866 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN, April 25, 1913. THE LONDOfl COAL TRADE. Thursday, April 24. The London coal trade for the past week has shown a good deal of activity, especially in the house coal department. The wharves and wagons were seriously depleted of stock coal immediately prior to the holidays, and with the return to business and the spell of very cold weather, the London merchants found themselves face to face with a considerable shortage. In the meantime, orders from the general public for all qualities of household fuel became very keen and urgent. Collieries were overdone with empty wagons waiting their turn for loading, and orders from the different factors and merchants proved the demand far beyond the supply, so that orders on hand have been accumulating, and there are still heavy arrears to make up. The return, however, to warm, summer-like weather during the latter portion of the week has considerably checked the flow of orders from the general public, and there are signs that the arrival of many of the belated wagons and orders may cause an over- flow of supply. The demand for shipping still continues exceedingly strong and many of the cheaper qualities of household fuel which, at this season of the year, usually finds its way to the London market, have been diverted into other channels. There is no likelihood of any diminution in prices while the seaborne market continues so strong. The cheaper classes of steam coal have been somewhat neglected, but all the better classes of best hards are in strong demand and selling freely. Bakers’ nuts and kitchen cobbles have been fairly firm, but the great pressure has been for the better qualities of house coal. Double-screened nuts and slacks maintain their enhanced prices, and the demand is as strong as ever. Buyers are prepared to accept the present prices for forward arrangements, as there is usually a scarcity of these classes of fuel during the summer months. The seaborne market has been fairly supplied, but none of the vessels arriving have cargoes on offer. Thirty-three vessels were reported as having arrived in the River Thames for Monday’s market and seven for Wednesday. The attendance on ’Change has been above the usual average for this season of the year and unquestionably points to the keen interest taken by the merchants in buying up whatever kind of coal may be offering at a reasonable rate. The depot trade has slackened off on account of the mild weather, but the demand is still sufficiently strong to absorb the whole of the quantities offering for sale on the market. Prices are practically unaltered, the higher prices obtainable in the week being fully maintained. This, however, only brings the market prices up to the level of the official quotations of September 17 last, which have been in force throughout the whole of the winter, although at times difficult to obtain. The merchants are strongly under the impression that a few days more of the present warm weather will tend to lower the colliery prices, but as the stocks are all clear, and the books full of orders, it is not anticipated that any change can take place until May is fairly advanced. The bulk of the colleries are aiming at making the minimum starting price this year higher than last year, in addition to the scale of prices being fully advanced also. The fixed con- tract rates are to be Is. per ton above last year, and the scale prices 3d. per ton advance, making the starting point 26s. for Derby brights advertised, instead of 24s. as last year. Market quotations (pit mouth) : Note.—Although every care is exercised to secure accuracy, we cannot hold ourselves responsible for these prices, which are, further, subject to fluctuations. Yorkshire. Wath Main best coal................. Do. nuts........................ Birley cube Silkstone............... Do. branch coal .................. Do. seconds....................... Barnsley Bed Silkstone.............. West Riding Silkstone .............. Kiveton Park H«z«l ................. Do. cobbles................. Do. nuts.................. Do. hard steam................. New Sharlston Wallsend ............. Wharncliffe Silk stone coal......... Do. Flockton Main .............. Do. Athersley house coal........ Newton Chambers best Sik stone...... Do. Grange best Silkstone Do. Hesley Silkstone ... Do. Rockingham selected Do. Rockingham Silkstone Derbyshire Wingfield Manor best................ Do. large nuts.......... Do. small nuts.......... Do. kitchen coal............. West Hallam Kilburn brights......... Do. do. nuts .................. Do. London brights ............ Do. bright nuts................ Do. small nuts ................ Manners Kilburn brights............. Do. do. nuts ..................... •Shipley do. brights ............... Do. do. nuts ..................... Mapperley brights................... Do hard steam .................. CosRall Kilburn brights............. Do. do. nuts...................... Trowell Moor brights................ Do. do nuts...................... Grassmoor Main coal................. Do. Tupton ..................... Do. do. nuts.................... Current prices. 13/ 12 11/6 15/ 11 12/6 12/ 18 13 12 11 14/ 14/ 13/6 11/6 15/ 14/ 13/ 13/6 13/ Last week’s prices. 13/ 12 H/6 15/ 11 12/6 12/ 13 13 12/ 11/ 14/ 14/ 13/6 11/6 1.5/ 14/ 13/ 13/6 13/ 12/ 11/9 9/6 1°/ 12 11/9 11/ 10/9 9/6 12/ 11/9 •2/ 11/9 12/ 11/9 12/ 11/9 11/6 12/6 11/ 12/ 12/ 11/9 9/6 10/ 12 11/9 11/ 10/9 9/6 12/ 11/9 12/ 11/9 12/ 11/9 12/ 11/9 11/6 H/ 12/6 H/ 12/ Derbyshire—(cont). Current prices. Last week’s prices. Clay Cross Main coal 12/6 12/6 Do. do. cubes 12/ 12/ Do. special Derbys 11/9 11/9 Do. house coal 11/ 11/ Pilsley best blackshale 12/6 12/6 Do. deep house coal 10/6 10/6 Do. hard screened cobbles 10/ 10/ Hardwick best Silkstone 12/6 12/6 Do. Cavendish brights 11/6 11/6 Do. cubes 11/6 11/6 Nottinghamshire. Clifton picked hards 12/ 12/ Do. small hards 11/ 11 Do. deep large steam 12/ 12 Annesley best hards 12 12 Do. bright cobbles ..... 11/3 11/3 Linby best hards 12/ 12/ Do. bright cobbles 11/3 113 Digby London brights 12/ 12 Do. cobbles 12/ 12 Do. top hards 13 13 Do. High Hazel coal 14/ 14 Best wood hard steam coal 12 12 Do. bright cobbles 11/3 11/3 Hucknall Torkard main hards 12/3 12/3 Do. do. cobbles 11/3 11/3 Do. do. nuts 11/ 11/ Do. do. High Hazel H P. ... 14/9 14/9 Do. do. London brights 12/3 12/3 Do. do. large nuts 12/3 12/3 Do. do. bright nuts 11/3 11/3 Sherwood H.P. hards 12/ 12 Do. hard steam 10/6 10/6 Do. brights 11/3 11/3 Do. cobbles 11/3 11/3 Do. large nttts 11/9 11/9 Warwickshire. Griff large steam coal 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. bakers’ nuts 11/ 11/ Do. loco Two Yard hards 13/6 13/6 Do. Ryder nuts 11/6 11/6 Do. do. cobbles 12/6 12/6 Nuneaton steam coal ... 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. nuts 11/ 11/ Haunchwood steam 10/9 10/9 Do.' screened cobbles 11/ H/ Do. nuts 11/ 11/ Wyken steam coal 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. nuts 11/ 11/ Exhall Ell coal spires 12/6 12/6 Do. large steam coal 10/9 10/9 Leicestershire. Snibston steam 10/6 10/6 Do. cobbles 10/3 10/3 Do. nuts 10/6 10/6 South Leicester steam 10/ 10/ Do. cobbles or small hards 10/6 10/6 Do. nuts 10/6 10/6 Whitwick steam 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 Do. roasters Do. cobbles 10/6 10/6 10/6 10/6 Do. nuts Netherseal hards 17/ 17/ Do. Eureka 12/6 12/6 Do. kitchen 10/6 10/6 Ibstock kibbles 10/ 10/ Do. large nuts 10/ 10/ Do. bakers’ nuts 9/6 9/6 Do. Main nuts 10/ 10/ Do. hards 9/6 9/6 Granville New Pit cobbles 11/6 11/6 Do. Old Pit cobbles 10/6 10/6 North Staffordshire. Talk-o’-th’-Hill best 13/6 13/6 Sneyd best, selected 14/6 14/6 Do. deeps 14/ 14/ Silverdale best 15/ 15/ Do. cobbles 14/ 14/ Apedale best 13/6 13/6 Do. seconds 13/ 13/ Podmore Hall best 13/6 13/6 Do. seconds 13/ 13/ South Staffordshire {Cannock District). Walsall Wood steam coal, London brights 13/ 13/ Do. shallow one way 12/ 12/ Do. deep nuts 11/6 11/6 Cannock steam 11/ 13/ 11/ Coppice deep coal 13/ Do. cobbles 12/ 12/ Do. one way 12/ 12/ Do. shallow coal 12/ 12/ Cannock Chase deep main !7/ 12/ 17/ Do. Deep kitchen cobbles ... 12/ Do. best shallow main 14/ 14/ Do. shallow kibbles 13/6 13/6 Do. best brights 13/ 13/ Do. yard cobbles 13/6 13/6 Do. yard nuts 12/6 12/6 Do. bakers’nuts 10/3 10/3 Do. screened hards 11/ 11/ from Meim. Dinham, Favcus and Co.’s Report. # Friday, April 18.—The seaborne house coal market con- tinued quiet to-day, with no cargoes reported sold in either Durham or Yorkshire. Cargoes 22. Monday, April 21.—The seaborne house coal market was without alteration to-day, the enquiry being limited with no cargoes on offer. Cargoes 33. Wednesday, April 23.—There were no Durham or York- shire seaborne house coal cargoes on offer again to-day, and the market remained quiet. Cargoes 7. The owners of small collieries and quarries in the north of England, it is stated, have formed an association, to be known as the Northern Collieries and Quarries Mutual Protection Association. The secretary, pro tem,, is Mr. Pollard, and the headquarters are at Newcastle. THE IRISH GOAL TRADE. Thursday, April 24. Dublin. There has been no change in any direction during the week, business being active in most classes of coal, and prices firm but unchanged. The Cross-Channel trade shows an improvement now that labour difficulties are settled at Garston Docks, but stocks are still below the normal. Some of the Army contracts are now open for the usual twelve months’ supply of coal and coke, and tenders are also being invited for gas coals for inland districts. City prices remain as follow :—Best Orrell, 27s. per ton; best Arley, 26s.; best Whitehaven, 25s.; best Wigan, 25s.; best kitchen, 24s.; best Orrell slack, 21s.; best coke, 23s. per ton. Irish coals at Arigna, County Leitrim:—Best coal, 15s. lOd. per ton; nuts, Ils. 8d.; culm, 9s. 2d. per ton at the pit mouth. The coaling vessels arriving during the past week amounted to 73, as compared with 53 the week previously, chiefly from Garston, Liverpool. Llanelly, Newport, Troon, Preston, Whitehaven, Ayr, Irvine, Mary port, Workington, Glasgow, Girvan, Partington, Saundersfoot, and Campbeltown. The total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays was 29,500 tons. Belfast. All branches of the coal trade continue to be steadily active, and prices are firm at late rates. Stocks are slowly increasing in this port, but are not yet up to the average. City prices are as follow:—Best Arley coal, 27s. 6d. per ton; Hartley, 26s. 6d.; Wigan, 25s. 6d.; Orrell nuts, 26s. 6d.; Scotch house, 23s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 23s. 6d. Quotations ex-quay:—Arley house coal, 24s. per ton ; Scotch household, 20s. 6d.; Scotch steam coal, 17s. to 18s. per ton; naviga- tion steam, 17s. to 18s.; Welsh steam, about 20s. per ton; English steam slack, 17s. per ton delivered. Cargoes arriving during the week were chiefly from Ayr, Maryport, Manchester, Sharpness, Garston, Glasgow, Ardrossan, Troon, Preston, Partington, Swansea and Workington. The total number of coaling vessels arriving in the harbour between March 30 and April 12 was 121. At a recent meeting of the Belfast Harbour Board, a discussion took place in reference to the erecHon of a large shed at Queen’s Quay at an approximate cost of XI1,400. The proposed shed is for the accommodation of cross-Channel traffic, and will displace the local coal trade, for which other arrangements will be made. THE FREIGHT MARKET. The volume of outward chartering done on the north- east coast continues very limited. Antwerp, of course, has been “ on the Index ” during the last two weeks. To other coasting ports, typical rates have been:—Tyne to London, 2s. 10|d.; Hamburg, 3s. 3d. to 3s. 6d. North France is based on about 43. 3d. to 4s. 6d. to Havre. The Baltic is somewhat stronger, at from 5s. 6d. to 5,. 9d. to Cronstadt, navigation to which is now open. Mediterranean rates are firmer, at from 9s. 9d. to 10s. to Genoa. At South Wales, chartering has been rather brisker than usual. Rates for the Mediterranean are firmer, and those for South America show some improvement. For nearer destinations, late rates are well maintained. The Clyde is quiet and steady. The Humber is firm, both for the Baltic and the Mediter- ranean. Homewards, Australia has booked a moderate amount of steam tonnage. The Far East is quiet. The Black Sea has more enquiry, at stiffer rates. The Az >f and Danube are similarly stronger. The River Plate is rather firmer. New York advices indicate a quiet market for cotton, but with more doing in tonnage for timber. The Mediterranean and ore trades are rather quiet, and not much Baltic business has been done. The Mediterranean and White Sea Conference is warning owners not to be too precipitate in entering into charters for the season, as the volume of business to be done appears to be such that, if caution be exercised, the rates obtainable should be very satisfactory. Tyne to Aalborg, 1,700, 4s. 10|d. ; 1,500, 5s. ; 1,700, 4s. 7|d. ; Aalesund, 1,600, 4s. 9d. ; 1,500, 5s. ; Cronstadt, 2,700, 5s. 9d. ; 4,800, 5s. 6d. ; 1,200, 5s. 9d. ; Geioa, 5,000, 9s. 6d. ; 3,000, 10s. ; 3,800, 9s. 4|d. ; 4,200, 9s. 6d. ; 2.800, 9s. 10|d. ; 3,600, 10s. ; 6,400, 9s. 4|d- ; 3,700, 9s. 10|d.; Havre, 1,000, 4s. 6d., from Elswick; Hamburg, 1,500,3s. 6d.; Kratz wick, 2,700, 4s. 4|d. ; London, 2,000, 2*. 10|d. ; Las Palmas, 1,500, 9s. ; Memel, 1,200, 5s. 6d. ; Madeira, 1,500, 9s.; Palermo, 3,100, 10s. 91.. 400; Reval, 3,400, 6«. ; St. Nazaire, 3,400, 4s. 9d., from Dunston ; Stockholm, 1 800, 5s.; Savona, 4,200, 9s. 6d. ; 2.900, 10s. • St. Petersburg, 3,100, 63. ; 1,100, 9s. 6d., coke ; Venice, 4 800, 10s. 7|d. Cardiff to Algiers, 2,000, 10| ,fr.; 5,400, 10| fr.; 2.800, lift.; 4,000, lift.; 2,200, 10|fr., end April; 3,000, 10|fr.; 6,000, 10 fr.; Ancona, 4,500 4 800, 500 ; Alexandria, 6,000, 9s. 9d., 500, May 3 ; Aden, 4,800, Ils. 7|d-, May; Bordeaux, 3,500, 5| fr.; Boulogne, 950, 5s.; Buenos Ayres, 4,500, 16s. 6d., with Is. mid-May ; Bona, 1,300, 12| fr.; Brest, 900, 4s. 3d.; Bermuda, 2,500, 9s., ppt.; Barcelona, 4.000, 10s. 6d., spot; Cape Verds, 9s. 3d.. April; Cork, 750, 4*. 6d.; Chatham, several vessels, 2s. 7|d., Admiralty; Cabad llo, sail. 19s. 6d.; Cherbourg, 1.400, 5s. l|d.; Charente, 1 600, 7 fr.; Cadiz, 1,500, 8s. 9d.; Chantenay, 2,400. 6fr ; Ca’ais, 950, 5s.; 2,600, 4s. 6d.; Cronstadt, 1,200, 6s. 6d.; 4.800, 5s. 9d.; Campana. 5,000, 16s., May ; Dieppe. 2,090, 4s. 9d.; Dover, 950, 3s. 7£d., Admiralty; Genoa, 5,000, 8s. 6d., May 1; 2,800, 9s. 4|d.; 6,500. 8s. 9d., April 25 ; 4 200, 9s., April 28 ; 5,200. 9s., May; Galatz and Braila, 5 000, 12s. 3d., early May; 4,500, 12s. 6d.; Havre, 2 900, 4s. 3d.; 1.100, 5s.; Havre Canal, 1,800, 4s. 10|d.; Haulbowline, 1,900 2s. 6d ; Huelva, 1,500,7s.; Islands, 4,000. 8s 6 i., May 1; Las Palmas,4,000,8s. 6d., April; Licata,2 700. Ils.; La Pall ce, 3,000, 5| fr., early May ; Leghorn, 4,000. 9s.; Lisbon, 2,200, 6s. 9d., 350; 1,700, 6s. 6d.; Marseilles, 3,500, 11| fr.; 5 400, 11| fr.; 4,700, ll^fr.; 6 300, lift.,end April; Manaos,19s. 6d., April; Marsowah, 5 000, 12s. 3d., end April; Milszz ', 2.200, Ils. 3d., 400; Maranham sail, 19s.; Naples, 1,000, 9*. l|i.; 5,000, 9s.; 5,000.9s. l|d., 800, 9s., l.OvO: Port Said, 3 900, 10s.; 7,000, 9s. 6d., April 29; 4,800, 9s. 61., April 28; 5 900, 9s. 6d.; Para, 15s. 6d, .April; Piraeus, 3,400. 10s.; Perim, Ils. 9d , May ; Portland, 3,800, 2s. 7$d , Admiralty; River Plate, 5 000, i6s., end April; 5,800,16s. ; 4 500,16s. 6d., with Is., mid-May ; 4,500, 15s. l|d., April ; 5.200, 14s 9d., April; Rouen, 1,500, 5s. 3d.; Rosario, 5,000, 16s. 6d., May ; Rio de Janeiro, 16s. 6d., April-May; 18s. 6d., fuel, reported; 16s. 3d.,