December 20, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1307 Controller's schedule continues in operation, and there is little probability of any relaxation as long as outputs are restricted and the needs for Allied Governments are so insistent. Inland demands are heavy, and iron and steel companies complain that their stocks of gas coals are insufficient to maintain comfortable working Coke is still urgently needed, both at home and abroad, and new plants are in process of construction at a number of collieries, in order to increase the supplies. Cardiff pricss f.o.b. (except where otherwise stated). ‘1 1 Current ' Allies' fixed . Neutrals’ i minimum Last year s prices. Steam coals:— prices. , prices.. Best Admiralty steam coals 40/ 50/ ' 33/ Superior seconds 38'6 ; 47/6 31/6 Seconds 37/9 46' 30 9 Ordinary ! 37/ 1 45/ 30/ Steam smalls No. 1 j 28/6 28/6 ; 216 Do. 2 ; 28/ : 28/ ■ I 21/ Do. 3 i . 27/6 27/6 20/6 Do. 4 ! 27/ 27/ ! 20/ Do. 5 26/6 26/6 19/6 Do. 6 26/ 26/ 19/ Do. 7 25,6 25/6 18/6 Do. 8 25/ 25/. 18/ Best dry coals 37/ 45/ 30/ Ordinary drys 3 5; 6 42/6 28 6 Best washed nuts 37/ 45/ 30/ Seconds 35/6 42/6 28'6 Best washed peas 34/6 40/ 27/6 Seconds 33/6 38/6 26/6 Monmouthshire— 1 Black Veins 37/ 45/ ! 30/ Western-valleys 36/ 43/6 1 29/ Eastern-valleys 36/ 43/6 i 29/ Inferior do 35/ 42/ ! 28/ Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) 40/ 50/ ! 33/ Second qualities (at pit) 37/9 46/ 30/9 No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 37/9 i 46/ 30,9 Small 33/ ) 38/ 26/ No. 2 Rhondda- 1 Large 34/ j 41/ 27/ Through-and-through 29/ -30/6 ' 33/9-35/6 22/ -23/6 Small ■ 24/ -26/ i 24/ -26' i 17/ -19/ Best patent fuel ' 37' 1 45/ ' ! 30/ Seconds * 37/ 45/ j 30/ Special foundry coke 1 54116 ! 70/ I 47/6 Ordinary do. 54/6 i 70/ 47/6 Furnace coke 54/6 1 70/ 47/6 Pitwood (ex-ship) 65/ 75/ IRON. All departments in the iron and steel trade continue busy, and there is no slackening, either in the demands or in the supplies. All blastfurnaces are working full time, and, as ore deliveries are satisfactory, maximum outputs are being turned out. The tin-plate trade continues firm, and orders are plentiful; but in view of the uncertainty of the present position, makers are not anxious to commit themselves further. Block tin has shown a further slight decline in price, which rules at <£269 10s. to <£270, and standard plates command 32s. 6d. per box, with other sizes in proportion. Labour is still deficient, and there is not likely to be any material increase in production until more men are released from the Army and the munition works into which they have been drafted. Receipts last week were 27,003 boxes, whilst 25,900 boxes were exported, leaving 130,029 boxes in stock in docks warehouses and vans, as compared with 128,926 boxes the previous week and 13,083 boxes at the corresponding date of last year. In the galvanised sheet industry there is not yet any improve- ment, but, with larger ore deliveries, it is anticipated that a good many idle furnaces will be restarted. Spelter is unchanged at £56 to <£52 per ton. Scrap metals are scarce, and the demand is greater than the supply. Maximum quotations are maintained. Llanelly. COAL. The position of the market continues very firm, and there is very little “ free ” coal offering. Collieries are very busy, and as tonnage arrivals continue satisfactory empty wagons are reaching the colliery sidings in satisfactory numbers. Anthracite coals are strong, and buyers find it difficult to get orders accepted for many qualities. Large Prices f.o.b. Current L'st week's Last year’s Anthracite;— prices. prices. prices. Best malting large 37/ 37/ 30/ Seconds 36/ 36/ 29/ Thirds 34'6 34/6 27/6 Red Vein large 32/6 32/6 25/6 Machine-made cobbles... 49/6 49/6 42/6 Seconds 48/ 46/ 1 48/ 41/ Thirds 46/ 39/ Red Vein cobbles 43/ 43/ 36/ Machine-made nuts 49/6 u/ 49/6 42/6 Seconds 48/ 48/ 41/ Thirds 46/ 1 / 46/ 39/ Red Vein nuts 43/ 43/ 36/ Machine - broken beans (best) 42/ 42/ 35/ Seconds 41/ 41/ 34/ Thirds 40/ 40/ 33/ Red Vein beans 38/ 38/ 31/ Peas (all qualities) 27/ 27/ 20/ Rubbly culm 20/ 20/ 13/ Red Vein culm 18/ 18/ 11/ Breaker duff 15/ 15/ - 8/ Billy duff 13/6 13/6 6/6 Steam:— Best large steams 37/ 37/ 30/ Seconds 34/ 34/ 27/ Cargo through 23/6 Seconds - 22/ Bunker through 30/6 30/6 23/6 Smalls 26/ 26/ 19/ Second smalls : 17/ Bituminous:— Bituminous through ... 34/ 34/ 27/ Smalls 31/ 31/ 24/ Gas through 23/6 Gas smalls — — 21/ (Coke-oven) coke | 54/6 54/6 kinds of the higher grades are very scarce, and the lower kinds are also moving very satisfactorily. Cobbles are scarce, and spare lots are very difficult to secure. The same remarks apply to nuts, beans and peas, with outputs well booked ahead. Bubbly culm and duff are disappointing. Steam coals are very active, and the better grades of large are impossible to secure for prompt business. Through coals are also a strong enquiry, and colliery order books are well booked up. Smalls are much firmer than last reported, and stocks much reduced. Inland enquiries are numerous, but long delays in many cases occur before coal is despatched. Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port is gradually increasing, and it is to be hoped it will quickly assume pre-war conditions. Last week the exports were satisfactory, although the patent fuel trade was under the average. The shipments of coal and patent fuel were 97,974 tons. Week-end arrivals of tonnage were well maintained, and the anthracite market continued to exhibit a very firm tone. There was an active demand for all large and machine-made descriptions, but as sellers were well booked ahead, very little new business was transacted. Bubbly culm and duff were still plentiful and easily obtainable The demands for steam coals and bituminous were pressing for both inland purposes and export, and all qualities are tightly held. THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, December 19. No sign of any improvement is to be found on the London coal market. The demand for coal from house- holders and manufacturers and the pressure upon the collieries is abnormally strong. Supplies are terribly short. The number of miners released from the Army has not yet had any apparent effect upon the output, nor is it anticipated that any beneficial effect will take place until after the Christmas holidays. It is only natural that they will apply for a fortnight, and possibly a month’s holiday, before taking up work at the coal face, but by the end of the month no doubt a large number will be ready to take up their old work. This point is looked upon with a good deal of favour on the market generally. Notwithstanding the partial cessation of work at many of the munition factories, the requirements of the authori- ties are exceptionally heavy. The priority of supplies for all gas works and electricity works has placed the London house coal trade in a very awkward position, and a large number of loaded wagons have been commandeered from one and another of the merchants and factors in order to supply a more pressing need at certain stations which are bare of supplies. The seaborne market is very un- settled, and prices have reached the highest figure for the export trade since the war commenced. In the Humber district the stoppage of the exports as and from Monday last has created a sensation. Vessels which had commenced loading were urgently pressing for the com- pletion of their cargoes, and the prohibition of export has brought business to a practical standstill except for home trade. In the Tyne district the heavy demand is beyond all means of supply. The difficulties in securing coal are enormous, and as much as 80s. per ton has been secured for early shipment and 70s. per ton gas coal. The Swedish railways are open to take an extra 5,000 tons, and are reported to have secured the quantity, but the Danish State railways are in the market for 20,000 tons of steam coal for January and February deliveries. It is said that merchants cannot tender owing to the present shortage. For the London district 25 vessels entered the River Thames for Monday’s market, and eight for Wednesday. Nearly all the coal origially intended for shipment is available for home use either for manufacturing or house- hold purposes. All the Metropolitan gas works are ex- tremely short, and this may account for the stoppage of exports from the Humber. Mild weather has helped the house coal market, but merchants are still very eager to obtain a fair quantity before Christmas, and it is felt on all sides that if colder weather should intervene, the posi- tion in the London area would be very critical, particu- larly at East London stations. Factories are unusually busy, and the restricted supply of manufacturing coal is felt very keenly. The attendance on the market has some- what increased lately, and many loaded wagons have changed hands where one merchant has been in more press- ing need than others. Some little confusion has arisen over the concession permitting the substitution of two tons of anthracite coal for one ton of ordinary house coal, and the Controller has written to the trade, pointing out that the concession does not apply to anthracite nuts or beans, which are ordinarily used in closed grates. It applies, however, to cobbles and large coal. Coke cannot be exchanged for anthracite. On Monday last an import- ant meeting took place on the floor of the Exchange to deal with the written instructions from the Controller to close all the wharves and depots in London on Friday and Saturday, December 27 and 28, on account of the shortage of coal. This would entail an absolute stoppage of all deliveries of coal from Christmas Eve to the follow- ing Monday all over London. It was unanimously decided that in view of the hardship this would inevitably cause in all the poorer neighbourhoods, especially if the weather should turn colder, it was of supreme importance to the trade to keep open on those two days, and the whole of the merchants decided to keep open as usual on the Friday and Saturday. Mr. Geo. Warren, chairman of the Coal Merchants’ Society, explained the position, and a deputation from the Merchants’ Society started at once to interview the Controller. From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Company's Report. Friday, December 13.—The arrival of steamers with seaborne coal reported at to-day’s market was good. All the cargoes were on account of contracts. No coal on offer. Arrivals, 12. Monday, December 16. — The number of steamers entered on to-day’s market list was good. Twenty-five cargoes of seaborne manufacturing coal arrived since Friday. No seaborne coal on offer. Arrivals. 25. Wednesday, December 18.—There was no alteration in the seaborne market. Only a few contract cargoes arrived. No seaborne coals fo ’ ; ale. Arrivals, 8. Northern Colliery Officials’ Mutual Aid Association — The association held its 24th quarterly meeting recently in the Church Institute, Newcastle. The general secre- tary reported that four new branches with a member- ship of 120, had been opened. Branches now numbered 53, and the membership was over 1,500. They would close the vear by doubling their membership and adding to. their financial reserves. The branch representatives decided to press the legal and associated rights of their society. SOUTH WALES MINING TIMBER TRADE. During November the total quantity of mining timber imported into South Wales from abroad amounted to 47,403 loads. Of this total Cardiff received 38,885 loads, Newport 3,357 loads, Port Talbot 991 loads and Swansea 4,170 loads. The whole of the supplies was received from the French ports, and it is interesting to note that the South Wales district received practically the whole of the supplies imported into the United Kingdom. The c.i.f. value of the 47,403 loads imported amounted t <£122,372. Spanish and Portuguese Timber. It is stated that merchants have made arrangements for the importation of mining timber from Spain. Supplies have not been received from Spain for about 2| years, owing to the difficulty in procuring tonnage and the necessity for cutting down foreign imports as far as was possible. It is known that Spain has large supplies of fir wood awaiting the sanction of the British authorities to ship the same to this country. A well-known firm of mer- chants at Cardiff is stated to have made arrangements for importing Spanish mining timber, and the wood will be taken over in Spanish vessels. 1 his wood will come under the existing regulation of the Controller of Timber, for it must not be forgotten that the directions for the import and sale of wood included Spanish as well as French pitwood. Imports of French. Timber. During the past week the imports of foreign wood into South Wales were upon a good scale. Quotations were maintained at the maximum level, it being impossible otherwise for recivecs to make a profit. For the week ending December 12, the imports were as follow: — Date. From To Loads. Dec. 9 ... Bayonne .... ..Lysberg Ltd .... 840 „ 9 ... Bayonne .... ..Lysberg Ltd .... 2,400 » 9 ...Bordeaux ... ..Lysberg Ltd .... 1,020 „ 9 ... Bordeaux .... ..Lysberg Ltd .... 720 „ 9 ... Bordeaux .... ..Lysberg Ltd ... 2,040 „ io .. La Rochelle. ..Morgan & Cadogan .. .... 120 „ 10 ... L’Orient .... ..Marcesche & Co 18 „ 12 ... Paimpol .... ..Budd & Co .... 125 „ 12 ... Bordeaux .... ..Vyvyan & Kelly ...... ... 818 „ 12 ... Morlaix .Budd & Co ... ’ 87 „ 12 ... L'Orient ..Morgan & Cadogan ... ... 300 Home-Grown Timber. Owing to the inclement weather prevailing in South Wales, cutting and transportation have been on a slow scale. The greatest difficulty is that of transportation. Wet weather has made hauling on many roads impossible. Furthermore, when the wood is taken to the rails there is considerable delay in procuring wagons, whilst unloading is also slow when the wagons arrive at their destinations. Deliveries of home-grown timber to collieries, therefore, has been considerably handicapped, and little relief is expected for some weeks ahead. Imports of Irish timber were rather poor. Collieries had good stocks in hand, and in no case was there any likelihood of stoppage ensuing for want of supplies. ELECTION OF MINERS’ PRESIDENT. • The executive of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain, meeting at the Imperial Hotel, London, yester- day (Thursday), had the result of the ballot vote which has been taken for the election of the first permanent whole time president and secretary, and declared Mr. Robert Smillie elected president, and Mr. Frank Hodges secretary. There were two candidates for the office of president, and eight for the office of secretary. The figures were:— For President. Robert Smillie, Lanarkshire Miners . 290,786 G. J. Hancock, M.P., Notts Miners... 90,882 Majority............... 199,874 For Secretary. Frank Hodges, South Wales .......... 151,813 J. Robson, Durham ................... 94,239 Majority ................ 57,574 No other figures were mentioned, but it is understood that the position of the other six candidates on the poll was as follows :—(3) Harry Twist; (4) S. Roebuck ; (5) P. Pemberton; (6) J. Baker; (7) A. Spencer; and (8) N. Warne. The total number of votes represented 55 per cent, of the membership. OBITUARY. Lieut-Col. Francis Coulson, who died recently at his residence, Shamrock House, Durham, was born at Seaham Colliery in 1849. His father, the late Mr. Wm. Coulson, was a well-known colliery sinker, who sank many shafts in this country and abroad. He contributed greatly to the development of the Westphalian coal field by shaft-sinking at the Shamrock, Hibernia, Castrop, Hansa and Zollern collieries, and assisted the mineral development of Austria by sinking shafts in that country also. Mr. Frank Coulson served his apprenticeship as a mining engineer with Mr. Bichard Heckles at Wearmouth Colliery, passing as a colliery manager at Darlington. For two years thereafter he was assistant manager at the Erin Colliery in Germany. Afterwards he was engaged on the construction of the Mersey Bailway Tunnel between Liverpool and Birkenhead. He made a special study of the various methods of sin ing and boring in connection with collieries, executed many contracts, and was recognise i as one of the foremost authorities of his day. He was elected as president of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers in August 1916, but only retained the position for a year, retiring because of indifferent health. Mr. Wm. Edgar, Mayor of West Hartlepool, who has died at the age of 48 years, was a member of the firm of Messrs. E. A. Casper, Edgar and Co , shipbrokers and coal exporters, of that town. Mr. C. Wade has been appointed secretary of the London Iron and Steel Exchange Limited. The Board of Trade has notified local authorities to the effect that, owing to the shortage of coal, no immprove- ment in the quality of gas is practicable before June.