October 15, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 783 kinds. It is reported that the Paris Gas Company has contracted for further supplies of secondary Durham gas coals, for shipment over next year, on the basis of 17s. to 17s. 6d., and for special Wear gas at 19s. per ton. The Norwegian State Railways have contracted for about 50,000 tons of best Durham steams at 19s. to 19s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Current L'st week’s Last year’s Gas coals:— prices. prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 19/ 19/ — Secondary do. House coals:— 16/9 16/9-17/ — Best house coals 20/ 20/ — Ordinary do Other sorts:— 18/ 18/ — Lambton screened 20/ 20/ — South Hetton do 20/ 19/ — Lambton unscreened ... 15/6 15/6 — South Hetton do 15/6 15/3 — Do. treble nuts 16/6 16/6 — Coking coals unscreened 15/6 15/6-15/9 — Do. smalls 15/3 15/ — Smithies 17/6 16/ -16/3 — Peas and nuts 17/ 17/ -17/3 — Best bunkers 16/ 16/3-16/6 — Ordinary bunkers Coke:— 15/ 15/ — Foundry coke Blast-furnace coke (did. 27/6 27/ — Teesside furnaces) ... 25/ 25/ — Gas coke 25/6-26/ 26/ — Outward coal chartering has been brisk, and as tonnage is sparingly offered the tendency is towards higher rates. The coasting and near trades are firm and the Bay fully steady, while the Mediterranean is stronger. Recent fixtures include: — London, 9s. 3d.; Calais, 17s. 6d.; Dunkirk, 18s.; Rouen, 18s. 6d. ; Boulogne, 17s. 3d.; Bordeaux, 26s.; St. Nazaire, 24s.; Copenhagen, 14s. 6d.; Aalborg, 12s. 9d.; Genoa, 44s.; Marseilles, 41s. 6d.; Leghorn, 43s. 6d.; Malta, 39s.; and Las Palmas, 32s. 6d. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The coal market is steady and firm. There is little prompt free coal for sale. Buyers are in the market at 18s. 6d. for best Durham gas coal, and considerable sales have been made at round about that figure, but some sellers are asking 19s. to 20s., whilst second-class kinds range from 16s. to 17s., and special Wears are quoted up to 22s. Bunker coal is in good request, and in this branch a steady tone prevails. Ordinary Durhams run from 15s. 3d. to 15s. 6d. f.o.b., bests are 16s. 3d. to 16s. 6d., and specials 19s. to 20s. There is considerable demand for household coal, and values are strong. A good deal of forward shipment business has been done in best steam coal. Over the first half of next year contracts have been arranged on terms which leave about 6d. per ton more than recent business of the same sort. Coking coal is well taken up. Unscreened kinds vary from 16s. to 18s., and coking smalls are quoted 15s. 6d. to 16s. There is a firmer feeling in coke, notwith- standing prospects of increased output. Local consumers show more disposition to buy, but still offer rates below what sellers are prepared to accept. Definite quotations for Durham blastfurnace coke are difficult to fix. Medium qualities may be put at 24s. 6d. to 25s. 6d. delivered at Teesside works. Demand for coke for export is very heavy. Shippers experience a good deal of difficulty in securing despatch permits. Best foundry coke for shipment is 32s. 6d. to 35s. f.o.b.. Gashouse coke is quoted up to 30s. IRON. There is a better tone generally in pig iron. Buyers are coming forward, and quotations are steadily advancing. Production of pig is fully absorbed, and beyond the 130,000 tons odd of No. 3 Cleveland in the public warrant stores, stocks are very small, so that the statistical situation is very healthy. A good deal of business in No. 3 Cleveland has been put through this week at prices ranging from 65s. to 65s. 9d., and it is now difficult to purchase the ruling quality at below the latter quotation. No. 1 is very scarce, and sellers are not disposed to name below 70s. Usual buyers for local consumption, however, regard such a quotation as exorbitant, and opine that no more than 2s. 6d. should separate No. 1 and No. 3, with the result that they are purchasing and using the latter rather than pay the rate asked for the superior quality. No. 4 foundry is 65s. 3d., No. 4 forge 64s. 9d., and mottled and white iron each 64s. 3d. Very good accounts are given of east coast haematite pig. Substantial enquiries are in the market both on home and Continental account. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are now fully 105s. Both merchants and makers quote that figure, and some producers ask a higher price. Foreign ore continues to improve in value. Con- sumers are anxious to buy for delivery over the remainder of the year, but they will not fall in with suggestions of sellers. For early delivery market rates are based on 33s. ex-ship Tees for rubio of 50 per cent, quality. Some sellers are prepared to risk freights and guarantee delivery next month on the basis of 33s. 6d. for best rubio, and delivery to the end of the year on the basis of 34s. 6d. Freights Bilbao-Middlesbrough are firm at 17s. 3d. In finished iron and steel manufacturers are kept continuously engaged on Government work to the exclusion of ordinary commercial business. Prices all round are strong. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The Cumberland coal trade is decidedly easier in tone this week, and business in all branches is probably much quieter than it has been for some time. Nevertheless, prices are well maintained, the whole of the collieries are employed fully six days a week, and production is still very little, if any, in excess of the demand. In the home market, landsale is rather dull. The mildness of the weather during the last few days has had an adverse effect upon trade in house coals, and orders for this class of fuel are not quite so plentiful as they were at the beginning of the month. Gas coals are not so active, but engine fuels and best steam coals are in steady request, while slacks, smalls and all kinds of fuels for industrial requirements are in very strong demand. The coastwise trade, from one cause and another, is much slacker, and the tonnage this week from Maryport to Irish ports is lower than it has been for the past 12 months. Coal for manufacturing purposes for the Irish market is fairly steady, but the demand for other sorts is not quite as strong as it has been during the last three months. Last week only nine vessels sailed from Maryport with coals for Ireland, compared with 19 and 17 for the two previous weeks, and the tonnage to Belfast and Dublin was much below the average for the time of the year. The high level of freights, and the lack of suitable vessels, is at present hampering the coastwise trade to a certain extent, and this is perhaps one of the main reasons why business is so slack at a time when Irish requirements should be on the increase. Prices of all sorts are firm but unaltered, and no change is at present antici- pated either in the export or home branches. Best Cumber- land 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, and seconds at 20s. lOd. per ton. Best steam nuts are quoted at 19s. per ton, and dry small at 12s. 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. There is a fair demand for bunkers, which are quoted at from 17s. to 17s. 6d. per ton. The shipments from Mary- port last week amounted to 2,610 tons, a decrease of 2,690 tons compared with the previous week. Coke is in steady demand, and the majority of the Cumberland ovens are fairly well employed. A large percentage of the make at the Cumberland ovens is being absorbed by local smelters. At Maryport, St. Helens, Flimby and Oughterside best coal delivered is quoted at from Is. 5|d. 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 at 24s. 2d. per ton. At Workington, Buckhill best 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. Other current quotations are as follow:— Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Current prices. L’st week’s Last year's prices. prices. 23/4 23/4 19/2 Best washed nuts at pit... 21/3 21/3 17/1 Buckhill best coal „ 22/6 22/6 18/4 Do. double-scrned washed nuts at pit 21/ 21/ 16/10 Oughterside best coal at Fit 22/6 22/6 18/4 Oughterside best washed nuts at pit 21/ 21/ 16/10 St. Helens (Siddick) best coal at pit 22/6 22/6 18/4 St. Helens best house nuts 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 ... 20/ 20/ 15/ Best washed nuts for gas- works 19/ 19/ 14/ IRON. The Cumberland haematite iron trade is in a steady condition; there is a fairly strong demand for iron, and the market is rather firmer than it has been for some time. This week Bessemer mixed numbers are quoted at 106s. per ton free on board at the usual ports, while warrants at cash have increased to 97s. 6d. per ton, 2s. 6d. higher than they were a week ago. Special brands of iron are quoted at from 125s. to 137s. 6d. per ton. Ferro-manganese is in fairly strong request at <£20 per ton, and another furnace in the district has been put in blast on this class of metal. This week 1,000 tons of ferro-manganese has been shipped from Maryport to Sydney, Cape Breton, the first consign- ment since January 15 of this year. There is a very heavy consumption of low-phosphorus iron among high-class steel makers engaged in the manufacture of munitions of war, and the demand for this class of iron is increasing in volume. Makers are exceedingly busy, and practically the whole of the output of high-class iron is going into imme- diate consumption. Makers are well sold forward, and, although more than one-half of the furnaces are now making special iron, production is said to be. scarcely equal to requirements. As far as ordinary iron is concerned business is rather quiet, and consumers are merely taking it up as they require it. The pig iron in stock in the west coast storing yards amounts to 2,120 tons. The bulk of the make of ordinary iron is being consumed in the steelworks at Barrow and Workington. The present pro- duction is being drawn from 22 furnaces, 14 in Cumberland and eight in the Furness district. A large proportion of the make of low-phosphorus iron is still going to the Midlands, Birmingham and Sheffield being the chief users, while a substantial tonnage is also being consigned to South Wales and Scotland. The steel trade is fairly active, but the rail trade is only quiet and the amount of new business coming forward is not considerable. There is still great activity in the iron ore industry, and nearly the whole of the output is being consumed in the district. High-grade ores, which are in exceedingly strong demand, are quoted at about 37s. per ton at the mines, while average qualities are quoted at 23s. 6d. to 26s. 6d. per ton. Spanish ores are quoted at about 26s. per ton delivered. At Mary- port, last week, the imports included 1,600 tons of iron ore from Castro for the Workington Iron and Steel Company. South-West Lancashire. COAL. Few words are needed to describe the coal trade in Lancashire. It is all summed up in the demand is greater than the fuel available. It is with great difficulty that the output is maintained at its recent level, and its effect is apparent at every branch of the trade. In the inland household trade the demand is extremely good, and possibly some of it may be due to a better provision being made for the winter months than has been the case for some years. Forges keep up a fair average consumption. In shipping, the demand for steam coal, both on contract and open sale account, is still only moderate. Supplies are perhaps rather more restricted owing to the improved household demand, but so far this has little or no effect on quotations, which for Lancashire steam coals range as before from 17s. to 17s. 6d. f.o.b. In the coastwise and cross-Channel trade the merchants are anxious to take more than can be readily shipped. In slacks, whatever little weakness there was has vanished, and it is with difficulty customers’ requirements can be met from day to day. 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 prices. 20/9 22/ -23/ 19/ 20/ 16/9-17/ 18/ —18/6 16/ -17/ 17/ -17/6 14/ 12/6 10/ L'st week's Last year's prices. prices. 20/9 17/ 22/ -23/ 16/6-16/9 19/ 15/3 20/ 14/6-15/ 16/9-17/ 13/ 18/ -18/6 13/3-13/9 16/ -17/ 11/6-12/ 17/6-18/ 12/ -12/9 14/ 9/9 12/6 9/ , 10/ 8/ - 8/6 South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a fair attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. House coal continues in good request, and supplies are not equal to the demand. The season advance of Is. on Yorkshire coal is maintained. Furnace coal is in good demand, and shipments keep up well, mostly on contract account. Slack is- still brisk. Prices are firm for all qualities, and the general list is as follows:— Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best .............. Medium............. Common............. Furnace coal......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack .......... Common slack ........ Current prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 14/ 11/ -12/ L’st week’s prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ I 14/ | 11/ -12/ Last year's prices. 17/3-18/ 16/ -16/9 13/3-14/ 12/6 14/ 9/6-10/ 8/6- 9/ IRON. There was very little doing in pig iron, and prices were low. Quotations for ordinary finished bars for the home trade are nominally £11 10s. for crown quality, with no sellers at this ; makers are asking about £1 premium. In steel there is practically no demand for bars for ordinary consumption, all of it is going into war material, and with the majority of works controlled or partly controlled, prices are high. Local works are all busy with the exception of the foundries, which remain very badly off for work. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. The strong position of the Yorkshire coal trade was reflected by the attendance on 'Change on Tuesday, when all sections were represented and the gathering was one of the largest of the present year. While the principal enquiries were for prompt supplies of house coal and washed fuel for manufacturing purposes, there was a good demand for all descriptions. Colliery representatives had very little to offer, however. Full time work at the pits was reported, but the output was inadequate on account of the reduced supplies from South Yorkshire. The scarcity of empty trucks is more pronounced this week, but an improvement is noted in regard to the transit of loaded trucks on the railways. London merchants are very pressing in their demands for supplies of house coal. The collieries are not offering the best qualities for the London market, the whole of the output being required to satisfy contractors. The advance last week in the public prices of Is. a ton does not seem to have checked the retail demand, a busy state of affairs at the depots being reported. In regard to the coastwise trade, there are more enquiries circulating than for months past, but business is very difficult to transact, owing to the scarcity of suitable boats. Freights for handy-sized boats of 800 to 1,000 tons are now quoted at Ils. per ton, Goole to the south coast. A few sales of Silkstone medium quality house coal for the south are reported at 19s. 9d. f.o.b. Hull. In the local markets the difficulty is to get adequate Current pit prices. House coal:— Prices at pit (London) : Haigh Moor selected ... Wallsend & London best Silkstone best ....... Do. house .......... House nuts ........... Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best....... Silkstone best ....... Do. house .......... Other qualities....... Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal..... Gas nuts.............. Unscreened gas coal ... Other sorts:— Prices at pit: Washed nuts........... Large double-screened engine nuts ......... Small nuts............ Rough unscreened engine coal.......... Best rough slacks..... Small do.............. Coking smalls ........ Coke:— Price at ovens: Furnace coke ......... Current L'st week's Last year's prices, i 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ prices. 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 18/6—19/6 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ prices. 14/6-15/ 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/ 11/6-12/ 21/6-22/6 20/6-21/6 18/6-19/6 18/ -19/ 21/6-22/6 20/6-21/6 18/6-19/ 18/ -19/ 16/9-17/6 15/6-16/6 14/ -14 '6 13/ -13/6 15/ -16/ 15/ -15/6 13/6-14/6 15/ -16/ 15/ -15/6 13/6-14/6 10/6-11/ 9/6—10/3 9/3- 9/9 16/ -16/6 14/6-15/6 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 12/ -13/ 10/ -10/6 10/ -10/6 15/6-16/6 16/ -16/6 14/6-15/6 13/6-14/6 13/ -14/ 11/9—12/6 10/ —10/6 10/ -10/6 15/ -16/ 10/6-11/ 9/3- 9/9 9/ - 9/6 9/ - 9/6 7/3- 8/3 6/ - 7/3 6/3- 7/6 12/ -12/6