March 8, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 493 THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, March 7. Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. COAL. There was little change in the position of the coal trade of this district during the week. Stormy weather, before the opening of the week, had a depressing effect upon the arrival of tonnage, which was still inadequate for the requirements of the port, resulting in a great number of wagons being detained on the railways. A considerable demand for best large steam coal continued, but some inferior sorts drooped considerably. Smalls and secondary sorts of other coal were still very heavily stocked. House and gas coals were again in strong demand for inland orders. Cokes and patent fuel were in much the same position as in the past few weeks. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. ! Current Steam coals:— prices. Best Black Vein large... 32/6 W estern-valleys, ordin’y 31/6 Best Eastern-valleys ... 31/6 Secondary do. ... 30/6 Best small coals ........ 23/6 Secondary do............. 22/6 Inferior do.............. 20/6 Screenings ...........' 25/6 Through coals ........... 29,6 Best washed nuts...... 32/6 Other sorts:— | Best house coal, at pit... | 35/6 Secondary do. do. ...I 33/3 Patent fuel ..........: 32/6 Furnace coke..........! 47/6 Foundry coke .........| 47/6 |L’st week’s I Last year’s i prices. , prices. ! ‘32/6 ; 26/ -27/ 31/6 ! 25/ -26/ ! 31/6 , 23/ -24/ 30/6 22/ -23/ ! 23/6 . 16/ -18/ i 22/6 , 9/ —15/6 1 20/6 6/ - 9/ ; 25/6 17/ —18/6 : 29/6 19/ -21/ 32/6 — i 35/6 24/6-25/6 j’ 33/3 22/ -23/ 32/6 33/ -34/ 47/6 ' 47/6-52/6 47/6 : 57/ -60/ IRON. The import of iron ore continues very satisfactory, beside which there has been a movement in favour of opening up the iron seams of the local mines if labour can be spared from coal getting. All the works are in full swing turning out goods on Government account. Prices are consequently nominal. The tin-plate trade continues in an interesting condition, the output steadily increasing in some directions, in spite of the severe restrictions from which it is suffering. Pitwood arrivals have been moderate. Cardiff. COAL. The only point of interest this week has been the announcement that the Coal Controller intends to adhere to his decision to transfer one-third of the brokerage fees on freights from the exporter to the colliery owner. The market is dull. The arrivals over the week-end were below the average, owing to stormy weather, and charterings for the future amounted to less than 20,000 tons. Stocks are excessive, stoppages are numerous, and there is no prospect of improvement for some time to come. In the house and gas coal departments there is considerable activity, and the difficulty is to keep pace with the demand. Pitwood is unchanged. Cardiff Prices f.o.b. (except where otherwise stated), plus 2s. 6d. per ton, except for shipments to France and Italy. Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam coals ................ Superior seconds ..... Seconds .............. Ordinary ............. Steam smalls No. 1 ... Do. 2 ... Do. 3... Do. 4... Do. 5 ... Do. 6 .. Do. 7 .. Do. 8... Best dry coals ....... Ordinary drys ........ Best washed nuts ..... Seconds .............. Best washed peas...... Seconds .............. Monmouthshire— Black Veins ........j Western-valleys ....i Eastern-valley s .1 Inferior do.......1 Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) \ Second qualities (at pit) j No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large.... Small .......... i No. 2 Rhondda— I Large.............■ Thr ough-and-thr ough i Small ............i Best patent fuel ..... Seconds...............; Special foundry coke ... Ordinary do. ........... Furnace coke ........... Pitwood (ex-ship) ...... Current 'L’st week’s 'Last year’s prices. prices. I prices. 35/6 35/6 i * 34/ ) 34/ ! * 33/3 33/3 ' 26/ -27/ 32/6 32/6 24/ 1 23/6 ; 24/ -251 24/ 23/6 ! 16/6-17/6 23/ 22/6 2'/ j 22/6 S 15/ -16/ 22/ 21/6 22/ ) 21/6 J i 12/ -15/ 21/ 20/6 21/ ) 20/6 j 10/ -12/ 32/6 32/6 24,'6-25/6 31/ 31/ 22 6-24/ 32/6 32/6 25/ -26/ 31/ 31/ 24/ -25/ 30/ 30/ 23/ -24/ 29/ 29/ 22/ -23/ 32/6 32/6 • j 31/6 25/ -27/ 31/6 25/ -26/ 31/6 31/6 ,.24/ -25/ 30/6 30/6 22/ -24/ 35/6 35/6 25/6-26/6 33/3 1 33/3 23/6-24/6 33/3 ! 33/3 26/ -27/ [ 18/ -20/ 28/6 28/6 I 29/6 | 29/6 24/ -25/ 24/6-26/ 1 24/6-26/ 18/ -20/ 19/6-21/6 ' 19/6-21'6 15/ -17/ 32/6 1 32/6 ' 35/ -37/ 32/6 ' 32/6 33/ -35/ 50/ 50/ 62/6-65/ 50/ 50/ 55/ -57/6 50/ 50/ 47/6-52/6 65/ 65/ 62,6-65/ * Nominal. IRON. The tinplate trade is steady, and the majority of works are well placed as to orders. Shipments last week were 31,169 boxes, compared with 21,9z7 boxes received from works, thus leaving 155,797 boxes in stock, compared with 238,899 boxes a year ago, Prices of block tin are still going up. Swansea. COAL. Trade during the past week showed some slight improve- ment. Under present circumstances there was a fairly good quantity of coal shipped, but patent fuel exports were much below the usual. The shipments totalled 54,365 tons. There was a capital attendance on ’Change, but business in both the anthracite and steam coal markets remained very quiet, and all classes were offered in excess. Tonnage arrivals over the week-end were very small. The scheduled f.o.b. prices are as follows (prices for France and Italy, 2s. 6d. per ton less) .-—Best breaking anthracite 32s. 6d., seconds 32s. 6d., thirds 30s. Red Vein large 28s. Machine- made cobbles 45s., seconds 43s. 6d., thirds 41s. 6d. Red Vein cobbles 38s. 6d. Machine-made nuts 45s., seconds 43s. 6d., thirds 41s. 6d. Red Vein nuts 38s. 6d. Machine- broken beans—best 37s. 6d., seconds 36s. 6d., thirds 35s. 6d Red Vein beans 33s. 6d. Peas, all qualities, 22s. 6d. Rubbly culm 15s. 6d. Red Vein culm 13s. 6d. Breaker duff 10s. 6d., billy duff 9s. Best large -steams 32s. 6d., seconds 29s. 6d , cargo (through) 26s. 6d., seconds (through) 24s. 6d., best smalls 21s. 6d., seconds smalls 19s. 6d. Bituminous (through) 29s. 6d., smalls 26s. 6d., gas (through) 26s., gas smalls 23s. 6d. Llanelly. COAL. Tonnage arrivals are still below colliery requirements* and the amount of business doing is not heavy. There is a big shortage of empty wagons, and collieries are therefore unable to work full time. Stocks of many qualities are also becoming excessive, and there is no early prospect of these being materially reduced. The inland demand continues on a satisfactory basis, but the wagon shortage is inter- fering very much with dispatch. In anthracite coals large kinds are not brisk, and buyers have no difficulty in secur- ing full supplies for prompt shipment. The lower grades are moving very slowly. Cobbles are also not moving well, and the enquiry for nuts and peas is so weak that stocks on hand are increasing. Beans are fairly active, but culm and duff are both in poor demand. Steam coals are also dis- appointing, and for prompt business quantities are easily secured. Throughs and smalls are slow, and even the better grades of large are not in strong demand. House and manufacturing coals are active. Prices f.o.b. Current L’st week’s | Last year’: prices. prices. 1 prices. Best malting anthracite... 30/ 1 i 30/ ! 28/ -30/ Seconds 29/ 29/ I 22/ -23/ Thirds j 27/6 27/6 Red Vein large 25/6 25/6 19/ -21/ Machine-made cobbles 42/6 42/6 34/ -36/ Seconds 1 41/ 41/ — Thirds i 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/ 23/6-24/6 Seconds 34/ 34/ Thirds 33/ 33/ __ „ Red Vein beans 31/ 31/ Peas (all qualities) 20/ 20/ 20/ -22/ Rubbly culm 13/ 13/ 9/6-10/6 Red Vein culm 11/ 11/ 1 / Breakers duff 8/ i 8/ — Billy duff 6/6 i 6/6 6/ - 6/6 Steam:— Best large steam 30/ 30/ 27/ -28/ Seconds 27/ 27/ Cargo through 23/6 23/6 18/ -20/ Seconds 22/ 22/ Bunkers through 23/6 23/6 Small s 19/ 19/ 11/6-15/ Second smalls 1 17/ 17/ / / Bituminous:— Bituminous through ... 27/ ! 27/ — Smalls 24/ ■ 24/ 17/ -19/6 Gas through 23/6 23/6 - Gas smalls 21/ 21/ — THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, March 7. Dublin. There is no change in the position since last week, demand being active and stocks only moderate. Quotations for best Orrell are 51s. per ton; best Wigan, 49s.; standard coal (as recently fixed by the Coal Committee of the Corporation), 46s. 6d. per ton, delivered ; retail, 3s. 2d. per 10 stone bag ; coke, 49s. per ton, delivered. At the Castlecomer collieries, County Kilkenny, present prices are :—Best small coal, 30s. per ton; best large coal, 28s. 4d.; bottom coal, 25s.; break- age, 16s. 8d.; culm, 13s. 4d. The quantity of coal discharged upon the quays during the past week from cross-Channel ports was 26,258 tons, compared with 26,400 tons the week previously. At the annual meeting of the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway Company, it was stated that the Government had provisionally agreed to make a line from the Arigna station up to the coal pits, and it was to be hoped that they would make this line with broad and narrow gauge rails. The coal could then be loaded at the pit mouth into narrow gauge wagons for the Cavan and Leitrim line, and into broad gauge wagons for the broad gauge line, which was bound to be made some time to take the coal in the other direction to the nearest port. Belfast. Demand for house coal locally continues to be good, and a large number of orders for the inland districts remain on hand awaiting distribution as soon as railway wagons are available. Stocks are again rather low, as merchants requiring to charter tonnage are finding steamers difficult to obtain. Current prices of house coals in the city are : — Best English coal, 51s. per ton ; English nuts, 50s.; English kitchen coal, 50s.; best English slack, 47s. ; Scotch house coal, 45s.—all less Is. per ton discount for cash. Standard coal can be obtained at 44s. per ton net; hawkers’ coal at 3s. 3d. per sack for English sorts, and about 2s. lOd. for Scotch. An influential deputation from the Belfast Coal Merchants’ Association met the Law Committee of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners last week with regard to the petition presented by the association against the Har- bour Bill. As a result of the conference, the Commissioners have been able to satisfy the merchants that very extensive facilities are provided for the coal trade in the Bill, and the petition lodged by the coal merchants has been withdrawn. Cablegrams from Perth, West Australia, state that the colliery strikers have resumed work. PARLIAMENTARY^ INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—February 28. Irish Coal Fields. Capt. Sheehan asked whether the resources of the dis- used coal workings at Dromagh, co. Cork, had been investigated by the Government. Mr. A. Samuels (Solicitor-General for Ireland) replied that unsuccessful attempts had been made in the past to work the anthracite coal seams in the neighbourhood of Dromagh. The last serious attempt was made in 1901 by the New Dromagh Mining Company, and they were unsuc- cessful in their efforts to find coal of commercial value. The anthracite coal found in the district generally con- tained sulphur, and was therefore of poor quality; but one seam was said to be free from sulphur. According to the Geological Survey, there did not appear to be much pros- pect of finding payable coal in the district. March 4. Mineral Oil. Sir H. Meux asked whether the attention of the Govern- ment had been called to a statement at a meeting of the Institution of Petroleum Technologists as to the immense amount of mineral oil which could be produced from cannel coal, of which coal millions of tons were lying neglected on colliery waste heaps. Would steps be taken for working this source of oil supply? Sir AV. Evans replied that he had nothing to add to the statement he made on February 28. Sir H. Meux asked whether Dr. Ludwig Diehl, released on a medical certificate, and sent back to Germany, was now engaged on retorts used in the Westphalian coal field for obtaining oil, and whether Dr. Diehl, in experiments at Chiswick, had obtained a greater proportion of oil from British cannel coal. Sir G. Cave said he had no information as to Dr. Diehl’s experiments. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—The market this week has a rather uncer- tain tone, largely attributable to railway and shipping diffi- culties, in addition to re-arrangements’ arising from the Order relating to fuel oils. The tar mixtures are fairly enquired for, but that is as far as one can indicate the course of business, and the net result leaves tar quotations practically unchanged at the present moment. On the other hand, the position regarding pitch is rather against holders in some areas, and the consequence of this is shown in the lower average now quoted on the East Coast. More- over, prices on the West Coast are not as firm as they were, although the decline there is not a marked one. The shipments in the past month included a substantial quan- tity from the West Cumberland by-products works, and more from the same locality would be put into movement if the old obstacle of transport were more amenable. As it is, the prices are subject to a factor other than actual value, and this circumstance has to be taken into account when stocks accumulate. Nothing material in the way of shipments is reported so far this week. Indeed, offerings of cargo space have been so meagre during the past week or two as to make shipping business almost impossible. No official intimation has been made regarding the alloca- tion of tar for general purposes, but allocations are being made under licence, and presumably that will continue. Of course, the Government’s great requirements have to be met in the first instance, but other public needs must be satisfied. Solvent naphtha is a shade cheaper in the North, and crude naphtha in the same locality has fallen. This looks like the ordinary market reaction after a strong- demand. Conditions are still good. Naphthalene is steady, but cresylic is fractionally easier, and anthracene is considerably cheaper, A quality having declined from 6d. to 4^d. Quotations are appended :—Crude tar: London, 32s. 6d. to 35s.; Midlands, 28s. to 29s.; North, 28s. to 30s. per ton ex gas works. Pitch: London, 50s.; East Coast, 24s. to 25s. f.o.b.; Liverpool, 22s.; West Coast, 22s. to 24s. f.a.s. Solvent naphtha: Naked, London, 90-190 per cent., 3s. to 3s. 3d.; North, 2s. 6d. to 3s.; 90-160 per cent, naked, London, 4s. 3d. to 4s. 6d.; North, 3s. lOd. to 4s. Crude naphtha : Naked, 30 per cent., 8^d. to 8^d.; North, 6^d. to 6^d. Refined naphthalene, £30 to £32 10s. Toluol : Naked, London, 2s. 4d.; North, 2s. 3d. Creosote: Naked, London, 4^d.; North, 4d. to 4^6. (Government price, 75s. per ton, equal to 4^d. per gal. f.o.r.). Heavy oil, 4^d. Liquid, 4^d. Grease oil, 18 degs. naked, £6 f.o.r. Carbolic acid : Crude, 60 per cent., East Coast and West Coast, 3s. 4d.; crystals, 39-40, Is. 3d. Cresylic : Casks, 95 per cent., 2s. 9d. to 2s. 10d.; 97-99 per cent., 3s., ex works London and f.o.b. other ports. Anthracene, 48-50 A, 4^d.; B, l^d. to 2d. Aniline oil, Is. 4d., casks free; salts, Is. 4d., drums free. Sulphate of Ammonia. — The demand is good, and if supplies come along promptly the position would be a brisk one, but purchasers encounter the familiar trouble of transport. That is unavoidable under present conditions, no matter how urgently the sulphate may be required for the land just now. The official prices remain in force. Meanwhile the cost of production tends to increase. New South Wales is cancelling the Proclamation by which the State, owing to the strike, acquired all coal mines. Miners’ War Wage.—A joint meeting of representatives of the Mining Association of Great Britain and of the executive of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain wras held at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel. London, yesterday (Thursday), to discuss the question of the payment of partial compensation to mine workers who had been injured and had resumed employment at the mines. The meeting had been arranged by the Coal Controller, for the purpose of reaching an agreement on unsettled points in connection with the war wage advance of Is. 6d. per day granted by the Coal Controller, and the condition laid down that the war wage increase was not to form a basis for any alterations in the compensation payable to injured persons receiving partial compensation. Both the coal owners’ and workmen's representatives agreed to proposals which had been drawji up by the Coal Controller, and these are to be recommended to the miners and the mine owmers, and, if accepted, signed on behalf of both parties. Our mining correspondent is informed that the war wage of Is. 6d. per day is not to be taken into account in calcu- lating the amount of the partial compensation, but that the compensated person who accepts light employment shall receive the wage payable for the class of work on which he is engaged, plus the compensation due to him, and also plus the war wage.