332 August 13, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. _____________________________________________________________________ somewhere round about 30s. per ton. With the compara- tively speaking small quantities available, it cannot be said that there is any market price, each transaction being really a matter for arrangement. Sales direct from the collieries are of rare occurrence even for this class of coal, and contractors have the preference. The small coal market continues firm. At the time of writing best bunkers realised 21s. to 22s., ordinary qualities 20s., and cargo sorts 17s. to 18s. 6d. Here, again, uncertainty prevails as to the course of the markets when the Government Order, to which reference has been made, comes into force. There is an enquiry on the market for 60,000 tons of coal for one of the Irish railways, but, as in past years, this in all probability will go to one of the Monmouthshire firms. As a matter of fact, Black Veins are very steady, as much as 31s. 9d. being obtainable, western valleys 31s. 3d., and easterns 30s. 3d.—in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. In bituminous coals there is little demand and practically no alteration in prices, No. 3* Rhondda large being 28s., through 25s., small 23s., No. 2 large 27s., through 24s., and small 19s. to 20s. Coke is rather easier, special foundry being 41s. to 44s., ordinary foundry 38s. to 42s., and furnace 30s. to 33s. Patent fuel remains steady at about 35s. per ton, but pitwood, which is rather easier, is quoted at 24s. to 25s. per ton. Shipments last week amounted to 244,748 tons, as compared with 354,767 tons in the corresponding week of last year, or a decrease of 110,019 tons. From Cardiff alone there were exported 105,440 tons, as against 224,311 tons, or a decrease of 118,871 tons ; from Newport, 58,987 tons, or an increase of 2,227 tons ; from Swansea, 59,185 tons, or an improvement of 17,174 tons; and from Port Talbot 21,136 tons, or a decrease of 10,549 tons. Chartering last week showed a big decrease, the amount of tonnage taken up being only 69,200 tons, compared with 100,920 tons, or a falling off of 31,720 tons compared with the preceding six days. Considerable dissatisfaction is being expressed on ’Change with the manner in which the Admiralty authorities are dealing with shipments. During the last few days, commission was given to ship a cargo to a Greek port, and the cargo was actually loaded. The permission which had been granted was then cancelled, and at the time of writing the vessel was in port ready to sail, awaiting orders. Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). and cobbles were practically unobtainable. Rubbly culm and duff were also strong markets. In steam coals there was quietness, with prices generally unaltered. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Anthracite:— Best malting large (hand picked) (net)... Secondary do. Big Vein large do : Red Vein large do. ... Machine - made cobbles do. Paris nuts do French do. do Stove do. do Beans do Machine - made large peas do Do. fine peas do.... Rubbly culm do Duff do Steam coals:— Best large (net.) Seconds do Bunkers do Small do Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large (net) Thro’-and-thro’ do. ... Small do Patent fuel do Current . prices. 26/ -28/ 26/ -27/ 28/ -32/ 20/ —23/6 34/6-36/ 38/ -42/ 36/ -40/ 25/6-30/ 18/6-19/6 12/ -13/ 6/9- 7/3 26/ -29/6 23/6-25/6 20/ -30/ 15/ -177' 26/6-31/ 20/ -22/ 31/ -32/ L’st week’s prices. 24/ -26/ 23/9-26/ 26/ -30/ 18/9-20/6 32/6-34/9 38/ -40/ 35/ -37/6 25/6-28/6 18/6-19/6 11/6-12/ 6/6- 7/ 24/6-26/ 22/6-24/ 20/ -23/ 14/ -16/ 25/6-28/' 19/6-21/6 30/ -32/ Last year’s prices.* * Outbreak of war. Steam coals:— Current prices. L’st week’s prices. Last year’s prices, f Best Admiralty steam coals * * Superior seconds * * Ordinary do 30/ -32/ 30/ -32/ — Best bunker smalls 21/ -22/ 22/ -23/ — Best ordinaries 20/ 21/ Cargo qualities 17/6-18/6 18/6-19/ — Inferior smalls 16/6-17/ 17/6-18/ — Best dry coals 30/ —32/ 31/ -32/ — Ordinary drys 28/ -30/ 28/ -30/ — Best washed nuts 28/ 30/ — Seconds 26/ 28/ — Best washed peas 25/ 28/ — Seconds 23/ 26/ Dock screenings 21/ 21/ — Monmouthshire— Black Veins 31/9 30/ -31/ — Western-valleys 31/3 29/ -30/ — Eastern-valleys 30/3 28/ -29/ — ■ Inferior do 29/6-30/ 26/ -28/ — Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) 30/ 30/ — Second qualities (at pit) 27/ -29/6 27/6-29/6 — No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 28/ 28/ -29/ — Through-and-through 25/ 24/ -25/ — Small 23/ 23/ No. 2 Rhondda— Large 27/ 26/ -27/ — Through-and-through 24/ 22/6-24/ ’ -— Small 19/ -20/ 19/ —■ Best patent fuel 35/ 35/ — Seconds 32/ -33/ 32/ -32/6 Special foundry coke 41/ -44/ 43/ -47/ — Ordinary do. 38/ -42/ 40/ -43/ — Furnace coke 30/ -33/ 31/ -33/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 24/ —25/ 25/ — * Nominal. f Outbreak of war. IRON. IRON. During the past week there was good work at the blast- furnaces, and a substantial improvement was observed in the steel-producing establishments. The tin-plate works were idle for the holidays. Briskness was again the feature at the Mannesmann Tube Works. A good week was registered at the iron and brass foundries, and the engineering and fitting shops were actively engaged. The shipments of tin-plates were 62,418 boxes, receipts from works 36,801 boxes, and stocks remaining in the dock warehouses and vans 263,307 boxes. Llanelly. COAL. The position of the market continues to be very firm and for all coals there is a steady demand. There is no scarcity of orders with any collieries, in fact, some of the sellers have far more orders on hand than they can possibly execute for the next few weeks. The position, however, generally speaking, is very peculiar, and both buyers and sellers are much exercised as to the future prospects. Until something more definite is arranged under the new Act, new business will be scarce for the next week or two. All the anthracite qualities are going very well and stocks are now very low. Large kinds are in big request and prices are being maintained, whilst there is no easing off in the enquiry for the machine-made kinds. Steam and bituminous sorts are also in fair demand and prices are keeping steady. This week’s quotations approximately are :— Prices f.o.b. seems impossible to those who are familiar with the London market. That no great variation upward in the public prices will be allowable seems to be recognised pretty freely, but as the bulk of the collieries contract for 75 to 80 per cent, of their output, and in many cases this year a larger proportion of the output has been contracted for, it stands to reason that very little coal will be available for sale in the open market, and all the London merchants have con- tracted for less than they require for all their customers, so that the surplus coal will be very small. The accommoda- tion at the London depots is extremely short for storing coal, and thousands of houses have little or no accommoda- tion for more than a fortnight’s supply of fuel, so that the wThole situation bristles with very serious and anxious com- plications. The seaborne market shows very little alteration. Prices continue nominal, but none are published, and the vessels arriving in the River Thames are all loaded with contract cargoes. Forty vessels were returned as arriving for Monday’s market, and five for Wednesday. Hard steam coals are selling freely, but the demand is falling off, and prices have in many cases been reduced to fall in with the new Bill. Welsh steam coal buyers are holding off for lower prices in consequence of the export difficulties. The output is improving, but the demand is more restricted and supplies are consequently offering more freely. The Humber prices are still ranging from 19s. 6d. to 20s. for South Yorkshire hard steams f.o.b., and Derby- shire steam coal, 18s. 6d. f.o.b. Gas coals continue in good demand, and realise from 19s. 6d. to 20s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. Coke prices arejower. Slacks also are difficult to sell. The pit prices are nominally 15s. to 16s. 6d. Derby bright®, Barnsley best, 17s. to 18s.; seconds, 15s. to 16s.; South Yorkshire hards, 16s. to 17s.; Derbyshire hards, 15s. 6d. to 16s. 6d. In the freight market very little change has taken place, 7s. has been accepted from Newcastle to London, and 6s. 3d. from Immingham to London. An explanation has been issued by the Foreign Office as to the recent Order in Council on coal exports, which is to come into force on August 13, 1915, and it now appears that the regulation is in no way intended to alter the actual state of affairs with regard to the export of coal, beyond the fact that licences will be required now for coal exported to any place which is not a British possession or protectorate. The Order is not designed to prevent exports, but is the consequence of certain domestic legislation in reference to the price of coal for home use. A necessary control of the British coal and a proper proportion between home and foreign con- sumption is what is aimed at. The Port of London Authority have just issued their financial report for the past year. Trade shows a substantial increase, both from docks, river and warehouses. The net revenue appears at £1,457,000 for 1914-15, as compared with £1,313,000 for 1913-14. __________________________ From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Co.'s Report. Friday, August 6.—There were no seaborne house coal cargoes on offer at to-day’s market, which remained very quiet. Cargoes, 14. Monday, August 9.—The seaborne house coal market remained unchanged to-day, no Durham or Yorkshire cargoes on offer. Cargoes, 40. Wednesday, August 11.—The seaborne house coal market was again quiet to-day, no sales reported. Cargoes, 5. __________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Anthracite:— Best malting large... Secondary do. ....... Big Vein large....... Red Vein do.......... Machine-made cobbles... German nuts.......... French do............ Paris do.......... Machine-made beans ... Do. peas......... Culm ................ Duff................. Other sorts:— Large steam coal..... Through-and-through... Small ............... Bituminous small coal... Current L’st week’s i Last year’s prices, i prices. I tymaas 27/ -29/ 24/ -26/ 26/ -28/ 28/ -32/ 22/ -23/ 36/ -38/ 38/ -40/ 39/ -41/ 38/ -40/ 26/ -29/ 18/ -19/6 12/ -12/6 6/6- 7/6 23/ -25/ 25/ -28/ 18/ -20/ 31/6-34/ 35/ -37/ 37/ -39/ 35/ -37/ 25/ -28/ 18/ -19/6 11/6-12/6 6/6- 6/9 27/ -29/ 1 24/ -26/ 21/ -23/ 20/ -23/ 14/ -16/ 14/ -16/ 19/ -21/ 19/ -21/ | prices. : 21/ -23/ i 18/6-20/ ' 16/6-18/ ‘ 13/ -14/ : 20/ -22/ > 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ ; 21/ -23/ ' 20/ -22/ , 13/ -13/6 6/ - 6/3 3/9- 5/6 16/ -18/ 11/ -11/6 : 9/ - 9/6 11/ -11/6 Tar Products.—For the most part there is a-good demand, and prices are well maintained. There is a fractional decline in the price of crude naphtha, while on the west coast pitch is rather dearer. Otherwise there is little change in either position or prices. Nearest values are:— Rise(+)or fall (-) on the week. Benzols, 90’s ..................... 1/0J—1/1 ... — ,, 90’s North ............... /11| ... — ,, 50’s ,, ............... 1/4 ... — Toluol ............................ 2/2—2/4 ..; — Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.)... 3/6 ... — After the week’s stoppage, owing to the holidays, receipts from works have been of a meagre description, .only 36,801 boxes having been added to stock, whilst 62,418 boxes were shipped. This means that there are at present with the docks, warehouses and vans 263,307 boxes. In con- sequence of the decrease in the price of block tin and other raw material prices are inclined to be on the easy side, and Bessemer standard cokes are now quoted at 18s. 9d. to 19s., and oil sizes at 19s. 3d. and 27s. respectively. The Welsh steel bars are nominally 5s. lower, and are now quoted at to £7 5s. per ton. according to make. Although no improvement in business has taken place in the galvanised sheet trade, there has been a big reduction in prices. A week ago spelter was realising as much as <£100 per ton, to-day the rate has receded to £72 per ton, or a drop of £28 in six days. The result is that 24-gauge corrugateds, which a few days ago were £20 to £20 10s. a ton, are now selling at £18 10s. to £19 per ton. Welsh pig iron is inclined to be easy, although the price is maintained at 105s. to 107s. 6d. delivered. Rail mills are generally busy, but there is no alteration in prices. The iron ore market is easy, best rubio being 23s. to 23s. 6d., seconds 20s. 6d. to 21s., and Almeria 20s. per ton. Scrap metals are practically unaltered. Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port last week was much disturbed by the holidays, and the strike of the coal tippers; but the coal and patent fuel trades were inactive, the shipments only amounting to 64,991 tons. A capital attendance assembled on ’Change, but conditions generally on the anthracite coal market continued very slow, and quotations were to all intents and purposes nominal. Buyers were not prepared to book ahead, and were delaying their purchases until they have secured their licences. Swansea valley and Red Vein large continued firm, and machine-made nuts _________________________________________________ THE LONDON COAL TRADE. Thursday, August 12. ______________ The London coal trade for the past week has been very irregular, and trade generally has* been slow. Very little new business has been done, and collieries are refraining from giving any prices. Contract quantities are coming forward with increasing despatch, and whilst the present uncertainty exists as to the prices at which it would be safe to sell at, the daily invoices are almost exclusively confined to the monthly contract quantities, and this has led to a very quiet market and comparatively few enquiries. The public orders are now nearly satisfied, and the back orders on the colliery books are appreciably lessening. The new Price of Coal (Limitation) Act is still the uppermost subject for discussion. The coal merchants’ committee met in the society’s committee room on Monday last, and again on Wednesday, and it is reported that a very important meeting of the factors and wholesale merchants is to take place at Cannon-street Hotel on Monday next, at 12 o’clock. Derby bright® are still the strongest in demand, and the prices ruling a week or 10 days ago are now practically withdrawn, as they are all found to be beyond the 4s. per ton extra as provided by the Bill. No new quotations have yet been issued, but care is everywhere displayed not to sell at the old prices in case it is found to be an infringement of the Act. The merchants, however, find a little more latitude in regard to prices than the collieries do, and in many cases it is feared that the allowance in the pit price will find/ its way directly into the pockets of the merchants, except, of course, where the larger works or public companies claim the rebate in the price when the time of settlement comes round. The outlook for the winter supplies of house coal is still viewed with a considerable amount of anxiety, and it is becoming more than ever recognised that as the colder weather advances there must of necessity be a considerable shortage-in the supply. The public seem to anticipate a reduction an the price on account of the new Act, but this ,, crystals (40 per cent.) 1/4—1/6 ... — Solvent naphtha, south (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package 2/—2/1 ... — Solvent naphtha, north (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package 2/—2/1 ... — Crude naphtha, north (in bulk) .... /6—/6| ... —/0| Creosote (for ordinary qualities) .... /3—/3T^ ... — Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) ................ 22/—23/ ... — ,, (f.a.s. west coast) ........... 20/—24/ ... 4-/6 Tar (per ton ex works) y............ 21/6—25/6 ... — [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 a satisfactory enquiry, and prices rule firm at all ports. Buyers use every endeavour to get in for forward at their own prices, but makers are very firm in their ideas, and show not-the slightest disposi- tion to sell freely, save at their own figures. Closing prompt prices are :— London (ordinary makes) .... Beckton (25 per cent.) ______ Liverpool ................. Hull ..................... Middlesbrough ............ Scotch ports ................ W ales .................... Nitrate of soda (ord.) per cwt. Rise (+) or fall (—) on the week. £14/17/6 ... — £14'5 ... — £14/17/6—£15 ... — £14/15 ... — £14/15 ... — £15/5—£15/10 ... — £14/12/6 ... — 12/6 ...- 4-/U [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2J per cent, discount; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality; allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.} _______ Trade Notes. There is considerable activity in France in the manu- facture of nitrates direct from the air, or via carbides, tyid a water power range of electric furnaces for the production of nitrate of soda is in course of construction at Laroquebrow, while similar products are contemplated at Bouvillard, by means of the water power at La Chamlere. In addition to this, a company is working on the Coutagne process with a view to bringing into the range of commercial processes. The figures for the week have been :—Pitch, 316 tons; 1,000 casks, and £6. Tar, 500 gals. ; 14 tons ; 201 packages ; 400 barrels; 4 casks; and £23. Sulphate of ammonia, 7,580 tons.