August 20, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 381 purposes which, will be required will for many months ahead be far in excess of the normal. The supply of railway- owned wagons shows a slight improvement, but it is so limited that it is impossible to work more than five days per week. Privately-owned wagons are invaluable, but a good deal of clerical work is involved in seeing that the rates paid are within the limits prescribed by Act of Parliament. The demand for coal from the London district is still very considerably in excess of the average, and the orders for country stations is also larger than usual. Full wagons are being transported with greater speed and regularity, and this is proving very beneficial. The following are the quotations, subject to special modifica- tions, which are used generally in operation at the collieries in this district:— Prices at pit. Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. No change has occurred in the position as regards house coal. Very satisfactory reports continue to be given of the market and the pits are easily kept going six days per week. There are a few days’ delay in executing orders. The demand from the inland merchants is good, whilst heavy shipments are being made. Slack coal and all steam qualities are meeting with a big enquiry, the output being unequal to the requirements of buyers. Prices at pithead. collieries who are not well sold ahead, and these have to accept the best prices they can from shippers who have tonnage available in dock. There is thus to-day great variation in values of coal of about equal quality. Chartering has been fairly active for the past few days, a considerable number of fixtures having been reported. Rates are being fairly maintained with the exception of Mediterranean ports which rule easier. Pitwood supplies continue abundant with quotations on a level with last reported figures, good wood being sold at 24s. 6d. to 25s. ex ship. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Best household coal ..... Second, hand picked ..... Deep screened cobbles ... Deep large nuts ......... Bakers’ nuts............. Small nuts............... Deep breeze ............. Peas .................... Small dust .............. Main nuts for London kitcheners............... Steams, best hand picked Steams, seconds ......... Main cobbles for kitcheners Main breeze.............. Current prices. 17/6—18/6 16/6-17/6 15/6-16/ 15/ -16/ 14/6—15/ 13/ -13/6 13/6-14/ 11/3-12/3 5/ - 6/ 14/9-15/9 14/6-15/6 13/6-14/ 14/9-15/9 13/ -14/ L’st week’s prices. 17/6-18/6 16/6-17/6 15/6—16/ 15/ -16/ 14/6-15/ 13/ -13/6 13/6-14/ 11/3-12/3 5/ - 5/6 14/9-15/9 14/6-15/6 13/6-14/ 14/9-15/9 13/ -14/ Last year’s 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 9/6-10/6 9/ - 9/6 8/3— 8/9 9/3- 9/6 Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Block 21/6 21/6 — Forest 20/6 20/6 — Rubble 20/9 20 9 — Nuts 19/ ' 19/ — Rough slack 13/ 13/ — Steam coal:— Large — —■ — Small j — — — Prices 2s. Od. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, August 19. Steam coals:— Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’y Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary do. Best small coals Secondary do Inferior do Screenings Through coals Best washed nuts Other sorts:— Best house coal Secondary do Patent fuel Furnace coke Foundry coke Current i prices. | 2776-28/ i 26/ -27/ ■ 24/ -25/ ; 22/ -23/ ! 19/6-20/ 18/6-19/6 17/ -18/ ; 19/6-20/ 1 18/6-19/6 ■ 19/6-20/6 27/ -28/ ! 25/ -26/ ! 33/ -34/ 31/ -34/ 38/ -40/ L’st week’s prices. 29/ -30/ 27/ -28/ 26/ -27/6 22/ -24/ 21/6-22/ 20/ —21/ 19/6-20/ 22/ -22/6 21/6-22/6 22/ -23/ 27/ -28/ 25/ —26/ 34/ -35/ 32/ -34/ 38/ -40/ Last year’s prices. South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. The market is in an unsettled state. Some collieries are still working on orders not affected by the Act regulating prices, others are getting the best prices they can under the new conditions. But up to now there is no uniformity, and it is difficult to say what the effect of the legislation will be except that there is not likely to be any reduction, taken all round. Difficulty is experienced in getting supplies from the pits, and many works are going from hand to mouth. Meantime the following quotations stand:— Prices at pit. Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase) :— House coal, best deep ... Do. seconds deep Do, best shallow Do. seconds do. Best hard ............ Forge coal............ Slack ................ Warwickshire:— House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked cobs ............... Best hard spires ..... Forge (steam) ........ D.S. nuts (steam) .... Small (do.) ... Current prices. L’st week’s prices. Last year’s prices. 23/ 23/ 17/6 21/ 21/ 15/ 20/ 20/ 13-/6 19/ 19/ 12/9 19/6 19/6 14/6 ■ 16/ 16/ 10/6 11/6 11/6 7/ 21/ 21/ 15/6 20/ 20/ 13/ 19/6 19/6 14/6 16/ 16/ 10/6 16 16 9/6 15 15 8/ IRON. The market was somewhat featureless, but the tone was strong for the moderate amount of business that passed. The attendance, too, was rather larger than recently. The fact that there is not much new buying is no indication of the trade of the district, for producers of practically all classes of iron and steel—pig iron and galvanised sheets are the notable exceptions—command all the orders they can. under present circumstances, fulfil. Even the drop in price has been no stimulus to the galvanised sheet industry. Spelter has fallen materially recently, but is still nearly three times as much as it was in pre-war days, and the lowest quotation for sheets is <£18 10s. for export. Such overseas trade as there is is done with British colonies and dependencies; there are financial difficulties in the way of trading with the South American and other markets. Black sheets are being bought in fair quantities for roofing, but instead of being galvanised they are painted, the use of spelter being thus dispensed with. Hard doubles cost £11 to £11 5s., and lattens range up to £11 15s. In the bar iron trade there is a steady flow of business, and makers are mostly booked till the end of the year. For unmarked qualities there is a certain amount of irregularity in quotations. Consumers who want quantities promptly have to pay dearly for them, and this accounts for the quotation of £1115s., but the market level is not quite so high. Contracts are running which were taken at £11 5s., and from that figure up to £11 10s. represents the figures for the bulk of the business on hand. No indication was given by makers of marked bars of a change from the £12 standard. Nut and bolt iron remains in the neighbourhood of £11. Recently several lots of American bars suitable for nut and bolt purposes have been delivered here, and have apparently been found satisfactory, for several other orders have been placed. They are not for large quantities, certainly, for buyers want to satisfy themselves further as to the quality of the iron and also delivery. It is note- worthy that, while the current price of this material is about £10 2s. 6d. a ton, the original orders were placed at about £1 a ton below that figure. Gas strip is fairly active at £11 12s. 6d. to £11 15s. Pig irpn is, if anything, weaker as compared with last week. Northamptonshire makers are carrying big stocks, which in these days of heavy expendi- ture in production constitute a serious burden. Some slight relief has been obtained by a reduction in coke, but values are not at all remunerative ; nor does the reduction stimulate business, because consumers take only what they want. Northamptonshire is 66s. to 68s., Derbyshire 69s. to 70s. net, and South Staffordshire part-mine the same. Isolated sales may be made a shade under. For all classes of steel there is a strong enquiry, and quotations for finished material are very firm. Billets were easier. North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. On the whole things have been normal in the district during the past week, and all the pits have been fully employed, having little trouble in disposing of their output, but rather a difficulty in obtaining sufficient to execute orders on hand for the various grades of fuel. There is not much being done at present in the house coal trade, and, as stated last week, little is being effected in regard to fixing up contracts for future deliveries on account of this trade, and there are few enquiries on the market at the time of writing. The local landsale depots are very short of orders at the moment. With reference to steam coal, all is readily disposed of for railway, industrial and shipping contracts. In regard to the latter business, there is, of course, still great difficulties in regard to export, but a fair amount of bunker trade is being done, and there is a marked improvement as regards congestion at the Mersey docks, which has helped matters now that vessels are able to discharge their cargoes and re-coal more freely. There is no doubt that the small committee which was appointed by the Admiralty, of which Mr. A. A. Booth, of the Booth Line, is chairman, has done much useful work. A goodly tonnage has been sent from the various collieries on account of gas coal contracts, and practically all the new contracts which have been made are now commenced, and there are a few enquiries now on the market, but there seems to be some difficulty in getting them settled in the existing state of things in regard to the new Coal Prices (Limitation) Act. Among these enquiries may be mentioned the Liverpool Gas Company, who require tenders for nine months’ supply of coal and cannel to the total tonnage of 100,000 tons. Slack finds a satisfactory market, and nuts are particularly scarce excepting for contract orders, as there is a great demand for them for gasmaking, and owing to the reduction in output, as a result of the shortage of men, there is a much less tonnage of nuts made than was formerly the case. The gas companies of the locality are able freely to dispose of their gas coke, from all accounts. As regards prices, house coal remains at last week’s figures of 18s. to 19s. per ton at pit, while at the landsale depots the price is 23s. 4d. to 26s. 8d. per ton. Steam coal is quoted at 17s. 9d. to 18s. 9d. per ton, while gas coal makes about another 3d. per ton. At a recent meeting of the Ellesmere Urban Council, the clerk to the authority, in referring to the Coal Prices (Limitation) Act, suggested that as their contract for gas coal was made before the passing of the Act, they were empowered to have the prices reduced so that same did not exceed 4s. a ton above the price paid last year, providing notice was given under the Act. It was therefore determined that the clerk should give due notice to the firm who supplied the coal for gasmaking purposes. In the case of coal for shipping trade the price is quoted at from 17s. to 18s. per ton at the pit, while slack is 8s. per ton and upwards, and gas coke 16s. 8d. to 18s. 4d. Summarised, the prices are as below:— Current L’st week’slLast year’s Prices at pit f.o.r.:— prices. prices. prices. Best house coal 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/6 14/6-15/6 Secondary do 17/ -18/ 16/6-17/6 13/6-14/6 Steam coal 17/9-18/9 17/6-18/6 12/ -12/6 Gas coal 18/ -19/ 1 17/6-18/9 12/ -12/9 Bunkers 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/3 ; 16/9-18/ 11/9-12/3 Nuts 17/ -18/ 11/ —11/9 Slack 8/ - 9/6 8/ - 9/6 6/6- 7/6 Gas coke (at works) Prices landsale:— 16/8-18/4 16/8-18/4 11/8-13/4 Best house coal 23/4-26/8 23/4-25/ ! 18/4-20/ Seconds 22/6-23/4 22/6-23/4 1 16/8-17/6 Slack 12/6-14/2 12/6-14/2 10/ -12/6 Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. COAL. The steam coal trade has experienced no relief from the depressing conditions prevailing last week—indeed, the reverse is the case, as current quotations indicate reduced values of about 2s. in all exportable varieties. The scheme submitted to the Coal Exports Committee by the Welsh coal owners for providing a proper and adequate supply of coal for home consumption is as yet without acceptance, and the uncertainty thus raised, together with the delay unavoidable in getting licences for export, cause trading difficulties formerly unheard of. Licences are granted sometimes practically within 48 hours, but in other cases more time passes. Conditions like these, combined with an increasing output, render the situation awkward for those IRON. The condition of the iron and steel trades locally con- tinues much as last reported. Enquiry is again good, and a fair amount of new business is being put through. With old contracts being rapidly completed, buyers have not yet covered for their requirements to the end of the year, and they are now coming nearer to producers’ ideas of values. The forward tone remains firm. In the steel bar department there is little fresh to notice, demand continues normal, and outputs quite up to recent average. Prices are unaltered on the basis of £7 5s. to £7 7s. 6d. for both Siemens and Bessemers. Steel rails are again in good request and active at £9 5s. for heavy sections, with the usual extras for light ditto. Mills are busy and outputs satisfactory for number of rolls engaged. In pig iron and iron ore there is practically no change to record, Welsh haematite is firm and in good demand at 107s. 6d., delivered to local works. Tin-plates are offering more freely and inclined to be easier, makers now accepting lower prices, business having been done at 18s. 6d. for 20 x 14. Cardiff. COAL. Business is in a very unsatisfactory condition at present, chiefly owing to the dearth of tonnage and the orders issued by the Coal Export Committee, which came into effect on the 13th inst. One of the regulations provides that coal must be sold by the exporter direct to the con- sumer. In other words, the services of the middleman at the port of destination are eliminated altogether. This practically renders business impossible, as the usual course pursued in the great majority of cases is for consumers to purchase through a local middleman. It is by no means an uncommon occurrence for a cargo to be shipped to Genoa, and afterwards sold by the middleman to possibly 15 or 20 consumers. Sometimes small lots amounting to a few wagons might be taken, and in other cases the quantity might run to several hundred tons, according to the size of the undertaking. A large quantity of coal imported into Italy is sent inland by wagons, so that the consignees are totally unknown to the majority of the exporters. Ship- ments last week amounted to 349,880 tons, compared with 217,641 tons in the corresponding week of last lyear, or an increase of 132,239 tons, but it must be remembered that a year ago the Bank holiday figures were included, and the stoppage then lasted for the full period of three days. From Cardiff alone there were exported 167,759 tons, against 175,427 tons, or a decrease of 7,668 tons ; from Newport 96,765 tons, or an increase of 71,877 tons; from Swansea 65,732 tons, or an improvement of 54,615 tons ; and from Port Talbot 19,624 tons, or an increase of 13,415 tons. These figures, of course, do not include Admiralty shipments. As indicated above, chartering has been on a very moderate scale, and last week only amounted to 106,280 tons, compared with 69,200 tons in the preceding six days, or an increase of 37,080 tons. The element of uncertainty now prevailing is inducing many shipowners to divert their steamers, and consequently freights are again rising. In addition, a considerable number of vessels have crossed the Atlantic in ballast, and are now engaged in carrying coal from North to South America, whereas they should be occupied in conveying coal from. South Wales for the use of this country and our allies. The result is that stocks are rapidly accumulating and unless licences are granted more freely than has been the case during the last few days, it is not improbable that some collieries will be stopped through shortage of wagons. Best descriptions of steam coals are still monopolised by Government, and there is no quotation. For ordinary qualities, however, permission is being granted more readily to supply contractors, who not unnaturally are making the most of their opportunities. Prices are really a matter of arrangement in each individual transaction, and where one seller may stand firm for a certain figure, another would accept several shillings less rather than run the risk of losing a sale altogether. In this way, middlemen are in some cases realising substantial profits, although in most instances they are doing business at lower figures than colliery owners are disposed to accept. Ordinary steams are quoted at 23s. to 25s., and Monmouth- shires are practically on the same basis, Black Veins being 24s. to 25s., western valleys 23s. to 24s., and the best of the easterns 22s. to 23s. So far as the small coal market is concerned, owing to lack of tonnage there is temporary weakness, and low prices are being accepted by middlemen in order to provide the collieries with steins. For best bunkers the top price is 21s., ordinaries 19s. to 20s., and cargo qualities about 16s. to 16s. 6d.. although it is reported that even lower rates have been accepted. Bituminous coals are easy and quotations rather weaker. No. 3 Rhondda large is offering at 26s. to 27s., and No. 2 at 20s. to 22s., with other grades in proportion. There are several enquiries on the market, but, of course, all tenders are subject to Admiralty permission being given for the shipment of the