July 12, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 81 IRON. The tin-plate trade continues very firm, and makers are reported to be well supplied with orders up to September next. There was a big increase in the exports, the total quantity shipped being 33,338 boxes, compared with 10,118 boxes the previous week and 55,723 boxes a year ago. Receipts from works showed little variation, the total being 28,344 boxes, and stocks in the docks warehouses and vans stand at 150,148 boxes, compared with 155,142 boxes the previous week and 90,495 boxes at the corresponding date of last year. There has been another substantial increase in the price of block tin, which is about <£13 higher than a week ago, and closing prices at the time of writing were .£344 to <£345 per ton, cash and three months. On this basis Bessemer standard cokes are 32s. 3d. to 32s. 9d., although some makers are offering to take slightly lower rates for late autumn makes. Other sizes are in propor- tion. All the steel works and blast furnaces are working at high pressure, and rail and bar mills are hard put to it to maintain deliveries. Iron ore supplies are satisfactory In the galvanised sheet trade there is no change, and the few mills working are engaged on black plate and painted sheets for Government purposes. All prices are nominal in every department. Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port during the past week remained unchanged, the figures being practically the same as those of the preceding week. Coal was more active, but exports of patent fuel showed a reduction. The shipments together were 72,078 tons. 1 here was a capital attendance on '’Change, but the anthracite section presented a distinctly quiet appearance. All classes were freely offered for immediate delivery Large was easy, whilst machine-made sizes were slow. Steam coals in the better qualities were well held, but the inferior grades were easily obtainable for prompt shipment. Llanelly. COAL. Very little alteration is noticeable in the coal market, and the position is similar to that of the past few weeks, except that the colliery outputs have been much reduced during the past week owing to the large number of miners suffering from influenza. The demand for the best large steam qualities continues, and orders on hand are much more than sufficient to take the entire make. Steam smalls are in poor demand, and there is a big accumulation. There is a good enquiry on the market for anthracite large, but the lack of tonnage makes it most difficult for collieries to put in full time, and stocks on hand are larger than has been the case for the past few weeks. The demand for the machine-made qualities is heavy. The call for inland, too, is very brisk, and collieries will not accept orders now for prompt delivery. It is often a case of several weeks before orders are executed. Rubbly culm and duff have both a poor enquiry, and stocks are exceedingly heavy. Current scheduled prices are as follow :— Prices f.o.b. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Anthracite;— prices. prices. prices. Best malting large 34/6 32/6 30/ Seconds 33/6 31/6 29/ Thirds 32/ 30/ Red Vein large 30/ 28/ 25/6 Machine-made cobbles... 47/ 45/ 42/6 Seconds 45/6 43/6 Thirds 43/6 41/6 Red Vein cobbles 40/6 38/6 Machine-made nuts 47/ 45/ ' — Seconds 45/6 43/6 Thirds 43/6 41/6 Red Vein nuts 40/6 38/6 Machine - broken beans (best) 39'6 37/6 35/ Seconds 38' 6 36/6 Thirds 37/6 33,6 Red Vein beans ......... 35/6 33/6 Peas (all qualities) 24 6 22/6 26/ Rubbly culm 17/6 15/6 13/ Red Vein culm 15'6 13/6 Breaker duff 12/6 10/6 Billy duff 11/ 9/ 6/6 Steam:— Best large steams 34/6 32/6 30/ Seconds 31/6 29/6 Cargo through 28/ 25/ Seconds 26/6 ■■ Bunker through 28/ 26/ — Smalls 23/6 21/6 19/ Second smalls 21/6 Bituminous:— Bituminous through ... 31/6 29/6 — Smalls 28/6 26/6 241 Gas through 28/ 26/ — Gas smalls 25/6 23/6 — The above prices are subject to an advance of 2s. 6d. per ton in the case of shipments to France and Italy, and coal for the manufacture of patent fuel for shipment thereto. Graded Fuel Ration.—A concession under the new Household Fuel and Lighting Order is reported. This applies to rooms beyond specified dimensions, and the intimation states that rooms exceeding 4,000 cu. ft. in size, or about 16 ft. by 20 ft. carpet area, count as two rooms, or rooms over 8,000 cu. ft. count as three. The Coal Trade Benevolent Association.—The committee of the above association announces that the subscriptions which have been received or promised in response to the special appeal of the chairman, Mr. H. Cecil Rickett, include the following : Messrs. Rickett, Cockerell and Company Limited, £210; Mr. H. Cecil Rickett, £100; Messrs. Rose, Smith and Company Limited, £100; Messrs. Wm Cory and Son Limited, £100; Mr. J. Ashley Long- botham, £52 10s.; the Man vers Main Collieries Limited, £52 10s.; Mr. J. A. FletcfTer, £50; Mr. W. H. Bowater, £50; Messrs. Albert Usher and Company, £50; the London County and Westminster and Parrs Bank Limited, £26 5s.; Earl Manvers, £25; Mr. H. Gammon, £25; Mr. E. Oliver, £25; the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company Limited, £25; the Penrikyber Navigation Colliery Com- pany, £25; Mr. F. R. Pelly, £21; Messrs. Moger and Hudson and Company Limited, £21; Messrs. Moger and Cojnpany Limited, £21; and Mr. Joseph Shaw, K.C., £20. The other contributors range from £10 10s. to 10s. 6d. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, July 11. Dublin. The price of coke has been advanced during the week from 49s. to 51s. 6d. per ton. Supplies are still exceed- ingly difficult to obtain, and some of the large concerns in the city have at present only a few weeks’ supply. At a meeting of the Dublin Port and Docks Board, last week, it was stated that if economy in the use of coal were not enforced, many institutions in Dublin would have to close during the winter, and domestic consumers would find it impossible to get coal for cooking purposes. There has been a considerable diminution in the quantity of coal, discharged at the Custom House Docks compared with a corresponding period last year. It was explained by a prominent coal merchant that the local coal firms were doing everything possible to meet the situation. Complaints were made that canal boat loads of coal were being sent from the city to country districts, whereas coal should be utilised in the city and turf burnt in the country. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays during the past week from cross-Channel ports was 27,074 tons, as compared with 24,458 tons the week previously. The New Ross District Council called for the formation of industrial and research societies throughout the counties of Wexford and Kilkenny, to advance the development of South-East Ireland’s minerals. Belfast. Limited supplies and low stocks hamper the coal trade in the port, and there appears to be no prospect of im- provement in this respect in the near future. Prices will follow the advance made at the collieries from Monday. At a corporation meeting recently it was stated that the saving in coal value by the curtailment of the tramway service was £20 a week on a test, and that the increase in price recently announced would mean an extra expendi- ture of £18,000 for the gas works. From June 16 .to 29 the total number of coal-laden vessels entering the harbour was 140. THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—Pitch quotations are firm at 55s per ton ex London works, and enquiries for forward deliveries are a feature. Provincial sellers have advanced their prices of late, and the average is over that current a month ago. East Coast is about 32s. to 33s., and West Coast 28s. to 30s. It is not yet certain how far South Wales will be a consumer, but the price there is certainly a good one compared with more northerly parts, although considerably below the London figure. 'The Manchester price is higher. Regarding ship- ments, the old story of difficulty in obtaining cargo space still indicates the clog on exports to the Continent. Pitch is greatly wanted in Allied and neutral countries, as is evidenced by the extravagant chartering figures occa- sionally paid. Tar is quiet, but firm. Recent business in 60 deg. carbolicacid is reported on the basis of 2s. 6d. a gallon on seller’s trucks ex London works This by-product is no longer controlled. Solvent naphtha has become too plentiful for quotations to remain steady, and the tendency is down- wards. At present the London price is about 4s. and the provincial quotation 6d. lower. Heavy napththa is unchanged. Scarcely anything else is noticeable in the market just now, except cresylic acid, for which the demand is good at about 3s. to 3s. 6d. per gal. Naphthalenes are quiet and rather cheaper. Sulphate of Ammonia.—The home trade follows the scheduled scale of prices. The demand in London is good. SOUTH WALES MIKING TIMBER TRADE. When the South Wales and Monmouthshire Colliery Owners’ Pitwood Association Limited was started to arrange for supplies of home-grown timber to its members, it was freely prophesied that the association’s efforts would prove a failure, and that the amount of wood available would be totally insufficient to balance the heavy cutting off of foreign import supplies which was decided upon by the authorities in May of last year. The general manager of this co-operative association succeeded in overcoming difficulties in connection with the purchasing, cutting and transporting of wood suitable for mining timber. Mr. Finlay S. Gibson’s arrangements have been such that the association is a commercial success. The association’s efforts have been supplemented by private enterprise, with the result that at the present time the quantity of home grown mining timber available is exceptionally good. The deliveries to Welsh collieries are much larger and more regular, notwithstanding the difficulty which still obtains in procuring hauliers. The scarcity of hauliers is most pronounced. The fine weather has been responsible for considera* le activity in felling operations. Foreign Imports Good. The imports of foreign mining timber were also satisfac- tory. Supplies aie coming in by “ parcels ” by the smaller class of tonnage, the whole of the wood being from France. For the week to July 4, 27,105 loads were received by the following consignees:— Cardiff (including Barry and Penarth): — Date. Consignee. Loads. June 27 Lysberg Limited............ 840 „ 27 Lysberg Limited ........ 2,040 „ 28 A. Bromage and Co....... 3,000 ,, 28 , A. Bromage and Co...... 2,400 ,, 28 T. P. Thomas and Co. 600 „ 28 Lysberg Limited ........ 3,000 „ 28 Franklyn Thomas and Co.... 1,625 „ 29 Lysberg Limited ............ 480 „ 29 Lysberg Limited ............ f 00 „ 29 Lysberg Limited ........ 1,200 ,; 29 Lysberg Limited . 2,640 July 1 Grant Hayward and Co...... 36 „ IE. Marcesche and Co........... 288 „ 2 Morgan and Cadogan...... 1,200 „ 2 Bromage and Co......................... 76 „ 4 Lysberg Limited......... 1,680 „ 4 Lysberg Limited .................... 5,400 The prices were at the maximum scheduled levels—viz., 65s. ex ship Cardiff, the bulk ot the supplies being taken by the Admiralty Pitwood Committee. Irish Fitwood. Imports of Irish pitwood were upon a good scale, a very satisfactory and regular business having now been made since freight rates were regulated and the f.o.b. price of Irish pitwood placed on the same terms as that of French timber—viz., 65s. per ton ex ship. The Native Timber Merchants’ Federation (Ireland) is endeavouring to arrange for the quicker loading and unloading of wagons and vessels, but owing to many difficulties the proposals put forward have not yet been acted upon by the authorities. Lord Rhondda and the Fitwood Importers Syndicate. The late Viscount Rhondda was the pioneer of a co- operative movement whereby a syndicate of colliery proprietors combined to purchase and distribute foreign mining timber to its members. This organisation was known as the Pitwood Importers Syndicate. It has grown to such an extent that the syndicate import larger quanti- ties of mining timber than any other company in the kingdom. The formation of such a syndicate was f< llowed by more stable prices, and there was an absence of that speculation and market rigging which led to colliery owners having to pay an exorbitant price. Lysberg Limited are the agents for this syndicate, and together with Messrs. T. U. Thomas and Company form the Admir- alty Pitwood Committe, which supplies the collieries on the “Admiralty list.” The result of war conditions will probably lead collieries to secure their wood supplies direct, and the scope of the syndicate will probably be largely extended as a consequence. PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—July 8. Delayed Coal Supplies. Sir A. Stanley (President Board of Trade) informed Sir A. Fell that the Order under which the retail price of coal was advanced 2s. 6d. a ton from June 24 would be enforced in the case of coal ordered by the consumer prior to that ‘date, but not delivered by the coal merchant until after June 24. ------- Miners’ Wages. Major Henry Terrell asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention had been called to the circular letter issued by the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coalowners’ Association stating that in the South Wales coalfield the prevailing wages of different classes of underground labour, inclusive of war period house coal advantages, are between 74 per cent, and 170 per cent, higher than those ruling in July, 1914; and whether he had any official information supporting these figures, see- ing that in the report of the Departmental Committee appointed by the Board of Trade it was stated that in some of the coalfields the wages were at least 40 per cent, higher than they were immediately before the war. Sir A. Stanley replied that the statement made in the Departmental Committee’s report (Cd. 9093) referred to the time at which that report was made, namely, April, 1917. At that time the increase in the general wages rates in South Wales collieries was about 46 per cent, above the rates in July, 1914. In September, 1917, a flat rate increase was conceded by the Government. In the case of no class of workers, however, had the percentage increases occasioned by general wages advances been any- thing approaching the higher figure given by the Mon- mouthshire and South Wales Coalowners’ Association. This figure was not typical of that or any other coal- field, and was based upon the wages of one small class of the lowest paid underground labour, and included advances in the basis rate of that class and an estimated allowance representing the increased value of workmen’s coal which was supplied at the pre-war price. It was believed that neither of the last two factors were taken into account in the figure given by the Departmental Committee. July 9. Coal for American Troops. General Croft asked the Prime Minister whether the contracts for coal for the American troops in France were given to a British firm; what was the name of the firm; was the largest shareholder a member of the present Administration; and, if so, whether he would, in the interests of the country, take steps to prevent great inter- national business transactions being carried on with finan- cial advantage to a member of the Government. Mr. Bonar Law said he was informed that the firm of Harris and Dixon, without any solicitation whatsoever on their part, was appointed by the American authorities as agents to superintend the shipment of coal as a result of the fullest enquiries and previous long business con- nections. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Blockade Ministry had no knowledge whatever of the matter. In his (Mr. Law’s) opinion, to make suggestions which had no justification in fact, such as the suggestions contained in the question, was not only in the highest degree unfair to individuals, but very detrimental to the public service. General Croft asked if it was desirable for a member of the Government to remain a shareholder in a company which was doing this business. Mr. Law replied that at the present time thousands of business men were assisting the Government, many of them without receiving reward of any kind. Did the hon. member suggest that these firms were to be deprived of the business which they would otherwise get because one of their members was assisting the country? Fuel in Ireland. Mr. Wardle, replying to Mr. E. Cecil, stated that, owing to different conditions, the system of rationing household fuel and lighting could not be applied to Ireland, but the amount of coal consumed in Ireland for all purposes had been reduced by about 25 per cent., which secured practically the same degree of economy as aimed at in Great Britain. Mr. Samuels informed Mr. Field that at the present time fair supplies of coal were coming into Ireland, and there had been no difficulty in providing tonnage to convey from the mines in Great Britain all the coal that was available. The whole question of its allocation was receiving special attention. For some time past special steps had been taken to bring before all concerned in Ireland the importance of using turf as a substitute for coal, with the result that much more turf was being cut than heretofore. --------- Pitwood Supply. Sir John Ainsworth asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he was aware that the Order issued by the Controller of Coal Mines in July, 1917, dividing the country into separate districts for the purpoes of sup- plies of home-grown timber for use in coal and ironstone mines was being constantly evaded; whether the atten- tion of the Timber Controller had been repeatedly drawn to the shortage of stocks of mining timber at the coal and