924 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. October 30, 1914. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ continue very scarce, and this has led to broken time in several cases. The call for house coal shows some improve- ment, London merchants taking full contract deliveries, in addition to buying small lots in the open market. The chief demand is for the best Haigh Moor and Silkstone qualities, but there is also a fair demand for house nuts. For the London district pit prices are firmly held. Coast- wise shipments have also improved, several boats from the south coast having been loaded this week at both Hull and Goole. Freights, however, continue high, and one or two of the south coast merchants still find it necessary to get supplies through by rail. In the West Riding markets there is a better f eeling in the retail trade, merchants being more fully employed. The principal demand runs with the secondary and specialised sorts, such as cobbles, house nuts and seconds. Pit prices are unchanged as under :—Haigh Moor selected, 18s. to 19s.; Silkstone best, 17s. to 18s.; Silkstone house, 16s. to 17s.; other qualities, 13s. to 14s. 6d. Although there is very little new business in gas coal the pits are easily able to dispose of the limited output. Con- tract deliveries are heavy, and with regard to some of the better qualities of screened gas coal are in arrears. The output of manufacturing fuel is in advance of market needs and some of the smaller qualities of slack are appreciably cheaper. Coking smalls are offering more freely, but on the whole the position in manufacturing fuel is considered satisfactory. Prices of washed furnace coke are still on the down grade, and most makers are short of orders. Sales have been reported this week for average qualities of patent Oven coke at as low as 10s. 6d. per ton at the ovens, with special qualities about Ils. The falling-off in the iron and steel trades accounts for the reduction in prices of coke. Barnsley. COAL. Although there continues to be rapid variation in the volume of business for abroad, the pits in this district continue to work on an average four days per week. The unavoidable rearrangements with regard to shipping is causing a good deal of trouble at the collieries which are largely dependent upon the export trade, and in some cases this has caused a day less working during the week. The demand for bunker purposes, both at the Humber ports and those on the west coast, is, however, fairly well maintained, and the more active demand for certain classes of coal in the home market to some extent balances the position. In regard to best large steams, although the position is rather easier, on the whole values are fairly steady, but in respect to secondary sorts the reduced output continues to be well ahead of the requirements of the market, and prices show considerable weakness. The enquiry for all kinds of manu- facturing fuel is hardly so strong as formerly, although the best large nuts are in fairly good request from large engineering districts. A fairly large tonnage of secondary descriptions is now on the market, and prices have suffered in consequence, although a good tonnage of best slack continues to be sent to the West Riding textiles districts. This class of coal is causing trouble at the collieries, parti- cularly in regard to rough slacks. A quieter state of affairs in the Lancashire cotton districts is having a material effect, and there is hardly so much required for the manufacture of coke. With regard to house coal, the demand has fallen off in consequence of the continued mild weather, and, excepting the best descriptions, values are hardly maintained on the week. The output of coke has slightly increased, but the demand again has fallen off, and there is less disposition on the part of buyers to enter into contracts. Prices are consequently considerably weaker. Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstone 16/6 16/6 16/ Best Barnsley softs 16/ 16/ 15/3-15/6 ; Secondary do 13/ -14/6 13/ -14/6 12/6-14/ Best house nuts 12/9-13/ 12/9-13/ 13/ -13/3 11/ -12/ Secondary do Steam coals:— 10/9-11/ 10/9-11/ Best hard coals 11/ -11/3 11/3 12/6 Secondary do. 10/3-10/6 10/6-10/9 11/6 Best washed nuts; 10/6 10/9 11/6 Secondary do .... 9/6- 9/9 9/9-10/ 10/6 Best slack 6/9 6/9 7/6- 7/9 Rough do Gas coals:— 5/6- 5/9 5/9- 6/ 6/6 Screened gas coals 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 12/6-13/ Unscreened do 10/ 10/ 11/ -12/ Gas nuts 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 12/ -12/3 Furnace coke 11/ -12/ 12/6 12/ Hull., COAL. The export trade from the Humber continues on modest lines, and is by no means totally free from difficulties yet. The demand is confined chiefly to steam coal for prompt shipment to neutral countries, and house coal for France. Prices have again become easier, and best South Yorkshire hards are to be had to-day at as low as 13s. on the spot, these being offered by second holders anxious to sell on the eve of the monthly accounts. Colliery agents, however, are holding out firmly for 13s. 3d. to 13s. 6d. according to brand. Secondary sorts are not in great request, and are quoted at Ils. 3d. to 12s. 3d. Best Derbyshire steams are also a shade easier, their value being about ,13s. 6d. for shipment at Grimsby or Immingham. Rough slack is weak in the absence of a manufacturing demand, and house coal is in fair request on the basis of 12s. 6d. for Hartleys. Shipments at the docks this week are on the light side, many of the appliances standing idle—this being to some extent due to the difficulty of getting suitable tonnage and the high freights prevailing. Mediterranean rates advanced to Ils. and Ils. 3d. for Genoa, at which business was last done, and up to 12s. has since been asked, with Port Said quoted at 12s. 9d. to 13s. In the coastwise limits Rouen has advanced to 8s. 6d. and 9s., while London has been done at 4s. and 4s. 3d. The news of the damage done to Belgian and French coal mines has given shippers a prophetic outlook of the prospects when the enemy is driven out of these countries. The Italian demand just now is said to be very strong, and it is good news that the Italian government have agreed to reduce its rates for the carriage of coal from the West coast ports to the Adriatic, by which the East coast ports demand may be stimulated. Leicestershire. COAL. The outstanding feature in this coalfield is the continued all-round activity with extremely firm quotations. There is a continuous influx of orders of large extent, and the result is that colliery managers find extreme difficulty in preventing the deliveries getting further into arrears. The volume of business is certainly an agreeable surprise, and up to the present there has been a minimum of interruption to the ordinary course of business. The refugee families of miners from Belgium and the north of France who are pouring into the district are certainly astonished to find the calm pursuit of business under almost normal condi- tions. There is a very strong demand for the best household coal—so strong, indeed, that it cannot be fully met, and the deliveries are several weeks in arrear. It is feared that further difficulty will be experienced in coping with the demand when the weather becomes more severe. There is an excellent demand for cobbles for London and the provinces, and the prices are very firm indeed, with no stocks at the pits. The demand for manufacturing and steam raising fuel is very brisk, and the whole of the supplies are booked up several weeks ahead. From all the collieries there is complete harmony in the reports— namely, “ more orders than we can deal with, and no stocks of any kind?’ The difficulty regarding the supplies of pit props is being solved in a very satisfactory way by the use of English-grown larch, oak, and spruce. The following are the prices now generally current at the collieries in this district:— Per ton at pit. _______________ Best household coal .............. Second, hand picked .............. Deep screened cobbles ............ Deep large nuts .................. Bakers’ nuts...................... Small nuts ...................... Deep breeze...................... Peas ............................. Small dust ...................... Deep cobbles & nuts for London bakers Steams, best hand picked .......... Steams, seconds ... ............. ... .................................. Main cobbles for kitcheners........ Main breeze...................... | Current IL’st week’s ' prices. ’ prices. 13,6-14/6 ' 13/6-14/6 12/6-13/6 , 12/6-13/6 12/3—13/3 I 12/3-13/3 i 12/ -12/9 12/ -12/9 i 11/6-12/6 1 11/6-12/6 1 10/ -10/6 ' 10/- 10/6 j 9/ - 9/3 , 9/ - 9/3 ; 7/9- 8/6 j 7/9- 8/6 1/6- 1/9 ' 1/6- 1/9 9/6-10/6 I 9/6-10/6 • 8/6- 9/3 ' — 10/ -10/6'10/ -10/6 i 8/ - 8/6 > 8/ - 8/6 _________________ South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. The household trade shows a certain amount of life, though there is nothing like pressure. It is perhaps as well that it is so, because wagons are not always available. A slow, if steady demand exists for manufacturing sorts. Slacks are plentiful and likely to continue so. Prices remain as under:— Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including prices. prices. prices. Cannock Chase) :— House coal, best deep ... 18/6 18/6 18/6 Do. seconds deep 16/ 16/ 16/ Do. best shallow 14/6 14/6 14/9 Do. seconds do. 13/9 13/9 14/ Best hard 14/6 14/6 15/ Forge coal 10/6 10/6 11/ Slack 11 7/ 7/6 Warwickshire:— House coal, best Ryder.. 16/6 16/6 16/6 Do. hand-picked z cobs 14/6 14/6 14/ Best hard spires 15/ 15/ 15/ Forge (steam) 10/6 10/6 11/ D.S. nuts (steam) 9/6 9/6 10 Small (do.) 8/ 8/ 8/3 IRON. The market was thinly attended, and all evidence went to show that the iron and steel industries are passing through a slow time. A number of enquiries have reached shippers on foreign account, but financial considerations prevent any great expansion of business. Pig iron producers in Northampton, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire — the districts from which the wants of the district are supplied —all have the same tale of small orders for early wants, in the hope that there will soon be some clear indication to warrant operations on a larger scale. The following are the average quotations : -Northamptonshire forge, 55s.; Derbyshire, up to 56s.; South Staffordshire cinder forge, 55s.; part-mine, 57s. There has been a further slump in the galvanised sheet trade. Apart from Government orders, which are not of themselves sufficient to keep the mills going, there is little doing. Prices have fallen to <£12 2s. 6d. to £12 5s. for export trade f.o.b. Liver- pool, but shippers do not respond. For the home trade quotations are at a higher level. Working short time as they are, galvanisers are able to supply their own necessities as regards black sheets, so that black sheet makers pure and simple are slack. Prices are easier at £7 15s. to £8 a ton for hard doubles. Makers of best bars are doing well, as there is still a good demand for high-class material for Government work. For second-class bars the demand is less steady, and the works are running short time. The best houses will not take less than £7 10s. a ton delivered Birmingham, nor will customers give more, and one heard of business being done at £7 5s. and £7 7s. 6d. Makers of nut and bolt iron have relatively more work than makers of middle-class bars, and prices are about £7 5s. delivered Darlaston. The puddled bar trade is unsatisfactory. While the market level is £4 7s. 6d., makers say that they cannot be turned out under present con- ditions at less than £5 2s. 6d. a ton. The steel trade continues well occupied. Some sales have been made on account of bridge and other constructive work, both at home and abroad. Consumers are this week able to buy ferro at £10 15s. a ton net, a reduction of 15s., while speigel has gone down by 10s. a ton to £6. Sheet bars and billets are weaker at £5 to £5 2s. 6d. Bessemer qualities, and there is talk of American supplies arriving. ________________ Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report a normal wholesale demand for house and steam coal at the south coast ports. While steam freights from the west coast ports remain at almost normal rates, those from the Humber and Tyne districts have become prohibitively high, and many inland buyers are able to purchase railborne coal at more favourable prices. Steamboat-owning merchants are more favourably placed for dealing With the districts named. _______________________________________________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—Prices generally are steady. In the south benzols are the turn easier, but firm in the north. Toluol continues to advance briskly. Carbolics also are firm. Pitch is very variable. Naphthas unchanged. Nearest values are:— Benzols.................................... /Ill Do. North.............................. /9|to/10 Toluol .................................... l/6to 1/7 Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.) .......... 2/41 Do. crystals (40 per cent.) ........ /9 Solvent naphtha (as in quality and package)... /9| Crude ditto (in bulk) ...................... /5 Creosote (for ordinary qualities) ............ /3| Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) .................... — Do. (f.a.s. west coast) .................... — Tar (liquids in 1 ton) ...................... 15/9 to 17/3 [Benzols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at maker's works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.} Sulphate of Ammonia.—There is an upward move- ment in all sections of the market. Forward business does not materialise quite as readily as might be expected, for buyers remain very stubborn, while makers are naturally anything but disposed to give way, and ask £11 5s. for near at hand deliveries. Closing prompt prices are :— London (ordinary makes) ................__ £10/8/9 Beckton .......................... £10 Liverpool ........................ £10/17/6 Hull................................................... £10/12/6 Middlesbrough.................... £10/15 Scotch ports ...................... £11 to £11/2/6 Nitrate of soda (ordinary) per cwt. ... 10/ [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2| per cent, dis- count; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality; allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.} _______ Trade Notes. From particulars kindly afforded, it appears that the bacterial peat trials in Scotland have been rather upset owing to. the war, but that some interesting results are looked for when the trials have been completed. The test is being made in competition with sulphate of ammonia. In connection with sulphate of ammonia, the point arises as to whether the outbreak of hostilities in the Far East will have any deterrent effect on the Mond gas plant that was being installed a few months back at the Fushun Col- lieries in Manchuria. The plant had an adequate ammonia recovery installation, and owing to the favourable quality of the coal, some 12 tons of sulphate of ammonia per diem were looked for as a reasonable output. Japan, which was a contemplated outlet, should prove additionally useful just now. It is only natural that makers should expect and desire better prices for sulphate in the near future, but the wisdom of maintaining a spirit of sweet reasonableness in the rela- tions between the producer and the actual payer (the farmer) is afforded by the sudden advance that has occurred in Japan. All artificials have advanced so substantially as to prejudice greatly the prospects of the agriculturist, and so hamper his progress. To overdo things tends to discourage the farmer, who as a rule is none too prone to look kindly on new methods or products. Looked at generally, however, it would seem that there is a very sound prospect of healthy and all-round higher prices obtaining for nearly all coal by-products. The fatal, but very trying, policy of price cutting that Germany has ruth- lessly practised in the last 20 years has apparently come to an end, and the chemical and by-products trades, at all events, should benefit substantially. There is no doubt that we were quite capable, technically, and as business people, of producing many of the German specialities in which they have virtually held a monopoly, but we could not afford to give away the finished product. For some time something very much like this has been done in the desire to capture trade and drive Great Britain out of the Continental markets. The latest reports on the Edison carbolic acid manufac- turing idea are not very reassuring. Carbolic acid crystals are stated to be made from sulphonated benzol, and st ill stranger, this product is fused with alkali to produce “ the alkali combination of carbolic acid "—a rather conflicting statement. It appears to be correct, however, that the well-known Barrett Manufacturing Company are increasing their output, and as they have long been makers of the standard pharmaceutical qualities in the U.S.A., this sounds • feasible. There has been considerable movement in tar products during the past week. We imported 300 barrels of tar and 450 barrels of pitch. As regards the exports, these amount to 2,600 tons of sulphate of ammonia, notably to Java and also the U.S.A. We also exported 1,125 tons of pitch and 17,500 galls, of tar. ____________________________ During the first eight months of the present year there were imported into Spain 1,756,053 tons of coal and 268,215 tons of coke, as compared with 1,818,354 tons and 239,507 tons respectively in the corresponding period of 1913. Exports of iron ore in the eight months amounted to 4,881,927 tons, as against 6,370,324 tons. In August 221,436 tons of coal and 28,656 tons of coke were imported, as against 191,064 tons and 33,340 tons respectively in August 1913. Exports of iron ore in August fell from 692^839 tons to 414,091 tons.