420 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. August 21, 1914. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ IRON. t? ■ There is a fair amount of buying going on just now with very much higher prices, but sellers are not wishful to contract. Roughly for prompt specifications prices are as follow: <£8 5s. for crown iron, <£7 15s. second quality, steel bars <£7 15s., and billets =£5 15s. There is considerable difficulty being experienced by the galvanised sheet makers in securing supplies of spelter, and very high prices are being asked by merchants who hold any. Trade is really very uncertain. It all depends how long works can go on, a lot of them having shut up already. ________ ________ Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was only a small attendance of traders at the Exchange on Tuesday, and there were very few indications of business being done. One or two enquiries for prompt parcels of coking smalls were in circulation, and a fair number of orders for small lots of house coal were given out, but apart from these there was no business of any impor- tance. General satisfaction was expressed with the action of the committee of the Exchange in voting <£100 for the National Relief Fund, and the same applies to the generosity of the West Yorkshire Coal Owners’ Association in giving <£1,000 to the same fund. It was stated by colliery representatives that the West Yorkshire pits had averaged three to four days’ work this week, and that stocks in colliery sidings had in most cases been slightly reduced. The supply of empty wagons is very limited, as so many are held up awaiting shipment at the Humber ports. The deliveries of best coal to the London district by rail are considered to be satisfactory, and these are supplemented by deliveries to south coast points where the usual supplies by sea are not available. The offer of the leading London merchants to place 350,000 tons of house coal at the disposal of the Government at a low price for delivery during the coming winter to the London public has aroused a good deal of comment locally, and meets with general approval. In the local house coal trade merchants report a considerably reduced turnover at the depots. Panic buying has ceased, and the delightful summer weather has caused the con- sumption to be greatly reduced. The limited output of factory fuels is about equal to market needs. In the gas coal trade some progress is reported in the placing of contracts at reductions of from 9d. to Is. per ton on last year’s figures. A few cargoes of gas coal have left Goole and Hull during the last few days for the Thames and the south coast. Washed furnace coke is offered at about Ils. per ton at the ovens, and there is more enquiry for this material both from Frodingham and the Midlands. The summary of prices which follows must not be taken to represent official quotations, as these vary from day to day according to circumstances. The list represents a careful estimate, based upon actual transactions of the prices current. House coal:— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 14/ 14/ -15/ 14/ -14/6 Wallsend & London best 13/ -14/ 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/ Silkstone best 13/ -14/ 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 Do. house 12/ -12/6 12/6-13/ 12/ -12/6 House nuts Prices f.o.b. Hull:— 11/ -12/ 11/9-12/3 11/6—12/ Haigh Moor best 16/6-17/6 17/ -18/ 16/6-17/6 Silkstone best 15/6-16/6 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/6 Do. house 13/6-14/6 14/3-15/ 14/6-15/6 Other qualities Gas coal:— Prices at pit: 13/ -14/ 13/6-14/6 14/ -14/9 Screened gas coal 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ 12/3-12/9 Gas nuts 10/ -11/ 10/ -11/ 11/ -12/ Unscreened gas coal ... Other sorts:— Prices at pit: 9/6-10/6 9/6-10/6 10/6-11/ Washed nuts Large double-screened 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ 11/6-12/ engine nuts 9/6-10/6 9/6-10/9 10/9-11/3 Small nuts Rough unscreened 9/ - 9/9 9/ -10/ 10/ -10/6 engine coal 9/6-10/ 9/6-10/6 10/ -10/6 Best rough slacks 7/ - 8/ 7/ - 8 6 8/ - 8/6 Small do. 6/3- 7/ 6/ -7/ 7/6- 8/ Coking smalls Coke:— Price at ovens : 6/6- 7/ 6/ -7/ 7/3- 7/9 Furnace coke 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/6 12/6-13/ Barntlay. COAL. Although there was a larger attendance at the usual weekly market, the state of business was little altered on the week. Collieries largely dependent on the export trade are looking forward to the prospect of something being done to resume working fuller time, but for the moment there is no reliable information to hand to justify any optimistic feeling. So far it is believed that the Admiralty have not made any enquiry in this district for best steam coal, although it is thought that there is some likelihood of this taking place. Interest was created by the announce- ment that the Italian State Railways were enquiring in regard to supplies, and perhaps, with the South Wales districts being so fully engaged on Admiralty orders, there is a prospect of part of the requirements being placed in this district. The collieries who are more chiefly concerned in the export of steam coal have been able to work about three days during the week, but other collieries have managed to employ the men on four and five days a week, and it is hoped to be able to maintain this period of working. An effort is being made to persuade consumers to take large deliveries under contract in the hope that a change in the situation may occur, because it is known that a substantial amount of tonnage already contracted for has to be got through before the shipping season ends. In regard to steam fuel of all kinds prices are about normal. In some districts there is a stronger enquiry for screened nuts, which are not so easily obtained as formerly owing to restricted working. In regard to manufacturing fuel the position varies a great deal, but generally the demand is decreasing owing to the shorter working of the various industries which are now being affected by the war. The short working in the cotton districts materially affects the consumption of slacks, but, on the other hand, the continued shorter working of collieries something like balances the position. The house coal collieries are working very well, and deliveries of best classes of this coal are still in arrear. The demand for London and the south being very good at this period of the year, prices consequently are of a firm description. A better tone prevails in regard to coke, which is being more enquired for, though the restricted output is continued, and is no doubt having a decided effect at the present time. However, prices have improved to the extent of about 9d. to Is. per ton during the week. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstone ...* 15/ -15/6 15/ -15/6 14/6 Best Barnsley softs 15/ 14/9-15/ 12/ -13/ 13/9-14/ Secondary do. 12/ -13/ 11/ -13/ Best house nuts 12/9-13/ 12/9-13/ 10/9-11/ 13/ -13/3 Secondary do 10/9-11/ 11/ -13/ Steam coals:— Best hard coals 11/6 11/9 13/ -13/3 Secondary do 10/6-11/ 10/9-11/ 11/9-12/ Best washed nuts 10/9-11/ 10/9 11/6-12/ Secondary do 9/9-10/ 9/9-10/ 10/9-11/ Best slack 6/9 6/9- 7/ 8/ - 8/6 Rough do ________ 5/6— 6/ 5/9- 6/ 6/6- 7/6 ________ Gas coals:— Screened gas coals 10/6-11/ . 11/6 12/6-13/ Unscreened do 10/ 10/6 11/6-12/ Gas nuts 10/ -10/6 10/6-11/ 12/ -12/9 Furnace coke 10/6-11/ 10/3-10/6 13/ Hull. COAL. It is not possible to say that any export business has been done in the Humber coal market during the past week. There have been too many difficulties, unique and insur- mountable, in the way of a resumption of business, even on modest lines, and exporters and colliery agents alike have been engaged in the by no means easy task of solving the financial problems which, as between them and their foreign customers, have confronted them since the outbreak of the war. It is not an enviable position, for not only has trade been cut off, but outstanding debts are uncollected, and are likely to remain so, to say nothing of cargoes sent out which have been turned back and are now in neutral ports. There has, however, come a gleam of hope into the situation by the withdrawal of the embargo on the export of large steam coal, and later the removal of the stringent Customs regulation demanding a bond triple value of the cargo on all coal sent to neutral destinations. The effect of these will be to induce business to return to its natural channel in so far as it concerns most of the neutral or allied countries, all of which are large customers for Yorkshire and Derbyshire coal. The exceptions are Russia and Sweden, which it will be next to impossible to serve so long as the German war ships remain in the Baltic, and the seas thereabouts are reported to be so heavily and dangerously laid with mines. The possible demand cannot be estimated. For all the countries in Northern Europe a good deal remains to be bought. There, however, still remains the question of arranging the monetary side of contracts. For the present exporters are intimating that they will accept business only under the strict condition of “ cash with order,” and not as usual as against documents. The Hull, as well as the Grimsby and Immingham docks, are to all intents and purposes under the control of the military. One or two cargoes of small coal have been shipped to Rotterdam and other neutral ports, and several have been sent London and coastwise, but its aggregate is not great. The supply of pit props is very short, and it will only be by some lucky stroke that the imports from the Baltic are resumed before the navigation is closed by ice for the winter. _________________ Leicestershire. COIL. It is safe to say that never in the experience of the oldest colliery manager has such a week been experienced in the history of the trade. From full time with a big demand there was a dramatic change to stoppages for several days at some collieries, and almost for the whole week at others. Customers were calling out for deliveries—in fact, a famine of coal might be at hand, to judge from the urgency of the requests for delivery. The cause was the closing of all the goods lines for ordinary goods traffic by the War Office, so as to facilitate the rapid movement and concentration of troops. Empty wagons could not be secured at the pits» and matters rapidly went from bad to worse till there was a state of chaos. Colliery managers did their utmost to mitigate the inconvenience, and as a last resource the output had to be suspended. At some collieries there were no empty wagons delivered from Friday till the following Tuesday. It is hoped, however, that in the course of a few days the normal train service will restore the position, and enable the most pressing cases to be met. There will be plenty of coal for everybody; what is required is patience, and all reasonable demands will be met. The output has again become heavy, but all the collieries have been cleared out of stocks of every kind. At some collieries where there are as many as 16 grades of coal from the deep seams there is not a wagon load of any kind on hand. With this altogether remarkable demand for coal at this season of the year it is not surprising to learn that all special prices have been withdrawn. At most of the collieries the supplies of stores are getting very small, especially oils and pit props, but it is hoped that this will soon be remedied. The difficulties which are being faced are of quite an exceptional character, but there is great determination to equalise the output as far as possible in order that all unnecessary distress may be avoided. The following are the prices now generally current at the collieries in this district:— Per ton at pit. s. d. s. d. Best household coal __................ 13 6 to 14 6 Second, hand picked.................. 12 6 to 13 6 Deep screened cobbles ................ 12 3 to 13 3 Deep large nuts ....................... 11 6 to 12 0 Bakers’nuts........................... 11 6 to 12 6 Small nuts ........................... 10 6 to 11 3 Deep breeze........................... 9 6 to 10 0 Peas ................................. 7 9 to 8 3 Small dust ........................... 2 0 to 2 3 Main cobbles and nuts for London bakers 9 6 to 10 6 Steams, best hand picked __............... 9 0 to 9 6 Steams, seconds ....................... 8 3 to 8 9 Cobbles for kitcheners ................ 9 3 to 9 6 South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. All signs on the part of the public of panic have dis- appeared, and the coal trade has assumed a more normal aspect. The demand for household fuel has dropped very materially, and there is only a moderate request for works fuel by reason of many of the works being on short time. Delivery is no easy matter owing to irregularity of the supply of wagons. Prices are unsettled, but no change can be quoted from the following basis:— Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase) :— prices. prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 17/6 17/6 18/ Do. seconds deep 15/ 15/ 16/6 Do. best shallow 13/6 13/6 14/6 Do. seconds do. 12/9 14'6 12/9 13/ Best hard 14/6 14/ Forge coal 10/6 10/6 11/ Slack Warwickshire:— 7/ 7/ 8/6 House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 15/6 15/6 16/ cobs 13/ 13/ 13/9 Best hard spires 14/6 14/6 14/6 Forge (steam) 10/6 10/6 10/ D.S. nuts (steam) 9/6 9/6 9/6 Small (do.) 8/ 8/ 8/6 IRON. Traders have now had time to consider the situation calmly, and a more optimistic feeling prevails. This was apparent on ’Change on Thursday. It was a brisk gathering, with prices in some branches rather wild, but with signs of a trade recovery. All round a good demand is being experienced for iron and steel, and the higher level of prices is easily obtained. Some branches of the con- suming industries are naturally dislocated by the war, but this is counterbalanced by the increased activity in other branches. The stoppage of supplies of German and Belgian supplies of raw material has sent up the demand for home - made stuff, and this is one direc- tion in which the war may be expected to benefit British trade. The opening of the trade routes will enable carriage and wagon companies to get deliveries, and keep going regularly. Of course, what may be described as luxury trades, those engaged in the manufacture of jewellery and silver goods and in sporting guns, are badly hit, but manufacturers of munitions of war, of hardware, and of all classes of metal goods which in any way minister to military or naval needs, are working at high pressure. It is regarded as a hopeful sign that orders which were cancelled during the first few days of the war are now being renewed, and all the signs are towards a return to reason- ably normal conditions. The basis industry of pig iron furnishes a striking contrast to the position it occupied a few weeks ago. Then smelters had to be content with small orders of 25 to 50 tons for immediate delivery, now they can sell far more than they are inclined to, even although