March 20, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 601 IRON. There is not much encouragement to be gleaned from the present conditions of the iron and steel trades, business ruling easy for the present, with a sluggish enquiry for the future. The tin-plate trade slackness increases, and stocks continue to accumulate, which cannot go on indefinitely. For the present both bar mills and blast furnaces are kept going, and it is to be hoped that the tin-plate difficulties will not develop sufficiently to interfere with these branches. Latest official quotations may be taken as follows, regard being had to the fact that for tin-plates the figures given are not those at which business has been placed. Siemens tin-plate bars £5 12s. 6d. to £5 15s. Bessemer ditto £5 12s. 6d. Welsh haematite 88s. 6d. to 89s. delivered to works in the district. Finished blackplate .£10 10s. to .£10 15s. per ton. Tin-plates:—Bessemer or Siemens primes 20 x 14 x 112, 14s. 3d.; 28 x 20 x 56,14s. 6d.; 28 x 20 x 112, 28s. 6d. Cardiff. COAL. The position of affairs at the docks is a little better this week so far as congestion is concerned, the number of vessels reported on Monday being down to 236. The dock -companies have therefore been better able to cope with the traffic, and during the week over 450,000 tons of coal were shipped, which to some extent relieved the sidings. A few days ago the cry was that the docks were too much encum- bered with laden wagons. This week, however, the position of things has been reversed, and the dock companies are now complaining of too many empty wagons being on their premises. All this goes to show the urgent necessity of more siding accommodation being provided so as to enable the traffic not only to be dealt with more expeditiously, but also more economically so far as engine power is concerned, especially where a cargo has to be mixed, a practice which of late years has been very much on the increase. But in spite of the large quantity of coal shipped during the week, demurrage is still being incurred on all sides, and instances are reported in which as much as £150 to £200 has been paid on one vessel. In one case the sum was £260, whilst in another case a small firm has had to pay over £1,200 in the course of a fortnight. How serious this question is to merchants and collieries will be gathered from the fact that the amounts paid in demurrage in the course of a year run into tens of thousands of pounds. When miners talk of the huge profits made by coalowners they overlook the important fact that out of the good prices which are realised tor coal, a considerable amount has to be taken off for -demurrage. In some cases it is as much as Is. 6d. to 2s. a ton. Business during the past week has been only on a moderate scale, as in the great majority of instances •collieries have either been quite unable to stem or have been compelled to ask such extremely long hours for loading that shipowners have been unwilling to charter. There is every prospect, however, that after the holidays this extreme pressure at the docks will be to some extent relaxed. Shipowners are evidently taking this into account, as last week the charterings amounted to over 300,000 tons, as compared with a little less than 250,000 tons in the previous six days. It is needless to say that prices have continued very firm. One of the best Admiralty -collieries refuse to entertain business under 19s. 91. As a rule, however, the price realised has been more in the neighbourhood of 19s. 6d. for best, 19s. to 19s. 3d. for best second Admiralties, and 18s. 6d. to 18s. 9d. for ordinary •qualities. All the best collieries have full order books for the rest of this month, and are therefore quoting firmly for April between 19s. 6d. and 19s. 91., and in several instances the latter sum has been paid. None of the extra supplies required by the Russian State Railways have come to this district, but the whole of the 80,000 tons needed for April and May delivery are reported to have been divided between Northumberland, Scottish and Yorkshire collieries. The prices obtained by owners on the Tyne are said to Tange from 15s. to 15a. 3d., f.o.b., which, of course, is several shillings lower than any of the Welsh collieries -could accept. With regard to future business, as has already been pointed out, there are a number of orders yet Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Current Last week's Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam prices. prices. coals 19/6 to 19/9 19/6 to 19/9 Superior seconds 19/ to 19/3 19/ Ordinary do 18/6 to 18/9 18/6 Best bunker smalls 15/6 to 16/ 15/6 Best ordinaries 15/ to 15/3 15/ Cargo qualities 14/6 14/6 to 14/9 Inferior smalls 13/6 to 14/ 14/ to 14/6 Best dry coals 18/6 to 19/ 18/6 to 19/ Ordinary drys 17/3 to 17/9 17/3 to 17/9 Best washed nuts 17/ 17/ to 17/3 Seconds 15/9 to 16/ 15/6 to 15/9 Best washed peas 15/9 to 16/ 15/6 to 15/9 Seconds 15/ to 15/3 14/ to 14/3 Dock screenings Monmouthshire— 15/6 to 16/ 15/9 to 16/ Black Veins 18/ 18/ Western-valleys 17/6 to 17/9 17/6 to 17/9 Eastern-valleys 17/3 17/3 to 17/6 Inferior do Bituminous coals:— 16/6 to 16/9 16/9 Best house coals (at pit) 19/6 19/6 Second qualities (at pit) No. 3 Rhondda— 17/6 17/6 Bituminous large 17/6 to 18/ 17/6 Th r ou gh-and-through... 16/6 to 16/9 16/6 Small No. 2 Rhondda— 15/9 15/6 Large 16/ to 16/3 16/6 Through-and-through... 15/6 15/6 Small 14/6 14/6 Best pa tent fuel 25/ 25/ Seconds 23/6 to 24/ 23/ Special foundry, coke 33/ 32/ to 33/ Ordinary do. 30/ 30/ Furnace coke 24/ to 27/ 24/ to 27/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 20/ 20/ Coal and patent fuel quotations are for cash in 30 days less 2| 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. to come into the market, as buyers for the most part have been purchasing from hand to month, hoping against hope that prices would become easier. In the case of those merchants who refused last autumn to contract when prices were in the neighbourhood of 18s., it is not probable that they will contract at present at an advance of Is. 3d. to Is. 6d. above that figure. They rather prefer to supply their more pressing needs as they occur, trusting to get on at more favourable terms later on. Whether the freight market will help them much in the near future, it is somewhat difficult to say. At present, freights show a hardening tendency, Genoa having been done several times at 9s. as against 8s. 6d. and 8s. 9d. paid a week ago. The small coal market continues very firm. The men are working well, as they invariably do on the eve of a protracted holiday, but despite the large outputs that are being turned out, there seems to be little or no easiness in prices. Best bunkerings range from 15s. 6d. to 16s., whilst for cargo qualities, the price is about 14s. 6d. The Custom House returns of shipments of coal to foreign countries during February are very disappointing, showing, as they do, a decrease of 148,183 tons as compared with the corresponding month of last year. The totals are, for February last 2,302,580 tons, and for February 1912 2,450,603 tons. From Cardiff, the shipments amounted to 1,520,526 tons, a decrease of 116,239 tons. From Newport, there was a decrease of 33,748 tons, and from Swansea a decrease of 33,811 tons. The only port which showqd an increase was that of Port Talbot, which has to its credit 21,587 tons more than in February last year. For the two months ended February, the total exports amounted to 4,995,848 tons, as against 4,885,510 tons for the correspond- ing period of last year, being an increase of 110,338 tons. In the appended table we show the total exports from the Channel in February last, as compared with those in the corresponding month of last year:— Feb. 1912. Feb. 1913. Tons. Tons. Sweden 5,102 .. .. 22,141 Norway 6,422 .. 8,533 Germany 13,714 .. .. 11,612 Netherlands 14,405 . .. 16,072 Java Butch possessions in Indian 6,587 . — Seas 4,506 .. 5,413 Belgium 16,094 .. .. 36,620 France 565,318 . .. 511,955 Algeria 64,153 .. .. 73,760 French Somaliland 7,231 .. 5,252 Portugal 45,053 . .. 74,508 Azores 2,576 .. 5,731 Madeira 13,536 ., 6,777 Spain 104,391 ., .. 103,410 Canary Islands 100,238 . .. 61,171 Italy 455,178 . .. 400,544 Austria-Hungary 3,900 . .. 42,769 Greece 28,229 . .. 27,028 Turkey (European) 8,490 ., 4,196 „ (Asiatic) 7,599 . 4,742 Egypt 152,628 . .. 165,087 Tunis China (exclusive of Hong 8,723 .. 8,435 Kong) 10,683 . .. — Chili 68,977 . .. 21,598 Brazil 163,236 . .. 123,728 Uruguay 95,534 . .. 39,953 Argentine Republic 229,586 . .. 282,824 Channel Islands 10,329 . 5,050 Gibraltar 26,071 . .. 13,463 Malta 40,252 . .. 75,663 Aden 33,710 . .. 16,483 British India 10,762 . .. 22,982 Straits Settlements 411 . 5,726 Ceylon 37,284 . .. 13,678 Hong Kong 2,562 . .. 12,273 West Africa (French) 11,183 . .. 10,783 „ (Portuguese)... 30,281 . .. 36,992 ,, (British) 9,465 . 5,483 Italian East Africa 12,222 . .. — In Monmouthshire coals there is not much change to report. Tonnage has not come forward quite so well as shippers expected, but most collieries were sufficiently well off to be independent, and, in view of the nearness of the holidays, were reluctant to reduce prices Best Black Veins are 18s., western-valleys 17s. 6d. to 17s. 9d, and eastern-valleys about 6d. less—in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. Shipments of patent fuel for the week amounted to nearly 40,000 tons, of which the Crown Company shipped 11,438 tons, other local makers 9,250 tons, Swansea 14,110 tons, and Newport 5,000 tons. Best brands are still held for 25s. There is practically no change in coke. Pit wood is also unaltered. The Cardiff Journal of Commerce gives the following as the average declared price per ton of coal exported in January from the undermentioned ports:— Cardiff. Newport, Swansea. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Large steam 16 8 .. ,. 15 4 .. .. 16 1 .. .. 17 1 Through-and-through 14 7 .. .. 14 0 .. ,. 11 3 .. 10 9 Small 10 6 .. .. 11 3 .. ,. 9 9 .. .. 9 3 Large anthracite 27 11 .. 18 2 .. ,. 17 11 Household .. 15 4 .. .. 14 1 The prices for January last year were:— Cardiff. Newport. Port Talbot. Swansea. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Large steam ... 15 0 ... 14 8 .. . 15 3 ... 14 6 Through-and-through 13 0 ... 11 5 .. . 10 4 ... 9 10 Small ... 8 2 ... 9 4 .. . 7 1 ... 7 7 Large anthracite ... ... 19 6 ... - . 14 4 ... 17 4 Household ... 16 7 ... - IRON. . 15 0 There is no improvement to report in the tin-plate trade; on the contrary, the opinion is held at the headquarters of the industry that matters will become worse before they can get substantially better. Standard cokes are selling at 14s. l|d. to 14s. 3d., and quarters at 14s. l|d. to 14s. 6d. per box. There is a rumour that the American Tin-plate Company have bought 300,000 boxes of Welsh plates for the Far East, but this is not confirmed. It is not denied, however, that some good orders have recently been placed for the Far East. The predictions uttered some six months ago as to the future of the trade have been greatly falsified. Of course, slackness in the tin-plate trade has not been without its effect on steel bars, which are now lower than they have been for some considerable time. Offers are being freely made at £5 12s. 6d., whilst some usiness is reported to have been done for forward delivery at as low as £5 10s. There is no change in galvanised sheets, £11 15s. being still the ruling quotation for 24-gauge corrugateds. The rail trade is very active and prices firm, heavy sections being £6 10s. to £6 15s., with the usual extra for light rails. The order which the Ebbw Vale Company have secured for the New South Wales Government is for 28,000 tons of 80 lb. rails. Welsh pig iron keeps steady at 86s. f.o.t. Scrap metals are easier, new steel crop ends being 72s. to 72s. 6d., heavy wrought 55s. to 57s., heavy steel 60s., and cast 57s. 6d. to 60s. In sympathy with the lower freights from Bilbao, iron ore is rather cheaper, best rubio being 21s. to 21s. 6d., and seconds 19s. 6d. to 20s. per ton. Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port during the past week was excep- tionally good, great activity was experienced in the coal and patent fuel trades, the shipments amounting to 127,475 tons. There was a capital attendance on 'Change this morning, and there was no material alteration in the general conditions prevailing on the anthracite coal market, which continued fairly steady. There was no alteration in the position of Swansea Valley large. Red Vein large was weak. Machine-made nuts and cobbles were without movement, but both rubbly culm and duff were very strong, with values moving in an upward direction. A strong tone was in evidence on the steam coal market, but very little new business was transacted, as sellers were fully stemmed for some time forward. The following were approximately the closing quotations:— Prices f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Current Last week’s Anthracite:— prices. prices. Best malting large (hand picked) (net) 22/6 to 24/6 22/6 to 24/6 Secondary do 20/ to 21/ 20/ to 21/6 Big Vein large (less 2| per cent.) 16/6 to 18/3 16/6 to 18/3 Red Vein large do 14/3 to 14/9 14/3 to 14/9 Machine - made cobbles (net) 22/ to 23/9 21/9 to 23/9 Paris nuts (net) 23/6 to 26/ 23/6 to 26/ French do. do 23/6 to 25/6 23/6 to 26/ German do. do 23/6 to 25/6 23/6 to 26/ Beans (net) 18/3 to 21/6 18/ to 20/ Machine-made large peas (net) 11/3 to 13/ 11/3 to 13/ Do. fine peas (net) — — Rubbly culm (less 2| p.c.) 8/6 to 9/ 8/6 to 9/ Duff (net) 5/6 to 6/ 5/6 to 6/ Steam coals:— Best large (less 2|p.c.) ... 19/ to 20/ 18/6 to 19/ Seconds do. 16/3 to 17/ 16/3 to 16/9 Bunkers do. 16/ to 17/ 16/ to 17/ Small do. 13/ to 15/6 13/ to 15/6 Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large (less 2| p.c.) 18/ to 19/ 18/ to 19/ Through - and - through (less 2| p.c.) 16/ to 17/ 16/ to 17/ Small (less 2| per cent.) 14/9 to 16/ 14/9 to 16/ Patent fuel do 20/ to 20/6 20/ to 20/6 IRON. Last week the trade in this district, on the whole, was fairly good. There was a good yield of pig iron. Briskness continued to characterise the steel trade, and the full com- plement of bar-rolling mills were operating. The tin-plate trade shows no material improvement, there were a lot of mills idle last week, and short time is being worked. The demand for weldless tubes kept the whole of the depart- ments of the Mannesmann works busy. The foundries and engineering firms were exhibiting usual activity. The shipments of tin-plates last week were 98,128 boxes, receipts from works 128,491 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and vans 465,594 boxes. Llanelly. COAL. There is nothing new to report in the market this week. The trade is now being influenced by the holidays, and buyers are pressing all they can to have as much coal as possible this week. There is very little extra demand for anthracite, and collieries have a difficulty in getting sufficient orders to keep going. Culm and duff are in big request, and prices are easily being maintained, but for the machine-made kinds the market is falling away consider- ably. Even the best qualities are being sold at second-class prices, and are difficult to dispose of at that. Whether it is due to the mild weather or that the make of these parti- cular kinds has outgrown the demand, but prices are lower than they have been for a long time, and collieries who have been contemplating the erection of plants for crushing and screening are now reconsidering the matter. Best and Big Vein large are going fairly well, but Red Vein is easy. For bunkers and bituminous small there is a heavy enquiry, and collieries cannot supply anything like the quantity required. This week's prices are:— Prices f.o.b. Current Last week's Anthracite :— prices. prices. Best malting large 22/ to 23/ 22/ to 23/ Secondary do 20/ to 21/ 20/ to 21/ Big Vein large 17/6 to 19/6 17/6 to 19/6 Red Vein do 14/6 to 15/ 14/6 to 15/6 Machine-made cobbles ... 20/ to 21/ 20/ to 21/ German nuts 22/ to 24/6 22/ to 24/6 French do 22/ to 24/6 22/ to 24/6 Paris do 23/ to 25/ 23/ to 25/ Machine-made beans 19/ to 21/ 19/ to 21/ Do peas 12/ to 12/6 12/ tc 12/6 Rubbly culm 8/ to 8/6 8/ to 8/6 Duff 5/ to 6/ 5/ to 6/ Other sorts:— Large steam coal 18/ to 18/6 18/ to 18/6 Through-and-through ... 14/6 to 15/6 14/6 to 15/6 Small 13/ to 14/6 13/ to 14/6 Bituminous small coal ... 12/6 to 13/ 12/6 to 13/