May 9, 1913.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

965

There is no change in best house coals, but in the better
qualities of bituminous a slight advance has taken place,
No. 3 Rhondda large being now 19s. No. 2 large is 17s.
The quantity of coal shipped coastwise from the Welsh
ports during March was 293,622 tons. Cardiff was credited
with 147,058 tons, of which Southampton took 39,000 tons,
London 34,427 tons, Liverpool 25,417 tons, and Bristol
13,539 tons. From Newport there were despatched 57,999
tons, Swansea 32,512 tons, and Port Talbot and Briton
Terry 18,090 tons. Shipments of patent fuel last week
were 35,803 tons, of which 16,103 tons were exported by
the Crown Company, 3,000 tons by other local makers,
15,000 tons by Swansea, and 1,700 tons by Newport makers.
Best brands are still held for 26s. Furnace coke is rather
more, being 25s. to 26s., but special foundry is still quoted
at 32s., and ordinary qualities at 29s. to 30s. Pitwood has
■fallen to 20s. per ton.

Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated).

	Current	Last week’s
'Steam coals:—	prices.	prices.
Best Admiralty steam coals 		22/ to 23/ 21/6 to 22/	21/6 to 22/
Superior seconds			21/ to 21/3
Ordinary do		20/ to 20/6	20/
Best bunker smalls			15/	14/6 to 14/9
Best ordinaries...		14/6 1	14/
Cargo qualities 		13/9 to 14/3	13/6 to 13/9
Inferior smalls		13/ to 13/6	12/9 to 13/
Best dry coals 		20/6 to 21/	19/6 to 20/6
Ordinary drys 		19/6 to 20/	17/9 to 18/3
Best washed nuts 		17/6	17/6
Seconds		16/6	16/6
Best washed peas 		16/	16/
Seconds		15/	15/
Dock screenings 		15/3 to 15/6	15/9
Monmouthshire— Black Veins		20/3	19/6 to 19/9
Wes tern-valleys 		19/9	18/9 to 19/
Eastern-valleys 		19/3	18/ to 18/3
Inferior do		18/3	17/6 to 17/9
Bituminous coals:—  Best house coals (at pit)	19/6	19/6
Second qualities (at pit)	17/6	17/6
No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 		19/	18/6
Through-and-through...	18/	17/6
Small		16/6	16/3 to 16/6
No. 2 Rhondda—		
Large		17/	17/
Through-and-through...	16/	15/6
Small		14/	13/9 to 14/
Best patent fuel 		26/	26/
Seconds		24/6 to 25/	24/6 to 25/
Special foundry coke 		32/	31/ to 32/
Ordinary do.			29/ to 30/	29/ to 30/
Furnace coke 		25/ to 26/	24/6 to 25/
Pitwood (ex-ship) 		20/	21/

<Joal and patent fuel quotations are for cash in 30 days less
21 per cent. Rhondda bituminous coals at pithead
are roughly Is. 3d. per ton less. All pithead prices are
usually netf Coke is net f.o.b.

IRON.

Although nearly one-fourth of the tinplate mills are still
idle, the shipments last week amounted to over 124,000
boxes, no less than 1,400 tons going to New York. Un-
fortunately the receipts from works exceeded the exports
by 25,000 boxes, and stocks are once more standing at over
half a-million boxes. Experts are of opinion that if peace
be established in the Near East, the trade will resume its
normal condition in six or eight weeks. There is certainly
more enquiry for plates, and prices are better, merchants
offering 14s. 3d. for 14 x 20 cokes, 14s. 6d. for quarters,
and 20s. 6d. for 10 x 20 oil plates, but makers are
disinclined to accept these sums. At the time of
writing a good deal of interest was being taken in the
approaching meeting of the tinplate conciliation board.
Although trade is in a very bad state, the employers said
they would make no attack on the wage list, but that
they intended to ask for a withdrawal of the clause which
provided that if the men desired to renew their claim for
10 per cent, advance, a conference should be held to deal
with the same upon giving four months’ notice. Evidently
the masters look to the probability that they may have to
ask for some alteration in wages within a less period than
four months. Imports of foreign steel show a gradual
diminution, the quantity received last week being under
5,000 tons. As most of the specifications received by
the Welsh mills for bars are now pretty well up
to date, and there is some difficulty in getting further
orders to any large extent, prices remain practically
-unchanged. Nominally Siemens bars for May, June and July
delivery are £5 12s. 6d., and Bessemer £5 10s., but buyers
ask for a reduction of at least 2s. 6d on these figures. A
rather more hopeful view is taken of the galvanised sheet
trade. Stocks abroad are believed to be short, and that
there must soon be a revival in the exports. Prices are
somewhat irregular, ranging from .£1112s. 6d. to .£1117s. 6d.
for 24 gauge corrugateds. A little more business is doing in
rails on the basis of £6 10s. to £6 15s. for heavy, and £6 15s.
to £7 for light sections. Welsh pig iron is 83s. to 83s. 6d.
f.o.t. The iron ore market is very dull. Best rubio is
20s. 6d. to 21s., and secondary qualities Is. to Is. 6d. less,
but hardly any buying is taking place. New steel crop ends
are 68s. 6d. per ton.

Llanelly.

COAL.

The coal market of this district is very much as last
reported, and no improvement is yet noticeable for any
kind. The anthracite trade is about as slow as it can very
well be, with prices very unsteady. Quotations are now being
governed by the position of the colliery in regard to empties,
as to have wagons released they offer big concessions. Unfor-
tunately there is no immediate prospect of an alteration,
and prices for the next few weeks will continue to be much
cut. Both from the Continent and the inland customers
there is quite a slump. The steam and bituminous kinds,
though not quite so firm as they have been, are in strong
demand with quite a scarcity of smalls. The only draw-
back just now is the uncertain state of the tin-plate trade
and the possibility of the works closing down. This would
have an immediate effect on the market and bring down

prices. The best quality house coals are also scarce. Prices
this week 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/ to 18/	17/ to 18/
Red Vein do		13/6 to 14/	13/6 to 14/
Machine-made cobble s ...	18/6 to 20/	18/6 to 20/
German nuts 		22/ to 24/6	23/ to 24/6
French do		22/ to 24/6	23/ to 24/6
Paris do		22/ to 24/6	23/ to 24/6
Machine-made beans 		19/ to 21/	18/6 to 20/6
Do	peas		11/3 tc 13/	11/3 to 13/
Rubbly culm 		9/ to 9/6	9/3 to 9/9
Duff 		6/ to 6/6	6/3 to 7/
Other sorts:—		
Large steam coal		18/ to 18/6	18/ to 18/6
Through-and-through ...	15/ to 16/	15/ to 16/
Small		10/6 to 11/6	10/6 to 11/6
Bituminous small coal ...	13/6 to 14/6	13/6 to 14/6

Swansea.

COAL.

The returns of the trade of the port during the past week
were fairly satisfactory, the coal and patent fuel trades were
moderately active, and the shipments amounted to 100,836
tons. There was a capital attendance on ’Change this
morning and some improvement was in evidence on the
anthracite coal market. There was a better demand for
Swansea Valley large and values showed a slight advance.
Red Vein large, however, was without alteration. Machine-
made nuts and cobbles barely maintained their position.
Rubbly culm was firmer, whilst duff was very strong and
difficult to obtain for prompt loading. In the steam coal
market there was a very firm tone, and all classes are firmly
quoted at last prices.

Prices f.o.b. (cash in 30 days).

Anthracite:—

Best malting large (hand
picked) (net) ..........

Secondary do............

Big Vein large (less 2j

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)

Rubbly culm (less 2| 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/ to 24/
19/ to 20/

16/ to 18/
13/9 to 14/6

22/ to 23/6
23/ to 24/
23/ to 24/
23/ to 24/
16/6 to 19/6

11/3 to 13/

9/3 to 9/6
6/ to 6/6

19/6 to 21/
16/3 to 17/
15/6 to 16/
13/6 to 15/6

Last week’s
prices.

22/ to 24/
19/ to 20/

16/ to 18/
13/9 to 14/6

22/ to 23/6
23/ to 24/
23/ to 24/
23/ to 24/
18/6 to 20/6

11/3 to 13/

9/3 to 9/6
6/ to 6/6

19/6 to 21/
16/3 to 17/
15/6 to 16/
13/6 to 15/6

19/ to 20/

16/6 to 17/6
14/9 to 16/
21/ to 22/6

19/ to 20/

16/6 to 17/6
14/9 to 16/
21/ to 22/6

IRON.

Last week the production of pig iron was equal to that of
the preceding week, a heavy tonnage being registered at the
blast furnaces of Messrs. Baldwins Limited, Landore. The
steel industry was prosperous, a splendid output of tin bars
being shown at the steel producing establishments in the
district. Activity was observed at the engineering shops
and foundries. The shipments of tin-plates during the past
week were very good, being 124,019 boxes, receipts from
works 149,131 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and
vans 503,588 boxes.

_________________________________________________

C0HT1HEHTAL HIKING NOTES.
_________________________________________________

Austria.

Official Wholesale Coal Prices in Vienna.—Ostrau-Dombrau-
Karwin coals: Large 2810-2910 kronen, cubes 27*60-
28*60 kr., nuts 26*60-27*60 kr., small 23-23*20 kr., washed
smithy coals 29-29 20 kr., coke 38-40 kr. per ton net
cash, ex shutes Nordbahnhof. Pilsen large coal, 3*32 kr.
per ton in 10-ton loads ex Franz-Josef-Bahnhof. Rossitz-
Zbeschau-Oslawan prime washed smithy coals, 30*50-31*50
kr., coke 30-32 kr. per ton ex Nordbahnhof or Staats-
bahnhof. Upper Silesian coals: Best large 32*30-33*10 kr.,
cubes 32*30-33 10 kr., medium large or cubes 31*50-32 30 kr.,
seconds large or cubes 26*70-27*80 kr., best nuts I. 32*70-
33 50 kr., II. 29*60-30*10 kr., best small 23*50-24 kr., seconds
22*50-23 kr. per ton net cash ex shutes Nordbahnhof. In
10-ton loads: Best large or cubes 30*70-31*50 kr., nuts
31*10-31*70 kr. per ton. Gas coke from Vienna Gasworks,
34*60-39*20 kr. per ton ex works. Lignite: Dux large or
Brux-Dux cubes 21*70-23*20 kr., nuts 21*20-22 70 kr., Maria-
schein cubes 23 70-25*20 kr., nuts 23*20-24 70 kr. per ton ex
shutes Franz Josefs- or Nordwest-bahnhof.

______________

Belgium.

Steps are being taken to form an association of foundry
owners and contractors for the common purchase of coke
and pig iron.

A company bearing the title of the Compagnie Metallur-
gique de la Campine has been formed at Antwerp with a
capital of 1,205,000 fr.

The Societe du Levant de Mons has entered into liquida-
tion, and a new company incorporated under the title of the
Societe Nouvelle des Charbonnages du Levant de Mons.

_______________________

France.

On March 31, stocks of fuel at the various French ports
aggregated 360,618 tons, as against 383,315 tons on the
same date a year ago. Of the total, 105,497 tons were in
stock at Havre, 90,389 tons at Marseilles, 20,403 tons at
Bordeaux, and 11,580 tons at St. Nazaire.

The fifth Congress of the National Federation of Miners
was held at Alais on April 22, but the absence of the Nord
and Pas-de-Calais delegates deprived the assembly of all
interest. Resolutions were passed regretting that the
Northern miners had been deceived by their leaders.

The following shows the imports and exports of fuel
during the first quarter of this year:—

Imports.	Exports.

1912.	1913	1912.	1913.

Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.

Coal............	3,788,300	...	4,460,400	...	512,019	...	351,123

Coke ..........	613,600	...	838,500	...	42,106	...	70,852

Briquettes ....	281,300	...	266,400	...	44,012	...	45,522

In the three months 2.813,400 tons of British coal were
imported, as against 2,220,400 tons in the corresponding
period of last year; 908,800 tons of Belgian coal, as against
740,200 tons; and 657,200 tons of German coal, as against
751,400 tons. From Germany there were imported 690,500
tons of coke, as against 509,500 tons last year.

__________________

Germany.

The Legislature of Alsace-Loraine has decided to levy an
ad valorem duty of 21 per cent, on all mineral products. In
1912 the province produced 20.083,000 tons of iron ore,
3,538,722 tons of coal, 137,243 tons of potash, 72,541 tons of
salt and 47,176 tons of petroleum, the value being 96,000,000
marks. The project has still to be sanctioned by the
Second Chamber and the Emperor.

Ruhr Coal Market.—The 5 per cent, reduction in the
participation percentage of coke output for the present
month is due entirely to the circumstance that the nominal
participation figures have been increased. Business keeps
on a satisfactory level; and though customers are not
pressing so urgently now, this is because they laid in con-
siderable quantities before the new price list came into
operation. The general conditions tend to favour a con-
tinuance of activity, the iron industry being very busy and,
particularly in the case of coke, being partially unable to
get as much fuel as it needs. The South German market
still proves able to absorb promptly nearly all the con-
signments received, so that stocks are not increasing to any
extent. Belgium, Holland and France remain large buyers,
and the competition of English coal is inconsiderable.

Coal Market in Upper Silesia.—The expected strike has
now become a fact, to the great detriment of business, more
than 25,000 men having come out, with the result that the
traffic returns have fallen by more than 50 per cent. Apart
from this untoward circumstance, the situation is satisfac-
tory, house coal being still in good request, whilst the
supply of coking coals is not—irrespective of the strike—
equal to the demand. Exports to Austria and Russia are
being maintained as far as is possible without injuring the
home trade; and these conditions are likely to continue for
some time, both countries being largely dependent on
imported fuel. The coke market retains its activity
undiminished, and it is difficult to get prompt delivery of
blastfurnace and foundry grades.

Exports and Imports of Fuel.—The following shows the
exports and imports of fuel during March and the first
quarter of the year;—

March.	January-March.

1912.	1913.	1913. Increase or

Imports—	Tons. Tons. Tons. decrease.

Coal............	497,457... 709,229...2,177,843... +278,799

Lignite ........	709,083...	664,108... 1,732,519...—139,385

Coke ..........	40,599...	49,364...	139,996...+	7,734

Coal briquettes	5,727...	2,321...	6,231...—	9,134

Lignite ditto....	11,278...	10,718...	35,693...+	691

Exports—

Coal............ 2,420,993...2,815,640...8,460,214... +124,533
Lignite ........	4,445...	5,738...	19,730...+ 5,800

Coke............	507,748...	559,973... 1,698,747... +393,733

Coal briquettes	193,161...	223,763...	613,621... +107,866

Lignite ditto....	47,444...	61,101...	261,972...+103,936

During March, 600,483 tons of coal were imported from
Great Britain, as against 373,895 tons in the same month
last year, whilst the total imported in the three months was
1,862,780 tons, an increase of 314,860 tons. During the
quarter the exports of German coal to Austria-Hungary
increased by 455,233 tons, to the Netherlands by 168.463
tons, to Belgium by 124,533 tons, to European Russia by
65,025 tons, Spain by 20,392 tons, France by 23,556 tons,
and Sweden by 16,825 tons.

Hamburg Coal Trade.—Mr. H. W. Heidmann, of Hamburg,
writes that the imports of coals into Hamburg have been
in April:—

From	1913. Tons.	1912.  Tons.
Northumberland and Durham...	257,314	... 117,918
Yorkshire, Derbyshire, &c		68,256	...	14,556
Scotland 		131,914	...	70,461
Wales 		19,801	1,828
Coke		—	112
Total		477,285	... 204,875