September 18, 1914. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 020 THE COLLIERY GOaAdIaN. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. Although the attendance at the market 'on Tuesday was again poor, there was evidence of a much better demand. There were quite a number of enquiries for steam coal, Hartleys and washed nuts, and it was said that a fair amount of shipping at the Humber ports was being done. Colliery representatives reported that the pits had worked about four days this week, with practically no additions to stock, except through the scarcity of empty wagons. The demand for house coal has improved during the past day or two, owing to the colder weather, although business with the London district is still on the quiet side. For that market the chief demand runs on the best qualities, deliveries of which are still in arrear. Further sales for the coastwise depots are reported, mainly of the medium qualities of Silkstone house coal, at about 14s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. Goole. In the Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and Wakefield districts merchants report an improvement in the retail trade, particularly for the specialised sorts, such as washed house nuts, cobbles and seconds. Pit prices average as under:—Haigh Moor selected, 18s. to 19s.; Silkstone best, 17s. to 18s.; Silkstone house, 16s. to 17s.; other sorts, 13s. to 14s. 6d. Deliveries under the new gas coal contracts are now in full swing, and the demand is sufficient to find four days’ work at the pits. Stocks are light, and there is an active enquiry for gas nuts. New business is scarce, the few orders booked being at the official reduction of 9d. to Is. per ton. The improvement in manufacturing fuel noted last week is more than maintained. A good many Govern- ment orders for cloth, blankets, and other material have come into the heavy woollen district, and many of the mills which were working short time a little while ago are again working full time, and in some cases overtime. There is a ready sale for good quality slacks, and especially for washed fuel, while prices are firmer. Washed furnace coke is a shade easier on the week, and very little business is being done at more than 13s. per ton at the ovens. The subjoined list of p^t prices, while not in every case official, may be taken as representative of business done during the week:— House coal:— Current L’st week’stast year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 14/ 14/ 14/6-15/ Wallsend & London best 13/ -14/ 13/ -14/ 13/6-14/ Silkstone best 13/ -13/6 13/ -13/6 13/9-14/6 Do. house 12/ -12/6 12/ -12/6 12/6-13/ House nuts Prices f.o.b. Hull:— 11/ -11/6 11/ -11/6 11/6-12/ Haigh Moor best 16/9-17/9 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 Silkstone best 15/3-16/3 15/3-16/3 15/6-16/6 Do. house 14/ -14/6 14/ -14/6 15/ -15/6 Other qualities Gas coal:— Prices at pit : 13/ -14/ 13/ -14/ 14/6-15/ Screened gas coal 10/9-11/6 10/9-11/6 12/ -12/6 Gas nuts 9/9-10/6 9/9-10/6 11/ -12/ Unscreened gas coal ... Other sorts:— Prices at pit : 9/6-10/ 9/6-10/ 10/ -10/6 Washed nuts Large double-screened 11/ -11/6 10/9-11/3 11/ -11/9 engine nuts 9/6-10/ 9/6-10/ 10/ -10/9 Small nuts Rough unscreened 9/ - 9/9 9/ - 9/6 9/9-10/6 engine coal 9/6-10/ 9/6-10/ 10/ -10/6 Best rough slacks 7/3- 8/3 7/3- 8/3 8/ - 8/6 Small do. 6/ - 7/3 6/ - 7/ 7/ - 7/6 Coking smalls Coke:— Price at ovens : 6/3- 7/6 6/3- 7/6 ■ 7/ - 7/6 Furnace coke 12/6-13/6 12/ -13/ 12/6-13/ Barnsley. COAL. Generally speaking, the demand for most classes of fuel is well maintained, and the pits are making about four days per week, though there are cases of practically full time having been worked. The reduced number of men owing to the call to active service is affecting most collieries, who are not obtaining an average output per shift, but the volume of trade is well met having regard to all the circumstances. The demand for steam fuel, which is the more material factor in regard to the employment, whilst being of a variable description, keeps up fairly well. The business on foreign account is, however, still considerably hampered owing to the difficulty of fixing up financial arrangements, but by way of Hull a good bulk of fuel is being forwarded. More business is being done for Norway and Sweden, France, and Italy, and best hards are being more enquired after. Business by way of Liverpool is also fairly active, and on home account there is a fairly strong enquiry for best fuel. Prices keep fairly firm,.but quotations vary almost daily, according to the quick change of the position. The output is being fairly well cleared, and forward business is not pushed on either side. Secondary descriptions are also moving off fairly well, but the production is more in proportion to the enquiry than is the case of the best hards. The enquiry for steam nuts continues to be fairly strong, especially for the engineering centres, and so.far as the best quality is concerned, the Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstone 15/ -15/6 15/ -15/6 15/ Best Barnsley softs 15/ 15/ 14/3-14/6 Secondary do 12/ -13/6 12/ -13/6 11/6-13/6 Best house nuts 12/9-13/ 10/9-11/ 12/9-13/ 13/ -13/3 11/ -13/ Secondary do IO/9-II/ Steam coals:— Best hard coals 11/ -11/3 11/3-11/6 13/3 Secondary do 10/3-10/9 10/3-10/9 12/ -12/3 Best washed nuts 10/9-11/ 10/9-11/ 11/6-12/ Secondary do 9/9-10/ 9/9-10/ 10/9-11/ Best slack 6/9 6/9 8/ - 8/9 Rough do 5/9- 6/ 5/9- 6/ 6/6- 7/6 Gas coals:— Screened gas coals 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 12/6-13/ Unscreened do 10/ 10/ 11/6-12/ Gas nuts 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 12/ -12/9 Furnace coke 12/3-12/9 11/9-12/ 12/6—13/ output hardly meets the enquiry, though secondary grades are more freely offered. Prices of the latter quality are hardly so strong, and stocks of this grade of fuel are rather larger. The position in regard to slacks is about the . same, the best grade fuel being fairly well dealt with, but rougher kinds are hardly so good to sell, and siding stocks are more prominent. Consumers of gas coal who have only partly contracted are showing a little more enquiry for nuts, which are more scarce, due to the restricted working of the collieries, and values show an upward tendency, if not an advance in quotations. The demand for house coal has become rather more active, the best grade fuel being in strong demand for the southern markets, but secondary sorts are being chiefly taken for the nearer markets. The prospect for the house coal trade has improved a little, but stocks on hand are of a considerable character, though quotations are of a firmer description. The improvement for coke is well maintained, the demand of the Middlesbrough district being of a stronger description and quotations are now about 12s. 6d. per ton for the best grade fuel at the ovens. Hull. COAL. There is very little change to report in the condition of the Humber coal market. The export trade is still crippled by the lack of foreign exchange facilities, though there is now more ground for hoping that a way will be found through the medium of the Government’s Bill to meet the difficulty. The sooner this can be accomplished the better. The Baltic season is steadily advancing to its close, so far as the higher ports are concerned, and a fair amount of business may yet be done, if only things can be restored to something approaching that which is considered normal. Nothing “ forward,” however, is in hand, though there are several enquiries on the market. Some steam coal is being taken up for prompt shipment, the price for best South Yorkshire hards ranging round 14s. 3d. to 14s. 6d. f.o.b. Hull, Grimsby, or Immingham. Derbyshire steams are more or less a nominal market, and are quoted at about 14s. f.o.b. Grimsby or Immingham. Secondary sorts and manufacturing fuel are in fair demand, washed doubles being worth at Hull about 12s. 9d. to 13s. 3s., and washed singles 12s. to 12s. 6d., and small coal 9s. A fair amount continues to be shipped at the Hull docks, apart from what is being taken for Government purposes, though the quantity is not so large now that the demands of the Russian and Italian State railways have for the time being been satisfied. The freight market is stagnant, business for Baltic destinations being entirely suspended, For ports in the war zone the risk of capture of British vessels is too great, hence shipments are made in bottoms belonging to neutral nations, and chartered on the other side. Neither is there much doing in the Mediterranean trade, where freight rates are now on the basis of 8s. Genoa and 8s. 6d. Alexandria. __________________ Leicestershire. COAL. The new business coming to hand is only of moderate extent, but there are indications of a coming increase in the ordinary consumptive demand for household coal. The relief in the extreme pressure for speedy deliveries is enabling colliery managers to clear off a good deal of the arrears, which go back to the last week in July and the first week in August. These arrears still amount to a heavy tonnage at most of the collieries, but anything at all urgent can now be very quickly met. There are no stocks on hand, and the whole of the output is still immediately absorbed by the orders on the books. Prices generally are very firm, and this seems likely to continue, especially as there is no prospect of any relief in the cost of administration. There has been no interruption to the use of the railway lines this week, which has to be chronicled as the first free week since the declaration of war. This has given a good supply of empty wagons, and has enabled all the pits to work for five days per week. At some pits there are small surplus quantities of coal dust, but that is quite the exception, and the whole of the manufacturing fuel is at once absorbed. The demand for steam coal is very good, and the total output is kept clear as fast as it conies to the pit banks. The shipping trade is still suspended, and it is difficult to say when the Eastern ports will be open for this traffic. There is a great scarcity of pit props, but the efforts to provide supplies from home sources are proving fairly successful. Several collieries have got fair deliveries of home-grown larch props, and there are signs that there is a good deal of timber. The following are the prices now generally current at the collieries in this district:— Per ton at pit. 1 Current L’st week’s prices. Best household coal .............. 13/6-14/6 Second, hand picked .............. , 12/6-13/6 Deep screened cobbles ............ 12/3-13/3 Deep large nuts ................... 11/6-12/ Bakers’ nuts....................... ■ 11/6-12/6 Small nuts ....................... 10/6-11/3 ....................... Deep breeze....................... ; 9/6-10/ Peas ............................. J 7/9- 8/3 Small dust ......................... 2/ - 2/3 Deep cobbles and nuts for London bakers ......................... 10/ -10/6 Steams, best hand picked .......... 9/6-10/6 ................... Steams, seconds ... ................ 8/6- 9/3 Cobbles and nuts for kitcheners .... 10/ -10/6 prices. 13 6-14/6 12 6-13/6 12/3-13/3 11/6-12/ 11/6-12/6 10/6-11/3 9/6-10/ 7/9- 8/3 2/ - 2/3 10/ -10/6 9/6-10/6 8/6- 9/3 10/ -10/6 _________________ South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. The effort to regulate prices still goes on, but it is becoming apparent that a general advance will take effect from the beginning of October. In the meantime, there is a quiet demand for household supplies. Manufacturing fuel is in steady sale. The following quotations still prevail, but must undergo revision within the next fortnight:— 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 14/6 Forge coal 10/6 10/6 11/ Slack Warwickshire:— 7/ Tl ' 8/ , House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 15/6 15/6 16/ cobs 13/ 13/ 13/6 Best hard spires 14/6 14/6 15/ Forge (steam) 10/6 10/6 10/6 D.S. nuts (steam) 9/6 9/6 9/6 Small (do.) 8/ 8/ 8/6 IRON. A well-attended market revealed a continuance of the steady conditions which have existed for the last few weeks. The activity is not universal, but the heavy calls for iron and steel required for the execution of Government orders are sufficient to keep the works in the district fully employed, and it is only in the industries which do not minister to the necessities of the war that slackness is discernible. The export of galvanised sheets has been resumed, but, so far, on a very restricted scale, due to the high prices and to the unsettled condition of the financial markets of the countries with which business is usually done. Quotations range from <£14 to £14 10s. f.o.b. Liverpool. The latter figure is also that quoted for home trade, and naturally it is too high to permit of large purchases. There seems to be an easing ‘of spelter since supplies began to come from America. Quality is variable, and theie is rather a large margin in the range of quotations, which go from £26 to £34 and £35 delivered. Pig iron maintains a firm position, though there is nothing to warrant any further advance in values; neither has necessity arisen for blowing in more furnaces than those noted a week ago. The supply is adequate. For Northamptonshire forge qualities quotations range from 58s. 6d. to 60s., Derbyshire 61s. to 62s., South Staffordshire part-mine 60s. to 61s., all-mine 85s. to 90s., cold blast 130s. Makers of marked bars report a favourable demand. The price is retained at £9 a ton, and any change that is contemplated will not be made probably before quarter day, which falls on October 8. The heaviest class of business has reached makers of common bar iron who are now free from foreign competition. For good second class bars the market level is about £8 a ton, and for common iron £7 10s. to £7 15s., the latter figure being the more prevalent. Makers of small rounds, squares and flats are also in the happy position of having the home market to themselves, and they are asking £8 2s. 6d. to £8 5s. basis | rounds delivered Birmingham. Prior to the war prices were as low as £6 15s. Gas strip remains at £7 10s. to £7 15s. A period of calm seems to have settled over the finished stevl trade. Demi-products range from £5 10s. to £5 15s. Considerable quantities are coming into this district from South Wales. _______ _______ Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report that there is scarcely an average amount of trade in house, gas, and steam coal at the south coast ports, while prices and freights are being maintained at their present level. Many buyers consider there may be a chance of getting in at lower prices and freights by holding off at present, but this position is somewhat undermined by the fact that we are living in war time with winter not far off. ___________________________________________ THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, September 17. _________________________________________________ North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. There is nothing of great moment to report from this locality in connection with the coal trade during the past week. All the collieries have been able to work nearly full time, and have not experienced much difficulty in disposing of their output. House coal is in good demand; gas companies are taking their average quantities, and in some cases are asking for extra supplies, to put into stock. In the steam coal trade, a goodly tonnage has been taken by the railway companies having contracts here. Several more industrial works have reopened, which is of great benefit to this department, and the amount of trade done in shipping coal at Liverpool, Birkenhead and Ellesmere Port, has been fairly good. Slack is in rather poor demand at the time of writing. With reference to prices, there is no doubt that these have a hardening tendency, and sellers anticipate that ere long it will be necessary to ask for all round advances. It would seem that buyers are also of the same opinion, as there appears to be a number of contract enquiries going around. At the time of writing the prices may be taken to be as below :— _________________ _______________________________ | Current L’st week’ I prices. prices. 14/6-15 6 14-6-15/ 13/6-14/6 i:/~ ‘ " 12/ -12/6 I 12/ 12/3-12/9 - '' ' 12/ -12/3 11/6-11/9 6/ - 7/6 11/8-13/4 Prices at pit f.o.r.: — Best house coal ...... Secondary do.......... Steam coal............ Gas coal.............. Bunkers.............. Nuts ................ Slack ................ Gas coke (at works).... Prices landsale:— 13/6-14/6 “"/ -12 6 12/ -12 9 11/9-12/3 117 -11 9 6/6— 7 6 11/8-13/4 ’s Last year’s prices. 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-12/9 13/ -13/9 12/ —12/6 11/ -11/9 , 6/ - 7/9 13/4-15/ Best house coal ........ 18 '4-20/ 18/4-20/ 17/6-18/4 Seconds ................ 16/8-17/11; 16/8-17/6 16'8-17/6 Slack ..................; 10/ -12/6 j io/ -12/6 10/ -12/6