January 10, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 79 Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current Last week’s House coal:— prices. prices. Best ... 16/3 16/3 Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 16/6 16/6 to 16/9 Medium 14/6 14/6 Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 15/ 15/ to 15/3 Kitchen 12/3 12/3 Common (f.o.b. Garston, net) 13/6 to 13/9 13/ to 13/6 Screened forge coal Best screened steam coal 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 to 13/ (f.o.b.) 14/6 15/ Best slack 10/3 10/3 Secondary slack 9/6 9/6 Common do 9/ 9/ South Lancashire and Cheshire. GOAL. There was a fair attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. The market for house coal is very slack, but the prices keep firm enough, and the fact that colliers* and colliery employees* wages are going up 5 per cent, next week will naturally not lessen this firmness. Furnace coal is steady, and business in shipping coal is brisk. Slack is very strong. Prices are as below:— Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current Last week’s House coal:— prices. prices. Best 16/6 to 17/ 16/6 to 17/ Medium 15/3 to 16/ 15/3 to 16/ Common 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 to 13/ Furnace coal 12/6 12/6 Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) 14/ 14/ Best slack 9/6 to 10/ 9/6 to 10/ Common slack 8/6 to 9/ 8/6 to 9/ IRON. The pig iron market continues brisk and prices are firm* All the forges are exceptionally busy and deliveries from them are hard to obtain. Prices ruling at £8 15s. for Crown iron, second quality .£8 5s., hoops .£8 12s. 6d., sheets .£9 7s. 6d. Steelworks are also fully occupied with bars at J>8 10s. less 2| per cent., and billets 12s. 6d. net, and all report full order books. Wagon builders and textile machinery makers full of work. Heavy engineers and foundries fairly well employed. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leede. COAL. The Hotel Metropole was very busy last Tuesday after- noon at the weekly market. All sections of the trade were represented. A good many merchants and factors were present. Business all round was fairly good, but con- cerned chiefly steam-raising sorts and gas coal. Coking slacks were in strong request, and some high prices were paid. House Coal.—The pits have averaged five days’ work this week, and stocks have not been increased. The mildness of the weather continues to check the demand, and siding stocks at the pits are still considerable. London merchants are taking very limited supplies, and these mostly ex- contracts. Best qualities have received rather more attention during the past few days. Factors’ stocks at Peterborough, Willesden, Whitemoor, and other re-labelling points are said to be below the average. Pit prices remain officially unchanged. Coastwise, the demand is chiefly on the lower priced coal. Small coasting boats are less difficult to secure, and freights are weaker. Business with river- side merchants shows a slight improvement since last week. In the West Riding, merchants report a quiet state of things at the depots. The mild weather checks consump- tion, and the turnover is very disappointing. Pit prices are firmly maintained by the collieries, and average about as follow:—Haigh Moor selected, 18s. to 19s. ; Wallsend and London best, 17s. to 18s.; Silkstone best, 16s. to 17s.; Silkstone house, 15s. to 15s. 6d.; ordinary house coal, 14s. to 15s.; secondary sorts, 13s. to 14s. Prices at pit (London) : Haigh Moor selected ... Wallsend & London best Silkstone best Do. house House nuts Prices f.o.b. Hull : Haigh Moor best Silk stone best Do. house Other qualities Prices at pit: Screened gas coal Gas nuts Unscreened gas coal ... Prices at pit : Washed nuts Large double-screened engine nuts Small nuts Rough unscreened engine coal Best rough slacks Small do. Coking smalls Price at ovens: Furnace coke Current prices. 14/ to 14/6 ! 13/ to 13/6 13/ to 13/6 12/ to 12/6 11/3 to 11/9 16/6 to 17/3 15/9 to 16/3 14/6 to 15/ 13/ to 14/ 12/6 to 13/6 11/6 to 12/6 11/ to 11/6 12/ to 12/6 11/ to 11/9 10/6 to 11/6 11/ to 11/6 9/6 to 10/ 8/6 to 9/ 8/3 to 8/6 21/ to 22/ Last weeks’ prices. 14/ to 14/6 13/ to 13/6 13/ to 13/6 12/ to 12/6 11/3 to 11/9 16/6 to 17/3 15/9 to 16/6 14/9 to 15/3 13/ to 14/ 12/6 to 13/6 11/6 to 12/6 11/ to 11/6 11/6 to 12/6 10/9 to 11/9 10/6 to 11/6 11/ to 11/6 9/3 to 10/ 8/3 to 8/9 8/ to 8/6 21/ to 22/ Gas Coal.—The output is readily taken up, the demand on contract account being very full. For the inland trade prices are exceptionally firm. Continental buyers are in the market, and are fixing up contracts over the year in fair numbers. Prompt business realises the following f.o.b. Hull prices:—Screened gas coal, 14s. 9d. to 15s. 6d.; gas nuts, 13s. 6d. to 14s. 6d.; unscreened gas coal, 13s. 9d. to 14=. 3d. Manufacturing Fuel.—The scarcity of slacks, nuts, and coking smalls is very marked. Fancy prices can be obtained where prompt delivery can be guaranteed. Washed nuts are at a premium, as the demand for shipment is stronger. Coking smalls are almost unprocurable. Furnace Coke.—For three or six months* contracts, up to 21s. per ton at the ovens has been paid this week, but buyers generally decline longer term contracts at these figures. There are more enquiries this week from the Middlesbrough district, and the demand from Frodingham and the Leeds district is even keener than last week. Barnsleyt COAL. Except with regard to house coal, buyers were busily enquiring for supplies at the usual market on Wednesday, but generally the scarcity of fuel is still experienced. However, where prompt supplies can be given abnormal prices again prevail. The shortage of the output in con- sequence of the recent holidays was again very pronounced, although a slight lull in regard to the export trade had the effect of easing the demand for large steam coal. Though there was an indication of values being slightly reduced for the moment, on the whole coalowners are prepared to hold in stocks, in view of the very active enquiry which has been made. As an indication of the run of values, it was stated that something like 12s. 9d. per ton has been paid for 30,000 tons of best hards for shipment during the present month from Hull on account of the Italian State railways. Other enquiries, including that on behalf of the Russian State Railways, were in circulation, and under these circumstances coalowners were inclined to hold their hands in regard to forward business, and it is questionable whether shippers will now be able to fix up supplies for the season at 12s. per ton, which was quoted about a week ago. The market was also influenced in a considerable degree owing to the extra buying by railway companies and other home consumers to supplement the deliveries arranged for under contract, and these buyers were met with a demand equivalent to 12s. 6d. per ton for the best quality of large steams. For current business 12s. 6d. per ton was named for the best large fuel, and owing to the abnormal consumption secondary descrip- tions were making something like 12s. per ton. The position in regard to small manufacturing fuel continues to be much the same, and buyers still find the market with little fuel to offer. Any surplus lots readily sold at considerably higher than recently quoted. The position is somewhat similar in regard to gas coal. Enquiries have been received by collieries for an unusual large amount of supplementary supplies, with the result that there is con- siderable difficulty in meeting these demands. The output is reported to be still somewhat below the average, and under these circumstances contract supplies could hardly be maintained, and any special lots available are easily making about 2s. per ton above the prices under contract. Slacks were again in very good request, particularly on account of cokemaking, and so scarce is fuel that some collieries have had to resort to the crushing of large and better class fuel in order to keep their own ovens alight. The demand for house coal is still of a very ordinary character although there was a little stronger enquiry for all classes of best coal, but otherwise there is very little change in the position. The extraordinary demand for coke is still maintained, and the supplies continue still to be inadequate, and much advanced prices are being paid in order to procure supplies to supplement the contract deliveries in order to keep the blast furnaces at work. Generally, business of an ordinary character was done at about the prices of last week. Current prices are as follow:— Prices at pit. Current Last week’s House coals:— prices. prices. Best Silkstone 15/ 14/6 to 15/ Best Barnsley softs 14/ to 14/6 14/ to 14/6 Secondary do 11/6 to 13/ 11/6 to 13/ Best house nuts 11/6 to 12/6 11/6 to 12/6 Secondary do Steam coals:— 13/6 to 11/6 10/6 to 11/6 Best hard coals 12/6 12/6 Secondary do 11/9 to 12/ 11/6 Best washed nuts 12/6 12/6 Secondary do. 11/6 11/6 Best slack 9/6 9/6 Rough do Gas coals:— 8/3 8/3 Screened gas coals 12/6 to 13/ 10/6 to 11/6 Gas nuts 12/ to 12/6 10/ to 10/6 Furnace coke 21/ to 22/ 21/ Hull. COAL. The coal trade at Hull has now resumed more normal conditions. The collieries being in full working order, coal is coming along freely, and the shipments at the docks are on a large scale, and certainly much larger than is usual at this off-season period of the year. Of course, the greater part is going (forward under contract, the recent purchases of the Prussian State Railways being a welcome addition to the ordinary run of Continental business. Very little free coal, however, is available, and this is restricting somewhat prompt business, and this, coupled with an active demand for both export and home consumption, is keeping prices at a high level. Holders of handy lots are able to command fully 16s. f.o.b. for best Yorkshire steams for prompt shipment, and 15s. 6d. to 16s. is asked for delivery within the month—the latter figure, or thereabouts, it is reported, having been paid for 30,000 tons required by the Italian State Railways for shipment within the next few weeks. All kinds are correspondingly dear, the marked feature still being the strength of nuts and small. Looking round generally, the market seems very firm, and likely to maintain its advanced prices gained on account of the holiday season. The outlook, for the first part of the year at any rate, is exceedingly good, and, with the prospect of lower freights ruling, an increased export trade is fully expected. O wing to the difficulty in arranging steamers, the freight market has been somewhat quiet. Baltic rates are on the basis of 6s. 6d. Riga, ditto Reval, at which there is a good demand for tonnage. Mediterranean rates have firmed up on the week and are now on the basis of Ils. Genoa. This week’s steam fixtures include:—Reval, 2.700 tons, 6s. 6d.; Rotterdam, 2,500 tons, ,3s. 3d.; Ham- burg, 1,600 tons, 4s.; Genoa, 4,300 tons, Ils.; Ancona, 4.700 tons, 12s.; Oporto, 1,400 tons, 10s. Coastwise rates are easier on the basis of London 3s. The following are the approximate prices for prompt shipment f.o.b. Hull Prices f.o.b. Hull (prompt shipment). South Yorkshire:— Current prices. Last week’s prices. Best steam hards Washed double - screened 16/ 15/9 to 16/ nuts Unwashed double- 15/ to 15/3 15/ screened nuts Washed single - screened 13/9 to 14/ 13/6 to 14/ nuts Unwashed single-screened 14/6 to 14/9 13/9 to 14/6 nuts 13/9 13/6 Washed smalls 14/ 14/ to 14/6 Unwashed smalls West Yorkshire:— 12/6 11/6 to 12/ Hartleys 13/6 to 13/9 13/6 to 13/9 Rough slack ,12/ , 11/6 to 11/9 Pea slack Best Silkstone screened 10/6 to 10/9 10/ gas coal Best Silkstone unscreened 14/6 14/9 gas coal Derbyshire and Notts:— 13/6 13/ to 13/3 Best steam hards 15/6 to 16/ 15/6 to 16/ Do. (Grimsby) 15/6 15/6 Derbyshire nuts (doubles) Derbyshire nuts (doubles) 14/ 13/ (Grimsby) 13/9 12/9 Derbyshire large nuts ... 14/ 14/6 Do. do. (Grimsby) 13/9 14/ Nottinghamshire hards ... 15/6 to 15/9 15/6 to 15/9 Do. do. (Grimsby) 15/ to 15/3 15/ to 15/3 The past year has been a record in the Humber coal trade. The arrivals at Hull from the collieries constituted a fresh record, and for all the Humber ports it is estimated the total exceeds 14,000,000 tons. Of this the exports to foreign destinations were 6,750,000 tons, coastwise shipments 2,331.330 tons, and the coke exports 84,600 tons. Chesterfield. COAL. No improvement in the demand for house coal can be recorded this week. The mildness of the weather is seriously affecting this branch of the trade. Prices, how- ever, are firmly held in the hope that there will shortly be a welcome change in climatic conditions. Stocks are not accumulating much in colliery sidings up to the present. An active state of things prevails in the market for fuel for manufacturing purposes where the demand is far in excess of the supply. The works in Sheffield and district are again in full operation, and their requirements continue on an extensive scale. Cobbles and nuts suitable for gas producers are in brisk request, and consumers find it impos- sible to obtain all they need. Colliery order books are simply filled up with orders for these qualities, and colliery owners decline to add to their existing commitments. The position with regard to slack for boiler firing is very similar to the foregoing—a heavy demand and a totally inadequate supply. Steam coal for locomotive use is in strong demand, and railway companies experience much difficulty in securing full supplies. This is the position in the first month of the year when usually steam coal is fairly plentiful owing to the restricted export business pending the opening of the shipping season. This year, however, an exceptionally good business is being done with near Continental ports in steam coal, which accounts for the shortage in these opening weeks of the year. The price of steam coal is still hardening, and colliery owners will not now sell under 12s. per ton at the pit. With the opening of the Baltic season it is expected that a more active con- dition of things will prevail than has been experienced for many years, and that prices will make a further substantial advance. A strong demand exists for nuts and slack for