August 13, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 329 Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland. Newcastle-upon-Tyne. COAL. During last week 83,904 tons of coal and 2,385 tons of coke were despatched from Tyne Dock, an increase of 41,344 tons of coal and 1,870 tons of coke when compared with the shipments for the corresponding week of last year—the first week of the war, when the coal trade was reduced to a state of stagnation, no one knowing what would happen next. The Dunston clearances amounted to 38,832 tons of coal and 3,112 tons of coke, an increase of 25,757 tons of coal and 3,027 tons of coke. The Blyth shipments amounted to 51,691 tons of coal and coke, an increase of 42,172 tons. Whilst, however, a total increase of 114,170 tons is thus shown, by comparison with last year’s figures, last week’s shipments declined, by comparison with those for the previous week, by 65,578 tons, a decrease very largely due to the incidence of the August Bank holiday. There has not been a great deal of forward business mentioned during the week, shippers being somewhat hesitant to accept the official assurance, received by Mr. Shaw', secretary of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, that:—“The Coal Export Control Committee does not anticipate much restriction in shipments to our Allies ”—under the new Order which comes into force on August 13 —“and that there will certainly be no restriction at first, while the French State Railways will receive the most favoured treatment.” Shippers heard that sort of thing before, when the Order restricting shipments of coal and coke to neutral countries was promulgated, and they prefer to “ wait and see ” rather than to undertake even the most likely business before the flow of licences has been gauged. Meanwhile, the New- castle Commercial Advisory Committee is, as always since its formation, doing its best for traders and is making certain suggestions to the Coal Export Committee with a view to facilitating business, especially in the French coasting trade. Whilst the prompt market has been very active for business up to August 13, there has been a marked disposition to hold off thereafter. Merchants have hurried forward cargoes for France and other Allied countries, collieries’ turns have lengthened out, and, granted prompt issues of necessary permits, the briskness of the coal industry is assured for the rest of the month. The main anxiety as to licences is felt in connection with the French coasting trade, for any delay in granting such documents for that direction would seriously interfere with business. The market has been exceedingly firm all the week, and the only changes in f.o.b. quotations for prompt shipment are as follow:—Smithies are Is. 6d. dearer, gas bests firmer, seconds 6d. advanced, Durham unscreened ' bunkers stronger, coking coals Is. higher, smalls Is. to Is. 6d. more, foundry coke 5s. reduced, blastfurnace 2s. 6d. lower, and gas coke easier. The authorities have granted permission, it is stated, for the exportation of 100,000 tons of steam coals to Sweden—50,000 tons for the State Railways and 50,000 tons for municipal requirements. News as to the Egyptian State Railways’ contract for steam coals comes through very slowly. There appears to be no apportion- ment likely so far as this district is concerned. Tyne prime steams are stated to have been sold for October-December delivery at 19s. 6d. per ton, f.o.b., and ordinary brands of Tyne bunkers for delivery over next year at about 17s. 6d., f.o.b. The Danish State Railways are reported to be enquiring for a couple of cargoes of steams for October shipment. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Current L’stweek’sLast year’s Steam coals :—• prices. prices. 1 prices.* Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... 21/ -21/6 19/6-20/ 21/ -21/6 i — Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) 19/6-20/ — Secondary, Blyths 16/6 16/6 — Do. Tynes? (Hastings or West Hartleys) ... 16/6-17/ 15/ -16/ 16/6-17/ Unscreened ... 15/ -16/ Small, Blyths 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ i Do. Tynes 13/ 13/ Do. specials 15/ -15/6 15/ -15/6 — Other sorts:— Smithies 17/6-18/6 16/ -17/ Best gas coals (New Pelton or Holmside) 20/6-21/ 20/ -21/ — Secondary gas coals (Pelaw Main or similar) 17/ -18/ 17/ -17/6 i Special gas oals 22/ -23/ 22/ -23/ — Unscreened bunkers, Durhams 17/ -18/6 16/6-18/6 — Do. do. Northumbrians 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ — Coking coals 17/6-18/6 16/6-17/6 — Do. smalls ...... 17/ 15/6-16/ 1 House coals 21/ 21/ I Coke, foundry 27/6-30/ 32/6-35/ — Do. blast-furnace 27/6 30/ — Do. gas 25/ -27/ 26/ -27/ — * Outbreak of war. Sunderland. COAL. The exports from Sunderland last week amounted to 55,469 tons of coal and 593 tons of coke, as compared with 18,820 tons of coal for the corresponding period of 1914, being an increase of 36,649 tons of coal and 593 tons of coke. The coal market has a strong tone; merchants continue to press forward shipments to the French ports prior to the enforcement of the licences, and the collieries consequently find a full enquiry for early loading, though lengthening turns make business rather difficult to effect for some classes of. coal. However, there is full work and brisk shipments assured for August. Best gas is in demand, with firmer prices. Secondary is dearer, household coals are also on the dearer side, coking unscreened and smalls are stiffly held, and sellers are asking for more money and find little difficulty in getting an advance on last week’s prices. There is a fuller enquiry for bunkers, both bests and ordinary qualities, and advanced prices are being paid. Foundry and blastfurnace coke is quietly steady, but there is a good demand for gas coke. The Danish State Railways are enquiring for a couple of cargoes of steam coal for October shipment. It is reported that Tyne prime steams have been sold for delivery from October to December at 19s. 6d. per ton f.o.b., and ordinary brands of bunkers at 17s. 6d. per ton for delivery over next year. The following are nominal market quotations :— Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Gas coals:— * prices. prices. prices.* Special Wear gas coals 22/ 21/ — Secondary do. 18/6 17/6 — House coals:— Best house coals 21/ —21/6 20/ — Ordinary do 19/ 18/ — Other sorts :— , Lambton screened 22/6-23/ 22/6 — South Hetton do 22/6-23/ 22/ — Lambton unscreened ... 18/ 17/6-18/ — South Hetton do 18/ 17/6-18/ — Do. treble nuts 20/ 19/6 — Coking coals.unscreened 18/ 17/6 — Do. gm al Is 17/6 16/ — Smithies 21/ -21/6 18/6-19/ — Peas and nuts 22/ 22/ — Best bunkers 19/ —20/ 18/6-19/ — Ordinary bunkers 17/ 16/ -16/6 — Coke:— Foundry coke 32/ 35/ — Blast-furnace coke (did. Teesside furnaces) ... 27/6 28/ — Gas coke 24/6-25/ 21/ — * Outbreak of war. Out rates keep steady, though rather easy for Mediterranean and Bay ports. Recent fixtures include :—Havre, 12s. 3d.; Rouen, 13s. 6d.; London, 7s.; La Rochelle, 16s. 9d.; Lisbon, 17s.; Bayonne, 16s. 9d.; St. Nazaire, 16s. 9d.; Gibraltar, 17s.; Marseilles, 22s.; Porto Ferraro, 22s.; Genoa, 23s. - Algiers, 17s. 6d.; Port Said, 23s.; Leghorn, 23s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The fuel market, on the whole, is steady and firm. Good deliveries of gas coal are reported, and best Durhams run from 20s. to 21s., whilst seconds are 17s. to 18s., the latter figure having been realised. Special Wear gas coals are quoted 22s. to 23s. Bunker coals are in large and increasing demand, and values show upward movement. Ordinary Durhams are selling at 17s. 6d. f.o.b., bests are 18s. to 18s. 6d., and specials are in the neighbourhood of 22s. Demand for household coal is rather quiet, but quotations are well upheld. Coking coal is in good request at 15s. 6d. to 17s. Considerable enquiries for coke, both for home use and for shipment, are in the market, but buyers and sellers have still rather wide views as to values, and consequently business is not on so large a scale as it would be if sellers and customers agreed more readily on terms. Thus it is somewhat difficult to definitely fix quotations. Local con- sumption is fairly heavy. Durham blastfurnace coke, of average quality, may be put at 27s. 6d. to 28s. delivered at Teesside works, though contracts have been made at less. Foundry coke for shipment is round about 35s. f.o.b., and gas coke is quoted up to 27s. IRON. The recent damping down of a haematite furnace at the Tudhoe works of the Weardale Company reduces the number in blast on the north-east coast to 65, of which 30 are turning out Cleveland pig, 24 are making haematite, and 11 are producing* special kinds of iron. The output of pig hardly meets current needs, with the result that the statistical situation is steadily becoming stronger by the withdrawal of iron from stocks at makers’ yards, as well as from the public warrant stores. Shipments of pig iron from the Tees this month are not quite up to expectation, but improvement is anticipated. To date, loadings amount to 11,183 tons, as compared with 17,811 tons to the same date last month, and 8,234 tons for the corresponding part of August last year. A fair amount of business in No. 3 g.m.b. Cleveland pig has been put through this week at 66s. 9d., and sales have also been re- corded at 67s. Merchants are still selling at the former figure, and there are rumours that some makers would entertain offers at very little above the latter quotation, but most producers ask round about 68s., and declare that even that price does not cover cost of output. No. 1 is still so scarce as to be almost unobtainable and has realised the comparatively very high price of 72s. 6d., whereas under normal conditions this quality is 2s. 6d. above No. 3. Business is passing at 66s. 3d. in No. 4 foundry, No. 4 forge is on sale at 65s. 9d., and mottled and white iron, of which very little is being made just now, are each quoted 65s. 3d. There is a good and improving home and foreign demand for east coast haematite pig. More sales to Sheffield customers are looked for, and‘further substantial business with Italy is assured. Considerable quantities have already been despatched to Italy by boats for Japan, to be delivered en route. These have been shipped among general cargo, and are not included in the official pig iron shipment returns until the end of the month. Most makers quote in the neighbourhood of 100s. for mixed numbers of haematite, but some second-hands are still prepared to sell at 97s. 6d. Steadiness, but inactivity, continues to characterise the foreign ore trade. Consumers are all carrying heavy stocks, and will not buy except for forward delivery. Sellers will not commit themselves ahead, as they fear freight difficulties in the back end of the year. Nominally, market rates remain on the basis of 26s. ex ship Tees for best rubio. Imports of foreign ore to the Tees to date this month amount to 60,414 tons. Manu- facturers of finished iron and steel keep very busy almost entirely on Government work. With the exception of galvanised sheets, quotations are very strong, and indeed show a marked upward tendency. Reduction in price of spelter has enabled makers of galvanised corrugated sheets to lower their quotation from <£22 10s. to <£20 f.o.b. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The Cumberland coal trade is still in su remarkably active condition ; the collieries are all well employed six days a week, and business is so brisk on export and industrial accounts that production is not by any means equal to requirements. The holidays caused the usual dislocation of trade last week, when outputs fell below normal, with the result that there was a shortage in some quarters, and the greatest difficulty was experienced in keeping the coke ovens in full swing and meeting the needs of the home market, not to speak of satisfying the strong demand on export account. Towards mid-week, the whole of the men got into work again, and production is now probably as high as it possibly can be with the amount of labour avail- able. There has been no appreciable change in the house coal market since last week, and so long as the present weather conditions continue no substantial improvement can be expected. Owing to the restricted lighting arrange- ments in some of the towns and villages, gas coal is only quiet, but slacks and all kinds of manufacturing fuel are in very strong demand. The coastwise trade is in a most healthy condition, and the shipments are unusually heavy for the time of the year. All sorts are in keen request from the Irish markets, and the chances are that the demand will go stronger towards the end of the month. Last week 1,200 tons were shipped to Belfast, 960 tons to Londonderry, and over 800 tons wbre consigned to Carrick- fergus. Prices of all sorts are firm, but unchanged. Best Cumberland coal at the pit is quoted at from 22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at from 21s.. to 21s. 3d. per ton. Best Cumberland coal, free on board at Maryport, is quoted at 19s. 6d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 17s. 6d. per ton. Last week 20 vessels left Mary- port for Irish ports, and the shipments amounted to 5,560 tons, an increase of 2,220 tons compared with the previous week. The imports last week at Maryport included a large cargo of sleepers from Pensacola for the east coast, and the exports consisted of a cargo of benzol for Rouen from the Maryport Benzol Works. The by-product coke ovens are all in full operation, and the whole of the output is being absorbed by local smelters. At Workington, best Buckhill coal delivered is quoted at Is. 4d. per cwt., or 25s. lOd. per ton^ with best double-screened washed nuts at Is. 3d. per cwt., or 24s. 2d. per ton. At Maryport, best coal delivered is quoted at from Is. 5d. to Is. 6d. per cwt., or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 25s. lOd. per ton, and seconds 24s. 2d. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow :— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit prices. prices. prices. 23/4 23/4 19/2 Best washed nuts at pit... 21/3 21/3 17/1 Buckhill best coal „ Do. double-scrned 22/6 22/6 18/4 washed nuts at pit Oughterside best coal at 21/ 21/ 16/10 Fit Oughterside best washed 22/6; 22/6 18/4 nuts at pit St. Helens (Siddick) best ,21/ 21/ 16/10 coal at pit St. Helens best house nuts 22/6 22/6 18/4 at pit 21/ 21/ 16/10 Best dry small at pit 12/ 12/ 8/6 Best steam nuts at pit ... 19/ 19/ 15/ Best Cumberl’nd coal, f.o.b. 19/6 19/6 15/6 Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... 17/6 17/6 13/6 Bunkers 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 12/6 Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- 20/ 20/ 15/ works 19/ 19/ 14/ IRON. The Cumberland haematite iron trade has undergone no change since last week, and production and prices are unaffected, Bessemer mixed numbers being still quoted at from 108s. to 110s. per ton free on board at the usual ports, with warrants at cash at 95s. per ton. With regard to ordinary haematites, there is very little forward buying, but there is a fair amount of business passing for immediate requirements. There is a strong demand for low phosphorus iron, which is quoted at from 123s. to 126s. per ton, and probably the whole of the production of this metal is going into immediate consumption. Stocks are low, the amount in public stores still standing at 2,588 tons. There are 23 furnaces in operation in Cumberland and the Furness district, and it is expected that another furnace will be put in blast at Carnforth shortly. A large percentage of the ordinary iron is goUig into consumption in the district, and the bulk of the special iron is still being consigned to the Midlands, for the use of high-class steel makers engaged in the manufacture of munitions of war. Steel makers are fairly well employed on Government orders, but rails are rather quiet. Business is very brisk in the iron ore industry, and all the mines in the district are fully employed. South-West Lancashire. COAL. The inland demand for household coal is about an average for this time of the year. There is not much fresh to report with regard to steam coal; fair quantities are being taken on contract. There is a considerable quantity of coal being shipped for Admiralty. Outside enquiry is limited and on the quiet side. Prices for Lancashire steam coal range from 18s. for lower grades up to 19s. f.o.b. for the best descriptions. The new order with regard to licences for foreign shipments has a tendency to further restrict business. The coastwise and cross channel trade continues to absorb all that can be spared for this branch. In slacks the demand is still in excess of the supply, and difficulty is experienced in making available quantities go round. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ................. Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium............... Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Kitchen ............. Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Screened forge coal..... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack ............ Secondary slack ........ Common do............... Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 20/9 20/9 17/ 22/ -23/ 1 22/ -23/ 16/6-16/9 19/ 1 I9/ 15/3 20/ 1 20 I 14/6-15/ 16/9-17/ i 16/9-17/ j 13/ 18/6-19/ ' 18/6-19/ ! 13/3-13/9 16/ -17/ i 16/ -17/ : 18/ -19/ : 18/ -19/ ; 11/6-12/ 12/6-13/6 9/9 14/ I 14/ 1 12/6 12/6 9/ 10/ 1 < 1 8/ - 8/6