THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN ________________________________________________________________________________ October 15, 1915. 785 Lydney. Forest of Dean. COAL. The pressure in the demand for the house coals of this coalfield is getting more pronounced, and the collieries are all employed full time endeavouring to cope with merchants’ requirements. It is impossible to give anything like prompt despatch to orders, and for some qualities there is a delay of a couple of weeks. Good shipments are made daily, and the Basin is almost clear of loaded wagons. There has been a good run of orders from the inland districts since last writing. There is a fair demand for all classes of steam coal, and the collieries are managing full time, though outputs are much below what they were before the war. Prices at pithead. _______________ Current L,stweek,s|Lastyear’s House coals:— prices. ; prices. I prices. Block ____.............. 21/6 i 21/6 I — Forest .............. 20/6 : 20/6 — Bubble .............. 20/9 20/9 — Nuts ................ 19/ 19/ __ Rough slack ......... 12/6 ! 12/6 — Steam coal:— | ' Large................ 18/ -19/ ! 18/ -19/ — Small ............... ; 14/ -15/ | 14/ -15/ — Tonnage is none too plentiful in offering, and enquiry only on a limited scale. Ample supplies are now on hand all round, railway and dock sidings being congested in every quarter, while several stoppages for the want of empty wagons have taken place. Under these depressing conditions values have sunk lower than for many months with little promise of any early improvement. It is said that efforts are being made to induce Government action to attract back to home waters some of the great quantity of British tonnage that is now busily trading between neutral ports. For instance, a large traffic in coal is moving between North and South American ports —a plain displacement of South Wales coal trade. However, it is clear that any relief from this source is a very long way off, and cannot be reckoned as within reasonable computation. With tonnage so deficient even bunkering coals are lifeless, while the house coal collieries have at last revised their nominal prices, bringing them more into consonance with the real feeling of the market. Pitwood continues scarce and dear. Supplies have been much below requirements, with sellers asking up to 40s. to 41s. for good wood ex ship. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days._____________ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. ________________ Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report a normal demand for house and steam coal in the southern counties. Some merchant-owned steamers are bringing coal cargoes, and a good many sailing ships are also engaged in the same work, but the major portion of house, steam and gas fuel continues to be supplied by rail direct from various colliery districts. A number of collieries owning wagons have not asked for any advance in wagon hire, but in some districts this is being charged under the Price of Coal (Limitation) Act. Colliery prices are firmer in some instances, but the prevailing milder weather has caused the local retail demand to slacken, and large stocks have not been taken in by private householders. i Current Steam coals:— I prices. Best Black Vein large...’ 19/6-20/6 Western-valleys, ordin’y 19/ -20/ Best Eastern-valleys .... 18/ -18/6 Secondary do. ... 17/ —/18 Best small coals ..... 13/ —14/ Secondary do........ 12/ -13/ Inferior do........ 8/ -10/ Screenings .........; 13/6—14/ Through coals .......; 15/ -15/6 Best washed nuts..... i 15/ -16/ Other sorts:— , Best house coal.......; 22/6-23/ Secondary do........., 20/6-21/6 Patent fuel ........ 28/ —30/ Furnace coke........ 30/ -32/ Foundry coke ....... 36/ -38/ L’st week’s Last year’s prices. • prices. 20/6-21/ 16/9-17/ 19/ -20/ : 16/ -16/6 18/ -18/6 15/6-16/ 17/ -17/6 15/ -15/6 13/ -14/ i 7/ - 7/6 12/ -13/ ! 6/ - 6/9 8/ -10/ ; 5/ - 6/ 13/6-14/ ' 7/3- 7/6 15/ -15/6 ; 11/9-12/ 15/ -16/ I 12/3-13/ 22/ -23/ 20/ -21/ 30/ -31/ 36/ -38/ 30/ -32/ 18/ -19/ 16/6—17/6 16/ -16/6 18/ -19/ 21/ —23/ on Tuesday morning, and a resolution was passed protesting against the proposal without first consulting the buyers, and pledging the meeting to resist the new terms to the uttermost. Naturally this has been one of the chief topics on ’Change throughout the week, and developments are now eagerly awaited. There are no new enquiries on the market, although the annual contract season is at hand, and it is not thought likely that much forward business will be entered into whilst the present difficulties and restrictions are so pronounced. As previously indicated, prices are more or less on a nominal basis. Best Admiralties are not coming on to the open market, and are therefore not quoted. The same remark applies to superior seconds, but ordinary qualities are obtainable at anything between 18s. and 20s. There have been several stoppages in the Monmouthshire district owing to wagon scarcity, and prices are easy in consequence. Best Black Veins are 19s. to 20s., western valleys 18s. 6d. to 19s., and easterns 17s. 6d. to 18s., in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. Dry coals continue in request, and prices are well maintained. In consequence of the difficulty in obtaining wagons in France, the small coal market is in a very depressed state, and in some instances stocks have accumulated to such an extent that collieries have resorted to banking in order to provide empties. Nominally, the quotation for best bunkers is about 13s., ordinaries Ils. to 12s., and cargo qualities about 8s. In bituminous coals there is very little doing, and prices generally are stationary. No. 3 Rhondda large is 21s. to 22s., No. 2 large 16s. to 17s., and other grades in proportion. Shipments of patent fuel were not large, and only amounted to a little over 16,000 tons, of which quantity the Crown Company despatched about half. Prices are steady, best grades commanding 33s. to 33s. 6d., and second qualities about 2s. less. The scarcity of pitwood continues, and it is now commanding as much as 39s. to 41s. per ton. Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). ________________________________________________ THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, October 14. _______________________________________________ North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. The pits in the North Wales area have been fairly busy during the past week, but in some cases difficulty has been experienced in regard to getting a sufficient number of empty wagons ; nevertheless, all the collieries have been able to work full time and to dispose of their output. In the case of house coal, orders come to hand with increasing freedom both from householders and committees of public institutions, etc. Merchants, generally are pressing for supplies, and those who can send their own wagons are able to get better deliveries than those who have to depend on the colliery companies to execute their orders in colliery wagons. The local landsale depots are all now having a busy time, and it is considered likely that this state of things will continue for some time to come. What steam coal is available, apart from the large railway and other contracts, is in good demand, while a slight improve- ment has been noticeable in the shipping coal trade with North Wales sellers at the Mersey ports. The gas coal trade is steady, and the average contract quantities have been delivered during the period under review on account of current contracts. During the past week or so several other bodies have made arrangements to curtail the public lighting. In reference to small coal, nuts are at a premium as regards supplies, as the bulk is demanded under gas coal contracts. The demand for slack is well maintained, but the tonnage is limited now that the general output is so very much decreased. With reference to the question of prices, the tendency is towards a further advance, and some house coal has advanced about Is. per ton during the past week, and apparently there is no difficulty in getting the full prices for immediate deliveries. Steam coal is quoted at practi- cally the same figures as were mentioned in last week’s report, and for shipping orders a few coppers per ton extra have been obtainable in some instances. There has been no change in the quotations for gas coal, and slack has been quoted at from 8s. to 9s. 6d. per ton at the pit for good rough qualities. Summarised the prices have been as below:— Prices at pit f.o.r.:— Best house coal ...... Secondary do.......... Steam coal____........... Gas coal.............. Bunkers............... Nuts ................. Slack ................ Gas coke (at works)... Prices landsale:— Best house coal ...... Seconds .............. Slack ................ Current |L’st week’slLastyear’s prices. ! prices. j 20/ -21/ i 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/ 17/6-18/ 8/ - 9/6 17/6-19/2 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 17/3-17/9 17/ -18/ 8/ - 9/6 16/8-18/4 prices. 14/6-15/6 13/6-14/3 12/ -12/6 12/ -12/9 11/9-12/3 11/3-11/9 6/ - 7/ 11/8-13/4 25/ -27/6 23/4-25/ 13/4-14/2 23/4-26/8 18/4-20/ 22/6-23/4 16/8-17/6 13/4-15/ 10/ -12/6 ________________ Monmouthshire, South Wales, Ac. Newport. COAL. The coal trade just now seems in a very bad way, present conditions being very slow and quiet, with not any class of coal better than another. The recent scarcity of tonnage continues, the dearth of steamers for loading being great, while also the chartering market shows little indication of relief, business here, too, continuing on a very easy scale. IRON. Considerable improvement is reported in all departments of the iron and steel trades of the district, orders that are being put through now being mainly at makers’ ideas of values. Prices all round have materially stiffened, with a further trend upwards. At tin-plate and sheet bar mills, work is consistently good, with outputs fully up to recent averages. Values have advanced on the week, and, although £7 5s. to £7 10s. is named for Bessemer and Siemens Welsh bars, works mostly hold to the latter figure quite firmly, and in some cases are quoting £7 12s. 6d. Steel rails, too, are strong, an all-round advance of 2s. 6d. to 5s. being reported. The basis price to-day is <£9 10s.. with makers not at all anxious to book further at these rates. In pig iron, Welsh haematite has shown continued strength, values advancing to lG7s. 6d. delivered to local works, with some business being placed at even better figures. Iron ore shows a marked advance, best rubio nominally being quoted 30s. c.i.f. Newport. The improvement in tin-plates has steadily continued, and values are very firm. A better enquiry is coming along, with buyers anxious to cover ahead, while works are holding out for still higher values. Latest quotations are given at 18s. 3d. for 20 x 14 Bessemer or Siemens primes, but while stocks are moving off at these figures works are not booking. Cardiff. COAL. There is practically no change in the position since last week, except possibly larger stocks of coal have accumulated in the wagons, and there have been a number of partial or whole day stoppages in consequence of not sufficient empties being forthcoming for full work at the pits. The Admiralty supply of tonnage has also fallen away, and permission is now freely granted to supply any contractors who are in a position to offer tonnage to the collieries. Unfortunately, owing to the great scarcity of steamers, there is very little current business, and prices are purely nominal. Each transaction may be said to a matter of arrangement, and merchants who are in the happy position of being able to provide prompt vessels, are enabled to purchase considerably below nominal quotations. The position is becoming so acute that surprise is being shown that the Government has not taken action to compel British owners to bring their steamers to ports in this country. It is well known that, a considerable number of vessels are trading between North and South America and to Mediterranean ports, which avoid this country altogether so as to escape the risk of being taken up by the Govern- ment. It is looked upon as extremely unfair that a certain number of owners should have their steamers commandeered at rates much below current figures, whilst other owners, on the contrary, by keeping their boats entirely away from this country, are able to reap the enormous profits which the high freights now prevailing afford. Another factor which will undoubtedly add to the scarcity of tonnage is the land- slide which has taken place in the Panama Canal. A large number of steamers are hung up now, and a cable has been received this week that the canal is not likely to be avail- able for traffic again before the beginning of next year. The result is that all tonnage for the west coast of America will be compelled to pass round the Horn as heretofore, and the shortage will be accentuated owing to this fact. Chartering last week showed a marked improve- ment, but it is not expected that the position will be relieved for several weeks to come. The amount of tonnage taken up was 220,650 tons, against 118,750 tons in the preceding six days, or an increase of 101,900 tons. These are the highest fixtures for several months past. Shipments last week from the Channel amounted to 357,339 tons, com- pared with 470,104 in the corresponding week of last year, or a decrease of 112,765 tons. From Cardiff alone there wrere exported 211,468 tons, against 343,914 in the corresponding week, or a decrease of 132,446 tons. From Newport the ship- ments were 50,595 tons, or a decrease of 16,223 tons ; from Swansea 64,184 tons, or an increase of 27,016 tons, and from Port Talbot 31,092 tons, or an improvement of 8,888 tons. The proposal on the part of certain colliery firms to restrict the terms of credit from 30 to 14 days after January I next is likely to meet with a lively opposition. A private meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam coals ................ Superior seconds ..... Ordinary do........... Best bunker smalls.... Best ordinaries....... Cargo qualities....... Inferior smalls....... Best dry coals ...... Ordinary drys ........ Best washed nuts ..... Seconds .............. Best washed peas...... Seconds .............. Dock screenings ______ Monmouthshire— Black Veins ....... Western-valleys ... Eastern-valleys ... Inferior do........ Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) Second qualities (at pit) No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large.... Through-and-through Small .............. No. 2 Rhondda— Large.............. Through-and-through Small ............. Current prices. 18/ -20/ 13/ 11/ -12/ 8/ 6/6- 7/6 23/ -24/ 21/ -22/ 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 13/ -15/ 19/ -20/ 18/6-19/ 17/6-18/ 16/6-17/6 24/ 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 18/ -18/6 15/6-16/6 17/ -18/ 15/6-16/6 11/ -12/ Best patent fuel ........ 33/ -33/6 Seconds................’ 31/ -31/6 Special foundry coke ....i 42/ -44/ Ordinary do. ....; 38/ -40/ Furnace coke ................| 32/ -34/ Pitwood (ex-ship) ......| 39/ -41/ L’st week’s;Last year’s prices. prices. 20/ -21/. 19/ -20/ 14/ -15/ 12/ -13/ 9/ -10/ 8/ - 8/6 24/ -24/6 23/ -23/6 25/ -27/6 22/ -24/ 20/ -21/ 18/ -19/ 13/ -15/ 20/ -21/ 19/6-20/ 18/ -19/ 17/ -17/6 23/ -24/ 21/ -22/ 21/ -22/ 18/ -18/6 15/6-16/6 17/ -18/ 15/6-16/6 11/ -12/ 33/ -34/ 30/ -31/ 42/ -44/ 38/ -40/ 32/ -34/ 37/ —38/ 21/ -22/ 20/6 17/9 8/ - 8/3 7/9- 8/ 6/6- 7/ 5/ - 6/ 20/ -21/ 18/ -18/9 16/ 15/ 14/6 13/6 9/ 17/6 17/3 16/6 15/ -15/6 20/ 17/6-19/6 17/6 14/ -14/6 10/6 13/6-13/9 10/6-11/ 7/ - 7/3 18/ 16/6—17/6 | 27/ -30/ 22/ -26/ 19/ 20/6-21/ * Nominal. IRON. There has been a better demand for tin-plates, and prices are slightly higher than they were a week ago. Bessemer standard cokes are being held for 18s., but in some instances merchants are selling from stock at a little less. Oil sizes 18f x 14 are 18s. 3d. to 18s. 6d., and 20 x 10 sheets 26s. 3d. per box. Shipments have also been more satisfac- tory, the exports amounting to 85,467 boxes against 61,156 boxes received from works, this leaving stocks in the dock warehouses and vans at 307,028 boxes. The Board of Trade returns for September, which are now available, show that the exports during the month amounted to 20,002 tons compared with 23,440 tons in the corresponding month of last year. For the nine months of the year the quantity shipped was 280,437 tons against 347,351 tons in 1914. There was again an increase in the export of black sheets, the quantity being 9,985 tons against 3,386 tons in September last year. The galvanised sheet trade shows a slight improvement on the month, but there is a decrease of a quarter of a million tons in the nine months, compared with the quantity exported last year. Spelter is down again to <£68 per ton, and 24-gauge corrugateds are offering at £18. A smart advance has taken place in Welsh steel bars, Siemens qualities being now quoted at £7 5s. to £7 10s. per ton, and Bessemer bars at £7 2s. 6d. to £7 7s. 6d. per ton. Welsh pig iron is also dearer, and the quotation has risen to 105s. to 107s. 6d. delivered. There is practically no change in scrap metals, and business is dull. Llanelly. COAL. There is no change to report of the coal market in this district, and most coals are in fairly good demand. The scarcity of tonnage is rather affecting the position, and the large quantity of stock on hand is inclined to cause a falling-off in prices for some kinds. A large amount of business is held up in some of the Continental ports owing to the scarcity of wagons, which are commandeered by the allied Governments. It is rumoured that owing to the difficulty in supplying the home consumer and the Allies with their proper quantities of anthracite, the Government will cause some further restrictions to be enforced for foreign export. This may possibly have the effect of bringing down prices. Anthracite coals are in very good demand, and prices for nearly all sorts are being