392 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. February 21, 1913. strike of lightermen at that port, and some uneasiness has been felt lest the strike of casual dock labourers employed by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company at Goole should extend. So far, however, the coal trimmers are unaffected. The chief interest just now is in the freight market. Further tonnage has been taken up for the Baltic ports at 6s. over the season. O wners with available tonnage are, however, asking more, and as high as 6s. 6d. has been mentioned. Exporters, however, are anticipating a good supply over the season in view of the fact that the wood imports are likely to be on an unusually heavy scale. Most •of this tonnage from the Baltic and White Seas take coal as a return cargo. Rates have been somewhat easier during the week, the following fixtures from Hull having been recorded:—Reval, 2,500 tons, 7s. 3d. prompt; Kallund- borg, 1,250 tons, 6s.; Bandholm, 1,600 tons, 6s.; Genoa, .2,400 tons, 10s. 9d.; ditto, 4,400 tons, 10s. 9d. March; Buenos Ayres, 6,000 tons, 16s.; Boulogne, 750 tons from Goole, 5s. 9d.; London, 1,200 tons from Grimsby, 3s. lO^d. Chesterfield. COAL. A little better demand for house coal is experienced this week—due, no doubt, to the colder weather, coupled with the fact that stocks in dealers’ hands have been recently reduced pretty considerably. Orders have been coming to hand more freely during the last few days than they have done for several weeks past. A good spell of cold weather just now would be a great help to the pits, whose business is almost wholly confined to the production of house coal. There is not the slightest falling-off in the demand for fuel for manufacturing purposes. The active condition of the steel trade of Sheffield and district is reflected in the strong demand for those classes of coal—principally cobbles and nuts—that are suitable for gas-producers. Prices of these qualities are very firm. Slack for steam-raising purposes is in brisk request and much difficulty is experienced in meeting the wants of consumers. The requirements of slack for the Lancashire cotton mills are particularly heavy and are likely to be so during the whole of the year. Prices of slack are unchanged but very firm. There are practically no available stocks at the collieries. The demand for steam -coal for locomotive use is as active as ever and heavy deliveries continue to go forward daily to the various •depots. There is no change in the condition of the export trade, which continues in the quiet state which is peculiar to the month of February. There is, however, every prospect of a satisfactory business with the opening of the shipping season at the beginning of April. For occasional spot lots of coal for prompt shipment, prices are a shade easier, but the majority of collieries are so heavily sold under contract that they can afford to be indifferent to the vagaries of the market. There is a very good demand for cobbles for ship- ment to the near Continental ports, and heavy deliveries of this quality are going forward. Nuts are also finding a ready sale. The demand for washed slack is somewhat less active; nevertheless, a satisfactory business is still passing in this fuel, which will almost certainly increase with the opening of the shipping season. At the moment prices are fully 6d. per ton lower than they were a month ago. The demand for coke continues strong for all qualities without any weakening of prices. Coking fuel is in great request. 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/ 11/ Stack i. 9/ 9/ IRON. The condition of the iron trade is in every way satisfactory. Everybody is in possession of well filled order books and prospects are promising. Nottingham. COAL The general tone of the trade in Nottinghamshire may be described as moderately active, though the foggy weather of the past week interfered considerably with the transit and delivery of fuel. Fortunately the atmospheric condi- tions improved at the commencement of this week, and the cold snap should prove helpful to all branches of the trade. “There has been a rather quiet business in the domestic fuel section, but an improvement set in this week and promises to last a little while. Although better-class fuel has been moving slowly, common qualities are selling well, as also are large nuts, but values in some sorts are displaying an easier tendency. Merchants in the southern and eastern -counties are ordering sparingly. There is, however, a fair •demand at the local landsale depots. During the past few -days activity in the steam coal branch has not been quite so marked, the falling-off in exports having mainly Prices at pithead. Hand-picked brights ...... Good house coals.......... Secondary do.............. Best bard coals .......... Secondary do.............. Slacks (best hards)....... Do. (seconds).......... Do. (soft)............. Current prices. 11/6 to 13/ 11/6 to 12/6 10/6 to 12/ 11/6 to 12/ 10/ toll/ 8/6 to 9/ 7/6 to 8/ 7/6 to 8/6 Last week’s prices. 11/6 to 13/6 12/ to 13/ 10/6 toll/ 11/9 to 12/3 10/6 to 11/3 8/6 to 9/ 7/6 to 8/6 accounted for this, but the position on the whole is satis- factory, and with the opening of the shipping season is certain to improve. Gas coal is in good request with prices firm, while in regard to slacks the position is satisfactory despite a temporary decline in the demand, and, generally speaking, quotations show little change. Leicestershire. GOAL. As a whole, the business done in this district in the past week has been more satisfactory than for a week or two. The demand for household coal of the best qualities bas been fuller, and at tbe same time a good business has been done in the middle qualities. Also, there is not much cause to complain of the enquiry for household small coals. Steam coals of all descriptions continue in very good request, especially is there a good enquiry for special nut slacks, and tbe usual sorts of slacks are wanted. The very good demand has resulted in the collieries working more time. The output has been generally delivered, and also what stock there was on hand has been largely cleared. The trade prospects are quite satisfactory and the present weather is helpful. Local merchants are very well off for business as a rule. Tbe quotations continue quite firm, and though there is no rising tendency, full rates are only accepted for orders offered. The sanitary ware and pipe works are generally very busy. South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Hednesford. COAL. The condition of the coal trade of the Cannock Chase district shows very little change this week. On the whole, a satisfactory business is being done, and many of the collieries are still busy and working full time. There is no alteration in quotations. There has been no further falling off in the house coal trade, and the colder weather experienced this week will probably give the demand for this class of coal a bit of a fillip. The enquiry for coal for manufacturing purposes continues satisfactory, and for slacks there is a very brisk demand. Business is slightly better at the landsalegdepots. Birmingham. COAL. A more active demand for household coal has been experienced during the week, but there has been no difficulty in meeting it out of stocks. The enquiry for all kinds of manufacturing fuel is maintained, and no relief is apparent in the matter of smalls and slacks, which are most difficult to obtain. Prices are unaltered on the week. Prices at pit. Current Last week’s Staffordshire (including prices. 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/ 13/ Best hard 14/ 14/ Forge coal 11/ - 11/ Stack 8/6 8/6 Warwickshire:— House coal, best Ryder ... 17/6 17/6 Do. hand - picked cobs 13/9 13/9 Best hard spires 14/6 14/6 Forge (steam) 10/ 10/ D.S. nuts (steam) 9/3 9/3 Small (do.) 8/3 8/3 IRON. The decline in new business, which is caused principally by the continuance of hostilities in the Balkans, was made further manifest at the weekly meeting of the South Staffordshire iron trade on Thursday. For several weeks past buying has been on a gradually descending scale, and except for casual requirements it remains for the moment in a state of suspense. Customers, cf course, have contracts running which cover their requirements for some time to come, and there is no scarcity of work, but the paucity of new business has tended to weaken prices, though there are those who hold that after the declaration of peace activity will be resumed, and prices will again firm up. Meanwhile, galvanised sheets are more affected than any other department A month or six weeks ago the recognised minimum was £12 10*. a ton ; to-day, it is £12 for sheets of 24-gauge, delivered f.o.b. Liverpool, and merchants, who are unable or unwilling to wait the course of events, are taking 2*. 6d. or 5a. a ton less for orders of any size. Makers have experienced a slight relief by the easing of largets and billets, which this week are quoted at £5 17s. 6d. to £6 a ton for Bessemer, with the usual 2s. 6d. extra for Siemens qualities. Spelter, too, at £26 a ton is £1 less than a month ago; but even taking these reductions into account, the present prices of sheets barely cover the cost of production. This department is expected more than any other to benefit from the cessation of hostilities in tbe Balkans. Standard bar iron is in good demand at £10 a ton, and good second-class iron remains at £8 10s. to £8 12s. 6d. delivered with a fair amount of business doing. Common iron is ahou* 2s. 6d. down on the week, being quoted £7 17s. 6d. to £8 delivered Darlaston and Wednesbury. This is in competi- tion with Continental iron at about £7 a ton net c*sh, and the tatter is said to be more in evidence. Black sheets for galvanising are .£8 10s. a ton for ordinary sizes of 24-gauge delivered in the district, with 10s. extra for 26-gauge No change is recorded in gas strip. Steel hoops are not quite so much in request; tbe lighter gauges command £8 12s. 6d. a ton at works, and good orders for stronger gauges have been placed at £8 2s. 6d. to £8 5s. a ton. Raw material continues the strongest feature, but even here producers of pigs are finding, if they want to sell, that they must make concessions of 6d. and Is. a ton. Makers of steel angles, channels, joists and tees are working full time, but new business is scarce. Copper sheets have dropped £2 to £81. Lydney. Forest of Doan. COAL. For the time of the year the demand for the house coals of this district is not of a very satisfactory character, and this week the pits are only averaging four to five days’ work. A spell of real wintry weather is badly needed to give a little stimulus to the trade. Steam coals, on the other hand, are still in heavy request, and the collieries, with outputs reduced owing to so much wet, are experiencing considerable difficulty in coping with the extraordinary enquiry. Smalls especially are eagerly bought up. 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:— 9/ 9/ Large 13/ to 13/6 13/ to 13/6 Small ■ 10/ 10/ Prices Is. 9d. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast Plymouth. GOAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report a good average demand for house, steam, and gas coal at the South Coast ports. The colder weather has caused a general depletion in stocks of coal, and consequently there has been a good run on contract coals, and steamer cargoes are being freely imported at the various ports. Household qualities are quoted firm at last prices at the colliery centres, but freights are more in buyers’ favour, and a 980 ton collier has been chartered from Bly th to Plymouth at 5*. 7|d., which is a lower rate than has been reached during the last six months. Gas coke is now obtainable at a more reasonable price, but local stocks of fuel are by no means heavy. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, February 20. North Wales. Wrexham. GOAL. There has been a good demand for household coal during the past week owing to the cold snap of weather which has returned, and good prices are being maintained at figures practically the same as last week’s quotations. The railway companies, as usual, are taking good quantities of steam coal, and, in fact, in common with the gas companies, in view of the rumours of the possibility of a stoppage owing to the labour agitation, these firms have been pressing for deliveries in larger quantities than usual. There are no further large contracts at present on the market, but many are jikely to fall due for quotation during the next few weeks. The shipping of burkers at Liverpool, Birkenhead, and Ellesmere Port has been fairly brisk, and coal for this class of trade, which is usually the lowest price, has been f-atisfactory. Nuts, as usual, are scarce. Slack is in good demand, and the prices for this commodity vary, in propor- tion to the quality of the stack. Gas coke for bakers and schools finds a ready sale at unaltered prices, Current prices are as follow .-— Current Last week’s Prices at pit f.o.r. :— prices. prices. B -st house coal 15/ to 16/6 15/ to 17/ Secondary do 13/6 to 15/6 14/ to 16/ Steam coal 12/ to 13/6 12/6 to 13/6 Gas coal 12/9 to 13/6 12/6 to 13/6 Bunkers 12/ to 13/ 12/ to 13/ Nuts 11/ to 12/6 11/ to 12/ Stack 6/8 to 9/2 6/6 to 9/ Gas coke (at works) Prices landsale:— 16/8 to 18/ 16/8 to 18/ Best house coal 18/4 to 20/ 18/4 to 20/ Seconds 16/8 to 17/6 16/8 to 18/4 Stack 10/ to 12/6 10/ to 12/6 Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. GOAL Shipments at the docks are now proceeding at a great pace, tonnage and coal both being in plentiful supply. Colliery owners generally are now exhibiting a stronger tone, although there is little change to note in quoted figures, still the undertone of the market is distinctly Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days, less 2| per cent. Steam coals:— Best Black Vein targe ... Western-valleys, ordinary Best Eastern-valleys Secondary do. Best small coals Secondary do Inferior do Screenings Through coals Best washed nuts Other sorts:— Best house coal Secondary do Patent fuel Furnace coke Foundry coke Current prices. 17/ to 17/6 16/6 to 16/9 16/ to 16/3 15/9 to 16/ 14/ to 14/3 13/ to 13/3 12/ to 12/6 14/3 to 14/6 14/9 to 15/ 14/ to 14/6 18/6 to 19/ 17/6 to 18/6 22/ to 23/ 25/ to 27/ 29/ to 32/ Last week’s prices. 17/ to 17/6 16/3 to 16/9 16/ to 16/3 15/6 to 16/ 14/ to 14/3 12/9 to 13/ 12/ to 12/6 14/3 14/6 to 14/9 14/ to 14/3 18/6 to 19/ 17/ to 18/ 22/ to 23/ 25/ to 27/ 29/ to 30/