March 1, 1918.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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:—

Current
prices.
30/ -32/6
29/6-32/
25/6-28/

27/--29/6
23 6-27/6
20/ -22/6
18/6-21/
20/6-23/

Smithies............... 25/ -33/6

Best gas coals (New

Pelton or Holmside) 25/ -27/6
Secondary gas coals •

(Pelaw Main or similar)) 23/6-26/
Special gas coals .....! 26/6—29/

Unscreened bunkers, '

L’st week’s Last year’s
i prices. prices.

30/ -32/6 :	30/

,29'6-32/ : 271 -28/
) 25/6-28/ ' 22/ -24/

; 27/ -29 6 i 22/6-25/

j 23/6-27/6 18/ -20/

; 20/ -22/6 ; 18/ —19/

| 18/6-21/ i 17/ -18/

j 20/6-23/ ! 19/ -20/

i 25/ -33/6 ’	20/

! 25/ -27/6' 25/ -26/

’ 23/6-26/ : 19/ -20/

I 26/6-29/	28/ -30/

Durhams 26/6-32/6 ; 26/6-32/6 17/ -20/
Do. do.	|	:

Northumbrians, 26/6-27/6 ; 26/6-27/6 ; 18/ -20/
Coking coals..........• 24/ -27/6 ' 24/ -27/6 ! 18/ -20/
Do. smalls .... 24/ -27/6'24/ -27/6 .	18/

House coals .......... 28 '6-32/6 • 28/6-32/6 27/6-30/
Coke, foundry .......... 42/6-45/	42/6—45/ ; 40/ -42/6

Do. blast-furnace......; 42/6-45/ , 42/6-45/	38/

Do. gas ...............| 35/ -40/ : 35/ -40/ „ 30/ -32/

Sunderland.

COAL.

The coal market is without any apparent change. The
main item of interest is the prospect of securing the Danish
Railways contract. Lost time at the pits is still very
general, in spite of a good demand for manufacturing fuel.
Coking coal is quiet, and coke shipments are still kept in
check by the shortage of tonnage. As usual, steam smalls
and bunker coals are at a discount. The enquiry for these
on the part of neutrals is very slow. Coke remains dull for
export, due to want of ships, but the home demand absorbs
the bulk of the output. Market values throughout are
nominally steady at the official schedule figures given
below.

Prices f.o.b. Sunderland.

Gas coals:—	Current prices.	L’st week’s^Last year’s	
		prices.	prices.
Special Wear gas coals	29/ -32/6  25/ -27/6	29/ -32/6	!	26/
Secondary do.		25/ -27/6	!	18 6
House coals:—  Best house coals 		32/6	32/6	1  30/  24/
Ordinary do		30/6	30/6	
Other sorts :—			
Lambton screened 		31/ -32/6	31/ -32/6	28/6
South Hetton do		31/ -32/6	_______	31/ -32/6	28/6
Lambton unscreened ...	26/6  26/6	26/6	________  17/6
South Hetton do. 				26/6	17/6
Do.	treble nuts	22/6	22/6	21/
Coking coals unscreened.	27/6	27/6	17/6-18/
Do. smalls 		27/6	27/6	17/
Smithies		27/6	27/6	18/6
Peas and. nuts 		27/ -28/6	27/ -28/6	22/
Best bunkers		27'6	27,6	18/ -18/6
Ordinary bunkers	;	26/6	26/6	16/9-17/
Coke:—	|  Foundry coke 	'	42/6-45/	42/6-45/	42/6
Blast-furnace coke (did.  Teesside furnaces) ...	42.-6-45/	42/6-45/	28/
Gas coke		35/ -40/	35/ -40/	'	31/ _

Middlesbrough-on-Tees.

COAL.

The fuel trade shows little alteration. Enquiry on behalf
of neutrals is only very moderate. Prospects at some of
the Durham pits are better, but at other collieries the
situation is still unsatisfactory. Home demand for coal
keeps large. Deliveries of gas coal are showing signs of
shrinkage, but values are well maintained. Best Durhams
are 27s. 6d., seconds 26s., and Wear specials 29s. Bunkers
continue dull and very irregular. Unscreened Durhams
range from 26s. 6d. to 27s. 6d. Coking coal is well taken
up for home use at about 27s. 6d. Coke is in good request
on home and foreign account. Average blast furnace kinds
are 33s. 6d. at the ovens, low phosphorus sorts 35s. 6d. at
the ovens, and foundry descriptions 38s. for home use. For
shipment the last named is 42s. 6d. f.o.b. to the Allies ; and
45s. f.o.b. to neutrals. Gas house product remains at 38s.
to 40s. f.o.b.

IRON.

There is not much new ascertainable concerning the iron
and steel industries. With Cleveland foundry pig iron
quite plentiful, deliveries to home customers, under the
March allocations promise to be fairly heavy as means of
distribution are improving of late. Further substantial
forward enquiries by home customers are reported for forge
iron, a quality which does not come under the allotment
system, but so far as can be ascertained they result in
little business, makers being disinclined to commit them-
selves ahead. Foreign transactions are few and small. For
home consumption No. 3 Cleveland pig, No. 4 foundry, and
No. 4 forge all stand at 95s.; and No. 1 is 99s.; and for ship-
ment to France and Italy No. 3 and the lower qualities are
all quoted at 114s.; and No. 1 is 119s. Conditions continue
stringent in the east coast haematite iron department.
Nos. 1, 2, and 3 are 122s. 6d. for home use, and 147s. 6d. for
export to France and Italy. Supplies of foreign ore under
running contracts are reported to be coming forward better,
but new business is of a hand-to-mouth character.

________________

Cumberland.

Maryport.

COAL.

The pressure of demand is almost as keen as it was in
mid-winter. Local needs are so large that the pits are now
unable to spare little more than 3,000 tons weekly for export.
Between 4,0<J0 and 5,000 tons of coal are being regularly
imported from the Durham and Northumberland coal fields
for shipping purposes, and that amount will be consider-
ably increased in the near future. In addition to this
upwards of 2,000 tons of coking fuels are being brought
from outside districts weekly for the use of local coke
makers. The pits are all fully employed. Gas coal is very
firm, and engine fuels for the home railways are in very
brisk demand. One or two small cargoes of gas fuel have
been shipped of late, but with this exception no supplies
are going out of the district. The chief feature of interest

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

441

in the coal trade in this locality at present is the increasing
strength of the export market, and in spite of the scarcity
of tonnage and the restrictions at the ports, the shipments
to Irish ports since the turn of the year shows a marked
increase compared with the corresponding period of 1917.
The demand for all varieties for Ireland is very heavy, and
the shipping at present is probably heavier than it has been
for the last twelve months. Very little Cumberland coal
is available for export Current quotations are appended.

Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit...	Current prices.  25/10  24/2	L’st week’s prices.  25/10  24/2	Last year’s prices. 23/4 21/8
Seconds at pit 		23/4	23/4  23/4	20/10
Washed nuts at pit		23/4		20/10
Do. smalls „ 		19/2	19/2	16/8
Do. peas „ 		17/6	17/6	15/
Buckhill best coal at pit...  Do.	double-scrned	25/	25/	22/6
washed nuts at pit 	  Oughterside best coal at	23/6	23/6	21/
pit 		  Oughterside best washed	25/	25/	22/6
nuts at pit	  St. Helens (Siddick) best	23/6	23/6	21/
coal at pit 	  St. Helens best house nuts	' 25/	25/	22/6
at pit 		23/6	23/6	21/
Best Cumberl’nd coal, f.o.b.	22/	22/	19/6
Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ...	20/	20/	17/6
Best bunkers (coastwise) Do. (for foreign-going	31/	31/	25/
steamers) 		31/	31/	30/
Best works fuel		22/6	22/6	20/
Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas-	22/6	22 6	20/
works 		2L/6	21/6	19/

IRON.

The situation is said to be so favourable that smelters
will soon be in a position to light all the furnaces that are
ready, and it is fully anticipated that the number blowing
in the district will be increased from 29 to 32 or 33 before
the end of March. It is stated that the two furnaces at
Harrington will be blown in this week. The demand for
both special and ordinary iron is very heavy, and, although
the output is better than it was some time ago, a good
many consumers are merely existing from hand to mouth.
Prices are firmly maintained at the Government maximum.
The steel trade is exceedingly brisk. Plates and billets are
in keen demand, but rails and other commercial sorts are
quiet. The iron ore industry in the district from Cleator
Moor to Hodbarrow is prosperous. The mines are working
full time. Imports of foreign iron ore for the past fortnight
have amounted to 11,280 tons.

South-West Lancashire.

COAL.

Although the actual consumption of household coal is
below a winter average, supplies equal to the orders on the
books are difficult to find, and there is the constant waiting
list. Large quantities of screened round coal and nuts of
various descriptions are in demand for forges and munition
works. A fair number of steamers arrived since last report,
and the demand for steam coal for general shipping
purposes is well maintained. In some cases, extra
quantities are being taken for bunkering, and while there
is spare coal here and there, available supplies on the whole
do little more than go round. Prices, of course, are on
schedule basis. With regard to the coastwise and cross-
channel trade the merchant is always a willing receiver
when the coal is forthcoming, and the difficulties of finding
suitable freight can be overcome. In slacks of all descrip-
tions there continues a brisk demand, and the estimates for
the coming year in the case of electricity and other works
are in some instances considerably in excess of their present
tonnages.

Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated),

House coal:—

Best ..................

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

prices.
23/6-24/6
25/ -26/
21/6-22/6
24/6-25/
20/6
23/ -24/
20/6
30/
18/6
17/6
16/6

L’st week’s
prices.
23/6-24/6
25/ —26/
21/6-22/6
24'6-25/
20/6
23/ -24/
20/6	’

30/
18/6
17/6
16/6

Last year’s
prices.
21/ -22/
25/6
19/ -20/
24/6
18/
23/9
18/.
23/6-24/6
16/
15/
14/

_________________

South Lancashire and Cheshire.

COAL.

The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on
Tuesday. Little business really was transacted, as there is
little free coal on offer, and this applies to all qualities of
house and manufacturing coal. There is a firm demand
for shipping coal. Prices generally are as below : —

Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated).

House coal:—

Best ...............

Medium..............

Common..............

Furnace coal..........

Bunker (f.o.b. Partington)

Best slack ...........

Common slack ........__

Current {L’st week’s
prices. ; prices.

24;6	1	24/6

22/‘-23/ I 22/ -23/
20/6-21/ I 20/6-21/
20/ -20 6 I 20/—20/6
__*	i __*

18/6 upwds)18/6upwds
17/ upwds 17/ upwds

* As per official list.

Last year’s
prices.
22/ -23/
19/6-21/
18/ -18/6
17/6-18/
25/ -26/
16/ upwds
14/6 upwds

________	_______

Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

Leeds.

COAL.

The market on Tuesday was again well attended. There is
no great variation in the position, compared with recent
weeks. There is, on the whole, rather less urgency in the
demand for house coal and small steam slacks, but other

descriptions of coal are in short supply. The pits continue to
work full time. Delays on the railways, in regard to long dis-
tance journeys, are increasingly the cause of annoyance and
inconvenience. An example may be noted, in which figures
taken out of the running of trucks to London in the last
* two months give an average of 26 to 30 days for the double
journey. Private owners are concerned in regard to a
request, understood to come from the Railway Executive
Committee, that they should lend 5 per cent, of their
wagons to the railways on simple hire, owing to the
shortage of railway trucks. The terms suggested are said
to be 6s. 6d. per week for 8 ton trucks, 7s. 3d. for 10-tonners,
and 8s. 3d. for 12-tonners, for an undefined period. It need
hardly be said that traders concerned are anxious to help
in meeting national needs, but at the same time, if this
comes to pass, there will be serious interference with
supplies of coal. There is at the present time appreciably
less demand for house coal for London. The pressure, both
for the London Control Committee for emergency purposes
and through the usual channels, is considerably relaxed,
although the relaxation concerns mainly the cheaper
qualities, the better grades being still in keen request. The
coastwise trade continues to be of very small dimensions.
The local house coal trade proceeds along steady lines.
Merchants are moderately well employed, and have fair
supplies of secondary sorts, but the best qualities are in
arrear and difficult to secure. With regard to gas coal,
many gasworks are almost entirely without stocks. There
is nothing offering, however, except an occasional small lot.
Manufacturing fuels are extremely scarce, in regard to
nuts, washed and unwashed, and large slacks, and fairly
plentiful in regard to small slacks of non-coking quality.
Consumers seem to concentrate upon the better grades of
steam-raising fuel, in consequence of the present-day need
to save labour and secure maximum efficiency. Because of
the difficulty in securing sufficient supplies of nuts and
rough slacks, one or two large consumers have installed
crushing plants, and are taking and crushing large coal.
Small slacks suitable for coking are still very short, and
some coke makers adopt the same expedient for increasing
the supply. All the output of the ovens is needed to meet
the demand for coke, although there has been a temporary
ease in the pressure this week from the Eroding ham
district, owing to some of the furnaces being set down for
repairs. Pit prices are generally more or less nominal.

House coal:—

Prices at pit (London) :
Haigh Moor selected ...

Wallsend & London best
Silkstone best .......

Do. house ..........

House nuts ...........

Prices f.o.b. Hull:—

Haigh Moor best.......

Silkstone best .......

Do. house ..........

Other qualities.......

Gas coal:—

Prices at pit:

Screened gas coal.....

Gas nuts..............

Unscreened gas coal ...

Other sorts:—

Prices at pit:

Washed nuts...........

Large double-screened
engine nuts .........

Small nuts............

Rough unscreened
engine coal..........

Best rough slacks.....

Small do. ...........

Coking smalls ........

Coke:—

Price at ovens

Furnace coke ........

Current IL’st week’s Last year’s
prices. I prices. 1 prices.

21/6-22/6 I 21/6-22 6 20/ -21/
21/ -21/6 ! 21/ -21/6 19/ -20/
21/ -21,6 > 21/ -21 6 ‘ 19/ -20/
20/ -20,6 ' 20/ -20/6 17/ -18/
18/6-19/6 ! 18'6-19,6 ; 16/ -17/

25/6-26/ ! 25,6-26/ / 23/ -24/
24/ -25/ i 24/ -25/ i 22/ -23/
23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ ■ 20/ -21/
20/6-22/6 20/6-22/6 i 19/ -20/

18/ -18,6 18/ -18/6 16/ -17/
17/ -18/	17/ -18/ ; 15/6-16/6

16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/

18/6-19/6 ! 18/6-19/6 17/ -18/

17/6-18/6 i

16/6-17/6

16/6-17/6

15/6-16/6

13,6-14/6

14/ -15/

17/6-18/6 16/ -17/
16/6-17/6 ' 15/ -16/

16/6-17/6 ( 15/ -16/
15/6-16/6 ; 14/ -15/
13/6-14/6 ! 12/ -13/
14/ -15/ i 12/6-13/6

32/	32/ i 25/8

Barnsley.

COAL.

The continued absence of surplus fuel on the market
accounted for the small attendance at the usual meeting on
Wednesday. Generally speaking, there is no alteration in
the position, although, of course, difficulties are still
occurring in regard to supplies of various classes of fuel.
The output is fairly well maintained, and, as far as this
district is concerned, there has been an improvement,
owing to work being restarted at the beginning of the
week at the Monckton Main Colliery; whilst there is every
evidence in regard to most classes of coal that the distribu-
tion is giving satisfaction. The large production steadily
moves off each day. The tonnage required for large steams
for shipment has been rather heavier, and the requirements
of the Admiralty steadily maintained, but this does not
appear to have affected the large supplies which are still
required for home purposes. There has been no improve-
ment in respect to supplies of steam nuts for concerns
not engaged on war work, and they have to accept
a larger grade of fuel to a great extent; whilst all classes
of smaller coal used for manufacturing purposes con-
tinue to be in active request. A little more difficulty
occurred in regular deliveries for consumers of this
class of fuel. Although the collieries hold no stocks of gas
coal, the deliveries to gas concerns are more satisfactory.
Ordinary slacks continue to be fairly easily obtainable, but
as far as the slacks suitable for coke making are concerned,
there still exists the greatest difficulty in obtaining an
_________________________________________________________

Prices at pit.

	Current	L’st week’s	Last year’s
House coals:—	prices.	prices.	prices.
Best Silkstone 		23/ -24/6	22/ -24/6	20/ -22/
Best Barnsley softs		21/ -21/6	21/ -21/6	18/6-19/
Secondary do		19/ -20/ 18/6-19/6	• 19/ -20/ 18/6-19/6	17/ -17/6
Best house nuts 				16/ -17/
Secondary do		18/ -18/6 1 18/ -18/6		15/6-16/
Steam coals:—			
Best hard coals		20/ -21/ :	20/ -21'	17/6-18/6
Secondary do		19/ -20/ i	19/ -20/	16/6-17/6
Best washed nuts		18/6-19/6 |	18/6-19/6	16/3-16/6
Secondary do		18/ -18/9 ;	18/ -18/9	15/6-16/3 12/6-13/
Best slack 		15/ -15/9 :	15/ -15/9	
Secondary do		13/ -13/6 .	13/ -13/6	10/6-11/
Gas coals:—			
Screened gas coals 		19/ -19/6	19/ -19/6	16/6-17/6
Unscreened do. 	,  Gas nuts	  !	18/ -18/6 !	18/ -18/6  18/9 i	15/6-16/
	18/9  32/ j		16/
Furnace coke	|		32/ j	25/8