444 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. February 28, 1913. are well placed with regard to orders, and are looking forward to a good spring trade. Engineers and wagon builders continue busy, with every prospect of remaining fully employed during the whole year. Hull. COAL. The market this week has been only moderately active, and prices have continued their drooping tendency. Best South Yorkshire steam hards, though quoted up to 14s. 6d. on spot, have been sold at less, the demand being of a limited character. The request for small coals has not been quite so strong, and values have varied considerably. Forward business in the present weak tone of the market is hanging fire, there being a wide divergence of opinion between would-be buyers and colliery owners as to the price to be paid. The latter continue to be very optimistic—the prospect of a big foreign demand during the season about to open apparently justifying them in their reserve. Several big season orders are in the market, in which the Humber is expected to have a large share. Then the probability of a strike in Belgium, and the Continental position generally are not without their influence. The export trade at the Humber ports is in a healthy condition, and shipments continue to be made on a large scale, and plenty more is on the books for loading in the next few weeks. Loading conditions at the docks are good, and prompt turns available. The trouble at Goole is spreading to the sailors and firemen on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bail way Company’s steamers, but thus far the men employed in the coal export have not been affected. The freight market continues very quiet, and with very few fixtures to report. Rates are again easier on the week. Baltic ports are worth 6s. 6d. to 6s. 9d., while Cronstadt first-open-water is quoted at 6s. to 6s. 3d. To-day’s telegram from Riga indicates thaw, and wind west-north-west. Mediterranean rates are also easier, Genoa being worth about 10s. 6d. top figure. Fixtures: Cronstadt, 3,300 tons, 6s. 3d. f.o.w.. Libau, 2,800 tons, 7s. prompt; Assens, 1,300 tons, 6s. 9d.; Copenhagen, 1,250 tons, 8s. 4£d.; Port Said, 3,600 tons, Ils. early March; Calais, 2,000 tons, 4s. 9d. prompt. The following are the approximate prices for prompt shipment f.o.b. Hull, &c. South Yorkshire:— Best steam hards Current prices. 14/3 to 14/6 14/ to 14/6 13/9 to 14/ 14/ 13/6 11/6 to 12/ 10/ 13/3 to 13/6 10/6 toll/ 9/6 to 10/ 14/9 13/6 15/ to 15/3 14/9 to 15/ 13/9 to 14/ 13/6 to 13/9 14/ 13/9 15/3 15/ Last week’s prices. 14/6 to 14/9 14/6 to 14/9 14/ 14/6 13/ to 13/6 13/ to 13/6 10/ 13/6 11/ to 11/3 10/ 14/9 13/ 15/3 14/9 13/6 13/ 14/6 14/ 15/ 14/6 Washed double - screened nuts Unwashed double- screened nuts Washed single - 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) Derbyshire large nuts ... Do. do. (Grimsby) Nottinghamshire hards ... Do. do. (Grimsby) Nottingham. COAL. Within the past week the condition of the coal trade in Nottinghamshire [has shown a slight improvement, and, taking all things into consideration, business at present is fairly satisfactory. Colder weather has tended to increase the demand for household fuel. Merchants in the district have had more orders than for some little time past, while at the landsale depots buyers have taken heavier loads. There has, however, not been much alteration in the orders coming from the southern and eastern counties, some of the merchants evidently purchasing cautiously in the hope that the advent shortly of warmer weather may cause prices to decline, but at present there does not appear to be any likelihood of a general reduction for some weeks. Steam coal is not now in quite so brisk request, yet in this branch the tone cannot be regarded as altogether unsatisfactory though forced selling, it is reported, is being resorted to in Prices at pithead. Current Last week’s prices. prices. Hand-picked brights 11/6 to 13/ 11/6 to 13/ Good house coals 11/6 to 12/6 11/6 to 12/6 Secondary do 10/6 to 11/6 10/6 to 12/ Best hard coals 11/6 to 12/ 11/6 to 12/ Secondary do 10/3 to 11/ 10/ toll/ Slacks (best hards) 8/6 to 9/ 8/6 to 9/ Do. (seconds) — 7/6 to 8/ Do. (soft) 7/6 to 8/3 7/6 to 8/6 some isolated cases. Shipments are lacking buoyancy, but industrials in the home market are in good request. Prices, speaking generally, are keeping firm. Slacks are going out of hand less briskly and prices show a disposition to fall. For gas fuel there is a steady demand. Leicestershire. COAL. The amount of business in this district has continued on the whole quite up to the level noted in last week’s report. The household coal demand continued good for both the best and middle qualities. Small household coals are also in very good request. Merchants generally are not over- stocked, and an improved consumption has made itself felt. There is not any change in the steam coal enquiry. Steam coals and slacks are all wanted. The collieries, in consequence of the continuance of a brisk demand, are making a full output, and deliveries are heavy. Generally in the district stocks are very light, and in some cases clear. Prospects of trade are still quite satisfactory. Local merchants are fairly busy, but they are not feeling any pressure. As may be anticipated, quotations continue quite firm at the level which has prevailed for some time past. Sellers hold out for full quotations, and offers of business for a concession are not entertained. South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Hednesford. I COAL. On the whole, the coal trade throughout the Cannock Chase district continues satisfactory, and prices are fairly well maintained. Most of the collieries are working practically full time, but in some cases a good deal of inconvenience has been caused by the irregular attendance of the men. The house coal trade has undergone very little change since last report. For coal for manufacturing purposes the demand continues satisfactory, and slack is in very good request. There is not very much coal in stock on the colliery sidings. Railway and canal sales are keeping up very well. Birmingham. COAL, The coal market pursues an uneventful course. The recent improved demand for household qualities has cleared stocks, but nothing has happened to warrant a change of prices. Smalls and slacks are as scarce as ever, and there is an active call for all kinds of manufacturing fuels. The pits are working full time. 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/ Slack 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. There was an average attendance »at the weekly market, and the course of events made it apparent that the demand in the iron trade generally had not undergone any favour- able movement, at least from the point of view of sellers. Pig iron prices in particular, which have been upheld while those for other material have given way, have received a shake. All grades of Northamptonshire grey forge, for instance, could be had for 68s. 6d., and they were as high as 72s. only a few weeks ago; for Derbyshire sellers are glad to accept 70s., whereas a week ago they were asking 72s. and 73s.; and the out- side price for Staffordshire common is 67s. 6d. or 68s. Even at these lower rates buyers are holding off, and it is generally admitted that while there is a lot of business waiting to be done, the abnormal price period is over. In the finished departments conditions have undergone but little change Makers of best bars are well booked with orders, and while new business for merchant bars is slower, quota- tions are maintained at .£8 10s. to .£8 12s. 6d. Puddled bars cannot be obtained under .£6. Lancashire and North Staffordshire crown bars are unchanged at £8 15s. The association basis for gas strip remains at .£8 10s. a ton for lots of 25 tons and upwards. Galvanised sheets have not gained in strength, and at .£11 17s. 6d. to .£12 2s. 6d., and in rare cases £12 5s., allow very little margin, even with sheet bars at £5 17s. 6d. to £6, with the usual 2s. 6d. extra for Siemens quality. Rounds, squares and flats are in good request at £8 12s. 6d., three-eighths basis, with the usual extras, but some common stuff for fencing work may be had at 2s. 6d. to 5s. below this figure. Continental material is about 10s. under local prices, but buyers have to be content with delivery in from eight to 12 weeks. Makers of steel sections have decided not to alter prices. New business is less plentiful, but this causes no anxiety, as makers have six months’ work forward, and most of them have at least a month’s specification. Demi-products are a shade easier. In the Cradley Heath district an active demand continues for chains, cables and anchors, and for alb the lighter material for shipbuilding. Lydney. Forest of Doan. GOAL. There has been rather more doing in household coal sinc& our last report, though the demand fails to keep pace with the available supply to the extent that would make a really satisfactory market. The pits are not kept fully at work, but the average would run to about five days in the week. Stocks have not further increased and the output just now is pretty well balanced by deliveries. Steams of all sizes continue in brisk demand and all the pits are working at full pressure. Stocks are nil and there is some delay in despatching orders. 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/ Large Small 13/ 10/ 13/ to 13/6 10/ Prices Is. 9d. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, February 27. North Wales. Wrexham. GOAL. With the settlement of the dispute between the colliery owners and their firemen and shot-lighters, things have settled down again, though a week or so ago the matter wore rather an ominous aspect. Even now there is a spirit of unrest abroad among the surface workers. Most of the collieries have been able to work fairly well during the past week, though trade generally is not quite so good as it has been during the past month or two. Since the beginning of the week one colliery (Bersham) has been idle, owing to a regrettable accident which occurred to the winding gear early on Monday morning. This will mean, of course, that for the next few weeks, at any rate, there will be less coal on the market in North Wales, which will, no doubt, help to keep up prices. With reference to coal for household purposes, the demand continues to be norma1, both for rail- borne and landsale trade, and prices are fairly well maintained up to now, but there is a lowering tendency. In regard to gas-making fuel, the usual contract quantities are being duly taken and gas companies are beginning to send out their enquiries. It is generally expected by the gas companies that they will have to renew at considerably higher prices than last year’s contracts. Railway companies also are pressing for supplies on account of locomotive contracts, and as these companies send their own wagons,, this class of trade is welcome just at the present time and enables the collieries to dispose of their output more promptly. With regard to other steam coal there is not such a keen demand as there was, and though there is not a slump, the position from a coalowners’ point of view is not so good as it has been. This falling-off may, to some extent,, be attributed to the falling-off in the demand for shipment at the Mersey ports. While the shipping trade generally is not so good as it has been, the chief reason is that numbers of craft have been diverted to other ports (notably Cardiff) on account of the continued labour troubles on the Mersey in regard to the dock workers. Coalowners are holding out firmly in regard to prices for forward sales on contracts, while on the other hand buyers are loth to fix up their contracts at advanced figures, in view of the present weakening of prices. Nuts and slack are well sold at prices varying very little from what was quoted last week, and the- same may be said of gas coke. Current Last week’s Prices at pit f.o.r.:— prices. prices. Best house coal 15/ to 16/6 15/ to 16/6 Secondary do 14/ to 15/6 13/6 to 15/6 Steam coal 12/3 to 13/3 12/ to 13/6 Gas coal 12/6 to 13/6 12/9 to 13/6 Bunkers 12/ to 13/ 12/ to 13/ Nuts 11/ to 12/ 11/ to 12/6 Slack 6/3 to 9/6 6/8 to 9/2 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 18/4 16/8 to 17/6 Slack 10/ to 12/6 10/ to 12/6 Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. GOAL A firmer tone is prevalent throughout the steam coal market than was the case last week. Actual business has not increased a lot, as most collieries are now well stemmed, but for quotations any time in March sellers are now very firm. For shipment within the next few days there is but little free coal available, and the price at which this changes