November 13, 1914. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 1024 TSE COLLIERY GUARDIAN The local smelters are still absorbing large quantities, and in addition to this between 2,000 and 3,000 tons is being consigned to Scotland and the east coast. South-West Lancashire. COAL. There is little to report that is new with regard to the inland house coal trade. The increase coming on is of a very moderate character. With regard to screened coal for forges and manufacturing purposes, although some little improvement is manifest here and there, there is some amount yet of broken time. With regard to shipping there are indications in certain directions of increased bunkering requirements on contract account, some of the lines having more sailings this month. The demand, however, is still well under the average, and, as there is no improvement in open sale enquiry, the few orders in the market are keenly sought after. Prices remain much as last reported—viz., from 12s. to 12s. 9d. f.o.b. according to quality for screened Lancashire steam coals, with a tendency to shade quotations to secure business. In the coastwise and cross-Channel trade for household coals just an average business is being done, and as a rule there is no difficulty in obtaining prompt shipments. In slacks a rather better tone pervades the market. Between the constantly reducing number of colliers, owing to enlistments and a certain percentage of playdays at the pits, and perhaps a little increase in the working rate of the mills, there is less standing about than has been the case for some time. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ................ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium __.............__ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Kitchen.............. Common (f.o.b. Grstn.,net) Screened forge coal..... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack ............. Secondary slack ........ Common do............... Current prices. 17/ 16/ -16/9 15/3 14/6-15/ 13/ 13/ -13/6 11/6-12/ 12/ -12/9 9/3- 9/6 8/6- 8/9 8/ - 8/3 L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. 17/ 17/ 16/6-16/9 16/9-17/3 15/3 15/3 14/6-15/ 15/ -15/6 13/ 13/ 13/ -13/6 13/9-14/6 11/6-12/ 12/6-13/ 12/ -12/9 13/ -14/ 9/3- 9/6 10/3 8/6- 8/9 9/6 8/ - 8/3 9/ ________________ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. The demand for house coal is only at a low level, while furnace coal meets with moderate enquiry. Shipping coal still remains almost entirely on contract account. If anything, the call for slack is slightly better, but there are plentiful supplies offered, and low prices are taken in special cases. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coal:— prices. prices. prices. Best 17/3-18/ 17/3-18/ 17/3-18/ Medium 16/ -16/9 16/ -16/9 16/ -16/9 Common 13/3-14/ 13/3-14/ 13/3-14/ Furnace coal 12 / 12/ 12/6 Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) 13/ -14/ 13/ -14/ 14/ Best slack 9/6-10/ 9/6-10/ 10/ -10/6 Common slack 8/ - 9/ 8/ - 9/ 9/ - 9/6 IRON. The trade of the district remains without alteration, if anything, the home trade is a little busier than it was, but, generally speaking, there is no quantity of work going through except in connection with the Government. There is nothing to test the price of pig iron; foundries are working very badly indeed. Steel works are very busy. American and Canadian billets are in evidence, and are offered at very low prices. Heavy engineers and wagon works are without enquiries. The forges are working ________ badly. _________________ Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was a fair gathering of traders at the market on Tuesday, but business was on the quiet side in all depart- ments. Colliery representatives reported that four days had been worked only with difficulty this week, as the supply of empty wagons has been limited. Practically the only enquiries on the market were for small parcels of house coal for prompt delivery and one or two enquiries for quotations for steam coal over next year. Business in house coal has fallen off. London merchants have taken little except contract deliveries, and stocks in colliery sidings have accumulated. Pit prices, however, are un- altered officially, although concessions equal to wagon hire are met with here and there. With regard to the coastwise trade, owners of boats are nearly all refusing to send them to Hull and Goole, while freights continue very high, and the only qualities really in demand are the cheapest. In the London market the retail trade is reported very quiet, both in Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax. There is no change in official pit prices, however, which may be quoted as under:—Haigh Moor selected 18s. to 19s., Silkstone best 17s. to 18s., Silkstone house 16s. to 17s., other qualities 13s. to 14s. 6d. Business at the gas coal pits is almost entirely confined to deliveries under current contracts. Occasionally a few parcels are sold for ship- ment at Hull, but apart from this there is scarcely any new business. Stocks of gas coal in colliery sidings are not heavy. Factory fuel manifests some weakness, especially with regard to the smaller descriptions. Best rough slacks and washed nuts sell fairly well, but small slacks, including coking qualities, meet a very dull demand. There is very little change in the position of washed furnace coke, and makers are still prepared to take 10s. 6d. per ton at the ovens for prompt delivery or for short term contracts. House coal:— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 14/-15/ 14/ -15/ 15/ -16/ ________ Wallsend & London best_______ 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 14/ -14/6 Silkstone best 13/ -14/ 13/6-14/ 14/ -14/6 Do. house 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ 12/ -12/6 House nuts Prices f.o.b. Hull:— 11/6-12/ 11/6—12/ 11/6-12/ Haigh Moor best 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 17/6-18/6 Silkstone best 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/6 16/6-17/6 Do. house 13/6-14/ 14/ -14/6 14/6-15/6 Other qualities Gas coal:— Prices at pit: 12/9-13/6 13/ -13/6 14/ -14/6 Screened gas coal 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 12/ -12/6 Gas nuts 9/6-10/3 9/6-10/3 11/ -11/6 Unscreened gas coal ... Other sorts:— Prices at pit : 9/ - 9/6 9/3- 9/6 10/ -10/6 Washed nuts Large double-screened 10/3-10/9 10/3-10/9 10/3-11/ engine nuts 9/3- 9/9 9/3- 9/9 9/9-10/6 Small nuts Rough unscreened 9/ - 9/6 9/ - 9/6 9/ - 9/6 engine coal 9/ - 9/6 9/ - 9/6 9/6-10/ Best rough slacks 6/9- 7/6 7/ - 7/6 7/3- 7/9 Small do 6/ - 6/6 6/ - 6/6 6/ - 6/6 Coking smalls Coke:— Price at ovens: 6/ - 6/6 6/ - 6/6 6/ - 6/6 Furnace coke 10/6 10/6 12/ Barnsley. COAL. Although further restrictions are materially affecting the export trade from the Humber ports, a substantial tonnage is being sent to the west coast by the district collieries, which continue to make remarkably good working time. Some firms are able to work the full period, but, of course, the output is materially reduced owing to the absence of a large number of men on the country’s service. The position at Hull continues to be very weak in regard to prices, but so far as the best hards are concerned the home markets and the supplies for bunker purposes appear to fairly well absorb the productions. Stocks of this class of coal at the collieries are not heavy, and prices retain their firmness. Secondary descriptions of large steam are not materially altered, although the railway companies are taking about full contract supplies, but material concessions have to be made in cases where tonnage has to be dealt with in the open market. Business with Italy and France continues to be fairly active, but the lack of tonnage and high freights appear to be checking the volume of trade. In regard to the smaller classes of steam coal the position continues to be fairly brisk, the active state of some of the engineering districts calling for much increased deliveries, but, at the same time, other areas are not so well employed. Secondary descriptions of washed steam nuts are still somewhat weak, and supplies are easily obtainable. The larger demand for best class of slacks from the heavy woollen and other manufacturing districts keeps up and values are particularly firm, especially in the case of prompt deliveries, but collieries have yet consider- able trouble in disposing of rough slacks, which have accumulated in a substantial degree. Gas coal collieries have no difficulty in keeping at work for practically the full period, and there was more enquiry this week for screened nuts, which were not easily obtainable and prices were slightly advanced. In regard to the house coal trade the reports are of a conflicting character. From some parts of the country orders of larger bulk are coming to hand for the best class of fuel and these are not readily executed, whilst in other districts the tonnage appears to be hardly of a normal character. The business in regard to secondary descriptions, however, is not so strong as was the case a week ago, but in the expectation that colder weather will be experienced, coal owners are endeavouring to maintain their quotations and putting surplus tonnage into stock. The enquiry for coke continues to be of a very slow description and prices are still weak. Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. ________ Best Silkstone 16/6 16/6 15/6-16/ Best Barnsley softs 16/ 16/ 15/ —15/3 Secondary do 13/ -14/6 13/ -14/6 12/6-14/ Best house nuts 12/9-13/ 12/9-13/ 13/ —13/6 Secondary do 10/9—11/ 10/9-11/ 11/ -12/ Steam coals:— Best hard coals 11/3-11/6 11/3-11/6 12/ -12/3 Secondary do 10/3 10/3-10/6 11/ -11/3 Best washed nuts 10/3-10/6 10/6 11/3—11/6 Secondary do 9/6 9/6- 9/9 10/3-10/6 Best slack 6/9 6/9 7/6 Rough do 5/6 . 5/6- 5/9 6/ - 6/6 Gas coals:— 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 10/6 10/6-11/3 12/ The dominating feature of the export market at Hull is the exceeding difficulties in getting tonnage, and the record rates that shipowners are able to command, especially for Mediterranean destinations. These have gone up and up till on Monday 15s. was paid from the East Coast to Genoa since when there have been further advances to 18s., at which business has been done, while 21s. to 22s. has been demanded for Port Said in view of the war with Turkey and the great risks that coal-laden ships will run. The rates for French ports have also advanced, but not to the same extent, 9s. 6d. having been paid Hull to Rouen, and 9s. Immingham to Havre. Under these exceptional circumstances, business, both prompt and forward, has come practically to a standstill, shippers holding off where possible until there shall be an easier rate. The urgency of ship- ments of coal to the Mediterranean is the main reason for the Mediterranean advance importer, Italy and Egypt evidently being willing to meet the increased rate of freight in the case of c.i.f. contracts. With a reduced demand, steam coal continues weak, the best South York- shire hards having further receded to 12s. 9d. to 13s. for prompt shipment. Secondary sorts are nominally Ils. to 12s. 6d., but there is little or nothing doing in them. Derbyshire steam coal, in much demand in Sweden, main- tains its value at 13s. 6d. Grimsby or Immingham. House coal is only moderately active on the basis of 12s. 6d. for best Hartleys. There is some enquiry for gas coal for export, but business is delayed owing to the shipping difficulty. At the docks a fair quantity is being dealt with, but chiefly under contract for north Continental countries which are supplying their own tonnage. No difficulty is being experienced in navigating the open routes in the North Sea, though all ships are under the surveillance of British war vessels. Still, less delay is occasioned than might be expected. The Customs returns of the export of coal from Hull during October give a total of 167,572 tons, which is exclusive of coal shipped for the British Admiralty and for the use of the Governments of the allies, and also of ordinary ships’ bunker coal. This is slightly below the total of both August and September, and greatly behind last year’s figures, due almost entirely to the fact that there were no shipments whatever to Russia and Germany—the two largest cus- tomers of Hull—during October. Both France and Belgium took considerably increased quantities, as also did Italy. Sweden and Denmark had again increases, but they were not so marked as in the two previous months. On the other hand, Holland, Norway, Egypt, and South America had decreased shipments. The exports from Grimsby and Immingham in the month were about 150,000 tons together, a feature being as usual the shipments to Swedish ports. Goole did a fairly large business with France and Belgium, but loading for the latter has been stopped since the fall of Antwerp. __________________ Leicestershire. COAL. Although there are some unexpected modifications of the position in this coalfield, the turnover, taken all round, is on a very satisfactory scale, and prices generally are firmly maintained. The chief alteration is in the falling off in the demand for main breeze, which is largely used for power production, especially in London. The smaller consumption is due entirely to the diminution in the production of electric light, the falling off in the London district being most marked. At other centres there is a smaller decline in proportion, and no relief is expected just at present. The best steam coals are not quite so well sought after, but prices remain steady, although main breeze is 6d. per ton lower. The best household coals, however, continue to sell with very great freedom at very firm prices, and the whole of the output is cleared off as fast as it reaches the pit banks. Cobbles sell remarkably well, both in London and country districts, and this is regarded as a most satis- factory feature. Every effort is made at the collieries to maintain the standard of the various qualities, but at this period of the year the work at the pit banks, with so much artificial light required, is more difficult to maintain at a high standard. Taken altogether, the business being done is far in excess of what was expected, and the pits are working from four and a-half to five days per week. 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...................... _____________________________ I Current C prices. 13/6-14/6 12/6-13/6 j 12/3-13/3 12/ -12/9 11/6—12/6 10/ -10/6 ; 9/ - 9/3 : 7/9- 8/6 1/6- J/9^ 9/ -10/6 8/6- 9/3 10/ -10/6 7/6— 8/ L’st week’s prices. 13/6-14/6 12/6-13/6 12/3-13/3 12/ -12/9 11/6-12/6 10/- 10/6 9/ - 9/3 7/9- 8/6 1/6— 1/9 9/ -10/6 8/6- 9/3 10/ -10/6 8/ - 8/6 South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. While a stronger demand exists for household supplies than recently, it is far short of what is expected in November. Moreover, great difficulties are experienced in the matter of delivery. Horses are scarce, and it is almost impossible to get men. This, of course, applies to merchants, but wagons difficulties are also prevalent. Some kinds of manufacturing fuel are in slow request, and slacks are plentiful at moderate prices. The week’s quotations are:— 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/ For^e coal 10/6 10/6 11/ Slack 7/ 7/ 7/6 Warwickshire:— House coal, best Ryder.. 16/6 16/6 16/6 Do. hand-picked 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 attendance at the weekly market was moderate, and business was slack. The War Office requirements still supply the backbone of the trade of the district, and