236 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. January 31, 1913. Prices f.o.b. Hull (prompt shipment). Current prices. Last week’s prices. 15/9 to 16/ 16/ 15/ to 15/6 15/ to 15/6 14/ to 14/3 14/ 14/6 to 15/ 14/6 to 15/ 13/6 13/6 14/ to 14/6 14/ to 14/6 11/ 11/9 13/6 13/6 to 13/9 11/6 to 11/9 11/9 to 12/ 10/ to 10/6 11/ 14/9 14/9 13/6 13/6 15/9 15/9 15/6 15/6 13/6 13/6 13/ 13/ 15/ 15/ 14/6 14/6 15/6 to 15/9 15/6 to 15/9 15/3 to 15/6 15/3 to 15/6 South Yorkshire:— Best steam hards....... Washed double - screened nuts .................. Unwashed double- screened nuts ......... Wa shed sin gle - screened nuts .................. Unwashed single-screened nuts .................. Washed smalls.......... Unwashed smalls........ West Yorkshire:— Hartleys .............. Rough slack............ Pea slack ............. Best Silkstone screened gas coal............... Best Silkstone unscreened gas coal............... Derbyshire and Notts:— Best steam hards ...... Do. (Grimsby) Derbyshire nuts (doubles) Derbyshire nuts (doubles) (Grimsby).............. Derby shire large nuts ... Do. do. (Grimsby) Nottinghamshire hards ... Do. do. (Grimsby) Chesterfield. COAL. There is this week a slightly better demand for house coal, due to the colder weather. Prices are firm but un- changed. Coal for manufacturing purposes continues in active demand, and values remain at the recent high levels. Supplies are still restricted, and in many instances consumers are put to much inconvenience from this cause. The requirements of the large steel establishments of Sheffield are very heavy, particularly for such kinds as are suitable for gas-producers. Prices are very firm. Slack for boiler firing is in as great demand as ever, and the supply is still below the needs of the market. Large quantities continue to be drawn from this district for the Lancashire cotton mills. Prices remain very firm. Steam coal for locomotive use is in brisk request, and very heavy deliveries go forward to the various railway distributing depots. The export trade is exceptionally good for the time of year, and there is a strong demand for steam coal. To-day’s price for the best brands of Derbyshire top hards is 15s. to 15s. 3d. per ton delivered free alongside steamer at Grimsby. There is a good prospect of very active business over the shipping season. A satisfactory demand is experienced for cobbles and nuts for near Continental ports at firm rates. There is an active enquiry for washed nuts and washed fuel for current delivery, and also for forward delivery. Prices of these qualities are very firm. The difficulty is in obtaining sufficient supplies. There are no signs of any slackening of the demand for coke; on the contrary, this fuel appears to be stronger than ever, the requirements for blast furnaces and for steel-smelting being extremely heavy. Coking fuel continues scarce and dear. Prices at pit. Current Last week’s prices. prices. Best house coals 14/6 14/6 Secondary do 12/6 12/6 Cobbles 12/ 12/ Nuts 11/ 12/ Slack 9/ 9/ IRON. An active market, with a good enquiry for pig iron and manufactured bars for forward delivery. Prices are firm, with a tendency to advance further. The whole of the works of the district are very busy, and orders on hand are sufficient to ensure full employment for several months to come. Nottingham. COAL The coal trade in this county has displayed a satisfactory amount of activity in the past week, though the general demand does not appear to have been quite up to that of the previous week. The milder turn in the weather has caused a slightly easier tone in the branch for household fuel, which has been felt mostly in regard to sales at landsale depots, and local merchants are not being so keenly pressed for deliveries. With the position becoming easier, the supply is on the increase, but prices are, as a rule, holding firm, though it is stated that a few cheap lots are obtainable at lower rates. Most of the collieries are making practically full time, the owners being desirous of keeping up stocks in readiness for another spell of severe weather. There has been little change in the steam coal branch from a week ago, the demand in the home market being well maintained, though shipments are perhaps a trifle lower. A feature of this branch is still the active request for smaller qualities for industrial purposes. Orders have come to hand freely for various kinds of slacks, which continue to make good prices. Gas coal is in a favourable position. Prices at pithead. Current Last week’s prices. prices. Hand-picked bnghts 12/ to 14/ 12/6 to 14/ Good house coals 12/ to 13/ 12/ to 13/ Secondary do 10/6 to 11/6 10/6 to 12/ Best hard coals 12/ to 12/3 12/ to 12/6 Secondary do 10/6 to 11/6 10/6 to 11/6 Slacks (best hards) 8/6 to 9/ 8/6 to 9/ Do. (seconds) 7/9 to 8/3 7/9 to 8/3 Do. (soft) 7/6 to 8/ — Leicestershire. COAL. There is a good steady flow of business now as for some time past, and employment is full at most of the collieries. The very considerable output is well delivered, and there is but a small accumulation of stock at the collieries. The demand is good for practically all coals. The enquiry for household coal is quite up to that which has been experienced in the past few weeks, and there appears every probability of this continuing for some time. The best qualities have been more in request, and the better enquiry experienced for the middle qualities, and for small house- hold coals there has been some improvement. The market for steam coals continues quite brisk, all sorts being wanted. For special nut slacks there is rather an urgent enquiry, and the usual sorts of slack are wanted. The local mer- chants are generally quite busy with cheerful prospects. The market continues very firm, and there is a tendency upwards for some sorts. But on the whole the quotations are those which have ruled for some time past, and business is only transacted on that basis. Business prospects at the present point to a quite satisfactory season. South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Hednesford. COAL There has been very little change during the week in the general position of the coal trade so far as the Cannock Chase district is concerned, prices being fairly well main, tained and not very much coal being in stock. Most of the collieries in the district are kept busy, full time being the rule. There is no falling off in the enquiry for coal for manufacturing purposes, and slack is in good request. The house coal trade continues fairly satisfactory, but there is no difficulty in meeting the demand for the best qualities. A good business is being done at the landsale depots. Birmingham COAL. Smalls and slacks, without being quotably dearer, are very firm, and can scarcely be obtained at any price, so great is the demand over the available supply. Household fuel is in a shade better request, but there is no pressure. Prices:— Current ! Last week’s Staffordshire (including prices. l prices. Cannock Chase) :— House coal, best deep 18/ 18/ Do. seconds deep 16/6 ; 16/6 Do. best shallow 14/6 14/6 Do. seconds do. 13/ 1 13/ Best hard 14/ ' 14/ Forge coa] 11/ 11/ Slack 8/ i ! 8/ Warwickshire:— 1 House coa], best Ryder ... 17/6 ! 17/6 Do. hand - pickea cobs 13/9 I 13/9 Best hard spires 14/6 14/6 Forge (steam) 10/ 10/ D.S. nuts (steam) 8/9 8/9 Small (do.) 7/9 7/9 IRON. The tone of the market was quite satisfactory, although there was less actual buying. This fact, however, does not indicate any trade decline, as consumers have already covered their wants for the immediate future, and do not feel called on to enter into fresh bargains. Producers, on the other hand, are not pressing unduly for fresh business, so that the trade of the district is for the time being pursuing a steady, if uneventful, course. Pig iron makers are holding firmly to late quotations, and they are the more able to do this from the fact that in most cases they have sold all the iron they can turn out till about June. The idea is gaining ground, however, that prices are not likely to go higher. The consistent condition of the bar trade is reflected in the Wages Board returns for November and December. The output of the seventeen selected firms is 27,999 tons, practically the same as in the preceding two months. The output of all classes of material reaches 40,146 tons, a drop on the two months of 4,362 tons, con. fined almost- entirely to hoops, strip, and miscellaneous. The selling price has jumped from £7 17s. 7d. in September and October to £8 Is. Id., but the difference does not carry an advance in puddlers’ wages, which until April will remain at 10s. 9d. a ton, including the bonus. The average price for merchant bars is £8 12s. 6d. a ton delivered Birming- ham, and there is plenty of work to keep the mills in full operation. Common iron for nuts and bolts is fetching £8 2s. 6d. to £8 5s. Darlaston. There has recently been some talk of underselling in gas strip, but the Association main- tains its price at £8 10s. per ton for lots of 25 tons and upwards. Small rounds, squares and flats are selling at <£8 12s. 6d. to £8 15s. per ton delivered in the district. Continental competition is not keen, and Belgian prices have recently been advanced about 2s. a ton. Galvanised sheet prices do not improve. The official basis is £12 5s. to £12 10s. a ton f.o.b. Liverpool, but good customers can obtain a concession of about 2s. 6d. without much trouble. India and the colonies are good customers, but the war in the Near East has upset Continental trade. No change falls to be recorded in steel sections, a depart- ment which is particularly busy. Bars and billets remain at £6 2s. 6d. to £6 5s.; Continental material may be 2s. 6d. less, but punctual deliveries cannot be obtained. Forest of Doan. Lydney. GOAL. There is no appreciable change to report in the position of the house coal trade here since last writing. The demand is still a moderate one for the time of the year, and the collieries are only engaged about five days in the week stocks are fairly heavy, but will probably be cleared during the next few days, as a number of overdue vessels are arriving by every tide. Orders for the railborne trade are coming in steadily. There continues a very heavy enquiry for the steam coals of the district, the available supply being much below the wants of customers. One of the largest collieries has had serious trouble with the water _ and for the next month or two only about a third of the usual output will be raised. Prices are hardening. Prices at pithead. Current Last week’s House coals;— prices. prices. Block 16/6 16/6 Forest 15/6 15/6 Rubble 15/9 15/9 Nuts 14/ 14/ Rough slack Steam coal:— | 8/ 8/ Large ' 13/ 12/6 to 13/ Small | 9/ to 10/ 8/ to 9/ Prices Is. 9d. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday. January 30. North Wales. Wrexham. GOAL. With regard to the state of the coal trade in genera], all the collieries in this district are working good time, and . appear to have a good market for their output, as there is no accumulation of stocks. There is not an abnormal demand for coal for household purposes, but the sale is steady in this department and the prices have not fallen since the last quotation. The market for steam coal remains practi- cally unaltered. The railway companies are taking large quantities on account of their locomotive contracts, and the average contract quantity is being supplied on account of gas coal contracts. Enquiries for prices for gas coal contracts will soon be coming out, in fact, there are one or two enquiries on the market already. One thing is certain, and that is, having regard to the recent further concession of 5 per cent, to the men, prices will have to be higher than for last year’s contracts, but what the general advance will ' be has not yet been settled. There is no lack of orders for manufacturing purposes and for shipment. Nuts are as scarce as ever in the open market, and slack has a ready sale, at varying prices according to quality. Apart from contracts the following represent the average selling prices - at the time of writing :— Prices at pit f.o.r. :— Bast house coal ....... Secondary do........... Steam coal ...... ..... Gas coal .............. Bunkers................ Nuts .................. Slack.................. Gas coke (at works) ... Prices landsale:— Best house coal ....... Seconds................ Slack ................. Current prices. 15/6 to 17/6 14/6 to 16/ 12/6 to 13/6 12/ to 13/6 12/ to 13/6 11/ to 12/ 6/6 to 9/6 16/8 to 18/4 18/4 to 20/ 17/6 to 18/4 10/ to 11/8 Last week’s prices. 15/6 to 17/6 14/6 to 16/ 12/ to 13/6 12/ to 13/6 ll/6to 13/ 11/ to 12/ 7/ to 9/6 16/8 to 18/4 18/4 to 20/ 17/6 to 18/4 10/ to 12/6 Monmouthshire, South Wales, 4c. Newport. GOAL. Colliery salesmen continue to be in a favourable position,, stems for next month being now reported rapidly closing^ for most qualities of large. Tonnage supplies have been satisfactory and exports large, values lately ruling being fully maintained in general, the only exception being, perhaps, a shipper in need of a prompt steamer, when a buyer in position could arrange for a concession upon prices given. Smalls have been again in demand and the firmness of their values pronounced, but only small lots have been available at the enhanced prices. Patent fuel and coke have also become better values in sympathy. House coals maintain a steady trade around 18s. 9d. for best qualities, while pitwood inclines to be easier in seme quarters. In the freight market outward chartering has dwindled away on a scarcity of tonnage and owners of handy boats are asking rather higher figures, both for the Plate and for Italian ports.