February 21, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 393 firmer, while for all March business higher prices are being asked, with sellers quite determined. In one or two cases buyers with a steamer under the tips have been able to obtain concessions; but these have been exceptional instances, and do not truthfully represent to-day’s values. Smalls continue very firm indeed, with a stronger tendency, supplies being very difficult to obtain. The house coal trade shows no altera- tion in values, a brisk business being done both inland and for export. Coke continues scarce and dear. Pitwood is in rather better supply, and with a difficulty of obtaining wagons for contract wood, prices are inclined to be easier at 19s. 3d., 20s., ex-ship for good French fir. In the freight market a good deal of tonnage is offering, and even with a big enquiry freights have been scarcely maintained. IRON. The tone of the local iron and steel trades is in most departments a shade easier than reported last week, and there is a greater tendency for buyers to keep off the market until matters have settled down again. Both new business and new enquiry keep somewhat easy. Work up to now keeps satisfactory, and as all departments are well booked for some time ahead, full employment for a period is assured. Officially there is no change to record in values of sheet and tin-plate bars, and in this department a normal output is being produced and matters are not unsatisfactory. In the rail market business is rather quieter, values quoted being as a week ago. Work at blastfurnaces continues satisfactory, Welsh haematite being quoted 90s. delivered to works in the district. The tin-plate trade is perhaps slightly more satisfactory; there is a little more business moving, and values have steadied a bit, although showing no alteration in figures since last week. Bessemer primes 20 x 14 are priced I4s. 9d., and Siemens ditto 14s. 9d., 14s. 10|d., with other sizes and grades pro rata. Cardiff. COAL. During the recent five days’ fog, arrivals of vessels were exceedingly small, and all collieries, especially Monmouth- shire and a few of some of the best Admiralty-producing ones, were obliged to stop either wholly or partially for several days, owing to their inability to obtain a sufficient number of wagons. This difficulty was accentuated in consequence of the failure of the railway companies to deal with the traffic. In some cases, notwithstanding that there were plenty of wagons available for providing full work at the pits, stoppages occurred solely through the railway companies being unable to return the necessary empties. Under the circumstances the shipments to foreign ports during the week, though they only reached a total of 332,000 tons, may be considered fairly satisfactory. At the time of writing the tonnage difficulty appeared to have been solved, as arrivals at the different docks over the week end reached unprecedented figures. At the Bate Docks on Tuesday morning there were no less than 176 vessels regis- tered, whilst at Penarth the number was 38, and at Barry 95, being in each case practically a record. These figures give a total of 309, and, of course, ensure a very busy period for some time to come. The great difficulty will be to provide tips. As has been pointed out before, whenever any rush of business occurs the docks are quite inadequate to cope with it, and it is feared that a large amount of demurrage will be incurred. Chartering transactions during the week were very heavy, no less than 463 630 tons being actually taken up. In addition there were, of course, a large number of fixtures, which for private reasons do not appear in the freight list. This total is the largest, with the exception of a couple of weeks, that has been reported for several years, being only exceeded in the week ending January 7, when the registered tonnage was 505,800, and in the week ending July 2 of last year, when the total was 483,460. With the tonnage at present in port there is every likelihood of the docks being in a state of congestion until the approach of Easter, when the three days holiday decided upon may help to relieve the situation. So far as prices are concerned, it is difficult to ascertain current values. Whilst collieries were so sadly in want of ready tonnage, buyers fortunate enough to have a vessel under tip were able to purchase at considerably lower figures than the nominal quotations. In fact, best steam coals, not only last week but in the early days of the present week, were bought at as low as 18s. As regards the future, however, sellers are as optimistic as ever, and predict that with the increased tonnage now available prices will soon recover. For business ahead, say for March loading, they are already quoting 19s. to 19s. 3d., and in one or two cases even up to 19s. 6d. Current values for superior second Admiralties are 18s. to 18s. 3d., and for ordinary qualities 17s. 6d. It is said that the Belgian State Rail- ways have just placed an order with Messrs. Morgan, Wakley and Co., and with Messrs. Pyman, Watson and Co., for the supply between them of over 40,000 tons of Welsh small coal. What price is being given has not been dis- closed, but it is reported to be a very satisfactory one, and within the range of about 4s. above the usual contract prices. The coal is to be delivered before the end of March. This unexpected order, coming as it does on to a strong market, and at a time, too, when there has been a consider- able curtailment of output through the numerous stoppages that have occurred at the collieries, makes it practically certain that the price of small coal will not only be maintained at the present level, but in all probability be substantially advanced. At present the price for good cargo qualities is 13s. 9d. to 14s., and even at these figures collieries are in no hurry to sell, except in cases where wagons are required to provide full work at the pits. Best bunkerings are 15s. to 15s. 3d. It is reported that the price which the Tredegar Iron and Coal Company obtained for the supply of a large quantity of Monmouthshire coals to the Italian States Railways is from 16s, 3d. to 16s. 6d. net. The Monmouthshire, like the Rhondda collieries, have suffered from a lack of tonnage, but the rush of vessels into theUsk a few days ago has had a good effect on the market, and Black Veins are now selling at 17s. to 17s. 3d., and western-valleys at 16s. 9d., in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. The Custom House returns just to hand show an increase in the shipments to foreign countries during January of over 250,000 tons. The total exports were 2,693,268 tons, as against 2,434,907 tons in Januarv of last year, being an increase of 258,361 tons. From Cardiff the shipments .were 1,632.784 tons, an increase of 18,015 tons. From Newport they amounted to 492.077 tons, an increase of 126,728 tons, whilst from Swansea they totalled 359,969 tons, an increase of 84 939 tons. From Port. Talbot the shipments were 183,257 tons, an increase of 17,987 tons. The appended table shows the exports in January last as compared with the corresponding month of last year:— Jan. 1912. Jan. 1913. Tons. Tons. Russia 3218 ... 23,735 Sweden 26,889 ... 33,654 Norway 15.097 ... 12.446 Denmark 5,466 6,174 Germany 25,954 ... 21,582 Netherlands 12,632 ... 13,111 Java — 6 466 Belgium 34,351 ... 42,127 France 542,761 ... 693 279 Algeria 56,224 ... 74124 French Somaliland — 6,241 Portugal 70,405 ... 76,315 Az )res 4 725 1,241 Madeira 6 635 ... 22,129 Spain 112,940 ... 125227 Canary Islands 98,701 ... 84,356 Italy 512 991 ... 448,413 Austria-Hungary 5,362 ... 46,461 Greece 31,872 ... 26,482 Bulgaria 12.603 — Turkey (European) 13,705 ... 10,259 „ (Asiatic) 10,749 6,513 Egypt 185,388 ... 178,372 Tunis 7,389 9,960 China (exclusive of Hong Kong) — 5,765 Mexico 2,360 4,011 Chili 27,498 ... 62,370 Brazil 118,671 ... 123,212 Uruguay 71,909 ... 73.005 Argentine Republic 241,587 ... 273,521 Channel Islands 5 883 2,833 Gibraltar 14,389 ... 19,646 Malta 26,034 ... 56,468 Aden 25,574 ... 11,153 Straits Settlements 5,019 505 Ceylon 14,204 ... 24,376 Wei-Hai-Wei — 5,807 Hong Kong 6,107 1,616 West Africa (French) 8,454 ... 17.001 „ (Portuguese)... 41,816 ... 23,775 „ (British) 9,689 9,708 It will be seen that whilst there were decreases to Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Turkey, Greece, Egypt and Aden, there were large increases to Russia, France, Malta, Madeira and South America. There is no change in house coals, nor in No. 3 Rhondda large, but the No. 2 qualities are lower, large selling at 15s. 6d., and small at 13s. 6d. Shipments of patent fuel for the week amounted to nearly 40,OCX) tons, the Crown company leading 16,628, and other local makers 5,126 tons, Swansea 15,208 tons, and Newport 3,000 tons. Best brands have been sold at as high as 25s. per ton. The coke market continues very strong. Of pit wood there have been enormous arrivals, and owing to the difficulty of getting delivery at the pits on account of the fogs, prices have become much weaker, not more than 19s. 6d. being obtainable for best French fir. Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Current Last week’s Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam prices. prices. coals 19/ to 19/3 18/3 to 18/9 Superior seconds 18/ to 18/3 17/6 to 17/9 Ordinary do 17/6 16/9 to 17/ Best bunker smalls 15/3 to 15/6 15/ ■ Best ordinaries 14/9 to 15/ 14/6 Cargo qualities 13/3 to 13/9 13/3 to 13/9 Inferior smalls 13/ 12/6 Best dry coals 17/6 to 18/ 17/3 to 17/9 Ordinary drys 16/ to 16/9 16/ to 16/8 Best washed nuts 16/6 16/6 Seconds 15/6 15/ to 15/9 Best washed peas 15/ to 15/3 15/6 Seconds 14/6 to 14/9 14/9 to 15/ Dock screenings Monmouthshire— 15/ to 15/3 15/ to 15/3 Black Veins 17/ to 17/3 17/3 Western-valleys 16/9 17/ Eastern-valleys lb/3 16/6 Inferior do Bituminous coals:— 16/ 16/ Best house coals (at pit) 19/6 19/6 Second qualities (at pit) No. 3 Rhondda— 18/ 18/ Bituminous large 17/6 17/6 Through-and-through... 16/3 16/6 Small No. 2 Rhondda— 15/ to 15/3 15/6 Large 15/6 15/9 to 16/ Through-and-through... 14/6 15/3 Small ,13/6 13/9 Best patent fuel 24/6 to 25/ 24/ Seconds 23/6 23/ Special foundry coke 33/ 33/ Ordinary do. 30/ 31/ Furnace coke 25/ to 28/ 28/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 19/6 20/ to 20/6 Coal and patent fuel quotations are for cash in 30 days less 2j per cent. Rhondda bituminous coals at pithead are roughly Is. 3d. per ton less. All pithead prices are usually net. Coke is net f.o.b. IRON. There is very little that is new to report in the tinplate trade. Shipments are again in excess of the receipts from works, but stocks are still over 406,000 boxes. All round the demand is slow, and though there is no alteration in prices they are slightly in favour of buyers. Block tin during the week has fallen over £i per ton. It is unofficially reported that a large line of 14 by 18f plates have been sold to the far East at 15s. l|d. per box. Very little steel has come forward from either America or Germany, and this has rather strengthened the hands of the owners of the Welsh steel works who are now firmly asking £5 17s. 6d. for tin bars. Very few orders are coming in for galvanised sheets, and 24-gauge corrugated are selling at from Jill 17s. 6d. to JH2. The new sheet mills, which for some time have been in course of construction at the Ebbw Vale works, were started on Wednesday. These works during half the year in 1911 had to close for want of orders for tin bars. The directors thereupon resolved to lay down sheet mills, and by means of their own bars put on to the market the finished article. The mills are driven by electrical power, and will give employment to a large number of men. There is a good demand for rails, particularly for light sections for colliery underground workings, the price of which ranges from £6 15s. to £1. Heavy sections are £6 10s. to .£6 15s. Welsh pig iron is 86s. 6d. f.o.t., or Is. under last week. Scrap metals are also lower, new steel crop ends being 74s., and heavy steel scrap 64s. Iron ore is rather firmer, best Bubio is 22s., and seconds 20s. 9d. to 21s» Good Almeria ore is 21s. fid. to 22s. Swansea. GOAL. The returns of the trade of the port were again favourable' during the past week. The coal and patent fuel trades were fairly brisk, the shipments together amounting to 103,155 tons. There was a good attendance on ’Change this morning, and there was no material alteration in the general conditions on the anthracite coal market from last week. Swansea Valley and Bed Vein large for immediate delivery were freely offered at reduced prices. Machine-made nuts and cobbles were steady. There was a strong demand for rubbly culm, and duff was also a very firm market. In the steam coal market a steady feeling was in evidence. Smalls were firm. The closing quotations were approximately as, follow:— Prices f.o.b. (cash in 30 d&ys). Anthracite:— Best malting large (hand picked) (net) ......... Secondary do........... Big Vein large (less 2$ per cent.) .......... Red Vein large do...... Machine - made cobbles (net) ............... Paris nuts (net) ...... French do. do.......... German do. do.......... Beans (net) ........... Machine-made large peas (net) ............... Do. fine peas (net) Bubbly culm (less 2j p.c.) Duff (net)............. Steam coals:— Best large (less 21 p.c.) ... Seconds do. Bunkers do. Small do. Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large (less 21 p.c.). Through - and - through (less 21 p.c.)..... Small (less 21 per cent.) Patent fuel do........... Current prices. 22/6 to 24/6 20/ to 21/6 16/6 to 18/ 14/9 to 15/ 21/9 to 23/9 23/6 to 26/ 23/6 to 26/ 23/6 to 26/ 18/ to 20/ 11/3 to 13/ 8/ to 8/3 5/3to 5/9 17/6 to 19/ 14/9 to 16/ 13/6 to 15/6 12/6 to 14/ Last week’s prices. 22/6 to 24/6 20/ to 21/6 17/ to 19/ 15/9 to 16/6 21/9 to 23/9* 23/6 to 26/6 21/6 to 27/6- 24/ to 27/6- 18/ to 20/ 11/3 to 13/ 7/9 to 8/ 5/3 to 5/9> 17/9 to 19/ 15/6 to 17/ 13/6 to 15/6- 12/6 to 14/ 18/ to 19/ 15/ to 16/ 14/ to 16/ 20/ to 20/6 18/ to 19/ 15/ to 16/ 14/ to 15/ 20/ to 20/6 IRON. Last week employment at all of the steel-smelting depart- ments was continuous, and the usual yield of pig iron was noted. The bar-rolling mills in the district were busy, with the exception of the Duffryn, which owing to a breakdown,, was at a standstill, and, owing to this, there was an insufficient supply of tin bars to keep the tinplate sections of these works fully going. The shipments of tinplates during the past week were 106,105 boxes, receipts from works 88,759 boxes, and stocks remaining in the dock ware- houses and vans 406,555 boxes. Llanelly. GOAL. There is no apparent change in the coal market of this; district, and for all coals the position is very similar to last week. The colder weather we are now having should cause an improvement in the anthracite trade, and the enquiry for stove kinds and Red Vein should be brisk within the next few days. The present winter has been a disappointing one for the anthracite market, and owing to the very mild weather experienced the demand has not been anything like what it should have been. The prices for beans and peas are being much cut, and buyers are now* able to pick up good bargains for prompt delivery. For steam and bituminous kinds the enquiry is still very brisk, and collieries have more orders on their books than they can execute. For smalls the market has not been so firm for many years, and prices received are several shillings per ton higher than they usually are. House coals are also doing well, but there is a scarcity of good large kinds. Prices this week are:— Prices f .o.b. Anthracite:— Best malting large.... Sjcondary do.......... Big Vein large........ Red Vein do........... Machine-made cobbles ... German nuts .......... French do............. Paris do.............. Machine-made beans ... Do peas........... Bubbly culm .......... Duff ................. Other sorts:— Large steam coal...... Through-and-through ... Small................. Bituminous small coal ... Current prices. 23/ to 24/ 20/ to 22/ 18/ to 20/ 14/6 to 15/6 20/ to 21/ 23/ to 25/ 23/ to 25/ 24/ to 26/ 20/ to 22/ 12/6 to 13/6 8/ to 8/6 5/ to 6/ 17/ to 18/6 14/ to 15/6 12/6 to 13/ 13/ to 14/ Last week’s prices. 23/ to 24/ 20/ to 22/ 18/ to 20/ 14/6 to 15/6 20/ to 21/ 23/ to 25/ 23/ to 25/ 24/ to 26/ 20/ to 22/ 12/6 to 13/6 8/ to 8/6 5/ to 6/ 17/ to 18/6 14/ to 15/6 12/6 to 13/ 13/ to 14/