918 May 2, 1913. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. _________________________________________________________________________ _______________________ based upon the years of service. Thus an engineer retired at 55, after 25 years’ service, will receive a pension of 4,687*5 fr. under the scheme. This is in addition to the 2,400 fr. under the State system of insurance, derived in equal moieties from the engineer and the company. Towards this total the latter will have contributed premiums amounting to 2,200 fr. and the latter premiums amounting to 3,200 fr. The Dourges Collieries have 250 coke ovens, of which 208 are of the by-product type. In 1912 these ovens produced *665,523 kilogs. of benzol and other solvent products, •6,240,957 kilogs. of tar, 204,855 kilogs. of ammoniacal liquor, and 1,919,515 kilogs. of sulphate of ammonia; .274,196 tons of coke were made. A company under the title of the Societe Houillere d’Importation en Agglomeres (Anciens Etablissements Levy Freres) has been formed in Paris (33, Rue de Trevise) with a capital of 500,000 fr., divided into 1,000 shares of 500 fr. each, of which 840 are held by MM. Levy Freres. The directors are T. Whitaker, J. Shaw, T. H. Bower, H..W. Ezard, C. Levy and F. Levy. _____________________ Germany. Production of Fuel in March.—The following table shows the output of various classes of fuel in Germany during March and the first quarter of the present year:— March. January-March. 1912. 1913. 1912. 1913. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Coal...........12,811,823...15,413,378... 42,021,733... 47,558,449 Lignite ...... 7,041,990... 6,706,221... 20413,947... 20,917,977 Coke........... 2,130,905... 2,744,350... 6,742,553... 7,991,860 Coal briquettes 356,336... 462,014... l,222,190\. 1,436,225 Lignite ditto... 1,652,904... 1,627,304... 4,619,710... 5,048,260 The following figures epitomise the movement of coal and coke in the quarter now completed :— Coal. Coke. ________________ 1912. 1913. 1912. 1913. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Production .... 42,021,000...47,558,000...6,743,000...7,992,000 Imports ........ 1,899,000... 2,177,000... 132,000... 140,000 Exports........ 7,595,000... 8,460,000... 1,305,000... 1,699,000 Consumption ... 36,325,000...41,276,000...5,570,000...6,433,000' Coal Market in South Germany.—Of late the demand for house coal has been very satisfactory for the time of year, owing to the frosty nights, so that the consignments which usually go into stock at this season have been taken over by consumers, leaving the middlemen without any reserves. Stocks are also low at the Upper Rhine transhipment ports, and although the river is in favourable condition for traffic, the shipments are small, so much of the surplus output .from the Ruhr having latterly been sent down stream, especially to Belgium. The oncoming quantities just about cover the requirements of the moment, leaving nothing over for stock. In these circumstances, the market situation is favourable, and is rendered firmer by the labour troubles in Belgium and Upper Silesia. English competition is almost . at a standstill, in spite of the low freights, better prices being obtainable at home. Coal Market in Upper Silesia.—The shipping strike has interfered with deliveries by water, and the circumstance that dealers and consumers have laid in extensive supplies to provide against the consequences of a miners’ strike, is now reacting on the traffic returns. Nevertheless, the position is good, and the amounts it has been found neces- sary to stock are unimportant. Large and cube coals are in good demand by the State Railways Administration, and the satisfactory condition of the iron industry offers the prospect of a continued good outlet for some time. Coking coals are still a short supply, and the scarcity is a source of trouble to the cokeries. Ironmasters and foundries have in general only small stocks of coke in hand, so that the cokemakers are being pressed for delivery, and the whole output is taken up at once. The house coal trade is less active, but still fairly large. Coal Syndicate Report for March.—Total coal raised, 8,229,358 tons (6,096,079 tons in March 1912), or 342,890 tons (234,465 tons) per working day. Calculated distribu- tion, 6,869,550 tons (5,008,108 tons), being 286,231 tons (192,620 tons) per working day, or 108'35 per cent. (73*33 per cent.) of the participation. Total distribution from syndicated pits, 8,441,141 tons (6,474,508 tons), or 351,714 tons (239,020 tons) per working day. Deliveries, including local sales, miners’ house coal and supplies to pits’ own iron- works : Coal, 5,145,530 tons (3,653,738 tons), or 214,397 tons (140,528 tons) per working day ; coke, 1,970,145 tons <1,685,916 tons), or 53,553 tons (54,384 tons) per working day; briquettes, 365,415 tons (275,452 tons), or 15,226 tons <10,594 tons) per working day. The following particulars relate to the pits with whom the Syndicate has entered into sales agreements :—Total production 689,874 tons, total distribution of coal (including ^that consumed in making the coke sent out) 662,459 tons, amount delivered for Syndicate account 87,210 tons, total distribution of coke 220,176 tons, for Syndicate account 36,010 tons. Ruhr Coal Market.—There is little that is new to report on the situation, practically the only question of live interest at present being the effect of the Belgian strike. Last year, Belgium’s coal output was 3 million tons short of the needs of the country, and most of the deficiency was supplied from Germany; and any even temporary stoppage of work in the home pits must lead to increased importa- tion, the local stocks being small. So far as the German coalowner is concerned, the strike has caused export prices to become firmer, and is therefore beneficial. In other respects, business remains on the same lines as before. Apart from lean house coals, deliveries are large, and in some cases cannot be got away quickly enough to satisfy consumers. Foreign customers are also taking very large consignments, especially Belgium, Holland and France, good prices being obtained. In South Germany, house coals are still in active request; at least the shipments going forward are absorbed without difficulty. The coke market also remains unchanged, and the demand for blastfurnace and foundry coke prevents any accumulation of stocks. Switzerland. The Swiss Executive Council has decided that the coal deposits in the Moutier, Delemont, Porrentruy, and Laufon districts shall be declared to be the property of the State. They will be worked as concessions. Russia. A supplementary credit of 4 million roubles has been presented in the Duma for the purchase of foreign coal, in view of the prevailing scarcity. THE LOMDOR COAL TRACE. Thursday, May 1. The London coal trade for the past week has been some- what slow, although very little change has as yet taken place in the ordinary current prices. No new business has been offering, and the trade has been exclusively confined to the orders on hand. Colliery representatives, however, are still fairly supplied with orders, and it was noticeable that only small parcels are offering, and these are not pressed upon the buyer. The end of the month usually slackens the demand for supplies, but it is still a recognised fact that the London depots are short of stock—shorter than has been known at this period of the year for many years past. The retail trade has undoubtedly fallen off a good deal, and the delivery trade at the various depots is reported to be very weak. The sudden return of the almost summerlike conditions in the weather has greatly reduced the flow of orders from the general public. Contracts, however, for the coming year are in active negotiation, and may have been already settled—principally, however, on the sliding-scale basis. The question of the settlement of the lowest summer prices was seriously discussed during the week, and the proposal to alter the advertised prices as from May 1st was negatived in favour of continuing present prices until after the Whitsuntide holidays. Some are in favour of letting the present prices stand as the lowest for the summer, but the general feeling is that a reduction of Is. per ton should be made. Manu- facturing qualities are still selling freely, and the shipping trade continues unusually brisk. The strong demand for slacks, which has been apparent during the past two or three months, has begun to show signs of weakening. Bakers’ nuts continue busy, and kitchen cobbles are also selling freely. , In the seaborne market very little coal has been offering. The whole of the vessels coming into the river are already sold, so that no cargoes are on offer. Twenty-six vessels are reported as arriving in the Thames for Monday’s market and 10 for Wednesday’s. 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. Current Last week’s Yorkshire. prices. prices. Wath Main best coal 13/ 13/ Do. nuts 12/ 12/ Birley cube Silkstone 11/6 11/6 Do. branch coal 15/ 15/ Do. seconds 11/ 11/ Barnsley Bed Silkstone 12/6 12/6 West Riding Silkstone 12/ 12/ Kiveton Park Hazel 13/ 13/ Do. cobbles 13/ 13/ Do. nuts 12/ 12/ Do. hard steam 11/ 11/ New Sharis ton Wallsend 14/ 14/ Wharncliffe Silkstone coal 14/ L 14/ Do. Flockton Main 13/6 1 13/6 Do. Athersley house coal 11/6 11/6 Newton Chambers best Silkstone 15/ 15/ Do. Grange best Silkstone 14/ 14/ Do. Hesley Silkstone 13/ 13/ Do. Rockingham selected 13/6 13/6 Do. Rockingham Silkstone 13/ 13/ Derbyshire. Wingfield Manor best 12/ 12/ Do. large nuts 11/9 11/9 Do. small nuts 9/6 9/6 Do. kitchen coal 10/ 10/ West Hallam Kilburn brights 12/ 12/ Do. do. nuts 11/9 11/9 Do. London brights 11/ 11/ Do. bright nuts 10/9 10/9 Do. small nuts 9/6 9/6 Manners Kilburn brights 12/ 12/ Do. do. nuts 11/9 11/9 Shipley do. brights 12/ 12/ Do. do. nuts 11/9 11/9 Mapperley brights 12/ 12/ Do hard steam 11/9 11/9 Cossall Kilburn brights i ' 12/ 12/ Do. do. nuts 11/9 11/9 Tro well Moor brights 11/6 11/6 Do. do. nuts 11/ 11/ Grassmoor Main coal 12/6 12/6 Do. Tupton 11/ 11/ Do. do. nuts 12/ 12/ Derbyshire—(cont). Current prices. La^t 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/ Hard wick 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 11/3 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 HP. ... 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 nuts 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/ 11/ Do. nuts 11/ 11/ Wyken steam coal 10/9 10/9 Do. screened cobbles 11/ 11/ Do. nuts 11/ IV 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 1°/ 10/ Do. cobbles or small hards 10/6 10/6 Do. nuts 10/6 10/6 Whitwick steam 10/6 10/6 Do. roasters 10/6 10/6 Do. cobbles 10/6 10/6 Do. nuts 10/6 10/6 Nether seal hards 17/ 17/ Do. Eureka 12/6 12/6 Do. kitchen 10/6 10/6 Ibstock kibbles 10/ 10/ Do. large nuts 1°/ 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 i. 15/ 15/ Do. cobbles 14/ 14/ Apedale best 13/6 13/6 Do. seconds 13/ 13/ Podmore Hall best i 13/6 13/6 Do. seconds 13/ 13/ South Staffordshire (CannockDistrict). i Walsall Wood steam coal, London brights 13/ 13/ Do. shallow one way xo/ 12/ xo/ 12/ Do. deep nuts 11/6 11/6 Cannock steam 11/ 11/ Coppice deep coal 13/ 13/ Do. cobbles 12/ 12/ Do. one way 12/ 12/ Do. shallow coal 12/ 12/ Cannock Chase deep main 17/ x^/ 17/ Do. Deep kitchen cobbles ... 11, 12/ 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 Messrs. umnam, f&wcui ana Uo. a nepurs. Friday, April 25.—The enquiry for seaborne house coal to-day was exceedingly quiet, but no cargoes were on offer. Cargoes 34. Monday, April 28.—The seaborne house coal market was still without supplies, and the enquiry was on a limited scale. Cargoes 26. Wednesday, April 30.—There was no alteration in the seaborne house coal market to-day, only small quantities of Yorkshire being disposed of, but no prices mentioned. Cargoes 11. _____________________________ In view of his departure for Canada, Mr. Andrew Aitken, under-manager at Bothwell Castle Colliery, Lanarkshire, was last week presented by the officials and workmen with a well-filled purse of sovereigns.