Under the Controller’s direc- tions, the scheduled prices for both foreign and home-grown timber are 60s. for hard and 65s. for soft wood, but whilst the former is ex ship, the native timber prices are for delivery at the collieries. Thus, the Irish and Cornish timber trade is penalised, as freight rates for sea carriage, plus hauling and rail costs, are higher than the freight rates from France to South Wales. The tendency will be for the Irish growers to offer larger supplies where the freight rate is lower than to South Wales. This would limit the deliveries to South Wales collieries, and the dis- trict cannot afford at the present time to have its supplies limited. Hauling operations have been considerably inter- fered with by the weather and the road conditions. Cutting is now proceeding upon a good scale, but the uneven distribution of food has caused some discontent, which, unless remedied quickly, will cause workmen to seek other employment. In certain districts the scarcity of meat and other foodstuffs has led to the gaming laws being winked at, estate owners allowing the men to trap and shoot. Good wages are being paid as an inducement to the men to continue, and as much as 4s. per ton is being paid for cutting, which compares with the pre-war price of 2s. per ton. A large amount is being cut at 7s. per cord, and the longer lengths at 18s. per 100 cu. ft.,, as against the pre-war price of 4s. For felling and rounding hard wood, 20s. lOd. is paid for 100 cu. ft., as against 8s. in pre-war days. Home-grown larch is much in favour amongst the colliers, and they have to be considered. This class of wood stands heavy roof pressure, and gives indi- cation of any possible fall. Substitutes for mining timber are making no headway, and colliers are apt to look askance at any innovation. Concreted pit props have been tried, and colliers have subjected them to severe tests. They stand the strain well, but a number of workmen are dubious as to their safety. Before now colliery workmen have given notice to terminate work when it became known that substitutes were to be introduced.- Re-afforestation of South Wales. South Wales, Monmouthshire, and the adjoining counties are being rapidly denuded of their timber supplies. In another six months, at the present rate of cutting, there will be few trees of any material age left. . Whilst this intense exploitation is going on, re-planting is practically negligible. The subject of the re-afforestation of South Wales has been debated for many years, and although experiments have been made demonstrating the success which would accrue to the planting of trees on colliery refuse heaps and stony and other ground unfit for agri- culture, no determined attempt was ever made. . Estate owners were disinclined to embark upon a project the profit from which would not be reaped in their lifetime. Capitalists—especially in South Wales—desire immediate dividends; consequently the matter is one for the State. The final report of the Forestry Sub-Committee has been read with extreme interest in South Wales. The question of re-afforestation came up before the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce about 15 years ago, when a well-known Cardiff estate agent suggested that the Government should be asked to lend some thousands of pounds to owners of estates, with the object of planting trees on land useless for agricultural purposes. The suggestion of lending public money to land owners was ridiculed, and as land owners could utilise their surplus money in collieries at high and immediate interest, the project fell through. COASTWISE SHIPMENTS IN DECEMBER. According to the returns issued by the Commissioners of H.M. Customs and Excise the following quantities of coal were shipped from the United Kingdom during December :— The destination of cargo shipments was as follows :— To ports in Dec. 1916. Tons. Dec. 1917. Tons. England and Wales ... 517,527 .. . 465,877 Scotland 36,854 .. 18,891 Ireland ... 372,362 .. . 302,348 THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products. — Signs are appearing, in the call for tenders, of the municipal need of tar materials this year. The actual business of late has been of the character usually associated with controlled products. Prices in the Mid- lands and the North are stronger this week—26s. to 28s. in the case of the former, and 27s. to 28s. in the North, ex works. Pitch is still quoted 48s. to 50s. London, 25s. to 30s. east coast f.o.b., 22s. Liverpool, and 23s. to 24s. west coast f.a.s. The only specific export business of any con- sequence this week is the fixing of a freight on Tuesday, Tyne to North France. Add the freight rate, 75s. per ton, to the market value of the pitch, and the heavy total is still below delivery cost to consumer. That affords a current illustration of the heavy handicap on pitch export- ing just now. Market movements in other products are slight. Creosote is nominally easier, at 4|d. naked, London, and 3|d. to 4d. North. Cresylic acid has advanced. Current prices are appended :—Benzol : London, 90 per cent., Is. 0^d., naked; North, 10£d. to ll|d.; 50 per cent., Is. 3^d. to Is. 4^d., naked. Solvent naphtha : Naked, London, 90-190 per cent., 3s. to 3s. 3d.; North, 2s. 9d. to 3s.; 90-160 per cent, naked, London, 4s. 3d. to 4s. 6d.; North, 4s. to 4s. 3d. Crude naphtha : Naked, 30 per cent., 8id. to 8^d.; North, 7|d. to 8£d. Refined naphthalene, £32 10s. to £35; salts, 80s. Toluol : Naked, London, 2s. 4d.; North, 2s. 3d. Creosote: Naked, London, 4^d.; North, 3|d. to 4d. (Government price, 72s. per ton, equal to 4jd. per gal. f.o.r.). Heavy oil, 4^d. to 4|d.; liquid, 4^d. to 4Jd. Carbolic acid : Crude, 60 per cent, east coast and west coast, 3s. 4d. to 3s. 6d.; crystals, 39-40, Is. 3d. Cresylic: Casks, 95 per cent., 2s. lOd.; 97-99 per cent., 3s. ex works London, and f.o.b. other ports. Anthracene, 40-45 A, 3d. to 4^d.; B, l^d. to 2d. Aniline oil : Is. 2d., casks free; salts, Is. 2d., drums free. Sulphate of Ammonia.—Business is being transacted in London on home account at the controlled price of £16 7s. 6d., January-May, delivered net cash, or 10s. less at works. PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—January 21. Irish Coal Mines. Mr. Field asked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the short supply and dearness of coal in Ireland, the Government would connect the Irish coal mines with the main lines. Mr. Duke replied that the railway from Athy to Wolfhill was nearing completion, and he hoped that the construc- tion of a short railway extension to serve the Arigna mines would be found practicable. January 23. Non-Ferrous Metal Industry Bill. The Bill was read a third time, after being amended by giving the right of appeal to the High Court in certain cases. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. *** Any of the following publications may be obtained on application at this office at the price named post free. Report of the Departmental Committee on Cylinders for Dissolved Acetylene. (London : Published by H.M. Stationery Office). Price 2s. 4d. Ministry of Reconstruction : A List of Commissioners and Committees Set Up to Deal with Questions which will Arise at the Close of the War. (London : Published by H.M. Stationery Office). Price 5d. Partnership Dissolved.—The London Gazette announces dissolution of the partnership of Harry Brearley, W. A. Brearley (both of whom continue the business without change of title), Horace Brearley, and S. W. Arnaud, trading as the Spartan Engine Company, Brandon, Suffolk.