606 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. September 20, 1918. THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, September 19. __________________________________________ Scotland.—Western District. COAL. There has been little change of note in the Scotch coal trade during the past week, the scarcity of fuel still providing the chief feature. Collieries in the west of Scotland have a strong demand for all sorts. The Admiralty are taking large quantities of navigations and other large coal. Ells, splints, and steams are well booked up, and little is available for prompt shipment, Industrial concerns are finding great difficulty in arranging adequate supplies, while household consumers are making an effort to provide against the expected winter shortage. Shipments for the week amounted to 109,273 tons, against 114,752 in the preceding week and 103,107 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Glasgow. would still be a long way behind what national needs dictate, and the only solution of the difficulty appears to most men engaged on the commercial side of the trade locally to be to increase the man-power, and to do that at once. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Steam coal Current | L’st week’s Last year’s prices. 27/6 prices. 34/6 ! prices. 34/6 Ell 32/6-35/ 32/6-35/ 26 6-28/ Splint 37/ 35/ -37/ 28/ -30/ Treble nuts 30/ 30/ 23/ Double do 29/ 29/ 22/ Single do. 28/ 28/ 21/ IRON. Activity in the Scotch iron trade is fully maintained, the demand for all classes of material being undiminished. The pressure for pig iron is insistent, and with the market bare of stocks deliveries are suffering some curtailment. Foundry iron is particularly scarce, but there are signs of an increase in forge supplies. Approximate quotations : Monk- land and Carnbroe f.a.s. at Glasgow, Nos. 1, 140s., Nos. 3, 135s.; Govan, No. 1, 135s., No. 3, 13Qs.; Clyde, Summerlee, Calder and Langloan, Nos. 1, 150s., Nos. 3, 145s.; Glen- garnock, at Ardrossan, No. 1, 140s., No. 3, 135s.; Eglinton, at Ardrossan or Troon, and Daimellington, at Ayr, Nos. 1, 145s., Nos. 3, 135s.; Shotts at Leith, No.l, 150s., No. 3, 145s. per ton. In the malleable iron trade, large orders are on hand for nut, bolt, and rivet iron, agricultural sections, and French war work. Best “Crown” bars are quoted about «£ 16 5s. and upwards per ton f.o.b. Glasgow. Machine toolmakers are employed on Government orders, and machinery makers have no lack of orders in spite of the prevailing high prices. * Current iL’st week’s Last year’s Steam coals :— prices. prices. ' prices. Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) .. 37' -70/ ' 37/ -70' i 30/ Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) J 36/6—70/ 36/6—70/ 1 29/6 Secondary, Blyths Do. Tynes (Hastings 32/6-65/ . 32/6-65' I 25/6 or West Hartleys) ... 34/ -65/ 1 34/ -65 i 27/ Unscreened ... 30'6-40/ ! 30'6-40/ i 23/6-25/ Small, Blyths 27/ -45/ 1 25/6-40/ i 27/ -45/ 20 Do. Tynes 25/6-40 18 6 Do. specials Other sorts: — 27/6-45/ ' 27/6-45/ 20 6 Smithies Best gas coals (New 32/ -40/ ' 32/ -40 i 25/ -30/6 i Pelton or Holmside) Secondary gas coals 32/ -50/ 1 32/ -50/ ! 25/ (Pelaw Main or similar) 30/6-45/ 1 30/6-45/ ' 23/6 Special gas coals Unscreened bunkers, 33/6-55/ ; 33/6-55/ , 26/6-30/ Durhams Do. do. 31 1-501 31/ -50/ 24/ -25/ N orthumbrians 31/ -45/ 31/ -45/ 24/ -25/ Coking coals 31/ —40/ 31/ -40/ : ' 24./ -25/ Do. smalls 31/ -40/ 31/ -40/ 24/ -25/ House coals 35/6-70/ 35/6-70/ 28/6-30/ Coke, foundry 49/6-K5/ ' 49/6-65/ 1 47 6 | 49/6-4‘5 . 42 6 Do. blast-furnace ' Do. gas | 49 6 -65/ 42 6 47/6 29, -30/ home consumption, but only local business can be accepted. All classes of bunkers are very firm. Supplies of imported fuel are above the average, and shipments from Cumber- land ports are therefore again on the increase. It is still impossible to deal with ail the business that is being offered from the Irish market, but the outlook is brighter. The shipments during the last month have rarely been below 3,800 weekly. Best Cumberland coal at the pit is quoted at from 29s. to 29s. lOd. per ton with best washed nuts at from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 2d. per ton. Best export coal is 26s. per ton, and gas and works fuel is 26s. 6d. per ton. ________________ Scotland.—Eastern District. COAL. The Lothian collieries have plenty of business for all descriptions. All classes are well booked ahead, and very high prices are obtainable for neutral shipments. Local deliveries are still very difficult to secure. Shipments were 18,571 tons, against 17,460 in the preceding week, and 19,084 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Leith. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices Best screened steam coal... 33/6 33/6 26/6 Secondary qualities 32/6 32/6 25/6 Treble nuts 30/ 30/ 23/ Double do WZ 29/ 29/ 22/ Single do 28/ 28/ 21/ Outputs from the Fifeshire collieries are also rapidly taken up, especially with the free arrival of tonnage. First and third steams are fully booked for some time ahead. Government requirements are maintained. Supplies for local consumption are scarce. Shipments were 36,522 tons, against 37,312 in the preceding week, and 42,382 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntisland. Best screened navigation coal Current prices. L’st week’s Last year’s •prices. prices. 36/ -38/ 36/ -38/ 29/ -31/ 24/ -25/ Unscreened do 31/ -32/ 31/ -32/ First-class steam coal 35/ 35/ 28/ Third-class do 31/ 31/ 24/ Treble nuts 30/ 29/ 30/ 23/ Double do 29/ • 22/ Single do. ..... 28/ 28/ 21/ All prices quoted apply only to French and Italian busi- ness. The aggregate shipments from Scottish ports during the past week amounted to 164,366 tons, compared with 169,524 in the preceding week, and 164,573 tons in the corresponding week of last year. ________ ________ Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland. Newcastle-on-Tyne. COAL. At the time of writing, there is an abundance of cargo- carriers, and every likelihood of this happy condition of things obtaining for a considerable time to come Neutral business has dwindled almost to nothing, so keen is the pressure for coal on Government, Allied and home accounts The output is being taken up as quickly as produced, and all descriptions of coal are scarce and very firm for prompt or early loading. Coke, which is generally so scarce nowadays, and is so much in demand for iron manufacture at present, is offering in quite a considerable quantity for shipment to neutrals at from 60s. to 64s. per ton, according to grade, for foundry sorts for spot loading. Even here, however, neutrals are unable, owing to scarcity of tonnage, to take a great deal of advantage of this opportunity of obtaining fuel, supplies. The prospects of the coal trade, from the point of view of the collieries, are very good indeed, granted large arrivals of shipping. The production is at present sadly in arrear of requirements. London and other southern gas companies are pressing for further supplies of gas coal, for example, and can only be accom- modated to an extent very far short of requirements. Nothing short of very prompt action on the part of the authorities in the matter of returning skilled men to the mines will avert a very embarrassing shortage of supplies in this country during the winter. Even if it were possible to make every miner realise the imperative necessity of putting 11 or 12 complete shifts per fortnight, the output Sunderland. COAL. Business all round is on the quiet side, and the coal market this week opens without change. The output is fair and the supply of tonnage good, so that shipments are well maintained, though they are mainly on requisition account. Coals and tonnage alike are extremely scarce for neutrals. The home demand is heavy, and takes up the bulk of the gas, coking and household fuel available, as well as peas and nuts and special smalls for industrial purposes. Open market quotations keep firm at the usual figures, with best steams at 70s., and other qualities 60s. to 65s.; steam smalls, 40s. to 45s. Gas and coking unscreened are 48s. to 55s. for bests, and 45s. to 47s. 6d. for seconds. Bunkers show no alteration of importance, and are 42s. 6d. to 46s. b'd. for good ordinary kinds, and 45s. to 55s. for superiors. On the whole, there is more coke available, but this has not disturbed the market. For neutrals 65s. is still firmly quoted for good foundry quality. Gashouse coke is firm at 45s. to 47s. 6d. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The market shows little change. Official requirements monopolise the bulk of the coal production, and tonnage is coming forward favourably for such purpose, but much difficulty is experienced in securing steamers for outside trading. There is no new feature in the neutral situation, business being practically held up for the time being through lack of supply. Any transaction is on forward account, and quotations are firm. Home demand for gas coal, coking coal and household fuel is very heavy. Bunker coal is also in good request. The situation as regards coke is slightly better. There is still very considerable shortage, but supplies to local consumers show some little improvement, and are more regular. Enquiry on behalf of neutrals is as insistent as ever, but business is almost impossible with demand in other directions so pressing. For home use medium blastfurnace quality is 33s. at the ovens, and low phosphorus sorts 35s. 6d. at the ovens, and there are buyers of foundry coke for neutrals at 65s. to 67s. 6d. f.o.b. IRON. Scarcity of Cleveland foundry iron—especially No. 3 quality—for home use is more pron unced, and deliveries threaten to fall considerably short of September allocations. This is due to some extent to heavier shipments of foundry iron to the Allies, but is also very largely attributable to the reduced production of the better qualities of pig, owing to the irregular working of blastfurnaces, consequent up m the coke situation. The shortage comes at a time when all the foundries are very busy, but fortunately some con- sumers have emergency stocks. Once more there is complaint of shortage of trucks, but means of delivery do not give much cause for grumbling. Very ample tonnage is available for despatch of iron to Scotland. Forge pig is very plentiful, but as users are well bought, is in very little request. Sellers are pressing sales for both early and forward delivery. For home consumption No. 3, No. 4 foundry, and No. 4 forge all stand at 95s., and No. 1 at 99s., whilst for shipment to France and Italy, No. 3 and the lower qualities are 119s., and No. 1 124s. Though there is continued heavy demand for east coast haematite iron, and production has not been increased, the situation in this branch is certainly less stringent than it has been, due to the fact that with basic iron and scrap fairly plentiful, more extensive use is being made of these commodities for steel making. All urgent home needs are understood to be receiving adequate attention without difficulty, and fair quantities of haematite are available for despatch to the Allies. At the same time full attention is still being given to carrying out the careful system of distribution under strict official supervision. Mixed numbers are 122s. 6d. for home use, and 147s. 6d. for export to France and Italy. Manufacturers of finished iron and steel keep very busy, and prices are stiff. Current quotations. Current L’st week’slLast year’? BestCumberl’nd coal at pit prices. 28 '4 prices. 28'4 prices 23'4 Best washed nuts at pit... 26/8 26 8 21 3 Seconds at pit 25'10 25 10 20/10 Washed nuts at pit 25/10 25'10 20/10 Dg. smalls „ 21/8 21/8 16/8 Do. peas „ 20' 20/ 15/ Buckhill best coal at pit... 27 6 27 6 22/6 Do. double-scrned washed nuts at pit 26/ 26/ 21/ Oughterside best coal at pit 27 6 27 6 22/6 Oughterside best washed nuts at pit 26/ 26/ 21/ St. Helens (Siddick) best coal at pit 27 6 27 6 22/6 St. Helens best house nuts at pit 26/ 26/ 21/ BestCumberl’nd coal, f.o.b 23/ 23/ 19/6 Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... 21/ 21/ 17/6 Best bunkers (coastwise) 33 6 33 6 28 6 Do. (for foreign-going steamers) 36/ 36' 28 6 Best works f uel 25/ 25/ 20/ Best coal for gasworks 25 25/ 20/ Best washed nuts for gas- works 24' 24/ 19/ IRON. The haematite pig iron trade on the West Coast continues to exhibit very great strength. All the plants in the district between Maryport and Carnfcrth are working at high pressure. Production is fairly good, but it cannot possibly be increased until more labour is forthcoming. The shortage of man power at the blastfurnaces and the steel works has become more acute during the last few months. Prospects regarding raw materials are brighter than they have been this year. Prices are easily main- tained at the official maximum, and Bessemer mixed numbers are still quoted at 127s. 6d. per ton f.o.t., with special iron at 140s. per ton and semi-special iron at 135s. 6d. per ton. The stocks of iron in* public storing yards in Cumberland still stand at 430 tons. Billets and plates are in keen demand, but rails are quiet, and at the moment little or no railway material is being dealt with. The iron ore industry in the district between Cleator Moor and Millom is very busy. All the mines are at work. __________________ South-West Lancashire. COAL. The inland household trade continues much as has been previously reported, and it is scarcely possible to meet either factor or merchant who is getting what he considers an adequate supply for the trade on his books. With regard to shipping, the coal heavers" stoppage disorganised the even flow of work. Since the last report they have resumed at Liverpool and Birkenhead, and work is pro- ceeding, but this is subject to the question of overtime being satisfactorily settled at the end of this week. Coal ship- ments having been resumed, there is a good demand for any surplus coal that may be had for shipment outside contracts. There is, however, not much to offer. Current price for best Lancashire screened steam coal 34s. 6d., Controller's terms. In the coastwise and cross-Channel trade the interest still centres upon the shipments to Ireland, acute pressure being put upon the seller on this side of the water by the Irish merchants and the control to ship larger tonnages. In all grades of small fuel for manufacturing purposes and fuel for power use generally there is the same keen demand ; even the stoppage of the spinners made no difference in the strength of the market. Price’ a’ pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— ! Best ______..............I Do. (f.o.b. Garsto i, let) Medium ............... Do. (f.o.b. Garston, nit) Kitchen ............... Com. (f.o.b. Gi.cston, net) Screened forge coal______ Bestsernd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack................ Second try’slack ......... Corn u d >.............. .. Carrent pried-?. 27,6-28 6 29' -30' 25'6-26/6 28'6-29/ 24 6 27/ -28/ 24/6 _* 22'6 21 6 20 6 L’st week’s prices 27/6 -28/6 29/ -30/ 25 6 26/6 28 6-29/ 24'6 27/ -28/ 24/6 __* 22/6 21/6 20/6 Last year’s prices. 21/ -22/ 25/6 19' -20/ 24/6 18/ 23/ upwds 18/ -t 16/ 15/ 14/ * New schedule, t As per official list. _________________ Cumberland. Mary port. COAL. Business in the Cumberland coal industry continues very firm, but the position is not quite so stringent this week. The pits are working regularly, and production is more satisfactory. There is still a shortage for coking and export purposes, but locally the position is very much better and at the moment nearly all important home users are receiving as much as they need. There is, of course, not yet enough t > go round, but of late local supplies have not been quite so scarce, and during the last week or two there has been a steady increase in the tonnage of coking, manufacturing, and shipping fuel from the east coast. Landsale is now very brisk, orders for house coals are coming in freely, and most of the depots are very busy. Engine fuels are steady and gas coal is in brisk request for ________ ________ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a good attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday, but sellers were difficult to find. If anything, supplies of house coal are more restricted in quantity In many cases the works are getting scarcely sufficient supplies for day-to-day requirements of manu- facturing fuel, and stocks are lessening. The demand for shipping coal continues, and supplies are behind the requirements. Prices «t pit (except where otherwise stated). Souse coal:— Best ............... Medium.............. Common ............. Furnace coal__......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack ................. Common slack ........ Current L’st week’s prices. prices. 28 6 28 6 26/ -27/ 26/ -27/ 24/6-25/ i 24/6-25/ 24/ -24'6 i 24/ -24/6 __* ‘ ! __* 22 6 upwds 22 '6upwds |2l/ upwds^21/ upwds * As per official list. Last year’s prices. 22/ -23/ 19/6-21/ 18/ -18/6 17/6-18/ __* 16/ upwds 14 '6 upwds